Ordinary Forest (Part 1)

[This chapter was split into two, as this was a pretty big chapter in the RAWs. Expect the next part in a week or two. It takes me a while to translate. But the author pumps out a chapter a day. Haha D: ]

“Then, mom and dad will prepare the evening menu, so Leon and Mary can go play.”

“That’s right, but be careful.”

Once mom and dad said that, Mary suddenly got up from her chair and shouted as if she remembered something.

“I almost forgot! Brother, we promised Luke and Nicola to go to the forest with them today!”

“Really?”

“Really! Did you forget brother?”

“N-No, I remembered! Let’s get ready then!”

I replied to Mary impatiently, though it’s true that when I search for the memory, I can find the memory of the promise. But it’s really inconvenient since you try to remember yourself. But… well it’s better than nothing… I’m thankful.

Nicola and Luke are kids next door in the tool shop. We’re childhood friends and we play together a lot of times. And the fact that Nicola is the same age as me helps. And Luke is the same age as Mary. And that’s probably the reason why we get along so well.

“Are we going to the forest today? Don’t forget to bring the beast-repellant bell!”

“Mhm! I won’t forget it! I’m gonna get lots of fruits!”

Beast-repellant bell seems to be something you must bring when you go to the forest. It’s kind of like the bear-bell in japan.

[TN: If you guys didn’t know, hikers in japan wear what’s called a bear bell to repel bears away, but according to some people it’s ineffective, therefore hikers talk, yell, and clap to let the bear know of their presence.]

According to Leon’s memories there don’t seem to be any demons, as he has only ever seen small animals and bears, but all of them are pretty deep into the forest, and you don’t meet them in the shallow parts of the forest, and if he wears a bell, he never encounters them.

Isn’t it standard to have demons in a fantasy world? Was that just in stories…? But well, if there aren’t any, then that’s a good thing! Since I can’t fight them and it’s pretty scary you know?

“Well then Brother! Let’s get ready!”

And then Mary pulled my hand and then went to the storage room up the stairs on the second floor.

When going to the forest, it seems that she’ll change into leather boots, carry water in a leather bag and a knife, and puts on a backpack for the collected things in the forest.

I am right now wearing trousers made of the same material as a rugged t-shirt that is tied together with a string. And it seems I go to the forest with the same clothes.

I’m ready now, but I’m nervous about carrying a knife around on my waist. But it is another world… Where even kids have knives.

“Mary, ready to go?”

“Mhm! I’m ready to go!”

“Let’s go get water.”

We have to get drinking water from the well, so we have to go there to get it. It doesn’t have an automatic pump either, it works by pulling a rope on a pulley. So it’s hard to get water.

Alright! I dropped the tub into the well, and it filled itself with water, and then I pulled the ropeー Pull… Pull… Pull…! ーvery vigorously. And my hands hurt a lot now.

Fuuh~ I finally pulled it all the way up here. It’s not easy for an eight-year old to get water from a well.

I then put the water into my leather bag and we were ready to go.

“Well then, Mary let’s get going!”

“Okay!”

We opened the kitchen door and said goodbye to mom and dad and left home.

“ “ We’re off! ” ”

“Have fun! Be careful, okay?”

“Be back before dark.”

“ “ Okay! ” ”

I replied and ran out of our home to next door. But even though I say ‘ran’, it’s more like ‘walk’ since it’s literally next door.

The house next door was made in a similar way to our home, the dining room was also part of the tool shop.

They sell knives, leather bags, jute bags, and other tools for everyday use.

“Hello! Are Nicola and Luke there?”

“Ara~ Welcome Mary.”

“Hi aunty.”

“Leon’s already here, no~ Nicola and Luke will be here too, so just wait a little bit.”

She’s Nicola and Luke’s mom. We call her aunt, but she’s pretty young, about the same age as our mother. She’s a little plump and she’s kind. She’s sitting in her chair at the counter instead of the cash register and smiled at us.

“Isn’t uncle here today?”

“Oh~ Ben is out stocking up today. Sorry, okay? He’ll probably be back by the time you guys are back from the forest.”

“Mhm! I love uncle!”

“Fufu~ Ben would be overjoyed to hear that.”

Ben is Nicola and Luke’s father, he’s a very cheerful and energetic person. Mary likes uncle and often comes to visit him. And aunty’s name is Sarah.

“Leon! Mary! Wait for me!”

“Oh Nicola! We haven’t been waiting for long!”

Nicola opened the door and came towards the store. Nicola had green hair and eyes. Which was really strange for me as a japanese person. But it’s a normal color in this world. According to Leon’s memories, Luke has blue hair and eyes. That’s also a cool color. It seems that this world is colorful in both hair and eye color…

“Luke’ll be here soon.”

“Big Brother Nicola! Let’s get lots of fruit today!”

“Mhm Mary! Let’s get a lot!”

“Right!”

Nicola loves Mary as if she were his own sister. Even now he’s stroking her head gently. Mary’s face relaxed.

Nicola is a good guy who you can rely on.

“Sorry! Did I make you guys wait? I couldn’t get my shoes on!”

“It’s okay Luke, did you put your shoes on?”

“Yep! They’re perfect.”

Luke put his hands on his hip and pumped his chest forward and exclaimed with pride. Luke is a mischievous boy with blue eyes and hair, but he’s got a gentle side.

“Dang it Luke! You’re so late! If we don’t go soon, we won’t have time to get fruits!”

“Sorry! Sorry! I’ll help pick out more fruits for Mary.”

“Really?! Yay! Thanks!!”

At first Mary’s brows were wrinkled in anger, now she’s smiling because Luke said he’ll help her out get more fruits.

The only sweet things Leon could remember eating were fruits from the forest, so fruits must be a valuable sweet.

“Let’s go, then. You have a bell to keep the beasts away, right?

“Yep, I have it!”

Nicolas made a final check and we were off.

In Leon’s memory, the royal capital was not surrounded by walls, and after passing through the densely populated residential areas, fields and farms spread out, with only a few houses standing on their own.

As we continued along the road in front of the house, we began to see fields and farms, and after a short distance, we came to a road that veered off to the right. We followed the road for about ten minutes until we reached the forest.

We walked in silence and reached the forest.

“Alright let’s take a break and find some fruit.”

“Brother Nicola! Mary is still okay! Let’s find some fruits!”

“Let’s get some rest first. We won’t be able to walk home if all of us are too tired.”

“Okay~”