Azuki Arai (literally, ‘Red Bean Washer’) is a supernatural monster in Japanese folklore that washes adzuki beans in isolated streams or riverbanks while singing “Wash me beans, or catch me a human to eat… Shoki-shoki! Shoki-shoki!” (Shoki-shoki is the onomatopoeia for the sound of adzuki beans tumbling over one another as they are washed.)
♠♠♠
Azuki Arai and the Spider Woman [Part 1]
Having spent most of the day traveling by carriage, the sky had almost gone dark when they were done seeing the cluster of [Over]. And because there was still quite a distance to Edo, even by carriage, they decided to put up at an inn en route.
Even though it was an inn… they were basically staying at a building which hadn’t been cleaned and had no caretakers as the villagers had evacuated to Edo.
“I’m sorry. We couldn’t prepare an adequate place to sleep for it was too sudden…“
Fukushima bowed his head to Melsa and Oliver.
“It’s alright. I can take care of myself.“
Melsa’s POV
I was the one who asked them to tell me about Imperial Japan’s problem in the first place. I was already thankful that they put this much effort into an unexpected arrangement.
Having spaghetti napolitan again for dinner surprised me, but seeing Imperial Japan’s samurais eating it so deliciously, they must have liked the dish very much.
I parted with Oliver, who had been grumbling about the inn, and rested in my allocated room.
I needed to return to the Kingdom tomorrow. I probably had to sleep for the sake of my body, but I couldn’t seem to.
Even if I brought back the information about [Over] to the Kingdom, Imperial Japan would still perish in a year if Emma couldn’t come up with any ideas.
The Imperial Japanese people had already given up.
I wonder if there is something I can do for the Imperial Japanese people, who live their days indifferently without panic, as if they will accept any situation thrown at them…
The faces of the samurais with their cheeks stuffed with spaghetti suddenly came to mind.
Ah, I know.
Let’s give them recipes.
Give them as many recipes as I can.
Recipes that can be made with the food aid we brought, and the ingredients Imperial Japan still has.
Recipes that the great cook, Yoriko, is proud of.
*rustle*
Violet, who had come out from my skirt and moved to the top of the table the moment I was alone in the room, was looking at me quietly.
“Violet… can I ask for your help?”
So that I could write faster and leave more recipes for the Imperial Japanese people, I had Violet climb to the top of my head.
End of Melsa’s POV
♠♠♠
“Shoki shoki
Shoki shoki“
Even though Oliver had been complaining about the inn, the moment he entered his room, he immediately plunged into his bed and fell asleep as he was too tired from the long trip.
But his sleep was light, and he was woken up at midnight by a strange noise.
“Shoki shoki
Shoki shoki“
The noise seemed to come from somewhere nearby… But when he rubbed his eyes and squinted at his surroundings very carefully, there was nothing there.
“Shoki shoki
Shoki shoki“
This was a foreign land.
He didn’t understand what was going on here at all.
The doors of the building were simply made of paper attached to a wooden frame and had absolutely no resistance whatsoever if thieves ever tried to break in.
“W-Who’s there?!”
He couldn’t stand the eeriness and let out a voice.
“Shoki shoki
Shoki shoki“
Is it… outside the door?
“Shoki shoki
Shoki shoki“
S-Scary.
…Melsa… The face of his former fiancee, who came together with him to Imperial Japan, suddenly came to Oliver’s mind.
Even I, a man, feel this scared.
Is she currently trembling in fear? Crying while calling out for my name?
Oliver braced himself to open the door.
“…Nobody’s… there?”
“Shoki shoki
Shoki shoki“
“Hii—”
Only the sound… could be heard, but he couldn’t see its form.
Oliver ran to Melsa’s room without thinking about anything else. This place is dangerous.
He opened the “wooden frame with paper attached” door to Melsa’s room with great vigor.
“Melsa, are you alright?!!! …AAAGGHHH!!!”
Then, Oliver lost consciousness.
