Otherworld Dagashi Shop Yahagi

Chapter 40: Wrapped in Monster Smoke

The rain that had been falling since the previous day had stopped by midnight.

Today was the day Minerva and I would go to Mount Garju.

I woke up early, freshened up, and went to pick up Michelle in a chartered horse-drawn carriage.

This carriage is a compatible type and offers a good view of the scenery.

Yes, I’m really enthusiastic today.

I helped Michelle to get into the carriage, to which the coachman looked at me with a strange expression on his face.

Michelle, a wanted criminal, is wearing her silver mask today as well, dressed as a man.

Perhaps due to the effect of her Recognition Inhibition Magic, from the side, she looks like a man.

He must find it unusual for a man to escort a man.

However, I don’t mind.

We are dating after all.

As soon as we got into the carriage, Michelle put a cocoa cigarette in her mouth.

[Yuusuke, would you also like one?]

I don’t feel like eating sweets, but as long as I have that, we can enjoy our conversation as we please.

[Guess I’ll have one.]

As soon as I took one and put it in my mouth, Michelle mentally spoke to me.

(I’m sorry, Yuusuke. I really wanted to come more dressed up......)

(It can’t be helped. We’ll just have to save that for some other time.)

We’ve had some talk of emigrating to a foreign country once Michelle finished her research.

It seems like there’s also the option of undoing the curse casted on the King and providing some compensation to receive amnesty.

One day, the two of us will be able to walk outside together in public.

(Let’s stop by the restaurant first and pick up our lunch box.)

(As expected, wouldn’t it be better if I just made it for us? I wanted Yuusuke to eat a lot......)

(Let’s also leave that for next time.)

Michelle had initially said that she would cook our food herself, but I heard that the trendy lunch boxes have very cute and stylish containers.

This time, I’m interested mainly in those containers.

The lunch box we received was a three-tiered bento box made of porcelain.

The top part was decorated with small flower patterns in subdued pastel colors of pink, white and light blue.

(Cute......)

Michelle seemed to like it too.

(Next time we go on our outing, I’ll pack it full of my home-cooked food.)

She isn’t usually so talkative, but today’s Michelle has been talking a lot since this morning.

However, I wonder if the coachman driving the carriage in front of us is suspicious?

From the side, it looks like we’ve been silent the whole time with our cocoa cigarettes in our mouths.

Only once did he turn around and call out to us.

[I have an ignitor if you want. Would you like to use it?]

[This isn’t a cigarette.]

He must have been just trying to be kind.

Mouth Garju was a big bowl-shaped mountain.

It was only about 100 meters high.

Here and there on the mountain, what I think were fujiru flowers were in full bloom.

The color of the flowers ranged from light pink to dark purple, and the shape was similar to that of wisteria flowers.

The flowers were so densely packed that the entire mountain seemed to emit a pale luminescence.

(T/N: Wisteria flowers are known as Fuji flowers in Japan)

[They’re amazing. It’s no wonder everyone comes here for flower viewing.]

[Unnn. I’m glad Yuusuke and I were able to come this year.]

The entrance to the mountain was crowded with visitors here for flower viewing.

Of course, with all the potential customers around, there are many stalls and noisy barkers trying to pull in people.

[Let’s move a bit.]

Michelle urged me to move a bit and we set foot on the trail.

The higher up the mountain we went, the fewer people were to be seen, seemingly finding it a hassle to climb up the mountain.

The stairs were long and I was getting a little out of breath, but I kept going, looking forward to the view from the top.

And then, finally climbing up the last step, we arrived at the top with a great view.

[Ohh, this is amazing......]

The sight of fujiru spread out below us took my breath away.

It was like a cloud of purple and light pink.

[I wanted to see the view from here with Yuusuke.......]

[Thank you. I’ve never seen anything like this before......]

After a while of gazing at the view in a daze, Michelle let out a shaky voice.

[Y- You know...... There’s a legend that says lovers who kiss here will live in happiness until the next fujiru flower blooms......]

In other words, it’s something like a blessedness charm that lasts for a year?

Now that she mentioned it, I’ve been seeing some couples here and there since a while ago.

Good grief, they’re totally showing off......

[W- Well, I can’t take my mask off outside, so I have nothing to do with it......]

Sounding a little sad, Michelle turned her gaze back to the landscape.

As the fully bloomed fujiru swayed, the wind blew up from the valley.

The distance between me and Michelle is about five apples.

As her black hair flutters in the wind, I can’t take my eyes off her.

Did Michelle cast some sort of Love Magic on me?

No, the witch I know is quite talented, but I don’t think she can use that kind of magic.

A happy year spent for lovers huh......

I’m the type of person who doesn’t believe in traditions like that, but I’m sure that a kiss would make this moment happy.

And this marvelous dagashi shopowner can take out anything from his shop at any time.

Product name: Monster Smoke

Description: If you apply some glaze to your fingertips and repeatedly press your fingers together, a mysterious smoke will come out. Highly effective when used as a smokescreen while escaping battles.

Price: 30 rims

Monster Smoke is used by applying the glaze on the card to your fingers.

When I applied the glaze to my thumb and forefinger and repeatedly pressed them together, white smoke appeared in the blink of an eye and faintly enveloped us.

No one should be able to see us anymore.

[Michelle, won’t you take off your mask?]

[Eh? Unnn......]

It was the first time I had seen Michelle’s face outside.

Perhaps because she doesn’t usually receive sunlight, Michelle’s skin is so far that it appears translucent.

[Because I have big lips, I don’t like my face......]

[I like your face though. You’re beautiful.]

When I said that, Michelle stared at me in surprise.

She stared at me for so long that I couldn’t help chuckling.

[It would be troubling if you don’t close your eyes.]

[Eh?]

[I’d be too embarrassed to kiss you.]

[Ahh......]

This time, as if something scary appeared, Michelle squeezed her eyes shut.

For him to brush aside such a cute witch, that King must have been crazy.

Well, it’s thanks to that that we’ve become lovers......

In any case, putting those thoughts to the side, I put my mouth over Michelle’s puckered lips.

<Afterword>

Monster Smoke is a reference to Youkai Kemuri. The aforementioned glaze was something rubbed off from behind the card.