469-Simple sweetness





Sister Maya, I have to get back to work.

 As I was playing on the sandboard, a group of kids playing nearby told me so.

 Looking at the position of the sun, it was about noon to evening.

 Thinking back, we've been playing for quite some time since the afternoon.

I've been playing for quite a while now. Is it that time already?

I think it's time to call it a night.

 With that, I unfastened the clasps on my and Maya's feet.

 Maybe it's because I've been on the board for so long, but I feel a little uncomfortable walking on my feet.

'Is Al going to be in Jaisal for a while?'

 Maya asks me that while holding her board.

 Unfortunately, I'm not a resident of Jaisal, nor am I a resident of this area, nor am I a traveler.

 As long as I'm coming in a transition from the village of Colliat, I can't not return to the mansion.

 That's why I shouldn't say any lines that would make you expect it.

''No, I guess I'll be leaving soon. But I'll come back to visit you from time to time, so we'll play again then.

I would have liked to ski with you more, but I'm sorry. But you said you'd come back, so I'll look forward to the next one.

 Maya says that to me with a smile on her face.

 I was genuinely happy that she said she was looking forward to playing with me again.

 I have a transition. If I want to come, I can come whenever I want.

 It will be a vague promise, but I'm sure I'll see you again.

 Well, it will look strange if you come right away, and I'm concerned about the center of Rasul, so I'll probably have to go there first.

'Hey, can I have this board? I didn't feel like I could make the same thing on my own right away...

Yeah, no problem. I didn't mean to bring it home.

 Storing it in subspace would allow me to reuse it again, but I wasn't going to use it here, and I could always make something like this.

 Maya and the kids would be more than happy to reuse it and play with it rather than throw it away.

'Thanks! Well, I'm going back to the city!

Yeah, another time.

 Maya carried the two boards on her shoulders and took the children back to Jaisal.

 They're probably going to help with house work and prepare dinner.

 It's going to be irresistibly lonely when you're left in the desert with a pothead. It's even more so since it was so lively just now.

''Well it's time for me to go back to the house.

 If we're too late, Mother Erna and the others will be worried about us.

 I make sure there's no one around, and then put on the warm clothes I pulled out of subspace.

 Yesterday, we experienced a terrible cold snap when we transitioned in our clothes.

 It's very hot and stuffy to wear warm clothes here, but it's bearable.

 After changing clothes and storing them in subspace, I activated the transfer, envisioning the plains of Koliat village.

'It's still cold over here,'

 It was naturally cold when we came to the plains in the village of Koliat.

 The temperature seems to be dropping because the time is approaching evening.

 When you breathe, white breath comes out of your mouth.

 The surrounding area is covered in snow and it's all white. It seems like a lie that we were in the desert a while ago.

 The transition to a place where there is such a difference in climate is still tremendous.

 I immediately floated a fireball to warm the air so as not to cool my body.



 If you go back and forth between summer temperatures and winter temperatures frequently, your body might be surprised and go out of whack.

 I used to get sick a lot in my past life due to the temperature difference, and I probably shouldn't go there so often.

 I was walking down a single street with that in mind when I arrived at the mansion.

 I was relieved to be back home because I had taken a short little trip.

'Welcome home,'

I'm home.

 I dropped the snow and went up from the front door, and Mother Erna happened to be walking by and called out to me.

 I answered and was about to go straight to my room when Mother Erna came around to the front and stared at me.

'What's wrong?'

"...Al, are you sure your face is burned?

Oh, really?

 Ah! Oh, my God! It's only natural to get sunburned when you're playing in the desert with so much sunshine.

 I should have refrained from playing for a long time, or at least put on sunscreen.

 And so on and so forth in my mind, but I can't let that leak out.

 I mean, who would believe that I had been in the desert in transition?

'I was outside all the time, and I wonder if the snow reflected the sunlight. Or it's red from frostbite.

Well, you can't underestimate the sun's reflection in the snow. Sometimes it's so bright.

 Even in the middle of winter, there's damage from UV rays, and even frostbite can cause redness to your face.

I'll put some water on it to cool it down just in case.

Yes, you should.

 I didn't want to get raggedy, so I hurriedly headed for the sink.

 The reason why I pulled it out in a hurry, but it seemed to be something that Mother Erna, who cares about beauty, could sympathize with, so she didn't get suspicious.

 However, Mother Erna is very perceptive to notice in an instant that her skin is burnt.

 I was fortunate to be able to get away with it this time, but I have to be careful in such places.

 Next time I'm in the desert, I'll put on the sunscreen and cover my face with something like a turban.

 With that firm resolution, I took care of my skin with water magic and ice magic.



 ◆



...I need something sweet to eat.

 As I was lounging in my room after finishing dinner, it occurred to me.

 Today's lunch was a very spicy dish at Jaisal.

 Because of this, I felt that my mouth was somewhat spicy and I wanted to eat something sweet.

 It's like if I keep eating rice crackers, I want to eat daifuku or cake next time.

 If it was me in my previous life, I would have refrained from eating them after dinner because they would have made me gain weight.

 However, my physical age now is seven years old. A little recklessness is something I can do with my youth, so I decided to head to the kitchen without hesitation.

 When I came to the kitchen at night, it seemed that Bartolo was preparing tomorrow's food.

'Bartolo's great to be working this late,'

"...what's going on? More importantly, what's going on at this hour?

 That abrupt change of subject is probably due to embarrassment.

 This is a cute point about this uncle. I don't know if there's a demand for it.

I'm in the mood for something sweet. I thought I'd make some sweets.

At this hour of the day, if you're eating sweets, well, at your age, you shouldn't have to worry about it.

 Oh, Bartolo is saying the same thing as I was saying earlier. It's not unreasonable, considering our mental age, we're close in age.

''So, can I use the kitchen for a moment?

Yeah, that's good.

 I was able to get permission from Bartolo, the owner of the kitchen, so I decided to use it without reservation.

 I don't have a genuine sweet tooth like Meena and Saara.

 I don't want to eat anything too heavy right now since it's after dinner, even if it's a snack time snack.

 I want something that can be made quickly and eaten smoothly.

'Yeah, maybe pancakes.'

 The thing that fits my desire is a pancake. They're thin, like a home-cooked English one.

 You can make those in a minute and make them just as sweet. They're easy to eat with fruit.

 Stir together the flour, salt, eggs and milk in a bowl.

 That's all you need to make the original dough.

 All you have to do is bake it in an oiled frying pan. It's so easy.

 If you have the will to do it, even Elinora's sister could do it, I think.

 I don't intend to make bulky and thick pancakes, so I spread them out thinly and widely.

 I tilt the pan to make a clean shape, and after about ten seconds, I insert a spatula into it.

 I take a quick peek at them and turn them over because they're already browned.

 I turned it over and baked the other side for about ten seconds.

 Put it on the plate. I folded it like a crepe.

 Just by doing this, it looks like a very stylish snack, and I feel a different sense of satisfaction.

 After that, I poured lemon over it and lightly sprinkled sugar. You can sprinkle honey on it if you like, but I'd rather not use dried fruit this time because I want it to have a simple sweetness.

Okay, it's done!

'You're done? You're early!

 Bartolo looks at the pancakes on the platter and exclaims in surprise.

'It's good that it's so easy and quick to make. Do you want some Bartolo? I don't use a lot of sugar, and I don't think you'll gain much weight if you eat a little at night, do you?

Oh, come on.

 Baltoro nodded firmly, as if he was defeated by such a sales pitch from me.

 Compared to cookies, fried bread, and parfaits, these pancakes have a tiny amount of calories.

 Bartolo's portions were baked the same way and placed on a plate.

''Bartolo is free to add the rest of the toppings as he sees fit.

'Oh, I think Meena will be delighted with the parfait.

 Bartolo smiles happily when he only mentions Meena's name.

 It would be a wild thing to go into why Meena's name comes first there.

 Bartolo seemed to be in a good mood, sprinkled with a little sugar and lemon, and put some dried fruit on top of it, just like I did.

 I guess our tastes are similar because we are of the same mental age, too.

 It's too much of a hassle to go all the way to my room or dining room, so I'll use the chairs in the kitchen to eat on the spot.

 I cut the pancakes with a knife and bring them to my mouth with a fork.

 Not a sophisticated sweetness, but a simple sweetness that could be replicated in any home.

 But it was pleasant.

 I could feel my tongue being soothed by the rubbing of Rasul's spices.

 Bartolo also seems somewhat relieved to have eaten the pancakes.

It's not very sweet, but it has a nice taste. I like this kind of candy better.

It's got a nice homey feel to it.

Ha, boy, you'd make a good wife.

Well, I'm more of a guy who wants to have it made.

 I don't mind making it, but it's easier that way.

 If I wanted to, I'd want to be fed.

''Well when it comes to making a better meal than a monk, it's not going to be possible for any of the young ladies out there.

'It doesn't matter if it doesn't taste good. As long as there's some kindness in it.

Can you ask your daughter to cook for you sometime?

No, it's all about the taste.

 I immediately retracted my statement when I imagined the candy that Sister Elinora had burnt.

 Kindness and love are important, but so is deliciousness.

 Maybe it's because I'm dusted with simple sweets, or maybe it's because of that silly conversation between me and Bartolo.

"Well, kid. I think it's time to make some more.

'Yes. We don't know when they're going to come in.

 I wonder when it started. Suddenly, I noticed Mother Erna and her maids peeking out of the entrance.

 They must have caught the scent of pancakes out of nowhere.

 We decided to make extra pancakes for the people who would undoubtedly want them, so Bartolo and I decided to make some more pancakes.