SHC05_C5 Something Sprouted!?
C5 Something Sprouted!?
That afternoon, after finishing my snack, it was time for my usual study session with Mr. Romanov.
Once I finished embroidering the tenth condor onto his ever-growing collection of protective cloaks, I tidied up my sewing kit.
“So, what did you do during your independent study time today?” he asked.
“I helped Josef take care of the horses, cows, and chickens in the morning. Then after lunch, I worked with the head chef on developing a new recipe.”
“A new recipe?”
“Yes! It’s called a soufflé omelet...”
A soufflé omelet is made by whipping the egg whites until fluffy, folding them into the yolks, and then carefully cooking the mixture to keep it light and airy.
I adapted the idea based on meringue, which does exist in this world. When I explained it to the head chef, he just laughed and said, “Young master, what goes on in that head of yours?” Rude.
One weakness, though: if you don’t serve it immediately, it deflates. You have to eat it hot.
“I see. Then tonight’s dinner will be something to look forward to.”
“Yep! Tonight is one of the days for our table manners class, so I’ll be dining with you and Ms. Rottenmeier. I’m excited.”
Since my miraculous recovery, I’ve been dining with Ms. Rottenmeier twice a week under the guise of table etiquette lessons. We were seated awkwardly at opposite ends of an absurdly long table at first, just the two of us. But it was still better than eating alone. A month ago, Mr. Romanov began joining us, and the meals became more enjoyable.
Around that time, I started asking the chef to recreate dishes from my previous life for those dinners. Sharing food like that reminded me of family meals from my old world. It made everything feel more real.
Of course, we’re missing many ingredients, and the flavors don’t always match, but the chef’s skill is incredible. The dishes always turn out delicious.
“As they say, hunger is the best seasoning. Now, let’s get some studying in before dinner.”
“Yes, sir!”
As usual, I spoke aloud: “Open.”
My status screen appeared:
Name: Agaha Kikunoi
Race: Human
Age: 5
Level: 1
Class: Noble
Skills:
Cooking (A)
Sewing (A)
Farming (A)
Crafting (A)
Swordsmanship (E)
Archery (E)
Horsemanship (D)
Magic (E) ← new!
Special Skills:
Green Hand
Blue Hand
Notes:
Favored by Hyakka Koushu
There it was.
New skills and notes that hadn’t been there yesterday.
I blinked three times, checked the screen again, and then looked at Mr. Romanov, whose expression said he was equally shocked.
“...So, magic sprouted.”
“...Yep. It sure did.”
“...‘Favored by Hyakka Koushu,’ huh.”
“...Yeah, um. What is that about?”
He stared at me.
I averted my eyes.
Then—squish. His big, grown-up hands grabbed both my cheeks and squeezed.
“Hey! Don’t squish my face like that!”
“Still just as squishy. Which means this isn’t a dream!”
With a big sigh of wonder, he continued to smoosh my cheeks with an oddly delighted expression.
He squished them at least twenty more times before finally letting go. I’m pretty sure my face was a little narrower afterward.
“Ahem. Sorry about that. I lost my composure.”
“No worries. Honestly, your overreaction helped me calm down.”
“Hah! You’ve got some nerve, saying that so smoothly.”
He chuckled, but then his expression turned serious.
“Truthfully, I figured your magic aptitude would awaken in another year or so. You’ve got unusually strong focus for your age. Even when I tease you, you lose focus only briefly and regain it fast.”
“Huh, really?”
“Absolutely. So this isn’t outside my expectations—just ahead of schedule. But… ‘Favored by Hyakka Koushu’...”
He trailed off, eyes narrowing in thought.
The silence stretched. It started to feel heavy.
Finally, he spoke again.
“Agaha. You’ve heard the name Hyakka Koushu, right?”
Ah.
Turns out that name is part of this world’s basic education.
I looked away.
He sighed deeply.
“You’re a strange one. Rottenmeier told me you were a nightmare before your illness—spoiled, impossible, the worst kind of noble brat. But the way you are now… I honestly had trouble believing it. Still, I didn’t expect to find the proof of that ignorance here.”
“A-ah… yes. I deeply regret all the trouble I caused and have reflected upon it fully.”
“Oh, you can say things like that, using phrases even grown-ups might stumble over—but you don’t know the name of a major deity?”
…Fair point.
All those eloquent phrases? That’s leftover from the “me” of my previous life.
All the common knowledge of this world? That’s supposed to be me now. And apparently, I was dumb as a rock.
I’d just had an existential crisis when Mr. Romanov tapped my notebook.
“If you don’t know, then leaTonight is one of the days for ourn studying the gods of this world. Take notes. Ask questions.”
“Yes, sir!”
Being ignorant isn't a crime… but staying ignorant definitely is.
In my previous life, we called it animism—the belief that gods dwell in all things. Turns out, this world is built on exactly that concept.
This world’s religion is a type of polytheism, with many gods, but six of them stand out as the principal deities:
En’yō Koushu—Sun goddess, governing day, birth, and life.
Hyōrin Koushu—Moon goddess, ruling over night, sleep, death, and reincarnation.
Ishto—mountain god of war, fire, and strength.
Rosmarius—sea god of magic, knowledge, and wisdom.
Igor—sky god of medicine, technology, wind, and commerce.
Hyakka Koushu—Goddess of earth, flowers, healing, and prosperity. ← my patron(?!)
There are also gods of justice, beauty, love, and more.
“You may recall,” Romanov said, drawing a crude map on the chalkboard, “that this world has four continents. There are powerful nations like the Kirou Empire, as well as smaller kingdoms of elves, dwarves, beastfolk, and more. Their politics and cultures vary widely—but the deities they revere are remarkably consistent.”
“So there aren’t religious wars?”
“Oh, they happen—but it’s more like faction disputes. Even followers of the same god argue over holy texts, temple layouts, or who’s more ‘correct.’ Power struggles exist in every world.”
“Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone just got along?”
“Most religions teach that,” he said with a dry smile.
Of course, if the ‘everyone should get along’ crowd starts brawling over whose version is holier, the message kind of gets lost.
I laughed. Romanov cleared his throat.
“Anyway. Most people in the Kirou Empire worship all six major gods, but those in agriculture, forestry, and healing especially revere Hyakka Koushu. And you, my dear boy… are officially her favorite.”
“Ah—uh—yeah. About that…”
I felt my heart pound. How was I supposed to explain the morning’s events? Should I mention my past life?
I didn’t want to lie—but I was scared of telling the full truth. What if he thought I was a freak?
I hesitated… and that was all it took.
His eyes lit up with sudden realization.
“…You’ve been sworn to secrecy, haven’t you? To gain a god’s favor, you must have offered something rare. You’ve been commanded to remain silent.”
Wait, what? That’s… actually a convenient interpretation.
Relieved but wary of letting the misunderstanding go too far, I carefully explained what I could about this morning’s encounter. I mentioned that I had met the goddess, that she heard my songs, and that she wanted me to sing for her again tomorrow.
“Songs, huh? Well, according to legend, Hyakka Koushu has always loved music and performance…”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Is this… divine talent scouting?”
That sharp gleam in his green eyes—surely it was just my imagination.
…Right?
EUNEUN: Thanks for reading~
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