Chapter 48 from “Miniature Garden Chemister part 2 – Miniature Garden”
“Welcome!”
Hmm, I’m nervous.
“Two high potions—that’ll be 2,000 Rill!”
“…What are you doing?”
“Huh! No, no come on…! You were watching!?”
“……”
It seems that Ikuru inadvertently witnessed me as I was practicing customer service while checking the stock of potions in the warehouse. Oh no, that’s just too much, I’m too embarrassed to even look at Ikuru…!
I wince and hide my face in too much embarrassment. No, it’s because I had thought he was already asleep!
Yes. It was a good time of night right now…well, around midnight, wasn’t it? Normally everyone would be in bed, but I had been unable to fall asleep because I was worried about the shop opening tomorrow.
“No, you know what? I’m so nervous I can’t sleep, or something…”
“Well, that seems like Hinami-sama…but you wouldn’t know it if you overslept, would you?”
“Hmm, it’s fine! Because I’ve never slept in on a job before!”
As a person used to part-time working, I wake up on time no matter how much my body screams for sleep. This could already be considered a habit.
Oh, come to think of it, what about Ikuru? It was unusual for him to be up at this hour. Normally, he should be back in his room at this time, right…?
“Ah…I couldn’t sleep for a while. I came in for a drink of water when I thought I saw Hinami-sama downstairs.”
“I knew Ikuru was nervous too…”
“No.”
Hmmm.
He was in denial in an instant.
“…Or rather, Ikuru, haven’t you been sleeping a lot more lately?”
“What?”
“Because mornings have seemed slower lately…at first I thought you were sick, but it seems different.”
“What—so you knew.”
He looked a little surprised and continued to say, “I thought Hinami-sama wouldn’t notice it…” Rude. Excuse me…even I would have noticed a little bit! Because that’s what Japanese people are like, I’m sure.
Or, could it be that there was something bothering Ikuru? It’s true that I’ve had a lot of opportunities to get to know people lately, but…they were all good people. I didn’t see much of an element of concern.
“Oh, no. It’s not like there’s anything in particular…”
Ikuru read my expression and continued to speak as if to tell me not to worry. But he shrugged his shoulders as if in contemplation as I continued my words.
“It’s not something Hinami-sama should worry about…I was just reading…”
“A book…the one the spirit picked out for you?”
“Yes.”
What? So that’s why he was up late. Good. I was worried that something was wrong with Ikuru.
While reassured by Ikuru’s response, I wondered what kind of book was picked out for him.
“Did Hinami-sama read hers?”
“…!!!! I forgot…!”
“Isn’t that what they’re expecting?”
That’s right!
How easy it was for Ikuru’s words to remind me. I can’t believe that I hadn’t read it yet, let alone forgotten that it even existed, especially after I was given a book handmade by a spirit. When I take a peek at Ikuru, I’m aghast at how different we are.
I nodded softly to myself, telling myself close to my heart that I would read it when I got back to my room and then go to bed.
Softly.
Suddenly I felt something warm on my shoulder…and when I looked up, I saw that Ikuru had put the jacket he had come with on me.
“It’s cold in the basement at night, isn’t it?”
“Oh, um…thank you.”
It was so natural that I couldn’t react to it immediately.
As I listened to Ikuru’s words of, “Go to bed early,” I felt as if there was a hole in my heart. I look around the warehouse again as I see Ikuru go back to his room ahead of me and calm myself down.
I think something is wrong with Ikuru.
I think the question I asked, “Are you reading a book?” is probably…I think it was Ikuru’s signal to me not to pry any further. The key word must be the book the spirit gave me. It must be the book Ikuru needs most, but…I can’t imagine what exactly it is.
“Maybe I should wait until Ikuru tells me…”
My voice is the only thing that echoes in the newly quieted warehouse.
I’m worried about Ikuru, but maybe it’s not something I can casually listen to. In that case, I would surely be better off laughing like I always do, I conclude to one person.
But if Ikuru seems to be in pain, I will call out to him again.
“So I’ll make sure he tells me when he’s having a hard time…?”
***
“Hinami! The bread is burning!”
“Yeah! Take it out!”
“It’s too hot for me!”
It was the opening day of “Hinami’s Miniature Garden.”
Right now, before the store opens, or rather, before breakfast is being prepared. Maro and I have been preparing breakfast while Ikuru has been briefly cleaning up the shop. But…we are currently in a situation.
“Because I’m a snow bunny! Okay, I’ll take the fried egg and sausage over here, so please!”
“Okay!”
I left the pan to Maro and hurriedly used the tongs to get the bread out of the pot. Yes, it smelled very tasty, though just a little burnt. I put the bread in a basket lined with a clean sheet and carried it to my desk. Together we’d get the drinks ready, and then all we’d need to do is prepare the salad and some soup.
Just then, I heard a scream from Maro again.
“Hinami, what should I do about this!?”
“Oh, I’m gonna have to get a plate!”
When I look over, I see that the fried egg was starting to burn a little too.
I wonder, is Maro not good at cooking?
No, wait. There’s something fundamentally wrong to begin with…because Maro isn’t human. In other words, she’s never cooked in a normal sense of the word. Yes, that’s right…!
“Sorry, Maro! I’ll teach you to cook…!”
“Huh? Yeah, thanks!”
Smiling, Maro hugs my waist tightly. Ugh, so cute…!”
Maybe it’s because she’s a snow rabbit, but Maro is rather cool all over. I think summer is just fine, but winter seems to be too cold. However, it might be more comfortable for her to live in winter. I should talk to her next time and ask her to tell me more about it.
“Hinami-sama, I’ve finished cleaning.”
“Oh, thank you! I can do this, so sit down. Come on, Maro, sit down.”
“Yeah!”
Ikuru finishes cleaning and returns. The timing is just right as preparations were being finished here as well. I prepared the salad earlier, so breakfast will be ready once the the soup is poured.
I also took my place at the table and said “Itadakimasu” to all three of us, then started to eat.
“Hinami! I hope we have customers today!”
“Yes! I’m getting nervous.”
As I eat my delicious sausages, Maro asks me about the day.
Because it’s the first day of opening, I feel like it was slightly different from the usual breakfast atmosphere. No, maybe it’s just me, but…
Basically, we would end after selling 100 potions each.
Because if things become too much of a fuss, it wouldn’t be able to end. Besides, I have an important mission to go find the Goddess…Letisreel-sama….unfortunately, I can’t afford to hang around the shop all the time.
Oh, I just don’t know. When I came to this world, I didn’t think things would be like this, but before I knew it, things were going so smoothly. It is alright that things have gone so smoothly?
I was a little worried, but when I saw Ikuru and Maro eating a delicious meal, my worries were washed away.
“Oh, I forgot!”
““Hmm?””
“I used the compounding room!”
“Oh, it’s the empty crafting room.”
“Uh. Because I didn’t really know how to use it…”
But the compounding room?
Does that mean Maro can make things in it…?”
“I made this!”
“Oh, it’s so cute! But what is this?”
Maro handed me a round ball. It fit in the palm of my hand, and had a nice scent that wafted through the air.
Was it an air freshener…or something like soap?
“This is the magic flower of fragrance, Aroma Fleur.”
“…Aroma Fleur?”
“Aroma Fleur, the magic flower of fragrance!?”
The voices of me and Ikuru’s voice perfectly match.
But unfortunately, only Ikuru knows what it is and I don’t.
“Yes. It smells good when you wash your body with it, but it also has an added effect! The effect depends on how it’s prepared and how you use the magic when you make it. By the way, it has a smell that monsters don’t like very much, so it’s useful when you go out.”
‘What!? That’s amazing!”
“Aroma Fleur is incredibly difficult to make. I never thought Maro would be able to make it…”
“What? Is that so?”
Next, Ikuru tells me that anyone with knowledge, skill and magic power can make Aroma Fleur. But it seems that it’s a very difficult thing to handle with magic power, and there are not many people who can make it. It is said that you can buy it at a store or at the association because the healers who belong to the association make it as part of their training.
“Maro is amazing.”
“Hehe! Give me more praise!!”
“Wow, wow!”
“Ehehe~”
“You’re a snow bunny, so you’re naturally good with magic…”
“Just leave it to me!”
While getting in tune with Ikuru’s words, even though Maro is in the middle of eating, she headed to the compounding room saying, “I’ll get it because I made something else!” Yeah, it seems necessary to first learn to calm down
Exhaling with a huff, I worked on the rest of the side dishes. Ikuru seemed to be almost done eating and was slowly taking a break with some tea.
In the meantime, Maro came back with a large box in her hand, revealing a colorful and fragrant magic flower, Aroma Fleur, inside. I look at it while eating it with a sideways glance as Ikuru holds some pieces in his hand. I have to eat my food quickly because I want to touch it too…Of course, I don’t forget to tell Maro to eat her rice first.
“What is the purpose of making this?”
“Hmm, nothing in particular.”
After looking through it all, Ikuru asked Maro what it was for, and there didn’t seem to be anything in particular. Then why did she make so many of them? Maybe crafting these is Maro’s hobby.
““Ah, then do you want to put them in the shop?””
“!!”
Ah. My voice and Ikuru’s voice overlapped beautifully. This time the tone of our voices matched perfectly too. When I laughed because I was somewhat happy, Ikuru laughed a little too.
“Hinamiiiii, Ikuru~!”
“Yikes!”
Maro jumps at me and rubs against my cheek, probably happy with me. I patted her head, and she smiled like the sun, making me feel soothed.
After that, Maro tried to jump on Ikuru, but he quickly avoided her by diving to the ground, though that should be a secret.
Now it’s only 30 minutes until the shop opens…!
Chapter 48 from “Miniature Garden Chemister part 2 – Miniature Garden”
“Welcome!”
Hmm, I’m nervous.
“Two high potions—that’ll be 2,000 Rill!”
“…What are you doing?”
“Huh! No, no come on…! You were watching!?”
“……”
It seems that Ikuru inadvertently witnessed me as I was practicing customer service while checking the stock of potions in the warehouse. Oh no, that’s just too much, I’m too embarrassed to even look at Ikuru…!
I wince and hide my face in too much embarrassment. No, it’s because I had thought he was already asleep!
Yes. It was a good time of night right now…well, around midnight, wasn’t it? Normally everyone would be in bed, but I had been unable to fall asleep because I was worried about the shop opening tomorrow.
“No, you know what? I’m so nervous I can’t sleep, or something…”
“Well, that seems like Hinami-sama…but you wouldn’t know it if you overslept, would you?”
“Hmm, it’s fine! Because I’ve never slept in on a job before!”
As a person used to part-time working, I wake up on time no matter how much my body screams for sleep. This could already be considered a habit.
Oh, come to think of it, what about Ikuru? It was unusual for him to be up at this hour. Normally, he should be back in his room at this time, right…?
“Ah…I couldn’t sleep for a while. I came in for a drink of water when I thought I saw Hinami-sama downstairs.”
“I knew Ikuru was nervous too…”
“No.”
Hmmm.
He was in denial in an instant.
“…Or rather, Ikuru, haven’t you been sleeping a lot more lately?”
“What?”
“Because mornings have seemed slower lately…at first I thought you were sick, but it seems different.”
“What—so you knew.”
He looked a little surprised and continued to say, “I thought Hinami-sama wouldn’t notice it…” Rude. Excuse me…even I would have noticed a little bit! Because that’s what Japanese people are like, I’m sure.
Or, could it be that there was something bothering Ikuru? It’s true that I’ve had a lot of opportunities to get to know people lately, but…they were all good people. I didn’t see much of an element of concern.
“Oh, no. It’s not like there’s anything in particular…”
Ikuru read my expression and continued to speak as if to tell me not to worry. But he shrugged his shoulders as if in contemplation as I continued my words.
“It’s not something Hinami-sama should worry about…I was just reading…”
“A book…the one the spirit picked out for you?”
“Yes.”
What? So that’s why he was up late. Good. I was worried that something was wrong with Ikuru.
While reassured by Ikuru’s response, I wondered what kind of book was picked out for him.
“Did Hinami-sama read hers?”
“…!!!! I forgot…!”
“Isn’t that what they’re expecting?”
That’s right!
How easy it was for Ikuru’s words to remind me. I can’t believe that I hadn’t read it yet, let alone forgotten that it even existed, especially after I was given a book handmade by a spirit. When I take a peek at Ikuru, I’m aghast at how different we are.
I nodded softly to myself, telling myself close to my heart that I would read it when I got back to my room and then go to bed.
Softly.
Suddenly I felt something warm on my shoulder…and when I looked up, I saw that Ikuru had put the jacket he had come with on me.
“It’s cold in the basement at night, isn’t it?”
“Oh, um…thank you.”
It was so natural that I couldn’t react to it immediately.
As I listened to Ikuru’s words of, “Go to bed early,” I felt as if there was a hole in my heart. I look around the warehouse again as I see Ikuru go back to his room ahead of me and calm myself down.
I think something is wrong with Ikuru.
I think the question I asked, “Are you reading a book?” is probably…I think it was Ikuru’s signal to me not to pry any further. The key word must be the book the spirit gave me. It must be the book Ikuru needs most, but…I can’t imagine what exactly it is.
“Maybe I should wait until Ikuru tells me…”
My voice is the only thing that echoes in the newly quieted warehouse.
I’m worried about Ikuru, but maybe it’s not something I can casually listen to. In that case, I would surely be better off laughing like I always do, I conclude to one person.
But if Ikuru seems to be in pain, I will call out to him again.
“So I’ll make sure he tells me when he’s having a hard time…?”
***
“Hinami! The bread is burning!”
“Yeah! Take it out!”
“It’s too hot for me!”
It was the opening day of “Hinami’s Miniature Garden.”
Right now, before the store opens, or rather, before breakfast is being prepared. Maro and I have been preparing breakfast while Ikuru has been briefly cleaning up the shop. But…we are currently in a situation.
“Because I’m a snow bunny! Okay, I’ll take the fried egg and sausage over here, so please!”
“Okay!”
I left the pan to Maro and hurriedly used the tongs to get the bread out of the pot. Yes, it smelled very tasty, though just a little burnt. I put the bread in a basket lined with a clean sheet and carried it to my desk. Together we’d get the drinks ready, and then all we’d need to do is prepare the salad and some soup.
Just then, I heard a scream from Maro again.
“Hinami, what should I do about this!?”
“Oh, I’m gonna have to get a plate!”
When I look over, I see that the fried egg was starting to burn a little too.
I wonder, is Maro not good at cooking?
No, wait. There’s something fundamentally wrong to begin with…because Maro isn’t human. In other words, she’s never cooked in a normal sense of the word. Yes, that’s right…!
“Sorry, Maro! I’ll teach you to cook…!”
“Huh? Yeah, thanks!”
Smiling, Maro hugs my waist tightly. Ugh, so cute…!”
Maybe it’s because she’s a snow rabbit, but Maro is rather cool all over. I think summer is just fine, but winter seems to be too cold. However, it might be more comfortable for her to live in winter. I should talk to her next time and ask her to tell me more about it.
“Hinami-sama, I’ve finished cleaning.”
“Oh, thank you! I can do this, so sit down. Come on, Maro, sit down.”
“Yeah!”
Ikuru finishes cleaning and returns. The timing is just right as preparations were being finished here as well. I prepared the salad earlier, so breakfast will be ready once the the soup is poured.
I also took my place at the table and said “Itadakimasu” to all three of us, then started to eat.
“Hinami! I hope we have customers today!”
“Yes! I’m getting nervous.”
As I eat my delicious sausages, Maro asks me about the day.
Because it’s the first day of opening, I feel like it was slightly different from the usual breakfast atmosphere. No, maybe it’s just me, but…
Basically, we would end after selling 100 potions each.
Because if things become too much of a fuss, it wouldn’t be able to end. Besides, I have an important mission to go find the Goddess…Letisreel-sama….unfortunately, I can’t afford to hang around the shop all the time.
Oh, I just don’t know. When I came to this world, I didn’t think things would be like this, but before I knew it, things were going so smoothly. It is alright that things have gone so smoothly?
I was a little worried, but when I saw Ikuru and Maro eating a delicious meal, my worries were washed away.
“Oh, I forgot!”
““Hmm?””
“I used the compounding room!”
“Oh, it’s the empty crafting room.”
“Uh. Because I didn’t really know how to use it…”
But the compounding room?
Does that mean Maro can make things in it…?”
“I made this!”
“Oh, it’s so cute! But what is this?”
Maro handed me a round ball. It fit in the palm of my hand, and had a nice scent that wafted through the air.
Was it an air freshener…or something like soap?
“This is the magic flower of fragrance, Aroma Fleur.”
“…Aroma Fleur?”
“Aroma Fleur, the magic flower of fragrance!?”
The voices of me and Ikuru’s voice perfectly match.
But unfortunately, only Ikuru knows what it is and I don’t.
“Yes. It smells good when you wash your body with it, but it also has an added effect! The effect depends on how it’s prepared and how you use the magic when you make it. By the way, it has a smell that monsters don’t like very much, so it’s useful when you go out.”
‘What!? That’s amazing!”
“Aroma Fleur is incredibly difficult to make. I never thought Maro would be able to make it…”
“What? Is that so?”
Next, Ikuru tells me that anyone with knowledge, skill and magic power can make Aroma Fleur. But it seems that it’s a very difficult thing to handle with magic power, and there are not many people who can make it. It is said that you can buy it at a store or at the association because the healers who belong to the association make it as part of their training.
“Maro is amazing.”
“Hehe! Give me more praise!!”
“Wow, wow!”
“Ehehe~”
“You’re a snow bunny, so you’re naturally good with magic…”
“Just leave it to me!”
While getting in tune with Ikuru’s words, even though Maro is in the middle of eating, she headed to the compounding room saying, “I’ll get it because I made something else!” Yeah, it seems necessary to first learn to calm down
Exhaling with a huff, I worked on the rest of the side dishes. Ikuru seemed to be almost done eating and was slowly taking a break with some tea.
In the meantime, Maro came back with a large box in her hand, revealing a colorful and fragrant magic flower, Aroma Fleur, inside. I look at it while eating it with a sideways glance as Ikuru holds some pieces in his hand. I have to eat my food quickly because I want to touch it too…Of course, I don’t forget to tell Maro to eat her rice first.
“What is the purpose of making this?”
“Hmm, nothing in particular.”
After looking through it all, Ikuru asked Maro what it was for, and there didn’t seem to be anything in particular. Then why did she make so many of them? Maybe crafting these is Maro’s hobby.
““Ah, then do you want to put them in the shop?””
“!!”
Ah. My voice and Ikuru’s voice overlapped beautifully. This time the tone of our voices matched perfectly too. When I laughed because I was somewhat happy, Ikuru laughed a little too.
“Hinamiiiii, Ikuru~!”
“Yikes!”
Maro jumps at me and rubs against my cheek, probably happy with me. I patted her head, and she smiled like the sun, making me feel soothed.
After that, Maro tried to jump on Ikuru, but he quickly avoided her by diving to the ground, though that should be a secret.
Now it’s only 30 minutes until the shop opens…!
