TN: The women on the RA will now be grannies instead of aunties.
It was very dark when I returned to the house. Not outside but inside it. I wish he’d at least make a window. Both morning and afternoon, this house is so dark.
There are windows in the bedroom and storage room, and a small one in the door from the hallway to the garden. However, the bedroom isn’t mine, and there is no where to step in the storage room.
Since I hate the dark, I’m sleeping on the hallway. I’m using the cushion and blanket I found at the store room I searched without permission. If I don’t have any discomfort sleeping directly on the floor then I’m definitely Japanese, that’s what Granny Haru told me.
This day has been mentally exhausting, I slept without even taking a bath.
I wake up to the morning sun shining in from the small window on the hallway.
There’s no TV, and since there’s nothing I need to do, I sleep and wake up early. When I raise my hands up to stretch, my back made cracking sounds. I wish I have a mattress or a sleeping mat.
I only thought about which one to choose for a moment, I’m going to the Reincarnators’ Association today. If it’s about practical things, it’s the grannies.
[A futon?]
[I wonder if they even sell something like that.]
[There are only beds here, and even if there are quilts, I’ve never seen one that looks like a sleeping mat.]
[Just use the bed. It’ll be easier.]
The redheaded Kelly said so but, where on Earth can I put another bed in that house? There may only be 3 rooms but one is being used as a storage room, the other serves as living/dining/kitchen.
It’s not like I can sleep on the kitchen. There are already 2 chairs and a table, and the only vacant space is in front of the fireplace. I can’t possibly place the bed in front of it.
[There’s a bed in the bedroom, right?]
[There is, but it’s not mine.]
When I said that, a complicated air ran through the grannies. And then with a smile full of affection, Tanya said.
[I understand that you have a lot of difficulties. You are a man after all, and can’t be like us(females). But you see? Since it can’t be helped that you have come here, won’t it be easier if you accept it?]
Accept what?
I was probably asking it with dangerous eyes. The grannies didn’t say anything and averted their eyes.
[Well, you should just make one if there’s none. If it’s a futon then I will teach you how to make one. You only need to have a cloth and cotton.]
When Granny Haru said that, she searched around inside the house.
[Look, here’s a cloth. A needle and a thread, also, cotton. Since I used these for my sons’ winter coats, there’s not enough of it though.]
I sew the cloth while being taught by the grannies. It might be faster if they made it, but I’ll be troubled afterwards.
The grannies clapped their hands in praise as I was clumsily sewing. There probably weren’t any decent men in the grannies’ previous life.
I walk with the cloth I sewed into a bag. It has a bit of cotton in it. I dropped by the market along the way planning to buy some cotton.
There are a lot of food stalls, but I wasn’t able to find cotton. Asking the store manager, he referred a farmer to me. So they don’t sell cotton in the market.
I walk while carrying a white cloth. It was my first time coming to this kind of place.
It’s about an hour’s walk from the house to the market, the RA and the Men’s Club about 40 minutes. The RA's gathering place is close to the market.
The farmer referred by the store manager was on the opposite direction to the house.
The house walls continue along the road. Every house in this neighborhood appears with it’s frontal view. It seems the gardens are behind the houses, every house has trees that look like garden trees. There was one in our house, too. I don’t know what kind of tree it is, though.
The houses that have the same length continue one after another. I wonder if each house in the area was already determined. Every house has about the same length of walls. The same walls, the same entrance way, but unlike at home they have windows. Every house has windows. So jealous.
As I was walking straight at the road I was told, each houses no longer sticking with each other.
There was something that looked like a fence made of wood and there was a house inside it, or there was a field at first and a house is beyond it, it became varied. (TN: Talking about how the houses no longer look copy/pasted).
The scenery which was all whitish has now become a lot of greens. It’s somewhat peaceful, I lean on the fence and hazily look at the sheep.
Amongst the greenery, white sheep are visible. The farmer’s house I was told is probably here. However, I don’t see anyone
I’m also hesitant to go over the fence without permission, and so I’m thinking about what I’m going to do. Even if I shout for a bit, I think it’ll be useless.
‘Hmm~’ As I was worrying, a dog came running from far away.
The dog sits in front of me and looks up. It’s a big black dog. Its head reaches around my waist when it sits. But instead of feeling scared, its eyes that look happy is adorable.
I tried asking the dog who seemed to be waiting for my words. 'Human, bring here', I said. Even though I thought to myself that it’s absurd, the dog heard me and stood up, turned around and ran towards the direction it came from.
And so it came. The human.
That’s amazing, dog.
While applauding the dog, I negotiate to buy some cotton. Perhaps he was happy that I praised his pet dog, he gave me some lamb meat for free.
I carry the cloth stuffed with cotton and went home. Although the futon was fluffily swollen and hard to hold, when I thought that I’ll be able to have a comfortable sleep from now on, I was happy.
Arriving at home, I first cook the lamb meat for dinner. I put fire in the fireplace using the flintstones, skewer the meat and grilled it.
I searched the kitchen and found salt in a small jar. I eat the meat seasoned only with salt. It was delicious. I pray that it was not the sheep who lent me its back yesterday.
I slowly get in the bath and soak in the hot water. I was finally able to draw water from the well without spilling too much water. But if I get greedy and draw too much then I end up dropping it, though.
‘I need to train, huh’ as I grab my arm. The arms of all the men here are all thick. If mine becomes as thick as theirs, I wonder if I will be able to fill the tub without spilling any water.
I place the futon in the hallway and dive into the fluffy futon. I turn the cushion into a pillow, cover myself with the blanket and go to sleep.
I kept sleeping until morning without waking up to my body aching. I was able to sleep extremely well. Futon really is important, isn’t it?