Apple Pie
The last city of elves, the Forest Capital, which tried to take over the world with its powerful magic once.
Its surroundings were covered with lush forests.
The beginning of this forest started on a faraway era even for elves that could live for hundreds years
The era when mountains were scrapped off, lakes were dried up, wastelands as far as one could see as forests were burned to ashes during the fight of supremacy between 7 colours.
It was said that the elves lived and searched for food in this forest that managed to remain after the intense battle.
Over thousands of years, the rich forest kept protecting the elves, simultaneously they cultivated wisdom so that they did not kill the sea of large trees.
Knowing the right way to Forest Capital… it took about half a month to follow the magic signpost secretly carved by the elves while it spanned a lifetime for those who were lost, the Forest Capital was able to rival a country.
For humans, it was feared as the “devil forest” as those who entered couldn’t come out, not to mention the countless beasts, plants and therianthropes who settled in this large ocean of trees.
However, for those who actually settled there and lived with the grace of the forest, this forest had the richness suitable to be called a capital.
The trees which continued to live after the previous era of dragons had their own magical power from the earth, and imparted the richness of common sense to the earth.
In addition, the elves who were the champions of the forest continued to increase their wealth of magical knowledge.
Its richness attracted countless animals and monsters, along with therianthropes who preferred living in the wild.
While that vast sea of trees was the city of elves, it was also the largest territory of therianthropes in the Eastern Continent.
They never crippled the elves who were too troublesome to be turned into enemies (the tribes that did turn them to enemies never survived) though by no means they revealed themselves, while the elves did not oppose the therianthropes and treated them as if they didn’t exist.
Due to the forest being rich, the tribes rarely quarreled between each other and their villages were scattered inside the forest.
It was a certain autumn day when two therianthrope girls Lichi and Toto found it.
[Nee, Toto, strange, there.]
Lichi who was carrying a bag weaved from vines that was stuffed full with Azar1 fruit peered into a tree’s hollow cavity that was big enough to fit 2 person said that.
[Un. It’s strange. What is this?]
Toto who looked into the cavity confirmed it with a nod.
For many years, there was a black board that they couldn’t understand inside the cavity of a large tree that didn’t bear delicious sweet and sour Azar fruit.
During this season, the tribe that Lichi and Toto belonged to was particularly busy.
Even if this rich forest produced food, winter was approaching.
In order to survive the cold season, even children like Lichi must gather food during autumn.
Lichi’s tribesmen were dexterous though they were not strong as they didn’t like to fight.
In order not to fight over food, it was necessary to be early.
Lichi was petite with light brown fur covering her hands and feet and had large tail that was half of her height and pointed upwards.
They didn’t eat meat or fish, surviving by eating tree nuts, flower seeds, fruits etc.
As fruits like Azar fruit didn’t have long shelf life, they were eaten during autumn.
Nuts and seeds which rarely decay were stored in
the center of the village which used to be ruins left by olden elves.
They lived in such a way.
[Yesterday, that thing, not there.]
[Un. Not there.]
Toto touched the board while nodding towards Lichi.
There was a painting of animal on it, it was smooth but there was no mistake that it was made of wood.
It somewhat resembled the wall of the ruins that was the center of the village.
[Something, protruding.]
On the door, there was a golden stone that was similar to those found in the ruins, Toto nonchalantly grasped it.
[A, this, can turn.]
With little effort, she turned the handle.
‘Chirinchirin’
With the sound of bell, the board moved.
[[Kyaa!?]]
They were surprised by the loud noise and jumped out of the cavity.
Looking into the dreadful hollow, there was a “hole” where the board was.
[What is this?]
[What is it?]
A bright hole opened in the place where the board was.
Lichi and Toto unexpectedly inspected it.
[[Kyaa!?]]
Their balance became off and they fell inside.
At that moment, their figure disappeared while the door closed at the same time.
It was the moment the two therianthrope children became customers of “otherworld dining hall”.
[A, wel…come?]
Aletta who greeted the customers as usual blinked a couple of times when they literally tumbled into the restaurant.
Fur covering their arms, feet, breasts and other key points, tails half as tall as them and not wearing any clothes; it was an unknown race to Aletta.
A bag knitted from vines with red Azar fruits that spilled from within.
That’s it.
It was a common occurrence that customers who were not humans or demons visited the restaurant.
The problem was,
[Etto, here, where?]
[I don’t know. Where?]
New customers who seemed to be children were talking to each other while their faces were still planted on the floor.
[Etto, what should I do in this case…]
The door probably didn’t judge whether the customer was an adult or a child.
Not only was Aletta unfamiliar with their race, they were also children.
She didn’t know how to handle it. She had worked here only for half a year.
It was such a time.
[Welcome to Western restaurant Nekoya.]
The owner came out while carrying food.
He helped both of them to stand up.
[Thanks-!]
[Nee, here, where? What is Western restaurant Nekoya?]
[Aa, here, I sell food to customers like you two.]
When Toto asked the owner, he replied cheerfully with a tone that matched the child’s.
[Food?]
[Aa… that’s right, since you’re a customer, how about an apple pie? Since it’s your first time, you don’t need to pay.]
He nodded to Lichi and recommended a food.
It was based on the bags full of ripe apples that the two children carried.
In other words, he judged that they could eat apples.
[Apple pie? What is that, is it delicious?]
[It’s delicious. Sweet apples… because there’re plenty of Azar fruits.]
[Azar fruit! It’s sweet?]
[Give me, give me! Apple pie, give me!]
Once Lichi and Toto heard that it’s sweet, they wanted it.
[Alright, wait a moment. See, sit down over there.]
[[Un!]]
The owner urged the children to sit on one of the tables.
While they rushed there, they curiously looked around the restaurant.
[…That door, sometimes it brought children here.]
After the series of interactions, the owner said that to Aletta.
According to the stories he heard from customers, the door abruptly appeared in mostly strange places.
At that time, it was quite common for children to find the door and visited.
Also, if it’s an adult, they hesitated to enter, but children went through quite easily.
As a result, sometimes only children came.
[Maa, it’s not surprising if first time customers happen to be children.]
[Yes, I understand.]
[Ou, that’s good.]
He cheerfully laughed at Aletta who obediently nodded and returned back to the kitchen.
Aletta would also follow it. To serve food to new customers.
Then,
[Sorry to keep you waiting! I brought your apple pie!]
It was placed before Lichi and Toto.
[This, Azar fruit?]
[It’s neither red nor white? This?]
They curiously tilted their head.
In spite that it was Azar fruit in front of them, neither its red skin nor the white flesh was visible.
It was a bright earthen colour, being illuminated by light, it certainly looked delicious, but it didn’t seem like Azar fruit.
[Yes. This is a confectionary made by baking Azar fruit… it’s sweet and sour, it’s really delicious.]
Aletta carefully explained to the two while remembering the taste of apple pie that she had eaten before.
[Is that so?]
[…A, it’s true, it smells like Azar fruit.]
To Aletta’s words, Litchi scratched her nape while Toto brought it near her nose to smell it.
Certainly there was a scent of Azar fruit from the apple pie.
[Nee, nee, let’s eat! Looks delicious!]
[Un, thanks for bringing it, horned onee-chan!]
Toto urged while Lichi concentrated on the pie.
Aletta left the table.
They gripped their apple pie with their hands.
[A, no!? It’s crumbling!]
[It sure is hard to eat.]
The apple pie served to them was brittle.
When they lifted it, the outer crust cracked a little while the inside tumbled down.
However, there was no hindrance in eating it.
They opened their mouths widely and chomped on the apple pie.
Their tails pointed straight while their eyes widened.
They were rigid for a while, after that.
[[Delicious!]]
They declared it to be delicious loudly.
It was more delicious than they had ever eaten.
The crust easily crumbled inside their mouth.
Inside it, the juice of Azar fruit was mixed with sweet honey.
The taste mingled with the crisp fragrant crust and sweetly spread inside their mouth.
However, the real thing was after that.
Sweet Azar fruit that was contained inside the “apple pie”.
It was sweeter and softer than any Azar fruit that they had eaten, yet a bit of sourness was left behind, fascinating the both of them.
Savoury, sweet and crisp skin along with sweet and sour tender content.
When both were eaten at the same time, apple pie was complete.
Then, they became silent.
Silently, they savoured the apple pie.
Little by little, eating it carefully so that it didn’t spill.
After fully enjoying the taste in their mouth, they swallowed it.
However, in spite of their efforts, the apple pie was finished quickly.
[[Haa~]]
They felt half satisfied and half sorry, and exhaled simultaneously.
[It’s delicious.]
[Un. It’s delicious.]
They also said that at the same time.
And the two returned back to the tree cavity.
[It’s delicious.]
[Un! Let’s go there again!]
After they ate, they asked what kind of place was otherworld dining hall.
A magical place that was open once in 7 days.
They talked with various customers that came from various places to eat otherworld cuisine.
[Money, we have to earn!]
[Un! You’re right! Lots of it!]
Something called “money” was needed to eat that food.
When they were showed what it looked like, it was a flat round stone that could be found at the ruins in their village.
In the olden days, there were plenty of it in the village, but since it couldn’t be eaten, the village people thought that it was useless and threw it away.
[But that, it was white right? The ones that’s found at the village are yellow, is it alright?]
[Isn’t it fine? It looks similar!]
They returned to the village while discussing it.
They didn’t know.
The “money” that they were talking about was gold coins that were left behind by the elves that used to study historic ruins.
With that one thing, everyone in the village became addicted to apple pie.
That was a while before the story of a special food called “apple pie” spread in a certain therianthrope village.
TN: Have any of you guys read the manga version yet? It’s quite cute though some characters were drawn differently from the anime version.
Azar fruit – apple