Bread Festival

665 words · 4 min read

Translated by Jyzciel

The squirrel beastfolk brother began to speak, though somewhat hesitantly.

"Our mom is sick... Our dad had to go to a big city for work to earn money for her medicine." I nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"So, we try our best to gather nuts and pick medicinal herbs in the forest to be able to buy her medicine. That's when the forest folks told us about this place." Yes, it's not a shop, though...

"They said that eating the food here makes you feel better. So, we thought if our mom ate this bread, she might get better..." he explained.

"Our mom loves bread, and we want her to get better." the younger sister added, holding back tears.

I knew our food couldn't possess such miraculous properties. I was just an ordinary person whose house happened to connect to another world. It was terrifying how a simple misunderstanding could lead to such a situation. I found myself lost in thought, staring into the distance.

I couldn't help but feel troubled. I wanted to help them somehow, but I didn't know how.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed numerous scrapes and scratches on their hands and feet. Those must have been the result of their diligent efforts in collecting nuts and herbs.

They're so determined, it's touching...

That's it! It's a bit of a cheat, but why not use it as a reward for these siblings who care so much for their mother? Just the, the timer that signaled the completion of the bread chimed.

"The bread is ready! Freshly baked bread is the best; let's eat right away!" I exclaimed.

"Yes!" the siblings eagerly replied, their tails wagging and their eyes sparkling with excitement.

From then on, the siblings helped with various tasks, and they were surprisingly efficient, despite their young age. However, as they say, time flies when you're having fun...

"If you guys stay out too late, your parents will worry. Shall we head home soon?" I suggested.

Both of them looked disappointed, but as they gazed at the crimson sky, they seemed to come to terms with the idea.

"Thank you so much for today. We had a wonderful time," the siblings said in unison and bowed politely.

"I had a great time too. Thank you. And as a token of my appreciation, here's a little gift for you. Inside the basket, you'll find the walnut bread and apple pie you baked today." I said, handing them a basket.

The siblings beamed with delight.

"Also, some corn, tomatoes, and potatoes you helped harvest. And this is a special soup for your mother, made with the vegetables you picked." I added, presenting the basket to the older brother.

"Is it really okay to take all of this?" he asked in amazement, his eyes shifting between the contents of the basket and my face.

"It's my way of saying thank you for all the help you provided. Please be careful on your way home while it's still light." I replied.

"Thank you so much." The siblings said with tears in their eyes, bowing repeatedly. They waved goodbye with radiant smiles as they disappeared into the garden. They were such lovely siblings. I hoped that the soup would help their mother recover from her illness.

After they left, I carefully shaved off a bit of the White Snake's scale and added its powder to the soup. It was said to have the power to cure any ailment—an incredibly rare and valuable item.

It might have been a bit of a too much to meddle, but I just couldn't ignore the situation. As I gazed at the spot where the two siblings had disappeared into the bushes, I felt my stomach growl loudly.

Well, it seemed like I was having a fresh batch of bread for dinner tonight!

Once again, new guests had visited my home, even though it wasn't a shop!

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