Translator: Reo

Editor: PalenMisha

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 47 – Leaf – Toki

My study session with Assam ended with me out of breath and, by then, it was already time for dinner.

“Your Highness, it seems that your repentance is lighter than a leaf.”

For some reason, I could feel something cold behind Laham’s transcendental smile. It made me shudder.

“Ah, it wasn’t directed at you, Toki-sama. I apologize for frightening you. In this world, ‘lighter than a leaf’ is a saying used to express disdain and stupidity.”

I had wondered if it meant something along the lines of calling someone stupid. But Assam did seem to be repenting. I wanted to tell Laham we were only kissing, but I couldn’t. Why? Because Assam was kissing me. 

Why now!!??

“Nnhaa. No!”

He was pushed back unexpectedly easily when I pushed on his shoulders with both hands. 

I was breathing heavily. Uu, how embarrassing.

“I think my self-restraint is worthy of praise, seeing as I’m able to stop myself in this situation.” 

Assam poured magic into my chest.

(Toki wasn’t aware of it, but his young appearance had a tremendous amount of sex appeal. His glossy black eyes were moist with the lingering traces of desire and the heavy breaths that spilled from his red lips would even make a straight man want to hug him. Seeing him like this, Laham was momentarily at a loss for words – there was a huge gap between this and his usual cuteness. However, Laham pulled himself together right away.)¹

“I didn’t think Toki-sama would be the kind of person who likes to engage in sexual acts or similar activities in front of other people.”

“Un! Laham said right! That, hate!”

It was so so so embarrassing. I hated it!!

“You’re right. I want to be the only one who gets to see Toki’s cute face.”

“Hm? Yes?” I responded. It wasn’t really what I was trying to tell him, but I guess it was fine as long as he wasn’t going to do that anymore. My mind wasn’t really working properly.

“Ah, um, why stupid is leaf? Want know.” I tried asking since I was curious.

“Then how about I explain it to you while you’re eating? The food will get cold otherwise. Please forgive me for talking during mealtime.” (Laham)

“Un! Assam, prayer?”

“You did well remembering. Thank you for today’s harvest.”

“Thank you for today’s harvest?” I think I said it better than last time and Assam patted my head.

Today’s dinner was a baguette sandwich loaded with vegetables and meat – a dish often seen in Japan as well. The only difference was that the bread was orange, giving the sandwich that otherworldly, colorful look.

When I tried to pick it up and eat it with my hands, a two-pronged skewer and a knife were handed to me.

Eh? Was I supposed to cut this? Won’t it collapse if I do?

As I was busy wondering what to do, Assam used the skewer and knife to cut the sandwich into thin slices.

“No falling.”

The meat and vegetables were neatly tucked into the long, vertical slices of the bret. Assam picked up one of the slices with the skewer and handed it to me. The meat and vegetables were anchored to the bret thanks to the skewer so the sandwich was easy to eat and didn’t fall apart.

“Thank you.”

“『You’re welcome.』”

Hearing him answer me in Japanese made me happy and I giggled.

“It is actually forbidden for anyone other than His Highness and Toki-sama to speak during mealtime. However, as we are the only ones here, it should be fine. I shall answer your question from earlier…”

According to Laham’s explanation, because of the many trees in this world, it is said that a tree sprouts leaves in a day, its branches grow long within a week, it grows into a large tree within a month, and becomes a forest in a year. There are also many woodcutters ad fields in this world since the fallen leaves made for good fertilizer.² 

The growth cycle of this world’s trees had to be so fast in order to support the dietary needs of the people of this world, who ate a lot.

The trees grew quickly but they also withered quickly, so despite there being many trees, there weren’t that many forests.

In other words, when you say something is lighter than a leaf it means that it is something that doesn’t even last a single day. For example, a brain that’s lighter than a leaf, regret that’s lighter than a leaf, or reasoning that’s lighter than a leaf.

On the other hand, being compared to a forest was a compliment. It points to something that holds strong over a long period of time. For example, reasoning that is as strong as a forest, a knife that is as long-lasting as a forest, or a man as generous as a forest.

Incidentally, before the king started looking for consorts, he was called “the forest king”, meaning he was a wise leader. It seemed that he had to strive harder in government affairs if he wanted to be called that again.

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Author’s note:

Special thanks to Mamiko-sama. She gave me the idea about the growth rate of leaves and trees!

This author whose brain is lighter than a leaf is always under the care of Mamiko-sama who holds ideas as plentiful as a forest.

Thank you.