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Translator: Barnnn
“This… could it be?” Ize’s voice trembled.
The Goddess smiled. “You’ve been craving this, haven’t you, my dear Ize? Believe it or not, it’s a product of my world.”
“Goddess, you’re incredible!” Ize’s words came out in a rush, as though she could barely contain her joy. “This… this is exactly what I’ve wanted!”
“Uh, Ize?” Hal interjected, trying to reign her in.
But Ize’s thoughts were already racing ahead. “If this exists… then surely…?”
“It is just as you’ve envisioned, my dear Ize. You will find them here.”
“Yes… YES! Thank you! This changes everything — I’ve found a new purpose for my life here!”
“Ize,” Hal sighed, “can you settle down?”
The Goddess let out a soft chuckle. “Oh, it’s perfectly all right. I wanted both of you to discover the wonders that this world has to offer as well.”
After pouring out her heart in tears, Ize had gradually found her composure. And as she regained her calm, the Goddess, ever perceptive to her needs, said to her, “You must be quite parched. Allow me to fetch you some fresh tea.” With that, she offered Ize a cup.
As Ize took it, a thrill coursed through her, causing her to tremble. The roasted aroma wafting from the liquid was unmistakable; it was neither the standard coffee nor black tea — it was hojicha, the roasted green tea she had craved.
The realization struck her: if hojicha existed in this world, then surely matcha — powdered green tea — must also be out there somewhere, just as the Goddess had assured. What else could she call this but a divine revelation?
Meanwhile, Hal, who had moments before been enveloped in shared tears with Ize, found himself abruptly pulled from his own embarrassment as he witnessed her sudden transformation into a beacon of pure joy.
“This tea,” the Goddess continued, “is made in the western regions of the Kingdom of Tajellia. You should be able to find it near the borders. As for matcha, if you’re particular about its flavor, I’d suggest traveling east, toward the central region of Lazulseed. And if you’re interested in oolong tea, you’ll need to visit a certain place in the Adoghan Republic, where it’s practically considered a medicinal cure.”
“I see, I see…” Ize nodded eagerly “So, all signs are pointing me toward Tajellia first!”
The Goddess chuckled, clearly delighted by her enthusiasm. “It was truly worthwhile to have this tea prepared. I knew it would motivate you to travel across this world, my dear Ize.”
“Oh, Goddess, you’re too wonderful!” Ize clasped her hands together in exaggerated adoration.
“Ize, bro…” Hal sighed, shaking his head in dismay at her theatrics.
With the Goddess’s permission to take out their belongings, Ize nudged Hal, who obediently reached into his bangle-shaped Magic Bag and retrieved her favorite ankoro mochi, neatly wrapped in delicate pink paper.
Ize, now beaming, accessed her own ring-shaped Magic Bag and began producing mini-yokan jelly in various flavors, all of which she had purchased before heading to the train station.
For Ize, hojicha simply couldn’t be enjoyed without a taste of traditional Japanese sweets.
“Talk about old-fashioned… you sure you’re actually a junior high schooler?” Hal teased.
“I just have a profound respect for Japanese culture,” Ize replied, trying to put on an air of elegance as she arranged the sweets.
“Yeah, right…”
As the Goddess joined them in enjoying the perfect arrangement of sweets Ize had put together, she began sharing tales of the wondrous foods and unique cultures of this world.
Hal and Ize were especially astonished when the Goddess described a “mythical shrimp” dish, found only on a specific island within the Adoghan Republic.
Though the world didn’t have the advanced communication networks of Earth, it wasn’t as primitive as one might expect. However, transportation remained a challenge, making travel to far-off lands less spontaneous than they would like.
Relying on the Goddess for this kind of information felt a little like cheating, but Hal, with his practical mindset as a former supply manager, couldn’t deny the advantages. As newcomers in this fantasy world, every bit of help was worth taking.
“I was already grateful beyond words that we could still enjoy Japanese food in this world, even if it was limited to what we happened to have in our bags,” Ize began, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “But now, hearing that some regions here seem to have similar culinary traditions to Japan… I haven’t felt more reassured! The Gods really are true to their words: man cannot live by bread alone!”
“…What are you, a preacher?” Hal grumbled, crossing his arms. “Honestly, I’d be even more grateful if we could have things delivered straight from Earth…”
“While I can certainly understand your sentiment, my dear Hal, we must consider the implications. If we enabled that, the boundary between worlds would remain perpetually open, and before long, all manner of things — even people — might slip through unchecked.”
“That IS dangerous…” Ize nodded. “But no need to worry, Goddess. I’m perfectly content with what I have… unlike a certain greedy guy around here.”
“What, you’re talking about me? I AM plenty satisfied, thank you very much!” Hal protested
After their hearts and stomachs were joyfully filled with an array of sweets and the soothing warmth of tea, the conversation gradually turned toward more practical matters of life.
“…And so, Goddess, I’ve been contemplating undergoing the Coming-of-Age Ceremony next week,” Hal said. “Will I be brought here again then?”
The Goddess shook her head gently. “No, my dear Hal. This will be the first and last time you’ll speak with me directly like this.”
Her words hit both Ize and Hal like a sudden gust of wind — they had naturally assumed they would get to see her again.
The Goddess’s warm smile was tinged with a trace of sadness that only deepened their confusion.
“There are rules I must abide by, you understand,” she continued. “You two — as well as all otherworlders — are not meant to undergo the Coming-of-Age Ceremony in this world. The God of your universe and I have bent those rules to bring you here in the first place. Any further interference would be crossing the line a second time, I’m afraid. I’m truly sorry.”
The unexpected apology — her first since the conversation began — left Hal and Ize at a loss for words.
They struggled to respond, fumbling with words that wouldn’t come.
The Goddess broke into a radiant smile, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
“However!” she declared, “As a special bonus for both of you, I’ll allow you to choose whatever skills you desire from the Coming-of-Age Ceremony!” Her proclamation was delivered with an infectious energy, punctuated by a dramatic “Ta-da! Applause, applause!” that echoed around them.
Neither Hal nor Ize could muster a coherent response.
The Goddess proceeded to elaborate: the skills that Ize and Hal already possessed were rooted firmly in their experiences from Earth, not from the world they now inhabited. This was the reason their growth in these skills had been remarkably rapid.
However, this connection to their former life would gradually wane. Within a year, their progress would stabilize, aligning with the pace of the people here. The good news was that their skills wouldn’t simply come to a halt; they would continue to develop, unlike their physical height, which was unlikely to grow much further.
The skills granted through the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, on the other hand, would be bound by the rules of this world, meaning they would not experience any abnormal growth — Somewhat disappointing, but understandable.
Skills, naturally, flourished through diligent practice. However, this was no game; the world offered no visible status numbers or levels to track one’s skill mastery. The only true measure of their progress would come from actual usage.
For Ize and Hal, both of whom had already maxed out their signature skills, this lack of public metrics was fortunate. At the tender age of fourteen, the last thing they wanted was to draw unwanted attention to their unusual talents, lest they attract the gaze of some nefarious organization or nation intent on exploiting their powers.
It was worth noting that, on this continent, there was no formal system of slavery. Yet the implications of “on this continent” still sent an uncomfortable shiver down both their spines.
“…And that’s the rundown on how your skills work. Do you have any questions before we move on?”
Hal raised his hand. “There are things like swordsmanship or carpentry that don’t necessarily require the relevant skills to perform. What difference does possessing those skills make?”
“Good question, my dear Hal — I was about to get to that,” the Goddess replied, nodding in approval. “The difference lies in the speed and quality of the results. When you utilize a sufficiently developed skill, you can perform tasks or craft items with flawless precision every single time. A skilled artisan can handle rare materials without risk of waste or error, for example. Without a skill, however, success is not guaranteed with each attempt. In short, they enhance actions that can technically be performed by anyone, and are classified as ‘general skills.’ As for the manipulation of the elements — like fire or water magic — those skills don’t manifest without some natural aptitude. These are known as ‘magical skills.’ Although it’s often said that they appear more frequently among the nobility, it’s truly random — as a divine being, I can guarantee that. Lastly, there are skills like your Eye of Appraisal or Ize’s Stealth — ones that are truly special, not easily replicated and rarely seen. These fall under the category of ‘unique skills.'”
“What other unique skills exist?” Ize asked, her eyes alight with curiosity.
“Hmmm… there are things like space manipulation, mind-reading, hypnosis, charm, teleportation, petrification, material replication…”
“Uh, a lot of those sound really dangerous!”
“Fear not, my dear Ize,” the Goddess reassured. “Every skill has its countermeasure — I’ve ensured that when I created them.”
Ize chuckled nervously. “That’s… good to know. Still, the power the Gods hold can be kind of terrifying when you think about it…”
After absorbing this wealth of information, Ize and Hal had a much clearer understanding of the skill system. However, the decision of which skill to claim for themselves still proved difficult — they couldn’t decide right away.
The only thing they were certain of was that, since neither possessed combat skills, at least one of them would need something suited for self-defense or battle.
In the end, Hal opted to make his choice during the Coming-of-Age Ceremony the following week. Similarly, Ize decided to wait until after her birthday, which was still several months away.
Just as the conversation was winding down and Ize began to feel the bittersweet ache of an impending farewell to the Goddess, Hal spoke up once more. There was hesitation in his voice — and a lingering question that had been nagging at him.
“One more thing, Goddess. The land between Lazulseed Kingdom and Adoghan Republic — the area referred to as either the Great Forest or the Sea of Decay — sometimes goes by another name, doesn’t it?” He paused briefly, gauging the Goddess’s reaction, before continuing, “The Forsaken Land. Some say you’ve abandoned it, Goddess. Could you tell us what exactly the deal with it is?”
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