The Seirei Gensouki Spirit Chronicles
Chapter 3: The Tourmoil

Chapter 3: The Tourmoil

Several months passed since Rio started living in the village. The harvest season for rice has just begun, and it is the busiest time of the year. In the current year, even the – hunters who usually go hunting in the morning – instead help in the fields. Of course, Rio was no exception.

Right now, he swung his hoe with all his might as he plowed the fields. The monotony of such activity has caused calluses to develop in both hands. They appeared in different areas from the ones that appeared when he used his sword. However, in his life as Amakawa Haruto, he has helped on his family farm throughout elementary and middle school, so Rio gets used to the actions needed to plow the fields. The farmers in the village admired him.

A vague feeling of sadness would sometimes pass him by at the thought of his father and grandparents, but as he continued to work, he strangely felt at peace. Then, once the work has progressed past a certain point…

“Hey, time for rest! Lunch served – everyone gathered!” Ruri shouted loudly for all the workers to stop.

Villagers usually eat twice a day – once a morning and once a night – but during occasions like this, the whole village will gather for lunch together. Working all morning would naturally cause them to feel hungry, so all the men unanimously headed to the village square where the food was distributed.

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“This miso soup and pickled vegetables. You can eat up to two onigiri per person. Also, Rio provides salt, so make sure you all thank him!”

Ruri told the villagers who were lining up to receive food as she set the table. All the women and men of the family wore pleasant smiles as they thanked Rio, who was nearby.

“Hei. Make sure you all thank Rio as well.” The younger men tried to grab food gloomily and silently, but Ruri sneered and reprimanded them. Sayo nodded in agreement from where she arranged the table beside Ruri.

The boys clicked their tongues and muttered a word of thanks to Rio, then hurriedly moved and gathered in groups among themselves and filled their stomachs with onigiri. Their eyes widened in shock at the taste when they realized how generous the salt was being used.

“Yah .. I think it's better than in the past. At least they can say thank you, now. Sorry, Rio.”

Ruri sighed desperately and apologized with a bitter smile as she looked at Rio next to her. He did not move to join the herd of people, but waited until everyone had dispersed.

“It's okay,” said Rio, shaking his head briefly.

“Okay, we should eat too before it gets cold. Everyone is also waiting,”saran Ruri. Not far away, a group of girls called out to Ruri.

“Good. Then I'll— “

.

“U-Umm! mister Rio, do you want to eat with us? You won't be bothering at all! ” Rio had been looking around and thinking of joining a group of older parents and married couples, when Sayo stopped him nervously.

“Good idea – I'm starving. Come on quickly,”

Ruri agrees, and quickly moves towards the meeting of the girls. Rio was worried about being the only man in the group of young village girls, afraid that he would be further antagonized by the young men in the village. However, Sayo was weakly waiting beside him to move along, so she could not start the idea of eating with others in this situation.

Nonetheless, the older and married villagers, like Dola and Ume, were sitting right next to the girls, so Rio reconsidered his thoughts and decided there was no need to worry.

“Good. Let's go, Sayo. ”

“Good!” Sayo nodded happily.

Rio started walking towards the girls with Sayo running behind him. Meanwhile, Ruri had already reached the others, and called out to Rio in a joking tone. “Quick, you two!” she said, and the other girls joined in.

“That's right – we're tired of waiting!”

“It's not fair for Sayo to monopolize Mr Rio for herself!”

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And next. They started to swarm around Rio and spoke noisily.

“Halo everyone. Have you not eaten yet? ” Rio asked, noticing that the girls had not touched their own food yet.

“We're waiting for you. After all, we can't let Sayo monopolize Mr. Rio for herself,” said a smart girl, while looking at Sayo with a funny look.

“So so. Sorry, make you wait. Please allow me to join you guys.” Rio bowed apologetically and sat down on the empty spot.

“A-I don't monopolize him! I just thought the food would taste better if we ate together, so I was waiting for Mr. Rio ... Umm.... ” Sayo froze in surprise for a moment, but the embarrassment finally appeared and made him object to the bright red face.

“Alright fine. Basically, Sayo wants to eat with her Mr. Rio, no matter what. Understand.” The girl who was teasing Sayo nodded in understanding.

“T-No! Not like that! … Ah, no, it's not that .. it's not that I don't want to eat with mister Rio ...” Sayo reflexively denied it, he said, but he hurriedly tried to take back his words and explain himself to Rio .

“Ya, right. I understand.” Not sure how to react, Rio just forced a smile on his face. Meanwhile, the girls were watching Sayo's confused manner with happy smiles.

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Sayo glared at all the girls with a vexed look in her teary eyes. However, regardless of his gaze, he looked more like a cornered little beast, so there was no impact behind his expression. If anything, it only caused others to feel more protective of him. It was almost adorable to make everyone want to tease her more …

“Good. Well, she's not the only one who wants to have lunch with Mr. Rio. We all want it,” said the cheerful girl who teased Sayo innocently. The other girls agreed.

“Thank you .. I'm glad to hear that. But can I ask you guys to stop calling me Rio’ Master? I'm not in a superior position that deserves that title, so it makes me feel a bit awkward,” Rio said with a timid smile.

“Eeeh? But ‘Master Rio’ gives this high-class aura. ”

“Yup, yup. It seems like you were raised differently compared to the other men in this village. ”

“Kan? As soon as you mention ‘Master Rio’ to them, they become grumpy. So disgusting. ”

“It's hard to think of them as men too.”

“Ahaha, don't compare them! Master Rio did not deserve that humiliation. ”

“You're right. Sorry, Mr. Rio. ”

.

And so on – the girls keep chatting excitedly and noisily. Their conversation moved from one topic to the next, until they completely forgot about flirting with Sayo and about Rio's request. Looks like he should survive being referred to as “Master Rio” in a moment. Shoulder slumped.

Although, Rio was really not a person to talk to, having been told by the girls so many times that he did not need to speak politely around them. Maybe this has leveled the playing field.

Somewhat far away from Rio and the girls, Dola and Ume sat together sipping their tea, after finishing eating. The two smiled amiably, seeing Rio and the noisy girls talking excitedly amongst themselves.

“Hahaha, as expected of Rio's handsome face. It's like seeing the old me. ”

“Did you say Rio like you used to be? Don't fool yourself.” Ume firmly rejected Dola's statement.

“Hey, now. What makes you say that? I'm really serious here. ”

“I really don't remember ever marrying such a beautiful man. It is rude to even consider comparing Rio to you. Really joke”

“What— Hey! What did you say to your own husband?! ”

“You are completely opposite in appearance and personality, and you were completely immature when you were young. In my opinion, you are not much different from the boys who are envious of Rio now. Filled with brute strength, but without the knowledge of how to hunt properly. ”

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“Geh .. You just keep running your mouth. Y-Well, after all, she has been traveling the world at her young age. He must have gone through some difficulties himself. I admit, I may not be as complete as he was when I was young ..”

Unable to refute Ume's words, Dola swallowed his words reluctantly and nodded.

“So, you really realized it! Ah, but now that you mention it, there is another man in our village who is also like Rio – and it is not you, of course.” Ume said, staring at the sky in the distance.

“Hah? Since when was there someone in our village .. Aah, that guy , huh?” Dola would deny there was another man who was similar, when he seemed to remember something. Her expression turned a little unpleasant, but nostalgic.

“Although you can never win against him, you are burning with a sense of competition. As Shin did now.” Ume laughed out loud.

“Silence. You were rejected by that man too. He said he would leave the village to become a soldier. ”

“All girls my age confessed to her at that time. None of them succeeded, of course. ”

“Figur. She is not the type to fit a woman from the countryside like this,” said Dola, nodding with a beaming smile.

“Oh? Looks like you have a pretty high opinion of Zen. ”

“Hmph-deep. Silent.”

“I want to know what she is doing now .. Do you think she has children?”

Splice...