Chapter 9

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Japanese is apparently quite difficult for people from English-speaking countries.

Even Japanese people, who are familiar with it, often try to simplify the language and unify it, so it might have been even more difficult in the past.

For this reason, a rather unusual scene is unfolding in my home.

Yes, my home is a 1DK apartment in Koto, Tokyo, and on the bed, there is an elf from a fantasy world.

Her hair is a beautiful white, so glossy that it’s hard to call it gray. Her eyes, which suggest intelligence, are a beautiful light purple like amethyst. If you could see the moment she wakes up, it would be as beautiful as a blooming flower, and anyone would be captivated.

"A-i-u-e-o"

Still, she might be losing some of her charm at the moment. Her hair is a bit frayed, and her thin indoor clothes are full of wrinkles.

While looking at the monitor, she is writing furiously in a notebook, which is her method of "studying Japanese," trying to learn both pronunciation and writing at the same time.

"I'm back. I went shopping, and the ground meat was cheap, so I'll make dumplings. Would you like a drink, Marie?"

"Dumplings? Hmm, what should I do? Well, I'm not very strong with alcohol. If it's okay to say silly things, I'll have something easy to drink."

Hmm, something easy to drink. Hmm, something she might be used to in her world... Ah, wine should be fine. White wine would probably go well with dumplings, and I could also serve some cheese.

"Kazuhiko, I am Mariabel."

Her halting Japanese made me jump.

I almost dropped the pack of ground meat I was holding. When I quickly grabbed it and peered into the bed, Marie was smiling happily.

Her smile is much more beautiful than when we first met, and when caught off guard, it feels like a sword piercing my heart. Well, she probably doesn't realize the power of her smile.

"Yes, it's only the second day! Are you already starting to learn grammar?"

"No, I'm just memorizing the parts I'll use a lot. My method is to first memorize a sentence and then expand from there."

Ah, I can understand that. When I learn a language of a different species, I also start by finding a foothold and then gradually expand from there.

I poured some white wine into a glass for a taste test and headed to the bedroom. Since there's only a cabinet separating the kitchen, Marie immediately noticed and turned to me.

"Oh, what a nice outfit. Can I smell it?"

"Ah, I was going to let you smell the wine... Marie, you have a bit of a fetish for smells, don't you?"

"Excuse me, I just want to smell things I don't know. Hurry up and come over here."

Isn't that a fetish for smells? I didn't say it out loud.

As I approached, she grabbed the fabric around my stomach and sniffed it. Hmm, being sniffed by a beautiful girl is a strange feeling.

She buried her nose and inhaled deeply, and I felt her breath. It was ticklish... but seeing the elf close her eyes in delight wasn't unpleasant.

"Thank you. Hmm... Yes, the alcohol seems fine. There are no spices either."

"Ah, I can't handle those. They're trying to mask the smell. I might prefer water if I have to pay for it."

I agree, Marie said and sat up on the bed.

Glancing over, I saw that her notebook was filled with hiragana starting from "a-i-u-e-o." It seems she's starting with the basics.

"According to one theory, it takes over 2000 hours to learn a significantly different language. Even if you talk for 10 hours a day, it would take at least 200 days."

"Hmm, so if I try hard, it might take me less than 100 days. How about aiming to be conversational in three months?"

I was impressed by her confidence, but I understood the reason.

There's me, who can help her learn Japanese, and if we travel to the dream world together, even sleep time can be used. With her intelligence added, it's not impossible.

However, I still had a question.

"But I'm curious, why does Marie want to learn Japanese?"

"Because it's a wonderful country. It's peaceful, the food is delicious, and it's very comfortable to live in. Of course, I want to learn the local language, right?"

Yes, I'm glad she likes Japan.

If she can learn, we can watch movies and play games together. Yes, I'm looking forward to it, so I'll help her a lot.

"Then, how about taking a bath? I'll prepare dinner when you're done."

"Hehe, thank you. I'm looking forward to the dumplings."

I wanted to correct her and say "dumplings," but I couldn't say anything because she hugged my arm tightly. Ah, Marie is so cute.

However, about 40 minutes later, the beautiful girl would stomp her feet on the floor and exclaim "delicious!"

While preparing the adventure lunch, Marie was slouching in a chair, her bottom almost slipping off. She usually seems intelligent, but the combination of delicious food and white wine has made her a bit tipsy.

"Hehe, it was delicious, Kazuhiko... I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart..."

"I'm glad you liked it. It's a cheap dish, so let me know if you want to eat it again."

"Whaaat, that was cheap!? Ah, I don't understand the food in this country... But it's fine, I'm happy."

"Oh, what a happy face."

Her stomach was exposed, showing a cute belly button, but since she complimented me, I'll let it slide tonight.

Her slightly slurred speech due to the alcohol is unexpectedly cute, and I find myself thinking about having a nightly drink with her for a while.

"Kazuhiko, is it really level 72?"

"Yes, as I told you before. By the way, I've never heard your level. What level are you, Marie?"

"...27. I want you to understand that I'm learning both spirit magic and sorcery, which makes it very difficult to level up. I'm a spirit sorcerer, a position that only a select few can achieve."

"Wow, that's an impressive title. How about we go to a recommended level-up spot? With you, Marie, you could probably level up by 5 on the first day."

While putting away the dishes, I saw her sit up suddenly from the corner of my eye.

"...It took me about 70 years to get this far. If you're joking, even Kazuhiko would make me angry."

"Ah, if I pull them in and you finish them off, we should be able to take down level 40s at a rate of one per minute, right?"

I thought it would be easy, but maybe my understanding is wrong. When I tilted my head and looked at her, the elf's eyes were slightly wide.

---

In the dimly lit room, I followed Marie as she hurriedly climbed into bed. It's a bit of an awkward scene, but traveling to another world is important for us, so it can't be helped.

Still, maybe I didn't need to stare at her bottom for so long.

"Putting down the lunch box... The dumplings might smell a bit, but is that okay?"

"It's fine. You won't notice it while eating. The only thing I'm disappointed about is the lack of the crispy texture of freshly cooked dumplings."

"Yes, I made it into a stir-fry that's good even when cold, so look forward to it."

In the dim light, I could see the girl smiling.

Right, the elf's ears don't fit well with the pillow, so I've prepared a hole pillow for her.

I hugged Marie and slowly listened to each other's heartbeats. It seems to be peaceful, and I feel like I've been falling asleep faster recently.

If she were gone, would I be able to sleep properly...? I guess I have a timid side.

Thump, thump, the small sound of her chest, and her slender limbs entwining with mine. My eyes feel heavy from her warmth.

Sigh...

Consciousness sank into the dream world like a stone in water.

Held softly in each other's arms, we moved to a deep, deep dream world... no, a different world.

I hope we have a good day today, I thought.