Chapter 31: Rural Tea-Picking Girl Gets Deliciously Served _(Top)
Pip-pip-piping, we pick the leaves, being careful not to break the branches.
Even though the leaves were not dried, the fragrance soaked into my fingers after plucking so much.
It is my favorite fragrance.
Socola. Why don't we take a break?”
I turn around and see Rafen there.
My cheeks his relaxed involuntarily.
Yes!
I put the basket of leaves I had picked at the base of the tree and ran up to Rafen.
I was so happy to see him, and I was so happy to see him, too.
It seems that I can hold his handhis.
I was so happy that I grabbed Rafen's hand his.
Rafen's hand, which had somehow turned into a man's hand, was a gentle, dependable hand, and I loved it.
Hey, Rafen, it's a nice day today,” He said. It's a nice day today, so let's have tea outside.
I love it,” He said. I like the tea Sokola makes.
Really?
Really.
I was a little nervous.
I wanted to make her a nice cup of tea.
I went back to my house and selected the best tea leaves I could.
I would only drink tea leaves that were not for sale, but I and the people in this village would only drink tea leaves that were not good for sale.
I pick up with my fingers the few dried flower petal fragments that are mixed in with the tea leaves.
I have only had a few good tea leaves in my life.
It's strange.
We grow tea leaves from seedlings, harvest them, dry them, and sell them.
When I drank the most expensive tea leaves served at my sister's wedding, I was impressed by the surprisingly rich aroma and the color of the water, as if the morning sun had dyed the clouds.
I still remember that I wanted to enjoy this tea again.
I took the tea leaves and tea utensils I had worked so hard to select and told my brother to boil the water, and then I went to the garden where Rafen was waiting.
Rafen,” I asked him, “When can we get married? When do you think we will get married?
I'm sure it won't be long,” He said. The number of people in the village has decreased since the war in …… Nambonan.
Oh, yes,…… I know.
Some of the adults in my neighborhood took part in the recent war in Nambonan.
Even here in my village, where there are only ordinary peasants, people came to tell us that they were recruiting soldiers.
The city of Nambonan is a rich city, so the pay was good.
A number of adults in the village joined them.
And few came back.
When they did come back alive, they were all in very bad shape, with arms missing or skin burned by burns.
I am glad that Rafen did not participate.
I didn't tell anyone.
“The village has been in trouble since the death of the bearded man, and now there are not many people left. I wonder if they'll tell us to get married and have children soon?”
……Ko, ko, ko, child.”
Last year I became fertile enough to have a child.
The most important thing to remember is that you can't have a baby without a baby.
I would rather have Rafen's child as soon as I can.
I know from my mom and sisters that I have to wear some pretty embarrassing outfits, but I'm sure I'll be fine with Rafen.
I'm sure it will be fine with Rafen.
I'm not sure if it's a good idea to have a friend who is a little bit more shy than I am. No, I don't mean that in a, you know, weird way, you know.”
I feel like making fun of Rafen.
What? Rafen doesn't want to marry me?
I didn't say that!
Rafen stood up and squeezed my hand.
It hurts a little.
I'm really happy that you and Sokolah are getting married,” He said.
I'm really happy that you and Socolat are getting married.
I didn't answer him yet.
I wanted to hear more and more of Rafen's words of his.
I have always, always, always loved Sokola, ever since we were children.
We had told each other how we felt many times, but it was still nice to be told that we liked each other.
I am very happy.
I like Rafen too. I like Rafen too.
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding of what you're doing.
The most important thing to remember is that you should never be afraid to ask for help.
I like Rafen because he is hardworking, kind, and always looks out for me.
I want to know what you like about me, Rafen.
Rafen says, “I like everything about you. I like your energy, your skill at making tea, the way you are always kind to me, and your hair and eyes that are as blue as the spring sky.
Gently, Rafen's hand touched his hair and his other hand caressed my cheek.
Oh, it feels so good.
I like being touched by Rafen because it makes me feel warm inside.
“Sokola……
…… Rafen.”
I can feel our faces getting closer to each other.
I hope my brother is not nearby.
Choo-choo.
I thought I heard such a sound.
'Rafen,…… No,……. I'm not married yet.
I'm sorry, Socola. I'm sorry, Socola, but I love you,” He said.
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding of what you are doing and how to do it.
I was still scared, and my sister had told me that I should not do such things while I was still unmarried.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, you can't do that. No,” She said. We'll be married in a few days Then you can get married.”
Socola……
The first time I saw Rafen's face his, which was so sad that it made me feel guilty, I felt as if my heart was squeezing tight.
The most important thing to remember is that you can't just take a look at the actual product or service and expect it to be good for you.
Choo-choo.
I feel happiness. My chest fills up.
I feel a sensation of heat coming from inside my body, like when I gulp down a cup of tea.
Is this the fourth time I've kissed him?
I want to be swept away.
But I hold back, hold back.
Chuchu.
This is the fifth time.
If we don't stop soon, Rafen and I won't be able to stop.
It really feels good.
No, Raph, n……
Socolaaa……”
Somehow I managed to pull Rafen away and I stood up.
The water should be boiling by now, I thought.
I'll make you a nice cup of tea,” He said. I'll make you a nice pot of tea.
I moved my trembling legs as best I could and went back to the house.
That night, my mother took me to the village headman's house.
I don't know why.
Anyway, I was told to gather there.
He said, “Welcome. We are all here at your place.
I looked around and saw that almost all the girls in the village had gathered.
The only ones who had not arrived were the little girls and their grandmothers.
“Is Sokola ready to have children?”
Yes.
Yes, she is. Yes, she is going to marry Rafen, our next-door neighbor.
It was my mother who answered.
I felt uncomfortable being asked about my body by the village head, even though he was my grandfather.
“Hmmm. It's late at night, everyone has gathered here.
I wonder what it is.
I had never been to the village chief's house at night before.
A few minutes ago, a nobleman came to the village.
Everyone looked at each other, wondering how to react.
If he came to buy tea leaves, he should sell them.
The nobleman must have a lot of money.
When I showed them the tea leaves I had stockpiled in the village, they were very pleased. He gave me a lot of money.
We were happy to know that the tea leaves we had worked so hard to produce were appreciated by the nobleman, as if our work had been recognized.
The chief of the village seemed to be pleased with the good payment, but that did n't matter to me, because it was n't going to be my money his.
I heard that the nobleman will spend the night in the village and then return home.
…… This nobleman is a man, isn't he?”
It was my mother who interrupted the mayor's words.
The village chief nodded.
The village head nodded and said, “You may not know it, but that nobleman is the heir apparent of the Quardenze family. He is a member of the …… Great nobility.
I don't know how to distinguish between the two noble families.
I'm not sure how to distinguish between the two.
The only people who thought so were me and other children of the same age, while mothers' eyes became serious.
And the village chief's face became even more serious and scary.
I can't let this opportunity pass me by. We must get the child at any cost…….!”
We didn't quite understand what was going on, but my mother and the other older women explained it to us.
They said that if you get the seed from a nobleman, a child with magical powers will be born.
People with magical powers are very strong.
Their bodies are strong, they rarely catch a cold, and their strength is many times greater than that of ordinary people.
They can easily plow a field and drive back a pack of wolves by themselves.
Some people can cure illnesses with magic, or even create flames that can burn fields to the ground.
There used to be only one person in the village with magical powers.
He was a bearded man.
The bearded man could magically produce a flame that could burn down three large trees at once.
He was very respected in the village because he had defeated bandits many times.
I remember that when he died of illness two years ago, the whole village was enveloped in a gloomy atmosphere.
And now there is no one with magical powers in the village.
I am going to take you to the nobleman now. You must give birth to a child, no matter what it takes! A child! You must conceive a child with magical powers at all costs!”
The story goes that the bearded uncle's mother got the seed from a nobleman who happened to stop by the village.
The village chief wants us to do the same.
I don't like it.
I can't go against what the chief says.
If I do that, my mother, father, sister, and brother will all be in trouble.
But I don't want to.
I want to have Rafen's child.
I want to have a child of the man I love, not a child with magical powers.
“Well, why don't we leave the unmarried daughters for later, ……?”
Mother says to the village headman.
'Yes. We will go before the nobleman first. If they like it there, there will be no need to send our daughters.
The mothers of the other children said the same.
I could see that they were protecting us.
But the nobleman's age, as I see it, is ten, eleven, twelve years old. How old are you this year?
Twenty-five.
It was my mother who answered.
Ten and twenty-five are now mother and son. I wonder if you will like ……. It is better to show a young girl first than to show a bad one and make her unpopular.
No one could argue with that.
The village head had already decided to show the younger girls first.
No one in the village could go against that decision.
I don't want to.
Rafen, help me.
It's better to start with the good-looking ones. Right, Mauve, Nasya, Keiha, and Sokolah. Cleanse yourselves and gather here again.
I wish I had just been swept away.
Rafen…….
It was only when I left the village chief's house and my mother patted me on the head that I noticed the tears running down my chin.
