The Fake Legend of Princess Mei Mei - Episode 1.2

When I returned home, for some reason, vegetables were piled up.

“Your grandson’s son brought them over.”

It seems my mother, who was standing by the cooking area, had recovered a bit and answered with a smile.

Hearing this, Tsukika immediately made a displeased face. The Mangoku family is Seishin Aozumi’s family.

“Go thank them later, Tsukika.”

“I don’t want to!”

Refusing my mother’s words immediately, she ran off into the back room.
“…What a troublesome child.”

My mother sighed and muttered in a sad voice.

I could understand what she was trying to say. The engagement with Seishin was the best match for our family, which was originally from outside the area. The Mangoku family was the wealthiest in the area, Seishin had a good personality, and his looks weren’t bad either. There was no reason for Tsukika to dislike him.

As a mother who wanted the best for her daughter, of course, she wanted her to accept the proposal. Keigetsu understood her feelings well.

However, Keigetsu also understood Tsukika’s feelings, so she smiled wryly and took out the remaining rice flour.

“Steamed rice cakes?”

“Yes. I promised Tsukika… Is that okay?”

“That’s fine.”

Mother laughed and took out a dish.

“Dad is staying overnight starting today.”

“I heard. What are we doing for dinner?”

“I’ll bring it to you later.”

“I see. I’m counting on you.”

Nodding, my mother began preparing the wild vegetables Keigetsu had picked.
“It smells nice.”

When Keigetsu started boiling the yomogi (mugwort), the house filled with its fragrance. Mother, smelling it, let out a pleased voice. Keigetsu nodded.

The scent of yomogi is nice. It feels like spring.

Keigetsu liked spring. This small, mountainous village wasn’t buried under heavy snow, but it was still cold and a little sad. The warm sunlight of spring slowly melted that chill away.

In spring, father would make charcoal. It sold well and replenished what was used during the winter. His other job, picking medicinal herbs, also became busier. For Keigetsu’s family, spring was an important time for earning.

“Mother.”

While chopping the boiled yomogi, Keigetsu called out quietly.

“Please wait a little longer for Tsukika.”

Mother looked a bit surprised at her words.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

Laughing a little, she peered down at Keigetsu, who was looking at the knife in her hand.

“I think Tsukika understands that the engagement with Seishin is a really good one. But she’s only just turned fifteen, and she’s still really a child…”

Keigetsu’s words trailed off because she couldn’t explain it well, and mother laughed again.

“I know that already. That’s why I’m recommending it, but I’m not forcing her. Besides—”

She stopped and glanced into the back room before lowering her voice.

“That child can’t cook at all. I can’t let her get married yet. I’d be laughed at.”

That was true. Tsukika has never liked cooking, and even at fifteen, she couldn’t peel vegetables, much less chop root vegetables evenly.

Keigetsu couldn’t help but mutter under her breath.

“That’s true.”

It was Keigetsu and her mother’s fault for not letting Tsukika try. They were both responsible for her lack of cooking skills. Though she knew she shouldn’t laugh, Keigetsu couldn’t help but grin.

Unable to hold back her laughter, Keigetsu tried to think of Tsukika’s good qualities.

“She’s good at sewing.”

“That’s true.”

“She’s good at laundry too.”

“She likes washing dishes and cleaning. She’s very tidy.”

“I’m bad at it.”

“Yes, sewing needs more practice.”

While they were talking, they heard clattering sounds from the back room. They looked at each other.

“She started cleaning again.”

Mother laughed, and Keigetsu nodded.

When Tsukika is feeling down or angry, she starts cleaning the room. Thanks to that, the house is always tidy.

Even though just three days ago, she had reorganized the shed, was there still more to clean?

In any case, it was best to let her do it until she was satisfied. By the time she finished, the steamed rice cakes should be done.

Keigetsu mixed the rice flour with water, checking the consistency, then added the yomogi and kneaded it further. Today, she splurged and added a bit of precious sugar. She wrapped it in cloth and placed it in the steamer.

“It smells good,” Mother said, as she lightly sautéed the wild vegetables she had prepared, putting them into a pot. Stir-fried bracken was Father’s favorite dish.

With just the porridge left to cook, the two decided to take a short break while waiting for the rice cakes to steam.

“Tsukika, should I make tea?”

Since they hadn’t heard any cleaning sounds for a while, Keigetsu called out, but there was no reply.

She called again, but still no answer.

“Maybe she fell asleep?”

Mother, who was preparing the teapot, tilted her head. Keigetsu also tilted her head, wondering, and proceeded to prepare tea for two.

“Given her mood, it doesn’t seem like she’ll be going to the Mangoku family’s house.”

Seeing that Tsukika still hadn’t come out, Mother sighed.

Keigetsu nodded while looking at the steamer.

“I’ll go. I’ll bring the rice cakes.”

That’s why she had made extra, using all the remaining rice flour.
“Alright,” Mother nodded.

“You’re very reliable. You really help me.”

“Really? Maybe it’s thanks to the leaf charm.”

Keigetsu laughed shyly and tapped the tattoo on her neck, which resembled a leaf.

When she was a child, she had wondered why she had such a thing, but it was because Keigetsu had been very frail when born, and they had applied an old spell to help her. Thanks to that, Keigetsu had grown up without serious injuries or illness, becoming healthy.

Looking at Keigetsu, her mother gave a vague smile. There seemed to be something behind that smile, but Keigetsu didn’t notice at all.

After finishing their tea, Tsukika still didn’t come out.

Sighing, Keigetsu cut the steamed rice cakes into pieces for the Mangoku family and wrapped them up. The rest she put on a plate.

“Go ahead and eat first,” she told her mother before leaving the house and heading towards the Mangoku family’s house, which was in the middle of the village.

She crossed the rice fields, which hadn’t been planted yet, and arrived at the Mangoku house. Just as she did, Seishin Aozumi came out from the garden.

“Hey.”

When Seishin saw Keigetsu, he put down the basket he was holding and smiled.

“Hello. Thank you for the vegetables earlier.”

“Ah. I got some medicine from your father last time, so this is a thank-you.”

About ten days ago, when Seishin’s younger sister had been bedridden with a severe stomach ache and high fever, Keigetsu’s father had given her some medicine. She had recovered quickly, so they were returning the favor.

Keigetsu was surprised. There was so much rice and other things—it seemed like more than just a thank-you gift.

“Don’t worry about it. My parents were grateful, and they said I should bring this much. I was going to send Yuurin to thank you, but I heard she and Tsukika got into another fight the other day.”

“Really?”

Keigetsu didn’t know that. So, that was why Tsukika had been cleaning so much three days ago.

Tsukika and Yuurin, both a year younger, had been close childhood friends, but they would sometimes have loud, silly arguments. Keigetsu figured they would probably make up in a few days, but it was still a little frustrating.

“That’s why she didn’t want to go,” Keigetsu thought, while looking at the rice cakes she brought.

“I brought steamed rice cakes… but, would Yuurin eat them if I brought them from my house?”

“Yeah, she’ll probably eat them.”

Yuurin liked steamed rice cakes. Whenever she visited, she and Tsukika would always fight over them.

Seishin accepted the package and smiled, saying it was still warm.

“Thanks, Keigetsu. I like your cooking.”

At those words, Keigetsu blushed slightly, but since she thought it was just Seishin being kind, she smiled and nodded.