475 - - 14-26 Storytellers
"It's a local dish of this region. It is made of fried vegetables and stewed in tometru juice.
The seasoning is different in each family, Vivienne explained briefly,
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"I hope it suits your taste," she said.
She then divided the food into small bowls and distributed them to each of the guests. She was very efficient.
When everyone had been served their soup and bread, Vivienne introduced herself again.
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"Well, let me introduce myself again. I am Vivien. I am Stear's childhood friend and I am a storyteller.
"Well then, let me introduce you to my friends. I'd like to introduce you to Saki, Jin, Erza, Berthe and her husband Reinhardt. And my followers ...... are Aaru the automata, Reiko, Edgar, Neon, and Noir the golem."
"Wow, ...... that's spectacular! It's not every day you get a chance to see so many automata and golems."
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Vivienne looked entranced, but then realized that it was before breakfast,
"Oh no, everyone, please enjoy your meal.
She invited them to eat. They all said
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"Delicious!"
The soup was based on sour tomatoes with a hint of spice. In this world, they call it "tometru" instead of "tomato.
"Good!"
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Vivian looked at their faces and smiled, knowing that they were not flattered. She tears off a piece of bread, dips it in the soup and puts it in her mouth.
"Well, it's delicious!"
Now Vivian exclaimed in surprise.
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"I felt it when I was tearing it, this bread is so fluffy and it has a mysterious aroma. It's so delicious!
By aroma, I assume he meant the smell produced by the natural yeast. Yeast is not yet used in this world.
Jin and the others had eaten only a light breakfast, so their hunger was just the right sign that they could enjoy the unusual taste.
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After the breakfast, a drink called "Kahi" (coffee, right?) was served.
(Coffee, right?).
Jin had never tasted it before, since it was only recently that the fifth column (quinta) had been sent to the southern part of the Kingdom of Selroa. The same is true for Tometul.
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After this, the cultivation of kahi, or coffee, and tometul, or tomatoes, began on Penglai Island.
"So, what's the main purpose of this?
Stearina started while drinking a cup of coffee.
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"Jin-kun, Reinhardt-kun, and Erza-san are magi-craftsmen like me, and we are planning to make a cat golem.
"Heh, a cat, huh? ...... So you've come to observe the movements of a cat, have you?"
Vivien nodded approvingly.
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"If you think of houses with cats around here, that's the one you're looking for, isn't it?"
Stearina seemed to have an idea and asked Vivian in an agreeable tone.
"Yes, the Tecoles might be a good choice."
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The two seemed to agree and nodded to each other. Vivian then began to explain.
"The Teclaes family is the richest family in this town. They are merchants who make a lot of money by doing business with the kingdoms of Egelea and Elias using their ships.
Stearina continued as if to add to the conversation.
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"But he's very friendly. I especially like to hear stories about their foreign guests, so I'm sure you'll be surprised when you get there.
"Well, it's still too early to try."
The time is about 6:30. I heard that everyone in Kupu wakes up early, but it is still too early.
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"You said you were a storyteller, didn't you?"
Jin, who had been wondering about Vivian since she introduced herself, finally asked the question.
"Yes, I am. I am the 32nd storyteller. I'm still a work in progress.
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Vivian answered with a slightly bashful expression.
"That was another purpose, wasn't it? Vee, why don't you tell Jin and the others some of the old stories?"
Jin was secretly overjoyed by Stearina's unexpected offer to Vivian.
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Jin is especially interested in those old stories. Please do me a favor."
"Stair's request, of course. So what kind of story do you want?
Jin thought for a moment before replying.
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"A story about our ancestors who came from beyond the sun, if you can ......".
Vivian smiled at him.
"Oh? That's funny. Usually we storytellers get requests for stories about brave men who follow dragons, or tragic love stories between princesses and knights. We rarely tell stories that are so long ago and may or may not be true.
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A storyteller, Vivienne said, is someone who tells stories and history to the unlettered masses.
"But I also tell them the stories that aren't written down," she said. That is the pride of a storyteller.
Smiling, Vivien began to tell her story slowly.
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"...... long, long ago. ......"
* * * *
People say that their ancestors lived on another land.
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It was a paradise.
People could fly and lift things without using their hands.
They had followers almost as good as men, and their masters did not have to do any labor.
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There was no difference between rich and poor, and thus no conflict.
There were no diseases and no injuries.
People devoted themselves to their hobbies, and a colorful culture flourished.
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Such days seemed to last forever.
But...
After a few hundred years, or even a few thousand years. Little by little, the population began to decline.
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Because fewer children were born.
People lived longer, but still more people died than were born.
And then another few hundred years.
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Paradise was no longer paradise.
The population had decreased to less than 1/1000th of its peak.
A small portion of those who remained had decided to abandon paradise.
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They built a huge flying ship and set out to find another world.
After a long, long journey, they found a new land.
The people decided to make one of the continents their new home. The continent was uninhabited, rich in nature and abundant in resources.
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Ships were left floating in the sky overlooking the new land, and people began to live in the new land.
Life in the new land was not easy and some people chose to return to their ships and live there.
Another few hundred years passed, and the people began to prosper again in the new land.
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They learned from the past and did not make the same mistakes.
And more and more people move to the next continent.
Another few hundred years pass and .......
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* * * *
"...... is as far as we go."
Vivian said in a sorry voice.
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"They don't tell us what happened to the people after that."
"Thank you, Vee."
"......, but it was fun."
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"The old stories are so imaginative!"
"Hmmm, it's kind of hard to interpret."
"It was an interesting story."
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Everyone seemed to have his or her own impression.
"Of course, it is a story that has been told. I don't know if they are true or not."
But one person did not think so. Jin.
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"...... could the moon be that spaceship?"
He muttered to himself in a small voice.