The Promise of Dappled Light

Chapter 2: The Fire of the Hearth, the Overlapping Words (Summer)

The summer of Ainu Mosir was a vibrant, breathtaking canopy of brilliant green. The forests surrounding the kotan (village) were bursting with wild plants extending their leaves toward the sky, while the bright blue of the heavens peeked through the gaps in the branches.

Genjiro—now known simply as "Gen" in the village—sat on a straw mat outside Asirpa's chise, clumsily carving a wooden branch. The wounds from the bear attack had completely healed, thanks to Asirpa's dedicated care and the village's medicinal herbs, and he was now fully able to move.

"Gen, that isn't a spatula (hera). If you carve it like that, it will burn the bottom of the pot."

Asirpa poked her head out of the chise, her eyes crinkling with amusement. Her large eyes shone a brilliant, clear blue in the summer sun.

"...Hmph. The carving knives of the Wajin are quite different from yours."

Gen spoke with a feigned gruffness to hide his embarrassment. In Honshu, as a descendant of the noble Minamoto clan, he had been taught to keep his posture straight and focus only on gripping the hilt of a sword. Having left all other daily tasks to servants, he found himself unable to do even the simplest chores here. In the beginning, this realization had wounded his pride. But now, he felt no frustration. He had only a pure, growing respect for this quiet wilderness and the girl who lived so naturally within it.

"Look. Every piece of wood we use for our tools has a Kamuy (spirit) inside it. You must carve it gently, matching your strokes to the wood's breath."

Asirpa sat beside him, gently placing her small hand over his large, calloused one. Instantly, Gen's back tensed with a jolt of nervousness. Compared to his own hands, hardened by years of martial training, Asirpa's hand was small, yet firm from her daily labors, carrying a comforting warmth.

"Ah... forgive me." "Why are you apologizing? Look, do it like this."

Paying his embarrassment no mind, Asirpa guided his hand, sliding the small knife smoothly along the wood. A fresh, crisp scent of shaved white wood drifted up.

"This wood is for making an ita (plate) or a kasupu (spoon). We are borrowing this life from the Kamuy. That is why we must treat it with respect." "...The Kamuy." "Yes. You said you aren't good at learning words, but your pronunciation is actually very beautiful, Gen. Try saying it again: 'Tanto' (Today), 'Sirpirka' (The weather is good)." "Tanto... Sirpirka." "Perfect! Now, what about this?"

Asirpa pointed to a small, white flower blooming at their feet.

"That is... if I remember correctly, 'Nonno' (Flower)." "Yes! Exactly!"

Asirpa's radiant laugh made Gen's heart skip a beat. It was so different from the refined, hidden smiles of Honshu's noble ladies, who always concealed their faces behind silk sleeves. Her smile was as honest and raw as the wind blowing across the plains. Just looking at it filled his weary soul with a deep, soothing warmth.

"Asirpa... you are truly strong." "Eh?" "Nothing... I only thought that you live more grandly and proudly in this land than any warrior I have ever known."

When Gen murmured this, looking down slightly, Asirpa tilted her head in confusion before letting out a soft laugh.

"You always make such a serious face, Gen. But we don't have complicated laws here. There is only the bounty of nature, and our gratitude for it."

Hearing this, Gen let out a long, quiet breath and smiled. With every word they shared, the invisible boundary between Wajin and Ainu seemed to dissolve like a summer mirage.

At dusk, the men of the village returned from the river carrying several magnificent salmon. Watching Asirpa and the others begin their preparations for the ohaw, Gen stood up.

"Asirpa. Let me prepare the fish today." "You, Gen? Can you do it?" "I may be clumsy with a carving knife, but I have gutted more fish than I can count on the battlefields of Honshu. Consider it a small token of my gratitude."

Gen reached into his vest and pulled out a carefully guarded leather pouch. Inside was a supply of the finest "white salt" from Honshu. In the northern lands at this time, salt was an incredibly rare and precious trade commodity, not easily obtained.

Gen masterfully filleted the salmon into three clean pieces, generously dusting the thick flesh with the precious white salt. Then, around the glowing embers he had gathered in front of the chise, he drove the wooden skewers holding the salmon into the ground in a fan shape.

"Are you... not going to put it in a soup?"

Asirpa peered over his shoulder, her interest piqued by the unfamiliar method.

"This is called 'shiohiki-yaki' by the Wajin. The heat of the fire sears the outside quickly, locking the juices within. The secret is to wait patiently until the skin becomes perfectly crisp."

Under the gentle heat of the embers, the salmon's rich oils began to bubble and drip onto the coals, sending up puffs of aromatic smoke. The skin turned from a pale pink to a deep, golden brown, crackling softly. The mouthwatering aroma alone made the village children gather around, swallowing hard.

"Alright, it is done. Eat while it is hot."

Gen handed the most beautifully grilled skewer to Asirpa.

Blowing gently on the steaming fish, Asirpa took a large bite, her teeth crunching through the crispy skin into the tender flesh. In an instant, her round eyes widened to their absolute limit.

"――!!" "How is it? Is it not to your liking?"

As Gen peered into her face with concern, Asirpa nodded frantically, swallowed, and cried out with a radiant smile:

"Hinna! It is so Hinna! The skin is so crispy, and the inside is incredibly soft! And this salt... it isn't bitter at all! It blends perfectly with the sweet fat of the salmon and melts in my mouth!" "I see...! I am glad you like it."

Gen let out a sigh of relief, his lips parting into a rare, genuine smile. He had never known that making someone so happy with food could bring such immense joy.

"Gen, wait right here!"

Asirpa dashed behind the chise and returned with a basket of fresh, vibrant green leaves. A sharp, wild aroma drifted into the air.

"This is 'Pukusa' (wild ramp/giant garlic). I gathered it in the forest. If you eat it raw, wrapped around this grilled salmon... it becomes even more delicious!"

With swift movements, Asirpa flaked off a piece of the tender salmon and wrapped it neatly in a green pukusa leaf. Holding the wrap between her fingers, she held it up to Gen's lips.

"Here, Gen. Open wide." "...Eh?"

Gen froze. Asirpa's fingers, dusted with a bit of soot from the hearth, were right at his lips. According to the strict warrior codes of Honshu, such public intimacy between a man and a woman was unthinkable—indeed, it was an unbearably embarrassing act.

"W-What are you...! I shall feed myself!" "No. The one I wrapped is the most delicious. Come on, say 'Ah.'"

Asirpa took a step closer, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief as she pressed the wrap gently against his lips. Faced with her pure, completely innocent gaze, Gen finally surrendered. With his ears burning a bright crimson, he yielded and opened his mouth.

"...Am."

He took the salmon and pukusa wrap from her fingertips. The moment he chewed, a sensation like lightning ran through his senses.

"――!?"

The rich, savory fat of the salted salmon burst forth, met instantly by the crisp, sharp, garlic-like kick of the fresh pukusa. The wild herb cut through the richness of the fish, transforming it into a clean, refreshing wave of flavor. The smokiness of the charcoal, the sweet crystals of the salt, and the wild fragrance of the forest blended in absolute harmony.

"How is it? Is it delicious?"

Asirpa looked up at him, her eyes shining with anticipation, her face so close he could feel her warm breath. Gen felt his chest tighten with an overwhelming affection for the girl before him, matched only by the sublime flavors in his mouth.

"...It is Hinna."

Gen kept his voice low to hide his blushing face, but his words were deeply sincere.

"Truly... it is Hinna. I have never tasted anything this delicious, not even at the grandest victory banquets in Honshu." "Hehe, see? You brought the delicious salt and salmon, and I brought the pukusa from the forest. When two worlds come together, everything becomes more delicious."

Asirpa laughed happily and sat down close beside him.

"When two worlds come together..."

Gen repeated her words softly, letting them settle in his mind. As twilight deepened, the glowing embers cast a warm, golden light over their faces. Sitting beside Asirpa, Gen felt, for the very first time in his life, that he might finally have found a place where he belonged.

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🌐OriginalJapanese：https://note.com/juicy_laelia8513/n/n7fd0625991f2

"Thank you so much for reading to the very end!"💗