Nothing is as it Seems

If Hotaru had to make an estimate, the population of the Kitsuna village did not exceed more than two hundred mostly adults and children; with a conspicuous lack of elderly persons, infants and toddlers. All of whom were female, and seemed to never sit still for too long.

For several hours a day, life in the village completely revolved around the magic bean farms. Starting out early, before the crack of dawn, with teams of young and old Kitsuna alike descending upon the marshlike rows of water-steeped soil and bright green stalks, uniformly dressed in wide-brimmed sun hats with their blouses pulled up past their knees, to pluck and replant the exotically shimmering blue crop. After which, the yield is all gathered into sack clothes and handed off to the older Kitsuna to be processed, to be used as cooking ingredients for all kinds of soups, pastries, fried dishes, deserts; just in time to be eaten for supper, when the sun is at its highest peak in the sky.