Love Talk

Staying in Kaishima was fine, but living here was a little uncomfortable. I didn't believe the world, which was similar to Okinawan culture, was different from what I learned in my first life.

Their food surplus was insufficient to support useless individuals, forcing men and women of all ages to work hard every day just to get by. Even though they worked tirelessly, a comfortable life was out of reach. The majority of the harvest was stored for sale in a nearby town, and the remainder was levied as a tax. With a life expectancy of only a few decades, their continued existence gradually darkened their thoughts and moods. There was even talk of a rebellion breaking out.

Despite this, the people never considered raising their swords. They lacked both the will and the means to effectively rebel.

There were drinking parties, and good friends in the village complained to each other with all of their remaining energy.

It was a serious matter for a small village. The village elder summoned everyone to a meeting to decide what to do. I explained my situation, but because I was alone, there was no easy way to confirm my story. As a result, I thumped my chest and boasted that I could do anything they could. The elder, on the other hand, had never heard such shocking words before, but they eventually became something that had to be accepted.

I was about seventeen years old, and they had planned to sell me off the island if I revolted against them because I was both young and handsome. It wasn't surprising that some of that sentiment persisted in the village; however, the children of the villagers disagreed.

Against all odds, I was granted permanent residency. I found a home within a foreboding old structure and quickly began a life as a cunning soldier and hunter. I showed them the contents of what I had hunted in the mountains using the old bow and a few arrows that Ishida had lent me.

My productivity was comparable to what the village's most skilled hunter could do in three days, and if I kept hunting at that rate, the ecosystem would suffer, so I had to give the animals a "head start." That is how she became an official member of the Village. That is my new life.

Back to the present, we are still walking back to our house; I was getting tired of walking, but we made it to the village.

"Hey, why are you so good at hunting?" a hand reached out to me.

"Perhaps some kind of trick to spotting the hidden animals?" I said as Hori approached me.

"I just... know, I know where they hide and where to shoot to bring a bird down.Wait, aren't I incredible?"

"You truly are incredible. If you get it, could you lend me a hand?" Ishida stated

"You know, this is the type with natural talent. Isn't it lovely? You wouldn't have to worry about food for the rest of your life if you got him a wife." Yuzuriha smiled

"I'm not sure about that..."

"It's completely true, there's no mistaking it," Horio stated

I had a clueless expression while Horio was making jokes, and Horio continued on like that. "Isn't it about time you started thinking about what I was saying earlier?""

"Is that who I'll marry?" I inquired

"Yeah, that. I said that seriously, so what about it? I'll say this now, but I'm serious.Do you have any plans to marry my sister, Eiko"

Horio enquired with an unusually serious look.

" I really don't know" I sighed.

Since I arrived on this island, I've been the first choice for the majority of the village's young women. My appearance was stunning, and my hunting ability was unrivaled. Many of them had already fallen for my charms, especially Eiko, whom I liked like a sister but was two years older to me despite being unmarried, though on my side, the one who gained my life as a husband would gain considerable status in the village, but that wasn't something I was going to notice on my own as I had a complete lack of maturity ever since my last intimate relations with my deceased friend.

"No, I appreciate the sentiment, but can you stop?" I said brushing him off

"But, why not? she maybe elder to you, but she's kind off beautiful you know, then how about Hana, you like that child don't you"

"she's just ten"

" Well I married at Thirteen, no big deal" laughed Horio

"Well, I don't know if the marriage will stop me from finding happiness. The women of the village were seriously complaining about their own marriages you know."

I pulled out my happiness memo to confirm. Peeking at it from the side, Horio could see that the marriage entry had unfortunately been crossed out.

"Don't listen to those disgruntled old women. It'll be fine if it's me, and we'll definitely find happiness!" Horio countered vehemently.

He'd checked to make sure I was truly in love with any of the women, and amongst the Girls in the village, there had only been one conclusion.

" So who do you like, my sister or Hana"

"I however can't choose your sister as she already has a lover, and I don't want to ruin their relationship"

""You say you don't like older women, but I see you hanging out with the village doctor a lot," Horio laughs

"Ameri-Nee Sama always helps me by massaging them. I'm relieved, and she treats me like a younger brother, so that's all I have to say."

"But you love her, don't you?" he laughs.

After hearing that message, I blushed.

Horio then laughs and says, "Then what about the young shrine maiden?"

"Keiko!"

"Yes, you say you two are just friends but I see you and her are lovey dowey, both of you are of same age and many believed that you are couple" grins Horio

" No, we're just friends"I panicked

" Whatever you say brother, don't let things go out of hand, everything comes in a time, so don't get late" said Horio as he walks forward

True, I fell in love with the maiden Keiko, and I still remember that kiss from the ship. It was here that I begged the elder to let me stay on the island even though they were opposed, but the elder changed her mind because she was upset and let me stay with a lot of labor, but Keiko was always there for me and would wait for me for lunch or escort me after a day's work whenever there was no work in the shrine.

I felt a spark when there was a holy procession and Keiko would dance, and she truly was a goddess. Keiko, who is only three months my junior, was showing me signs that she liked me, and I, too, felt like Horio said, "never to miss this chance." I sighed and considered whether I should really give it a shot.

"So, what do you think?" Horio asked as he returned to me with some jerky passed by one of the hunters and passed one to me.

"Who I like, and those kinds of questions, are things I have absolutely no idea of the answer to. There isn't really anyone I want to live with right now, so could you hold off on asking me for a bit?" I smiled while clearly rejecting his request.

So you see, Im that kind of man, I guess. Totally different from the others.

I have no idea what I'm thinking.

I was usually aloof and lighthearted, but sometimes my expression changed.

My cheerful demeanor would occasionally be tinged with darkness. It was most noticeable on rainy days. During the nights that followed, it was as if I had been possessed by a reaper who came to my dreams to haunt me, becoming more gloomy and difficult to speak.

It once rained heavily for a day, and a drunken hooligan tried to steal into my bed the next night. He then fled to the village elder, fearful of retaliation, despite knowing the consequences of his actions. He drew a picture of what had scared him, and after a while, the figure of myself emerged.

It now felt as if his story had been told by the drink; however, the man had been discovered half-dead and sprawled out in the village square the morning after the incident. It had been so bad that it hurt to look at it, and the man had avoided me as much as possible since then. He had the eyes of a terrified dog, and no one knew what happened to him after he was driven from the village.

Horio was well aware of this, so he made his feelings known. Ishida sighed quietly to himself, clearly upset.