Ever since the rainy season ended, the days have been getting hotter and hotter.
I dearly miss the cold water of the lake. And also that delicious, ice-cold beer.
“Hff… Hff… (It’s hot… It’s so hot…) ”
It’s not all that bad inside the mansion, but the sunlight outside seems to be stabbing right into me, and moving just a little makes me want to pass out from the heat.
Damn it all. To think the day would come when my fluffy fur worked against me…
“Are you all right, Routa? Do you want some water?”
The ever-considerate Lady Mary has officially switched to summer clothes. Her sleeveless white dress and wide-brimmed straw hat are very cute.
Moments ago we were running around together in the garden; I was the first one the heat did in.
“Oh my. How slovenly.”
I suddenly feel a cold wind blow through, and then Hecate appears before us, sitting on her staff as it floats horizontally in the air.
“Dr. Hecate! Did you come to play?!”
The young lady’s face lights up, and she pounces on Hecate. She must really like her a lot. Maybe she’s all the more attached to her because she doesn’t have a mom.
Of course, Hecate isn’t exactly the mother type—she’s more like a grandma who endlessly dotes on her grandchildren—eep?! Hecate’s looking this way and smiling! Her face is smiling, but her eyes are subzero!
“…My, my. I won’t give you my summer-visit gift if you behave like that.”
Huh? What is it? Did you bring something for me?
I am eagerly awaiting something that will release me from this blazing-hot summer.
“Mary, take a step back, okay?”
Hecate alights from her staff and has me and the young lady move away.
“Nahura, are you ready? Oh! I see you’ve found something just right. Anchor it, then, okay? I’m going to summon you.”
Is she communicating with Nahura from a distance? As she talks, she has her fingers on the accessory on her ear.
“All right, here we go.”
Hecate twirls her staff and points its orb toward the sky.
A hole opens up in midair, and from it something huge gently descends.
“Wow! It’s cold!”
A burst of cold wind rushes through the hole along with the giant object.
“Arwf? (Is that a clump of ice?) ”
An ice boulder falls down, then lands in the backyard with a thud.
“Wow, it’s so pretty!”
The young lady draws near and looks up at the icy chunk. Despite its size, you can see right through to the other side. The ice is totally transparent.
“M-mew… (I… I thought I was going to freeze to death…) ”
Nahura comes up to me, shivering, snot dripping from her nose. It seems she was the one who went and got this ice.
“Natural ice cut from the areas near the peak of the sacred mountain in the north.”
Whoa. Never heard of it, but that’s incredible. Just being near it makes me supercool. This was a great midsummer present.
“Whoa! What’s that?!”
The kitchen’s back door leads to the backyard; a shocked old man comes bursting out.
“Ah, Miss Hecate—welcome. This is quite the block of ice.”
He seems to have immediately understood Hecate called it here with magic. He raps his knuckles against the ice, then licks the droplets that stick to his hand, evaluating its flavor.
“Very high-quality natural ice at that. I was just thinking of buying some at the capital. One scoop of this would go for a whole gold coin there.”
Wait, for real? We could get a thousand scoops out of this much ice and it would barely scratch the surface. If we bring it there, we’d be filthy rich.
And yet we’re using it as a stand-in air conditioner? Hecate sure loves to live lavishly.
“Hmm. Miss Hecate, may I have a little of this ice?”
“You may. I see you’ve thought of something.”
“I won’t say anything yet. It would spoil the surprise.”
The old man goes back into the kitchen, then brings out a knife and a small dish.
“Well then, don’t mind if I do.”
He presses the knife against the ice, then smoothly slides it. A moment later, fine powder bursts off the ice’s surface, glittering in the sun.
He catches it in the dish, then continues shaving little pieces off the ice, his movements fluid.
“A-arwf! (This… This is shaved ice!) ”
First rice, and now this! I can’t believe I’m seeing such nostalgic foods.
Well, actually, the shaved ice I’m familiar with is the sort sold at festivals, shaved roughly and left to sit so long it hardens. Sure, it’s nice to look at in the beginning, but then the taste makes you sad.
I’ve never seen such pillowy shaved ice before! I’m very pleased to meet you, yes I am!
It looks delicious, even though I haven’t even tried it yet. The ice is so fine it looks like frozen mist. It flutters down onto the plate, light as feathers, and piles up higher and higher. Actually, I didn’t think this was how shaved ice was made, but I can’t fault the old man, not with his knife skills.
“Still, if you squeezed a fruit on this, it would probably make a very interesting sorbet. The sheer cold might make it difficult for the tongue to taste much, so I’d need to flavor it with something very sweet…”
“Oh my, is that a request of me in particular?”
Hecate can knock even Papa down a peg, but old man James trying to coax her is just what I’d expect from him.
“Okay, then. I’ll bring out something from my special reserve.”
And his request actually works. Hecate must want to sample his experiment, too.
Aw, so honest with your desires. I have to say I like that about you!
Hecate waves her staff, and several small bottles fall out of the sky.
“This is violet syrup. This one is dew herb. This is golden Osmanthus, and this is bonesetter shrub.”
The bottles line up, all hovering via flotation magic, each containing a richly colored syrup.
“They’re so pretty…!”
“I have your favorite rose syrup, too, Mary.”
Hecate’s homemade flower syrups. I’ve had the rose one before, diluted with water, and that had a great smell and an amazing taste.
Being able to pour it over ice and eat it that way is the height of luxury! Thanks, Hecate!
“Arwf, arwf! (I want the violet! The purple one!) ”
The thick purple syrup swirls onto the shaved ice, mixing in with it and giving it a pink gradation. It looks refreshing and delicious.
“Arwf! (Thanks!) ”
It doesn’t even pop or crunch in my mouth. There’s only the sweet flowery aroma and the feeling of refreshing coolness sliding down my throat.
“Arrwf! (What is this? What even is this?! I’ve never tasted anything like it before—not even remotely!) ”
In a few gulps, the shaved ice on the plate disappears, and I lick up the leftover syrup. The pooling liquid is delicious in a completely different way.
“Woof, woof! (Nahura! You try some, too!) ”
“M-mewww… (I would be perfectly happy not seeing ice again for a long, long time…) ”
It must have been awfully cold for her at the peak of the sacred mountain, because she’s lying on the warm stone cobbling, basking in the sunlight. She doesn’t even attempt to go near the ice.
“Squeak, squeak. (The chef isn’t looking. Quickly, give me some!) ”
As soon as I get my seconds, Len pokes out from between my legs.
“Arwf, arwf. (Okay, okay, this one’s for you. Eat as much as you want.) ”
“S-squeak! (My beloved has shown me consideration…! I am moved by your kindness! Shall we copulate now?!) ”
Something like that, Len. Something like that.
The huge chunk of ice still shows no signs of melting, and as we cool off near it, we smack our lips and enjoy the cold sweetness.