The day to go to the farm had splendid weather.
As soon as I stepped out of the hotel, I was greeted by truly enjoyable walking weather.
The sky was clear, and the clouds were just right. Whenever I got a bit tired of the sunlight pouring down, the clouds would move to create shade, cooling my body, only for the sun to shine down again, warming me just enough.
The warmth was so remarkable that as I sat in the car, I couldn’t help but feel drowsy.
Upon arrival, what awaited me was even more delightful.
A pleasantly cool breeze blew, carrying the scent of grass from the farm in the distance, while the chirping of unnamed songbirds could be heard deep within the woods. And spread wide, truly astonishingly wide, all the way to the horizon, was a sea of green that left me agog.
The farm.
It was not just any ordinary one.
It wasn’t a simple vegetable garden you’d see at a country home, nor a weekend farm where city folk went to tend crops.
A sea.
A sea made of grass lay before my eyes.
As the wind brushed through, it swayed and folded like it was stretching out and finding its place over and over again.
Could it be that this was what a wave made of grass looked like?
Caught up in the breathtaking scene, Rise’s white hat with a ribbon almost flew away in the wind. No, if Jinseong hadn’t quickly snatched it, it would have surely flown all the way to the farm, covered in dirt.
That beautiful pure white hat would have rolled around in the dirt.
Without having made any use of her lovely dress.
But of course, that disaster didn’t occur, and it never would.
Even if the hat were to fly away again, it would be caught without fail.
Thus, Rise could relax and admire the scenery.
She saw the densely packed, yet orderly, ocean of grass that filled the horizon and caught sight of the dark forest, standing next to it like a cliff or reef, and inhaled the humid yet fresh scent of life emanating from it. She savored the fragrance wafting from the grass still moist and young as it rolled like waves.
Whooooosh.
Then the wind blew again.
The wind, freely traversing the open plains without any obstacles, swept past her mercilessly. It fluttered the hem of her thin, light dress, bringing Rise back to her senses as her face turned red, urgently pressing down her skirt to keep it from flying up.
Once she had secured her skirt, the thought crossed her mind, wondering if Jinseong had seen her. She glanced over, blushing deeply.
As she realized that this situation felt oddly familiar, a smile crept onto her face.
It didn’t resemble some old drama or romantic comic at all.
A fluttering skirt in the wind, the heroine desperately trying to press it down….
Heh.
Rise truly could not shake off the feeling that the situation was like a drama.
A drama with a sweet and light atmosphere… that kind of drama.
“Deity, do you perhaps like flowers?”
Thus, Rise brushed aside the embarrassment she felt earlier.
With only the blush remaining on her cheeks, she made the suggestion to Jinseong.
Asking if he liked flowers.
Inviting him to go see the flower field.
“This farm is said to be a place where you can see flowers year-round. Let’s go take pictures there!”
The reason Rise had come to this farm was precisely to see the flower field.
This farm was not just stopping at growing crops; it actively attracted tourists.
They divided areas to plant various kinds of flowers so that visitors could see different scenery no matter when they came, in spring, summer, fall, or winter.
And they didn’t just plant them casually.
They spent money paying well-known companies to paint character images or create scenes from movies with flowers, striving to bring joy to tourists.
“This year, they painted little animals like squirrels and rabbits. Plus, I heard they’ve even contracted summoners for cute summon creatures to perform!”
And while this year’s illustrations were somewhat ordinary little animals….
Instead, they went with the strategy of hiring summoners.
Not the kind whose summon creatures were only adored by their owners but truly captivating ones that anyone would scream in delight at!
Among them was a summon that looked like an adorably huge seal, its cuteness multiplied tenfold, and there were also summon creatures reminiscent of cute mascots from children’s animations.
Rumor had it there was even a raccoon with a duck bill that exceeded five meters in size, but….
That must have been nonsense.
How could a raccoon have a duck bill, let alone be five meters long?
I even heard it was said to fight with a stinger and could detect electricity.
It was undoubtedly an absurd story.
But even without such ludicrous tales….
It would definitely be worth going.
An incredibly large and tremendously cute seal!
To see cute mascots, much like those from children’s animations, waddling about!
If I could even take a picture on or beside one of them….
It would surely be blissful.
Of course, at that moment, right next to me….
“….”
If only the deity who had accompanied me to this farm were there, it would have been even better.
Rise subtly raised a hand to her cheek.
Was it because of the sunlight?
Even though she wore a hat, her cheeks felt warm.
It must have been from the sun.
Certainly.
“Deity, over there!”
Rise smiled broadly, pulling her hand away from her cheek and pointing to a direction.
In the direction where other tourists were bustling about.
To the spot where the summon and the flower field were located.
Vroom.
In keeping with the image of America, the car was big and had a macho design, carrying a lot of people just as much as it looked.
Quickly moving along, it was filled with unique individuals from various countries, sometimes delivering the additional thrill of bouncing along the unpaved roads.
Every time, some people frowned, some were amazed by the speed and sensations, and others let out small screams, worried the vehicle might topple.
But fortunately, the car arrived at its destination without a hitch….
“Oh, heavens!”
Upon reaching the destination, the visitors had no choice but to face something whose appearance was utterly incomprehensible if it weren’t for the summoners!
Yes, it was undeniably an exotic, strange—anyway, an unfamiliar creature!
A gigantic size resembling that of a two-story house scattered throughout America!
A bill that looked solid yet somewhat soft!
Webbed feet and hands!
Fluffy fur, and a thick, somewhat fluffy tail!
There was a being that was astonishing and bewildering… just amazing.
“Everyone! Do not touch that summon! Do not go near it! It’s gentle and trained, but it still has a stinger! You may get stung if you draw near!”
“What?! A stinger?! Goodness! How can such a creature exist?”
“That thing must be from another planet! It’s not just a summon! It’s an alien pet!”
The American tourists were reacting as if it was somewhat exaggerated.
In fact, some were so eager to find evidence that the summon was extraterrestrial, they attempted to approach it only to be stopped by the staff.
Those who were halted protested about wanting to observe the extraterrestrial creature, but….
“Um, sir, it’s a large summon, but there’s nothing much different from creatures on Earth. It’s just a giant platypus.”
“What? Are you mocking my ignorance? No matter how ignorant I am, I can’t be fooled by such nonsense! There can’t be such a creature on Earth!”
“No, it really exists! Don’t you know about platypuses?!”
“I know about ducks and I know about raccoons! But to say they’re merged into one creature? Stop talking rubbish! I need to see that! I have the right to examine it!”
“…Sir! If you touch that summon, the owner could sue you!”
“Oh no! I can’t allow a lawsuit. Fine, I won’t give up! But listen up! I’m stepping back, respecting the alien owner of this obviously alien creature, alright?!”
“…Yes, understood. Now, please back away.”
Upon hearing the magical word ‘lawsuit,’ he stepped back.
Of course, denying the existence of the platypus continued to be a bonus.
And watching that scene, Rise wondered whether it was the absurdity of the situation that was joyful, or if that giant platypus was cute, or perhaps if the sight of flowers blooming beautifully behind the platypus was what made her happy.
“Come to think of it, aside from the size, it really is a platypus. Isn’t it cute?”
She beamed.
A smile never left her face.
And this joyful feeling continued after a stroll around the flower field, eventually leading her to the café operated by the farm owner’s family….
Until, upon seeing a familiar face there.
“You’ve got to be kidding me?!”
…And seeing that familiar face from yesterday yelling at the farm owner made her feel like her joy had instantly sunk.
