Chapter 35: The Spirit Who Cannot Meet the Sun

I quietly watched the swaying door after Yuae left.

“You must not meet No-Rani.”

It was a statement laden with complex meaning.

It could be that they can’t meet because, like arch-enemies, they’d bite at each other the moment they met.

Or it could be that their energies are completely opposite, so meeting is forbidden.

If I had to choose, I felt it was the latter.

“How many beings could dislike No-Rani, though.”

Tinkle.

As I let out a small laugh, the door of the tea house opened.

And springing inside, as always, was No-Rani.

“Knew I couldn’t be a noble after all.”

“Here I am!”

“We’re back, Ajussi?”

“Mm. Did you have fun today too?”

The two children came straight to the bar table and sat in the very spot where Yuae had just been.

No-Rani tilted her head.

“Ajussi, did someone come by?”

“Mm, you noticed?”

“There’s a scent. Smells like the Moon.”

No-Rani sniffed the air and then widened her eyes.

“This is Yuae’s scent!”

“Yuae unni?”

“Yeah! Ajussi, did Yuae come by?”

No-Rani could always tell things like a spirit.

I didn’t think Yuae had any particular scent, but…

“That’s right. She just left.”

“I guess we missed her. We didn’t see her at all.”

“Hmph, I wanted to see Yuae too…”

No-Rani buried her face into the table and rubbed it mournfully.

Even a quick glance told me she was radiating gloom.

Naru gently stroked No-Rani’s hair.

“Do you miss Yuae unni?”

Sniffle

“But, No-Rani can’t meet Yuae unni, right?”

“That’s right.”

Hearing that they couldn’t meet only made my theory feel even more certain.

Still, to confirm, I asked Naru for an explanation.

“Naru-ya, is it really bad for No-Rani to meet Yuae?”

“It’s not impossible, but it’s not good for either of them. Their energies are completely opposite.”

Naru explained further.

“It’s because they’re like the Sun and the Moon. Actually, Yuae unni is very strong, so she’d be okay, but No-Rani would have a very hard time.”

“Hmph, but I’m fine…”

No-Rani pouted her lips in protest.

She said she was fine, but it was clear that wasn’t really the case.

Even just sitting where Yuae had been seemed to affect her.

“No-Rani, drink this.”

I quickly brewed some Honey Water using Udi and set it before No-Rani.

After drinking the Honey Water, No-Rani let out a big breath.

“I miss Yuae unni.”

“Just wait a little longer. Once you get stronger, you’ll be able to see Yuae unni.”

“Sounds fun.”

No-Rani jumped up and ran over to me.

“Ajussi! I want to get stronger! Strong enough to see Yuae unni, even more!”

“Then I’ll have to make a special tea just for No-Rani.”

“Can you do that?”

“Of course.”

If No-Rani wants it.

“I’ll make it for you.”

Looks like it’s time to brew a special Honey Water.

***

After returning home with the children and finishing my diary for the day, I decided to open the Jewel Box Yuae had given me.

“What’s this?”

Inside, there was a single jewel with a subtle gray sheen, and a Letter.

The Gem looked expensive at a glance.

Of course, whether I could sell it or not was a different question, but it certainly felt precious.

“I’ll have to find out what this Gem is for later.”

I set the Gem aside and read the Letter first.

And as soon as I finished reading, I got up from my seat.

“Goodnight.”

I quietly opened the door to check if the children were sound asleep.

Since they’d played hard all day, I figured they wouldn’t wake up until morning.

After making sure the children were sleeping well, I grabbed my coat and left the house.

I walked slowly down the dark street, where even the streetlights had gone out, until I arrived at .

Tinkle.

As soon as I opened the door, Udi flew over to greet me.

I petted Udi, who welcomed me, then turned on the tea house lights and quickly headed to the storeroom to gather the necessary ingredients before returning to the kitchen.

“I don’t know exactly when, so I should make it in advance.”

I measured out each ingredient and combined them.

Tinkle.

The door opened.

I looked up to check the entrance and smiled.

“You’re here?”

“Yes.”

The one who walked in was Yuae.

After taking off her hood, Yuae walked gracefully over to the bar table.

“The tea is almost ready. Just wait a moment.”

“All right. There’s plenty of time, so please take it easy.”

“I can’t take it easy when such an important guest is waiting.”

After finishing the tea blend, I poured hot water and began to steep the tea.

While the tea brewed, I spoke to Yuae.

“It’ll be ready soon, but before that, may I hear your story?”

“There’s one thing I’d like to ask you first.”

“What is it?”

“How did you know?”

Though her question was vague, I understood immediately.

The Letter inside Yuae’s Jewel Box.

It contained a request to meet, but no time or place was mentioned.

Still, I could tell.

That it would be tonight, at .

“I just sensed it.”

“You sensed it?”

“More like deduction.”

I poured the well-steeped Night-Blooming Moon into Udi and spoke.

“I thought, if Yuae came all this way, there must be some reason other than just wanting a cup of Night-Blooming Moon. If it was just for tea, you wouldn’t have tested me.”

Yuae had come to see Grandfather through me.

Because she believed Grandfather could help her with her problem.

So she tested me.

“…You figured that out?”

“Just lucky, I guess.”

Yuae didn’t find Grandfather in me.

But she acknowledged it.

That’s why she came to ask for help.

“I don’t know what the problem is, but problems should be solved as soon as possible, right? So I figured it’d be tonight. As for the place, there’s no need to think—it had to be here.”

“That’s true.”

“Here’s your tea.”

I poured the beautifully brewed Night-Blooming Moon into a cup and set it before Yuae.

Maybe because she’d tasted it earlier today, Yuae immediately sniffed the aroma and took a sip.

Then her eyes opened wide.

Looking surprised, Yuae took another sip.

“This… What is this?”

“How is it?”

“No, this…”

Yuae was visibly flustered.

She drank another sip, even rubbing her tongue in amazement.

“This… isn’t Night-Blooming Moon, is it?”

“It is. I made it just for Yuae.”

“No, this is… different from Night-Blooming Moon.”

“I tweaked it a little.”

While coming here after reading the Letter, I thought of ways to improve Night-Blooming Moon.

What Yuae had before her was the prototyped Night-Blooming Moon.

“Grandfather’s version was too tough. It certainly strengthens Yuae’s power and energy, but there seemed to be a lot of side effects.”

“That’s right. Grandfather lacked that kind of delicacy.”

“So I added a few more leaves to make up for it. Of course, it’s still not perfect. I think it could use more improvement.”

The tea Yuae was drinking now was, in human terms, like boosting stamina to the max.

But with a few more adjustments, it could also improve dexterity, or even enhance intelligence.

…If you were human, anyway.

I wasn’t sure how it would work for a Spirit.

“Whatever the case, it’ll surely manifest in a positive way.”

Yuae took another sip in wonder and nodded.

“How do you know? Owner, you can’t even drink this tea.”

“That’s right. I can’t.”

Since it’s a tea infused with Moon energy, neither I nor any other Spirits can drink it.

Only Yuae can.

If anyone else tried, they wouldn’t see much effect.

At best, maybe just feel a bit chilly.

“I just imagine.”

“You can do that just by imagining?”

“Worked out, didn’t it?”

What else can I say? It worked.

Yuae let out a helpless laugh and shook her head.

“Grandfather was like that too, and so are you, Owner. I really can’t understand.”

“Anyone can imagine, can’t they?”

“No. Even if you can imagine, only you can bring it into reality, Owner. Even if I had the recipe, I still couldn’t make this tea.”

With that, Yuae set down her teacup.

“Seeing this tea, I think I was right to come. I believe you can help me solve my problem.”

“Don’t get your hopes too high. I’m just the Owner of a tea house.”

“There’s no tea house anywhere in the world that can make tea like this.”

That much is true.

Yuae gazed out the window.

Tonight, the full moon shone especially bright.

“Owner, you must be tired, so I’ll get to the point.”

“Go ahead.”

“Please make my power weaker.”

…What kind of request is that?

Even Yuae found it funny and let out a small laugh.

“It’s a strange request, isn’t it? I know. Normally, no one would ask to be made weaker.”

“Not just Spirits—even humans, I suppose.”

“Even so, I want to ask. There’s no one else but you who could help me.”

Yuae clasped her hands together, and above her palms floated a small Moon.

“That’s not the real Moon, is it?”

If it were, gravity would’ve gone haywire in here.

Most likely, it was only a replica, or an embodiment of the Moon’s energy.

“My power is far too strong right now. So strong that, if I wanted, I could cover the entire world in darkness.”

“That’s possible?”

“Normally, it’s not. Only the Spirits of Night or Darkness can do that. Ah, maybe the Spirit of Dreams too.”

Hearing this, I suddenly realized just how many Spirits there must be.

“Anyway, something that should be impossible is possible for me now. I have too much power.”

“I’m not sure, but isn’t being strong a good thing?”

“Maybe by human standards. But for Nature, Balance is most important.”

Yuae crushed the little Moon in her hand.

The now-powdered Moon drifted through the air, settling throughout the tea house.

Like No-Rani’s powder, it landed on objects all over the place.

“With this, the things here will last a little longer. That’s the kind of power I have right now.”

“That’s amazing.”

“But it’s burdensome. It wasn’t originally mine.”

Yuae smiled sadly.

“Owner, do you know that No-Rani is strong?”

“I know she’s special compared to the other Spirits.”

While other Spirits can’t stay here long, No-Rani is different.

She can stay for months or even years without trouble.

It’s only because there’s a problem in the Spirit Realm that she leaves often, otherwise, she could stay here indefinitely.

“No-Rani grew so strong because of my influence. I’m unique—stronger than other Spirits. And since No-Rani stands in direct opposition to me, she has to become strong to maintain the Balance.”

“Then…”

“There won’t be any noticeable change for now, but over time, you’ll start to feel it.”

What happens when the Sun grows too strong?

I recalled that documentary on climate change.

It talked about how sudden shifts in Nature lead to ecological problems, and ultimately, all the damage comes back to humans.

“Not only will temperatures rise, but all living things will be affected. That goes for Nature and the Spirits, too.”

“…That’s true.”

“And it’ll be dangerous for No-Rani as well.”

“Because—”

“No-Rani is still young. She can’t control her power yet, and her vessel is too small.”

Yuae gently stroked her teacup.

The cup began to hum and tremble.

“If No-Rani’s power keeps growing like this, what do you think will happen? I’ve seen how that ends.”

The cup shook even harder.

“That Spirit couldn’t handle the power and, in the end, returned to the Mother of Nature.”

“You mean…”

Crack.

At last, a crack appeared in Yuae’s cup.

“If things go on like this, not just No-Rani, but everyone will be in danger.”