The Other World Dining Hall (WN) Chapter 116

TN: Now I want to eat this cake (it’s one of my favourites after all). But the best mille crepe I have ever tasted is at Lady M and it’s located in Singapore. *sobs* That said, be prepared for a lot of religion talk.

Mille Crepe

The queen of Flower Country, Tiana Silverio XVI, read a small letter written with ink mixed with honey of that country and pollen, delivered through the hands of several fairies, she thought about what was wrong.

[Black small people with wings of bat, huh…]

The sender of the letter was Tieria… Tiana’s little sister who was an adventurer that travelled the outside world.

For faeries living in the Flower Country, the outside world… there were occasionally those who travel to the world of human beings.

She had enough magic skill to protect herself and she was stable though she was brimming with curiosity, as such she went out of this country which lacked stimulation to satisfy her curiosity.

Fairies were always lacking in physical strength, but they had superior skill in magic, and many of the adventurers and mercenaries who couldn’t be underestimated usually were humans with mixed races like half-elves and dwarves in their family lineage.

They either accomplished big adventures with their sufficient skills or they died due to their lack of abilities.

[I deliver this letter to ask for help. Since I think they will visit the Flower Country, I ask for hospitality for the visitors, huh…]

In the letter her sister sent for the first time in a long while, in addition to her greetings and telling of her travels and various things she saw, a petition to the queen was written.

Tieria who called herself an adventurer in the outside world, was saved by little people with green bat-like wings from a fight against a vampire that had a terrible hobby of draining blood from various tribes and then stuffing their bodies.

Their group was led by one man who wore similar clothes, spitting breath of acid from their mouths, their bare hands were sharp like swords that tore the vampire apart, and their whip-like tails could hit the vampire very hard.

It seemed that their power were stronger than the most powerful dwarven warrior in Tieria’s party.

Especially the leader, the man on the prime of his age called Paul was exceptional, when the vampire tried to change into mist in order to escape, he used a strange power to change into a dragon and vanquished the vampire in one breath.

Tieria, who barely managed to avoid death and being stuffed, was very grateful for their help.

And when the lifesavers asked her where fairies like her lived, she taught them about the Flower Country.

[…Maa, that’s fine. We shall meet. If the other party is thankful, then there is no problem in thanking them.]

Thinking a little, Tiana decided the treatment for her sister’s benefactors.

[…Minister, do you understand the story? According to this letter, they would visit this place by flying… perhaps they will arrive before the next Satur. Prepare the hospitality.]

[Yes. I understand… but what is the connection with Satur?]

The minister tilted his head hearing her words.

In this country, Satur was an important day.

However, he did not know what it had to do with welcoming people of another nation.

[What, they saved Our sister’s life from death. That is to say, a celebration… We shall ask for a cake.]

She had heard that from a half-elf sorcerer that visited the country.

There was a “special dessert for auspicious event” in that restaurant.

Right now by no means the queen only asked for whatever she wanted, the dearest crepes.

It was just the right occasion to ask about the confectionary that she had been interested in for a while.

The queen was secretly determined.

The border of Flower Country… the boundary between the flower garden and the wilderness could be seen well, the steep rocky mountains.

Above that, one by one, the small priests with dragon wings descended.

[Paul-sama, I wonder if this is the Flower Country that Tieria mentioned.]

To the words of the Green priestess who also happened to be his wife, the great priest serving the Green Goddess transformed his eyes into those of a dragon’s that could survey a distance of 1,000 ri (500 kilometers) to look out over the flower garden, he then nodded dignifiedly.

[I understand. First of all I shall talk to them. Wait for me.]

[Understood. Please be careful.]

He spoke to his wife, spread his wings and flew.

(Well then, those who live here should be able to communicate like Miss Tieria.)

Anxiety crossed his mind.

To the north, there were many barbarians.

It was for missionary mission that Paul left his hometown located at the south that he was used to and journeyed towards the Northern Continent.

According to the wind rumours, some of the great priests and priestess that dominated the blue sea received order from the Blue Goddess to go to the Northern Continent… legend stated that the long-eared invaders came to the land where they lived, and they were searching for something.

For followers of the Blue Goddess, they could easily swim underwater in the blue sea unlike followers of other goddesses.

The Blue Goddess who lived in the bottom of the sea allowed people to cross over the sea even if they were believers of other goddesses as long as they followed the right procedure and provided suitable tribute, but there were still dangers of storms that made the sea rage and the kind of monsters that did not have enough intelligence to listen to the goddess.

That was why he talked to the traveller who came from the Northern Continent, and a missionary group was formed to travel to the Northern Continent to determine the congregation of believers who followed the Green Goddess.

Paul was chosen as the representative priest of the Liliputs, who were a tribe that lived in the forest and faithful believers of the Green Goddess.

Liliputs were not easily spotted by large beasts due to their small size, and it was because of their small size they did not require large amount of food.

There were many believers that were eager to gain strength that could beat other races, they were good at manipulating their wings and Paul was the best among them.

The reason was because he was a great priest that had reached the end of his devoted study.

Thus the priests who were able to manifest their dragon wings were chosen among the Liliputs and went on the missionary trip to the Northern Continent headed by Paul.

…And it didn’t take long for them to find out that it’s more difficult than expected.

It was good until they flew all the way to the Northern Continent by flying over the blue sea with a feeling of death and desperately learning about the world.

Excelling at worldly affairs, it would have been difficult for them to cross over if Paul didn’t easily slaughter the majority of their opponents.

Fortunately he was aware of the dangers that lied ahead and they were able to reach the continent without any casualties.

As for the language, it was similar to the language that the long-eared invaders used, so they managed to learn somehow.

However, the subsequent travel was unexpectedly difficult.

There were too many barbarians who lived savage lives and were not notified of the majesty of the Goddess.

In the savage lands where the long-eared invaders lived, there were little who believed in the true significance of the goddess.

In the first place, it was said that the existences of the Goddesses in this place was not in the form of dragons but somehow had the form of weak human beings.

Therefore, the technique of obtaining the power and figure of a dragon had not been taught, and the believers could only use their own techniques to control the phenomenon governed by each goddesses.

In the strength of faith, even a believer who was equal to a great priest (called a high priest here) had badly vulnerable body.

And other than humans, half-elves and dwarves, the few tribes that believed in the goddesses could be counted with both hands.

They wouldn’t listen to Paul as they couldn’t believe that a race of small people that’s rarely seen were priests.

(They misunderstood that we are not devout believers and thought that we are a kind of race with dragon wings.)

Ironically, only the followers of “Chaos of Myriad Colours” that were called “demons” in that continent believed in Paul’s homeland.

This region was greatly dominated by the Empire and had great prosperity.

And then, there was the hometown of the Lamias who were enthusiastic followers of the Red Goddess and had many great priestesses, the therianthropes that were their fellow brethren that followed the Green Goddess, and then there were manticores, goblins and ogres that had their own villages and believed in the goddesses of Gold, Red and Black in each divided tribes…

In his hometown, there were cultural differences but the barbarians did not believe in the goddesses, so they wouldn’t understand even if he tried to explain the teachings of the goddess.

Not knowing what to say to reason with a pagan, being harmed with cold blood, stolen from, treated as something with no intelligence, chased away by humans, subjugated, and treated as a beast with good intelligence.

The one that was especially unforgivable were those who loved the dark of night and received the blood of divine protection from the Black Goddess, although he was kin of the Black Goddess, he was a fool who did not believe that his goddess of darkness was the “Black Goddess”.

Even though his power was no other than the divine protection of the goddess, something that Paul and his fellow believers strived for, the detestable believer of the goddess of darkness did not believe Paul’s words making Paul outraged, and in the end the group defeated the kin of Black Goddess.

(But, fairies huh…)

They met a fairy during their journey.

In Paul’s home continent, people usually believed the Gold Goddess that ruled over the sky or the Green Goddess who controlled the earth, but the fairy seemed to have close association with long eared invaders of old… called elves in this land.

The descendants of fairies were not very familiar with the goddesses unlike the humans, but they were familiar with the technique of the invaders… they excelled at magic, saying that they built their own civilization and governed their rich land.

A faithless, though intelligent, tribe with the same size as Paul.

He heard from the fairy that he happened to save from the Black kin that her sister happened to be the one that governed their tribe, and Paul’s next plan was decided.

They continued their journey and reached the flower garden dominated by the faeries.

(This place… indeed, I can feel the strong blessing of the Green Goddess. This land seems to be very fertile.)

As soon as he entered the garden, Paul who was a great priest felt that there was a tremendous amount of magical energy in the earth.

If this was his native place, they would scramble for this place… it would be natural to call this place a sacred ground where a great priest governed as the chief.

(Then…this is probably the faeries’ turf.)

In conjunction to Paul’s thought, they flew to the flower garden where pink flowers bloomed, and the ruler of this place appeared.

Carrying wooden rods, the faeries had insect wings and not those of a dragon’s, and emerging before Paul’s eyes from the faeries’ protected land was an enormous golem made of vines.

He could see the vigilance in their eyes.

[That figure, he must be the one mentioned in Tieria-sama’s letter, a small black person with the wings of a bat.]

[No, you’re wrong. These wings that dwell in our bodies, they were bestowed by the Green Goddess and are the wings of a dragon. Do not make a mistake… however, it is certainly without a doubt that I have come to this place with my company after acquiring Miss Tieria’s referral.]

After asserting the line that he wouldn’t give up on as a great priest, he took out a letter which he obtained from Tieria from his bosom pocket.

[Umu… I have confirmed it. You are guests of this country from now on. The queen, Her Majesty Tiana is waiting. I will show you the way. Where are your friends?]

[Umu. They are waiting outside. Please wait a bit as I call them.]

Apparently there was no sudden attack.

He judged so and returned back to his company.

(Well, the other parties now may be those who only understand the heart of the Goddesses a little bit.)

While holding such anxiety, he went back to the rocky mountain where his group including his wife was waiting.

As the benefactors of Tieria and as guests of Tiana Silverio XVI, Paul and his company were enthusiastically welcomed in the Flower Country.

The words of gratitude were multiplied by several faeries, and the children who innocently approached Paul and his group were amused to see different kind of wings than the ones growing from their backs.

It was somewhat irreverent towards a great priest and his aides if it’s at his hometown, but it did not make him feel any malice or refusal.

(Umu, this seems to be a rich and fertile land… no one suffers from hunger or battle.)

While grasping his wife’s uneasy hand, Paul calmly looked over the land. The land of the faeries, a tribe with similar height as theirs, was an abundant land.

The land was so full of magical power to the extent that one could call it a sacred ground and flowers were blooming irrespective of their seasons.

According to what he heard, there was no problem with food as they ate the honey and seeds harvested from the flowers of this land.

Also, there was no war for the last 100 years, so no one suffered from injuries.

As the ones he met at this pagan continent lived poorer life except for the few that lived in the capitals, the standard of living here was higher than in other places.

While thinking such things, he saw a woman with light grass coloured hair standing in front of a building with huge vines and flowers intertwined.

(I see… is that the one that governs the faeries in this country?)

At a glance, Paul quickly perceived her identity due to her mighty magical power.

The woman named Tieria also had plenty of magical power resembling the woman in front of him, but this woman had enough magical power to match that of a great priest.

[You have come, my sister’s benefactors. My name is Tiana Silverio XVI, the ruler of this country.]

Indeed, the woman in front of him said so. Paul replied respectfully.

[Thank you for accepting us today pleasantly. We hail from the Southern Continent, my name is Paul. Although I lack the ability, I am granted the status of the great priest of the Green Goddess who controls the earth. Pleased to meet you.]

Seeing the form of Paul, Tiana narrowed her eyes and said what she noticed.

[Hou. The south… those clothes and skin colour… indeed, they are the same as those people.]

[Those people?]

Tiana nodded when Paul asked.

[Aa, dressed like them, skin colour like theirs, and the owner of mighty magical power like them.]

[Oh, where have you seen them?]

He wondered if other great priest had visited them. Paul considered that and asked Tiana.

[Aa, it was at the otherworld.]

[…Ha?]

Hearing her reply, Paul was befuddled for a moment.

[O, otherworld?]

[Umu, once in 7 days, a door leading to the otherworld appears in this area, We have seen it.]

And she continued her words.

[It is good if you are interested. Tomorrow is the day the door that leads to the otherworld appears. We shall hold the welcoming feast there. Accompany Us.]

[…I understand. However, why is the party at the otherworld…?]

Hearing Paul’s words, Tiana’s smile widened and replied.

[Aa, behind the door to the otherworld was a place called otherworld dining hall… a place to eat otherworld sweets.]

[…Ha?]

Hearing those words, Paul showed a befuddled face again.

The next day, the door to otherworld opened with a bell sound.

[Welcome! Tiana-sama, we have prepared the mille crepe you ordered.]

[Umu. We have thought that We would visit in 7 days after the reservation, but it was just barely more than expected, so it is good it was not futile.]

As soon as they entered the door, a chaotic apostle with queer shape appeared and exchanged words with Tiana.

[…We are invited due to Tiana-sama’s courtesy this time. Do not embarrass me.]

Paul suddenly said so to his company that showed tension and hostility toward the apostle of abominable chaos, after his quick advice, Paul looked over the otherworld he visited for the first time.

(…I sense a strong sign of fire and slight sign of darkness. It’s almost like a sacred ground…)

His sharp dragon’s eyes with vertical iris captured the power of the goddesses that filled the place and found what Tiana had said.

(The legless Lucia and Katarina of White, huh…)

Among the great priests in the continent, there were two great priestesses who were known for their strong power and strength of their faith.

Lucia seemed to have finished eating and smiled at a boy who seemed to be a human priest that was elected as the “husband” of Lamia tribe.

Katarina seemed to be alone and was waiting for her ordered food.

(I see, this will usually cause a disturbance.)

In the morning, he had been informed that fighting was strictly forbidden in the otherworld, but now he had witnessed the real thing.

Paul had heard that the place where the two priestesses of flame and light had fought was turned into an inhabitable wasteland.

If such people fought here, they couldn’t be stopped.

And he had also felt the signs of those who he was not sure whether they were comparable to a great priest or not, just like Tiana, but they likely had considerable ability.

As a great priest, Paul understood that he would be killed if he caused a disturbance.

[Well then, please wait a bit as we cut it.]

That said, the chaotic apostle retreated to the back.

[This way, Paul-dono.]

[Aa… let us proceed.]

Tiana prompted him, and Paul along with his aides descended on a huge table that was tailored for humans.

[What kinds of crepes are ordered today?]

[Aa, since we are welcoming Paul-dono and his company today, Her Majesty the queen had ordered a special crepe.]

[What is that?]

[I do not know. However, it is a special confectionary for auspicious event. It was something heard from Victoria-dono…]

Paul’s ears caught the faeries’ conversation.

Their appearances were full of expectation and felt festive.

[Paul-sama…]

[What, since we are being welcomed, it would be rude not to accept it. You should also enjoy it.]

Paul was not familiar with the manners of the Northern Continent, let alone the manners of another world.

He had no idea what kind of thing would come out.

(Perhaps it’s a sweet confectionary.)

Yesterday, the meals served by the faeries were flower nectar and flower seeds, both were sweet.

From that point of view, it was most likely that the feast the faeries preferred would be sweet.

While thinking such, the human male that seemed to be the owner of the restaurant came bringing the dish.

[Thank you for waiting. Here’s your reserved order of whole mille crepe cake.]

Together with those words, the faeries dispersed from the center of the table.

The owner then placed the dish on the empty spot.

(What is that? It’s gigantic, is it an omelet?)

That was Paul’s first impression.

A huge round mountain with the colour of egg.

Something was painted a little on the top, and it seemed to be shining due to the white light falling from the ceiling.

[Well then, I’ll cut it now.]

After putting it down gently, he grasped a gigantic silver knife and cut it apart.

(If I cut it apart as usual, it wouldn’t look delicious…)

He steeled his nerves and cut it into thin pieces.

A half, a quarter, an eight, a sixteenth… he cut it until it’s unlikely it wouldn’t fall apart if he cut it further, so he stopped there and placed down the small plates that Aletta brought.

[Hou… this mille crepe is beautifully made.]

[Crepes that are decorated with various fruits are beautiful, but this mille crepe with its layers is also beautiful.]

[Is that all skin and cream… what does it taste like?]

The faeries talked about the mille crepe slices that were being placed on the plates.

(What is that… it’s a confectionary?)

Paul was stunned seeing the first otherworld sweet he had ever seen, which was completely different from any sweets he knew.

The contents of the mille crepe, after the mountain was sliced apart, were pale yellow and white.

The two layers were folded over again and again.

The white and yellow layers were tightly and equally overlapped without distortion at the same width, the result was so beautiful that it’s too good to eat.

[Well then, please enjoy.]

The owner retreated to the back while feeling pleased with his accomplishment.

[Well then, let us partake… as this feast is for Our guests, let them eat first.]

After Tiana declared so dignifiedly, the faeries immediately separated from Paul and his company, and those who were already gathering flew away.

And the faeries who obtained pardon from their queen gathered towards their “trophy” and cut it apart.

[Paul-sama…]

[This is Tiana-dono’s kindness. Let us be grateful.]

In response to his words, his wife gently approached the mille crepe.

She tore off the top of the overlapping layers with her hands and handed it to Paul.

[Then, Paul-sama shall eat first. Others wouldn’t start before you.]

[Aa, I see.]

From the bare brown hands stained white with cream, Paul received the mille crepe.

(Hou… the top seems to be painted with fruits boiled in sugar.)

His keen sense of smell that he trained as a great priest identified the paint on top of the mille crepe.

Fresh fruit, which was strongly acidic, was boiled in sugar obtained from other races.

Even a small quantity could give strength to live, and because it had good preservation, it was preferred by the Liliputs who did not cultivate huge corns or if there was no priest to hunt wild beast.

Paul also ate it back when he was a child with no power.

He thought such thing and tried the mille crepe he grasped.

[…This is delicious.]

He reflexively said such words.

The inside was firmly sweet, the jam was sweet and sour, the egg coloured skin was moist and the cream was not overwhelmingly sweet.

The top layer of the mille crepe contained all of the flavours and they mixed in his mouth.

The jam and cream softly melted in his mouth. And the skin sandwiched between the two layers crumbled apart.

The taste softly mixed and spread.

He continued and took another bite.

The next one had no jam, just the skin and cream.

However if he tasted it well, he could taste a bit of the sweet and sour flavor of the jam saturated in the skin.

And the cream was stronger now that the ratio between the cream and skin had changed.

The cream with its restrained sweetness and strong taste of milk melted quickly in his mouth and disappeared.

And left plenty of cream aftertaste in his mouth.

(This skin part is also good.)

It was reminiscent of corn flour dissolved in water and then baked which was eaten by many races in his home continent.

But it was completely different from what was supposed to be food for poor people in the continent.

Perhaps besides flour and water, the yellow colour was because eggs were added.

Not only that, since it fit well with cream, milk was also added.

(This one, it would be delicious too if eaten with meat and Marmette.)

While thinking so, he enjoyed the splendid confectionary.

And the small piece completely disappeared into his belly.

While Paul was enjoying it, other priests also gathered near the mille crepe and began to eat.

The way they ate reminded Paul of throwing livestock into a group of hungry beasts, the huge mille crepe slices were becoming smaller and smaller.

[Wait, wait, I still want to eat it.]

Feeling a bit panicked, Paul also approached the dish.

Thus, the friendship feast between Faeries and Liliputs continued until they all ate too much.

While holding their troublesome inflated bellies, Tiana and Paul flew back to the Flower Country.

[Well then, were you pleased, Paul-dono?]

[Yes, thank you very much, Tiana-sama.]

Paul replied with a smile to Tiana’s smile.

[Is that so… then that is good. We hope to continue Our good relationship in the future.]

Tiana widened her smile hearing his answer.

A pagan believer who came from an unknown land of this spacious world, something that she now knew after he visited.

She didn’t really know about them, but it was certain that they were not so bad people.

Yes, just being able to know was good. Tiana felt that way.

[Ha… if you would allow me, may I spread the teachings of the Green Goddess to this land? Of course, I won’t insist it]

[Very well. Use this Flower Country as a base to spread the teachings on this continent if you like. We will welcome them, the shrine of the Green Goddess.]

That’s why she would accept Paul’s offer.

In this way, the small bud-like interaction began.

TN: Should I spell their race as liliput or lilipat? That, and I wonder if the dragon Paul transformed into was a huge one or small like his tribe.