Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest

-----

Eventually, from the tree, an aura emerged, rapidly taking the shape of a slender Asian-looking woman wearing a pink kimono made of pink petals and whose long, pink hair was covered on white branches and these same flowers.

"It is an honor to meet you, master. My name is Kaguya, a Cherry Blossom Dryad."

The Dryad that I wanted to summon finally appeared, but it wasn't at all what I expected. It came from a Cherry Blossom Tree, and her humanoid appearance was clearly like a beautiful Japanese lady of old times, even her hair was nicely tied into a big crown with many ornaments made of wood and covered on flowers.

Her name was Kaguya, and she introduced herself as "Cherry Blossom Dryad"! I looked at Katherine, waiting for her response.

However I saw her eyes widening and then her cute little face making a very confused expression.

"Huh?! I don't know that this type of Dryad even existed…" Katherine muttered. "A-Are you really a Dryad? I have never seen your kind before. I know Japan is full of Spirits, but they're usually not governed by my King…"

"Wait, they aren't?" I asked her.

"Yeah, the Spirits of Japan, and sometimes other countries, are governed by their Gods…" Said Katherine. "And that's all I know… Uh."

"Fufu," Kaguya giggled, covering her mouth with a fan that she materialized out of petals and branches. "Indeed, I usually do not mingle with the people overseas. We are quite reserved, to overseas people I am a Dryad, but in my country, I am called a Kodama. A Spirit that inhabits a tree. Cherry Blossoms are very sacred trees in Japan, did you know? So I am quite strong."

"O-Oh! I see, thank you for coming here after I summoned you, Kaguya," I said.

"It is "Kaguya-sama" for you, master! Please mind your manners, alright?" she winked at me, although she was reprimanding me.
Discover exclusive tales on empire

"Uh, Kaguya-sama…" I muttered. "Thank you."

"Hm, it is fine! I can tell by that little fairy that you are surprised," she smiled. "Indeed, I decided to answer your call as I was quite interested in exploring the land overseas. I am an old Kodama, you see. I've grown bored of living at Mount Fuji, so I wanted to see how the rest of the world is! Is this your domain?

Amazing! Usually you have to be a very strong Miko or a Onmyouji to have a Domain of your own. Are you an equivalent of that overseas, master? Ah right! Where are my manners? What is your name, master?"

"I am Elayne," I said. "I have this Domain, indeed. But I don't think I am a Miko or an Onmyouji… I am more of a… well, what even am I? I guess you could say I am a druid… yeah."

"Druids! Those are the European Magicians that connect with Nature, right? They're very interesting! I've always wished to meet one! Magicians in Japan aren't usually like that. Most of the time they're either Mikos, Onmyouji, or Sorcerers.

They rely on Yokai and Kami to gain magical power, because there are so many everywhere."

"Interesting…" I nodded. "So that's how Japanese magicians work, huh? So they're more like Spirit Magicians, I guess I am that too, I can draw upon the power of the Dragon Veins, or Leylines, to call upon the help of Elemental Spirits of the world."

"Amazing! So that's why you feel so welcoming and nice to be around!" she walked to my side, she was actually taller than me. "Hehe, aren't you cute for being a foreigner?" she patted my head.

I don't know what she meant by "for being a foreigner", but I'll let it slide for now…

She is indeed peculiar in her way of talking and also in her personality.

Kaguya is, for a lack of a better word, someone with that type of "high and mighty" personality.

But can I really blame her? She just said she's very ancient, perhaps she's hundreds of years old like Katherine.

"Anyways, what do you eat?" I asked, as she glanced into my eyes.

"I love to eat humans," she smiled.

"Eh?!"

"What!"

Katherine quickly hid behind me for some reason.

"Hahaha!"

However, Kaguya suddenly started laughing.

"I was joking! Calm down," she giggled. "I was raised near a Shrine, so I was always given offerings, usually, they're in the form of mochi, onigiri, dango, and many other sweets and Japanese foods, especially festival foods. Rice crackers were ok too. Usually I would feed on this and also by absorbing spiritual energy from the spirits and Leylines.

Now that I have come all the way here, I suppose my diet could change and adapt to your things."

"So you eat just normal food?" I was surprised. "Okay, I guess I could try to give you that… Mostly rice, then?"

"Yes, mostly rice," she nodded. "I might also, occasionally, eat your spirits. The Elemental Spirits of Nature and Earth are my favorite. Don't worry, you won't even notice them gone because they're so many."

"Uhh… okay? I guess I can't really… get mad at that," I nodded. "Fine… I'll bring you an offering then, Kaguya, wait here!"

"Very well,2 she nodded. "And it is "Kaguya-sama" please!"

"Ah, yes, Kaguya-sama…"

Yeah she was a bit fixated with these weird manners Japanese have, which sometimes are over the top unnecessary, but whatever.

As I went to fetch food, I saw that Gordon was mostly done with today's lunch, I quickly asked him to make onigiri with rice and some fish filling, and he nodded.

"Not hard at all, I'll get it done quickly!"

He immediately went to cook more food, and in just five minutes, he was done! He cooked the rice incredibly fast with magic. We had some seaweed when we make homemade sushi too, so that helped. It was still crunchy.

"Here, Kagu- Kaguya-sama!"

When I returned to her, I found her laughing at Katherine who was glaring at her with a nervous expression. I guess she was disappointed we didn't summon one of her Dryad friends.

"Well, aren't you quite disappointed on my appearance here, little fairy?" she giggled. "Come on now, don't be like that! I am sure you wanted to see a friend of yours, hm? Unfortunately that wasn't the case! Destiny had other plans."

"Ugh…" Katherine sighed. "You sure talk all high and mighty for just being a Dryad though, you're kind of weird."

"Hahahaha!" Kaguya only laughed it off.

Indeed, she acts more like a princess or a queen rather than a Dryad…

I wonder what her life was like before coming here.

"Here, please have these we just made," I offered her the onigiri.

"Hm? Oh!" she quickly took one with her delicate-looking hands. "Hmm, the smell is fine… Fish onigiri, huh? Not my favorite but… well, let's try it."

She took a bite and made a weird face.

"Hmm?!"

Her eyes were opened wide, and she started munching on the food very rapidly, before swallowing it.

"E-Eh? Was it bad?"

"Ahh! It was…"

She then ate the entire onigiri with a few more bites, unbefitting of her previous princess-like demeanor.

"It is delicious! I can't believe my first experience with a foreign made onigiri is this good! The fish was so fresh and tasty, and the rice was nice and fluffy, the nori too, was very crunchy, delectable!"

Then, she started eating the rest happily.

Ah, what a relief…

Though, this feels a bit wrong.

Who is the master here, really?

-----