#571 Hanami

The otherworldly café project is steadily progressing, but I would like to do something else for a change.

Since it’s spring, the first thing I want to do is...

“Hanami!”

Japanese people know all about this event.

In spring, we enjoy the beauty of sakura in full bloom, the vitality of nature, the impermanence of the seasons, alcohol, and feasts.

It’s the most appropriate event to enjoy all of these things together.

But until now, this wasn’t possible to do on a grand scale.

There is one thing that is indispensable for hanami, and that is flowers. Particularly sakura flowers.

There are no sakura trees in this world, so it’s impossible to go flower viewing.

Well, we do have sakura trees grown by the Hand of Supremacy, but they’re all small.

So, I had been putting off the event, but I’ve decided to go all out this year.

Why?

Because we now have a big sakura tree enshrined on our farm: the Sakura Yggdrasil!

This tree has taken root on our farm as per Platy’s request after several trials.

Yggdrasil is one of the most precious trees in this world, and it’s so big that it almost reaches the sky.

It was already big enough before, but it grew even bigger over the winter.

And since it’s also a sakura tree, it blooms beautifully in spring.

This is the first spring since the Sakura Yggdrasil took root on our farm.

With buds adorning its branches, we await the moment they bloom.

If Yggdrasil, a tree that supports the world, were to bloom sakura petals, there’s no doubt it’d be as spectacular as hundreds of trees blooming.

And this time, the gorgeous sakura hanami event will be held on our otherworldly farm!

“I appreciate your help in this.”

“JUST LEAVE IT TO US, LORD SAINT!”

The earth spirits are helping me today.

I know you’re wondering why, but believe me, I’m as clueless as you are.

But the earth spirits said I could leave it to them, so I did, without further questions.

“Trees are the earth’s fwiends!”

“That makes them our fwiends too!” 

Dozens surround the Sakura Yggdrasil.

I haven’t grasped their precise number.

They form a circle around the tree, dancing and worshipping it.

The scene reminds me of something from the South Pacific for some reason.

“O’ big tree!”

“Hear our prayer!”

“Cleanse and purify!”

They start praying.

“The power we have stored during hibernation...”

“We offer it all to you...”

“So that you may bloom!”

The spiritual energy rising from the earth spirits was absorbed into the Sakura Yggdrasil.

“Let everyone’s hope be carried on your foliage!”

“Bloom, withered silver grass of justice!”

“Protect the smiles now and evermore!”

Why do they suddenly sound like heroes from the past?

After their ritual was over...

“Full!” “Bloom!”

The Sakura Yggdrasil opened its buds all at once and went into full bloom, one so gorgeous that it wouldn’t have been possible if completely left to nature.

The earth spirits sent energy to the Sakura Yggdrasil as envoys of the earth, which made the tree bloom more vibrantly.

The sakura blossoms spread far beyond the reach of the tree branches, their hue seemingly reaching the heavens.

I had never seen such a spectacular view even back in my world.

“It was a success!”

“We did it!”

The earth spirits seemed satisfied with their work.

I lift and praise them for doing a fantastic job.

“Wee!”

“We’re so high up!”

Now that the sakura blossoms are ready, the hanami display can begin!

All the farm residents are participating as one big, happy family this year.

Even then, the Sakura Yggdrasil alone is more than enough to entertain us.

I prepared all the food I could, had Bacchus handle all the alcohol, and we gathered under the Sakura Yggdrasil.

* * *

“Ahem, thank you for gathering here today amid your busy schedule.”

After a series of formalities...

“Let’s enjoy the flowers and drink to our heart’s content today. Cheers!”

“CHEERS!!!”

Thus began the casual hanami party at our farm.

My beloved wife, Platy, is also enjoying today’s event as she carries our second child in her more prominent baby belly.

“You can’t drink today, okay? It’s bad for the baby.”

“I know, I know. You’re such a worrywart, Dear. I’ll have a cup of coffee instead...”

“No caffeine either!!!” 

Pregnancy sure is tough on the ladies.

Meanwhile, Veil is looking after Junior, our first child, on our behalf.

“Let’s go look at the flowers from above, Junior!”

Veil soars into the sky with Junior.

She can even fly in her human form, huh? Dragons are such an all-rounder.

“And Junior’s holding on to Veil like it’s the most natural thing!”

Even when he’s being carried like that mid-air, Junior’s not crying at all!

Instead, he curiously follows the dancing petals with his gaze.

Just getting up to that altitude would be so terrifying for some people, they’d probably wet themselves.

“Okay, we’re going higher! Much, much higher than Yggdrasil!”

Veil and Junior zoom into the sky and the sea of sakura petals.

I’ll leave Junior in Veil’s care while I check on the other residents.

“Lord Saint, I am honored to have been invited to today’s event.”

Naturally, Sensei’s with us.

He’s part of our family, after all.

“I must say, the life force of this tree is overwhelming. It was dry and withered all winter, but as soon as spring came, it blossomed so vividly. Maybe I should learn from it, and I, too, will be able to bloom in a similar fashion.”

W-Well, I can see that a Lifeless King’s body is as dry as a withered tree, but to make one bloom with flowers all over...sounds like it’d make quite an interesting last boss...!

The monsters like Orkubo and Gobukichi are leisurely bonding amongst themselves over alcohol. They still look as picturesque as ever in that refined behavior.

I can almost imagine them saying, “We ask not the same day of birth, but we seek to die together.”

Though peaches were involved in those, not sakura.

Then, we also have the merry elves.

“Ahh! What wonderful scenery! I’m going to use this as inspiration for my workkkkk!”

“Quiet down, Boss! You’re not the only one trying to get hints for their new work from this flurry of cherry blossoms here!”

All of them are inspired by the tree’s mesmerizing blossoms.

The elves have recently been getting more and more absorbed in their respective crafts, so simply laughing off their case is hard to do.

“How can I replicate these fluttering petals as a pattern for my fabric...?”

Even Batemy expresses her fascination with the sakura. 

All the artistic people on our farm are charmed by the tree... I wonder if it has magical power over them?

Oh, but they’re not the only ones captivated.

“I...I can’t stop chasing after the falling petals, meow!”

Professor, a Lifeless King.

Or should I say, in this case, a cat.

His feline hunting instincts activated, he jumps on the petals, unable to ignore their random trajectory as they flutter in the air.

“There are way too many petals! I wish someone would rescue me from this endless loop, meow!!!”

Pochi, on the other hand, keeps sneezing from the petals landing on the tip of his nose.

Everyone’s enjoying the hanami in their own way.

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ive got finals by the end of next week, just a heads-up! ^^ 

im free for a while after then so that should give me some time to continue working on V3's PDF...