The Bride Of The Sacred Forest God
Chapters 12. Heavy Duty and An Apple in the Day

Meanwhile, Reda tried to keep the spirit to mop the engawa wood floor.

His body movements are still not used to doing the work, but given the life struggles he did while in the village, he wants to appreciate his current efforts.

“I promised Ryuunosuke to make Aragaki-sama smile. Although for today I made him angry, but I just need to try again.”

“I can't make Ryuunosuke worry and cry again like this morning. At the very least, I should hold back my tears until I get to the hut later. I also have to think of a good way to make Aragaki-sama accept me little by little.”

“Reda, cheer up! At least in these 3 months, you should live without regret. At least in these 3 months as well, you should be able to do something to keep your promise. When I meet my father and mother later in the afterlife, I can tell you with pride because I managed to keep my promise.”

It is a thought too far away. The first day was not over and Reda was already thinking about what she wanted to do after death.

However, his determination to be able to fight gave him a little courage to smile. He mopped the floor with a smile to comfort himself.

At least, half of the outside of the dining room had finished cleaning.

Reda who was about to change the water in the wooden bucket saw Ryuunosuke coming by carrying a tray with red eyes. The girl put back her bucket and knelt comforting her little fox.

“What's up? Why are you crying again?”

“That's because Ryuunosuke."

“Ryuunosuke also can no longer bring anything to Reda-sama from today. Aragaki-sama says that Ryuunosuke is forbidden to help Reda-sama even if only a drop of water or Ryuunosuke will be punished.”

Reda held back her facial expression so as not to look surprised. His heart was struck to hear it until the girl's palm turned cold, yet he tried to calm down. He gave his smile back.

“Ryuunosuke, it's okay. All that doesn't matter. Remember, I was dumped by the villagers. I can only eat the leftovers from the residents thrown into the street, I sleep in a dog kennel with other animals, I have no change of clothes and look very smelly and dirty.”

“But, look at me now? I wear Ryuunosuke's clean clothes, I can shower and clean my body, I can eat rice with pickles and sleep in a warm place. Ryuunosuke has helped me a lot.”

“After this, I will fight. Aragaki-sama's orders are absolute, remember? Ryuunosuke do not grieve just for being ordered to do so. We have to fight. Come spirit!” Reda comforted the fox

That excited tone did not make the little fox improve at all, but Reda continued to encourage him. Giving a hug and a slight swipe at his tail and ears that had descended in anguish, the little fox smiled again.

After that, Reda only needed to make the little fox stop worrying by doing the heavy duty that charged at her with a smile.

While Ryuunosuke goes to the kitchen to prepare the vegetables, Reda goes to fetch some water. The water is in the well behind. There was firewood and scattered branches of trees.

Carefully, he dumped the water into the channel that was near the well then re-wired it to fill the bucket. He took the water alone and mopped back the floor.

From above the sky, the two tengu noticed the work of the village girl.

“He really did it so far. I'm impressed.” Hakuren praised him

Kuroto just silently watched the village girl mop the floor. He did not praise her from the mouth, but said the compliment in his heart.

“He did it carefully. In addition, although the movement is slow but he makes sure the grip on the engawa and other corners is not dirty. I'm surprised to see this. For the first time, I saw with my eyes there is a candidate ‘bride’ from the village that can really be called a candidate ‘bride’ now.”

The two tengu are not ordered by the master to watch over him, but they do so to prove what makes Ryuunosuke so defensive.

It has been more than an hour Reda mopped the wooden floor with wet clothes because it had to go back and forth to fetch water in the well. He also wiped his sweat off with his clothes now.

The village girl did not complain at all and put a smiley face on her lips.

It was almost time for lunch and Aragaki walked out of her room. When he opened the door, he who was about to step his foot stopped because he saw the girl mopping the area near his room.

He looked at the girl with a hateful gaze and walked past her.

Reda saw her master coming and immediately gave her a greeting by kowtowing while saying, “Good day, Aragaki-sama. Have a nice day this afternoon.”

Hearing his words, Aragaki's heart was upset and with her large tail she nudged a bucket of dirty water near the girl until the water soaked her clothes and the floor where she prostrated.

Reda was surprised by his master's actions and looked at him. A pair of cold eyes full of hate stared at Reda. The cold voice from Aragaki's mouth seemed to strangle him.

“Dirty girl, never be friendly with that fake smile of yours and never call my name with your mouth.”

Aragaki did not care about it and left while wagging his tail that had been wet hit by a little splash of water.

Seeing the floor that had been painstakingly mopped up to get dirty, Reda with red eyes as she endured the crying began to pick up the dry cloth in the kitchen to dry the floor. Then, the girl again drew water in the well to mop the floor again.

**

In the dining room, Ryuunosuke who has been cooking starts serving his food to Aragaki and his four other servants.

“Ryuunosuke, eat with us all.” Aragaki said softly

“Ryuunosuke will eat in the kitchen by himself. Since Aragaki-sama forbids Ryuunosuke to eat with Reda-sama, Ryuunosuke will eat alone in the kitchen.”

“Haa..” Aragaki sighed slowly

He just did not end up thinking that the arrival of the prospective girl ‘bride’ this time could bring a big change to his beloved little waitress.

After Ryuunosuke goes back to the kitchen, Aragaki and his four servants eat the dishes made by Ryuunosuke.

In the kitchen, Ryuunosuke has no appetite for thinking of Reda.

“Reda-sama must be hungry at the moment. Ryuunosuke is eager to bring him another pickled rice paste.” muttered the little fox while looking at the rice in his bowl.

Feeling sad, he started eating his food, but he did not finish it. Her appetite was gone and she chose to keep it.

**

It looks like the day is starting at noon and Reda herself is getting hungry.

“Maybe I can rest a little and go to the forest to find fruit.” thought

Reda left her bucket near the well and went through the back door. He walked down the road towards the old hut where he lived now while looking at his right and left.

There was almost nothing in the forest except grass and trees without fruit. Reda still hasn't given up and is looking for her a little more. Entering back into the forest a little deeper, he noticed there was fresh fruit falling on the ground.

“Fruit!”

With a happy face, Reda took the fruit. He looked at the fruit and cleaned it with the clothes he was wearing. The first bite, the fruit is like a forest apple that tastes sweet sour fresh.

“Thank God, I can still find fruit. Maybe if I go deeper, I can find more and keep it in the hut. Before lunch is over, I'd better try looking for it.”

Reda makes use of a little time to look for the fruit back. But as far as he went, there were no other fruits around him. He had to swallow his feelings of disappointment and ended up eating one apple as his lunch.

Not wanting to make trouble, Reda ran back to draw water to mop back.

Aragaki and the others had just finished lunch and left the room. Still nowhere is the girl, but Aragaki doesn't care.

Another thing with his master, his servants were curious about what the girl was doing. They searched and found him just finished drawing water in the well.

Furtively, the four began to wonder

“Has she had lunch? Aragaki-sama forbids her to eat what comes from this place right?” Hakuren became a little curious

It was the same as Kuroto.

“Entahlah. I don't know. But maybe it's already. There are a few leaves on his head.”

“That means he just came from the forest to forage. What is in the forest? In there is nothing, unless he goes deeper.” said Nagi

“We'd better get out of here before he knows it.”

They left the place without the slightest intention of showing their empathy.

****