Since visiting Shigenobu-san’s house was a set plan, it was only natural for me to want to bring a gift.
When I consulted Kaori-san, she gave me some rather vague advice, saying that Shigenobu-san generally liked Japanese-style things. I also discussed it with Aoi-chan and Hina-chan, but nothing good came to mind immediately. We settled on looking for potential items separately and regrouping later to make a final decision.
"……Master, are you deep in thought?"
"Ah, Nebula. Yeah, I’m planning to visit someone from my home country soon, but I’m struggling to pick a souvenir."
"I see. While the sentiment is what matters most, it is always best to give something they will truly enjoy. If they are originally from another world, perhaps items from that world would bring back fond memories?"
"That’s true. Aside from Noin-san, Shigenobu-san has lived in this world the longest. He probably misses Japan quite a bit."
I didn't know the exact details, but since he was a Hero-role from even before Akane-san’s time, he had been living in this world for over fifty years.
In that case, genuine Japanese goods might be quite rare for him. While many items from our world have found their way here over the centuries, some remain difficult to obtain. Just as Kaori-san had been shocked by the rice Raz-san grew, high-quality products were likely nearly impossible for an average person to acquire.
I had plenty of connections, fortunately, and just as I was thinking along those lines, Nebula spoke up as if an idea had just struck her.
"Come to think of it, Master. Just the other day, I tried making some pottery from your world!"
"Japanese pottery? Oh, right, we did talk about that recently."
"Yes. Using your stories and the reference materials I borrowed from Illness-san as a guide, I crafted a yunomi teacup…… Here it is."
"Oh, wow…… This is incredible. It looks elegant yet refined, and the weight and feel in my hand are perfect."
"I modeled it after Arita Ware, focusing on that distinctive indigo color. Since I already have experience making teacups, it was simple to adapt the techniques."
The yunomi that Nebula handed me had a black base accented with indigo and white, creating a design that looked like a sprawling starry sky.
Wait, wasn’t this actually amazing? To be able to craft such a beautiful, striking teacup…… It was so well-made that I almost wanted to keep it for myself. Nebula really was a genius.
"You’re amazing, Nebula. You only started pottery recently, yet you’re already making pieces this beautiful."
"I am an Absolute One, after all!"
"Ahaha, I suppose so."
I patted Nebula’s head as she puffed out her chest with pride. This would be a perfect souvenir. I’d have to check with her first, but a matching pair for a couple would surely be appreciated.
Looking at the teacup also reminded me that Noin-san should have some Japanese tea. I didn't know if Raz-san was growing it, but I knew for a fact that it existed in this world.
Blossom-san and Kaori-san both had some, so it was clearly in circulation to some extent. That meant Japanese tea would also make a great gift for Shigenobu-san.
Noin-san would probably know the best brands. If there was something high-end like Gyokuro available, I felt sure he’d be happy with it.
"……Nebula, do you have any more teacups like this?"
"I have plenty. I’ve made quite a few with various designs."
"Do you have any meant to be used as a pair?"
"Yes! I have designs specifically for couples. If you’re giving them as a gift, I will craft a proper box for them."
"That would be a huge help. Could I ask you to do that for me?"
"Yes! Please leave everything to me!"
Since the teacups were sorted, I just needed to contact Noin-san and ask for her recommendations on tea leaves.
I might buy some for myself while I was at it. It would be nice to enjoy Japanese tea in one of the yunomi Nebula made. I could even pick up some Japanese confectionery…… Ah, that reminded me. I think the shop where Noin-san’s scrolls were hanging also sold various Japanese items.
I’d never looked through it slowly, but maybe I’d drop by after I finished talking to Noin-san.
Serious-senpai: "Another Absolute One is crafting things again. It’s almost certainly going to be top-tier quality."
???: "What’s more, she’s only doing it to pass the time and has no intention of selling them, so she just tosses them into Magic Boxes. That makes their rarity incredibly high."