"Did your family plant all these?" Odin asked, pointing at the sea of flowers around them.
"The villagers planted them together." Ponzu nodded. "For the bees to gather nectar."
She pointed at the white boxes on the distant hillside. "Those are the village's beehives. When I was little, I checked them every day after school to see if the bees were sick or if there were any predators."
Odin looked in the direction she pointed. Dozens of beehives were scattered across the hillside, gleaming white in the sunlight.
The two continued uphill.
Halfway up, Ponzu stopped and looked down at the village.
It was a small village, with a few dozen households scattered across the slopes and the valley.
Cooking smoke rose from several chimneys and drifted through the air.
"I lived here for over ten years." She gazed at the scene before her. "I used to think it was boring and wanted to see the world. Now that I'm back, it feels pretty nice."
Odin couldn't relate. Before coming to this world, he had lived in a city too, so he said nothing.
They stood there for a while, then headed back.
By the time they returned to Ponzu's house, it was nearly dark.
A light was on in the yard, and Kumu sat by the door with a pipe in his hand.
Seeing them return, he stood up. "Come inside and eat."
Dinner was much the same as lunch.
After the meal, Ponzu's mother prepared a room for Odin.
It was small, with a bed, a table, and a chair.
Several paintings hung on the walls, all of flowers.
Odin lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Outside, everything was quiet except for the chirping insects. Occasionally, a dog barked in the distance.
He closed his eyes