Slow Prison Life

Extra 4 Hometown Limited Edition

Rachel was enjoying the taste of a fresh cup of tea while snuggled under her kotatsu.

”Hah………”

Satisfied with the fragrant aroma of her tea, she then picked up a toothpick and took a bite of the thumb-sized abekawa mochi hanging off the end.¹

”Mm~, tea made from the first leaves of the season and an assortment of abekawa mochi. So good……..the best. Campbell has really outdone himself this time.”

Rachel was in high spirits, and so she decided to share some of her extensive knowledge with Haley who was waiting for his own tea to cool down while underneath the kotatsu as well.

”Is it good Haley? The size of the mochi is really important. They say that the first abekawa mochi was made by a tanuki as a gift for the gods. It was powdered with golden flakes the Abe river had carried down from a nearby mine. Supposedly there wasn’t any type of flour added, just mochi with gold flakes sprinkled on top.”

”Ooki”

”In other areas along the Abe river they sell abekawa mochi as big as the palm of your hand, but that’s too big you know? That playfulness derived from its origins is important. Do you understand?”

”Ooki”

Hearing Haley’s lifeless answer, Rachel insisted on her point while playing with her toothpick inbetween her fingers. For the record, Haley had no interest in food that he wasn’t able to eat anyway.

”And surely mochi that finds its roots with the Abe river is best served with motoyama tea from the Abe river basin. That’s the one thing I refuse to compromise on. That’s a historic production area for motoyama tea, and it is said that it is the birthplace of Shizuoka tea after an esteemed monk brought the first seeds from his home country to the region.”

Rachel’s extensive knowledge spread even to vague foreign countries. However, more importantly………..

”………..Haley?”

Haley wasn’t saying anything back. Having listened to Rachel’s long speech, he was now looking at the new bag of tea Rachel had just opened.

”What’s wrong Haley? Curious about something?”

Haley was transfixed by the brand name printed across the front of the bag.

Kakegawa Deep Steamed Green Tea

”………….”

”………….”

Haley shook the bag. The only noise in the room was of the leaves in the bag being jostled around.

”………….”

”………….Ooki?”

Haley turned his head demanding an answer, but Rachel continued to silently sip her tea.

”Ooki?”

”………….”

Haley inched himself closer and tried asking again, but Rachel quietly turned her head away.

”Ooki?”

”………….It’s only about fifty kilometers away from the basin.”

Haley walked over, forcing himself into Rachel’s line of sight and tilted his head again.

”Ooki?”

”………….okay so it’s fifty-five kilometers.”

Haley grinded the bag of tea into Rachel’s cheek.

”Ooki?”

”………….Nearly 75 percent of Japanese tea is Yabukita tea! Even if the area it was produced is slightly off, it’s still coming from the same plant!”

Haley shrugged his shoulders and shook his head while his owner started angrily yelling at him after being backed into a corner.

”Ooki”

”Are you thinking, ’My oh my, what a stubborn little kitten,’ right now? I don’t want to be condescendingly called a little kitten by a baby monkey!”

”Ookii”

”What kind of conversation are you trying to have with a monkey!?”

One person and one animal turned their heads after Prince Elliott made an astonished tsukkomi.

”Oh, if it isn’t the little puppy.”

”Ooki”

”You two, how are you able to act like everything’s fine after a conversation like that!?”

Rachel pulled up the covers on her kotatsu up to her shoulders and started grumbling her complaints to this prince who keeps showing up day after day with nothing to show for it.

”Here I was greatly enjoying my tea, and now I’ve got a chill after seeing your ugly mug. It’s so cold now.”

”B-Bastard……..how dare you always take such an attitude with me!?”

Enraged, Elliott stuck his thumb towards his face.

”No matter how you look at me I’m the most handsome man in the capitol!”

”Your Highness, that’s not the problem. Did you really come here to get Sis to reflect?”

”Of course.”

Elliott answered honestly to George’s tsukkomi……….

”However this is exactly the type of attitude that needs to come to an end!”

”Hah………”

Elliott did his best to act as menacing as possible to his prisoner.

”Tell me Rachel! What part of my face are you dissatisfied with!”

”Asking something like that to your ex”

”Don’t say it Sykes. This is really important to His Highness.”

”And you two be quiet!”