143 Taketori Monogatari

Japan's polygamy law was changed to monogamy in 1947, after World War II. These changes were made as part of legal reforms aimed at adopting Western values, including gender equality and human rights.

Heian Era Japan still practiced polygamy. Polygamy is the practice of having more than one husband or wife at the same time. In Heian Era Japan, polygamy was permitted for men, but not for women.

So no one feels strange when they see one man walking with three women at the same time.

They were Ars who took Restia and Est, plus Rea for a walk.

To avoid attracting attention, Ars put an illusion on himself and the girls.

From an outsider's perspective, he looked like a feudal man walking with his wife and concubines.

"Woah, everything looks traditional and old."

Looking at the surrounding environment, Rea felt like she was on a school trip to Kyoto.

"After all, it is the year 935. Get used to it." Ars said.

"Understood boss."

"Um."

Perhaps because she had isolated herself from society for too long, Rea felt comfortable in crowds. Moreover, no one questioned her appearance.

"By the way, this place is really ordinary compared to the world I came from. There are only ordinary people." Restia commented, looked up at Ars, and asked: "Ars, are you sure that fate led you to this world?"

After three months here, she had not encountered any other supernatural existence.

"Of course. There's no way I could be wrong." Ars answered confidently.

"Ars previously came to the wrong world." Est said without meaning to be sarcastic.

"Cough Cough... Alright, I admit it was a technical error earlier. After all, it was my first time trying out the capabilities of the Fate Scripture. Don't worry, we are in the right world."

To cover up his embarrassment, Ars stroked Est's silver hair to make her comfortable.

Because they didn't have a specific destination, the four of them walked around visiting many places.

Even though Ars and his party had arrived in this world three months ago, he had not left the shop once. For him who had the [Divine Sense] to see everything in the capital, there was no need to walk around.

But now it's different, the shop has a new resident, namely the naive zombie girl, Sanka Rea.

It is true that Rea works as a maid, but Ars does not limit her freedom. Feeling the time was right, he took the three girls on a tour of Kyoto.

Glancing at Rea behind, Ars said to her: "If there is anything you are interested in, feel free to tell me. At least I'm not short of money."

"Boss doesn't need to buy anything for me. After all, my body's physiological functions have been dysfunctional for a long time. I don't need anything." Rea said something sad while smiling.

"…"

Seeing Rea's worn white kimono, Ars decided to buy her a new kimono.

He didn't tell her so that the girl wouldn't refuse. Holding Restia and Est's hands, Ars found a clothing store through [Divine Sense].

Within the range of [Divine Sense], there was nothing he couldn't see. He even saw the most heavily guarded location, namely the Imperial Palace. Currently, Emperor Suzaku was farming sowing seeds in bed with two women.

"Follow me." Ars said briefly.

"Where are you going?" Restia asked marketing.

"Just look forward to it."

Without giving an answer, Ars smiled faintly.

After 10 minutes of walking, they arrived at a clothing store.

"Welcome."

As soon as he entered the shop, Ars was greeted warmly by a middle-aged woman who was the shop owner.

"I want you to make a kimono set for her."

Talking to the shop owner, Ars pointed to Rea behind him.

"Eh?" Rea was shocked to hear that, then she shook her head and refused.

"No need, boss. My kimono is still pretty good. I don't need a new one."

"Don't refuse. This is an order." Ars said domineeringly and didn't care about her rejection.

"But—"

"Enough!"

Seeing Ars' impatient expression, Rea stopped refusing. She lowered her head like a girl who had just been bullied.

"Show me your best quality cloth."

"Oh, okay."

The shop owner was stunned to see their strange interaction, after hearing the words of the young man in front of her, she became excited.

Then she showed various kinds of cloth displayed in the cupboard.

Even though it is called a clothing shop, it would more accurately be called a sewing shop. If a woman wants to buy a new kimono, they have to choose the material provided by the shop and then have the material sewn into the kimono.

There are no shops selling ready-to-wear kimonos, but they must be ordered in advance.

"You want one too, Restia?"

Seeing Rea choosing kimono material, Ars asked Restia.

"Forget it. This clothing called kimono looks difficult when walking. If I want, I can use my Divine Power to create it."

"I see. How about you, Est? You interested?"

Then Ars looked at Est to his right.

"No. I like my clothes." Est answered while shaking her head.

The two Weapon Spirits did not like the aesthetics of Japanese clothing in the Heian Era.

"Boss, I'm done. The shop owner said the kimono would be finished within a week." Rea comes and tells Ars.

"Is this enough?"

Ars took out a 100 gram gold bar into the shop owner's hand.

"T-This is gold?" The shop owner asked in disbelief with a trembling voice.

"What? Not enough?"

"No, no, no. This is more than enough. Wait a minute, customer. I'll get the change."

"No need. Just take it. I'll be back next week."

After saying that, Ars and the girls left the shop with an attitude of flattering the shop owner.

(No matter which world, gold is still a universally valuable object) Ars thought.

"Ars, I want to eat that?"

Est suddenly stopped and pointed at a place to eat.

"Sure, let's go there."

Rare for Est to show her desire, Ars agreed without hesitation.

After entering, he found out it was a mochi tofu restaurant.

Since it wasn't lunch time, there were only a few customers in the restaurant.

"Uncle, I'll order four servings of mochi tofu."

After sitting down, Ars ordered.

"Understood, it will come soon." Said the shop owner who was a burly man.

While waiting, Ars heard two men's conversation, which caught his attention.

"Hey, have you heard, Okina-san found a baby girl from inside the bamboo!" Said Man A.

"It's still daytime, you drank too much." Man B doesn't believe him.

"Nonsense! I'm not drunk! What I said is true. Not only me, but this news has spread throughout the city and many people have come to Okina-san's house to confirm the truth of the news." Man A was offended by his friend's thought of being drunk.

"Is it true? Finding a baby inside bamboo, it's impossible. Try to report it more clearly." Man B started to have doubts.

"As you know, Okina-san is a bamboo cutter who is known for being kind and easy to get along with everyone. Three days ago, he was cutting bamboo in the forest as usual. Suddenly, he saw light from one of the bamboos. He cut down the bamboo and found a baby girl inside. The baby was very small, only the size of a thumbnail."

"Okina-san and his wife, Ouna-san, are very happy about the birth of the baby. Because neither of them had children, they decided to take care of her and named the baby girl Kaguya."

Man A told the news he heard from other people.

(Bamboo feller... Kaguya... If I'm not mistaken, this is Taketori Monogatari?) Ars thought in his mind.

His thoughts were interrupted by the food orders that arrived, putting this matter aside, he started eating with the three girls consisting of two Sword Spirits, and one zombie.