Taking his prize, he found it was savory with a hint of sweetness. The seaweed strip was salty and played off well against the rice cracker's thin coat of sugar glaze. There was something else that was contributing to the savory flavor. What was it?  "It's salty but sweet. The cracker is very light and melts right in your mouth like candy floss." Since he was allowed to take more than one this time, he took a second one and broke it in half. The inside was like baked foam, or meringue. White like the rice it had been made from, and brushed with some kind of coating to glaze it a golden brown. "I can see why they sell them in bags. They disappear into thin air." He joked, biting into another with a loud crunch. "Hm… There's this savory flavor I can't quite figure out. What is that? It's not the seaweed, something with a sharper taste."

"That's soy sauce. You tasted it right off the bat when you tried it didn't you?" The girl bounced, grinning. "Ah so that's what it was. This is all new to me. I've tried it with rice and vegetables but I've never expected it to be used in snacks like these." He commented, carefully biting into the second half. "It's used for a lot of stuff actually! Like takoyaki and dango! You know, those octopus balls and mochi on skewers? Anyway, it's used for almost anything. I don't have any of those today, so maybe some other time I'll treat you!" 

"I think that'll be all for me today. You're been very kind sharing your snacks with me. I've learned a few things I didn't know before about Ataiyan delicacies thanks to you." The girl was beaming, and put her hands on her cheeks while wiggling back and forth. "Awwww, you're making me blush! You're gonna make all these taste bland if you keep piling on the compliments! You're welcome! It's always more fun to eat with friends than all by yourself. That's what snacks are for–sharing!" She managed to eat the rest of the snacks on the table without any discomfort of sign of fullness. Only when she was done did she seem satisfied. It was both awe-inspiring and frightening. She either had a good appetite, or limitless stomach capacity… He was already feeling full just from those few pastries alone. And watching her clean off the plates made him feel as if he didn't want to eat for the rest of the day.

Now that snack time was over, she was full and happy. The warm glow of the golden hour was coming, making Jasumin appear as if it had been etched in a plate of gold leaf. "So, how're you liking Nisshoki so far? Did you find everything to your liking?" Myouga had been planning to ask him for a while now, but snacks and other things got in the way. Now all the other distractions had been dealt with, it was the perfect opportunity. Who knew when they would cross paths again?

"It's a beautiful place, and the people are very friendly. Even though I'm not from the area they're as gracious and polite as ever. It's been less than a few months since I finally settled down. It was rather difficult, but I managed to purchase a residence." Putting her hands behind her head and leaning back, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You got your own house now? Wow! That's great! It'll make things a lot more convenient. You can't keep living at the inns forever, the boarding fees rack up. Congrats to you! Hm, well I don't have anything to give you for a housewarming gift so I'll just count those snacks I gave you towards it instead. Hope you don't mind."

He shook his head. "No, not at all! I appreciate it. It's the thought that counts, than the cost. I didn't even know that owning a new home was such a cause for celebration." That made Myouga giggle, and she crossed her arms puffing her chest proudly. "Looks like you still have a lot to learn about Nisshoki! You sure are adapting pretty well for yourself. Less than a year and you almost look like a local! I bet after a couple seasons you'll be mingling like everybody else." The man was very happy to hear that. She could tell by that little smile he was trying to hide but she knew what was going on. "Seriously though, having your own house is a pretty big deal. It probably wasn't easy earning enough to buy it, am I right?" "Yes, it was quite difficult. I won't go into all the details, but I worked myself over for months on end just to be able to afford the residence I have now. It's modest, but worth what I paid. At least I certainly hope so… I didn't want to simply purchase a lot of land myself, so I bought one which had preexisting structures." He explained, trying not to say too much. Myouga didn't pry any further into things, and nodded in understanding.

"Yeah I know what you mean. It was the same thing when I wanted to buy mine. Well, actually not exactly. I got the land real cheap, but I wanted my house to be a certain way so I had to hire some builders for it. It took a long time until it was finished, and there was all that checking and inspecting to make sure it was all solid. But I'm happy with it! And that's what matters. Hey by the way, did you hire a priest or something to check the place out before you moved in? Sometimes if a property is sold for a really low price there's a reason for it." The man's face went pale. "No I didn't…is that bad?" Myouga realized she probably said too much and tried to backpedal the conversation. "Well not exactly…I mean it's probably fine. It's just a superstition y'know. If nothing weird's been happening it should be ok. Most people there hire a priest to bless the house before moving in, even if it's brand-new. Don't worry about it." He looked down at the table, less anxious but doubtful. "Oh…" 

Her and her big mouth…now she felt bad. Myouga was just trying to make some friendly conversation, not to scare the living daylights out of him. Well now that the thought was in his head it'd be near-impossible to remove it, unless he was given 'proof' that his house was danger-free. She didn't expect him to take her so seriously, I mean most people never did.

The idea that the house he had bought might have had some unsavory business related to it's price was unsettling. He sincerely hoped he was just overthinking things, but there was the nagging possibility there. The girl began talking interrupting his thoughts. "Err, well if you want to be extra sure I know a place that can check for you…" She looked to the side as she mentioned it. "Is that so?" He was half-sure that she might be only saying this to console him. "Yeah, it's in the capital. They're well-known exorcists and priests in the whole kingdom. Their fees are a bit high, but if you tell them your situation I'm sure they'll be willing to help you out for a reduced rate." She looked serious and her expression was earnest.

"So where can I find them? The capital's quite expansive. I'd worry that I'd lose my way and make a wrong turn somewhere." That had happened more than once. Thankfully he managed to get his bearings with each time it occurred, so they were becoming less frequent. The first week of work at the florist shop he was now employed at was a struggle against braving rush hour coming in and leaving for his home after his shift. He learned that to avoid those peak times of traffic he had to arrive extremely early and leave an hour before everyone was rushing to get back home. His boss had been very accommodating and adjusted his work hours to reflect his situation. They suggested him to move to a location closer to the city, but he said he could manage.

"Oh right…uh their headquarters in the capital is on the main street of the commercial district. It's where all the food stalls and small shops are. You've been there remember? Yeah it's around there somewhere. Lots of initiates stop by the restaurants there for a meal before resuming their studies and training, so you should be able to grab one of them and ask where the location is." She then went on to describe their dress to help him get a better idea of who to ask. "I think I understand now. Thank you again, for everything." He gave a bow, in gratitude. She waved it off. "No no, don't thank me. As long as everything works out for you and your new house then I'm glad. Sorry for making you worry." 

They said their goodbyes and farewells, and parted. The girl opened a portal and left through it, asking him if he needed a ride to anywhere in particular. When he said there was no need, she left it at that and waved before disappearing. By himself now, he had a scrap of paper with the name of the sect of exorcists she had given him a referral to. When he was back in Ataiyo, he would make visiting that place his first priority.