**Chaelia

Sakura Village,

The Present

Savannah's POV**

The large Sakura tree was in full bloom as I gathered the children around me for storytime. Late spring was shaping up to be very warm, and the fields promised a cheerful harvest to come in the fall. "So, what story would you like to hear this time?" I asked the children. "Perhaps Snow White or Sleeping Beauty?" The children all shook their heads, and it was no small wonder as they had grown tired of the fairy tales I always told.

"How about the story of how Sakura Village came into existence?" An older girl suggested.

"Well, for that, I would have to tell you the whole story. And that story is far too big for just today, children." The children groaned at my apparent denial of their request. Pepperoni, one of the many food souls living in the village, chuckled.

"You could tell it in installments." She suggested as she carried someone's order on a tray and passed by me. I smiled at the food soul. She had been one of the first I created and attuned to my mood specifically. The others had attachments to various villagers as they had been created from the villager's favorite food and on that villager's specific request once I had figured out the creation magic required.

"Good idea, Pepps," I said, giving the food soul a thumbs up. She blushed and went to fill more orders in the Inn. I noticed that many of the newcomers also had settled down to hear my story. Rand, my husband, sat next to me as he was partly responsible for the creation of Sakura Village. Our children, Alex, Joshua, and Rose sat next to Rand.

"It all started on a planet called Earth..." I started.

----->

**Earth,

3 years ago

Savannah's POV**

I grabbed my Kindle with my complete collection of isekai novels and headed to my Para-Ed job at Summertham Elementary and Junior High School. Years ago, the school district thought that it was a grand idea to combine both schools because it made sense to do so. "Maybe to them." I muttered as I drove.

I worked with 6-8th graders underneath Mark Cranston. To my knowledge, Mark didn't have an imagination and further disapproved of my using my Kindle to motivate the students with manga. I tried to avoid his lectures on comics and manga corrupting children. I didn't agree with his thinking as some manga and comics were targeted to attract children.

Besides reading Farming Life In Another World, I read Pokemon, Kingdom Hearts, Top Dungeon Farmer, and Dungeon Meshi amongst others. I arrived to find my students awaiting Mark and me. Mark had probably run to copy the day's lessons.

"Good morning, Miss Winters." One of the waiting boys remarked. Alex, I recalled, was his name. Like me, he was enjoying Hiraku's second life journey as village chief in Farming Life In Another World. "How's Hiraku's journey?"

"Let's see if you get a good grade on your pop quiz in language arts today. Then we'll see where Hiraku goes from the last time we left off." He nodded, a happy grin on his features at my promise.

----->

Mark didn't understand how I could motivate Alex and the rest of the other special needs children by using manga. He just needed to change the way he taught. We had a few high-functioning children with challenges that straddled the line between special education and regular education.

Alex passed the pop quiz, as did the others that I helped in this manner. We read a chapter of all of their favorite mangas before the bell rang. As the students filed out of the classroom, Mark looked at me. "I still do not see your point about using manga to motivate the students..." Mark commented. I watched Alex stiffen and willed him to leave before Mark goaded him into saying anything he would regret later. Fortunately, Alex just shot Mark a dirty look and left the classroom for his next class.

"That's the difference between you and some of the other teachers. They **believe** in their students." I sniped softly. I saw Alex crack a smile at my response as he went out the door. "And they have not complained about my method yet." I felt a small bit of satisfaction when Mark looked guiltily at me. I had informed my superiors about this being the last year I would be available under Mark. We just did not see eye to eye over a lot of things and I had given him several chances to change. "I'm moving." I finally said to Mark. He looked shocked as this was our break until the next period.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"Where?" He asked. It was my turn to be shocked. I thought he wouldn’t care.

"To the country. I've always wanted to be a farmer, like those Isekai novels I read." I reply as I pack up my stuff. I take out some novels and write farewell notes in them.

----->

**Chaelia

3 years ago

Castlemouth Town

Rand's POV**

I wanted to settle down but I never met the right woman God meant for me to have. Maybe she didn't exist. I was tired of the same thing day after day. I couldn't remember the last time I took time off from riding battle to battle for the regional lord. I wished that I could settle down in a rural village with a family somewhere.

“Rand, Lord Leiceister was talking to you.” My best friend Roberto hissed.

“Pardon me, I was thinking of something else.” I said uncomfortably. Lord Leiceister looked at me. He narrowed his eyes and didn't say anything.

“We were talking about taxes being raised for the umpteenth time.” Lord Leiceister finally snapped. I sighed. Taxes were a point of contention in our town. Uprisings broke out all the time.

“And is there some uprising we need to suppress?” I snapped back at Lord Leiceister.

“No…” Lord Leiceister replied.

I finally decided to tell my feelings to everyone in the room. “I am tired of being summoned for nothing, my lord.” I point out to Lord Leiceister. “I also need a break now and again like the human being I am, not like an animal whose only so useful as long as they keep working.” This stuns Lord Leiceister, Roberto, and Lord Lennox.

“Rand,” Lord Lennox tried. I shake my head.

“I’m done. Find another to do your dirty work.” I say and leave the solarium. Luckily, I had been apprenticed to an architect before all the battles started, so I would have some form of income. I would have to leave Castlemouth soon as I didn't want to find out how Lord Leicester would punish me for deserting the military.

I'm packing when I hear a knock at my door. I stop and go to the door to answer it. “I know I overstepped,” I grumbled to Roberto.

“They are letting you leave the military with no punishment,” Roberto says to me, shocked beyond words. Being able to leave the city's military without punishment was quite rare as Lord Leiceister had a few nasty punishments doled out to whoever deserted the town's military.

“That's odd,” I said as I continued packing my belongings.

“No, it's not. Lord Lennox interceded for you.” Roberto corrected. Lord Lennox was my brother. Family called him Kit, which was short for Christopher. His intercedence confused me as Kit had never done so in our entire childhood.

“Why would Kit go to such lengths?” I snapped.

“Lord Lennox has no wish to see you executed for desertion, Rand. Neither do I.” Roberto said with a sigh. “I also interceded. Lord Lennox told Lord Leiceister that he would be angry if Lord Leicester had you murdered for desertion.”

“So who's their new pawn?” I asked angrily. I was relieved that Kit had interceded on my behalf but furious that Lord Leicester would have me killed.

“Me,” Roberto said, his words melancholic. If anyone could take my place as a worthless pawn, it would be Roberto.

“Then may God help you,” I reply as I take out paper for one of my sketches. Roberto left, and I sketched out a new idea for a building.

----->

**Earth,

3 years ago

Savannah's POV**

It was shortly after that I discovered Alex had been abandoned by those who should've cherished him. His mother did not care one whit for him. I petitioned the courts to let me adopt Alex. We were in the middle of a protracted court battle. I hoped that Alex could become my son. They called us back and granted my petition to adopt Alex.

"We should go and get your stuff," I told my new son warmly.

"She won't let me," Alex revealed. My anger rose. I started marching toward Alex's mother, Angelica, who was in the middle of talking with her lawyer.

"Hey, Angelica?" Alex's mother turned toward me with a 'what the heck do you want now?' look. "You have an hour before I report you for child neglect to gather MY son's things and have them ready for us to pick up. And I mean EVERYTHING, Angelica."

Angelica turned and stomped off.

----->

I saw her throwing Alex's things into boxes. Her seven and four-year-olds made sure nothing of their brother's belongings were damaged. A seven and four-year-old! I filmed them to show just how she parented, and there were quite a few instances of child abuse captured. Took another few months, but I also adopted both of Alex's siblings. This time, I took no chances. Alex and I carefully packed his siblings' belongings while they waited in the car and I brought my brother along to make sure that Angelica complied with the court order of no contact.

I looked at the sky. It looked like snow. I was desperate to get my children away from their birth mother. Thankfully, we got home as the first snowflakes fell.

Joshua, my newest son, seemed attached to Alex and the same went for his sister. I found out that Alex often took punishments to protect his siblings. “Josh has something called Autism Spectrum Disorder and Rose has something called Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder,” Alex explained. As a paraeducator, I knew what both disorders were. Both were communication disorders and they had varying but similar effects. If a parent has the appropriate resources, the disorders’ symptoms or effects can be overcome. I doubted Angelica had the resources or if she did, she didn't utilize them.

“Hey, can we read your manga, Alex?” Joshua's question brought me out of my reverie. Alex looked at me in question as if seeking my permission.

“Let's do it as a family.” I decided. Then I wondered if Rose was interested in manga. “Alex is…” I started.

“Rose likes art.” both boys said.