New Request
Following breakfast, lunch also suited Oswald-san's palate as he highly praised it.
Then, dinner. I prepared four kinds of rice dishes: vegetable curry and rice, chop-suey ricel, Chinese-style fried rice, mushroom rice with many kinds of mushrooms, and I also made au gratin potatoes, vegetable tempura, miso-pickled cucumbers, and radish stew... regardless for their suitability of eating them together.
"All of them were very delicious."
""Delish~""
Oswald-san ate so much food that I wondered where in his slender body it went, and as if following Oswald-san by example, Allen and Elena also ate a lot of food. So the amount of food that I made thinking that I could store in the Infinite Storage for later was all gone.
"Don't you feel sick from eating too much...?"
"I feel a little over-indulged, but I'm feeling uplifted. I didn't realize there were so many different types of food I could eat!"
"I'm glad you liked it, but be careful not to eat too much."
At this rate, all I can see is the future where the slender Oswald-san is going to get blubbery and fat.
""Become bouncy-bounce?""
"You guys ate lots too, didn't you~"
"Yeah."
"Ate lots~"
"Haha, it should be fine if it's only once."
""Thank goodness~""
Allen and Elena looked worried as they touched their own stomachs, but when I told them that they will be okay, they seemed reassured.
(Oz will be fine too. Since Oz doesn't know how to cook, I will be the one making it. I will only make the usual amount of food from tomorrow afternoon.)
"That's a relief."
"N, no way... Marshelly, we just got new recipes to try, so you should cook a little more——"
(You can't.)
Marshelly-san interrupted Oswald-san's words and said flatly refused him.
It seems that Oswald-san has no future of gaining weight. Well, he's a little too skinny now, so I think it's okay for him to get a little fat, though.
(Oh, by the way, Takumi-san. I have a request for you.)
"A request?"
Marshelly-san looked at me with an apologetic look on her face.
(Yes, I'm really sorry that I'm asking another request of you immediately after you completed the previous one, but from now on, I would like to ask you to help us procure some condiments and seasonings once every two or three months.)
"Erm... you mean delivering it here?"
(No, we will come to get it ourselves.)
"N?"
If you are coming to pick it up, that means you are coming to town, right? Why not just get it yourselves?
"... It's my contracted beast that will come to get it.
Oswald-san shabbily added to Marshelly-san's words.
"By a contracted beast, you mean... Claudia?"
"No, it's not Claudia, but Lyra, an Edenbird."
"... Edenbird."
(She just left for a stroll, so she's currently not present.)
Edenbird is an A-ranked monster. I thought that Dryad and Black Panther were quite incredible to see, but he even contracted with an Edenbird. Oswald-san is truly an amazing person~
When you consider that the only ones I contracted on my own are the Pastel Rabbits... it makes me seem quite miserable, doesn't it?
"If, if I remember correctly, you said that you have an acquaintance that gets food for you, right?"
"Yes, that's true, but he is, after all, a hassle to deal with. He reluctantly gets me things like salt and bread because he owes me a favor, but he's always asking me to find a replacement."
(That man is too much of a bother! When I ask him for things, he won't buy them properly!)
"Oh, really?"
Ahh, so you want me to take over.
"Huh? Earlier, Marshelly-san, you said that you can grow Red Wheat, so I'm sure you can grow soy and miso fruit as well, no?"
(They are plants I have never seen before, so it's unlikely.)
I see, so it's not like she can grow... everything.
She didn't know that shoyu and miso existed, so of course, she has never seen the trees grow.
"But we are moving around so much, wouldn't it be too difficult?"
"In that case, you can hold onto this."
Oswald-san took out a drop-shaped stone that was the same color as his eyes, which looked like fresh green leaves.
"Erm... this is?"
"This is the stone that I poured my magical power into. With this, Lyra can trace my magical power to wherever you are."
Oh, which reminds me, when Kaiser gave me his scales, he said something similar!
"Of course, we will make sure that Lyra has more money than it takes to buy it."
(Vegetables and fruits, everything I grow here, too.)
The vegetables and fruits grown by Marshelly-san are so fresh and delicious that they are very appealing.
"The main things to buy are salt and bread. The flavorings I provided this time should be fine, right?"
"Yes, indeed. And anything else that seems like I could eat is also welcome."
(And then there are the processed goods, like tea. I can make herbal tea, but I can't process tea leaves into tea. And occasionally, household items as well. Whenever a pot or a dish is about to break, I will ask for help.)
I see, they won't be worried about tea if they don't have it, but they will welcome it. They will also need to replace the aging utensils.
"I understand. I'll take care of it."
I have the Infinite Storage, so I'll just buy a reasonable amount of it ahead of time to be flexible when Lyra comes around.
"Really! Thank you!"
(Thank you for accepting.)
When I accepted, both Oswald-san and Marshelly-san seemed delighted.
(Right, Takumi-san, I can grow plants regardless of the season to some extent, so if there's anything you want, just ask for it.)
"Thank you. I will let you know if something comes to mind. If I come up with any additional dishes, I'll write them down on a piece of paper for you, too."
(Oh my, that's wonderful. Thank you very much.)
Negotiations were concluded and we spent the rest of the evening relaxing.
""... Funiyu~""
(Why it's not me!)
(Vector, don't make ruckus!)
(Yeah, you will wake up the two.)
Before I knew it, Allen and Elena had fallen asleep on Claudia, using her belly as a pillow. Vector fussed with a disgruntled look on his face, but was chided by Feat and Joule.
"My, oh my, they are totally asleep."
"I'm sorry, Claudia. I will move them right away."
"Garu."
(Takumi-san, she doesn't dislike it, so it's fine.)
"Is that so? Ah~ one of my children seem to be getting jealous, though~"
"Hahaha~ is it the red boy?"
Even if you didn't understand what they were saying, you could tell just by looking at him that Vector was being jealous.
"Correct. I'm going to go take the kids to their room because they will be woken up from all the noise."
"Well, if you have someone else's contracted beast taking your role, you might as well be jealous. Do that then. Yeah, but will you be coming back, Takumi-san?
"Yes, sir."
I picked the kids up and laid them down in their room with Vector wagging his tail as hard as he could, and returned to talk with Oswald-san some more.
~
To Rubia 2
The next morning, I cooked some Red Wheat and made a large quantity of mochi while teaching Marshelly-san. I rolled it up into bite-sized pieces and decided to go with whatever flavors I personally liked such as, sweet red bean paste, sweet soy sauce, roasted soybean flour, grated radish, and butter shoyu.
Yesterday, I sent Syl crepes when I had the chance, and later I will send him mochi in this style later.
"This is also delicious~"
(Truly. So Red Wheat could turn this springy in texture, huh.)
"Yes, I'm surprised at that too, but it's amazing how different the change in taste is."
"I'm glad you like it."
Since Marshelly-san seems to be preparing to mass-produce the Red Wheat, I asked her if she could give me some since I was about to run out of my stock.
After parting with Oswald-san, we resumed heading to Rubia again.
I didn't expect to meet Oswald-san and his friends, but we only spent two days there. Therefore, I decided to keep moving at a leisure pace.
(N~ I'm more curious about over there!)
"Is something there?"
(Dunno, I just feel like it!)
"Is that so? But well, it's fine. Let's take a look."
(Yay~)
For the time being, I decided to go into the direction Joule was curious about.
(Depart!)
Vector ran up ahead.
"Shall we go too then?"
""Yess~""
(Oniichan, get on, get on.)
(Allen-chan and Elena-chan on me then.)
(Do you want to go with me, Mile?)
(Sure!)
I got onto Joule, Allen, and Elena on Feat, and Mile got on Bolt, and we chased after Vector.
""Ah!""
"Oh, I can see the sea."
""It's the sea~!!""
After running for a while, a sea came into sight.
""Onii~chan, Onii~chan.""
"Wanna swim~"
"In the sea~"
"Yeah. Let's play for a while."
""Yaaay~""
(((((Yay~)))))
The weather has warmed up and it was a perfect day for swimming.
As soon as I gave my consent, everyone ran in a straight line toward the sea.
"Wait, Joule, stop for a moment!"
(Here I goo~)
"Uoh!!"
Jules ran into the sea with me on his back, and when he got to a certain depth, he dove in with all his might.
"Hey!? Joule!!"
I got completely soaked, because I wasn't prepared for this.
(Here we go~)
""Yay~""
(Kyaa~)
Following us, Allen and Elena who were on Feat's back, and Mile who was on Bolt's back jumped into the sea.
(Aniue, I will be patrolling around to see whether there are monsters in the vicinity. Please be careful while in the water.)
"Alright. Thank you."
(Yes!)
Bolt left to patrol the surroundings.
"H~e~y~ Jou~le~ why did you jump in with me still on your back!"
(Ehehehe~)
I got off of Joule's back and went around to his front and squished his cheeks between my hands. However, Joule didn't feel any pain or remorse and laughed.
(Oniichan, swim with us too!)
It appears that he wanted me to play with them also, so he jumped straight in.
"Let's play."
"Together~"
"Alright, alright."
Allen and Elena hugged me, and appealed to me to play with them.
(Niichan!)
"Huh?"
When I agreed, and we were about to start playing, Vector called for me. However, he wasn't nearby.
""Over there~""
"N?"
(Niichan, I want to play too!)
Vector didn't go into the sea, but instead was slumped on the beach. The naughty Vector didn't jump into the sea because he didn't seem to want to get wet.
"Oh, he doesn't have the mermaid bracelet."
I immediately went over to Vector and attached a mermaid bracelet to him.
(Thank you, Niichan.)
"You really dislike water, don't you?"
(Yeah. Say, Niichan, can I leave this bracelet on?)
"Sure you can. However, it's not a solidly built magic tool, so it will break if you are not careful."
(Okay!)
Vector, who was no longer wet after wearing the mermaid bracelet, was now in the water, so we started playing.
"So, what are we going to play?"
""Waves!""
"Waves?... Ah, that?"
The game we did when we played in the sea near the Bailey, the one where we used water magic methods to make waves and make them carry us off freely.
"Sure.——Ah, right, hold onto this."
I took out a number of soapy balloons from the Infinite Storage and handed them around.
For Allen and Elena, I give them ones that were big enough to hold in both hands. I guess they wanted to surf too, so I gave Joule and Feat, who have instantly become smaller, something as big as their bodies. For Vector, I will need the biggest thing I have. And one that is big enough for Mile that she can ride on.
"Alright, here I go~"
I used Water Magic to create waves and make the children's bodies flow in a big circular motion. This time I tried to make the movement like a flowing pool instead of a pool with waves.
The soapy balloons were like beach balls, so they served as floats, so they were easier to make them flow around. However, thanks to the irregularity of the moving soapy balloons, children's bodies were spinning around in circles.
""Kyaa~""
(Wow, this is fun~)
(Fufu, this feels good~)
(Fugya!)
(Ohhh!)
Each of the kids seemed to be enjoying themselves, Allen, Elena, Joule, and Feat were flowing along, holding onto the soapy balloons well, Vector was falling down and climbing up onto his soapy balloon, while Mile was showing off her street performer-esque balloon-riding skills.
(Aniue~)
Bolt, who returned from surveying the surroundings returned.
"Welcome back, Bolt. How was it?"
(There don't seem to be any problems.)
"I see, thank you."
(It's nothing.)
When I patted Bolt, who stopped on my shoulder as I continued manipulating the Water Magic, Bolt rubbed against me happily.
(Aniue, what kind of game is this?)
"I wonder? Spinning the sea currents? For me, it's an exercise in water magic. Would you like to join them, Bolt?"
(No, I'm good. I want to stay with Aniue.)
Bolt is a really good, earnest, sweet kid.
~
Fishing
"Ah, I forgot!"
""Nniyu?""
(Oniichan, what is the matter?)
(Niisama?)
(Is something the matter, Aniue?)
(What, what? What's up?)
(Takumi Nii?)
In the middle of playing in the ocean, I suddenly remembered something important and raised my voice, and the kids stared at me worriedly.
"Sorry, I remembered that we forgot about souvenirs."
""Souvenirs~?""
"For Rebecca-san and others. We were told that it would be fine to just talk about our journey, but it would be better to prepare some kind of items, don't you think?"
(Niisama, did you not say you would take the Tyrant Bear fur we found at the lake as a souvenir?)
Sure enough, Vector did find a good bear fur at the sparkling water lake***. It has already been processed by artisans at the Kelm's Adventurer's Guild. But that's not good enough.
***(I don't recall any bears, so it's either LN-only bear encounter at the hot springs, or the sparkling water lake itself is a place they only visit in the LN version, I honestly have no idea.)
"Yeah, but that's not enough."
""Ah, wolf!""
Allen and Elena shouted as if they remembered something.
"We did not make promises to get it, but we did talk about getting bear and wolf fur for a rug as a souvenir, didn't we?"
We also talked about Dragon meat, but that seems quite impossible, so let's prepare the fur rugs as we said.
(I see. We need to get wolf fur then!)
"It would be nice if we could."
""((((... Wolf.))))""
When I nodded to Joule's words, the eyes of the other children turned towards him.
(W, what!? A, are you thinking about getting it from me!? You cannot do that!!)
Joule shuddered.
(My, oh my, Joule, we have not said anything. We only happened to look your way.)
(That's right. We will commit to getting the fur as long as Aniue wants it, but we would not tear it off of you just because. We only happened to look your way.)
Feat and Bolt claimed that they only happened to look Joule's way.
Rather, Bolt-san? You were going to pluck Joule's fur if I said I want it!?
(Oniichaaa~n.)
"They only happened to look your way after talking about a wolf. No one is going to hurt you, Joule~"
"Jou~le~"
"Sorry~"
I comforted the teary-eyed Joule.
Allen and Elena worked together to improve Joule's mood for a while after that.
"That reminds me, although we have yet to meet them, what are you guys going to do when you meet monsters of the same kind?"
Fenrirs, Celestial Tigers, Thunderhawks, Scarlet King Leos, and Forest Rats are not monsters you would usually meet near the human habitats, but we can't be sure we won't ever meet them, so let's make sure.
(N~? Take them down, of course, if they show hostility.)
(I don't think they would attack as soon as we encounter them, but... it's not absolute. I won't hold back if they show hostility towards you, though. Niisama.)
(I will respond in kind if they attack. But I don't think I will get aggressive myself if they are not hostile to us.)
(I don't know who will come out on top, but I'm definitely going to fight them in a contest of strength!)
(My race doesn't fight too much in the first place!)
"I get it, thank you."
For now, it seems that we should be the most careful about other Scarlet King Leos. They are a belligerent type of monster in the first place.
""Ah!""
Allen and Elena shouted, pointing towards the sea.
"What was it again~"
"Squid~?"
"That seems to be an octopus, not a squid."
Its head was round, so it must be an octopus. A large number of octopi could be seen jumping out of the water and diving into the sea like flying fish. I couldn't see the exact size of the octopi from this distance, but they seemed to be of the common sense size... Well, there seemed to be a little bit more of them, though.
(Those are not monsters, right?)
(Seems like it.)
(Are they coming this way?)
(We just have to beat them down if they are! Say, are octopuses yummy?)
(I don't know!)
It appears they weren't monsters but normal octopi.
"Which reminds me, I have no octopi on me~"
I have both regular and demon squid as ingredients, but I don't have any octopus. I could make Takoyaki, octopus rice, tender octopus stew, octopus karaage, and even some vinegar stuff~
(Alright, let's get them!)
(Indeed. I'm going to guide them a little.)
(Feat, I'm going too.)
With Joule's sudden command, everyone began to act to capture the octopi, and Feat and Bolt flew towards the flock of octopi.
"Wait a moment. What's up all of the sudden?"
(If Takumi Nii wants it, then we can only get it!)
When I checked with the remaining kids to see what was going on, I got a crazy answer.
To my surprise, it was because of my whispered comment that I didn't have any octopus!!
(I will make a solid net out of ivy! When the flock approaches, ask Feat and Bolt to drop it on top of them!)
(So once they are captured, you and I will pull them out, Vector)
(Got it! Leave it to me!)
Moreover, they are planning to use dragnet!
"What about Allen~?"
"And Elena~?"
(You guys help them pull too!)
""Got it~!""
(Ah, Feat, use this!)
(We are capturing them with this? Got it.)
While I was stunned, Mile handed a large net to Feat, who came back after successful herding, and Feat flew above the octopi once more with the net in her arms and released the net onto them. And then Allen, Elena, Joule, and Vector hauled in the net.
(One more pull!)
""((There we go!))""
The net got pulled up even before I could react to help.
""So many~!""
(Ohh~ look at how many there are!)
(So much fish, too!)
There were other kinds of seafood that got pulled up alongside the targeted octopi, so Allen, Elena, Joule, and Vector were in great joy.
(Good work! Amazing!)
(My, oh my, we got a big haul.)
(I did not think we would pull so much fish too.)
Mile, Feat, and Bolt stared at the big haul in surprise.
"Good work. I'm sorry I couldn't be of help."
(Oniichan's work starts from here on out!)
(Yep, yep. Niichan, we leave the great dishes in your hands!)
""Food~♪""
When I apologized for not being able to do anything to help, they all demanded a meal right away.
"All right. But before that, I'm going to clean those sticky, wet bodies of yours and collect the haul."
""(((((Okaay~)))))""
First of all, I used Washing and Dry to clean ourselves from all the seawater.
We might get dirty and wet again after we finish collecting the still jumping fish, but if we stay in our current state, with the clothes sticking to our bodies, it would be too hard to move. Since I have plenty of magic power to spare, I can clean us again if we get dirty again.
"Then, let's split up and collect them."
""(((((Ohh!)))))""
Frankly speaking, it took longer to retrieve the fish and octopi than it did to get them out of the sea.
It was partly because we had to sort out the fish that could be eaten, but also because they couldn't be put into the Infinite Storage in a live state, so they had to be killed first. Allen and Elena also helped me with their own knives, but there was quite a lot of them.
When I secured a good amount, I suggested that we return the rest to the sea, but all of the kids refused, so I continued to work until the end.
~
Fur
""((That was delicious~~~))""
(((Thank you for the meal.)))
Since the fish was fresh, I simply grilled it and cooked octopus with rice for lunch.
"Fresh fish taste great, after all~"
The taste and texture of the octopus was great, and I'm thankful for the kids.
Next time, I'd like to try my hand at octopus dumplings. The griddle for grilling octopus was prepared for this occasion. Moreover, I also found some seaweed that could be used to make Aonori (green laver). Rather, if I manage to make green laver, I'd like to make seaweed salt and first and make potato chips with it!
"Well then, what do we do in the afternoon?"
""Wolf~""
"N? The wolf pelt? But, will we find any so conveniently?"
We might be able to find low-ranked wolves, but we'd be hard pressed to find one that would be good to make a rug for a nobleman's mansion.
"Ah!"
""Nniyu?""
Come to think of it, the Red Wolf and Bloody Wolf we defeated in the Gaya Forest are still in my Infinite Storage.
"We had pelt!"
(Niisama, you mean a wolf pelt?)
"Right, the Bloody Wolf should be spotless, too."
Allen and Elena defeated it by kicking it, so there should be no cuts to it. Oh, do even air bullets leave marks?
(Bloody Wolves have pretty good fur.)
(Yeah. Well, it's a far cry from a Fenrir's fur.)
(Well, you are comparing it to my fur, after all!)
Joule wagged his tail happily after hearing Feat's praise.
""... Jii~~~""
Allen and Elena stared straight back at him.
(Allen!? Elena!? You can't take my fur even if you stare at me for so long!)
""... Was not looking~""
(You totally were!? You looked at me as if I was prey, though!?)
""Wasn't, wasn't.""
Allen and Elena who were staring fixedly at Joule quickly averted their gazes.
(Hey, Oniichan, you saw it, right——)
""Heyhah~""
(Whoah!)
In the moment when Joule's gaze turned to me, the kids jumped on him and hugged his neck, squeezing him tightly.
It seems that what Allen and Elena were aiming for was the timing of the jump.
(Hah~ that startled me~)
""So warm, mofumofu~""
The two rubbed their faces against Joule's neck.
Joule's fur was fluffy and thick, so it feels good to rub your face against it like that~
"Allen loves to mofumofu Joule~"
"Elena too~"
Allen and Elena laughed even more. What cute smiles they have.
(Oniichan, can I leave for a moment?)
"That's fine with me, but... why so suddenly? Where are you going?"
(I'm going to find a Fenrir and kill it!)
"Eh!? Nonono, why!?"
(Mine is out of question, but Allen and Elena can wear another Fenrir's fur, no? Or use it as a blanket. Maybe a muffler? Anyhow, to make something of it!)
Joule was fully motivated. Moreover, when you translate it, it becomes "Ready to kill."
""... Joule, you are leaving?""
Allen and Elena who were smiling just a moment ago were now looking downhearted after hearing Joule's sudden declaration.
(Eh!? W, what do I do. I hate the thought of separating from Allen and Elena even for a minute... but, but, I really want to bring back a nice to the touch pelt back. Kyuu, it's the ultimate choice!)
Joule was flustered.
"Calm down, Joule."
(I mean, but...)
"You just have to stay by Allen and Elena's side."
(But then, I won't be able to get supreme mofumofu for them.)
"Your fur is much surely much better than the fur of a wild Fenrir, so if you are by their side to embrace at all times, Allen and Elena would be much happier."
The children nodded in agreement.
(Really?)
""Yeah, want Joule!""
Allen and Elena hugged Joule's neck, and Joule happily wagged his tail.
(... I don't think I will lose in terms of fur, though~)
While I was feeling relieved that we were able to stop Joule from acting without thinking, I heard Feat mutter in a low voice from my side.
... Is she sulking?
"F, Feat?"
(What is it, Niisama?)
"Your fur is also wonderful."
I stoked the back of Feat's neck.
Feat's fur is short so it doesn't feel that thick, but it feels very soft on touch, so it really entices you to touch it at all times.
"Feat is~"
"Smoothy-smooth~"
(Oh my, truly? I'm happy to hear that.)
The mood of Feat who was a little sulkish, immediately improved when she heard Allen and Elena's praise.
(Me? What about me?)
"Vector is~"
"A bit rough~"
(Gah...)
Vector's fur is of the bristle type, after all. That being said, it's not uncomfortable on touch.
Rather, gah... he said it out loud.
(Niichan, don't you have any medicine to make my fur silky smooth!?)
"Silky smooth, huh?"
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a hair-specific shampoo or conditioner. Well, it's just that I don't have one and I don't know about it, but it's not impossible to find one somewhere. ... Over here, you normally wash with soapy water and use a perfumed oil.
This is probably the most common way of doing it, as it was the case at the Risner and Ruven mansions.
"Would you like to try using perfume oil?"
(Perfume oil?)
"It's an oil with a scent. It's also used to moisten dry hair."
Perfume oils come in many different smells, floral, fruit, herbal, etc., but I'm sure there are unscented ones as well.
"But, you would have to wash yourself first before using it."
(Wash!? You mean I would have to get wet!? No way!!)
He rejected with all of his might.
Anyhow, why don't I clean him with Washing and try some perfume oils~ Oh, but the only perfume oils I have on me are of the herbal type.
"In any case, if you are to use it, we need to get some unscented perfume oil, so we can't do that at the moment."
In addition to the unscented one, I'll get some other ones with different smells~ Even I could use a citrus fragrance, and Elena would find something she likes too, like a flowery fragrance or something.
(It's fine! I have given up already!)
"Don't be modest. I will prepare it properly."
I didn't tell Vector that I could use "Washing" instead of washing him normally, and kept smiling.
~
Underwater Gathering
When I was done teasing Vector, I called out to Bolt and Mile as well. I don't want them to be sulking like Feat.
However, Bolt and Mile seemed to realize that their fur/feathers were not of the same genre as the fluffy ones and didn't seem to mind. Well, I gave them a good headpatting for being so understanding.
We spent the night on the beach and welcomed the morning.
"So, what do we do today?"
After eating a good breakfast, it was time to decide on today's schedule.
""N~?""
(Play! Even though I say that, I have no idea what to play~)
(Let's search for sea ingredients?)
(We caught lots of fish and seaweed yesterday, though~)
(It's good to have a big stock! Let's catch more.)
(Then, how about we go for the fish that are deeper in the sea instead?)
The kids shared their opinions.
""Fish!""
(Yep, yep. It's better to have more, right~)
(We could look for shellfish, too.)
(Why don't we search for medicinal plants too then?)
(Get everything!)
(It's decided then!)
It looks like we're going to be doing some kind of fishing today again.
Well, in this world, there are only so many things to do to play, so in the end, we will just end up collecting things.
N~ the ingredients in my Infinite Storage are quickly hoarding. I don't have to sell much of it because it never goes bad, but it would be better to sell some of it, right?
""... Can't?""
"N? I'm fine with it."
(Oniichan, you were making a difficult expression, though?)
Apparently, my thinking face needlessly worried the kids.
"Sorry about that~ I'm happy to find new ingredients, but our harvest has been recently far exceeding the amount of ingredients we consume, so I was wondering whether it would be a good idea to sell some of it."
(You can't~! I will eat it so you can't sell it!)
The first one to react to my words was Vector.
(Indeed~ I have no problems with you using the necessary amount to complete a request, or giving some to your acquaintances, but I would prefer if you didn't sell the rest~)
(That's true. They won't rot in your Infinite Storage, and they won't become a burden, so I would rather not sell, Aniue.)
(Takumi Nii, I want you to collect lots of food!)
Feat, Bolt, and Mile were also against selling.
(Oniichan, let's amass lots of food to seclude ourselves on a mountain or something!)
""Ohh~ sounds amusing!""
(Indeed, that sounds fun.)
I see, so living in a place where there are no people like Oswald-san is also a possibility? Well, in that case, I think it will be only for a short period of time, though.
If that happens, I wouldn't be able to buy things easily, so we would have to save up a lot of stuff. And I don't want an inconvenient life!
"Okay, I got it. I will not sell even if we amass a ton of food. A secluded mountain life also sounds good to me."
""(((((Yay~)))))""
"However! Taking every root and branch is out of the question. It would be a problem if we damaged the ecosystem or if the people in need wouldn't be able to get what they need."
""(((((Okay~)))))""
If my children get serious, I feel they would pick off the entire region, so I could only caution them beforehand.
"Let's put the mermaid bracelets to use then."
Vector was still wearing his, so I put bracelets on the other four.
"Allen, Elena, are you wearing yours?"
""Is fine! I put it on~!""
Allen and Elena took the bracelets out from their pouches and put them on.
"Alright, let's swim further into the open sea first then!"
""(((((Ohh~!)))))""
We entered the sea and aimed for the deep sea.
"This will be the first time you guys enter the sea entirely, right? Will you be all right~?"
They played in the shallows, swam in a lake, and submerged themselves in hot spring, but this will be their first time diving, right?
(Yeah, I'm fine~ It sounds fun~)
(Niisama, I have no problems either.)
(I'm sorry, Aniue. I'm not quite used to swimming itself, so it would be a bit impossible for me to fight.)
(Mumumu~ It's hard to go into the direction I want to go.)
(I'm good! But I can't match everyone's speed~)
Well, there seemed to be no problems in general.
"Bolt, just leave the fighting to me, and get used to swimming slowly."
"Allen will fight~"
"Leave it to Elena~"
... Ah~ I don't feel like it's going to be my turn anytime soon again~
"Vector, calm down first. You don't have to flap your limbs so much, just move them slowly."
(Like this? Ah, like this, I see! Yeah, seems somewhat okay!)
"Mile, why don't you hold onto someone."
(Got it! I will hold onto you, Feat!)
(Sure~)
Things should be fine like this.
""Ah!""
Allen and Elena seemed to have found something, and they swam to the bottom of the sea speedily.
(Mu, I can't keep up with Allen and Elena's speed in the water.)
(Truly. My, oh my, they are both so lively today~)
With a little more experience, I'm sure Joule and others will be able to swim as well as Allen and Elena.
I'm just getting used to swimming myself, so I have a feeling that Joule and others will be better at it than me in no time.
"Onii~chan, look, look~"
"It's a pretty flower."
"Yes, yes, I'm coming over now~"
Allen and Elena called me to the bottom of the sea, where there was a slowly swaying yellow flower.
"Oh~ it's a yellow butterfly flower."
""Yellow butterfly?""
"Allen doesn't know."
"Elena too. Is this medicine?"
Allen and Elena have read a lot of encyclopedias and complete botanical books on medicinal herbs, so they are quite familiar with them. But they don't know what's not in the books.
"Erm... yellow butterfly flower can be, more or less, called a medicinal plant, I guess? It's a flower that is mainly used in beauty products."
""Beauty products?""
"They are items used by women. This certainly isn't described in the books we have. We have not bought any recently, so let's buy some books when we get at the town."
""Yeah! Let's buy lots!""
We decided to visit a bookstore when we get to Rubia.
(Hmm, are we taking it?)
"We should, this is something the women of nobility seek, so it might make a good souvenir for Rebecca-san."
""Will make Obaasama happy?""
"Probably."
""Let's pick lots!""
Hearing that it might make their Obaasama——Rebecca-san happy, Allen and Elena got fired up.
"Just don't pick too many~"
""I know!""
... Although I cautioned them, it goes without saying that they collected every root and branch.
~
Underwater Gathering 2
The yellow butterfly flowers are said to be quite valuable, but that's because they bloom on the seafloor, so they are hard to find. The reproductive capacity itself seems to be quite good, so... well, they will be just barely safe.
""I'm so~rry.""
"You thankfully didn't get past the worst part... well, let's leave it at that. But you have to be more careful next time."
""Yes!""
"Mm, good answer!"
Allen and Elena reply cheerfully with their hands raised.
Since they seem to be firmly remorseful, Allen and Elena would not make the same mistake again.
"Now then... shall we move on?"
""You see, you see!""
"What is it?"
""Let's go that way~!""
When I tried to proceed a little deeper, Allen and Elena pointed in the direction they wanted to go.
"That way? I have not decided where to go in particular, so I don't really mind, but did you discover something?"
(Treasure~?)
(Isn't it medicinal plants?)
(A monster, perhaps?)
(Something yummy!)
(I'm sure it's minerals!)
Joule and others raised their predictions in turns.
""N~ Don't know. But...""
"Something's~"
"There~?"
Allen and Elena themselves didn't seem to understand it, so they tilted their heads puzzledly.
"Oh well, that's fine. Let's just see it ourselves."
""(((((Ohh~)))))""
Since it caught Allen and Elena's eyes, something must be there. Well, I planned on wandering around to begin with, so I have no problem going there even if we don't find anything.
""Ah! Crab~""
(Oh, that's not fair! I'm going too~)
The moment monsters entered their sights, Allen and Elena swam towards them at great speeds. Vector chased after the two.
(Wow. They left so vigorously.)
(They are getting further and further apart from Vector.)
"For sure. Well, it's not such a formidable enemy, so they will be fine."
I would stop them if it seemed even a bit dangerous, but it wasn't an enemy they would make a mistake against and get injured, so I let the two do as they please.
"Nevertheless..."
(Is something the matter, Niisama?)
"I cannot confirm since we are still far away, but isn't that a Sand Lobster?"
(It's torso sure does look long.)
It's similar to a crab, but isn't that actually a shrimp? Huh? Or was it a crayfish? Well, whatever, let's go with shrimp.
(Oh, they defeated it.)
(Allen and Elena seem to be dragging the prey back.)
(Vector did not even catch up yet, though.)
(Ah, they passed by each other!)
Vector made a U-turn in panic and chased after the twins again. However, they steadily pulled away again.
""Back~""
"Welcome. Any injuries?"
""None!""
"That's good. By the way, did you have no inclination to wait on Vector?"
""Vector~?""
"He was chasing after you two, but you left him behind both times, you know? Look, over there."
""Nniyu?""
Allen and Elena turned around, faced Vector who was swimming towards us, and they tilted their heads.
"Erm... you didn't notice?"
""Ehehe~""
Looks like they only saw the prey.
(Allen, Elena, why did you not wait for me!)
""Sorry~""
The kids apologized to Vector while smiling, but they did not seem to be reflecting whatsoever.
""You know, you know, it wasn't a crab~""
Rather than that... is what the kids' tone was suggesting to me, as they seemed to have more interest in the Sand Lobster.
"Ah, yes. That's a Sand Lobster. It's not a crab but something like a shrimp."
""Shrimp!""
Allen and Elena's eyes were sparkling.
"Big!"
"Ebi fry!"
""Wanna eat!""
"This sized!?"
""Yea!""
The Sand Lobster was half the size of the twins' bodies.
"I don't think I will be able to put it over a fire at this size, you know?"
""Ehh~~~""
It might seem done from the outside, but I wouldn't want it to be raw on the inside, so when I voiced out my opinion, the kids raised their voices in displeasure.
"Wouldn't it be better to cut it into bite sizes and eat it in other various dishes?"
""Other dishes?""
"In addition to ebi fry, I have eaten ebi chili before. There's also ebi mayo, ebi tempura, you can also use the tempura for onigiri. Don't you think that a cream stew also sounds good?"
When I named the shrimp dishes I could recall, the children's faces gradually lit up. Well, Joule and others were the same, so everyone's faces were bright.
""Wanna eat all!""
(They are all dishes I have never heard about!)
(Is one Sand Lobster going to be enough for all of those dishes, though?)
(Indeed. One does not seem to be enough.)
(Hunt more!)
(We have to find them first! Let's search!)
I just wanted to deflect the giant ebi fry idea, but I have ended up motivating them in a different way.
""Depaaart~""
(((((Ohhh~)))))
From there, the actions of the kids were swift.
""That way~""
(Roger that. That way it is.)
They started looking for the Sand Lobsters.
"Over there~!"
"Over there as well~!"
Allen and Elena immediately found Sand Lobsters and split up.
(Wait up~)
(My, oh my, they really are eager, aren't they~)
Joule and Bolt followed Allen, while Feat and Vector went after Elena. Mile stayed with me.
The other kids seemed to get used to swimming already as they followed Allen and Elena with quite the speed.
"Ohh—"
"Yaa—"
However, even though they have gotten used to it, they were still unable to catch up with Allen and Elena, so when they arrived, Allen and Elena already finished dealing with the Sand Lobsters.
(Hm~mm, we still can't catch up, huh~)
(As expected, it's not the same as running on the ground.)
(Swimming is just way too different from flying for me.)
(So-ve-xi-ng~~~)
(Allen and Elena are unrivaled in water!)
Unlike the twins, who have returned to me with beaming smiles, Joule and others had frustrated looks on their faces.
"Allen, Elena, don't rush so much because we would be troubled if something unexpected happened."
""Okay~""
Allen and Elena, who were obsessed with hunting, didn't stop so easily though, as they kept hunting not only Sand Lobsters, but also other various monsters.
~
Ebi Dishes
""Ah!""
(Allen, Elena, what did you find this time?)
"Over there, over there."
"Slumber is there~"
Slumber grass has a sleep effect, it's a medicinal herb used in drugs to relieve insomnia.
Allen and Elena moved whilst hunting monsters, but they didn't forget about looking out for herbs. That is so like them, but——
"Hey~ It's way past noon already, you know~"
If I didn't interrupt them now, we would go without lunch. I'm fine with that myself, but it wouldn't be good for the children's bodies, so I called out to them.
""Lunch!""
"Yep. We need to take proper meals, so it's about time we take a break."
""Au~ hungry~""
Being pointed out by me, Allen and Elena seemed to realize that they were actually hungry.
(Oh no! We have to quickly find a place where we can eat!)
(Indeed, I hope there is an island or a rocky area nearby~)
(Shall we go to the surface first?)
(Quickly! Let's go quickly!)
(Takumi Nii, let's hurry up to the surface!)
Noticing that the children were hungry, Joule and others got panicky.
"Now, now, don't panic. I've heard that it's bad for your body to surface from a depth rapidly, so take it slowly."
(Eh, is that so?)
"I don't know whether it's true or not because I didn't study it any further, but it wouldn't hurt to be cautious."
Or was it a sickness of someone who had been diving for a long time? Or is it unrelated?
N~ Our bodies are healthy and I can just heal us with magic when it comes to it, but... no, it would still be better to stop them from surfacing rapidly.
""Puhaa~""
We took some time to reach the surface of the sea.
(Oh, there's a rocky reef over there!)
(It's on the smaller size, but big enough for us to rest on.)
"Indeed. Let's go over there then."
Looking around, we found a rocky reef that looked acceptable for us to rest on, so we moved there immediately.
"Now then, what do you guys want for lun——"
""Ebi~!""
"I know you guys are looking forward to it, but let's leave that for the evening."
""Ehh~""
"I have cream buns, anpan, curry bread and also various sandwiches in my Infinite Storage that you guys can eat right away... are you against that?"
""Is not!""
Since I was wearing a mermaid bracelet, I didn't get dirty or wet, so I immediately started thinking about what I should do for lunch. Unfortunately, cooking now would make our late lunch even later, so I decided to leave the shrimp dishes for dinner and simply have some bread and hot soup from my Infinite Storage for lunch.
"What would you like to eat?"
""Cream buns!""
(I would also like to eat cream buns~)
(Niisama, do you have any egg sandwiches?)
(I... I would like Aniue's recommendation.)
(I want curry bread!)
(I'd like a nutty pastry!)
When I handed everyone their desired bread, and a tuna-onion bread to Bolt, Allen and Elena dug in right away. They must have been really hungry.
(Niichan, I want to eat what Bolt is eating.)
"Allen too~"
"Elena too~"
(Me too~)
(Niisama, could I have one as well?)
Allen, Elena, Joule, and Feat followed after Vector.
"Of course, it's fine. What about Bolt and Mile?"
(I would like one more but something different, please?)
(I am full!)
Mile said she was full with just one piece of pastry, so I gave the two kids and the three animals some tuna-onion bread, and handed Bolt a cream bun.
By the way, I made white bean paste and sweet potato paste, but forgot to make bread with them. Oh, and I remembered that I was trying to make a paste with Ishiuri as well. I also made cream mixed with chocolate, so a chocolate cream bun sounds good too.
I would also like to make more kinds of side dish bread. What we have now are sandwiches, tuna-onion bread, and bread for curry and sausages? Ah~ but I don't have to go through the trouble of making side dish breads, I can just make various pizzas and sandwiches and put them in my Infinite Storage. Oh, burgers might be good too!
"Let's take a short break after we are done eating and slowly return to the beach."
""(((((Okay~)))))""
After the break, we slowly made our way back to the beach, looking for food ingredients on the way. By the time we returned to the beach, the children had already found lots of medicinal herbs and other ingredients.
"Let's do some Ebi cooking then!"
""Will help~""
I will try to do some Ebi dishes for dinner as planned.
"We have to dismantle a Sand Lobster first."
I've been asking the adventurer's guild to do most of the dismantling for me, so I haven't gained any proficiency in the Dismantling skill. But since Syl has set my initial proficiency level to expert, I can do dismantling myself without any problems.
"Allen, Elena, rub these pieces for me."
""Okay~""
I cut the dismantled lobster into bite-sizes, sprinkled them with salt and starch, and had the children rub it into them.
"After you give it a good rub, wash it under water and wipe off the moisture. Can you do it?"
""Can~!""
I think I will cook them as they are for ebi chili, or batter them and deep-fry them for ebi mayo.
Tempura... let's leave that for another time. I think I would like to have tempura with various vegetables and other seafood.
Oh, ebi katsu would be good too. I would like to make a big batch and put it in bread! I should also use the leftover shells to make bisque.
A shrimp gratin with white sauce and cheese on top sounds good too. Ah, no, I'd rather make a doria with rice underneath.
""Next is~?""
"Can you mix this for me?"
""Yeah!""
I cooked more and more while asking the children for help.
"Alright, this is the last one!"
""Is done~""
(Oh~ you have made so many~)
(All of them look delicious~)
(They are all dishes I have never seen before.)
(So hungry~)
(Amazing!)
Hearing our words, Joule and the others came up to us as if they had been waiting, looking at the dishes on display and voicing out their admiration.
(Ah, right. Niisama, you can do it after the meal, but could you deal with the pile over there?)
"Erm... what is that?"
(It's not like we could rest while you guys were cooking, right? That's why we looked for stuff in the meantime.)
In the direction indicated by Feat, there was a small mountain of fish, ingredients and monster materials.
Apparently, everyone had split up and collected them.
(We worked hard~)
(We did our best!)
"Ehhen!" Joule and Vector puffed up their chest with pride.
""You worked hard~""
Allen and Elena stroked Joule and Vector's heads.
"That really is a lot~ Thank you, everyone. You must have become hungry after working so hard, right? Well then, let's eat before the food gets cold."
""(((((Yeah! Let's dig in!)))))""
Everyone's momentum was incredible when they started eating.
"Hey now, hey now! Eat a little more slowly."
They seemed to like the ebi dishes very much, but eating this fast is not good.
""Onii~chan all are yummy!""
(I like this one with mayonnaise the most!)
(The soup is to my liking~)
(Aniue, the White Wheat under this syrupy white sauce is very good!)
(Chomp, chomp.)
(Vector, don't talk with your mouth full! Takumi Nii, I definitely want you to make this crispy fried thingy again!)
We have plenty of Sand Lobsters, and there are still many dishes I want to make, so I will be surely making another ebi dish before long.
~
EXTRA 1: Syl's Anguish
"T, there's no mochi!?"
After sending the Red Wheat, I, the Wind God Sylphreel, was waiting for Takumi-san's response with excitement.
However, what Takumi-san sent me back was not mochi made from Red Wheat, but desserts called crepes. No, it's not like I don't like these crepes. They look very delicious so I am very happy about receiving them.
However, what the Creation God, Marianora-sama wanted to eat was mochi, you know~
"No, I'm sure Marianora-sama will be happy about these crepes, too!"
"What is it~?"
"!!"
Suddenly hearing Marianora-sama's voice from behind me, I got so surprised my body froze in place.
"Sylphreel, you called for me just now, no? Oh my! Is this perhaps!?"
"Ta, Takumi-san sent me this just now. They are desserts called crepes."
"I see! So they are crepes, after all! I wonder what they are filled with?"
"Erm... berries, custard, and chocolate, if I'm not mistaken."
"My, oh my! My favorite is choco-banana with fresh cream, but this combination also sounds delicious!"
Marianora-sama discovered the crepes and her eyes started sparkling. Oh, great. It seems that even crepes are okay!
"He sent enough for everyone, so let's call Salamanteel and Nomoodle over."
"Sure!——Mm, both will be coming soon."
"Thank you very much.——Well then, Vint, prepare some tea for us."
"Understood."
Marianora-sama contacted the Fire God Salamanteel and Earth God Nomoodle via telepathy. Seeing her quickly take a seat on a chair by a table she created herself with a full smile, I immediately told Vint to prepare drinks for us.
"I'm here~"
"Have you called, Marianora-sama?"
Salamanteel and Nomoodle arrived before Vint prepared tea. Too fast.
Well, it's Marianora-sama who called them, so they treated it as their top priority, I guess.
"Oh, is this perhaps food that Takumi sent?"
"That's something I haven't seen before once again. I'm looking forward to it."
Salamanteel and Nomoodle took seats, looking very fidgety.
They have also been captivated by the variety of foods Takumi-san sends, after all~
Well, the same goes for me, though!
"I am sorry to have kept you waiting."
"Here it is! Okay, let's quickly dig in!"
The tea we were waiting for arrived, so we immediately started eating the crepes.
"N~~~! So delicious~ As expected of Takumi-san."
"Ohh~ yummy! Syl, what's this called?"
"They are called crepes. And yes, they are truly delicious!"
"So they are crepes, huh. Sweet and sour fruits go well with the sweet cream."
All the food that Takumi-san makes is really delicious.
Of course, Marianora-sama, Salamanteel and Nomoodle were eating with relish.
"Fufu."
While I was enjoying the crepe, Marianora-sama let out a modest laugh.
"What's the matter, Marianora-sama?"
"It's not like we are on bad terms, but we don't often drink tea together like this, right~"
"Come to think of it... that's right."
"Indeed. The only times we saw each other was for work-related matters, after all~"
"Yes, only when we need something from the other at that."
I was startled by Marianora-sama's words. It's certainly true that we don't normally relax together like this...
Salamanteel and Nomoodle who just noticed that, were also surprised.
"See, isn't that right? That's I was thinking that this is also quite nice~ Fufu, this is also thanks to Takumi-san, isn't it~"
Marianora-sama smiled happily.
But, you could indeed say it like that. Was it not for Takumi-san's food, I don't think we would have gathered like this before?
"But it's unfortunate that Windell is not present."
However, the expressions of us three changed completely with Marianora-sama's next remark.
Indeed. Because the Water God Windell is not present, you can't really say that we all gathered! We are missing a compatriot who said he was leaving on a honeymoon to who knows where! Why is there not even a word from him!?
"... I really wonder where Windell is wandering now~~~"
"Windell is freer than anyone, after all!"
"Is that really something you should be saying, Salamanteel?"
I must be making a bitter face now. Salamanteel looked amused and Nomoodle was making a disappointed face.
"That child has a free-spirited disposition, after all~"
"Marianora-sama! Please don't just scold him when he returns, but give him a proper punishment. Even though it doesn't look like it, we are still bothering Takumi-san with the mess he made!"
"Ehh~ but we are able to eat the leftovers thanks to that~"
"Eh?"
"Look, we can eat delicious things like these only because Takumi-san is taking care of the children, no? That's why I can't be too harsh on Windell~"
"......"
That might be true? No, but, even so, Takumi-san is my retainer, so this would happen even if he wasn't taking care of the children... right?
"T, this and that are different stories."
"Well, whatever we do will happen only after Windell returns, right?"
"That's right, we also need to hear what Windell has to say for himself, after all."
"That's true, but~~~"
Ugh~~~ Salamanteel and Nomoodle aren't directly related, so they can be nonchalant about this.
"It's fine, Sylphreel. I will think about it properly.
"All we have to do is to provide all the support we can. By the way, what ingredients are needed to make this crepe?"
"Erm... he didn't use any particularly rare ingredients, I believe."
... Nomoodle? Are you thinking of sending him ingredients to make crepes again?
"Nana fruit! And also fresh cream! Milk with lots of fat!"
"Nana fruit, is it? Marianora-sama, there are no Nana fruits in these crepes, no?"
"Nope! But you can enjoy all kinds of flavors with crepes, just like with ice cream! And choco-banana reigns supreme among crepe flavors! That and Nana fruit with fresh cream!"
"I see, I am really curious now."
... Does this mean I have to ask Takumi-san to send me chocolate-banana crepes?
"""Sylphreel."""
The three looked at me all at once.
... As I thought.
◇ ◇ ◇
"!!"
The day after we ate the crepes, Takumi-san sent me some mochi.
I had expected it to take a while for Takumi-san to send me mochi since I just received the crepes from him, but he sent it the very next day! It was a happy miscalculation. Moreover, he made sure that I can enjoy various flavors!
"Let's tell everyone at onc... no, wait?"
I think we should put off eating this mochi for a while longer. I mean, I don't know when Takumi-san will send us food again.
I can also play this hidden card when everyone will look at me with faces that say "Is it still not the time yet?".
"Sylphreel?"
"Whoah!!"
"Sylphreel, you cannot."
I heard Marianora-sama's voice from behind me, causing me to shudder.
"I won't get angry with you since you weren't trying to monopolize it, but you shouldn't do that either."
"I'm so sorry~~~"
Marianora-sama smiled at me, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking.
When it comes to sweets, there's nothing that can escape Marianora-sama's sight, after all~
"I am glad you understand~"
That being the case, Takumi-san, I ate the mochi deliciously with everyone right away.
They were really yummy!
~
Town of Rubia
"We've arrived!"
""Finally~""
The next morning after enjoying the ebi dishes, we went straight to the town of Rubia.
We rode Joule and Feat's backs until halfway, and when we got to the area where we could see the town from, I asked them to return to my shadow, and from that point we walked, arriving at the town around midday.
"Now then, I guess we should visit the Ruven mansion first?"
""Yeah!""
"Let's go see."
"Obaasama~"
After we arrived at the town, we went straight to the Ruven mansion without stopping.
"Takumi-san! Allen-chan! Elena-chan!"
As soon as we arrived, Rebecca-san came to welcome us. She had apparently arranged to be informed as soon as we arrived at the town, so she was waiting for us.
... Come to think of it, something similar had happened in Bailey.
"Welcome home! I have been waiting for you!"
"We are home, Rebecca-san."
""Obaasama~ we are home~""
Rebecca-san who greeted with "Welcome home" instead of just "Welcome" not only hugged the twins but I also received a big hug myself. As expected, it was quite embarrassing for me, so I asked her to let go of me quickly and she hugged Allen and Elena again.
"Has there been any change in your condition?"
""Is fine~! How about Obaasama?""
"I am also doing fine. Did you have fun adventuring?"
""Yea!""
"So many."
"Stories to tell!"
"My, oh my, I'm looking forward to it~"
Rebecca-san is quite young for a grandmother, but their exchange was really like that of grandchildren who came to see their grandmother after a long time.
"Takumi-san, you have no plans for today, right?"
"Of course, we don't have any."
"I'm glad to hear that. Then, I will have tea prepared, so I wonder if you can tell me about your adventure?"
""Okay! Will tell~""
As she led us through a much larger mansion than the one in the capital, we arrived to the lounge.
""You see, you see.""
When we settled down on a comfy sofa, the children immediately started talking to Rebecca-san.
The two took turns talking about meeting the Battle Eagles, swimming in the lake we discovered, their experiences mining in the town of Kelm, about the hot springs, how we flew to the neighboring country on the backs of wyverns, and about their frolicking with gryphons.
"My, my! You have had so many adventures~"
""Yea!""
Hearing about it again like this, we certainly did many things in short period of time, didn't we~
""Also, also!""
"We have!"
"Souvenirs!"
Ah, right. I forgot to give her the souvenirs.
"Oh my, souvenirs? What is it, I wonder?"
""Fur~!""
"They are pelts for the rugs. Tyrant Bear and Bloody Wolf. The Bloody Wolf pelt has yet to be processed, but please use them in this mansion or the mansion in the capital by all means."
I took just the Tyrant Bear rug out of my Infinite Storage for now and showed it to Rebecca-san.
"My, oh my, these are some amazing souvenirs again~ It looks like you have realized what I told you at that time."
"Obaasama!"
"You remember!"
"Of course. I remember what we talked about properly. Thank you both."
""Ehehe~""
Seeing that Rebecca-san was happy, Allen and Elena laughed out loud.
""But you see~""
"Don't have."
"Dragon meat~"
However, Allen and Elena's expressions suddenly got a little dejected.
Indeed, Rebecca-san spoke about dragon meat when she left the capital...
"We, unfortunately, did not come across any dragons, so we couldn't procure the meat."
"Fufu, that is unfortunate. But it cannot be helped if you didn't encounter any. I will be always looking forward to it."
""Will do my best!""
Rebecca-san wasn't serious, but the kids were very serious. Looks like we will go on a serious dragon hunt when we encounter one.
""Also~ we have yellow butterflies~""
"Yellow butterflies? Eh, are you perhaps talking about Yellow Butterfly flowers? Those that bloom in the sea...?"
"Yes, those very Yellow Butterfly flowers."
"My, oh my! I heard that it's quite difficult to find Yellow Butterfly flowers, but it seems to be an easy task for you guys~"
"Allen and Elena found them and worked hard to collect many."
""Found lots!""
"My, my, but you worked so hard to gather them, so why don't you sell them and buy lots of stuff you guys want instead?"
Thinking that it wouldn't be good of her to receive something so rare, Rebecca-san suggested selling the Yellow Butterfly flowers instead.
""... You don't want?""
Instantly, Allen and Elena looked sad.
"My, my, don't misunderstand me, Allen-chan, Elena-chan. It's not that I don't want it, I just thought it would be wasteful for me to get them because they are so valuable."
""Is not wasteful!!""
Rebecca-san explained in a hurry, but Allen and Elena were hurt by her words instead.
"Gee~ you guys are so cute! Fufu, thank you. Well then, I will accept your offer, so could I have a flower?"
"A flower?"
"Only one?"
"Yes, that's right. We can do lots with one flower."
""Is that so?""
I don't know how Yellow Butterfly flowers are used, but I'm sure they will be either extracted or made into powder and then processed into beauty products, so I guess you can make a good amount from one flower.
"Well, we won't be selling all the remaining flowers, so please let me know if you need more."
"Fufu, thank you, Takumi-san."
We have many Yellow Butterfly flowers, after all. I wouldn't sell everything even by a mistake.
"We also know precisely where the flowers grow, so we can go gather them again if necessary."
""Will get them!""
"My, oh my, how reliable you are~"
I remember where the cluster was. I'm sure they will regrow after some time, so we can just go get more when needed. Even if there are no Yellow Butterfly flowers blooming in that spot, I'm sure we will find more if we look around.
"What else could be considered a souvenir..."
"Fish~"
"Ebi~"
"Ah, right. We have a lot of fresh fish and fruit to give you."
""Sparkly~""
"Sparkly? Erm... you mean the crystals? The ones you picked up in the Kelm mines?"
"Red."
"Big one."
"Red and big one. And sparkly... ahh, the ruby!"
The kids mean the ruby ore they dug up in Kelm's mines. I have no use for it myself, and it's a bit too early for Elena to make use of it.
"Wait a moment, Takumi-san. I am happy to receive fish and fruits, but as expected, I cannot accept crystals and rubies."
"I'd like to help you financially, can't I?"
"My, oh my, you are saying something sweet~ But, I can't accept it. I mean, you are already supporting me enough."
I know that it's a very expensive item to buy and sell. But we get most of stuff on our own, so we don't have to worry about money. Well, it's something that's slightly tickling the boundaries of common sense, so it can't be helped~
"That's too bad. Allen, Elena, let's use the gems on another occassion."
""Another occasion?""
"Like a birthday or gift for some kind of celebration."
""Got it! Let's do that!""
Next time, we won't mention the name of the object. I'll make sure to pack it well and let the recipient receive it without knowing what it is.
~
Surprising Report
Velio-san and Almeria-san joined us before dinner and we then ate the meal together.
""So big~""
"Tummy."
"Bouncy-bounce?"
Almeria-san's belly wasn't that big when we parted in the capital, but she now gives off the "pregnant woman" vibe.
This is Allen and Elena's first time looking at a pregnant woman so they stared at her belly in amazement.
"Allen, Elena, it's not that her belly is full from the meal, okay?"
""Is not~?""
"Fufu, there's a baby, a child in there~"
""Child!""
The two were surprised by Rebecca-san's words and stared fixedly at Almeria-san's belly.
"Allen-kun, Elena-chan, come. I will let you pat it?"
Allen and Elena approached Almeria-san and timidly patted her belly.
""Wow!""
"Fufu, looks like it said hello to us today."
The fetus must have moved while the two were patting her belly. Allen and Elena were still staring with their eyes wide open in wonder.
"Velio-san, when is Almeria-san due?"
"We are estimating the next month."
"Is that so! That's something to look forward to."
It's a rare experience for a child to be born by Allen and Elena's side~
Rather, this will be my first, too. A nephew or niece is going to be born, so I'm a little excited.
"We will have to celebrate the birth, right?"
""Celebrate!""
When I whispered to Allen and Elena who returned to my side, their eyes started sparkling.
As expected, I won't be gifting the ruby that Rebecca-san rejected a while ago to the baby, but we have to look for something nice now!
We continued to eat and talk happily, but the children seemed to be still not talking enough, so we decided to move to the lounge. Oh, except the pregnant Almeria-san who returned to her room.
"Right, Takumi-kun. I have a request for the children."
There, Velio-san approached me to consult with something.
"A request for the children? Erm, what is it?"
"Takumi-kun, did you hear that Wald has decided to marry?"
"N?"
For a moment, I couldn't understand what Velio-san was saying.
"Eeeeehh~!? M, marry!? Wald-sama is!?"
I let out a scream unconsciously.
I mean, I never imagined Wald-sama getting married!
"... Looks like you didn't hear about it. Mother, I asked you to tell him, didn't I?"
"Fufu, I was absorbed in chatting with Allen-chan and Elena-chan, so I forgot to mention it. I'm sorry."
Ah~ It certainly was mostly us doing the talking, so we didn't even ask Rebecca-san how her family was doing in the meantime just yet~ This was my bad for not bringing the subject up.
"Is it really true that Wald-sama is getting married? Not a joke?"
"It is the truth. I really wouldn't be joking about this!"
"Oh my~ That's so unbelievable..."
"Well, you are right about that. My little brother often said that he has no interest in marriage, after all. But, he means it. The wedding is scheduled to take place in winter, will you guys also attend?"
"Eh, isn't that too fast?"
Winter? Isn't that only about six months later?
When it comes to marriage among the nobility, they usually get engaged first and marry after a year... that's what I have been thinking. Marrying in half a year is quite soon, isn't it?
"Well, yeah. It's considerably hurried for the nobility. However, it's not that uncommon, so it's fine."
"I see. I will attend the wedding, of course."
"Is that so? Thank you."
I have to appreciate Wald-sama's formal appearances, after all!
"But, it's a noble wedding, right? Can someone like me attend? Moreover, you said 'you guys' so is it fine for Allen and Elena to go, too?"
"Of course, it's fine. Wald is not the eldest, and the two protagonists aren't set on following the formalities, so they plan on inviting only the people they are close with. That's why we would be happy if Allen-kun and Elena-chan attended as well. Rather, this is where my request comes."
"Ah, right. Pardon me, I was so shocked about Wald-sama's marriage that I totally forgot we even talked about something like that."
"I was also shocked when I heard about it for the first time, so I understand. And so, I would like the kids to assist with the wedding procession."
"Assist with the wedding procession...?"
Speaking of children helping during the wedding ceremony... is it that? Like scattering petals on the aisle where the bride and groom walk?
"Do you know what the role of the petal scatterer is?"
Ah, as I thought. So they have that in this world too~
"Yes, I know... but isn't that done by relatives' children?"
"Oh my, Allen-chan and Elena-chan are my grandchildren, and they are Wald's nephew and niece, no? There's no problem here!"
When I asked Velio-san, Rebecca-san replied as a matter of course.
However... if we follow the relationship that Rebecca-san decided on, it would make me Allen and Elena's father, not older brother. Well, that doesn't really matter, though~
"Allen, Elena, what do you want to do?"
""Will help!""
Allen and Elena replied instantly. Well, I didn't think they would refuse.
"Then, I guess we should start collecting lots of white petals from now on."
""Collect~!""
Since the wedding is in winter, there will be fewer flowers in bloom by then. So, we better start gathering plenty of flowers now and store them in the Infinite Storage!
Oh, I also need to prepare a wedding gift! We might as well gift him something that would make him go "Even this!?" while at it!
"We originally planned to rake up the flowers in winter from wherever possible, but... it looks like we should leave the trouble to you guys."
"Yes, we will get something so gorgeous others won't be even able to compare with."
Rebecca-san and Velio-san smiled wryly.
"Takumi-san, don't try too hard."
"That's right, Takumi-kun. We would be happy if you restrained it to something within common sense... or something slightly above."
They are apparently already imagining what we would do... I wonder what they are imagining? Should we prepare some amazing flowers to meet their expectations now?
No, but Wald-sama is the leading actor, so it wouldn't be good if his scolding angry voice echoed around, right~ I would feel sorry for the bride, too.
N~ then, let's prepare as much as possible, and leave it for the Ruven family to decide what is usable and what is not.
"Understood. Or rather, I don't know what is acceptable anyway, so I would be happy if you told me when the preparations start."
"Takumi-kun, use moderation, please. We don't have an endless budget."
"Nono, what budget are you talking about? I don't plan to charge you for it. It's a family celebration, after all."
"Eh?"
Velio-san let out a dumbfounded voice.
Hahaha~ If Rebecca-san and others are going to treat us as relatives, then we have to take advantage of it.
"Right, Allen, Elena? We are going to do our best for Wald-sama."
""Yeah, celebration, will work hard!""
"My, oh my."
Seeing the kids so fired up, Rebecca-san smiled with a "It cannot be helped, right~" look on her face.
~
Lyra
"Is there anything else we can do to help with the wedding preparations?"
"Thank you, Takumi-san. But I will just accept your feelings."
It seems that the wedding preparations are being done in the Capital, so there was nothing special to do here. Thus, we decided to focus all our efforts on collecting flowers and preparing gifts.
Oh, by the way, I also asked about Wald-sama's marriage partner, but I was only told that she was a Marquis' daughter from Guardia and that she had silver hair and blue eyes. Apparently, they didn't want us to judge what kind of person she was based on appearances. Well, it was a pity, but I could understand what Rebecca-san was saying, so I backed off since I was able to get the bare minimum.
The conversation seemed to have run its course, so I decided to get ready for bed. The kids still look like they didn't talk enough, but we will stay in the town for a while, so convince them that they will be able to talk whenever they want.
"It's here."
Rebecca-san showed us into the room herself.
"So big!"
""There's no bed~?""
"Fufu, the bedroom is behind that door."
"Eh, the bedroom is separate!?"
"We tried to make sure it doesn't deviate from your tastes, but what do you think?"
"My, my tastes?"
"Yeah, I mean, this is your room, Takumi-san. You have to be able to relax in your room."
"!!"
Although we were guided to this room, I was quite surprised that this wasn't a guest room, but my room. Or rather, I was feeling apologetic.
Moreover, she also said "I also had Allen-chan and Elena-chan's room prepared, but it's not complete yet and I thought they would dislike it, so I will have it ready when they get older." So that means this is not a temporary room, but a room that I would be able to use semi-permanently.
"Oh, I will have it fixed if you don't like it, so just say the word. Of course, if you want something changed or something is missing, you can also tell me immediately."
"Nono, I won't say I dislike it! I just feel apologetic that you had to prepare a room for me..."
"I'm not telling you to stay here forever. Just remember that there's a place for you here and you can come back once in a while. You just arrived today and must be tired, right? Take a good rest."
""Good night~""
The depths of Rebecca-san's pockets were on display once again. Or rather, I almost cried.
Moreover, she swiftly left after saying that.
◇ ◇ ◇
"N?"
I was relaxing on the king bed, ready for bed, when I heard a steady tapping on the window.
""Onii~chan, what is it?""
"N~ there's a bird."
""Bird~?""
As I slowly approached the window, I saw a small red bird pecking at the window, so I opened it. Then, the red bird stopped at the window frame without hesitation.
"Cuckoo."
"Erm...?"
The bird seemed affectionate to humans.
"Ah, is it perhaps Lyra?"
"Cuckoo."
The red bird chirped in affirmation. It appeared to be Oswald-san's familiar Lyra.
I was told about Lyra, so looking at the red bird's characteristics, it immediately came to my mind. However, I thought that Edenbirds were larger than this... ah, it has the same Shrinking skill that Joule, Feat, and Vector have, so it made its body smaller with that!
"Indeed. Coming to the town in the big form would only frighten the townspeople, and it might be even mistaken as a monster attacking the town."
I have also sent Joule to the town as a messenger before, but I told him to get smaller that time.
"Have you come on a shopping errand?"
Oswald-san and Marshelly-san said they had a shortage of goods other than ingredients, so they immediately sent Lyra to purchase some things.
"Cuckoo."
"Eh? Ehhh!?"
""Wow~""
Lyra chirped in affirmation, and various things appeared all over the table and floor. Among them were baskets full of fruits and vegetables.
"Oh, it's a magic ring!"
Magic ring is a magic tool with the same function as the magic bag. However, it's a magic tool that is much rarer than a magic bag, but Lyra was carrying it.
"First of all... this, I guess?"
I picked up the letter that was on the table.
"Erm..."
The letter was quick and apologetic, but it asked us to buy something.
We spoke about going to Rubia, so they must have sent Lyra to meet us here.
The letter also asked us to give the fruits and vegetables to the people in the mansion where we would be staying. I told Oswald-san that we were going to see someone we knew, so he was being quite considerate.
"Let's see, the things they want Lyra to bring back are... pots and tableware, cloth and paper."
When I looked at the list of things they wanted to buy, I found that there were very few food items, but many consumable items that were needed for daily life. I guess they really were lacking in many things.
"They also want some novels, huh."
Since these were entertainment items, it would have been too much of a hassle for the person in charge of the shopping to purchase for them. I don't know the lineup of books that Oswald-san already has, but it should be okay if we choose relatively new books, right?
As for the price, it might be a hassle since he was giving us monster materials, but he wants us to sell them to pay for it. In addition, it was written that the extra money was a labor charge and should not be returned.
"... It's obviously way too many materials."
There were furs and fangs, and obviously too much of them.
""This is amaz~""
Moreover, there was a red feather the size of the children's bodies among the materials.
"Is this perhaps Lyra's feather?"
"Cuckoo."
When I asked Lyra, she gave an immediate reply. It sounded to be affirmative.
If an A-rank Edenbird feather is included, it's pretty hard to say that the change was not worth the trouble. And since it says "non-returnable," they seem to have anticipated that I would think that way.
"I don't have these things at hand, so we will have to go buy them tomorrow. I will buy various and I mean lots of various stuff for you to bring home."
""Going shopping~""
Since I cannot return the change, why don't we buy everything that seems usable for Lyra to bring home!
"Lyra, we will go shopping tomorrow, but what are you going to do until then? If you stay in that form, you can go shopping with us too."
"Cuckoo?"
As you can imagine, I don't have everything ready right now, so I had to ask Lyra to wait until I have everything ready. And when I asked her what she wanted to do in the meantime, she just tilted her head and froze.
""Lyra~?""
Seeing Lyra's reaction, even Allen and Elena tilted their heads.
"Err... What did you do with the previous person? Were you waiting outside the town?"
"... Cuckoo."
"Eh, you were going to come back the next day to pick up the stuff then?"
"... Cuckoo."
"I see."
Lyra made a small noise and nodded slightly.
So it's the first time she's been asked to go shopping, and she's frozen in place, unsure of what to do?
"Well, why don't you come with us then? Then let's go together, and if there's something you like, we can try to buy it too."
"Let's go~"
"Shopping together~"
Allen and Elena seemed to be in favor. There was no response from Lyra, but she didn't seem to disagree.
I put away the things she brought us in the Infinite Storage, then took out a basket and cloth to make a bed for her, and gently lifted the stunned Lyra and put her in it.
"Let's sleep then."
""Okay, good night~""
"Yes, good night."
I decided to turn off the light in the room and go to bed, not wanting to hear any more objections.
***********************