CH 7

Living with cat ears, I can spend my days without any inconvenience.

And thanks to cat ears, I was painfully made aware of it.

Cat ears bought everything.

He also bought me a desk and a chair so that I could study anywhere.

What’s more, it’s not such a simple item as a foldable table, but something that looked expensive.

Perhaps he thought that books were good for memorizing letters, so he bought a lot of picture books and books with basic letters.

It’s like a book with hiragana in Japan.

Thanks to that, my study progressed, but how much did he spend?

He bought me clothes and shoes, and I also have cat ears responsible for my food expenses.

It’s a considerably rich treatment.

Once I’ve mastered the language completely with this, I’d live a more comfortable life than I did in Japan.

What did cat ears think after spending so much money on me?

I thought cat ears is from the military, and it really seemed like it.

Seeing him training with a sword made me realize that I’m in a different world.

In Japan, holding one would send you to jail immediately.

Cat ears smiled at me whenever I looked at them.

This guy is too sweet for me.

Even though he’d get angry at rabbit ears.

…is this the difference between a subordinate and a foster child?

I think cat ears is sweet to me, but also serious at work. I also think that rabbit ears is a good guy.

Sometimes, rabbit ears would be screamed at. I think he’s a lot more childish than cat ears.

Even though their ages didn’t seem too far apart, their temperaments are very different.

But I don’t hate guys like rabbit ears.

At first, I thought that rabbit ears was disgusting, but now that I’m used to it, I don’t think much of it.

On the contrary, that messed-up character was soothing to watch.

When I laughed at rabbit ears being reprimanded by cat ears, rabbit ears had a comical expression.

If I could return to my original form, I’d definitely want us to be friends.

Cat ears is…more of a guardian than a friend.

Even if I return to my original form, it seemed like cat ears would still treat me like a child.

He looked to be in his mid-20s while I’m 18 years old in the appearance of a child.

(That reminds me, I haven’t heard how old he is.)

Let’s ask after returning.

…no, is it better to ask now?

I also want to hear rabbit ears’ age.

Cat ears will come during the break, so I’ll ask them at that time.

(But, how should I ask it?)

He didn’t understand when I said I’m 18, and I still didn’t know how to say “year”.

Can someone else tell me about his age?

…is it impossible until I learned more words?

“What’s wrong?”

While I was thinking, the break seemed to have started and cat ears asked me.

But I can’t ask if I don’t know how to say it.

As expected, I have to study more.

“Thank you.”

When I got the book, I uttered the words thank you, which he taught me.

It’s unclear if I pronounced it well.

I thought I did it wrong but I was given a pleased expression.

He lifted me and stroked my head.

Did cat ears have the habit of stroking a child’s head?

I haven’t seen any children other than me yet.

Well, it seemed like there were only soldiers here, so maybe excluding me, I wouldn’t see any in this town.

I walked around the town from cat ears’ house to here.

I’d love to ask that too, but I still don’t know the words to ask.

“****?”

(Hn? Just now, what did he say?)

Looking up, the same thing was said again.

I tilted my head and my head was stroked again.

It’d be a long way before we could communicate.

“**, thanks for your hard work.”

Cat ears’ name is hard to pronounce.

Maybe they’re similar to each other.

I don’t even think I said rabbit ears’ name right.

“****?”

Cat ears didn’t seem to understand.

I don’t know how to say thanks for your hard work, so I had no choice but to stroke his head and tell him again.

Even though he’d always stroke my head, he’d be very surprised if I did it.

“Thank you.”

However, since I said thank you, it seemed like he understood a little about what I meant.

When I smiled, cat ears also smiled.

I don’t think it makes sense to point a smile that would make any woman fall for him at me.

“Kou, ******.”

Rabbit ears approached while saying something.

…he looked terribly tired.

He sparred with cat ears a while ago, but cat ears one-sidedly overwhelmed him.

It seemed like cat ears is not only high ranking but also strong.

He’s military-ish, so he wouldn’t be in that position if he wasn’t strong.

“**?”

When I said rabbit ears’ name, cat ears stared at rabbit ears for some reason.

Did that mean it wasn’t rabbit ears’ break time?

Is he tired so he’s just taking a break?

If he’s taking a break arbitrarily, it’s no wonder that cat ears, his boss, is angry.

But──

“All right?”

He seemed pretty tired, so why not take a rest?

“Kou, ******!”

He stroked my head while saying something.

Was I praised…?

Did he say something like “good guy (yoiyakko)”?

However, the pronunciation is too different from “good boy (iiko)”.

…maybe he meant “you’re kind (yasashi)”?

When I repeated the words, he nodded and stroked my head again.

However, there’s no definitive answer, so I can’t determine the meaning of those words.

Is there no choice but to use it in the context of you’re kind?

*******! ********.”

“*****! **********. *******.”

The two started a conversation, but I don’t know what they’re saying.

I could only hear rabbit ears call cat ears by his job title.

After that, I haven’t yet been taught the meaning of the other words.

But in this atmosphere, are they fighting?

“**? **?”

When I called their names, four eyes turned to me.

“Fight?”

There’s no reason not to fight at all.

Even though I had little relationship with my friends, we sometimes fought.

But I didn’t want these two to fight.

I still don’t understand many words, so I don’t even know why they’re fighting.

I can only rely on cat ears right now, so I don’t want to have this strained atmosphere for no apparent reason.

I looked at them alternately, and cat ears smiled then stroked my head.

Rabbit ears also said something.

The moment rabbit ears said that, cat ears narrowed his eyes. Did cat ears hate rabbit ears?

When I first saw them, they looked like a boss and a subordinate, but still looked close to each other.

“**?”

When I said cat ears’ name, it’d make him smile.

In other words, they’re usually close, but rabbit ears probably said something that cat ears didn’t like.

But he didn’t seem to care about it.

Whenever I smile, he’d stroke my head.

As expected, he must have the habit of stroking children’s heads.

“Chair.”

“Chair?”

I want him to sit down so I pointed at the bench.

Then I was seated in my chair where I’ve been sitting until a while ago.

“Wrong! Didn’t you see I pointed over there?”

When I pointed at the bench meant for break, he seemed to have understood my meaning even if he didn’t understand the words.

But for some reason, he shook his head.

“Kou, chair.”

Then pointed to my chair.

In other words, he’s wondering if he could sit here instead of sitting there.

Can’t he sit there?

Even though I pointed there again, he still shook his head.

“Dangerous.”

“?”

What’s dangerous?

Is it because there are muscular daruma dolls around?

“**, chair.”

I called out to cat ears and pointed to the bench again.

…though I called it a chair, it’s more like a bench.

“Kou.”

I hit my thighs while sitting.

Would he understand with this?

“******.”

While saying something, I was lifted again.

Cat ears looked happy.

As expected, did he like children?

He went straight to the bench, sat down, and put me on his lap.

…it seemed like he understood.

I spread the book while on cat ears’ lap.

Even if I study by myself, I won’t know the pronunciation.

That’s why I thought I’d let someone read it to me.

Cat ears taught me patiently many times, and I think he’s the most suitable as a teacher.

“Read this to me.”

When I looked up from his lap, I could see that cat ears understood, so he read them out loud.

Moreover, with the bonus of tracing the letters with a finger.

It’s completely overwhelming.

But thanks to cat ears, learning the letters and pronunciation became faster.

…though it’s hard to say if I said it right.