CH 21

An airheaded girl.

Dawn break, wake up by myself, I raise my body up. I’m originally a morning person, so just after waking up, my head would be immediately cleared and could be used to think about anything already. Since if I slept too long, I’ll got a hit or kick from a mother like person, so I should wake up by myself before she did.

When I look at my surrounding, there is Finia-chan who is sleeping like大 character next to the pillow, and on the opposite side there is Lulu-chan who is sleeping while curling up. I just aware of it but wasn’t Lulu-chan should be able to easily ran away like this? But since she didn’t run away then that means, was it because she had been instructed this way? The servile character sure deeply attached right… well it’s good that she’s still here though.

Descending the bed so that won’t wake those two up, I do some stretching. Delightful *Pakipaki* sounds are resounded inside my body, I can feel my stiff muscles are loosening. After that, after I did a radio calisthenics-like exercise, my head, body and also eyes are completely awaken.

“Well then….”

When I looked at it, usually there would be only Finia-chan on the bed but, to see a cute girl like Lulu-chan there is sure refreshing. Her overly long hair is spread at the bed sheet.

“Ear or tail… just how it felt? Should I try to ask for it some days, if possible I want to touch it.”

While saying that, I moved to wake them up. Finia-chan was always would be awaked by just poking her with my fingertip. At that time she would say some strange sleep-talking lines but, since that is amusing so I won’t stop it.

“Finia-chan.”

“Wh, what are you doing…! Stop it! Stop…! Ha, good morning Kitsune-san!”

“Yes, good morning.”

This time she said a somehow strained line huh. I don’t know what she was dreaming about but, that is sure Finia-chan-like though.

Then, I should wake Lulu-chan up too.

When I think about that, I approach Lulu-chan. Then, when my shadow is covering her face, she abruptly jump at her feet as if frightened. Tightly embracing her body as if to protect it, and then raise her eyes to look at me while trembling.

I feel like just done something very bad… that slave merchant, just what he had done?

“Ah… good morning, Lulu-chan. Did you sleep properly?”

“I, I am sorry… I’m going to wake up early next time… please don’t hit me.”

“Ahaha, Finia-chan, this child is sure bothersome.”

“She is a pro slave right!”

“What kind of pro is that… well, what is it, I’m not going to hit you, I don’t mind if you overslept and woke up late so don’t be so frightened like that.”

Perhaps she was always bracing herself right? Why did those slave traders didn’t raise their slaves properly? Isn’t by doing so their commodity’s value would be raised and easier to sell, right? Did they put the hierarchical that strictly? Well, ah whatever.

“Then Lulu-chan, can you get up?”

“Yes….”

After said that, Lulu-chan immediately get up. Come to think of it, she’s still wearing my school uniform right? Let’s go to buy a cloth for Lulu-chan today. Went to the guild after that, perhaps should I take a chore request? Since I also need to make Lulu-chan to get used to our livelihood after all, I also should increase her level.

“Well, firstly is breakfast right? Let’s go, both of you.”

“Yeah!”

“…Yes.”

I can see Lulu-chan open up her arm as if to grasp something. She also looked somewhat gloomy. I think ‘What’s the matter?’ and try to think about it a bit.

Hmm, yesterday… ah, I see.

“Come on, let’s go Lulu-chan.”

“!…Yes!”

I stretch my hand toward Lulu-chan. And then, she is still expressionless as usual but, she grab my hand with a very delighted ambiance.

It’s because yesterday I always hold her hand wherever we go after all, is she perhaps really happy to holding hands? It’s because as a child who become a slave, such experience is unlikely to happen after all. If you’re fine with me then I’ll hold your hand no matter how many times it is. Or rather, I’m the one who want to hold your hand.

Hmm? Could it be, is it my first time holding hand with a girl? Wow, I become nervous! I inevitably excited!

“?”

“No problem, yup, I’m not thinking about anything fishy after all.”

Just now, Lulu-chan’s pure gaze is piercing my heart.

“Oh, good morning.”

When we descending the stair, Ayla-san who is preparing the meal, said that. Even if I say preparing, she is just carrying the food which have been cooked by her husband to the table though.

“Good morning, Ayla-san.”

“Morning! Today is also a good morning right!”

“Yes, the breakfast is ready.”

This inn’s breakfast is always contained by bread and salad, and also soup. That is, since there are many people who are weak at morning, it seems that is to suppress breakfast’s ingredients expenses.

Oops, since I’ve got a child, I must raise her into a child who’s able to properly greet people! Since I’m a very diligent youth after all!

“Lulu-chan, can you do a greeting?”

“…Good, morning.”

“You did it well.”

“Yes, good morning.”

She looked somewhat embarrassed but, Lulu-chan was properly greet her. Admirable, when I was at Lulu-chan’s age, I absolutely never do any greeting though.

Nonetheless, when a child was able to do something, praising them is parental affection right? I’m not her parent though. For now, I try to imitate what a happy looking family at some TV show do and gently caress Lulu-chan’s head. Is it perhaps because she’s a dog, Lulu-chan seems very happy when her head is being petted.

“This child, what’s her name?”

“Lulu-chan.”

“Lulu-chan right, what a cute name.”

“Right? It’s okay to praise more you know.”

“Why are you the one who’s boasting….”

While joking like that, we finally arrived at our table. Of course I ask Lulu-chan to sit there. Otherwise with her servile character, she won’t ever sit at the table as mine after all.

We start eating after said itadakimasu. Is it because I’ve said that yesterday, as expected she won’t eat before I start to eat mine but, with a nod she start to eat the food which are placed before her. Even while tearing off some bread for Finia-chan, I nimbly finished my meal.

“Today, are we going to go somewhere? Kitsune-san!”

“Yes, after bought a clothes for Lulu-chan…I intended to go to the guild.”

“Always wearing Kitsune’s cloth is indeed unpleasant after all, right?”

“Yes, that’s indeed right but… somehow that hurt me.”

“Ahaha.”

Sometimes Finia-chan would say something harsh to the point I thought that is she perhaps hate me or something. Since I can’t feel any malice from it so I can’t get angry but, like… it’s just as if there is something piercing my heart. What if Lulu-chan is imitating your behavior? At the time I was scorned by her pure gazes, I might got excited you know. Ah I make a mistake, I might won’t be able to recover you know.

“Kitsune….?”

“Hmm? Ah, come to think of it, I haven’t said my name right? My name is Kitsune.”

“Kitsune… sama.”

“Yes, well, you could just call me whatever you want.”

Well then, seems like Lulu-chan also has finished her meal, perhaps we should get going soon right? To buy a cloth. Or rather, where do I buy a cloth? Is weapon shop selling it? As expected they won’t selling it right.

“Say, Ayla-san, I want to buy a cloth for Lulu-chan but… where is it sold at?”

“Cloth? Since I still have my cloth at the time I was still a kid, do you want it?”

“Eh, really? Then, with a pleasure.”

Hooray, we get a cloth.

The cloth which Ayla-san bought is a green colored cloth, the size is perfectly match for Lulu-chan. When I ask her to try putting it on, her light brown hair is looked pretty. It is moderately fashionable, and Lulu-chan herself is originally very cute.

When I honestly praise her like that, she looked somewhat embarrassed.

“Well then, since we have obtained the cloth, let’s go to the guild.”

Receiving my school uniform back from Lulu-chan who has wear a proper cloth, I put it on. Yup, as I thought my school uniform is the most fitting. Since status wise I don’t need anything like armor after all, but wearing it isn’t something bothering though.

While thinking about that, we left the inn.

◇　◇　◇

After walked for a while from the inn, I brought along Lulu-chan till guild’s entrance. I haven’t explained it but, it seems Lulu-chan is properly understand what kind of place it is, perhaps unlike me, she is able to read the guild’s signboard.

Ah, come to think of it, since I’m quite a hated person so there are people who might charge toward us. I should tell her beforehand so that she won’t become a victim here.

“Listen, Lulu-chan.”

“?”

“Here, there are many people who are stronger than me. I also think that there would be someone who would come to talk to you, at that time you should stay strong no matter what happen. If there’s someone who lay a hand on you, at once hit his groin as hard as you can, understand?”

“Yes.”

Yup, with this there should be no problem right.

Opening the guild’s door, I step my leg forward. I enter it while leading Lulu-chan by hand, adventurers’ gazes are naturally turned toward me. I keep walking toward receptionist without minding about it.

And then, there’s a sole man who’s standing in my way. Finia-chan is transferring to Lulu-chan’s shoulder, and I look up at the man who stand in my way.

A face which I remember.

“Yo, aren’t you the one who falsely accused me some time ago.”

“Kitsune… about the thing I’ve said to you before, I’ll say it again.”

“You are, a failure as an adventurer… right?”

“Yea.”

The one who come as if to despise me is, a young E rank adventurer who previously said that I was a failure as an adventurer. At that time I’ve nicely wheedled him but, as expected he couldn’t consent with that right. Here, should I confute him again.

Wha, huh?

“Hmm… what’s up with you, this isn’t a place for a kid you know?”

Somehow Lulu-chan is taking a step ahead. What’s the matter? Somehow I feel a bad premonition about it though. Eh, what’s the matter?

“Sh, shut up, you ball-less bastard.”

Inside the guild, silence is spreaded.

The adventurers, receptionist girls, also the youth in front of me, everyone are dumbfounded by Lulu-chan’s words. What’s the meaning of this? What happen to Lulu-chan so suddenly? Indeed I’ve said to stay strong but, is it like that?

“Wha, what did you say! That’s rude you know!”

The youth is back to his sense, while being delayed by Lulu-chan’s word, he shout. And then, Lulu-chan is raising the corner of her eyes, and open her mouth up again.

“Shut up, don’t talk to me! Guh, it stinks….!”

“Guha…!?”

Lulu-chan, just what happen to you? With just several seconds to be able to gouge a person’s heart up? The thing I said about stay strong is that, to forthrightly ward off when someone said some thoughtless remark…. Ah, Finia-chan who is at Lulu-chan’s shoulder is smirking.

So it’s your evil deed huh!

“You… to say something like that to me… do you think you could just slip by like that…!”

The youth is wiping the unpleasant sweat at his face with his hand. And then, as if she has thought about something, Lulu-chan is raising her small fist overhead.

“E, ei!”

And then hit that youth groin with all her strength.

“Ugh….u! …..u…..!!”

The youth is collapsed. That is, he vigorously collapsed vertically while standing. With a white eyes, he hold his groin.

Seems like hurt… my abdomen is stinging, sting. Even the surrounding adventurers are also hung their head while holding their groin. Do you not understand that pain? Even me, at my grade school time, when I was kicked by a girl from my class, I thought that I would die you know!

“Kitsune-sama… I, I did it.”

What just you did?

You’re indeed did it. Not did it but hit it though. I feel fear from the depth of my heart toward Finia-chan who is laughing at Lulu-chan’s shoulder. Innocent is sure frightening.

“Y, yes… you did well.”

“…yes.”

I feel bad to that youth but, Lulu-chan didn’t has any ill intent. She is just pure and a bit airhead, that’s why she take what I said seriously. This is a misfortune accident, yup, a sad accident. So please let it off.

Passing through the youth who is collapsed, we finally arrived at Mia-chan’s place. When Mia-chan see Lulu-chan, she talks to me with her business smile.

“Good morning Kitsune-sama, does the child there is a slave?”

“Yes, her name is Lulu-chan. She’s cute right?”

“…you are right.”

She looked somewhat dissatisfied but, well whatever. Taking a request, Finia-chan is bringing a request at a nice timing. The content is to gather medical herbs, a request which located at outside the country. Since it is at outside, there’s a possibility that a magical beast may appeared but, since we have no intention to come near the forest, and Finia-chan is also with us so there should be no problem right? The time limit is one week, and the quota isn’t that much. Perhaps, should we use this chance to raise Lulu-chan’s level up? Since her level would be still increased even if we just let her to do the finishing blow after all.

“Then, we’ll take this.”

“Yes, the time limit is one week right… okay, then please do your best.”

“Kay, well then!”

“We’re going!”

Holding Lulu-chan’s hand, we left the guild. Seems like we would get busy.

Hey Lulu-chan, no matter even if that person is collapsed on the floor, you shouldn’t tread on him you know.