CH 7

Around when Latina finished shopping, she showed quite a tired face.

“Latina, you alright?”

“Alright”

However even if I ask her that, she shakes her head while answering.

Being a kid who can notice the needs of others at such a young age, teaching her this word, may have been a mistake.

Dale let out a single sigh, and after changing the way he was holding his shopping, lifted Latina into his arms.

“Dale. Alright”

「 ” Fatigue、Recover、Impossible、Deny ” 」

Latina continued shaking her head and started hitting his back as he asked requested that of her. The luggage was heavy but even adding on Latina it wasn’t a weight that couldn’t be carried.

As he had thought, by the time Dale reached the [Dancing Ocelot] Latina was sleeping soundly in his arms.

Just like always, Latina’s sleeping sounds always sound so out of tune. Right now she was making a ‘Kupyuu, Kupyuu’ sound.

Lining up the guest seats to use as an instant bed, Latina was right in the middle of her afternoon nap.

Right now there aren’t that many guests at the [Dancing Ocelot]. It was too early for those who want to have dinner and it was too late for those looking for work. Figures of travelers and adventurers seeking information can be seen here and there.

Dale began drinking some watered down wine as he looked over Latina’s sleeping face.

“Uu-n”

Suddenly a growl was let out.

“What’s with that depressing face”

From within the counter, Rita who was acting as a salesperson turned her gaze here like she was surprised.

“Yesterday’s request. It’s no good you if you don’t tell me the results of the request. Because of how things are, there was no way I could bring in a cut of that thing”

“Ah. That thing. The thing that smells. If you brought that thing, I wouldn’t let you come in you know”

“If you knew, then tell me about it”

“If I told you, who would take on such a request right?”

Rita replied extremely matter-of-factly.

So, I only understood the conditions for completing the request becoming like that after something like that.

“There’s no way other than to take the request giver to the actual place for confirmation. You’ll probably be late tomorrow”

The quest giver for this job is the signature alchemist of Kroix.

Coincidentally he wanted to make his magical beasts into Croneys in advance, it’s said that the herbs which only grow in abundance is in this one place.

To provide the proof of completion of driving away the magical beasts, I have to take the alchemist to the spot another day.

A lot of these type of requests, are usually retrieving a part of the monsters — such as ears.

If that 『Frog』’s stench didn’t waft around then that’s what Dale would’ve done.

“But there’s no way I can bring along Latina…”

“Isn’t it fine to just leave her here?”

Rita said cutting apart Dale’s worries in a flash.

“As a replacement babysitter, this month’s rent is going to be extra”

“…Is that alright?”

“There’s no other way right? Only this time. Next time you have to look for a sitter yourself”

After that, Dale’s next topic was to provide detailed instructions to Latina about the matter.

The first sound Latina made after she woke up from her afternoon nap is,

“Dale?”

with a voice as if she would cry. This is the benefit of being a parent.

“I’m here”

Being able to hear his voice, she made a face as if she was obviously relieved.

Placing her down onto a chair, she came next to Dale who had finished writing a document on the counter with a ‘trot trot’.

She grabs Dale’s clothes tightly with her tiny hands, and calms down after looking up at him.

“No good Rita. There’s no way I can leave Latina behind!”

“Don’t say anything stupid. It’s dangerous you know!”

“It’s alright. Even if I desert the client I would come to protect Latina.”

‘This guy might be no good’ was being written on Rita’s face.

“Dale?”

“Latina… Uwah~…, It’s no good after all. Compared the the quest fee, taking Latina might be another choice…tsk”

“You idiot. Soon, the usual jobs would call you out again, and you would need to go far away. And before that, if you don’t have the guts to be in a position to stay at home, there’s no way for you to raise her from the beginning.”

Rita’s argument was fair.

Dale’s job was dangerous, it wasn’t something which he could do together with a young child.

The time which he would be staying at home would no doubt get longer.

It’s a lot better compared to being alone in that forest, and Rita and Kenneth are here too, so no need to worry about meals.

Surely it’ll be fine.

But, it being alright or not is another matter.

Making her have lonely thoughts, was something I should have understood though.

“Uu…”

Saying that because he didn’t want her to be alone, the option of sending her to an orphanage at this point in time was a no.

This wasn’t something he was unable to overcome, just something that came earlier than he thought. He understood that.

“What a cruel trial…tsk”

He muttered without thinking.

‘Ah. This guy is no good’ was written on Rita’s face.

As a result, Latina was recognising sounds obediently.

Dale’s words may be crude but, Latina was quietly listening intently with a serious face, tightly squeezing her eyebrows, after making a brave face,

“Alright”

She answered with a slight nod.

Innocent. What is this kid, she’s so innocent.

“I’m sorry, so sorry, Latina!”

Without thinking Dale gave her a tight hug. Latina made a surprised face.

“Dale? Latina, alright”

Furthermore a kid who would say that, in some ways could be much more mature than Dale.

However not becoming mature so early should also be a good thing.

Dale who was completely in the mood to spoil her, and lead Latina into their room as he lifted her up into his arms.

In the room, the shopping they just bought were piled up. They had carried it in whilst Latina was sleeping.

In front of her he tidied up the things they just bought.

The sounds which came out one by one describing each of the objects were for the sake of teaching her language.

Her underwear and clothes were placed in a large basket, accessories were placed in a much smaller basket. The baskets were placed inside the bed, in the slant of the roof which had become dead space. It was the result of thinking that even someone as small as Latina can reach over with her hands.

There were also a few picture books that were bought. Placing them under the shelf.

Latina was looking intently at Dale tidying up.

She appeared to understand that the things Dale bought were for her.

Just like that Latina sat down on her knees and opened up one of the picture books.

This was a book which was made to teach young children characters.

The content was simple with illustrations next to the name of the object.

Normally considering, to Latina, I thought the content may have been too simple.

But, isn’t this book the most appropriate textbook to teach her about characters and language, so I thought.

Dale opens the picture book and slowly reads it out aloud as Latina sat on her knees.

She concentrates on the picture book intently, reluctant to even blink.

As expected, I think this kid possesses a maturity not suited her age.

“Dale,「 **、*****？ 」”

“Hn? Yea. That’s right”

Sometimes she would point towards a picture and refer to a problem.

Reading until the end, and looking at Latina, she seemed to be trying to comprehend the meaning of this book.

Opening up to the first page by herself, she looked up at Dale as if urging him.

As he read a word out loud, she would copy after him.

“Dog, Cat, Horse”

“Doge, Kyat, Hursh”

Her lisp was so cute I didn’t bother correcting her.

Before it got completely dark, Latina went into the bath.

Wondering what diseases young children could contract, it’s a difficult problem for new parents but, I judged that being clean would probably be better.

I still wasn’t very secure about taking her to the bathhouse, so for now I decided we would just use the bath at the “Dancing Ocelot”. I was ordered to clean it as compensation.

“No matter how safe it might be, there is absolutely no way I’m going to leave a kid on their own at a bathhouse! Because there’s a lot of accidents where kids drown!”

That’s what Rita said.

But it seemed today as well Latina was quite reluctant to take off her clothes.

It’s only right now that this kid would give Dale an unpleasant face at this time

Even though it didn’t seem like she didn’t like to bathe her body, I wonder what she’s so displeased with.

Dale looks at Latina as she scoops up the bubbles with both hands and thought about that.

After finishing dinner, I once again carried Latina who was starting to get drowsy, returned to our room and put her to bed.

Today, taking account of what happened yesterday, I also told her to go to the toilet.

“…Good night, Latina”

He whispered, gently stroking her hair, and then Latina,

“Good nite, Dale…”

Half asleep, she repeated his words.

Dale restrained the impulse to suddenly hug her, so to not wake her up.