CH 9

Latina looked around her surroundings restlessly just as she opened her eyes,

“Dale?”

Calling out for the person who had taken her out from that forest.

The person who found her when she was all alone.

The person who gave her a safe residence, and safe food.

The person who made her remember the warmth of a person.

She called out for the person which to her was “the symbol of safety and good”.

“Latina? You woke up…”

Hearing a man’s voice which was different from Dale’s, she started to panic.

As if she had to run away right away, she put strength into her entire body. But then, she noticed the sweet smell gently drifting.

Blinking her eyes repeatedly, Latina remembered where she was.

With the first sound that Latina made after waking from her afternoon nap, being to call out for Dale, that’s when Kenneth noticed she was awake.

Looking at Latina as he was mixing a small pot, it was as if she was a small startled animal on alert, questioning her surroundings.

It seems that when Kenneth’s voiced reached her, she went on even higher alert.

However, without moving too sudden, she judged the situation later, immediately gathering strength so that she could move at any time.

This kid really does seem quite clever, admired Kenneth. Compared to the large amount of hot-blooded newbie adventurers, she was much more calm.

Being in a position of losing sight on your own situation when you wake up, this childish behaviour is understandable

Kenneth removed the small pot from the fire and faced Latina.

The berry which had fallen apart during cooking was melting nicely, releasing a sweet fragrance into the air.

Just as Kenneth had planned, Latina who noticed the smell started to relax. Getting off the wooden box with a ‘hmph’, she came next to Kenneth’s side noisily.

As for the Latina who was peeking inside the pot which was handed out to her, there didn’t seem to be any sign of the small animal whose hair was standing on end just now. Just young girl looking her age.

After drawing her interest, Kenneth, placed on top of a thinly sliced piece of bread some freshly made jam. He wanted to put plenty on to it but, if he did that a burn would have been inevitable. Almost cooling it right away, making sure that the tasting still had a satisfactory amount left.

Handing it to Latina, she looked at Kenneth with confirmation.

She timidly took a bite of the bread.

Her expressions brightened up, ‘Paaa’.

While she ate like she was in a dream, she stuck her tongue out, licking the jam which had fallen onto her hand, then she looks at Kenneth in surprise. It wasn’t like he was free from blame, and to his laughing figure, Latina also returned a smile.

Latina looked towards the bottle which Kenneth had placed the jam in, as she wasn’t tired of it just yet. To a creator, it was a truly a companion of production.

As the day started to come to a close, the adventurers gradually returned.

It was nearing the time when the “Dancing Ocelot” started to be busy again.

The customers who come to “Ocelot” are not all looking to stay the night. Those who come to drink and eat make up a large amount of the customers.

Apart from adventurers there were also gatekeepers and military police who were coming back from work.

Without being affected, as a shop where you can eat and drink for cheap, it was a shop where a bunch of grim-looking hooligans gather.

When it becomes this time, “Akudaru’s Agency” which is opened during the day actually ends its service.

Rita returns to specialise on the floor, and the couple somehow manage to handle this clatter.

In a seat at the corner of the counter, Latina, who was eating her dinner, was stealing glances at the bustling shop.

A guest who was laughed loudly with ‘Gahaha’, and the gnocchi that was being eaten fell out with a ‘plop’.

Not noticing that, with eyes that became rounded, fixedly observing him.

The first living thing she saw, were with eyes that were like they were staring, thought Kenneth, but he decided not to speak of it.

Just when Latina was starting to get uneasy, the doors of “Ocelot” opened.

“Ara, Dale”

Hearing Rita voice, Latina’s eyes snapped open.

Jumping down from her chair like a rabbit, she quickly ran out to greet him, her steps, ‘to to to’.

“Latina, I’m ba…”

Dale was hugged very tigh~tly by the legs just as he started to talk.

“Latina…”

As expected I made her feel lonely, Dale frowned,

“Welkum bak”

his half-bent posture froze as he was midway through lifting up Latina who was looking up at him.

Rita and Kenneth were grinning.

Naturally and without restraining his grinning expression, Dale restarted and lifted Latina into his arms.

“I’m back, Latina. You did a great job house-sitting”

Putting a bit more strength into the hug as he was smiling, Latina’s entire face became full of smiles.

The regular customers around were also acquainted with Dale. To his sloppy face, a cold and merciless voice jumped at him.

“What’s that Dale, that’s quite a small girlfriend you have there”

“Shut up”

Dealing with the annoyance, he sat down on a chair whilst hugging Latina.

He asked when Rita brought the food over.

“Latina, what about you?”

“She ate a while ago. She seemed like she was sleepy until just then.”

The subject at hand was on Dale’s knees, with a soft, happy smile. No matter who looks, there was a relieved expression.

“… How was it Latina? Did you behave?”

“She behaved very well. This kid is extremely bright. Even when she was left by herself, she understood exactly what actions she should take and do.”

Rita said as she poured the wine roughly in the goblet in front of Dale.

Dale normally only drinks wine which had been watered down. Rita intentionally, also without asking, decided that in front of him.

It’s not like he can’t drink it or doesn’t like to drink it, it’s just that he hates being dead drunk, which is common knowledge in this shop.

In the past too, using that as the reason, a first-time customer looked down on him as a kid, and with one hand he lifted and threw him, this story became a good appetizer in this store.

Latina was rubbing against Dale like a small kitten, entrusting her body to his arms. Up till now this seemed to be the sweetest fawning yet.

(Rather than guilt, I might actually be a bit more happy…)

It was exactly because I made her feel lonely that as a reaction she fawns upon me, it might not be so bad letting her home-sit.