CH 18

Trot trot, you could tell she was happy just from the way she bounces as she walks. Matching her steps, her hair, tied up high at both sides of her head shakes with a big, bright green ribbon.

Her glossy white silver hair, glittering every now and then as it meets the light.

Wearing her recent favourite, a light blue checkered one piece, and of course holding the small, white wisteria basket she likes today.

Finding her playpal in the plaza she brightens up, looking refreshed.

“Chloe!”

Giving a big wave, she started running.

In the South District where Latina lives, there are a lot of places which are unsuitable for children to play in. Because of that the only place where Latina is allowed to walk alone is the main street of the Southern District, as well as the area in front of “Dancing Ocelot”.

In the heart of the streets there is a plaza. Recently, playing together with her friends who live in the East District and those who gather there was one of the things she looked forward to.

It was only until the other day that she was banned from walking by herself but, according to what Kenneth said knowing her age, it shouldn’t exactly be banned and it was decided that she was allowed out as long as she kept several warnings in mind.

A park was being maintained, a little bit separated from the usual markets in the middle of the plaza, and has become a spot of relaxation for the people. There are also a lot of children who Latina didn’t know playing there. Getting past those people and returning back to the side of her friends, Latina smiled happily.

“What’s up Latina? You seem happy”

“Did something good happen?”

Since Chloe and Marcel asked her, she reports back in a good mood.

“Dale, came back”

“I see”

“That’s great. Latina”

Her friends also saw that when Dale was away from home, Latina would look quite disheartened. Seeing that their small friend can finally laugh sincerely, they gave some honest words of blessing.

“Dale, says there’s souvenirs for everyone. Let’s eat snacks?”

Since Latina was taking out the basket which was stuffed with souvenir candies, Rudi merrily came to have a peek saying he’s examining the food. Anthony smiled bitterly.

“Uwah, these candy look expensive! Is it alright to eat it all?”

“You better watch out Latina, cause if it’s Rudi then he’ll eat it all”

The friends who Latina played with normally, became centered around these four.

Reigning over this group of four as their top dog and leader, is the lone flower, Chloe.

Latina and Chloe are already friendly to the point they can call each other best friends.

Towards the girl who even had the unshakable throne as the strongest, standing firm even with boys as opponents, Latina respects her greatly.

Chloe too, acknowledges Latina who despite having a small body was a lot smarter than herself.

Each having something the other doesn’t, accepting each other as an equal. It was also for that reason that their friendship had deepened so quickly despite their personalities being completely different.

Latina also quickly got used to the round-faced boy with a quiet personality, Marcel.

Taking care of her gently like a little sister, Marcel was the one Latina liked most after Chloe.

After hearing about slender, brown-haired Anthony, Latina didn’t really understand. If she was asked if she hated him then she would say no. It was that kind of feeling.

According the Chloe he is “shrewd”, and according the adults he is “good at dealing with things”. That’s the kind of kid he is.

And the last one. The boy with the biggest body of the four. About Rudi — he seems to actually be named Rudolph but, all his friends call him by his pet name — Latina didn’t like him very much.

In addition to their first meeting not being good but even after that, he would often tease the small Latina, starting to prank her and such. Each time he would receive a heavy handed retaliation from Chloe but, he never looked like he learnt his lesson.

To Latina who up until now didn’t really have any experience dealing with children her own age, she didn’t really know how to interact with the “childish child” that was Rudi.

Since Latina was following behind the four of them, who the others knew as they were genuinely born in Kroix, she easily entered the circle of friends with the group of kids she just met.

Since coming to Kroix, this was Latina’s first experience of 『Playing with friends』.

“What do you want to do today?”

“They said they’ll be playing 『Chain tag』 after this”

“With the kids on the other side huh. Latina want to come as well?”

“Un”

Latina was taught Chain tag by the four as well.

The game is a variation of tag, where you hold hands with the person who tagged you and chase the others together.

It’s more fun with more people.

The five, including Latina, went rushing up to the group of children playing in the plaza.

Latina’s cutely puffed out her cheeks, pop.

It isn’t fair. That’s what she emphasizes on the most.

“Latina, feel better please”

“Are the candies good?”

While eating the candies Latina brought, Anthony and Marcel are trying to smooth out the situation. However Latina was popping. Until her cheeks puffed out.

“Why is it that everytime, Rudi only tags Latina?”

“Hn? Cause Latina is small and slow”

Not fazed at all by Latina’s protest, Rudi was enthusiastically eating the brownie he held with both hands.

— They were high class goods from a famous shop ordered by the nobles of the Imperial Capital but, to the kids they could only see it as 『Some kind of very delicious candy』.

“There are kids smaller than Latina, mon”

“The small ones are quicker than Latina too”

“Latina isn’t slow, mon”

It isn’t fair.

He had greatly hurt Latina’s pride.

“Rudi, always chases, Latina first. That’s why, mon”

At Latina’s insistence, Anthony smiled bitterly and Chloe frowned.

Marcel shoots back with a casual “True”.

However, the culprit, Rudi was acting as if nothing happened.

“Isn’t it strange that the person in question isn’t aware of it?”

“Cause Rudi is a child”

Chloe and Anthony were secretly exchanging words.

However, the moment she took a bite from the brownie, her expression changes to one that’s smiling, and the entranced Latina didn’t care about it anymore.

— Since the time they had first met, to Chloe’s group of four, Latina was “Special”.

A young girl with glittering white silver hair, tied up with a beautiful ribbon which looked like the ones they could wear only during festival times.

At first she was all skin and bones but now that she’s got some fat, she was extremely charmingly cute. A girl similar to a “Fairytale princess”.

Born from a foreign country far away, and though she couldn’t speak freely, she could still use magic.

She doesn’t have parents but, she’s living in a corner of a shop where her foster parent and adventurers gather.

— Every single one of those, was 『Extraordinary』 to them.

The four of them even know that Latina has a horn.

The small, black horn hidden by the ribbon, was something Latina showed them herself.

Latina had even invited Chloe to touch that section, and she could feel a slight warmth despite it being smooth to the touch.

Since Latina looked sad about one side being broken off to the root, everyone was thinking that it’s probably something they 『cannot ask about』.

Even Rudi, who seemed like he was indifferent to attentiveness, properly understood something like that.

Children didn’t have the delicacies of an adult and readily accepted those facts like, “It’s slightly different from us but, those of the 『Demon race』 are also 『People』.”

At first they were indeed longing for the 『Extraordinary』 but, to them right now, the small and kind friend existence they call Latina had become extremely important.

And after understanding that, Latina too thought of them as extremely important existences.

~~Conclusion-like, Today’s Parent~~

“Hey, Kenneth. Recently Latina has been saying a name, “Marcel” quite often but hey, that’s a man’s name right?”

“…. (To children of that age, I don’t think there’s man or woman but….) That’s right. It should one of the boys Latina is friends with”

“To my Latina… a strange bug has…”

“It’s probably a friend”

“Latina has-! Can you believe that she said she wants to go to that man’s house to play! To a man’s house!”

“A man’s house you say… it’s probably a friend’s house right…. (Hn? If I recall….)”

“Ugugu….. I still understand if it’s that girl Chloe’s house but, why that guy’s house…”

“…. Well most likely”

“Hn?”

“That kid called Marcel… is the kid from the East District’s 『Bakery』”

“!!!!”

“…. Isn’t she interested in what a Bakery is like?”

“So it’s food! Is it because of food Latina!?”

(Author’s note: I wonder if you remember? This story has the tag “Romance”.

And then, the useless thing at the end but.

That joke topic can’t exactly be standalone but, if I don’t write it now, I don’t know when to put it in so I added it to the end.)