CH 46

“You’ve come back looking a lot better than the last time you came back huh”

Puffing out a breath of smoke, Dale’s grandmother — the one who no one calls by her full name, the greatly exaggerated name Wendelgart, and instead is usually called Granny Wen (Wen-baba) — grins.

“….Is there really such a difference?”

“Sorta. If you had the same face as you did before then, Randolf and the others would have had to go all out to beat you into shape. It was interesting so I let them be.”

“….Dad”

Randolf is the name of Dale’s father.

Somehow, it seems like it wasn’t just because of his grandmother’s orders, but the others overreacted as well, and 『charged』 at them. Dale sighed deeply as if on purpose.

“Well….『pranks』 like that are what they always do though…. Since I was bringing Latina along with me this time, I didn’t want her to get hurt. I didn’t want to take any chances.”

“Can’t you even protect her properly?”

“I am”

In between the two of them, Latina was listening as she ate her candy.

When you think that her right cheek would puff up, it would return back to normal and this time, the left cheek would puff up.

*Roll* *Roll* From the cracks within her lips the sound of a candy rolling around could be heard now and then.

Even though the person herself probably intended to behave quietly, her presence in the room is quite something.

“…Latina.”

“Nn?”

“The candy… is it good?”

“Un. (Yes)”

“That’s good.”

Getting distracted by the sound Dale asked about it, but seeing her extremely satisfied expression, he gave her a big smile.

If she was happy then, there was nothing more he could say.

Wen-baba inhales deeply in satisfaction, taking a deep breath of smoke as she looks at her grandson.

Walking down the corridor, Latina asked Dale.

“Dale, you aren’t on bad terms with your family right?”

“Yea”

“Then why do you, 『fight』?”

“Hmm…We aren’t fighting though. My 『role』 is my 『role』 so….I guess it’s something like, they’re checking whether I’m doing it properly….”

Dale answers as so with a sly smile.

“The last time I came back was, a little before I met you, Latina after all. …It was around when I was at my worst. ….I had probably made them worry.”

“Eh?”

“….It means that, I’ve also become happier thanks to you, Latina”

Koten. Latina’s head tilts to the side as Dale gently pats her. He didn’t really want this child to hear about the 『uncool side』 of him.

(Even my family thought of me like that…. 『To have met, and to have been saved』, it wasn’t just you….)

Latina oftens says to Dale that she’s 『glad to have met him』 but, it may have been fortunate for him as well, 『to have met Latina』.

The calm and gentle hours flowing by during the days he had lived together with her, were without a doubt given by her.

“However, I do think that you guys went too far.”

“More than that, you. ….Do you always walk ahead in front of the little girly like that?”

“Fueh?”

“….Looking as if she had been abandoned in the middle of nowhere by herself, don’t do something so cruel.”

“….No but, you know….”

Dale’s Father, Randolf, was in the living room skimming through some kind of letter, just as he was sipping on some tea. Not being in his own room means that it wasn’t for work but, probably for something personal.

The head of the clan, as well as the mayor of the village was Grandma Wendelgard but she’s already quite an elderly figure. Most of the clan head’s work is shouldered by Randolf.

Diagonally in front of such a father, next to Dale who sat down with a plunk, Latina was nestling up close to Dale, looking nice and small. The living room was wide but, as if she couldn’t calm down sitting right in the center, she half hid herself behind Dale.

She pokes out her head to take a peek, then once again hid behind Dale.

The person herself didn’t plan on hiding but, from what could be seen from Randolf’s perspective, she was interested about the interior of the living room or something, and this was the result after looking around left and right.

She was that sort of person. Once she’s interested in something, she would end up chasing after it with her eyes against her better judgement.

And his son who he hasn’t met for sometime is gently protecting that sort of girl’s charming expression, but he was making a face as if he’s saying that 『her being by his side is natural』, as if it was a matter of fact.

He wanted to ask “What happened?”

“…I was in the middle of work when I picked up Latina, who was separated by death with her parents and the outcome was that I was to look after her. Didn’t I write about it in the letter sometimes?”

“Well….but you know…”

“…If Latina is in the way then I’ll go back to my room? Is that better?”

Latina who had heard Dale and Randolf’s conversation, interrupted as so. Dale replies immediately.

“There’s no way you would be in the way Latina.”

“You….”

“Dale, is always like this to Latina. So kind.”

“You don’t ask for anything so, having me spoil you is just fine.”

“For now, I get that you’re just way too lovey-dovey”

Randolf nodded looking as if he got over something.

“Um, excuse me (Anone). Dale’s dad?”

Pausing once, Latina took a few steps forward. She tilts her head slightly in confusion, making sure to look up at Randolf.

“….What is it?”

“Is it alright…if I called you dad? I don’t know your name so, I don’t know”

“…..”

Her platinum coloured hair shakes slightly, and looking at her once again, the young girl who was looking straight at him with her big, grey eyes had, surprisingly adorable features. He thought that she was a 『cute』 girl from the moment he saw her but taking another look now, despite being so young he couldn’t help but feel that her looks had no equal. That calling her 『the owner of beauty』 would be no shame.

Randolf was speechless for a short while, but after a short delay he noticed another shock. He takes a deep breath.

“Nn?”

“A daughter couldn’t be born in our household…”

“Dad….”

“Nn?”

“…Could you repeat your question?”

“Eh? Dale’s dad….what should I call you?”

“『Dad』 doesn’t sound bad….”

“Dad….”

“I feel like I understand your feelings a little bit”

As expected, it seems like even the father is like the son when it comes to their strange places.

“Ahh. That’s right, the word 『daughter』 reminded me.”

Randolf says, then looked at Dale again.

“We’ve decided that the daughter of the next village’s mayor will be the bride.”

“Bride?”

“Yes. We want this to be done with while you’re still here. We’ve hastened the schedule. We will do the ceremony before long.”

“The daughter of the next village….Ah, Freeda? Is that alright?”

“There’s no problem. You’ve calmed down after all. They are saying that this is what they want as well. It’s probably normal as well, to have a mindset wanting to rely on us, Tisroh, rather than some 『far away Feudal Lord』.”

“Well…. Crop failures, magic beasts, and healing magic as well… Even if they asked the Feudal Lord it would be postponed since we are so far out in the countryside but, you can see for yourself. … If they rely on us then, we might be able to deal with it to some extent.“

“The troubles of the Feudal Lord, came to an agreement with your job as well. In the meantime there won’t be any problems for a little while.”

“…I see.”

Dale tried to smile whilst holding some other feeling.

“Then, that means I have to do my role as one of the clan properly….”

“…….”

Looking at his son’s expression, Randolf tries to distract them from seeing his mouth curving up into a smile by moving around the tea utensils.

“It seems like you’re already 『fine』.”

Not responding to those words didn’t mean that Dale was denying it, but the reason they’re hiding their embarrassment, was because between the parent/son duo there wasn’t even any words needed.

“…A wife huh… I got overtaken by York huh. Then isn’t he in big trouble right now? He’s still work-….”

“Fueh!?”

In the middle of Dale’s sentence, Latina, who had been listening quietly, let out a frightened voice and when he looked at her in surprise, she looked like all the blood in her body had been drained.

“What’s wrong Latina? Do you feel sick?”

“Uun (No). I’m alright. …Dale, who is “York”?”

“Nn? Ahh. Since he hasn’t come back yet I didn’t introduce him to you, but he’s my little brother.”

“Dale’s little brother? ….He’s getting married?”

“Yea. You’ll be able to see a wedding ceremony while we are here. So let me prepare your best clothes for you okay!”

It seems that for him, that was already a decided matter.

“I see…”

Muttering that, Latina’s complexion returned back to normal in an instant, and she looked as she always did. The transformation was so quick that Dale almost thought he saw wrong.

“A bride. I want to see~”

You couldn’t find a hint of gloom on the face of Latina who said that and smiled.