Chapter 38
Because we are not traveling in a hurry, I have decided to go in the Gaya Forest to exercise .
Unlike the last time hunting where Joule and Feat used their claws and fangs, they use magic to kill monsters .
Joule covers the dead bodies around with ice magic《Freeze》into one large lump of ice . Feat uses the wind magic《Float》to make the lump of ice fly and brings it to my side .
Skillful . And clever...... they are learning properly .
When they were fighting at close range, I had no choice but to clean them with my《Washing》 .
Well, it’s alright, though . It’s not magic that consumes much of magical power .
...... It’s just, those fellows won’t get satisfied unless they can lick after each battle...... Well, it makes Allen and Elena happy so...... oh well?
We loiter around the forest and hunt .
Then, before I notice, the children and the Contracted beasts compete at monster hunting .
When a monster is found, all members charge, defeat the monster, bring it to me, get patted by me .
That is the course of events .
Once in a while, Bolt would《Thunderbolt》a monster from the sky the moment he finds it . When that happens, the two children and the other two animals look really vexed .
「Uwa!!」
When they are feeling down because they couldn’t get praised, I pat them with the intention of consoling, and they jump into action again .
You guys, calm down a bit~
As the area became dark, I have decided to leave Gaya Forest for the camp .
Riding on Joule and Feat, we can get out quickly, and the outside of Gaya Forest is safe .
When the camping site is decided, we have the dinner next .
「Allen, Elena . What would you like to eat?」
「「N......... Cream!」」
Because both Allen and Elena love Cream bread, it frequently ends up as their snack of choice .
But, making Cream bread as a dinner menu is a bit...... I would like them to choose something more nutritious .
「N~ Allen, Elena . Cream bread is not good for a dinner...... How about having it tomorrow as breakfast snack?」
「「Ye~s」」
「Let’s see...... How about Oyakodon1? The one with an egg on rice」
「「Will eat~」」
「It’s decided then」
Although it felt like I have incited them, because the two obediently accepted the compromise plan, Oyakodon has been chosen for the dinner .
「Joule, Feat, and Bolt want meat, right? Raw?」
『Waffu~u』
「N? No? Grilled is better?」
『Waffuwaffu』
「I see . Joule wants it grilled . Does Feat also prefer it grilled?」
『Gaun』
「What about Bolt?」
『Piiii』
The Contracted beast fundamentally don’t require feeding . Apparently, when Contracted beasts are supplemented with magical power while in their master’s shadow which restores their energy .
However, because they can eat, they are having a meal together with us like this .
Because of that, I have asked them what they want to eat, but it seems my Contracted beasts like grilled meat better than raw......
Raw meat? They shook their heads when I asked .
Grilled meat tastes better . Looks like they have the same opinion as people .
These children seem to enjoy “food” with a strong taste more .
Grilled meat or Oyakodon, which is better? When asked, all three choose the latter . It seems the same menu as ours is better .
Even if I were going to make just one serving, it wouldn’t be much trouble to make more . Therefore, I have decided to make Oyakodon for six .
Aren’t spring onions bad for felines? Is what I thought, but since there seems to be no problem, I cook the onions and guineafowl with soy sauce and finish it up with half boiled egg .
「Well then, itadakimasu」
「「Itadakima~shu」」『Waffu』『Gau』『Pii』
Un, delicious!
I must say that finishing Oyakodon with a half boiled egg dripping on top of it is delicious .
Allen and Elena also eat while stuffing their mouths with spoons with utmost effort .
I have served the food for Joule and others on a plate to make it easier for them to eat, but Bolt is dexterously using his beak while Joule and Feat stuff their mouths around the plate in their small forms .
Apparently, they can enjoy the taste more while in their small forms .
Well, if they eat in their adult forms, they would eat it in two or three bites after all .
「「Joule」」
『Waffu』
When it was time to sleep, Joule’s stomach became a substitute of the cushion for the three of us . Joule’s fur is soft and comfy......
Today is Joule’s turn, but because it has been decided that the cushion role will alternate, it’s Feat’s turn tomorrow .
I thought it was bad to treat them as cushions at first, but rather it was the other way around .
Joule’s tail was intensively hitting the ground as if saying quickly over here .
Because it doesn’t look like I have to hold back, I lean against Joule while asking Feat and Bolt to stand guard .
That being said, Feat and Bolt are in a resting postures next to us . Every single of my children is sensitive to presences after all . There won’t be any problems .
Ah, the moons...
Aetherdia has three moons . Yellow, blue, and red . Three colored moons rise into the sky .
Which reminds me, this is my first time camping in a place where the sky is clearly visible . Sky can’t be seen from within Gaya Forest, then there was the dungeon .
A night sky after a long time .
Gazing at several moons, I realize again that this is a different world .
Has it been a little over a month since I came to Aetherdia?
So many things happened so fast... I fall asleep while thinking such .
◇ ◇ ◇
I have decided to go to Gaya Forest the next day too .
Allen, Elena, Joule, and others apparently haven’t played sufficiently yet .
We are gathering medicinal plants today .
「There~」
「Many~」
「There really are many......」
Ah~ Demon Spirit Grass .
Maryoku Grass is relatively common, but Demon Spirit Grass should have been a valuable medicinal plant......
Because Gaya Forest itself is a place full of magic, does it grow densely here?
And to find a place where they grow en masse at that......
『Waffu』
This time, Joule seem to have found something .
It’s a Soul Grass...... quite a rare medicinal plant again...... I’m sure it’s used as nostrum .
『Gau』
The next one is Feat, huh . This is Touka Grass .
Because it’s leaves are transparent, it’s quite difficult to find plant......
Nose? Did Feat find it by smell?
『Pii』
Ah, Bolt has found Minsu fruit .
Minsu in fact is a plum-like fruit . It’s bigger than typical plum, it’s very sour, but it’s nutritional value is high, it’s used for medicinal tonics as it has nourishing properties .
There seem to be quite a lot on the tree . Bolt drops it with his beak, and I catch it when it falls .
Nevertheless, aren’t we finding quite a lot rare things in high demands?
「「Ah!」」
Allen and Elena seem to have found something again as they run towards a tree .
Now then, what did they find this time?
Moving while sufficiently playing along the way, we finally saw a sea a week later after leaving Shirin .
It can be said we moved at quite a high pace to arrive in just a week .
「Allen, Elena, that is the sea」
「「Sea~ Big~」」
Allen and Elena gaze at the sea with sparkling eyes .
「「Water, a lot~」」
「That’s right . All of that is a salty water」
「「Delish~?」」
「It’s not tasty? You shouldn’t drink it」
「「Ye~s」」
I had to say it because they would drink the water as soon as arriving at the beach . Like this, they won’t probably drink it .
We immediately stepped onto the beach .
The beach without any man-made objects is quiet with the only roaring of the waves resounding .
While Allen and Elena are playing at the water’s edge―――
「That... may I ask if you are Takumi-sama?」
「...... You are?」
Suddenly, I was spoken to by a woman who emerged from the sea .
Umm... why do you know my name?
「I’m Mirena of the mermaid race」
Haa!? Say what!?