Chapter 364: A Family Day at the Beach
"I should grant his request every now and then."
Qiong Xing had personally asked for his help.
Because Qiong Xing loved how fluffy his fur was, he had likely come up with this task for the children.
Fenrisúlfr had never paid much attention to the condition of his fur before.
Still, he secretly enjoyed the occasional naps they shared together.
Sleeping beside Qiong Xing while feeling his magic power was incredibly comforting.
And knowing that Qiong Xing found him fluffy and pleasant to cuddle made him happy as well.
"Now then, what reward should I ask him to make for me?"
The karaage Qiong Xing had prepared before had been delicious.
The cold treat called ice cream had been equally wonderful.
Before meeting Qiong Xing, Fenrisúlfr had sustained himself entirely on magic power.
His cooking had been a revelation.
For that alone, Fenrisúlfr was grateful.
"Perhaps both. In that case, more ingredients would be better."
There were growing children in the household.
There were beastmen who were Qiong Xing’s mates as well.
Nothing would go to waste.
Having too much food was certainly better than having too little.
With that decided, Fenrisúlfr rose to his feet.
The mating season was still several days away.
That gave him plenty of time to prepare.
Determined to gather ingredients for the rewards he intended to request, Fenrisúlfr headed into the forest to hunt.
...
"Go, go!"
"Go, go!"
Qiong Xing relaxed together with Lian and Cari, cheering on their family as they ran around.
Since it was hot, they had set up a makeshift shade using cloth and were watching everyone from there.
"Do Yue and Rui even stand a chance?"
"Who knows? You never know how a match will end until it’s over."
"What does that even mean?"
Albe questioned him, but Qiong Xing only smiled and continued cheering for the children.
The weather was beautiful, making it a perfect day for swimming at the beach, so everyone had come to the seaside together.
Since the twins were overflowing with energy, Qiong Xing had casually suggested that they compete against their fathers.
"We will!"
"..."
Yue answered immediately, but the more cautious Rui looked a little uncertain.
Since Rui seemed reluctant, Qiong Xing suggested that he could team up with Fenrisúlfr instead.
Only then did Rui finally agree.
Albe was put in charge of judging the competition while Qiong Xing sipped cold water and watched the twins.
The contest was a beach flag race.
A flag had been planted in the sand and the goal was simply to reach it first and grab it.
At first, Qiong Xing simply watched the children do their best.
As expected, Leander won easily.
Yue stomped her feet in frustration while Rui looked completely dejected.
"Yue! Rui! Come here."
The two approached with heavy steps.
Qiong Xing whispered something into their ears and then asked Fenrisúlfr for help before sending them back to the starting line.
"Alright, here we go! Ready... go!"
"Mama!"
"Mama!"
"Huh? Ah, hey!"
Just as Elias was about to sprint forward, the twins shouted.
Instinctively, he stopped and turned toward Qiong Xing.
Qiong Xing simply smiled and waved at him.
By the time Elias realized it was a trap, it was already too late.
Although he tried his best to catch up, the twins secured victory and proudly waved their flag in celebration.
"Wow. That’s so underhanded."
"It’s called strategy."
When Qiong Xing pointed out that a competition was not just about running faster, Albe accused him of twisting the logic.
Even so, a win was a win.
The twins jumped around excitedly, thrilled that they had managed to defeat their father.
Only one opponent remained.
That trick would not work a second time.
"Fenrir, are you ready?"
"You truly come up with the strangest ideas."
"Isn’t it fun? Besides, this is only a game."
This was neither a tournament nor a battle where lives were at stake.
It was simply a family playing together.
Even if the children had won through tricks, Elias and the others were mature enough not to complain that it was unfair.
Fenrisúlfr did not seem particularly enthusiastic, but after Qiong Xing reminded him that it was all just for fun, he reluctantly agreed and prepared himself.
"Alright then! Ready... go!"
Having already fallen for one trick, Joa remained cautious as he sprinted forward.
But then, in the next moment...
"Yaaay!"
"Huh?"
The sight of his daughter soaring high above his head made him stop in his tracks.
Yue flew overhead before landing gracefully with a spin, grabbing the flag and immediately waving for Rui to hurry up.
"Hey, what just happened...? Wait, don’t tell me..."
"Yaaay!"
The moment Fenrisúlfr grabbed Rui by the back of his collar, he launched him high into the air with tremendous force.
"Yay!"
"Rui too!"
As the twins celebrated their victory, Qiong Xing could only smile wryly.
In the end, he patted their heads and praised them for doing well.
"Qiong Xing..."
"I told you, didn’t I? You never know how things will turn out until the very end."
Albe looked like he wanted to say something, but apparently decided there was no point and remained silent.
"Then, as a reward for Yue, Rui, and Fenrir’s victory, I’ll make whatever you want for dinner tonight."
"Yay!!"
"Really!?"
When Qiong Xing pointed out that helping had been worth it after all, Fenrisulfr nodded so vigorously it was almost comical.
After that, everyone spent time gathering shellfish, fish, and even the shrimp Qiong Xing had been hoping to catch.
They decided to grill everything with salt and enjoy the feast together.
"Albe, would you like to race against Cari too?"
"Pffft!"
Qiong Xing suggested a sibling showdown for fun, but Albe immediately shook his head.
Apparently, he hated the idea. Losing as the older brother would be embarrassing, but winning and making Cari upset sounded just as bad.
"Then maybe Iseul and Raon... no, that doesn’t seem possible."
Seeing Iseul collapsed on the sand, clearly struggling with the heat, Qiong Xing quickly abandoned that idea.
