...munch...munch...munch...
"Why are you eating so much chicken barbecue today, Vier-kun?"
"I only ate 4 sets earlier, Mister. The rest have been taken from me by the Guild and this next batch is for the children of the Orphanage."
"I see, then have this extra one, Vier-kun. That's 1S Gold coins for everything."
"Here's the payment, Mister. Thanks for the extra!"
Since I'm visiting the Orphanage, it's apparent that I need to bring some gifts for the children living there.
I have worked in Orphanage for almost a year and in that time, I became pretty close to all of them. Besides, these foods will be my escape method in case those children want to play with me and won't let me go.
After walking for a while I arrive at the Orphanage which is at the eastern part of the town.
When I enter the gate, I find one of my best friends playing with the children in the Orphanage's garden. She then noticed me approaching and greeted me cheerfully.
"Everyone! BossZaku is here!"
"Rozze! You, idiot! Why are you greeting me like that in public? I told you to never call me like that again!"
"Ohh! Right!... Sorry, I forgot."
"Don't forget something important like that!"
The children also noticed me. All of them stop whatever they are doing and gather around me.
"Did you come to play, Vier-oneechan?"
"What are you carrying, Oneechan?"
"I smell food from that!"
"Is that food, neechan?"
"Mhm! Share this with everyone."
"""Yay!!!"""
"Thanks, BossZaku!"
"Rozze! You..."
"Welcome, Vier-chan! Come and hug your Oneesan!"
Before I can finish my argument with Rozze, someone undetected suddenly appears behind me and hugs me. It was none other than the Oneesan of the Orphanage, Leaena-san who is also Felin's mother.
"Ekk!... Stop! Let me go, Leaena-san!"
"But I miss you so much, Vier-chan!"
"We just saw each other yesterday at the Adventurers Guild, right?"
"But I didn't get to hug you yesterday because I'm working with Misaki-san, right?"
I tried to struggle as much as I could to free myself from Leaena-san's hug but the more I struggled, that hug became tighter until it felt like a restrain rather than a hug.
"Please let me go, Leaena-san! I'm here to watch Felin's Training with Danboro-san."
"Ohh!... They're in the field in the backyard of the building. Let's go and see them together then."
"Okay! But let go of me first! I can walk on my own."
"Rozze-chan, everyone! Bring Vier-chan's gift to the kitchen and ask your Oneesan and Oniisan to prepare it for everyone."
"Hey! Don't ignore me, Leaena-san!"
""""Okay, Leaena-oneesan!""""
"See you around, BossZa... Vier!"
"Don't leave me, Rozze! Help!!!..."
While being carried by Leaena-san like a child hugging and carrying her doll while walking, we went to the field in the backyard of the Orphanage.
Right now, I'm sitting on Leaena-san's lap and being hugged by her while watching Felin's Training from a distance.
"So how's Felin's Training, Leaena-san?"
"Huh?... Who is that Leaena-san you're talking about, Vier-chan?"
"Ugh!... Fine!... how's Felin's Training, Leaena-oneesan?"
Sheesh... I know you're still quite young but you're Felin's mother so please stop calling yourself an Oneesan.
Leaena-san is actually only 44 years old so for a Human with an average lifespan of 250 years, 44 years old is still in the Adolescence period.
If I subtract Felin's age, it means that Leaena-san gave birth to Felin when she was 30 years old... Hey!!!... How come you have a child the moment you exit your Youthful period?... Wait!... Don't tell me Felin's deceased father is a perv... No! Stop thinking like that.
While having an internal monologue about Leaena-san's questionable age of marriage to Felin's deceased father, Leaena-san answered my inquiry about Felin's Training while tightening her hug to me.
"Mhm!... My Felin-chan is doing very well, Vier-chan."
"Huh?... What do you mean, Leaena-oneesan?"
"My Felin-chan doesn't have enough power since she's still young, but she was able to execute everything I'm teaching her."
I'm not actually asking about Felin's personal training with Leaena-san but what she said is quite concerning.
"Execute?... What exactly are you teaching to your daughter?"
"Of course, I'm teaching her how to deal with monsters. Especially those types that disguise themselves to look like a person."
Suddenly, there this sudden chills that I feel as Leaena-san says those remarks. I don't know why, but I'm getting a very dangerous vibe from Leaena-san even if she's actually speaking cheerfully.
"You should also learn how to deal with those kinds of monsters, Vier-chan."
It feels like Leaena-san is actually talking about something that a child like us should never think of. After all...
"Those are bad people, Leaena-san... Ahem!... Leaena-oneesan. Not a monster!"
"If it quacks like a duck, then it's definitely a duck! Right?"
"No!... It could be another bird or sometimes a frog!"
"Ehh?... Do frogs also make that sound?"
"Mhm!... We found one in the forest that makes the same sound... Wait!... We're getting out of the topic. What I'm asking is how Felin's Training with Danboro is!"
"Well, I'm not a Beastkin myself so I have no idea!"
Yep!... Leaena-san is not actually a Demi-Human Beastkin. But even if she is a Human and Felin is a Demi-Human Beastkin, Leaena-san is Felin's actual mother.
Leaena-san is a Human who carries the Bloodline of the Lightning-Beast Saber race in her blood. And with that Bloodline, she was luckily able to give birth to Felin who is a Demi-Human Beastkin.
Anyway, even if you're not a Beastkin yourself, at least have some knowledge about your daughter's Sub-Spirit Magic... Huh?... Leaena-san's hug is tightening even more... Ugh!... Wait!... It's actually kinda getting hard to breathe.
"Even if I'm not a Beastkin myself I know that my Felin-chan is getting the hang of it, Vier-chan. Just look at Felin-chan's head... See?... Cat-san is awake."
Hmmm... Leaena-san is right, Felin's Cat-sith is actually awake.
Is the Cat-sith awake because Felin is using her Sub-Spirit Magic? Is that how it works for the Beastkin Demi-Humans? I still haven't met any other Beastkin Demi-Humans other than Felin and Danboro-san. But Danboro-san's Cat-sith is always awake every time I see him.
Then what about the other Demi-Humans that I know about?
Nymh-san's Dryad is always sitting on her shoulder but sometimes it is asleep or awake. Master Berlin's Ifrit is always sleeping inside the Forge. Master Arenea's Arachnid is always hiding and crawling in tight and dark spaces while observing anyone who enters the shop.
Ohh, right!... Char-senpai's Zotz is always hiding inside her hair. Its bat-like wings look like Char-senpai's hair accessory, like a bat wing headband.
I guess different Sub-Spirits have different Egos and personalities.
"I guess you're right, Leaena-onesan. Also, the Mana around Felin is taking form like bluish-white lightning!"
"Mhm!... My Felin-chan is amazing, right? Unlike me, she doesn't need any Monster-Core to do that..."
"Wait!... I think Felin is going to do something so please be quiet!"
"You're really being mean to me, Vier-chan! I guess I'm not giving you enough hugs, Huff!..."
"Ugh!... Wait I want to see this... Stop hugging me... It's so tight... I can't breathe..."
While I'm struggling to save myself from Leaena-san's hug, Felin and her Mentor, Danboro-san, are having a conversation about the Lightning-Beast Saber race's Sub-Spirit Magic.
"Are you ready, Felin-kun? Remember to maintain your connection to your Cat-sith."
"Mhm!... I can feel Cat-san's connection!"
"Okay. Then do at least one or two forms that I have taught you."
"Okay!... Lightning-Beast-Form... Lightning-Flash..."
As soon as Felin casts her Magic, the bluish-white lightning covering her body becomes more dense then she suddenly disappears from the place where she is standing, reappears in front of her target, and slashes it in half using her Knife.
It's really amazing since she's able to travel a 20-meter distance in just a second.
"Lightning-Beast-Form... Lightning-Strike..."
Her next Magic covered her Dagger with bluish-white lighting then she ran towards her next target which was also 20 meters away.
She's not moving as fast during that Lightning-Flash, but the moment her Dagger pierces the target, an explosion of lightning erupts from her Dagger.
That lightning scorches the target and the explosion breaks it together with her Dagger... Ehh?...
"Gyahhhh!!!... Felin!!!"
My panic shout surprised Leaena-san and caught Felin and Danboro-san's attention.
"Huh?... Why are you here, Vier?!"
"Felin!... Your Mana-Steel Dagger!"
"My Dagger? It's in the chair over there!"
Felin pointed at the bench in the opposite direction from us and I found both of her Mana-Steel Dagger and Knife lying there.
Sheesh... I really thought that Felin's Dagger got broken. It will be quite a problem if it actually does. There are only 3 days left before the Adventurers Admission Exam so I'm not sure if Master Berlin can finish making a replacement in that time.
Anyway, the Dagger that just got broken by Felin's Sub-Spirit Magic looks as expensive and has the same quality as Felin's Mana-Steel Dagger. I wonder who gave her that. Maybe it's a gift from Danboro-san... Nope... It just got destroyed so I'm sure is not a gift.
"Are you wondering about that Dagger, Vier-chan? It's just a spare from Mr. Zwaard."
"I see, it's a spare... Huh?... Who is Mr. Zwaard, Leaena-oneesan?"
"He's the guy sitting over there, Vier-chan. Old man Danboro said that he is his escort guard or something."
Leaena-san pointed a little further to the left of the bench where Felin's Mana-Steel Dagger and Knife were.
On the next bench, about 6 meters away, there's this guy who is dressed like a knight. When he noticed that we were looking at him, he raised his hand and waved to us.
Hmmm... That guy as a guard for Danboro-san? But he looks much weaker compared to Danboro-san. Why would a strong Demi-Human Beastkin like Danboro-san need someone to guard him?
"Is Danboro-san really getting old that he needs someone to be his guard? I think he's still strong?"
"I'm more than 1000 years old, Vier-kun, I'm not as strong as I used to be."
"Ehh?... Hello, Danboro-san!"
While I was thinking about the identity of Mr. Zwaard, I didn't notice that Danboro-san and Felin had already approached us.
"Vier, why is Mama hugging you? Why are you sitting in her lap?"
"Please help me, Felin! I can't take this anymore."
"Sheesh... You're really being mean to me today, Vier-chan. Perhaps you need not only a hug but also a kiss... mwah!..."
"Gyahhhh!!!... Let go of me, Leaena-san!..."
__________________________
***PoruShark Writer's Note***
Here are the characters' concept designs for Leaena-san and Rozze-chan.
Look at the comments.
•Leaena
•Rozze