Chapter 38

Because we are not traveling in a hurry, I have decided to go in the Gaya Forest to exercise .

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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」」

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「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 .

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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 .

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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 .

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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!?