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I was once approached by a military police officer while conversing with Harsalia, whom I met by chance in town, and was told that a neighbor had reported a conversation between a man and an elf, who appeared to be selling elves….
What kind of man would sell elves?
And just now, I was mistaken for a kidnapper and surrounded by military police. And there were the same military police as when I was with Harsalia, and they looked at me like, “Oh, it’s you again….”
I feel the same way, damn it.
It must have been quite a while since I started living in this town, so why do I still have to be reported?
“If you’re not kidnapping people, where are these kids from? Aren’t their parents worried about them?”
“I’m the parent.'”
“What? Don’t be silly. Then are they sisters or brothers? They don’t look anything alike.”
look alternately at my face and the faces of Iska and the others. It’s normal to have family members who don’t look alike, even if they have the same blood in their veins.
“And… that purple-haired kid over there.”
Stella’s shoulders tremble as she hears these words.
“Ah? What’s this girl?”
I put my hand on Stella’s head and glared at the military police.
“Huh?! … Hmm, no matter what attitude you take, our job is to protect the safety of the city and the citizens. If you have anything to say, go to the police station…”
Protecting the citizens? You who have been at the mercy of those thugs?
“Um…”
Ariamel, who had been silent behind me until then, speaks out. With an angry look on her face that I have never seen before..
“What the man…Gray-san is saying is true. We are his children, his family. To you, a child in “normal” clothes may be a citizen, but it is unnecessary care.”
Nina and Ratz, who were hiding behind Ariamel, cling to my legs on both sides.
“Don’t bully oto-san!”
I’m sorry, if anything, I’m the one…
Iska and Fio also stand in front of me as if to protect me.
The military police who saw that looked at each other awkwardly.
“Let’s go, Gray-san.”
Then Ariamel pulls me by the hand and starts walking away. And then
“……, you didn’t even help us when we were dressed in tatters.”
She said so in a small voice.
From Ariamel’s expression and words at that time, something must have happened before.
After walking for a while, Ariamel apologized embarrassedly as if she had come to her senses.
I was supposed to protect them, but instead I was protected. Saving these kids at that time was the wisest decision I ever made in my life.
“”…””
So I introduced the children to the innkeeper and his child, and they both froze.
“Hey”
“Huh?!”
“I was sure you’ll be too surprised.”
“No, you don’t want it?”
The innkeeper’s father looks at Rina’s face.
“Uh… yeah, it’s strange not to be surprised by this…”
Right now, I am carrying Nina on my back, who is tired of walking, Stella on my right hand, and Ratz on my left, but there’s nothing wrong with it.
Don’t tell me to stop, I know.
“Is that why you suddenly bought a house, for those kids?”
The innkeeper’s father speaks to me in a small voice as I watch Iska and the others and Rina conversing.
“That’s not the only reason. It’s been a long time since I started living in this city, and I was thinking it was time to settle down. It was just right for them and for me.”
“Heh, you’re doing something that doesn’t suit your face.”
“The face” is superfluous…”
I’ve been grinning for a while…
“Well, take a seat and I’ll prepare the food right away. Hey Lina! It’s time to prepare the food.”
“Oh yes!”
With that, they went into the kitchen.
The food was quite delicious. The children raved about the food, and Ariamel even asked Lina to teach her the recipe for the dish.
“Isn’t it better than when I was staying here?”
“That’s the thing, a meal with the family tastes good. Didn’t you know that?”
A meal to eat as a family…that’s certainly true.
It’s only natural that I’m gaining weight because my family is participating in Ariamel’s already delicious food…
“…”
“Well, if something happens, talk to me. As a person and as a father, I am a senior and I will give you gentle advice.”