As the café’s work began to wind down and fatigue set in, the atmosphere of the children, who had been thoroughly worn out, began to brighten thanks to Luke’s siblings who came to play.
“Hmm, this is delicious!”
“Yeah! It’s really tasty.”
The sight of Pyris and Diana, each with cookies and bread in both hands, munching happily with their mouths full, brought great satisfaction to the children who had prepared and served the treats.
There weren’t many young guests like Pyris and Diana today, especially since Luke’s siblings were enjoying their meals so heartily.
As Kaila watched them with a contented expression, she murmured.
“Oh my, these cute little ones. I just want to squeeze them! Don’t you think?”
“Right? Kids who eat well are adorable.”
Amy nodded at Kaila’s words.
Even though her younger siblings were only about three years younger, she couldn’t understand how they could be so cute.
Luke’s siblings, interestingly, didn’t throw tantrums like other children their age and had good manners like Luke, making them seem even cuter.
It seemed that Luke placed a considerable emphasis on teaching proper etiquette at home.
At that moment, noticing that they were talking about her, Pyris asked with a curious look as full as her cheeks stuffed with food.
“Hey! You can’t bite me! If you bite me, blood will come out, and if blood comes out, it’ll hurt, and if it hurts, I’ll die, and if I die, I can’t eat anything delicious! That’s what my sister said! So please don’t bite me.”
“Haha! Is that so?”
“Yeah. So don’t bite me, okay?”
Pyris had gained a physical body, but her essence was a spirit.
Thus, it was impossible for her to comprehend expressions arising from the instinctual desires of biological species.
When Pyris, genuinely believing that Kaila intended to bite her, responded earnestly, Kaila couldn’t resist the impulse to pet Pyris, captivated by the astonishing purity of the child.
“Oh my, how can you be so pure! Then, is it okay if I pet you?”
“Yeah, petting is fine.”
“Oh! You’re so cute! You’re just like your sister, but your actions are the opposite!”
To Kaila, both Luke and Pyris were cute, but the nature of their cuteness was quite different.
Luke, acting wise beyond his years, seemed cute in a mature way for his age, while Pyris exuded a charm through her innocent, childlike behavior.
Anyway, with permission granted, Kaila felt no need to restrain her urges any longer.
Immediately, Kaila hugged Pyris, rubbing her cheeks against her and fervently petting her head.
“Wow! Your cheeks are so soft, and your hair is so smooth; how wonderful!”
“Um, um. Miss, if you don’t stop, Pyris will get uncomfortable.”
Seeing this, Amy, who had been watching, started to understand why Kaila’s brother might have come to dislike his sister.
However, Pyris, seemingly unbothered, responded cheerfully.
“Mmm, I’m okay. I like being petted.”
“Really? Then can I pet you more?”
“Yeah!”
As a result, Kaila’s movements became even quicker.
After some time, Kaila, now looking somewhat relieved, turned to Luke and asked.
“Luke, when did you become like this?”
“What do you mean by ‘became’? I’ve always been this way.”
Luke shook his head in disbelief.
To say someone suddenly changed when they had always been this way would only lead to confusion.
Then, he glanced at Diana, who was consuming bread with as much enthusiasm as Pyris, with a perplexed expression.
While it was known that Pyris possessed an unusually hearty appetite typical of spirits, Diana’s eating habits were generally quite normal compared to other children.
However, today, Diana was eating a lot more.
As if someone had starved her.
“By the way, Diana. You’re eating quite a bit. Is the bread that delicious?”
“Yeah, it’s tasty! I was hungry.”
“Hungry? Didn’t Dayton feed you?”
At this time, most families would have already finished their meals.
Moreover, Dayton, who prioritized a regular eating schedule, was thorough about maintaining it.
Thus, it was rather surprising for Luke that the children hadn’t eaten.
“Yeah, my brother went out before lunch and hasn’t returned yet. He didn’t even leave any side dishes prepared. That’s why I was going to come to you, sis.”
“Really? What on earth was he thinking?”
“He’s really terrible, you know? He tells me not to eat snacks before a meal, and now he hasn’t returned.”
Dayton always ensured to prepare meals before leaving for work or any outings, checking later to confirm if the children had eaten properly.
So if they hadn’t eaten properly and the snacks had diminished, then the children faced serious consequences.
The rule was, “Always eat meals on time, and only eat snacks afterwards,” a law the children found annoying, but it stemmed from a very warm and thoughtful intent to ensure they received balanced nutrition needed for their growth.
However, if Dayton had forgotten about the children’s meal time…
It seemed something urgent must have arisen unexpectedly.
“Oh dear, my little ones must be hungry! If you want to eat, go ahead! I’ll give you everything!”
“Really?”
“Um, Miss, if you give her everything, she might actually eat it all.”
Amy tried to restrain Kaila, having heard about Pyris’s appetite in the past.
At a birthday party for Luke held at Mary’s house a while back, Pyris had eaten half of the food prepared, leading to whispers about whether Luke’s family was poor.
However, despite Amy and Kaila’s conversation, Luke was lost in thought.
“Could something major have happened in the forest?”
When he borrowed the authority of the prophet to search for Umi with the computer, it didn’t seem like anything was wrong.
———-
Hours before Dayton’s departure…
Tenna was on his way home from the neighborhood pharmacy after buying painkillers, bandages, and ointments.
These were the supplies needed to care for the wounds he sustained a few days ago from Third.
“That monstrous brat…”
Tenna trembled at the memory of being caught off guard.
Before he knew it, he was face down on the ground.
At least it was fortunate that he was only dealt with to this extent after initiating the confrontation.
Some others, meanwhile, had their arms and legs broken simultaneously, unable to move without crawling to the bathroom.
“How pathetic.”
To claim to practice martial arts and be taken down without even a chance to blink by a fifteen-year-old was utterly shameful.
He couldn’t even speak of this incident to anyone.
Just like that day when he was taken down by that kid.
“By the way, what did I even do? If I just knew that method, winning the tournament would be easy.”
Was it Third? Should he go find him later and learn that technique?
Though whether that brat would be willing to teach him was another question…
Walking while enduring the simultaneous stings on his cheeks, eyes, and forehead, a familiar face appeared across the way.
A petite enchantress with a somewhat delicate frame and captivating golden hair—the elf had a cute impression.
“Wait, isn’t that Dayton’s wife?”
Seeing her closely confirmed the fact.
It was indeed Yerna Risphind.
He had met her once before at a gym.
She was a colleague of Dayton, a Forest Keeper, and the mother of a child named Luke.
In simpler terms, she was his sister-in-law.
Wasn’t that a good enough reason to acknowledge her on the street?
Plus, he had some questions for her.
“Uh, sis-in-law…”
At that moment.
“Were you waiting for me?”
An unidentified older man, wearing a hat, fiddled with his coat collar as he stepped in front of Yerna.
Tenna’s steps toward her halted.
“…I’m late.”
“Sorry, sorry. I had to make some preparations for my place. You want to finish quickly, right?”
“Fine… Let’s go. We don’t have time.”
Due to the ominous atmosphere felt between the two, Tenna lost the desire to speak to Yerna any further.
However, curiosity swelled within him.
Was it just him, or did it seem like his brother’s wife was being threatened by a stranger?
“What is this? What does ‘finish quickly’ mean? Is my sister-in-law being threatened right now?”
The worst imaginations flooded Tenna’s mind.
But it was too early for conclusions.
He didn’t know what the relationship between the old man and Yerna was, nor had he heard the full conversation.
In all honesty, if that old man was a high-ranking official on the Forest Keeper’s side and they were merely discussing work, he would only embarrass himself by intervening.
Also, if it was something bad and he stepped in, it wouldn’t help much either.
Yerna was the Forest Keeper of Luke Forest, meaning she had significant authority over him.
Thus, he decided to quietly follow and listen a bit more.
If something suspicious arose, he could always call his brother.
“Yeah, you wore what I told you to wear, right?”
“Of course. Why do you ask that suddenly?”
“I mean, there was a time you didn’t handle what I told you properly, and it nearly caused a big issue.”
“When was that? I don’t make those mistakes anymore.”
“Then, can you show me that it’s worn properly right here?”
“Right here? What are you talking about…”
“Hahaha, I was just joking. You seem too tense.”
“Ha… I’m sure I am wearing it, so please quit with the strange comments. In this situation, jokes aren’t necessary.”
“I get it, I get it. I just thought it would be nice to lighten the mood.”
Having overheard up to that point, Tenna immediately pulled out his phone.
“Hello, Dayton? It seems like there’s a bit of a problem with your wife over here.”
