A night passed, and the forest began to stir.
The next morning.
「…It’s gotten pretty noisy, hasn’t it?」
We had all woken up and gathered in the living room. Mother stood by the sliding window, her brow slightly furrowed as she looked outside.
From beyond the window came the howling of the wind, the relentless pounding of the rain, and the eerie creaking of the forest trees as they were battered and shaken by the storm.
「It’s a little scary.」
Karen gripped my sleeve nervously.
「It’s okay.」
I reassured her.
Then I turned to Mint, who was sitting on the living room sofa, perched on Grandma Seralinde’s lap.
「Mint, you were sleeping outside earlier. Are you alright?」
「Wind really loud, woke up!」
She was happily munching on a cookie, seemingly unfazed. Whether it was because she was naturally brave or simply didn’t understand the severity of the storm, I couldn’t tell…
「The sounds and the strength of the wind might be unsettling, but our house is protected by the barrier. Everything’s fine. Don’t worry, Karen. I’ve been through this many times back in Japan.」
「…Hmm.」
I smiled and put an arm around her shoulders, and Karen smiled back faintly, looking reassured.
「I’m going to check on the stable for a bit.」
Despite the noisy storm outside, the atmosphere in the living room was warm and cozy. I slipped on my sandals and stepped out through the front door.
「Whoa, it feels like a typhoon hit here! Good morning, Sui-kun. Everything okay?」
「Ah, good morning, Alice-san. Yeah, as you can see, the barrier’s holding up just fine.」
As I crossed the English garden, Alice-san popped her head out from the bushes. She must have come to check on us despite her busy schedule.
「You’re right. All the scattered leaves are from outside.」
「Yeah. The rain seems to be weakening too.」
Outside the house—or rather, around our property—something fascinating was happening.
The barrier had become visible due to the intense wind and rain.
The raging wind and pounding rain were violently shaking the forest trees. Leaves were flying everywhere, branches looked like they might snap at any moment, and even the trunks were bending. But my barrier refused to let any of it through. As a result, the way it blocked the wind and rain was now visible as a transparent dome.
「This is some incredible magic. Even Four Seasons and the others, or even us back in the day, couldn’t do something like this.」
「Have you experienced a storm before, Alice-san?」
「Of course. When you’ve lived for two hundred years… Oh, but I guess this isn’t the best place for small talk. The rain isn’t completely blocked either.」
The rain was still passing through the barrier, but only to the extent that it didn’t affect the garden or the house. It was like the kind of rain where you’d debate whether or not to use an umbrella. Standing around chatting in this weather wasn’t ideal…
-0-
After exchanging greetings and thanks with Alice-san, we parted ways. The 『Fairy Realm』 wasn’t affected by the weather, so there was no need to worry. Well, once the storm passed, I’d invite her over for a meal or something.
For now, though, I had to check on Pochi and Chocola.
When I reached the pasture, both of them were already up. Pochi was outside, grazing on grass. Chocola was inside the stable, sheltering from the rain—
「…Oh.」
「Bark!」
Behind Chocola, who barked upon noticing me,
a large shadow slowly emerged.
「I see. So that’s where you went yesterday.」
「Bark…」
Chocola looked up at me with a slightly apologetic expression, then stepped aside.
The shadow—the family of Smilodons—was now face-to-face with me.
「Their den would have been hit hard by the storm. So, you went to invite them here yesterday, didn’t you?」
「Kyuun…」
「It’s fine. Of course, it’s okay. You’re such a smart boy.」
I entered the stable and gave Chocola’s head a good rub.
Then, the mother, with her massive frame, lumbered over and let out a deep rumble from her throat. The three kittens, perhaps knowing their place, didn’t try to intimidate me.
「…Wait, were they already here last night?」
「Bark!」
「Space-wise, it’s totally fine, but…」
The stable was built with plenty of room to spare. It could comfortably house Pochi and maybe one or two more Tarasques—though we didn’t have any plans for that at the moment.
So, there was more than enough space for the smilodon family to stay.
「Pochi, are you okay with this?」
「Kyuru?」
Pochi, who had noticed me and was slowly walking over, tilted her large head.
Tarasques and smilodons weren’t natural predators of each other. Still, I had a fleeting concern that Pochi, being an herbivore, might feel uneasy with carnivores nearby.
「…Seems like you are fine with it.」
「Kyururu!」
The kittens were darting around Pochi’s feet, and Pochi watched them with a calm gaze. The mother cat also looked on with gentle eyes.
「Well, if we’re talking about carnivores, Chocola’s one too. And in terms of strength, no offense to the smilodons, but our Pochi is…」
「Kyuru!」
「Bark!」
Since coming to the Hatano household, Pochi had been absorbing the land’s magic power like crazy. He was probably no longer an ordinary Tarasque.
「Chocola’s keeping an eye on things to make sure everyone gets along until the storm passes.」
「Bark, bark!」
I entered the stable to check for leaks and make sure the hay bedding wasn’t rotting. The rain wasn’t getting in, but the hay was damp, so I’d have to ask Karen to dry it out later.
——As I was thinking this…
「Sui! Mint came say good morning Pochi and Chocola… Whoa!? Kitties!!」
Mint, who had followed me from the house, noticed the smilodon family and lit up with excitement.
「What you doing here?」
「Bark!」
「Chocola brought them? Ah, because storm, staying over!」
「Bark!」
She ran over and hugged the mother cat’s neck. The kittens also jumped on Mint and started playing.
「Wind’s really loud, huh? But okay at Mint’s house!」
The mother smilodon rumbled softly in her throat, while the kittens mewed happily.
「…I guess I’ll have to prepare some food for them too.」
「Bark?」
「Even you didn’t think that far ahead, huh?」
「Kyuun?」
As I ruffled Chocola’s chin, I felt a strangely cheerful mood settle over me.
Outside, the storm was howling loudly, but here, it was peaceful.
——————————————————
AN: This volume is meant to focus on the slow, everyday life, so the pacing is deliberately relaxed.
Sui’s first year here was pretty hectic, so I wanted to take things a bit slower this time…
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