“Let’s not stand here, come in.”
I say, and Ririi immediately takes her shoes off like she was waiting for it, and runs with Poyopoyo straight to the living room.
Lain follows her. The fact that she looks around the room and checks with her eyes before moving shows the difference in their upbringing.
…Maybe it’s not someone else’s problem. I’m the one who decides Ririi’s upbringing after all.
No, I shouldn’t compare her to a noble, I think as I shake my head.
“Here, Poyopoyo!”
She places it in the center of the living room, and starts explaining with a proud expression.
It looks like she wants that to be its base.
“No. Don’t just decide that.”
“Eh…”
“Bed, food, and water. We need to decide where those will be.”
Poyopoyo doesn’t seem interested, jiggling as it crawls on the floor, changing direction after it hits furniture. I don’t sense a lot of intelligence from it, I think I as start to work out its minimum environment.
“Poyopoyo needs water, right?”
“Yes! And it likes the sun!”
“The sun… It can’t be under a window, it might dry out.”
“Eh…”
She doesn’t sound happy, but it can’t be helped. Many wild slime live in forests with a lot of shade.
Something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye as we discuss Poyopoyo’s care.
Lain is holding Beary on the sofa. The same way as the last time she was here, holding it closely and sinking her fingers as if checking its softness.
Sieglinde sits next to her.
“Do you like that monster?”
“A little…”
Says Lain quietly, seeming a bit embarrassed.
“Touching it is calming.”
“I see.”
Sieglinde doesn’t deny or agree, just silently nods. Her eyes are on Lain, not Beary.
“How is school?”
“My grades are the best.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“But…”
Lain faces down for a moment, and holds Beary tighter.
“My mother tells me to raise them more.”
Sieglinde’s expression changes just a little.”
“…I see.”
A short answer. She doesn’t inquire more, or ignore it, just accepts it. Maybe she’s feeling that complicated noble air that I don’t understand.
Still, Medici… She wasn’t at the top, but demands her daughter be at the top. Not that I have anything to do with it, but…
“This is good!”
Ririi’s next chosen spot is in an empty space in the kitchen cupboard. It’s big enough to fit about five plates, and she gets on a chair to put Poyopoyo there. It fits perfectly, like it was made for it.
“Perfect!”
“Rejected.”
It’s too tight. There’s no space for it to move.
“Why!?”
“It’s dangerous. Wouldn’t you feel bad if it fell?”
As we argue, I hear Ririi’s name coming from the sofa. Apparently they’re talking about how she is in school. I really want to hear it, but she’s pulling my hand as we look around the house for a place where Poyopoyo can sleep.
I’ll hear it from Sieglinde after Lain leaves. I’m sure it will be fun.
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