It’s the day after the alfar banquet, and I’m in front of Katima and the elder.
“Once again, thank you for what you have done with the great spirit.”
“No, I didn’t really do anything…”
“No Arata, you did.”
Katima’s eyes are falling a little below me. More precisely on Snow, who is sitting snug on my lap.
“It’s crazy to entrust you with acting as a parent to a great spirit.”
“There’s not much I can do about it.”
I actually didn’t do anything.
I just went to where the great spirits live to hear what they had to say, and all of a sudden this girl was attached to me.
“Well, Arata is Arata.”
“And Katima, you also formed a great bond. Cherish this bond.”
“Yes, Katima knows…”
Katima was pretty free and uninhibited back in our home, but ever since she came back to this village, she’s been looking more sensible.
Being able to see that different side of her is one of the reasons why this trip feels worth it to me.
“Daddy.”
“Hn?”
“Can snow go to Mommy?”
“Sure. Do you know the way?”
“Yes. Mommy’s magic energy is warm, so Snow knows.”
Reina is in the kitchen with Saria, so it’s a bit far, but I guess Snow can tell with her great spirit senses.
She hops off my lap, and runs to the back with her tiny steps, but then turns around for a moment.
“Later!”
“Yes, be careful.”
“Yes.”
I watch Snow leave with a smile on my face, and see a gentle smile form on the elder’s face too.
“How adorable. Still, it has been a long time since a new great spirit was born.”
“A while? It’s not something people can normally see at all, elder.”
“Ah! If you live a long life, you will see it a few times too, Katima.”
“They say they come around once every thousand years.”
Do alfar live that long?
I get the feeling from Katima that the elder is a special case.
“Mister Guen and Mister Giarth were also cute right after being born.”
“…Those two?”
“Yes. Miss Sheryl was already around when I was born, but the other two were incredibly cute.”
The big Mister Guen with a lion’s mane made of flames. Mister Giarth, who looks like a robot.
And Miss Sheryl, who raised them.
That makes sense considering the power balance I saw the other day, but I can’t picture Miss Sheryl gently raising children.
…Wait, does Mister Giarth even grow?
And Miss Sheryl is the oldest among those three?
If they are born once every millennium… Miss Sheryl was born at least four thousand years ago.
A chill runs down my spine.
It’s like a shadow from the depths of hell stroked my back gently.
I should probably stop thinking about that.
“By the way, is there anything I have to look out for in raising a great spirit?”
“Great spirits are nature itself. Miss Snow chose you, because that was the most natural thing to do. You don’t have to worry about anything.”
“Is that how it is?”
“Yes.”
I never raised children in my old world either, so all I have are worries…
“Snow is family already, so that’s how I intend to treat her.”
I say, and the elder gently smiles.
“Snow likes you Katima, so are you going to play with her from now on?”
“Uu… O-of course. Playing with a great spirit is an honor… Yes, a great honor, so…”
She’s probably looking away because Snow is always pushing her around.
But it does look like Snow likes her, so we have to have them play together.
“Hn?”
Suddenly, I look at the elder, and see his head moving a little up and down.
I can’t see his eyes because of his long eyebrows, but…
“…Gu…”
“Ah, the elder is sleeping.”
“It was pretty lively yesterday.”
The elder is pretty small physically speaking, and he gives me the impression that he’s a nice old man that doesn’t move around a lot. But he sure moved around a lot during the banquet. And swiftly too.
Especially when he was teaching things to the young people who were dancing. Even Reina when she’s cooking doesn’t match that intensity.
“We should probably be leaving soon.”
“Yes.”
We go to the kitchen, and see Saria teaching Reina alfar cooking.
“Ah, Arata.”
“Daddy!”
The three of them are wearing aprons, and it’s a sight that feels homey and nice to me as a man.
Reina and Snow approach me with smiles on their faces, and it tickles my heart in a way I can’t even describe.
“I think we should go soon.”
“I see. It’s a good timing too, because I’ve just got done learning some things.”
There’s a nice smell coming from the pot behind her. That’s probably tonight’s dinner, and it gets me a little excited.
“Daddy! Snow helped too!”
“I see, good girl.”
“Hn!”
I pat her head, and she squints her eyes with a happy expression.
Then I pick her up, and she holds me tightly like a koala. She feels nice and cool.
“Hey, Katima.”
“What, grandma?”
“I get more out of teaching Reina than you, so I’m making her my granddaughter.”
“…Arata, isn’t this old lady just awful?”
Says Katima with tears welling up in her eyes, probably because what Saria said hurt. I almost laugh.
But it seems she’s pretty serious, so as I’m holding that in, Saria gently pats Katima on the shoulder.
“I’m joking Katima, I’m joking.”
“Oh… Just a joke”
“But you did call me old lady.”
“…!?”
Katima tries to run as fast as she can, but Saria is already holding her shoulder.
Saria throws her to the hall outside the kitchen, and follows it by getting on her back and bending it.
“G-grandma! No! No more! Don’t bend Katima’s back like…”
And with a small breath, Katima’s body goes limp.
Saria gets up, wipes her hands, and walks this way with a look of satisfaction.
“Well then, my granddaughter is an idiot, but keep being friendly to her.”
“Ah, yes…”
I peek over at Katima, who is twitching like a fish on land.
Well, she’s tough, so she’ll be fine.
◇ ◇ ◇
The original goal of our trip to the alfar village was to deepen relations with Katima’s hometown.
I couldn’t have imagined that it would lead me to meet great spirits and meet a new family member, but it was fun nonetheless.
“Well then Arata, Katima will be coming by to visit again.”
“Yes, and you’re all welcome too, not just Katima.”
As we make our way out of the alfar village, the people who stayed inside when we first arrived all see us off.
They all have friendly smiles on their faces.
“Mister!”
“Hn?”
I turn to look, and see the girl I saved from the grand wyvern approaching.
She’s seems to be the same age as Snow looks, and they played together during the banquet.
“Come back to visit! You too, Snow!”
“Thank you, of course we will.”
“Daddy, down.”
“Hn?”
I put Snow down on the ground, and she creates an ice statue in the shape of the girl and herself. It’s so cute.
“Here!”
“Wah! Thank you!”
As this charming scene warms the hearts of the adults present, Katima comes to us with a kind of flustered look on her face.
“W-what about Katima?”
“Katima wants one too?”
“Y-yes!”
“Then here!”
Snow makes another ice statue, this time modeled after herself and Katima, and Katima is overcome with emotion.
Great spirits really are incredibly important beings to her people.
“We’re off then.”
“Thank you for everything.”
“Byebye!”
We wave goodbye, and leave.
Before we came here, it was just me and Reina in that house, but now we have Snow too.
We go down the mountain, walk along the river, and when we get home, what awaits us is…
“Hey. I’ve been waitin’ for you two.”
The chief of the divine beast people, Suzaku the phoenix, is waiting for us with a rare troubled look on her face.
…I can sense more trouble coming.
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And gradually pushing Arata and Reina closer… as much as I don’t want a romance novel… admit your feelings and kiss already.