Edited by: Jae

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Chapter 37: Fox girl and dinner

 

 

“Arge-san. Hey, Arge-san, please wake up ~na” (Kuzuha)

 

I heard Kuzuha-chan called me…

 

“Ni ~yamu.” (Agre’s yawn)

I obediently listen to her and wake up.
I raise my body up while I’m still sleepy.
I looked up at the hole in the ceiling and saw a starry sky.

Now that I think about it, what will she do on rainy days with this hut?

 

“It’s still night, right?” (Arge’s mutter) 

“It’s already night ~desu ~wa.
You already sleep a lot ~ndesu ~no ~ne” (Kuzuha)

“E~ he~ he~, this much is nothing~” (Arge)

“I am not praising you ~wa!
Why does your voice sound pleased, but your face looks serious ~ndesu ~no?” (Kuzuha)

“It is a vampire’s talent.” (Arge)

“Is that so ~ndesu ~no?
That’s amazing ~nodesu ~wa ~ne!” (Kuzuha)

 

Kuzuha-chan raised her impressed while looking at me.
She believed in such silly things, just how gullible can this little girl be?

Since I rest on top of the fluffy straw, my body doesn’t feel so stiff.
But as a habit, I stretched.
Unn~ that’s refreshing.

“Arge-san, your front! Cover your front ~desu no!” (Kuzuha)

“Fu nya? Aa, I’m sorry.” (Arge)

It seems that my blanket slipped off.
Because Kuzuha-chan seemed to bothered by it, I pulled it back.
I don’t really mind though.

Well, it was her fault that I don’t have any clothes.
And I think she already saw everything when she burned my clothes with her first fire spell.
But it is rude to let a little girl see me like this.

After stretching, I pulled out another blanket, rubbing it over my body and got the straw off my body.
Before I noticed, two dishes were lined up on the ground.

 

“What is this?” (Arge)

I know it looks like a meal but is it really meal?
The plate itself is flat and round, the bowl a bit deeper.
I think this is a soup dish.
What I don’t understand is what is the thing placed in it.
It’s hard to say it is soup.
Its color is yellowish white and it seems to be sticky.

Such a thing was served as food?
On top of that, I can smell a strong sour odor coming from it.
…Is this, rotten porridge?

I can only call it so.
It’s hard to call this food, no matter how you look at it.
It’s worse than dog food.
Kuzuha-chan was sitting in front of the dish, with both hands clapped in thanks.
Her long hair tied back so it won’t get in the way and she bowed.

 

“Itadakimasu ~wa” (Kuzuha)  (Itadakimasu: is mean like “let eat” or “bon appetit”)

“Please wait.” (Arge)

 

With almost a reflexive movement, I pick up the dish from her front and I put it in my blood-bag.
I also do the same thing with my portion.

 

“…Arge-san?” (Kuzuha)

 

Kazuha gives me a strange look.
Although she was trying to eat it, it’s bad.
I can’t let her eat something like this.
…this thing would hurt her stomach.

It’s not good to eat something that can’t be called food.
It’s something that makes me feel uncomfortable even looking at.
It will be worse to see someone eats it.
I think that children should eat fresh and nutritious things.
Perhaps she eats such things on a daily basis, but I couldn’t overlook this.

 

“…It was a feast. Is this food from the lord?” (Arge)

“Well, yes, I got it while Arge-san was sleeping.
I am sorry that it isn’t good, but… you ate it just now, is not it?” (Kuzuha)

“Yes, vampires can eat meals from their hand” (Arge)

“Is that true?!” (Kuzuha)

“Yes, I can even eat from my elbow or my feet, too” (Arge)

“Wow, that’s amazing!” (Kuzuha)

Yes, she really believes it.
Since it’s a little funny, I’ll leave that alone for now.
Because those sparkling cat eyes, no, fox eyes, are cute.
After taking away the ‘food’,
I pull out some nuts and fruits from the ‘blood-bag’,
and handing them to Kuzuha-chan.

She’d better eat these.
They’re far better than eating something I can’t even call food.

 

“I apologized for eating all you’re food. So, as an apology.” (Arge)

“…no, it’s alright, I don’t mind” (Kuzuha)

“Even so, I still must apologize.” (Arge)

“…Arigatō gozaimasu ~wa” (Kuzuha) (Arigatō gozaimasu: mean “thank you very much”)

 

Kuzuha-chan starts to eat the fruits and lowering her small head deeper than when she said ‘Itadakimasu ~wa’
It seems like she understands my intentions.
I don’t have to eat for a few days.
And I still have plenty of food anyway.
Since Neguseo seems to be eating the grass that is growing around so far, giving the fruit to Kuzuha-chan should be fine.

After waiting for Kuzuha-chan to finish eating, I start talking.

 

“Is Kuzuha-chan satisfied with how she’s being treated?” (Arge)

“What do you mean?” (Kuzuha)

“Living apart from your mother, and living here alone.
Then, was given meals like this, aren’t you sick of it?” (Arge)

“…my esteemed mother is still doing her best, I can’t selfishly expect anything.” (Kuzuha)

“Is that so… aren’t you lonely?” (Arge)

“…just a little.
I haven’t seen her for a few months already.
The Lord told me all the time that my esteemed mother was still doing her best…
But I’d like to hear it from her, not just a report from the Lord” (Kuzuha)

 

I thought that the lord and her parents were terrible.
But when I heard Kuzuha-chan’s story in detail, I thought that the circumstances may be different.
…Are her parents like this too?

If the child and the parent are easily deceived, I can understand the current state somehow.
I don’t mean to say that parents are absolutely not going to treat their children bad.
But in this case, it seems more like the lord is the bad one.

I look at Kazuha-chan’s plate.
It looks like she has finished eating.

As I re-absorb the plates back in the blood bag, I was reminded of the dish that Kazuha-chan prepared.
I don’t think she has ever been given a decent meal.
But for her, it was surely great hospitality from the lord.

 

“I’m sorry, Kuzuha-chan, I’m going out for a while.” (Arge)

“Where are you going?” (Kuzuha)

“Because I’m full, I’ll go on a walk.
And I don’t mind if you fall asleep before I get back” (Arge)

 

I didn’t wait for Kuzuha-chan’s response.
I stood up and headed for the exit.
Pushing over the ruined board of a door that could no longer cover the entrance, I go outside.

 

“Well, then I should go?” (Arge)

 

I slept well and also took meals.
In a sense, I owe Kazuha-chan a favor.

Concentrating on smell looking around, I find the smell of humans.
Probably a small village because I didn’t smell a great amount like in Arlesha.
I put my blanket in my blood-bag and changed my body to a bat.

…I guess it’s time to show a little gratitude.

It was like I was treated with a meal, but that’s not a problem. What’s important for me with how I feel about it.
Her treatment earlier is sufficient for me, and now I feel like I owe her a favor.

I will find her mother, I will verify the truth, and I will bring her mother back if possible.
I will repay that much for the favor I owe.

So I flapped my bat’s wing, pushing myself forward.
Since this will be troublesome, so I choose the shortest distance, a straight line.

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