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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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After gathering information from the library I returned home.
I gathered the children and announced,
“You all know that Hare’s reward comes first, right? The picnic is tomorrow, so pack your bags. We’ll be gone for one night and two days.”
“What? That’s so sudden!”
“That’s how life is. You were kidnapped quite suddenly too.”
“…That’s strangely convincing, Mister?”
Luna nodded in understanding.
I glanced at the other children. Hare had already left to pack her bag, and Estia was just standing there, dazed.
“M-My holy water…”
It seemed she still hadn’t recovered from the shock of her defeat.
As I was about to turn around to prepare for the trip…
Saten asked,
“Mister, is participation in the picnic mandatory?”
“Why are you asking, Saten?”
I had a feeling this would go as I expected…
Could it be…?
Saten nodded and continued,
“Yes, as you predicted, I don’t want to go on the picnic. I hate childish things like that.”
She didn’t want to go on a picnic.
Saten expressed her refusal.
But it was also my right to refuse her refusal.
“You don’t want to go on a picnic because it’s childish? That’s not a valid reason, Saten. I refuse your refusal.”
“I don’t like going outside, Mister. I don’t want to go out unnecessarily. I need time to think. And Blackie is at home, so I’ll stay and watch the house.”
…That wouldn’t do.
If something happened while I was away…
Like someone breaking in…
I wouldn’t be able to help Saten.
The picnic location was a bit far from Henesys.
It was safer to take everyone with me.
I said to Saten firmly,
“If you’re worried about Blackie, you can bring it with you. And you’ll have plenty of time to think there. You’re part of a group, and there are no exceptions, Saten.”
“…”
Saten pressed her lips together, her expression filled with displeasure.
‘…Well, I can understand her reaction to a certain extent.’
Saten was an extremely individualistic child.
She preferred being alone and liked to follow her own plans.
If her plans were disrupted or changed, she would get stressed.
‘She probably already made plans for tomorrow, and doesn’t want to be interrupted.’
I didn’t know what emotions were involved, but…
I understood why Saten was dissatisfied.
I knelt down to meet Saten’s eye level and said,
“Saten.”
“…Yes.”
“Don’t avoid my gaze. Look me in the eye, Saten.”
“Yes.”
Saten met my gaze with her emotionless black eyes.
And the sprout that had bloomed within them couldn’t be hidden.
Saten was clearly…
Sulking.
“Saten, are you upset because I didn’t listen to you?”
“What are you talking about, Mister? You said I don’t have emotions. I’m not upset.”
“It’s not that you don’t have them, the door is just closed, and you’re not aware of them. That’s why I’m making you practice expressions and teaching you about different emotions.”
So that one day…
She would be able to awaken them.
So that she could survive.
“I never said you don’t have them. I said you can find them again, didn’t I? Don’t use your lack of emotions as a shield.”
“…Okay.”
If Saten couldn’t fully awaken her emotions, once she had satisfied all her curiosity…
She would take her own life.
Because she would lose her purpose and reason to live.
To guide her in the right direction…
Saten needed to get out of that dark and gloomy room.
“I’m taking you with me for your own future, Saten.”
“…Wouldn’t it be better for me if you just left me alone, as I wish?”
“That might be true at this moment. But if you think about the future, it’s different. Even if you don’t understand now…”
One day…
You will understand.
“…?”
Saten tilted her head, confused by my words.
It was true that it was a difficult concept for Saten to grasp at this point.
“You’ll understand in time. Just keep that in mind.”
“Eww! Mister, you sound like an old man!”
“…Quiet down, Luna. Go pack your bag.”
Go pack your bag instead of interrupting us.
I stood up, assuming Saten understood.
We needed to go to bed early to leave tomorrow morning.
So we had to start preparing quickly.
“Therefore, Saten, you’re coming with us. You understand, right?”
“…I don’t understand everything, but I understand that you’re not giving up on me.”
“That’s enough. Go and get ready.”
“Yes, Mister.”
Saten returned to her room with a curt reply.
She would be able to pack on her own, so I didn’t need to help her.
So…
“Sob, sob, my holy water… Give me my holy water…”
“Quiet down, Estia. Go to your room and get ready. I’ll help you.”
“Holy water… Give it to me… Sob, sob…”
“Stop pretending to cry, it’s too obvious.”
“Tsk.”
I just needed to help this drug-addicted Saintess.
Leading Estia, who was even putting on a crying act to get holy water…
I started preparing for the picnic in earnest.
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Early morning.
The children, who had woken up early for the picnic, ate toast for breakfast and gathered in the hall.
Their bags were packed with picnic supplies, their faces filled with anticipation.
“Where! Where are we going?! I want to see the sea!”
“Th-The sea…? What’s the sea…?”
“It’s a place with lots of water! It’s really deep! I’ve only seen it in books… but anyway, that’s what it is!”
Luna and Hare chatted excitedly, discussing their destination.
‘The sea…’
The sea would be a nice destination.
It would be even better for the children, who had never seen it before.
But there was a Grimoire group at that tourist attraction, so we couldn’t go there, at least not now.
I patted Luna and Hare’s heads.
“If you want to see the sea, go there on your own later. Unfortunately, we’re not going to the sea today.”
“Ugh…! Stop patting my head! I’m not a child!”
“I-It’s okay, Mister…! You can pat my head more…!”
“I won’t if you don’t want me to.”
I couldn’t force her if she didn’t like it.
I removed my hand from Luna’s head.
“Huh…? Th-That’s not what I meant!?”
Luna looked disappointed.
Anyway…
Did they pack everything properly?
There weren’t any missing items or unnecessary things in their bags, right?
I stopped patting Hare’s head…
And addressed the children.
“I’m going to check your bags to make sure you didn’t forget anything. Put your bags on the floor.”
“Hmm, a bag inspection?”
“It’s more of a confirmation than an inspection. I won’t check them if you don’t want me to.”
It wasn’t a school trip where the children would hide alcohol, so there was no need to inspect their bags.
They could refuse if they didn’t want me to check them.
I asked them to raise their hands if they didn’t want me to check their bags.
One second, two seconds, three seconds… no one raised their hand.
But when five seconds passed…
One hand shot up.
“I-I…! It’s okay if you don’t check mine…! I-I checked everything…!!”
Raise-
Hare shouted as she raised her hand.
Her expression was filled with anxiety.
‘What’s in her bag that she doesn’t want me to see?’
Judging by her expression…
It must be something she absolutely didn’t want me to find…
Could it be… “that” from her room?
I asked Hare casually,
“Are you sure it’s okay if I don’t check? You didn’t forget anything?”
“Y-Yes…! I checked everything…! I-It’s okay…!!”
“…You don’t need to be so energetic, Hare.”
Yes.
It could happen.
Hare’s face was as red as a tomato about to burst.
If I pressed her further, she might explode.
I decided to stop there.
“Then, I’ll check your bags, excluding Hare.”
First, Luna.
“I’m smart, so I packed everything! There’s no need to check!”
Seeing Luna’s confident expression…
I opened her small bag.
“Clothes, socks, toothbrush… It seems like you packed everything you need. And the wooden sword on your back too.”
“You said the sword is my friend, right, Mister…? Or something like that…? Anyway! You said I should always keep it with me!”
“Yes, you’re listening to my words. Good job.”
“I-It’s not because I’m listening to you! I-I just brought it… just in case…!”
Her excuses were long.
Anyway, there was nothing wrong with Luna’s bag.
She had packed all the essentials, and even brought extra clothes just in case.
But…
There was one crucial item missing.
“…Luna, just in case, where’s your underwear?”
“Ah, right.”
“Here’s your bag. Go to your room and put it in.”
“Okay.”
It would have been a disaster if I hadn’t checked.
I almost made Luna wear my underwear from Hare’s bag.
Luna’s turn was over. Next was Estia and Saten.
“Just put holy water in my bag and I’m good to go! Put it in now, brother!”
“Estia, I already packed it for you yesterday, so there’s no need to check.”
“N-No! I’m telling you it’s missing! Brother! Can’t you hear me?!”
Estia’s inspection was done.
So only Saten was left.
I walked towards Saten’s bag.
It looked light.
“Saten, did you pack everything…”
“I packed everything. Only the essentials, efficiently.”
Was that true?
To confirm Saten’s words, I opened her bag.
It was filled with black clothes, and…
“Meow?”
“You even packed Blackie.”
“…I was going to leave it behind, but it kept getting into my bag. I had no choice but to bring it.”
Saten looked at Blackie with disgust.
But if she really hated it, she wouldn’t have even considered putting it in her bag.
Saten was just bad at expressing her emotions. She definitely liked Blackie deep down.
“It seems like you all packed everything without any problems, except for Hare, whose bag I haven’t checked.”
“Th-There’s nothing wrong with my bag, Mister…!”
“Hmm, then it should be okay to check, right?”
“Ah… U-Um… W-Well… N-No…! More importantly…! M-Mister…! Where are we going today…!?”
Hare quickly changed the subject, asking about our destination.
‘Now that I think about it, I didn’t tell them.’
Where were we going for the picnic?
Since I hadn’t explained it…
I should tell the Hero’s party.
Today…
The destination for the Hero’s party’s picnic was…
“A tall and deep mountain.”
“Yes…?”
Mountain climbing.
The purpose of this picnic was…
To train their bodies and minds through mountain climbing.
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