A Rough Introduction
Bass and Toto talked with Father and Mother, and since they had no home to return to even if they went back to the Ania Kingdom, and because they wanted to repay the kindness they’d been shown, they signed a servant employment contract with our household. At the same time as the contract, they moved from the guest room to the servants’ dormitory.
Right now, while they were working as a manservant and a maid under Zack and Sarah, whoever had free time was teaching them letters, arithmetic, and national history so they could transfer into the academy. Sometimes it was Mother, sometimes Nancy, sometimes the twins, and even the cooking team. They were all teaching kindly—and sometimes strictly. Later on, once they built up their stamina, they would start combat training too. According to Gray, beastkin had higher physical abilities than humans, so they were worth training.
Tony and Mr. Gator were now able to speak just like the reading from *Search* had shown. With tears in their eyes, they thanked us. And until the envoy from the Ania Kingdom arrived, they would be staying at our house.
After they came to our home and greeted Father and Mother, the first thing I did was guide them to the large bath. When they had been in the underground prison, of course they hadn’t even been able to bathe, and when we rescued them, we had only cast *Cleanse* on them. Mr. Gator insisted he was a bodyguard, but we made him go too.
Tony, fresh out of the bath, was an incredibly beautiful white-tiger boy. Soft white hair with a slight gray tint, adorable ears, and golden eyes. He was only eight, but with the effect of the bath, he looked… He was wearing some of Hu’s old clothes and drinking meringue juice to cool down his flushed body.
Since Mr. Gator had a similar build to Ellie from the private guard corps, he borrowed some of her casual clothes. But because he was a lizardman and had a tail, we had to cut a slit at the back. Mr. Gator apologized over and over to Ellie, but—
“Then instead of returning the clothes, I want you to spar with me.”
“Huh, something like that is enough?”
“I’ve never sparred with a beastkin before, so please!”
“Oh, me too!” “Me too!” “Me too!”
And just like that, Mr. Gator became insanely popular with the private guard corps.
“Mr Gator, you’re really popular. Are you strong?”
“Well, I think a human would find me strong. But someone even stronger lives in our house.”
“What? Who?”
“My Father.”
“Tony’s father?”
“Yes. He has won the martial arts tournament held every year in the Ania Kingdom several times.”
“Whoa, that’s amazing.”
“Yes! Father is amazing.”
Tony told me that with a sparkling smile.
He really respected his father.
I wanted them to meet again soon…
It apparently took about five days by sea to get from the Ania Kingdom to the Exzaria Kingdom. If the weather at sea got rough, arrival would be delayed even more. By the way, Lady Reluta’s home country, the Elfa Kingdom, was about seven days away.
After the envoy arrived, they would take care of various procedures and then carry out the sentencing. Only after that would Tony and Mr. Gator finally be able to return home. It seemed the victims’ families would be coming together with the envoy, and that was when custody would be transferred.
Tony and the others had been dragged to the Exzaria Kingdom against their will and thrown into an underground prison. I wanted to give them enough good memories to erase those awful experiences.
＊＊＊＊＊
“Well then, let’s welcome the Duke Tigger’s son and the Viscount Ordile’s son—cheers!”
““““““““Cheers!!””””””””
To welcome Tony and Gator, we held a BBQ at the training grounds.
“Umm, it’ll only be for a short while, but we look forward to being in your care.”
When Tony and Gator bowed, everyone applauded, and Tony gave a shy smile. The maids practically melted.
We had a bashful little prince here.
Tony had the maids wrapped around his finger. Terrifying child.
This time for the BBQ, we used jet bull and big boar the private guard corps had hunted, and from my storage I brought out kraken and shellfish. In other words: beef, pork, and seafood.
“Tony, are you eating?”
“Yes. It’s so good I’m afraid I might eat too much. But I’m surprised we’re eating together with the private guard corps and the servants.”
“Ahaha, right? But everyone here is precious family.”
“Family?”
“Yeah. Because they’re here and working hard, we get to live the way we do. They teach us what we don’t know, they give us proper criticism, and they train with us too. I can work hard because everyone supports me.”
“I see…”
“And you know, it’s more fun when you have a big family. Laughing alone is fine, but laughing together is way more fun.”
“That’s true.”
“Well, sometimes nobles look at us funny for that—but our house is our house, and other houses are other houses.”
—Sorry to interrupt your fun, but I’d like you to let me out now.
“Ah! Sorry.”
Pearl spoke to me through telepathy from the Dimension Room.
“What? What happened?”
Tony jumped when I suddenly apologized.
“Uhh… I forgot someone important.”
I said that, and called Pearl, Rosso, and Meteor out from the Dimension Room.
“What!? Familiars?”
“Ah… well, something like that.”
(Pffft, Joan, that’s mean!)
(Really. I can’t believe you made me wait.)
(Big Sis, you totally spaced out on us.)
“Sorry, sorry. Thanks, Sarah… Here, eat as much as you want, okay?”
Sarah brought meat for them.
““...…””
“Sister, Tony and Mr. Gator froze.”
“Sister, you have to introduce Pearl and the others properly.”
The twins scolded me, and I apologized again.
“Okay, let me introduce them. From this side, Pearl, Rosso, and Meteor.”
(Joan, that’s a sloppy intro.)
(Yup, super sloppy.)
(Sloppy as heck.)
“Ugh…”
They shot me down hard.
“Uh… Pearl is my familiar, a fenrir. Rosso is a carbuncle. Meteor is a white demon owl.”
“What!? Whaaaat!? The legendary ones!?”
Tony and Gator reacted perfectly in sync.
They really were close.
What do you think about this chapter?
