第２７掘：うさぎさん (Part1)
**Chapter 27: The Bunny**
After a short while, Elju calmed down, and I managed to retrieve Aslin and Firia.
To Elju, Aslin and Firia must have looked like angels.
"I will raise these children!! I will absolutely turn them into fine young ladies!! And I won't let them marry anyone!! I can't let children with such pure hearts see the adult world!!"
She was crying and clinging to them in a state of confusion, so I had to pull her away.
...No, she wasn't calm at all.
"Alright, let's head to the kitchen and make lunch for everyone."
"Understood!!"
"I'll do my best!!"
"…We’re departing."
And so, I began the transport of the three children.
I’ll be honest. Carrying two in my arms is quite tough.
Labyris on my shoulders is no problem, but supporting the others with just my arms is surprisingly strenuous.
Huh? My arm strength should have gone up quite a bit from leveling up...
Is it a mental thing?
Well, the three of them look happy, so I’ll endure it.
"Now, we’re going to cook rice. I want you all to try shaping it."
Yes, the first step for any cooking beginner should be "onigiri" (rice balls).
If one fails at this, it’s safe to say they aren't cut out for cooking.
Actually, I’ve never seen anyone fail at this.
...Well, back in my student days, there was a guy who tried to wash rice with detergent.
I stopped him, of course, but I hope that was just a joke, my old classmate!!
"Um, is this the small, white, sticky thing we had for breakfast?"
Aslin tilted her head, her cute chestnut-colored short bob swaying.
Mmm, as expected of the girl chosen by Mauve—or rather, "Loli-Out."
Her childlike gestures are doll-like and adorable.
Unlike Labyris, her chest is as flat as her age-appropriate physique suggests, holding the potential for the future.
"That's right. This is called rice, and this is what it becomes when cooked."
I showed them the inside of the rice cooker.
"Wow~, so this turns into that fluffy, warm rice."
Firia peered in alongside Aslin.
Firia also has that classic dwarf "loli" physique. Her ponytail swayed back and forth.
In a way, it’s a staple. I really want this girl to stay this young forever.
It’s not because I’m a "loli-con." I just think a loli-dwarf is a fantasy staple.
"So, Yuki-san, what kind of help do you need me to do!!"
Aslin looked up at me with expectation.
Ah, that’s right. Aslin was good at housework.
Maybe she’s eager because she hasn't had a chance to be useful until now... It would be cruel to tell her she doesn't need to help.
"Well, there are a lot of tools you'll be using for the first time, so be careful. Make sure you listen to my instructions."
"Yes!!"
"I'll help too!!"
Even though, for now, it’s just washing the rice and hitting the switch.
"…I'll do my best, I'm looking forward to it."
"For now, Labyris. Do you have no intention of getting down?"
"…If I'm in the way… I'll get down…"
I heard a sad voice, and felt her feet brush against my back.
When I turned to face Labyris, who had slid down to the floor…
"…Tell me when it's okay to ride again. …I'll wait until then."
Labyris looked up at me with a sidelong glance.
"Sigh. You're not in the way."
I picked her up.
...I am not a "loli-con." This is strictly a duty as a guardian, and there is absolutely no ulterior motive.
"…Mm, thank you."
Labyris said that, clung to my face, and rotated counter-clockwise to her usual position.
In the process, I suffered temporary respiratory distress due to her two melons.
"Alright, is everyone ready!!"
"Yes!!"
"I'll do my best!!"
"…Okay."
And so, we cooked the rice, made miso soup, and shaped the rice balls together.
Aslin looked a little unsatisfied with the simplicity, but it couldn't be helped.
From tomorrow, I’ll teach them how to use the kitchen tools properly and have them make all sorts of things.
Then, we delivered the food to each room.
The group with Mauve was normal. No, Mauve had a sloppy look on his face. Out.
In Elju’s room, I had to calm her down (physically) because she tried to kidnap Aslin and Firia.
In the women's room, Milly seemed a bit calmer; when she saw me enter, she bowed her head.
"Well, don't force yourself to accept it. We can't afford to have any awkwardness in what we're about to do. No one will blame you if you don't cooperate, Milly."
"…Yes."
"Well, anyway. Eat."
As I said that, Aslin placed the food in front of Milly.
"Um, Milly-san. I made this with Yuki-san's help!! It's called an onigiri. It's delicious if you add this... furikake? Even just with salt, it's good!! ...Um, please cheer up."
Aslin explained the dish with all her might, and when she finished, Milly looked surprised.
"Children see quite a lot. I think they're especially sensitive to emotions."
I patted Aslin on the head.
"So... it seems. Thank you, Aslin. I'll have the meal."
"Yes!!"
Milly seems to be doing okay.
The beastman trio was eating well too... wait?
"Eris, where's Ratz?"
"Oh, she said she was going to the open-air bath earlier."
"I see. I'll leave her portion, so tell her to eat it later."
"Yes, understood."
Now, I had told them to take the empty dishes to the kitchen.
What should I do now?
As I was thinking that…
"…Let's go to the open-air bath, too."
"Yes, I want to go."
"Yeah."
When the people I'm transporting ask me that, I have no choice but to go.
We arrived at the open-air bath, and…
"Alright, surely you can go in by yourselves now, right?"
"…I refuse. I'm going straight to the men's bath."
"I want to go together."
"Me too."
...Well, when they grow up, they'll probably say, "I don't want to bathe with you!!"
So, I'll treat this as making memories before the inevitable parting.
In the end, we ended up going in together…
"Make sure you wash your body and hair properly," I warned the children running around the bath. As I soaked in the tub, there was…
"Oh, big brother. Did you want to bathe with me?"
Ratz was staring blankly at the sky.
"No, this is the men's bath."
"…Hmm, I suppose I was quite flustered after all~."
It seemed Ratz realized she had made a mistake after I pointed it out and she looked around.
It didn't seem intentional.
Given Ratz's personality, I thought she might have entered on purpose, but her reaction was vague.
"Flustered? ...About Elju?"
"Yes, well. I suppose it means I'm still a maiden at heart~."
She said that while moving her hands.
Looking closely, she was fiddling with something like a wooden doll.
"Is that a bunny?"
Aslin, who had entered the tub, showed interest in the doll Ratz was holding.
"Wow~, Ratz-san, you're so dexterous!! As a dwarf, I can't lose to you, and I respect you!!"
"As expected, can you tell it's handmade, Firia-chan?"
"Yes, somehow. It has a 'Ratz-san' feel to it."
Oh, so Firia can tell who made something.
Still, Ratz's handmade work is quite skillful.
Ratz stared at the bunny doll in her hand for a moment before handing it to Aslin.
"I'll give it to you, Aslin-chan. I originally made it as a prototype for a child's toy. It floats in water like this, you see. I think the bunny would be happier with you than with me."
"Eh, are you sure!?"
"Yes, please play with it together."
When Ratz said that, Aslin accepted the bunny doll with a smile and went off to swim—or rather, wade—toward Labyris with Firia.
"Look, Labyris-chan. It's a bunny."
"Oh, how cute. Did you get it?"
"Yeah."
"That's good. Maybe I should get a matching one."
The conversation sounded like that of an older and younger sister.
As I was thinking that, Ratz scooped up some water and splashed it on her face.
"…Does that bunny have something to do with it?"