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Chapter 330: Rehearsals

「Jean, can I stay here tonight? 」
「It’s fine with me, but won’t Shiva get mad? 」
Was he too scared to go home and be scolded after drinking too much? But I have a hunch that he’s going to be scolded either way.

「Nah, the kids said they’ll be sleeping over at Ash’s. Tina told me that ‘Daddy always get together with the guys, so the girls are also going to have a get together!’ and kicked me out… En and Vak can go, but not me. 」
「…Should we shorten our game sessions? 」
I’ve been giving them sweets everytime we do, but I guess it’s not enough? Maybe it’s not good enough?

「Ah, no, you don’t have to do that, and they’re also looking forward to the snacks you give them. It’s just that recently, my Tina doesn’t like it when I’m rubbing her cheeks with mine… 」
Dinosso hung his head miserably.

「Oh dear, the mighty Wolf King has fallen to this, what a shame. 」
Hauron seemed to be in high spirits as he snickered.

「Maybe she’s in her rebellious phase? 」
It seemed a bit early, but then, folks here come of age earlier than I’m used to. Oh shocks, my-my-my-my ideal harmonious family…..

「Y-You know, it’s actually instinct that prevents incest, like girls liking their dads and boys liking their moms romantically. Since they don’t know the actual reason, these kids are confused and they’d try to come up with nonsensical answers to the question ‘why do I hate my mom or dad when I love them?’. They might even dig up the small things from the past. But you know, the kids are probably troubled too, and in their own way, they still love their parents, so they’ll return to being the affectionate folks they are once things settle down — you just have to watch over them so that things won’t get worse… 」
I started rambling.

「Hey Jean, don’t be so shaken up. 」
Retze stared at me exasperatedly.

「There will be a day when such a phase will come, but for now, I advise that Dinosso-dono shave more often. 」
Butler said with a smile.

Eh, a stubble!? So the reason is his scratchy-scritchy stubble!? Ack, and here I was blabbering about a plausible reason for that! Ack, I just wanna disappear into the ground, so embarrassing!

By the way, in this world, only a few affluent families who keep their children longer by their side experience this rebellious phase. That’s because kids were already independent even before they got over that phase.

We spent the afternoon just chilling out, me drawing a few sheets of magic circles while mainly waiting for Dinosso to sober up. We then went to the Magical Woods; I managed to convince Master Hauron to teach me how to act like a mage.

「Can I poke some rabbit holes? 」
「Later, do it later, okay. I’ll hang out with you. 」
I tried asking when we reached the plains, but Retze stopped me, although he said he’s gonna go with me later.

We trudged through the plains while avoiding the rabbit holes. Khan made his way smoothly like a cat despite his huge physique. Well, given how large our group is, I doubt rabbits will come out — oh, they did come out.

I stabbed the rabbits like a barbecue. X-Stick’s swing speed matched the rabbits’ speed as they rushed towards us, so it was easy dealing with them.

We already have enough rabbit meat, so I threw the rest into the holes, destroying their burrows in the process. Monsters would gather here if we left the carcass as is and it would cause trouble to the folks who would pass here after us. There are two options actually, either we bury them, or toss them into the deeper parts of the woods less traveled by people.

「What is that stick? I can sense a spirit from it. 」
So Hauron is the type to sense the spirits, huh.

「It would be difficult to discuss it here, let us move first to the depths of the woods where screams will not be heard. 」
「So we’re assuming that I’ll be screaming my head off, then. 」
Butler answered in my stead, to which Hauron rolled his eyes.

At any rate, this place isn’t suitable as a hunting ground, so we move to some other place where people don’t come.

「Why is being mundane considered normal for you? Apart from the fact that your weapon is a stick, why are you walking to your destination so cautiously? 」
「Retze taught it to me. 」
When folks teach you something, you usually learn their quirks and habits too.

「… What the heck, what did you guys teach him!? 」
Hauron froze mid-smile, then he shrieked as turned towards Dinosso and Butler.

「Dinosso taught me how to grow vegetables and weave baskets. 」
「Baskets, you mean the one you just finished!? There’s a whole lot of other things you could’ve taught him, right? 」
His eyes kept darting to me and Dinosso, so busy.

「Things are already like this by the time I realized what’s going on! 」
「We were in the dark regarding his abilities when we first met so… 」
Dinosso and Butler awkwardly replied.

Would things be any different if I revealed things and learned different stuff from them right off the bat?

「I’ll introduce you. This Bough is my Bough-dy buddy. 」
「Ou! I’m Pokey X-Stick! Call me X-Stick! 」
The leaves on the tip of the bough unfurled and X-Stick popped out.

「W-Wait a sec. No, don’t tell me… No way… 」
Hauron started to stiffly back away for some reason.

「The ability of this King Bough is to attract the spirits and to make me comfortable. It doesn’t repel black spirits so I can take it with me anywhere. Such an excellent guy, right. 」
「We go together everywhere! 」
X-Stick chortled.

「Hey you, did you stab those rabbits with the King’s Bough!? 」
Hauron glared at me.

「Khan also slashed the rabbits that pounced on him. 」
So X-Stick can also do that.

「But the King did it with a sword! Shadow Wolf and Wolf King also used swords!… Hey, why is everyone turning away!? 」

「Various things happened. 」
Butler solemnly commented.

「Yeah, he’s right. It’s hard having to swallow all that info at once, huh… 」
Dinosso looked at Hauron with a gaze similar to pity.

「Hey, don’t go around thinking nonsensical things like making X-Stick carry a sword, alright? 」
Retze warned me, but he didn’t have to worry; I never even imagined X-Stick’s human part to hold a sword in the first place.