Chapter 51: Me, Jend, morning, and castle.

It seems that Jend can hardly speak. Yes is “ai”. No is “uh~”. This is fundamentally how he declares his intentions.

I slept well, but heard shouting again when I woke up in the morning.

「Aaaaaaah!」

「Scary, where is this... he says」

Kou interpreted for me again.

「Good morning, Jend」

「Ah...」

Unlike the last night, Jend noticed me right away. He ran over and started clinging to me. Guhaa, he has some strength in him.

「This is Oneechan’s home. Let’s change our clothes and have breakfast」

I changed Jend’s clothes. It seems that he has troubles with buttons. The clothes are Elder brother’s hand-me-downs. It suited him quite well, but because his tail seemed to be uncomfortable, I had a maid that was skilled at sewing make a hole. His tail is bushy, but its gloss is bad. Will it become prettier if his nourishment state improves? After I brushed it to make it smoother, his tail swayed. It was difficult to brush, but he seems to be happy about it.

「Let’s go eat」

When I extended my hand, he obediently placed his hand on top of mine. Unlike yesterday, his hand wasn’t shaking.

Now then, the breakfast. I have expected it, but Jend is eating like he did yesterday, like a dog. When I purposely tinked with my spoon, it attracted him with a great interest.

Scooping on the spoon, I carried it to my mouth. Whether he already satisfied his hunger, Jend who was watching my movements tried to imitate me.

「Wow, you are so clever, Jend. You did well」

When I patted his head while exaggeratedly praising him, his tail started swaying left and right.

「Ai!」

「Ufufu, what a good child」

「... How admirable」

「... Yeah. Good boy」

Being praised by Mother, Father, and Elder brother, Jend swayed his tail while making a smug face. He seems glad from being patted by Elder brother too. He properly imitated our table manners. His fingers were moving dexterously too, he seems to be very smart. Each time he gets praised, his tail vigorously sways from side to side... just like a puppy. Because his fur has no gloss, he looks like a gray doggy. Cute...

Jend’s mouth was all sticky after the meal, so I carefully wiped his face, but his clothes were sticky too, so I also changed his clothes.

Elder brother was going to the school, so we saw him off together.

「Niisama, have a nice day」

Jend seemed to understand that Elder brother was going somewhere.

「Fu~ kyu~n, kyu~n, kyu~n」

He started whimpering in a sad voice. Elder brother stiffened. Those cries of his were truly like a puppy that was abandoned in a cardboard box.

Elder brother made U-turn and came back.

「I will play with you lots when I come back, alright? Be a good child and wait with Rosarin... Oneechan. I will come back properly. I promise」

「... Ai」

Jend gave a proper reply with his ears and tail hanging down in dejection.

I planned on helping Father with work today, so we will be going to the castle together, but... what about Jend?

「... Bring him along」

「Is that all right?」

「I don’t mind. Besides, Jend will be anxious if you are not around」

「Tousama, I love you!!」

Father caught the vigorously jumping me without moving an inch.

「Ah~ ah!」

Jend jumped at Father too and rubbed against him.

Me in his right arm, Jend in his left. Father, you must be really strong since I am heavy.

「... Good for you」

Father was bitting on something. He seemed to be happy in one way or another. Arc was astounded and Mother was grinning at him.

Receiving a goodbye kiss from Mother, we went to the castle. I don’t know whether Jend got used to Mother a little, but he wasn’t afraid of her, unlike yesterday.

Now then, I’m working today as well. Jend is playing with the toys I received at the Elven Village after I told him about things he shouldn’t touch. Jend’s favorite seems to be a bamboo(?) dragonfly, as he threw it over and over again.

「Rosarin! I came to play」

「I am working」

Stupid-dono has come. Ah, but he might have come just right.

「Aldin-sama, you are very welcome here」

The lord and his retainer were shocked that I wasn’t shooing him away as usual. How rude.

「He has finished his studies, right?」

「Y, yes! Aldin-sama has been properly studying as of recent」

His attendant, Link-san, frantically replied. He looks like a junior high school student with his small build, but he’s actually an adult. He’s a Half-Elf, so he’s quite old.

「You came to me because you had too much free time then?」

「That being the case, play with me」

「That would be not possible for me since I am in the middle of work, but... this child is my cousin, his name is Jend. Tolerant and kindhearted Prince Aldin, won’t you play with Jend for a while?」

「C, can’t be helped! I will play with him!」

So easy, Stupid-dono. Somehow, he has been recently acting like a normal child instead of his usual Oresama. He wants to be friends with me, huh. I’m busy, so I fundamentally treat him coldly though.

「Ah?」

Both Jend and Stupid-dono are children with no malice, so Jend showed no vigilance.

「I am Aldin. What shall we play with?」

Ohh, his partner is younger than him so Stupid-dono is considerate of Jend! How admirable.

「Ahh~u!」

Jend showed him by throwing the bamboo(?) dragonfly. Jend then applauded Stupid-dono who dexterously caught the dragonfly. Stupid-dono returned the dragonfly to Jend after telling Link-san to switch with him for a while and approached me with a timid face.

「... Is that guy not able to speak?」

「He seemed to be treated quite horribly, he was left starving in the rain with his body full of injuries」

「... I see」

He changed his painful expression and went to Jend.

「Oy, Jend! I will become your friend, alright! Make sure to tell me if someone bullies you!」

That’s why he is not talking. But, Stupid-dono... Aldin-sama’s consideration made me happy. Father and Arc were watching him with gentle gazes as well. How heartwarming.

「Huh? He was not chased away?」

The guy that hinders me in my work has come. The Malicious Prince... Alphege-san.

「Aniue!」

Aldin-sama ran over to the Malicious Prince.

「You see, I have made a friend! Aniue too, treat him kindly please」

「Oh~?」

Aldin-sama seemed to be joyful, so judging there’s no danger, Jend approached little by little.

Not sure what he was thinking, Clap! the Malicious Prince suddenly loudly clapped his hand. Startled by the loud noise, Jend rushed to a safe place... urgently evacuating under my desk.

What are you doing, you black belly!! He got so scared his tail is shivering again!

「Everything is all right, Jend. Oneechan will punish the bad Oniisan for you」

「Waitwait, I will apologize! Pardon me, I’m sorry, please forgive me!!」

Aldin-sama apologized quite seriously on his behalf, so I unwillingly withdrew.

「Aniue too, please apologize」

「No, sorry? He was looking at me vigilantly like a small animal, so I felt like playing the bad guy」

You are always playing the bad guy though. Rather, haven’t you already lost all the good in you?

「I will give you this as an aplogy」

He presented a Madeleine to Jend. Sniffing the fragrance and judging it’s safe, he for some reason handed it over to me. Can I eat that? I felt that he was looking for a permission.

「... Your Highness Alphage, what are the origins of this?」

「Ah~ I got it from a young lady I didn’t know」

I silently returned the Madeleine to the Malicious Prince. I gave Jend the sweets I have brought with me.

Jend happily ate a cookie.

「Rosarin...」

「... I got it...」

I lost to Aldin-sama who was looking at me like a chihuahua from a certain commercial.

「What about me?」

「Eat that Madeleine. I have no pastry for someone who did not take a maiden’s favor into consideration and also gave something with unknown origins to my cousin」

「Eh~」

「A, Aniue! Take mine-」

「I won’t give you any from now on too if you give it to him」

Aldin-sama got teary eyed. Somehow, the malicious one hasn’t received any damage. He’s watching his teary-eyed little brother with a smile. This brute.

In the end, because the Elven-made toys were quite rare articles, both princes played with Jend on good terms. Jend was quite vigilant against the Malicious Prince, but I find it to be the correct reaction. He should be a man who feigns friendliness even more, but he’s not trying to hide it in front of Aldin-sama and I. Is that good or is that bad...

After the princes left to study, Holy Beast-sama came to pick me up.

『I came to pick you up』

「Please wait for a little more~」

I hurriedly cleaned up my desk. Jend was very interested in Holy Beast-sama.

『Fumu, a Beastman child? Thou want to come too? Get on』

「Ai!」

Happily getting on Holy Beast-sama, Jend enjoyed mofumofuing him. Ahhhh, how envious! Me too! Me too! I grew up, so I can’t get on him anymore! And I also want to mofumofu him!!

『... Rosarin, why are thou looking at me like thou are about to cry?』

「Holy Beast-sama, please give me permission to pat you. It’s unfair of Jend to monopolize you! Me too! Me too, I also want to mofu youuuu!!」

「Ai」

It’s fine to get on, Jend made a space... ugh, I somehow feel like not being able to endure any longer...

『... Do as thou please』

Resigning to his fate and laying down, Holy Beast-sama presented his belly. I won’t be holding back! I also brought a brush with me today! A wonderful, proficient brushing... it’s a bliss. Holy Beast-sama was spellbound too, I was happy as well... everything was good!

Oh my? Jend was... hoping to get brushed too? When I brushed his tail and hair, he was fully satisfied.

Jend’s hair is dried out, so I’m thinking of treating it today when we return.