Satou's here. My workaholic father had been returning from work late at night, and going to work early in the morning since I was a child, maybe that's why I don't remember meeting him much. Although, I never thought that I would be in the same position before I got married.
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It's been awhile since our last wagon journey. We always rode on the wagon when we were in the duchy capital, but the duchy capital main street with its neatly prepared soil is quite different than the undeveloped narrow road at the back country. Since the branch of the great river runs along the main road, there are only a few carriages that are running here. Most are transported by small boats on the branch river.
"Gatagoto~" "Gotogoto nanodesu!"
Pochi and Tama are looking awfully excited ever since we've gone out of the town. They've been pulling and shaking my sleeves on both sides by matching the shaking of the wagon, so it's hard to read book in the menu.
"Mou~, just what do you girls find so fun."
"Don't you know nodesu?"
"Arisa is still green~"
"She's no good nanodesu~"
"Mukka~ So cheeky even though you're just Pochi and Tama~"
Arisa is saying something like some kind of kid boss in the block, but she seems to say it for the sake of saying it and doesn't mean to offend.
Seeing Lulu who's been giggling while facing the road on the coachman's seat since awhile ago, it looks like she knows the reason.
"Lulu, don't laugh, tell me if you know it."
"You~can't, since it's a 『Quiz』, you can't ask the answer from other people."
Arisa is growling, "Gununu", such unladylike groan from Lulu's reply. Since Lulu's used the lines that Arisa usually says to everyone, she probably can't rebut it.
However, I also don't know, I guess I'll ask for a hint.
"I'm sorry, Pochi and Tama. I also don't know though?"
"Gaan.""Na, nanodesuu."
Tama, please stop speaking sound effects out loud. I pat the head of the two, who look like puppies that have been betrayed by their master, as if to gloss over it. I wonder, am I the bad one here?
"Monopoly of master~""It's nice to be together nodesu."
"I see."
Come to think of it, when we were in the duchy capital, especially the latter half, we hadn't been together beside during the meal and sleep. Since, during the latter half, I was like an overworking father who came home late after everyone had gone to the bed, let's pamper them a bit now.
"Satou."
Mia who was scouting with Liza, and Nana, together with the hornless beast comes back. She jumps from the hornless beast toward the wagon, so I receive her and put her down on the wagon. Even though she's gained a bit of fat, she's still quite light. Looks like she'll be fine even without going through dietary restriction like Arisa.
"Master, a fallen tree is blocking the road up ahead."
"Master, the way the tree has fallen looks unnatural. It feels like it's been artificially made."
The fallen tree is probably the handiwork of thieves to stop carriages. Since I found the thieves on top of the low hill a bit apart from the highway when Liza and the others went scouting, I've already dealt with them with [Remote Stun]. Magic is convenient after all.
"Pochi, Tama, change into your work clothes. Let's remove the fallen tree."
"Roger~""Hear hear~ nanodesu."
I told Liza that I would remove the fallen tree with magic, but since she wanted to use the tree as a training by likening it to a monster, it was refused. This is just right to check the performance of everyone's magic swords. If they can't properly hold back when they're going against thieves, they will surely kill the opponents.