Chapter 182 – The Children of the New Continent
While the land sharks were eating the weeds, the other Adventurers arrived.
Apparently, Victor had called them to the base.
“These are the land sharks who have come to live here.”
“Bemu!”
At first, the sharks looked cautious when they saw so many Adventurers, but they were then relieved to hear that the men were friends.
They then went around greeting the Adventurers with ‘Bemu-bemu.’
“Monsters that can grow plants. That’s amazing.”
“There was nothing like them on the old continent.”
“They are cute.”
The Adventurers seemed to have taken a liking to the land sharks.
By the time all introductions were finished, it was nearly evening.
That meant it was time for dinner.
As a welcoming party, we decided to all eat together in front of Boaboa’s house.
That being said, the land sharks were herbivores.
So they did not eat the same things as us.
“Also made food for land sharks.”
Ije had cooked some mountain vegetables with mild seasoning.
“Bemu!”
The land sharks enjoyed Ije’s cooking very much, and they all said that it was delicious.
Still, the land sharks did not eat much in general.
They used their relatively large mouths to slowly chew the food.
If anything, it seemed like the wolf cubs ate more.
“Hmm. Perhaps they take longer to digest their food. Or they are able to absorb nutrients more efficiently.”
Kelly stayed close to the land shark and took notes.
I helped feed Hippolius and the wolf cubs, while eating my own food.
“How is it?”
“Ah, Ije. As always, it is delicious.”
“Good.”
Ije said as she sat down next to me. But there was a shadow over her expression.
“What is it? Is something on your mind?”
“Hmm. Why did father…not take me with him.”
“…To treat with the land sharks?”
“Yes. Does not seem to be dangerous.”
He had said that he couldn’t because of the danger. But the land sharks were not dangerous at all.
So it was no wonder she was puzzled.
“Well, it is business. Perhaps he didn’t want to take any children.”
“Really?”
A merchant would not take small children to meetings. That was normal.
“At least it was that way on the old continent. But I don’t know what kind of customs your tribes had.”
“I see. He could have told me then.”
“Well, it is also possible that the field was in a dangerous place that year.”
“Because it changes every year?”
“Yes. Isn’t that right, Bemubemu?”
I asked Bemubemu, who was eating some mountain vegetables boiled with salt.
“Bemu-bemu!”
Apparently, he had never thought about safely going to the field before.
“Bemu.”
“I see. If anything, he says it is better if it is a little difficult to reach.”
“Bemu!”
That way, they would not be eaten by wild boars.
“It must be a little dangerous if even wild boars can’t reach it.”
“Bemu?”
Still, Bemubemu had not thought about it too deeply.
The most important thing was the state of the soil.
Once Bemubemu was finished eating,
‘Let’s play.’
“Au.”
‘Play.’
The wolf cubs gathered around Bemubemu.
He seemed to like it, and started to roll on the ground with them.
“How old are you, Bemubemu?”
“Bemuu?”
“Ten. I suppose that would make you a child compared to the others?”
“Bemu!”
Bemubemu claimed to be a grownup.
“Bemu.”
However, his father, who was nearby, told me he was a child.
After that, he continued to play with the wolf cubs like the child he was.
I saw that Ije was watching them, and then I remembered about the sugar beets.
“Ije. We should start with making the sugar tomorrow.”
“Will soak them in water today!”
“Ah, indeed. We have the pot from your village. We can go to the dining hall now and soak them in water.”
“Yes!”
And so we told Victor and the Adventurers, and then headed to the dining hall.
After eating, the Adventurers had moved onto drinking.
Gisella and Kelly were drinking happily together, and so I left them alone.
“Bemu!”
“Bemuuu!”
Even the land sharks enjoyed drinking.
And though they could not speak to each other, they enjoyed being with the humans.
“…Are you alright?”
“Bemuu.”
Bemubemu was too young to drink.
And so he looked at the adults with exasperation.
“Huh, so you used to make your own drinks as well.”
“Bemu.”
They made a sort of wine from the sugar beets.
“Ah, perhaps that is why Ije’s father didn’t want to take her.”
“…Maybe.”
We talked of such things while making our way back to the base.
‘Carry.’
“Au?”
‘Go.’
The wolf cubs wanted to come with us, and so we carried them.
“Kyuo.”
Hippolius wagged its tail while walking in the lead.
“Bemu.”
Bemubemu held my clothes with his right hand.
In his left hand, held the shovel that I had made.
“Fio go too.”
“Wuff.”
Fio and Shiro wanted to come as well.
“I suppose it’s boring to be around drinking adults.”
“Boring!”
“Wuff!”
“What were you two doing today?”
“Write!”
“Wuff!”
“Taught us to write.”
“Kelly did?”
“Yes! Fio can write!”
“Wuffu!”
“I can now write my name.”
“Oh, that’s amazing.”
Kelly had been teaching Fio and Ije their letters.
Shiro was wagging her tail proudly, so she must be learning as well.
Normally, demon wolves could not read, but Shiro was so smart that it might be possible.
At least, I thought so.
“Bemu!”
“You want to learn too, Bemubemu?”
“Bemu!”
“Alright, then I will ask Kelly later.”
“Bemuu!”
Bemubemu had a desire to learn as well.
The land sharks were intelligent, so they should be able to read and write.
“Children are amazing.”
I muttered, and the slime jiggled on my shoulder.
Pii was probably agreeing with me.
Pii was a king, and did not seem like a child.
Suddenly, I looked down at the wolf cubs that I was carrying, and saw that they were sleeping comfortably.
“Amazing?”
“Ah, yes. Alright, let’s hurry up and soak the sugar beets in water. Then we can go to sleep.”
“Yes.”
“Fio not tired!”
“Wuff.”
“You have to sleep if you want to grow.”
“Bemu.”
Bemubemu was getting sleepy.
Apparently, he wanted to stay with us.
I suppose it was a lot of fun, and the wolf cubs would be happy.
It was with such thoughts that I walked to the base.
Thanks for the treat.