Liza’s smile was very effective
“But Liza, you have to learn to write your own name as well, alright? You are one of us, after all.”
“…Really? I can be with everyone?”
“Of course. Not just me and Leo. But Mr. Ekenhart and Alfred and Ms. Lyra and Ms. Delia as well. They all want to be with you.”
Liza was looking down and fidgeting. I suppose that due to her experience in the slums, it was difficult for her to be upfront about this kind of thing.
“Yes, I think of you like a daughter, along with Claire and Tilura.”
“Uhh…thank…you? But I’m papa and mama’s daughter…”
Liza bowed politely and rejected the offer.
“Gah. Turned down then…”
Mr. Ekenhart looked disappointed.
While it was nice that he was fond of Liza, he had daughters of his own already…
“Ah, but…I like you too, grandpa! Because you helped me a lot!”
Liza said with a bright smiled, and Mr. Ekenhart looked very moved.
I could hear Ms. Lyra and Ms. Delia chuckling as they saw his reaction.
While she smiled sometimes, it was rare to hear Ms. Lyra laugh.
I suppose it was amusing to hear Mr. Ekenhart called ‘grandpa.’
Mr. Ekehart may look serious and strict, back when he had a beard, he looked like an intimidating bandit.
“Haha. Thank you, Liza. Now I feel much better.”
“Hmm? Really? I’m glad you’re happy, papa!”
The mood in the room had been a little heavy after the forest investigation report. But thanks to Leo, things had lightened up considerably…
—
Some time later, after Liza had finished her studies, we went outside of the house.
I wanted to see Mr. Peter and the others as they worked on the fields.
I felt bad leaving everything to them, and wanted to help in any way I could. Also, the fenrirs were helping with digging, and so I wanted to check up on them too.
“Mr. Peter!”
“Oh, Mr. Takumi. Leo. Liza.”
When we arrived, I saw that each sector had traces of digging already. Even now, there were a few fenrirs digging happily in the distance.
Mr. Peter was also doing something there, and so I called out to him.
“What are you doing now?”
It looked like he was picking something up out of the holes.
“I am picking up trash.”
“Trash?”
“Wuff?”
“Huh?”
Even Leo and Liza were puzzled by Mr. Peter’s answer.
“There are some big rocks mixed in as well. And so I am taking away anything that would block the growth of roots.”
So he was preparing the ground for plants to grow.
This place was not originally a field, and so there were plenty of hard things, such as rocks.
“I see… Yes, now that you mention it, there are a lot of rocks.”
I stepped lightly on the ground and could feel the pebbles under my shoes.
There were also leaves and branches on the ground. And so I reached to pick them up. And then…
Thanks.