CHAPTER 38 – ADULT QUARRELAfter the monster turmoil had been settled, Tris, her husband, and the three walked together towards the Inn.
「Outside is total darkness, huh~ This is Dirk’s first time being outside so late!」
Dirkhert walked on the dark road while holding hands with Meluerina and Volsung. Tris’s husband was walking ahead, illuminating the road with a torch.
All that left was to return to the Inn and sleep. That was supposed to be the case, but「That……」a reserved voice called them from behind.
When everyone turned around, they saw the three boys who bullied Dirkhert and their parents.
Dirkhert immediately tightly embraced Chocola, Tart, and Pudding and hid behind Volsung.
「I won’t let you bully Chocola and others anymoremon! Go away!」
He said he hated them, but to think it was to such extent. Meluerina and Volsung are startled because Dirkhert didn’t hate anything that much until now besides some of the food.
But, if he refuses even to see them, the wound of Dirkhert’s heart must be that big.
「…… Do you have any business with us?」
Meluerina signaled Tris and her husband to return first and inquired. It can’t be helped that her voice was loaded with anger. The parents seemingly sensed that as they put their hands on their children’s head and apologized.
「For the trouble my child has caused you on this occasion…… I am deeply sorry」
The one who said that was the father of the child who bullied Chocola. The two other fathers also apologized in the same way, but the mothers of the children didn’t say anything.
「Certainly, our children raised their hands first, but while that may be true, threatening them with cutting off their limbs was way too much. Shouldn’t you be the one to apologize?」
Therefore, we are not the ones who are at fault, is basically what she’s saying.
「…… That’s right, they certainly overdid it a little. But, these children only defended themselves. It was a justifiable self-defense. Originally, shouldn’t you stop your children’s actions as their mothers?」
「Stuffed animals, a justifiable self-defense? Aren’t you strange in the head?」
「Oi, stop it!」
The husband of the charging mother was tried to stop her, but she said what she wanted while completely ignoring her husband.
「Even if the stuffed animals’ limbs are more or less torn, all you have to do is to sew them back. What do you think would happen if you cut off the limbs of these children? That would be a horrible tragedy!」
「Because they are stuffed animals all you have to do is to sew them? In that case, even if we cut those children’s limbs all you have to do is to cure them with healing magic」
「Humans and stuffed animals are not the same!」
「They are. These stuffed animals are Dirk-sama’s friends, and they move with their own will. They are alive. Naturally, they won’t hurt anyone on their own, but they will move to protect Dirk-sama if something happens. I mean, isn’t it natural to protect someone you hold dear with your own body? You too, please don’t treat these children just as stuffed animals」
Meluerina turns around and pretends as if the talk has already ended.
「Dirk-sama, shall we return to the Inn?」
「…… Un」
Meluerina pushes Dirk-sama on his back and walks without paying attention behind her. The women in the back made a lot of noise, while the men tried to sooth them, but Meluerina didn’t pay a bit of attention to them.
「Shall we change the schedule and leave by the carriage to the town of Lease the day after tomorrow?」
To Volsung’s words, Meluerina responded with「Let’s do that」.
Dirkhert who heard that thought that the cause of Meluerina’s fight with the village women and the reason they leave earlier is him.
He tightly clasped Chocola, Tart, and Pudding in his arms. He ended up bursting into large tears.
Meluerina and Volsung were in great distress, trying to calm down the suddenly crying little Maou-sama, but they weren’t able to do it in the end.
The two couldn’t be thankful that Dirkhert cried himself to sleep.