Chapter 150: Even Apart, We Will Always be Friends (2)

“I don’t get it.”

I have no idea what happened.

“Dah.”

“Jaja thinks so, too?”

“Abu.”

Jaja, who was playing with her tail in my lap, agreed.

Yeah, you’re going to comfort papa? Jaja is really a good girl.

“How long are you going to be depressed? Here’s your sandwich. Milk for Jaja.”

“Thank you. Jaja, food’s ready.”

“Ah!”

I took the breakfast that Shouhei brought from the kitchen.

“I was thrown cleanly again, it’s pathetic that I couldn’t even break my fall.”

“I didn’t even know I was being thrown.”

It’s been about two hours since my morning training.

I’m in the middle of having breakfast on the wooden deck.

The reason I’m eating a late breakfast when I had gotten up early is because I went back to sleep, or rather fainted.

“I’m sorry. Your timing was so perfect that I threw you almost by reflex.”

“It was so beautiful to watch, you know? It was like a textbook throw.”

My father cackled next to Officer Inoue, who had a troubled smile.

“I really thought I could put up a better fight, you know. It’s so frustrating.”

Not just a single blow, but I was floored within five seconds after starting.

As for me, the guy who was thrown, I have no idea what he even did to me.

It was amazing. This is the difference in strength between someone who has truly studied martial arts and a thug who has only been in fights.

“I mean, you should have noticed this if you had observed how Toshio-kun normally moves. His core, his movements, his footwork, everything wasn’t that of a normal person.”

I don’t get it.

How did my dad know?

“Toshio-kun is one of the top five judoka in western Japan. He works in the countryside, but he’s been asked to join not only the prefectural police but also the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. If you hadn’t turned down the offer of a transfer, you might have been a vigorous riot policeman in Tokyo by now. It’s a shame, isn’t it?”

It was Officer Doggy who spoke with a bit of pride.

Her golden hair swayed in the wind as she drank milk, just like in a TV commercial.

She’s so stylish, so she looks good no matter what she’s doing.

“I don’t know, I just don’t feel comfortable in the city. Since I’ve been assigned to the town where I live, I wanted to work in my hometown as much as possible.”

“But someday you’ll be transferred to a department you can’t refuse, right? You’re a public servant. Right, Doc.”

Handing Officer Doggy a sandwich, Yuri-san asked Officer Inoue.

“Well, I guess they’re coming. They’ve been able to place me where I wanted to be, but there’s still a shortage of people in the big cities. But we’ll be fine for a few more years. Now that Tusk Crag is gone, our jurisdiction is also very busy.”

Officer Inoue laughed as he grabbed a cup of hot milk with both hands.

It’s tough being a police officer.

But it’s true, isn’t it? Now that we live in a society where beastmen and humans coexist in harmony, the police are also short of manpower.

There are so many different races of beasts that the government can’t keep track of them all, and each tribe or community has its own customs and way of life.

With all of them living together in one city, there is bound to be friction, misunderstandings, and crime.

You can’t just deal with them like how we used to when there were only humans.

There are more and more beastmen police like Officer Doggy and the others, but most of the police are still human.

Humans, who are overwhelmingly inferior in physical ability, have only one advantage in dealing with the beastmen, sheer numbers.

If you think about it, it’s a pretty difficult situation in the world today.

“This time’s vacation is also special. Since the Tusk Crag incident, we’ve barely been able to take a day off.”

Officer Doggy replied, sitting on the railing of the wooden deck.

“It’s okay. Both Doc and Toshio have been working a lot. I’m sure they won’t complain if you take some time off. Isn’t that right, Jaja-chan?”

“Dah!”

Jaja smiled at Yuri-san’s words.

The tail and wings that popped out of the dog-eared hooded toddler suit flapped in a good mood.

“Jaja is so sweet. How nice, a baby. It’s soothing.”

Officer Doggy bent down and stroked Jaja’s head.

“Oh, you can have one right away if you want, Doc. I still haven’t seen a grandchild yet with three daughters, so mom will always welcome it.”

“Yeah, but I still feel like I want to work. You know, Toshio-kun?”

“Ah, what? Uhh, yes. That’s right.”

Why are you stammering, Officer Inoue? You said you’ve already proposed to her, so why don’t you just stand tall?

Huh? Could it be he didn’t tell Yuri-san about it yet?

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting, but Nana’s been acting up.”

“It seems she was scared because she woke up in a different room than usual.”

“Eugh, eugh, eugh.”

Aoi and Mikuma came out of the kitchen onto the wooden deck.

Nana, who was wearing a toddler’s hoodie with cat-ears, grabbed Aoi’s T-shirt and held on to it.

Her eyes are bright red because she just stopped crying.

“Jaja seems to be fine though.”

“Dah?”

You energetic little bastard. Your sister seems to be a little more delicate, you know?

Jaja, who was playing with a baby bottle on my lap, looked up at me.

“Hii.”

Hmm. Cute!

When Jaja saw my face, she giggled and laughed.

“Where’s Ichika-neechan and Ru-neechan?”

“They’re still sleeping. Ichika-chan stayed up late playing with Koji-kun last night.”

“Jeez, even though I told her to go to bed early. Kou-chan didn’t wake up at all either.”

I wondered if those siblings were on good terms or not.

“Rouge is still weak in the morning as usual.”

“It’s always been that way. I mean, the Earth Dragon Tribe sleeps a lot. They seem to be very laid-back people.”

As is the case every morning, Rouge has a hard time getting out of bed.

When she wakes up, she’s in a daze for about an hour, and it takes her an inordinate amount of time to wake up.

But at least for today, I’ll let her sleep in.

On school days, when I leave the house, Jaja cries a lot, so Rouge, who’s half asleep, sluggishly wakes up and takes care of her for me.

“Fueh, ah. Dah.”

“Hmm? Does Nana want milk too? Wasn’t she breastfed earlier?”

Nana, who was hugging Aoi’s chest, reached out for me.

I thought she wanted Jaja’s baby bottle, but apparently not.

“Kunpei-san. When Nana’s really scared, she seems to want to be held by papa. She really didn’t like waking up in a different place from home.”

Really? I guess she’s uncomfortable in this cottage, which is much bigger than our house.

Nana’s pace is slow, but she’s delicate. She’s a difficult child.

“Here we are. There’s an opening on my lap, princess.”

“Dah!”

I shifted Jaja a little to make room for her on my lap.

It seems that Jaja understood what I was saying and willingly gave up her lap to Nana with a big smile on her face.

“Yes, Nana. Papa said come here.”

“Dah, eugh.”

Aoi put her arms around Nana’s sides and carried her over to my lap.

“Come on, stop crying. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid.”

“Ugh, dah.”

Nana rubbed her face against my stomach.

The way she tickles my protectiveness with all her might makes my heart tighten.

“Da?”

As if she couldn’t stand to see her sister like this, Jaja tilted her head and gently placed her left hand on Nana’s head.

“Ada…”

Nana looked at Jaja with slightly moist eyes.

“Jaja said, Don’t cry.”

“You’re very considerate of your sister. Jaja-chan.”

Aoi and Mikuma bent down in front of me and looked at Jaja and Nana.

Hey, you two.

I want you to be a little more aware. That thin shirt you’re wearing as a nightgown.

The collar is quite unprotected. If you bend down a little more, you can see it… or rather, they’re not wearing any underwear, are they?

I turned my head away with all my might.

I could almost see the summit, which I shouldn’t have been able to see.

Aoi, whose breasts are much more modest than Mikuma’s, was already visible, wasn’t it?

In Mikuma’s case, her two mountains, which were growing in size, looked as if they were about to spill out.

I’d appreciate it if you didn’t directly attack my mental health so early in the morning!

“Dah?”

“Au… ada.”

The twins sat on my lap, conversing in baby talk that only they can understand.

Jaja’s left hand was gently stroking Nana’s head.

She’s probably imitating Aoi.

In her own way, Jaja remembered that’s what Aoi does when Nana cries.

“Fuheh.”

“Heh…”

Nana also laughed softly, caught up in Jaja’s laughs.

“Oh, that’s great, Jaja. Nana.”

I patted them both on the head.

Jaja tried to stop her sister from crying, and Nana was able to stop her crying.

Both of them are equally clever.

I have a policy of giving praise whenever I can.

“Let’s play a lot today, okay?”

“Dah?”

“Au?”

Jaja and Nana tilted their heads in wonder at my words.

“Let’s put on our bathing suits and go to the river together later, okay?”

“After we’ve eaten.”

Aoi and Mikuma continued to talk to the twins.

“Dah!”

The sound of birds and cicadas chirping.

The sound of water flowing down the river.

In the morning at such a pleasant cottage, Jaja and Nana’s cheerful voices echoed.