Guided Off (4)

"How are you?" The kids looked forlorn.

They've been in this sort of condition for a while now. However, whenever I asked for the reason, the most they would give was a shake of the head before running off.

"This is delicious too. Pairs very well with the warm tea. Thank you."

"Anything else you want? Next time I'll see if I can get some more.." Prune-san showed a contemplative look.

Would that be possible? I would even beg Bleu-sama if for the sake of more ice cream sandwiches you know?

We were at the porch, feet dangling off the edge. Prune-san had just picked up Nataline-san from the church early in the morning. In celebration, the orphanage chefs were preparing a small feast.

"No fair!"

"I didn't touch the line! It's not wrong!"

"You didn't throw the stone properly!"

"It's weird.. normally these kids wouldn't be out here playing.. nom." Nataline bit into a puffy cake with cream inside. Prune-san took the effort to separate them from the shiny wrapping to be placed on a plate.

"Where's Liliath-neesan.. Nataline-san?"

"Ah! Lucia-chan do you miss me!"

"Nataline-san!" The blue haired girl, Lucia-chan jumped into her open arms.

"How are you?" The caretaker whose name was Familia-san, asked.

"I'm getting better.. I just need more rest."

"That's glad to hear. Had the priest told you anything in particular to take note of?"

"Yes.. something about breastfeeding?"

"Oh.. right.." Prune-san muttered.

"Do you know anything about it?" Nataline-san asked, striking Lucia-chan's hair.

"Somewhat. Lactation happens after delivering a baby, for the baby's breast milk? I think? But because you gave birth to um.. the goblin it still counts as being pregnant so your body will naturally start to produce breast milk."

"Then wouldn't it go to waste if I just left it be?"

"I don't know?"

I wasn't too knowledgeable about the matter myself. The closest thing I knew in relation to the topic was a wet nurse.

"Um.." Prune brought up the semi-transparent panel again. She acted as if it weren't there quite naturally, "I'll try to recall and see what I know. I'm sure there's something."

"Alright," Nataline-san nodded.

"Where's Liliath-neesan?"

"Liliath-neesan is.."

"AHH!!"

Everyone turned to the child that fell to the ground. She had tripped on something? The kids around were of mixed reactions.

"Oh my," Familia-san went to assist her.

"They're acting really weird," Nataline-san restated.

"Do you think it's because the frog went away?" Prune-san said.

"Frog? You mean the Princess in the backyard?"

"Yes, that one."

"Heeh.. what happened?"

"What happened that time Rin?" Prune-san asked.

"Ah.. yes.. a few days ago Noel-san persuaded me to ask the frog what it was trying to find. As we followed it's instructions, we were brought to the seaside. There, after coming to some place underneath the wooden platforms, it committed suicide."

""...""

I had expected the astonishing-dead expression on Nataline-san's face; I'm very sure I said nothing wrong. But I hadn't expected Prune-san to do the same.

"So you're saying that frog committed suicde? How?"

"It jumped into the sea," I said.

"Hm.."

"What if it didn't die?" Prune-san asked

"Hah? So you want it to come back to haunt the place?"

"No.. obviously."

Miss Familia treated the child who had an abrasion on her skin with some light curative magic. The other kids apologized– this I found surprising. They may look rough when they treated each other however, they had the courage to admit their wrongdoings.

Very different from the workings of the Margrave's household.. of course I'm not saying July-sama is like that.. don't misunderstand!

How long has it been? Close to three weeks? Somehow, the pang of loneliness is gone. If I were to be truthful, the thing that had been worrying me as of late had nothing to do with the Margrave's household.. it was rather..

Was it possible to seek a comprehensive explanation from Prune-san? She was busy attending Nataline-san though.

How then? Liliath-sama and Nine-san were out to earn a small living from killing monsters. Noel-sama went to accompany the two heroes.

What can I do now?

I looked up to the sky.

The O' so blue sky..

Was this truly a world created by Noel-sama?

Who exactly is he..

"Rin-neesan."

"Huh? Yes?" A child came up to me.

"Do you want to play," the kid held up a rattan ball.

With a smile I said, "Sure."

===

Ribbit.

Ribbit.

"Thank you for today."

"We had a great time."

"Yeah, take care. And good luck with your subjugation quest later at that village tomorrow."

"You don't need to worry about that. It'll be a piece of cake," Aoki grinned.

Takata merely nodded.

Ribbit.

"See ya."

We parted in front of the Adventurer's Guild Cory's Friendliess. The sun was about to set but the sky wasn't orange yet. Liliath and Nine had returned to the florist. Rin and Prune was still at the orphanage.

So to the orphanage I go.

I saw the all too familiar gate with hedges surrounding the perimeter of the mansion-cum-orphanage. The leaves were a mix of green, blue and purple. Today would be the 82nd-something day of winter. Each season lasts approximately 90 days so..

Ribbit.

I took a step into the orphanage grounds.

The kids that were out on the front porch turned their heads to me. It started with two kids.. then four.. then seven..

They were staring hard.

Some of them had gaping mouths.

What? What's so amazing? Your princess returned to the orphanage? Is that what's amazing? Seriously.. I don't get these kids.

"Noel-san, ah.. you.."

"Oh, glad to see you're alright Nataline-san. I swear in my life I didn't do this on purpose."

"Right.. what happened?"

Oh, she doesn't have a bulging stomach anymore. I think I'll need some time to get used to seeing her like this.

"Noel, welcome back," Rin bowed.

"Yeah, I'm back Rin. What happened? This frog crawled out from its grave and then started clinging to me."

"Okay.."

"I've tried to throw it away okay?"

Hey.. why didn't I think of that? I should've hurled the fog back into the ocean back then instead of like– just leaving it on the ground. Damn it.

"Ribbit. I have returned my Prince."

"It's PRINCESS!!"

"""PRINCESS!!!""" The kids went nuts.

Hah.. Miss Familia, together with the other carestaff and sisters had to quell the mini riot. I was almost torn to shreds.. does the seixst think my head is it's new throne? Bullshit.

"I now belong to the Prince, Ribbit. Fellow followers, bless my passing. Bless the Prince."

""BLESS THE PRINCE!""

FUck.. now ain't this worrying.. a cult of children..

"Noel-san.. I think you shouldn't bring the frog here anymore.. and if possible," Nataline brushed her fingers across my shoulders, her soft voice entered my ears, "Maybe you should consider killing it."

I nodded casually. Good idea. I think I'll do just that.

"Where's Prune by the way," I tried to navigate my way through the sea of children– towards the exit of the mansion.

"She's helping out the chefs."

"Okay. I'll come back to it after I'm done with this frog."

I managed to break loose of the encirclement and move out to the streets. I went into a back alley.

"Great. You know what to expect now right?" I grabbed the frog from my head and placed it on the snow riddled ground. Me standing there, toweringly, staring down at this blue abominable sexist.

Ribbit.

"What are you going to do?" Rin who followed along somehow, asked.

"Um.. I think you should leave, It'll just take a second," I pulled out the crude steel sword from the inventory.

"Prince, I have been dreaming of you. Ribbit."

Rin took her distance.

'You should leave Rin. I'll be back in a sec.'

Rin nodded and walked away. The frog tried to chase her but I set it's SPD stats to 0.0001.. or was about to..

Hold up.. what the..

===

Name: Princess

Race: Master Sage Frog

Lv: 258

.

Vitality: 92%

Mana: 68%

.

Stats:

INT: 4500

LUK: 30

.

Skills:

[Human Language] [Coercion] [Incitation (E)] [DreamScape (SS)]

.

Titles:

[He Who Knows] [Dead Man Tells No Tales] [Rin's Familiar]

===

Are you kidding me? What's this skill..

"Are you attempting to kill me? You demon, ribbit."

"Bitch. When did you become.. her familiar?" huh what?

"I'm the Prince's, Princess. Ribbit. The Prince is not the Princess' familiar. Ribbit."

I felt an odd sense of my subconscious moving my status without my consent. [Spirit Magic (SS)] suddenly shifted into my skill column.

For a moment I felt the world distort.

The salty sea breeze blew, the horizon was wavy, the ground shaking at the rise and fall of the waves.. I was on a ship.

"Great.." I sighed.

"FIIIIREEEE!!!"

BBBOOOOOMM!

BOOOM!