[76.1] The Innocence of Koale

"Come on. Say momma!"

"Dadda!"

"Astra! Come on… Say momma! It's not hard-"

"Dadda!"

I wanted to cry, "Astra… Are you trying to hurt my feelings!? Look! I'm crying! See???"

I pretended to sob as if distressed.

Astra burst into giggles, clapping her hands happily.

I stuck out my bottom lip, "Astra… I'm the one who is taking care of you, not your father so you should call my name first!"

A naked toddler ran across my vision giggling madly while Asmonious chased after him, "Zephyr! At least wear a diaper!!!"

…This is why I gave him diaper duty.

Zephyr ran into the kitchen with Asmonious right behind him. I heard him cry out from the room, "Wait!! Zephyr! Stop peeing on the wall!!!"

My face twitched.

Yeah. I made the right decision with his punishment.

Astra tugged on me, "Zefyy bad! Astra good!"

I picked her up with a helpless smile, "Yes, yes. Astra is very good."

She raised her arms in the air, "HAHA! Astra!"

I smiled at her and stood her on the ground, supporting her weight, "Astra is very good. That's why she should start practicing walking on her own instead of having me do it for her."

Astra looked up at me with a tearful gaze, "Momma…"

I felt an arrow pierce my heart at the sight of her adorable pouting face.

I picked her up and littered her tiny little face with kisses, "So cute!!!"

Zephyr ran back across the courtyard, tossing off his newly obtained shirt and pants.

Astra and I both froze when he went over to the courtyard wall to start peeing on it.

Asmonious appeared out of a room heaving hard while almost in tears, "HOW DO YOU STILL HAVE ENOUGH LIQUID!?"

Asmonious continued to chase Zephyr around and clean up after him.

Koale stepped out of his room with an innocent smile and ran out to the courtyard without placing on his shoes, "IT'S MISTER SUN AGAIN!!! Hi Mister sun-ARRRRGH IT BURNS!!"

Without even looking up at him, I spoke, "Koale. I already told you not to look directly at the sun."

He rolled on the ground covering his eyes and crying, "Burns! It burns!"

Rose ran out after him and jumped on him to block his face from the sun. She placed her hands over his eyes, "There! No more burning, right?"

Koale's arms lay at his side as he whimpered, "Why does Mister sun hate me?"

Rose answered with a smile, "Mister sun hates everyone. Why do you think Lene hides from him?"

He sniffled, "But I don't like hiding…"

She rubbed his head like you would a toddler, "There, there… It's okay. If you want, I can protect you from Mister sun so you won't have to hide. Master got me an umbrella, I can use that."

He hugged her with a bright grin, "Thanks, Rose!!!"

I let out an exhausted sigh and started laying out my painting set. I placed Astra on my lap and started painting while she chewed on her hand while watching.

I was so zoned in, that I didn't notice when I was suddenly put under shade.

Koale was beside me with a curious expression, "What's that?"

I looked up to see Koale peeking over my shoulder and Rose holding an umbrella over him to protect him from the sun. 

"It's a painting."

"Oooh…. What does that mean?"

"I used oils of different colors to make a scene on the canvas."

"What does that mean?"

"It's… Art." I scratched my head, "I don't really know how else to explain it."

"It's cool! I like it and that person on it."

"Thank you, Koale."

"Who is it?"

I smiled softly at the scene of the gazebo, "Someone who is very important to me."

Rose answered, "It's Master's soulmate."

"What's a soulmate?"

I turned to him, "Someone you can't live without."

Koale looked at Rose innocently, "Like you are to me?"

 Rose blushed, too embarrassed to say anything other than nod.

Koale turned back to me, "And Mother is also my soulmate? And Lovi?"

I laughed, "No, that's a bit different. We are your family, not your soulmate."

"Ooooh."

I put my painting brush down, "Ah. That reminds me, I have to take the twins for their check-up. Would you want to go with me?"

His face lit up, "Can I!?"

I nodded, "Sure. Would anyone else want to go?"

I looked at Rose who turned pale and shook her head quickly.

Koale suddenly looked scared, "Why don't you want to go!? Are there monsters there!?!"

I shook my head, "No, there's no monsters. Rose just doesn't like being around a lot of people. She's shy."

Rose's cheeks turned pink, "...Master."

Koale patted her head just as she had for him, "It's okay, Rose. I can protect you just like you protect me from Mister Sun."

Rose smiled helplessly, "I believe you… But I would rather stay here…"

Koale blinked and then smiled, "I will bring you back a souvenir then!!! Brother Bale said that when you travel you do that."

I frowned at this, "When did Brother Bale tell you this?"

Koale innocently answered, "I found him in Lovi's room last night!!!"

I spun around to glare at Lovi who was leaning against a tree. She flinched and shouted, "Koale you idiot!!! I told you that was a secret!!"

"Oh! That's right." He turned to me and put a finger to his lips, "It's a secret, Mother. You can't tell anyone."

Lovi groaned, covering her face with her hands.

I felt the corners of my lips curl up as I tried to hold back my laughter. I reached out and rubbed his head, "Never change, Koale."

His eyes twinkled, "Okay!"

I stood up with Astra in my arms and went over to scoop up Zephyr who wiggled uncontrollably. Koale followed me in excitement to the entrance of the courtyard. I paused and looked back at Lovi, "Are you coming?"

Her eyes lit up and she jumped up, "You'll let me go?"

I wore a fake smile, "Of course. I want you to see what I'm about to do to your boyfriend."

Her expression paled, "P-Please don't kill him."

"Hmmm. We will see."

I stepped outside and summoned my ice chunk which we all climbed on. Koale poked it, "Wow! What's this?"

"It's my ice chunk. It's how we travel."

"WOOOW!"

He climbed aboard and I flew forward, making sure to go at a leisurely pace to not scare the twins.

Zephyr still screamed despite the slow speed, clinging to me as he hid his face in me. Astra giggled happily, clapping her hands playfully.

Koale went to the edge of the ice chunk to look down, but seeing him almost fall off, Lovi quickly pulled him back.

When we landed in the village, the Medicine Matriarch was already waiting with a smile on her face. I lowered my ice chunk and we all stepped off. 

She nodded at me, "Hello, Great Fairy. The twins are getting so big now."

I smiled back, "I know, but Zephyr still isn't talking and Astra still isn't walking. Isn't that a problem?"

"I'm sure they are just behind, but it's probably nothing serious." She looked at Lovi who stepped off behind me, "Hello again, Lovi. You're getting bigger too. I remember when you were just a little girl, now look at you. You're practically an adult."

Her expression turned pale, "A-An adult?"

Koale jumped off looking around with bright and starry eyes, "Wow! What's this?!"

The Matriarch looked at him curiously, "This is the Macrabre forest."

How am I not surprised….

"I am the Medical Matriarch of this place. May I ask your name?"

 He answered with a handsome smile, "I am Koale!"

The Medical Matriarch blushed at his innocent look and turned back to me with a smirk, "Another one?"

I scratched my head and let out a low laugh, "I'm raising a small army now."

She laughed, "I don't know about it being an army since only Atta is interested in fighting."

"Good point."

Atta is so obsessed, she never leaves the training area. If I didn't bring her food, she would forget to eat.

I really don't understand why she likes it so much.

Koale reached out to hold her arm, "Whoa! What's that!?"

"Koale! You can't just grab people."

"It's alright, Great Fairy." The Matriarch was a bit startled by his sudden touch but noticed he was eyeing the Runes in her skin. She answered patiently, "These are runes that are received by the Matriarch of my family. This style of tattoo has been passed on through many generations of my people."

"Whooooa." He looked at me with a twinkle in his eyes, "It's like painting!"

I forced a smile, "Sort of. It is a form of art." 

He looked back at the Matriarch, "Can you teach me how to do that? I want to do it too!!!"

I anxiously tugged on his arm, "Koale… You can't just ask that-"

"It's okay, Great Fairy. Although it's our custom, it doesn't belong to us alone." She turned to Koale, "After I evaluate the twins and your health, I will teach you how to do it."

"Yaaay!!! I'm so excited!!!"

Bale heard us arrive and started running over with a bright grin, "Lovi! Lovi, Lovi, Lovi!!!"

A wicked smile crossed my face, "Oh, good. Now I don't have to look for him."

Lovi shouted at him, "RUN AWAY BALE!"

His steps halted, "Hm? Run?"

I handed the Matriarch the twins and turned around cracking my knuckles, "Bale. I heard you visited last night without saying hello to me?"

He froze, his expression growing pale, "O-Oh no."

Koale shivered, "Did it get cold all of a sudden?"

Bale screamed and whipped around, sprinting away from us.

"No, you don't!" 

I ran after him, throwing ice and snow until I was finally able to catch up and dole out a proper punishment.