The beast tamer exiled from the hero’s party and the cat eared girl from the strongest race meet
Despite an unexpected incident, our training journey had come to an end.
We returned to Horizon and were relaxing comfortably at home.
"Mmm, there's nothing better than being back home."
"Indeed. A familiar kitchen is the best!"
Looking toward the kitchen, I saw Tina and Luna preparing lunch.
Cooking was basically the responsibility of those two.
I thought it wasn't fair to place the burden entirely on them, so I originally wanted to rotate cooking duties among everyone...
But, well... that would create a certain problem, wouldn't it?
If we took turns, Sora would end up cooking too...
By unanimous agreement—especially with Luna's strong opposition—the cooking duties ended up belonging solely to those two.
"Nyaaah..."
"Mmm..."
On the bed in the living room, Kanade and Tania were taking a nap.
Their tails swayed gently from side to side, making them look completely comfortable.
Since they were back home after a long time, they were probably enjoying themselves to the fullest.
Everyone else was spending their time leisurely as well.
"Come to think of it..."
I hadn't seen Nina or Nokia-san.
I wondered what they were doing.
Nina and Nokia were on the hill behind the house.
Normally, Kuu and Kou were always with Nina and never left her side...
But the two of them weren't there right now.
Since she had something important to discuss, Nina had asked them to give her some privacy.
"So, what is it?"
"Mmm..."
When Nokia gently spoke to her, Nina glanced toward her chest as if seeking comfort.
She probably wanted to be held.
Realizing that, Nokia opened her arms as if to say, Come here.
However, Nina restrained herself.
She was the one who had called Nokia here because she had something important to talk about.
This wasn't the time to be spoiled.
"Um... you know...? There's something I want to talk to Mama about..."
"Something you want to discuss? What is it?"
"Well... I'm not really sure how to say it... ah..."
Unable to organize her thoughts, Nina wore a troubled expression.
But Nokia didn't get angry.
Maintaining a gentle smile, she patiently waited for her daughter's words.
"There's no need to rush. And you don't have to organize everything perfectly. Just try saying what's on your mind and what's troubling you exactly as it is."
"Okay... thank you, Mama."
Nina smiled brightly.
For the sake of that smile, Nokia felt she could do anything.
Once again, she was reminded of how deeply she loved her daughter.
"The thing I want to talk about... is Rain."
"Rain-san?"
"Um, well...? Lately, something feels strange... Ever since being together with Kuu and Kou, something feels different."
"Different...?"
Unable to understand what Nina was trying to say, Nokia tilted her head.
"Kuu and Kou... got better. Rain helped save them... Ah, Mama worked really hard too. It's not like I've forgotten that..."
"Thank you."
"But Rain worked really, really hard... and when I think about it, he's always working hard for us... and lately, I've been feeling strange. Whenever I look at Rain, I feel strange."
Nokia's expression became one of realization, as though she had figured something out.
Unaware of this, Nina awkwardly began putting into words the feelings inside her heart—feelings she herself didn't yet fully understand.
"My chest feels all warm... and I get happy... and then I end up grinning. My tail starts swishing on its own... What is this?"
"I see... so that's what it is."
Believing it to be some kind of physical problem, Nina seemed somewhat restless.
But without a mirror, she probably couldn't tell.
She didn't look anxious.
At that moment, Nina's cheeks were flushed, and her eyes looked dreamy.
It was a gentle, sweet expression.
"...Rain-san is quite a sinful man."
"Sinful...? Did Rain do something bad?"
"No, that's not what I mean. Um..."
Nokia thought carefully.
The feelings Nina was experiencing.
The emotions that confused and unsettled her.
There was no doubt—they were feelings of love toward Rain.
Just because she was still a child didn't mean Nokia could laugh them off.
Nor could she simply dismiss them as a temporary misunderstanding.
After all...
Rain had rescued her after she was captured and enslaved by the son of a tyrannical lord.
He was always kind to her and always made her smile.
He found her missing mother and even restored her lost memories.
After everything he had done for her, it would be stranger not to fall in love.
Because Nina was still young, she had never become aware of it herself, but her heart had probably been stolen long ago.
"Nina, there's no need to be worried. The feelings you're carrying right now are something very wonderful."
"Really?"
"Yes. You've fallen in love with Rain-san."
"But I've liked Rain... for a very long time?"
"That's the kind of love you feel for family. But now, Nina, it's the kind of love you feel toward someone of the opposite sex. Let's see... To put it simply, it's a special kind of 'love' that's more precious than any other in the world."
Nokia had no intention of denying her daughter's feelings.
Nor would she brush them aside simply because Nina was young.
She would treat her daughter as an equal—as a young woman in her own right—
And support her so that her love could one day come true.
That was what a mother should do.
There were already several women who had feelings for Rain and had even confessed to him, but Nokia didn't concern herself with that.
As one of the strongest species, she didn't follow human notions of morality.
For a single man to have multiple wives was not unusual at all.
"A special... love? Ugh... I don't really understand."
"I see... Then, Nina, do you love me?"
"Yeah. I love you, Mama."
"And what about Kanade-san and the others?"
"I like everyone too."
"Then what about Rain-san?"
"...I love him."
Blushing with embarrassment and fidgeting shyly, Nina answered in a tiny voice.
Struggling not to melt from how adorable her daughter was, Nokia maintained her composure and continued.
"Can you tell that those feelings are different from one another?"
"Yeah... kind of."
"You might not understand it clearly yet. It may take some time before you fully do. But that love is something very important. Don't forget it, and treasure it forever, okay?"
"Okay...!"
Nina nodded energetically with a bright smile.
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