Children Reward the Showers of Love Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

Mithra: Arthim.

Bradley: Ooh. It sure is handy to go wherever ya want with just a door. 

Owen: But you can do that too Bradley. Just sneeze and you’ll go anywhere.

Bradley: I don’t do that ‘cuz I wanna. I’m blastin’ off against my will. 

Mithra: Well, you do have to be on my level to use teleportation magic. Be grateful.

Anyways, you two must have nothing good to do to be tagging along with me in the middle of the night. 

Bradley: Look who’s talkin’.

Owen: That’s rich coming from you.

Sif: Step step…

Mithra: Ah, you’re here.

Bradley: Yo, One Year’s Meat. Doing well?

Owen: Good evening, One Year’s Candy. Looks like no monsters have come to attack you.

Mithra: Please don’t give them weird nicknames.

Remember, I’m your father. Since I must, I’ll be taking care of you tonight.

Here, come eat this.

Bradley: That’s a big lump of meat. Can they even eat this? Munch munch.

Mithra: I believe when I was this little I also ate something like this, so I’m sure it’s fine.

Owen: So why are you eating meat when we have that lump of meat?

Bradley: Who cares. I stole it from the kitchen before we left.

Owen: Cookies are yummier than some meat. Munch munch…

Bradley: Are you some candy vendor? Can’t believe you’re eating sweets at this time of night. 

Owen: Nevermind that, isn’t that lump of meat too big?

Even if they could eat it, that tiny mouth of theirs couldn’t tear it apart.

Mithra: How bothersome…since you’re nagging so much why don’t you feed them.

Owen: No way. What a chore.

Mithra: Bradley.

Bradley: Ask like that and no one’ll do it. Just cut them into pieces, man.

Think of slicing the meat into pieces as part of taking care of them. It’s no biggie.

Mithra: …

…You have a point.

Bradley: Anyways, it gets real gloomy here…I shoulda brought beer. 

Owen: Too bad. It would’ve been fun to give them alcohol. 

Maybe they would’ve gotten so drunk they’d give us a hundred year’s worth of candy and meat.

Bradley: Like I’d waste my precious alcohol doing somethin’ as useless as that. 

Owen: Then why’d you wish you brought it?

Bradley: The remains of a once thriving village, with its last remaining siofra…

I was wondering how a drink would taste in memory of them all. Wouldn’t hurt to find out. 

Owen: Such a weird hobby. There’s no point in drinking your heart out for those who’ve already gone. 

Bradley: Really? I thought you liked these kinds of stories.

Owen: …? What do you mean?

Bradley: This village prospered from taking care of the siofra population near them.

They were probably worshipped like gods. That, or they treasured them the same as they would’ve human children.

…but lowlifes exist anywhere.

Owen: Go on.

Bradley: One day, some guy heard the rumours and came to the village thinkin’ of makin’ a buck or two.

The siofra were captured, and their numbers rapidly decreased.

And then this village that lost its worth and residents was abandoned, becoming the ruins we’re in now.

…How about that?

Owen: Huuuh? That was all a tale you spun?

Bradley: Heh, you never know. I’m just mimicking your chatty mouth when you go on your creepy monologues. 

Owen: How about if the village came to ruin because of infighting? That would be more entertaining.

Bradley: Haha! Your personality is shit as ever.

Mithra: Guys, you’re being loud.

Haaaugh…I’m getting bored of caring for the kid.

Owen: If you don’t want them I’ll take them.

Hey siofra. Don’t you wanna have fun with me instead of meanie papa Mithra?

Since you look like a child you probably prefer candy over meat. Here, I’ll share my cookie with you.

Sif: Hmph…

Bradley: Wow, they’re using both arms to push you away. They don’t need your half-eaten goods.

Owen: Huh? Hey, do you wanna die?

Bradley: They know how much of a meanie you are now. Kids’re sharp like that.

C’mere, I’ll make you strong.

Sif: !

Bradley: Come on, up you go. Kids love high places. 

You look like one, so you might as well learn a lot to become more human.

Mithra: Hey. Give them back.

Bradley: Woah. Don’t pull so suddenly, that’s dangerous.

Sif: Kyakya.

Bradley & Owen: Ah, they laughed.

Mithra: See, they like me more. Good, good.

Owen: Why’re you stirring up their hair like that?

Mithra: I am petting their head.

When Rutile does this to Mitile he smiles. Children enjoy this action, it seems. 

…Actually, I think I remember Tiletta doing this to Rutile too.

Bradley: Haah…man, you and everybody else are really going for it.

Pipehead, the Prince, and the others are one thing, but Oz showing affection for this little fairy? What a joke. 

Owen: Seriously. Oz seems like he’d be the least interested in playing house. 

Mithra: Hmm, maybe he has a lot of free time too?

Forget that, I’ve cut the meat. You eat it like this. Please chomp away. 

Sif: …sniff sniff.

*chomp*

Mithra: Haha, they ate it.

See, it’s yummy isn’t it.

Days passed since we started looking after Sif.

Taking a break between official duties, Arthur had come to see the fairy.

Sif: Kyakya!

Arthur: Hahaha! Amazing, Sif! What a rascal you are, scaling Lord Oz’s back like that.

Oz: Children love high places. You used to climb my back like this too. 

You would climb my back no matter what I was doing, so for a period of time I would carry you on my shoulders as I walked.

Arthur: Hehe. The world I saw from your shoulders was so wonderful after all. I remember begging you during our walks to carry me. 

Speaking of walks, I also loved when you held my hands and helped me jump. 

Especially when Lords Snow and White, and Lord Figaro came over. I would be in the middle and you would all lift me together…

Oz: …Then we should do it.

If you enjoyed it, then Sif surely will too. I will hold their other hand. 

Arthur: ! Yes. Come here, Sif!

One, two, up we go!

Sif: Kyahaha!

Akira: Wow, hand swinging. Looks like fun. 

Shylock and I asked Oz to take us with him here.

I was holding Sakitty, watching over the three warmly when that beautifully sculpted mouth of Shylock’s let out a deep sigh. 

Shylock: I never thought there’d be a day where I would witness Oz playing around with a fairy.

Akira: Ahaha. True, it isn’t something likely to happen.

Seeing it with my own eyes though makes it clear to me that Oz raised Arthur.

A lot of the games that Oz has been playing with Sif use the body…

Judging from their conversation, it’s all stuff that he picked up from trying to play with Arthur. 

Arthur: Lord Oz, may I please carry Sif?

Oz: Yes, support their head with your hand to not let them fall.

Arthur: Understood. Just like how you used to hold me…right.

Oz: You still remember?

Arthur: Of course. I remember feeling so safe and warm supported in your arms. 

I remember doing upsies, shoulder rides…and oh! I think you did something like this too.

He said, and Arthur flew straight upwards to the sky while carrying Sif.

Shylock, Oz, & Akira: …!?

I thought for a second that he was going to fly into the sun, but as if he lost all his magic he suddenly came falling down with speed.

Akira: (Eeeeek…!)

(If I remember correctly, this is what they call the Kirken Meteor. Everytime I see it it gets me anxious…)

Sif: Kyakya!

Arthur: Ahaha! It is fun, isn’t it Sif?

They repeatedly flew upwards and dropped downwards, laughing happily.

Looking up at that, Oz raised his voice, seemingly a little worried.

Oz: Arthur! Come down this instant.

Arthur: It’s fine! I won’t drop Sif.

Shylock and I stepped up beside Oz who was anxious. 

Shylock: Hmhm, children do love these exciting games.

I understand how Prince Arthur grew up to be so courageous and gallant now. 

Akira: That game…didn’t Snow and White teach him that?

Did you do that often with Arthur, Oz?

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