IPDT 5

「Indeed.」

Right, that is why he is acting so taciturn. Right, right. Once I understood, the sullen feeling washed away as if it had been cleansed. I propped my chin on both hands and looked at the black-haired person.

“Hey, would you like to learn the continental common language? Isn’t it frustrating not being able to communicate?”

「Do you have any intention of learning the continental common language? It must be frustrating not being able to communicate.」

He said that ‘continuous education’ was an essential element to provide to a human in adolescence. Since I am successfully managing to teach him not to bite the master, won’t teaching him the continental common language also work?

“…”

“Ugh, it’s so hard to hear your voice even once.”

Even though I waited for an answer for a long time, the black-haired person did not open his mouth. All he has to do is say ‘yes’ just once, honestly!

I crossed my arms and lifted my chin high. It was incredibly frustrating, but I had no intention of forcing him. Because I am a benevolent master.

“I won’t force you to answer, but if you’re frustrated, just give a nod.”

「I will not force you to answer. However, if you are frustrated, nod your head.」

Only then did the black-haired person nod his head. When he caused trouble, he caused it in a big way, but his answers were incredibly passive.

“So you’ll learn the continental common language?”

「Will you learn the continental common language?」

The black-haired person nodded his head again. He was like a silent puppy. Ugh. For the sake of my dignity, I should not laugh, I should not… Just because the black-haired person answered a little promptly, the corners of my mouth rose uncontrollably.

Click.

Just then, the bedroom door opened and a food tray entered. Fleabag had brought the food. I was about to greet Fleabag with a happy smile, but I quickly came to my senses. Come to think of it, hadn’t Fleabag and the black-haired one fought fiercely? The black-haired one even jumped off a cliff back then.

…Black-haired one, isn’t he going to cause a ruckus again if he runs into Fleabag?

I hastily cast an invisibility spell on Fleabag and feigned ignorance. Fleabag sent a bewildered look at the sudden magic, but I quickly shook my head. Pretend you’re not here! Pretend you’re not in this space! As if my silent shout had reached him, Fleabag only placed the tray near the table and disappeared.

After confirming that Fleabag had disappeared, I glanced at the black-haired person. The black-haired person was frowning, as if the tray that had rolled in by itself was strange.

“Let’s eat first. I’ll teach you after you eat.”

「Eat first. I will teach you after you have eaten.」

I spoke to draw the human’s attention. Only then did the black pupils turn towards me. I felt a strange sense of satisfaction that those pretty pupils were directed at me. I found myself staring blankly at the black-haired person, and then belatedly realized that the food was not yet on the table.

“Ah, I forgot about this.”

With a flick of my finger, the food on the tray was neatly placed on the table. It was a complete meal with silverware, plates, and even napkins perfectly arranged. Seeing the flawless presentation, I felt quite pleased.

How about it, a perfect table setting you have never seen in the human realm, right? Just imagining the admiring face of the black-haired person already made the corners of my mouth twitch.

“…”

The human, who had examined the food on the table in order, glanced at me furtively. I showed him a benevolent smile. You can admire it to your heart’s content, black-haired one. I placed my hands on my chin, anticipating the human’s reaction.

Clatter!

At that moment, the black-haired person shot up from his seat. Huh? As I blinked at the unexpected situation, the human abruptly started grabbing the food with his hands and shoving it into his mouth. It was a crude and aggressive attitude that showed no concern for his pretty face getting distorted.

“What, what are you doing!”

Startled, I also scrambled to my feet. At that, the speed at which he was grabbing and eating the food increased. He was like a beast afraid that someone would steal his food. I rushed towards the black-haired person. The human, who had confirmed I was coming with a roll of his eyes, crudely shoved a piece of unboned chicken into his mouth.

“No!”

In my urgency, I grabbed the black-haired person’s hand. It was then that the black-haired person’s pupils went slack, as if he had lost his reason. The black-haired person, with his free hand, picked up a fork and stabbed me in the shoulder with a thwack.

“Ugh.”

The black-haired person had no skill, he just crudely pressed down with the fork. A pain like having a hangnail mercilessly torn off washed over me. So this is what it feels like to be attacked with a fork.

“I said it hurts.”

「It is painful.」

Only then did some of the strength leave the black-haired person’s arm. Focus returned to his clouded black eyes as well.

“…”

The black-haired person, with his mouth stuffed full of food, had a bewildered expression. To be surprised after stabbing me with a fork himself. I flicked away the fork that was stabbing my shoulder. The black-haired person let the hand holding the fork drop.

“You have to spit out the chicken you ate with the bone. You’ll get hurt if you eat it like that.”

「Spit out the chicken eaten with the bone. You will be injured.」

I cupped my hand in front of the black-haired person’s mouth. His black eyes widened.

“Here, spit it out.”

「Spit it out.」

The human immediately shook his head. It meant no. Honestly, what is he doing not spitting it out when I’m saying it’s okay?

“If you don’t spit it out, I’m going to put my hand in your mouth myself.”

「If you do not spit, I will put my hand in your mouth.」

The black-haired person’s face turned pale. The human, who seemed to hesitate even at the threat, finally opened his mouth. Then, he spat out the wing part from inside his mouth with a thwump. I teleported the wing that had fallen into my hand to a distant place and used a cleaning spell.

“Now, chew your food well. I’m not going to steal it.”

「Chew your food well. I will not steal it.」

As I took another step closer, the black-haired person became noticeably flustered. Regardless, I widened my eyes. It meant he should quickly swallow what was in his mouth. The hesitating human moved his puffed-out cheeks, chew, chew. He somehow managed to swallow all that food without spitting it out with a gulp.

“I’m touching your face now, okay?”

「I shall touch your face.」

The black-haired person’s face was dirty with things like grease and breadcrumbs. I pulled my sleeve and wiped the human’s mouth area, swish, swish. He said that adolescent humans should be left to wash themselves, but isn’t this too much?

“It’s all dirty.”

「Is it not dirty?」

Sigh, it’s upsetting. I felt like I had seen a one-of-a-kind jewel, unaware of its own value, rolling around in a gravel field.

As I was wiping his mouth for a while, I felt a gaze. The black-haired person was looking down at me. My face was reflected in his completely black pupils. Fluffy golden hair and green pupils. The human’s shoulders trembled with a flinch. Why is he surprised? Ah, is it because he feels guilty about the trouble he caused?

“It’s okay to cause trouble. I prefer you being a reckless person. If you were an ordinary human, I wouldn’t have even been interested.”

「Creating incidents is fine. I prefer you as a ruffian. If you were an ordinary human, I would not have taken interest.」

I finished wiping the black-haired person’s lips, moving my elbow vigorously. After pulling away my sleeve, I saw that the human’s mouth area was red. …Did I rub too hard? Ahem, I cleared my throat. In times like this, I had to play dumb.

“You don’t know how to use a fork and knife? Should I teach you?”

「Do you not know how to use utensils? If so, I shall teach you.」

The black-haired person, who had been staring at me, shook his head from side to side. Huh? You know how to use them? It was an unexpected answer.

“…”

As if he had never caused a ruckus, the black-haired person sat demurely and picked up the fork and knife. Then, he began to eat awkwardly, as if using utensils for the first time in a very long time.

If he knows how to use a fork and knife, why did he eat like that at first? I frowned, unable to figure out the reason, and then belatedly realized something tremendous.

…Wouldn’t it be more fun to watch the black-haired one eat with his hands? Why did I stop him, when would I get to see such a sight again?

It was already too late to regret it. I returned to my seat with a gloomy face. As I swallowed a sigh and glanced at the black-haired person, the black-haired person ate in large bites even when using utensils. He still hastily shoved food in as if being chased by something, puffed his cheeks, and swallowed with difficulty. Still, it was a much neater meal than before.

“Hmm.”

So the black-haired one eats well even when using utensils. My gloomy mood melted away like snow. I propped my chin on one hand and smiled. Even the way the black-haired one practically buried his nose in his plate looked cute.

After finishing the meal, I sat down on the rug. This rug was made of white bear fur, so it was not only plush but also soft.

“Here, sit here.”

「Sit.」

I patted the spot next to me invitingly, but the black-haired person did not move an inch. It was obvious that he was hesitating about whether to sit next to me or not.

Hmm… I considered using magic to force him to sit but decided to leave him be. Since he said adolescent humans should be left to do things themselves.

As I was pretending not to be interested and straightening the fur of the rug, I heard a rustling sound from the side. The black-haired person had sat down about seven hand spans away. My heart pounded. Every time I saw the black-haired person’s docile side, it felt like I was receiving proof that I was raising the human well.

“Hey, look here.”

「Look here.」

The black-haired person’s eyes, which had been facing the floor, turned towards me. I opened my hands, which had been clasped over my chest. At that, the magnificent view of the lair blurred, and a new space was revealed. A night sky full of starlight and a field of blooming yellow flowers.

“Now I’ll teach you words.”

「I will teach you the common language.」

Even at the words that I would teach him, the black-haired person did not look at me. He just looked around the flower field with wide eyes. Hmm, is he very surprised?

“Are you surprised?”

「Are you surprised?」

I closed the distance of about seven hand spans in one go. Only then did the black pupils turn towards me. I grinned and opened my arms wide.

“This is my garden. Only those I permit can enter.”

「This is my garden. Only the humans I permit may enter.」

My garden, where a vast flower field spread out, to be a little more precise, this was the world inside my head.

“Sit down.”

「Sit.」

As I crouched down and waited, the black-haired person also bent his knees and sat next to me. I swept my hand over the yellow flowers swaying before my eyes. A fragrant scent came from the soft petals.

“This is a flower.”

「This is a flower.」

The black-haired person just watched the swaying flowers while squatting. Is he not very interested in flowers? I flicked my finger. One of the stars that had been illuminating the night sky slowly drifted down over our heads.

“Look at this. It’s a star.”

「Look at this. It is a star.」

The starlight twinkled in the black-haired person’s eyes. Without realizing it, I pushed the star in front of the human’s eyes. The light flickered on his pretty face.

“Touch it.”

「Touch it.」

The black-haired person, who had been looking at the suddenly presented star, held out his hand in front of me. I placed the star in the human’s hand. The twinkling star, like a firefly, floated around playfully.