Chapter 49

"Well... I'm glad. When you started with a serious face and an apology, I thought maybe you were going to say we should cancel the party... I got really worried."

"Really?! Now that we can take on requests together with Fred, we absolutely won't do that!"

"O-Okay! Reina, you're too close!"

Caught off guard by such an unexpected statement, I leaned forward and denied it without thinking. Fred, intimidated by me, turned away. Oh no, I shouted too loudly.

"Hmm, your unconscious destructive power is strong... Anyway, I wonder if Kōhaku is being washed by Anna right now."

"The dirt was really stubborn, but yeah, I think it's almost done."

When he comes out, I'll dry his tail and hair. At this temperature, if left to air dry, he might catch a cold.

"Anna, I'm back... Sorry for leaving it all to you."

"No problem at all. He was very well-behaved in the bath, so it wasn't as if it required two people."

Anna, who had just come out of the bath, and Kōhaku, who was wrapped in a towel and in a daze, appeared. Whatever happened in the bath, Kōhaku was standing there with his mouth half-open, his golden eyes unfocused, as if he was looking at something far away. For some reason, the background seemed to be filled with stars, like he was gazing through a telescope.

Still, I thought his hair and fur were a dark brown, but it turned out to be the same golden color as his eyes. It seems the dirt made it look a different color. The tips of his animal ears were a burnt brown, and his tail, which was thicker than a dog's, had white fur at the end. I thought he was a mountain dog or something similar, but it seems this child is... a fox.

"Kōhaku's clothes are probably beyond repair even after washing."

"Yeah, if we try to mend them, the patchwork will be larger than the original. Kōhaku, is it okay to throw them away?"

"..."

"It seems like her mind is elsewhere."

"Hehe, the hot spring must have felt really good."

Smiling warmly, Anna made me think of something. Every time there was a ceremony or celebration, even I, who had experienced it many times, would be polished from head to toe, making me go "Eek..." I'm sure Kōhaku went through the same full course. He's so clean now, there's no trace left.

"Since there were no pants with holes for a tailed child, I just put him in a simple dress."

"I see. The original clothes were made to be worn over the shoulders and tied around the body with a wide belt, so it should have a similar feel."

I tried to keep the design simple to avoid influencing it with my personal preferences. Based on the warm tones of the original clothes, I chose a reddish-brown fabric. ...Oh, it was dirty, so the original color might have been more vibrant. I can ask about his preferences next time I buy clothes.

"Wait, won't a dress make him look like a girl?"

"...Hmm, Fred, is there a problem?"

"No, I think anyone should be able to wear what they like, regardless of gender... But..."

"Fred... Did you think he was a boy?"

"Eh?"

"This child is a girl."

I had noticed from her shoulder and pelvic bone structure. The body structure is common among humanoids, even if the species is different. I think Anna noticed too. If she thought he was a boy, she wouldn't have helped him bathe.

Unlike me, he wasn't intentionally acting, but his behavior made him look like a boy. The clean Kōhaku had a very cute face.

This made me a bit excited to prepare other clothes. I want to see her in different outfits. Maybe Anna feels the same way when she dresses me up.

Oh, and I touched his hair, which had been left to grow, and thought while drying it, what hairstyle would suit her?

"Wh-What?!"

Fred, who seemed to be the only one who hadn't noticed, finally spoke after some thought. His reaction was like a comedic actor's, and I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Kōhaku was subjected to a thorough water torture..."

"It was really dirty, so there was no choice."

Kōhaku, who had been told it wouldn't be so difficult next time, still had a sullen expression. Fred still seemed wary of Kōhaku and was speaking little. His lips were slightly upturned, but he wasn't really smiling. He was observing Kōhaku.

"As a reward for being well-behaved in the bath... here, Kōhaku. You can have my dessert too."

"!!"

His dark face lit up with a smile. He was so easily swayed by a single dessert that I might be able to control him more easily than I thought.

We decided to eat the light snacks I bought and then head to the market, but since he seems to follow instructions, we could have gone out to eat too.

"You're a good person."

"Hey, Kōhaku, you're not the one being complimented."

"...Anna is a good person."

He only changed that part. While his tone was still a bit bossy, it was good that he could correct himself immediately when pointed out. Praising him for the improvement made him look very pleased.

If I scold him when necessary and praise him for good behavior, Kōhaku's manners might improve quickly. I'll keep an eye out for problematic behavior and praise him often.

From his previous statements, I can tell he had a family, not just being an orphan. But despite his willingness to correct himself when pointed out, this child lacks common sense. He can't even do simple calculations for rewards, and I'm concerned about his education. He doesn't even have the basic etiquette that one would normally learn to survive.

While Kōhaku's actions were certainly wrong, it's not entirely his fault... I feel that the environment that led to these problems is also to blame.