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Chapter 7, Idle Talk 1 [7-4] Mark-kun, doing his best
Chapter 7, Idle Talk 1 [7-4] Mark-kun, doing his best
A.N. 7-4 means this idle talk happens around vol 7 chapter 4.
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“Master Yuuji, have a safe journey!”
“Mister Yuuji, Alice-chan, be careful!”
Spring of the fourth year since Yuuji had come to another world.
The dogkin Marcel and his son Mark saw off Yuuji and Alice who departed to the city for the first time as well as the others.
Alice who walked on an animal trail looked back and grandly swung her arm towards Mark who shook his hand. Seeing that, Mark’s face turned red. It was the springtime of his life.
“Now then… It’s work on the farm I guess! Mark, will you help me out?”
“Yeah, dad! I will work hard!”
Mark answered energetically. However he had a dream he wanted to fulfill now that Alice wasn’t here.
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Early morning of the second day since Yuuji and co departed.
Mark replaced the water jug that caught the water streaming from the hose from Yuuji’s house. Setting an empty earthenware pot once the water had accumulated was Mark’s job. The water that comes out from the hose was adjusted by Yuuji at a rate that is enough for six people, including the three adventurers. Enough to fill three large water jugs in a day.
“Heave ho. Uughn, it’s heavy… But to think we don’t even have to worry about water, Mr. Yuuji is amazing… I have to work hard too!”
It appears Mark was overvaluing Yuuji. What was amazing was the house and its facilities, not Yuuji.
Mark carried the weighty water jug and walked unsteadily. Suddenly the water jug became light.
“Looks pretty heavy, sonny! I’ll carry it!”
The greatsword wielding and gaudy armored Hector of the trio of adventurers who remained for house-sitting. He seemed to have stuck out his hand and held the water jug.
“Eh, but that is my job so…”
“Kids don’t have to worry about something like that I tell you!” while saying so, Hector briskly walked. As usual he didn’t listen to what people say, but he seemed to be good natured.
Hector placed the water jug inside the Yaranga, the tent where the beastkin family lived in and left, saying “See you!” Apparently he was heading to his daily morning training routine.
Mark looked at the retreating figure and repeatedly stopped saying something. He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t readily gather his determination. It seems his tightly grasped fists was representing such feelings of his.
*clack clack* The sound of hitting wood reverberated.
At the space south of Yuuji’s house, between the farmland and the location that was cleared of trees, the Hector and the large built man, Joss of the house-sitting group were training using large tree branches.
Mark secretly looked into their appearance from the shades of a tree. Apparently he had something he wanted to say to them. However he could not grab the timing to come out, he was at a loss. “what should I do, won’t it be a bother I wonder” Mark worried about such things and from his back approached a person. They quietly stood behind Mark and with a slap they hit his shoulder.
“Hyah! Oh, it’s you mom, that scared me…”
“Mark… If you have something you want to say, then say it instead of worrying about it. You’re a boy after arr!”
With a serious look, the catkin mother Nina told Mark who literally jumped from surprise. It was a serious look, but as always the “L” turned to “R”. It’s sloppy. (TL “It’s actually “na” turning to “nya” but you find words with L more often than “Na”, so I went for L -> R)
“Yeah… yeah! Thanks mom!”
Mark’s heart finally seems to have become firm with Nina’s words. He ran towards the adventurers who continued their training. Seeing his retreating figure, Nina nodded “Mhm mhm”. As expected, the female party around Yuuji seems to be strong.
Seeing the figure of Mark running up to them, the two adventurers stopped their training. Eleine who was tending to her bow at the side took a look at Mark as well.
Mark stopped in front of Joss the large man and Hector and tried to tell them his thoughts, but he couldn’t seem to readily gather his determination. While he grasped his fists tightly, was shivering and trembling, his ears drooping and his tails rolled up between his legs, he went looking at the two and dropping his gaze to the ground.
Perhaps sensing something, Joss and Hector said nothing and gazed at Mark, waiting for his words.
“Uhm, excuse me… Put, put me in the training too please!”
Putting his determination in his glittering and sparkling eyes, Mark finally informed the adventurers his words.
The two men smiled broadly.
“That so sonny! So you’re admiring me! Aaah, well, even though you’re small you under-”
Hector talked to Mark with a loud voice and *pon* hit his shoulders. But, Eleine interrupted his words midway, pulled his hand and took him away. It seems Joss will be corresponding with Mark.
“Mark-kun, why do you want to train?”
Joss bent his back and started talking to Mark with the plan to make himself a smiling expression. But the large body produced a feeling of oppression and his mouth curved expression was fiendish.
“Hih” went Mark as he shrunk away. *thud* Mark’s back hit something. He looked up and what came into view was the figure of his mother Nina. Showing a tender smile, she silently pushed Mark. Joss would like her to teach him how to smile.
“I, I… Want to become stronger! I’m going to protect mom and dad!”
“Is it reary onry dad and mom?”
Mother Nina quipped without a moment’s delay towards Mark who shouted. She pulled back her affectionate motherly smile until a while ago and showed a mean and broad grin. As expected of a catkin. She likes mischiefs.
“Ugh… I also want to protect A-, Alice-chan…”
Bashfully, Mark told him with a tiny voice. Nina smiled complacently. Apparently she seems to be enjoying her son’s first love.
Incidentally, aside from Kotarou who was a superior to Mark, Yuuji was outside the targets Mark wanted to protect.
“Okay, I understand you. Then let’s train you Mark-kun. Apart from me teaching you the way to use a shield, have you decided on a weapon?”
“Thank you very much, mister! I’m planning on using a sword as my weapon!”
Having called out to him as soon as he should save him from Nina’s teasing, Joss received a shock. He was called mister. As a matter of fact, he was 21 years old even though he may have an old looking face.
He raised his skills as an adventurer and contracting with Kevin was to pile up achievements as an escort, he was a young person who was aiming to be a knight at some point.
The fact that he was watched by Mark’s cloudless eyes and that he was announced mister left a great scar on his heart.
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Morning of the third day since Yuuji and co departed.
The training of the trio of house sitting adventurers, where Mark was added to, began.
A tree branch hit the shield Mark had set up.
A gong sound was made as he received the hit, but without killing the momentum, Mark rolled all over. Mark bent down on the ground with his tail rolled up and looked up at Hector who attacked with a frightened expression.
The large man Joss watched Mark and Hector with his arms folded.
“So- sorry, I went and overdid it! Are you, are you alright?” Hector spoke while trembling, but a loud voice resounded that time.
“What’s wrong Mark! Is that the end!? Didn’t you become stronger!? Don’t forget the pride of the dogkins who have bitten at it every time!”
It was the voice of his father Marcel, watching attentively under the shades of a tree at the training location. Next to him was the figure of his mother Nina. Perhaps they were worried; the two seem to be watching over him from the shadows.
Nevertheless, what about the pride of the dogkin who showed his stomach to Kotarou with just a single glance? It didn’t seem like there was any attempts at biting there.
Perhaps cheered up by his father’s words, Mark braced his legs, stood up and readied his shield.
“That’s right, do your best! Do your best, Mark!” Marcel’s voice soared. You’re being annoying, was Nina’s expression as she stared at Marcel.
“One more time please!”
Panic vanished from Hector’s expression and with a firm look he gazed at Mark.
“Mark-kun, you don’t catch the blow head-on, but you ward it off. On top of that you’re a dogkin. Use your feet and move around, you can also consider making use of your ears and nose. Also Hector, it’s training, so you can swing slowly you idiot.”
“Good, that’s the spirit! Here I come, Mark-kun!”
Hearing Joss’ advice, Mark stopped completely hiding his body behind the shield and let his face slightly peek through. It seems he intended to try out various things after hearing the advice.
On the other hand, Hector grandly brandished the tree branch. It seems he did not hear the advice.
For the sake of protecting mom and dad.
For the sake of protecting Alice-chan.
Keeping such determination to himself, Mark spent his day busily while putting strenuous effort towards his training, farmwork, water management and everyday caretaking.
That determination was not kept secret at all however: on top of the fact he himself had spoken it, it was found out by his surroundings as well.
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