Chapter 70 - Bird Lovers (8) (1/2)

I held Nana again and inserted my hands under her arms.

“Sorry Mikuma, can you hold Nana for a bit?”

“Eh, un, okay?”

I handed over Nana to Mikuma.

“Auuuu… daaaa!!”

Nana disliked it and wouldn’t let go of my clothes.

“Nana, it’s just for a bit.”

I gently lifted her hands and removed them from my clothes.

“Bwaaaah! Nyaaa!”

Tears accumulated in Nana’s eyes.

Wow, this feeling of guilt.

I want to apologize right now by holding her and rubbing her cheeks on mine.

But I’ll endure.

I don’t think I’m going to be able to get through to Nana, who still doesn’t understand the language yet, but I still have to convey that she doesn’t have to be scared.

“Uwah, calm down Nana-chan! I won’t do anything, you know?”

“Ahhhhhhh! Daaaaaaah!”

Nana struggled around vigourously in Mikuma’s arms.

It was like she was trying to frantically get back into my arms while pressing her small hands onto Mikuma’s large breasts.

“Nana?”

I gently pinched Nana’s cheek with both hands.

Firmly, but not enough to hurt.

I faced her face towards mine.

“Nuuu”

It seems she calmed down a bit after I touched her.

She looked at me with a cute frown.

I thought that her face, wet with tears and a runny nose, wasn’t dirty in the slightest.

I took my right hand off Nana’s face, took out an infant gauze from my jeans pocket, and wiped Nana’s face.

After wiping her tears while being careful to not use too much strength, I wiped her runny nose.

It’s not dirty, but it’s better when she’s clean.

I put the slightly wet gauze back into my pocket and put my hand back on her soft cheeks again.

“Nana? Papa doesn’t know what Nana is scared of, but I’ll definitely protect Nana and Jaja from no matter who comes.”

Slowly and carefully spin the words with your left hand on your cheek.

It’s fine even if she doesn’t understand.

I just have to convey that you don’t have to be afraid.

“Look, mama is also there, right? So is Jaja, Shouhei and Mikuma. Saeki and Koji are… well. Noisy but not scary people.”

“Au!”

Nana responded like she was listening to me.

“So it’s okay. You don’t have to be scared okay?”

I smiled to look as gentle as possible.

Since I look evil, so I’m a little worried.

“Nnn”

Nana responded by slightly looking down.

I feel like somehow it’s truly being conveyed.

“That’s right, Nana. Although Mama may not be a match for grandmother, but she’s very strong strong, and papa will definitely protect Nana.”

Aoi who was holding Jaja next to Mikuma, bent down and matched her eyes with Nana.

Jaja was sucking her thumb in her arms and staring in puzzlement.

“Ahaha, you became obedient, huh, Nana-chan. Good girl.”

Mikuma laughed with narrowed eyes.

“Uuh”

Nana raised her face.

She didn’t look scared anymore.

“Did you understand? Good girl.”

I rubbed her bouncy cheeks. What a soft object!

I used my right hand to ruffle through her hair.

I felt like her hair would get tangled if I overdid it.

Nana opened and closed her eyes in accordance to my hand movements.

It was unpleasant for her at all.

If anything, it felt comfortable. I would do it for hours with pleasure, but I will endure because it seems I’ll be disliked if I overdo it.

Finally, she shut her eyes tight.

The remaining tears in the corners of her eyes traveled along her cheeks in line with the movement of her head.

It’s okay, she’s not crying anymore.

A great child.

“Nana, do you hate birds?”

She heard my voice, and slowly opened her eyes.

Her moist black eyes that looked straight at me were beautiful.

“The birds probably love Nana, you know?”

“Ah”

I got a reply. I don’t know the exact meaning, but I’m sure that it’s not a denial.

“Then I feel sorry for the birds. You understand, right?”

“… Aaaa”

Along with her reply, the white horns on both sides of her head gently shined.

“Y-you guys!”

We heard the stablehand miss’s voice.

When I turned around, a Chunchu was falling to the shore and was twitching.

The stablehand sat with her knees up and clung to Chunchu’s body.

“Y-You finally came to your senses! Why did you do that! Apologize to Kaiser Maru!”

Looking at the surroundings, the Chunchu and others were sitting on the ground with rough breathing.

The birds flying in the sky scattered and escaped.