Our chill days returned

   It’s been a week since that day, and I have to admit, it’s been… eventful.

   Lying in bed all day might sound like a dream, but let me tell you, it gets boring fast. By the second day, I was practically begging for something—anything—to distract me.

   Beastmen kids seemed to pick up on that. They started visiting me regularly, bringing games and their wild energy. We played cards, talked about daily life, and occasionally they’d sneak in little gifts they found outside.

   But they didn’t just visit during the day. A few of them thought it would be a great idea to sneak into my room at night and try to sleep beside me. I had no idea why they wanted to do this, and honestly, I was just confused.

   Every time that happened, Luna was ready to interfere. Every single time they tried, she’d give them a cold stare that sent shivers down even my spine. She looked like a strict school teacher catching her students red-handed.

   Now that I think about it, her expression wasn’t just cold. Sometimes she almost looked… jealous? But maybe that was just my imagination.

   Speaking of Luna, she’s been quite intense recently. She rarely leaves my side, constantly making sure I’m comfortable, fed, and properly bandaged. She insisted it’s all part of her duty as a maid, but I couldn’t help worrying about her. It doesn’t seem like she's taken many breaks, though she never looked tired at all.

   Apparently, dark elves have enhanced physical abilities at the expense of having no magical powers. That probably explains her stamina, but still…

   Oh, and Bel! He’s been my loyal companion throughout this week. Every time he visits, he quietly curls up beside me. Honestly, it’s been comforting having him around.

   Finally, with everyone’s help. I finally recovered.

* * *

   To celebrate my recovery and the fact that everyone got away safely, we decided to throw a barbecue party.

   The event took place outside, with the cheerful energy of a small festival. It was clear that everyone was enjoying themselves.

   Adult women gathered near the grills, chatting and laughing over plates of sizzling meat. Children darted around as they played tag. 

   And then there was Zephyra.

   She was sitting across from an adult lioness beastwoman. Her sharp, amber eyes had that predatory gleam, but the rest of her face bore a strikingly human softness and a golden-brown complexion, with a braided mane of auburn hair falling over one shoulder. Her broad shoulders and thick arms stretched the fabric of her sleeveless shirt, the top buttons casually undone. Olive cargo shorts clung to powerful thighs, cinched at the waist with a worn leather belt.

   The two of them locked in a fierce drinking competition. The woman’s name was Victoria and she was the caretaker of the orphanage Zephyra used to live in as a child. After Zephyra took Lucian’s offer that day, she began sending a portion of her salary to that orphanage every month. 

   One day, Lucian caught wind of it and proposed offering his support as well. What started as a small act of charity grew into something bigger—an organization dedicated to helping not just children, but also the homeless and those displaced by a disasters. The orphanage expanded into a vast network of aid and recovery programs that reached across borders. Victoria was invited to the party to express gratitude for taking the beastmen into her custody.

   I had to admit, it was the first time I’d met someone who seemed to love alcohol as much as Zephyra did. Watching the two of them pound down drink after drink like seasoned warriors was oddly mesmerizing.

   As I sat there, letting the lively atmosphere soak in, I noticed Luna walking toward me with a plate of grilled meat. When she reached me, she knelt slightly to my level.

   “Master, I have prepared a meat for you. Please, eat some.”

   Before I could respond, she stabbed a piece of sausage with a fork and held it up to my face.

   “Please open your mouth. Aaaa...” 

   “I am not a child—”

   “Aaaa...”

   "..."

   Her eyes were so serious, that after a moment of hesitation, I finally gave up.

   “Fine,” I muttered, biting a sausage from her fork. It was very good.

   As I swallowed, I said, “I can see that you’ve become quite skilled at being a maid.”

   “Thank you very much. But it’s all thanks to Mrs. Zephyra’s help.”

   I glanced over at Zephyra. She was still locked in her drinking duel with Victoria, both women laughing loudly as they slammed their cups onto the table in unison.

   Since then, Zephyra has been training Luna as a maid. I have to admit, I was worried at first. Zephyra’s definition of ‘training’ doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, but as you can see, her lessons are bearing fruit. Turns out that one of her trainings as Lucian’s assistant involved being under the supervision of the head maid. As part of her training course, Zephyra became a maid herself for two months. Looking at how she behaves on a daily basis, it’s easy to forget she also possesses a responsible side.

   “Something happened, Master?” Luna asked with concern.

   “No, it’s nothing—”

   Before I could finish, a small boy about half my size approached. His black hair was slightly messy, and his floppy dog ears twitched with each step.

   He stopped in front of me, his eyes locked on the plate full of grilled meat that Luna was holding. I raised an eyebrow at him, noticing how his gaze never wavered.

   I let out a small chuckle, then reached for the table beside me. Grabbing a bun, I cut it halfway with a knife, placed a sausage inside, and added a generous squirt of ketchup. Then I handed it to the boy.

   “For you, kid.” 

   His face lit up with excitement as he took the bun. He took a big bite, his tail wagging happily behind him as he chewed.

   “Thanks, big brother!” he said with a bright smile.

   I watched his dog ears twitching in delight, and my mind wandered to Bel, who, oddly enough, hadn’t shown up yet.

   “Now that I think about it,” I said to Luna, “I haven’t seen Bel anywhere today.”

   “Master, that’s—”

   Suddenly, I felt a firm pat on my back.

   “Ouch!” I yelped as the impact sent a jolt through my body.

   Turning around, I saw Victoria standing there, grinning.

   “Sorry about that,” she said, clearly amused. “After alcohol, I have no control over my strength.”

   I rubbed my back, grimacing slightly. “I understand that Zephyra lost your little duel?”

   Victoria laughed, crossing her arms confidently. “Unfortunately, no. We ran out of alcohol.”

   Even though we had a few barrels?! 

   I decided to change the topic. “I heard that rebuilding the village is progressing smoothly.”

   “Yes. Thanks to Zephyra’s financial and technology support, we might be able to finish faster than expected.”

   “I see. That’s good to hear.”

   While the beastmen are living in temporary dorms for now, Victoria’s organization—with Zephyra’s support—has started rebuilding their village from the ground up. From what I've heard, it’s going to be far more advanced than it used to be.

   "By the way..." 

   Victoria's gaze shifted toward the wolf boy, Luke. I recognized him instantly—it was the same wolfman I’d argued with in the cage.

   "I've heard that this boy was the son of the last village chief. Apparently, during the attack on the village, he witnessed his parents being killed by the bandits. Normally, someone would sink into despair after something like that, and yet he is already talking about getting stronger and leading the village. Some beastmen told me that it was partly thanks to you that he is like that now."

   I smirked. "I only made him realize what he already knew. The rest was his own character. He’s much stronger than he thinks. For example, that one day…"

   I thought back to our conversation.

   Luke had approached me with a serious expression. He’d explained that Luna had always been very closed person, she hadn't really liked to talk to other villagers. Despite this, Luke had worked tirelessly to help her open up, slowly building her trust and connection with the others. Just as there was a progress, the attack started.

   "I respect her decision to become your maid, but if you ever make Lunaria cry, I will make you regret it."

   That’s what he said to me.

   “The way he looked at me when he talked about it... I thought he’d be happy that Luna had finally regained her will to live, but I could see sadness in his eyes. I don’t get it.”

   “Are you serious?" Victoria gave me a surprised look. "Even I could see that." 

   "See what?"

   "This boy was head over heels for her. I’ve heard from the girls that he confessed his love to her some time ago. Maybe it was even before your conversation?”

   “Seriously?!” 

   My head turned toward Luna.

   “Of course I said no,” she responded without hesitation. “I am grateful to him, but he is just a friend.”

   “Poor boy...”

   Victoria chuckled softly. “He’ll be fine. As you said yourself, he is stronger than he thinks.”

   Luna nodded. “Ms. Victoria is right, Master. Besides, I’m sure someone will heal his heart soon.”

   She gestured toward a certain cat girl with bright, curious eyes, who was talking with Like.

   “Chloe?” I asked, narrowing my eyes slightly.

   Chloe—the same cat girl who had clung to her mother during our time in the cage. She looked cheerful now, her tail flicking happily as she chatted with him.

   “Isn’t she at least six years younger than him?”

   Victoria laughed heartily, crossing her arms. “I know it’s hard to believe, but she’s actually a year older than Luke.”

   “...What?!” 

   I took a distant look at Chloe. “No matter how you look at it, she’s just a kid.”

   Luna leaned closer, whispering to my ear. “That’s not quite true either, Master.”

   I glanced at her, confused, and she continued, “A while before Luke confessed to me, Chloe wanted to talk with me in private, and then she said that if I take Luke away from her she will...”

   What Luna whispered to me next sent a chill racing down my spine.

   Scary! To think that this little cat would turn out to be Yandere... Everything will be fine, right?

   Before I could dwell further, the same black-haired boy with floppy dog ears approached me again, tugging on my sleeve.

   “Big brother, can I have some more?” he asked, his eyes wide with innocent anticipation.

   I grabbed a chicken leg from a nearby plate and handed it to him. “Sure, dig in.”

   The boy’s face lit up as he took the chicken leg and happily began to munch on it.

   By now, my curiosity had gotten the better of me, so I turned to Luna. “By the way Luna, do you happen to know whose this child is?”

   “I tried to tell you before, Master. That kid... is Bel.”

   I blinked, staring at her like she’d just told me the moon was made of cheese. 

   “...Huh?”

   She nodded, her expression dead serious.

   Still not convinced, I looked back at the boy, who was now thoroughly engrossed in the chicken leg. 

   “...Bel?”

   The boy turned toward me, a chunk of chicken still in his mouth. “What’s the matter, big brother?”

   I stared at him, my mind struggling to connect the dots. “Huuuuuh…?!”

   That was the second time I shouted like that, since coming to this world, and there was only one thought left echoing in my head:

   As expected from isekai...