Chapter 51 - Chestnut picking

"This, this is!"

"Is this a punishment?"

　Tama and Pochi are kicking the body of the walking tree that they defeated.

"Hmm?"

　Mia looked confused at this behavior that was not typical of the two of them.

"You two, kicking the corpse is unacceptable."

"Ai~"

"Yes, nanodesu."

　The two of them, scolded by Liza, drop their shoulders.

"Pochi-chan, Tama-chan, what happened?"

"He was mean~?"

"During the battle, he dropped a lot of stuff that stung!"

　Lulu asked them kindly, and the two of them complained while rubbing their heads on Lulu's chest.

"Prickling?"

"Oh, what is this? Is not it a chestnut!"

　Mia tilts her head, and Arisa discovers the true identity of "stinging pain" and smiles.

"Chestnuts are different~?"

"That's right! Chestnut-san isn't this mean, nanodesu!"

"I told you, they are chestnuts. The outer ball is like this..."-"

　Arisa dexterously stepped on the chestnuts with both her shoes and peeled them off.

"Ah! It's a chestnut person!"

"Anbilibababo~"

　Pochi and Tama's eyes lit up when they saw this.

　They had never seen them before in Seoru, so they had only seen the chestnuts after they had been peeled.

"You two should try it too."

"Ai~"

"Yes, nanodesu! Pochi will become a professional chestnut peeler!"

　In this case, wouldn't it be a husk peeler?

　While I was complaining in my heart, Tama and Pochi peeled off the ball with their armored feet.

　Sometimes they'd make a mistake with the amount of force and even destroy the chestnuts, causing them to scream.

"doing it too"

"Yes, Mia. We're participating as well, so I tell."

"Lulu, let's do this together."

"Yes, Lisa-san."

　Other children also join in and enjoy harvesting chestnuts.

　Once you've finished harvesting the chestnuts, we use half of them to make chestnut rice, and boil the other half in hot water to make snacks.

"Let's eat now!"

"Ai!"

"Yes, nanodesu!"

　Split the boiled chestnuts in half down the middle and add a spoon.

"Pick up the chestnuts with a spoon and eat them."

"Goodgood~"

"It's delicious, nanodesu, it's very, very delicious!"

　The children smile after taking a bite.

　They must have eaten chestnuts before, but boiling freshly harvested chestnuts is especially delicious.

　Everyone eats them with a single-minded devotion.

　I also took one and tried it.

　It's warm and sweet. It's always summer in the labyrinth city, but it seems like it's autumn here.

◇

"Souvenirs~"

"It's a souvenir from master and Pochi and the others nanodesu."

　Later, I delivered a lot of chestnuts to the orphanage as souvenirs.

"Big Acorn"

"Meat was better than nuts."

　It's a little unpopular with children.

"Wait~"

"That's right, nanodesu! Pochi also likes meat and is very happy..."

"Pochi, main topic~"

"That's right. I was got distracted, nanodesu."

"Don't worry."

　Pochi was unconsciously addicted to ``meat love'' and lost herself, but Tama quickly corrected her course and things went smoothly.

"--Chestnuts are also very delicious, nanodesu!"

　While Pochi was enthusiastically talking about the deliciousness of chestnuts, I and Lulu returned from boiling chestnuts in the kitchen.

　When I handed it out to the children, they immediately fell in love with the deliciousness of chestnuts.

"was delicious"

"I want to eat more."

"Yes, nanodesu. If I go to the labyrinth again, I will bring it back as a souvenir."

　Pochi is offhand accepting on the children requests.

　Well, it's not at the next hunting ground, but it's close to the labyrinth villa, so it might be a good idea to stop by for souvenirs.

"Ah!"

"Boys are so loud!"

"What's wrong?"

"You shouldn't fight!"

"We are not, but more importantly, this! I've seen it before!"

　One of the orphans stood up and argued.

　 The crazy walking tree wasn't that strong, and I wonder if chestnuts are distributed in the market of the labyrinth city.

"In the market?"

"No! It's a forest near the noble district!"

　It's probably the forest near the ivy mansion.

　It should be okay to pick up the fallen nuts in that area, so it might be a good idea for everyone to go pick chestnuts together.

◇

"Where?"

"I'm sure it's this way though."

　The children from the orphanage went to pick chestnuts with Pochi and Tama, so I used space magic distant vision "clairvoyance"and" distant hearing clairaudience" to check on the situation.

　I don't have to worry about it if Arisa was with them, but she is currently immersed in practicing new magic.

"I feel like I'm forgetting where we came from."

　That forest has the elf's "return home" magic applied.

　Well, even if you get lost, if you walk normally, the magic should get you out.

"Young kids, what are you doing here in such a large group?"

　The person who appeared in front of the children was the keeper of "Ivy Mansion" house elf Brownie Leriril.

"Ah! It's that bossy kid in the depths of the forest."

"Hey, which one is the chestnut tree?"

　The children ask without fear.

" Lelililiru nanodesu."

"Hello~"

　Pochi and Tama wave from among the children.

"Aren't they servants of Misanalia-sama? It's fine to pick chestnuts, but it's best to present delicious chestnuts that aren't eaten by insects to Misanalia-sama."

"""Yes"""

　Leriril said that as she guided them to a place where there was a chestnut tree.

　She has a bad mouth, but she's a good kid.

"There are so many!"

　The fallen chestnuts were cracked open and the chestnuts were peeking out.

"This is how you peel it off, nanodesu."

"Let's try~?"

　Pochi and Tama demonstrate how to peel a ball.

"ow"

"It stings."

　The children tried to imitate them, but they jumped back in pain.

　because--.

"No bare feet."

"Right, nanodesu! You'll hurt the soles of your feet."

"I didn't wear any shoes because I'm in the forest today."

"If you wear them in the forest, they'll get dirty."

　I think that if they get dirty, we can wash them, but I think that the teachers at the orphanage have told us not to get them dirty.

"If you need shoes, let me know nanodesu."

"Gomin~"

"Right! I'm going to lend you Pochi's shoes, nanodesu!"

"Eh, it's too small and doesn't fit, right?"

"That's too bulky for me."

"It's okay,nanodesu! Pochi's shoes are special!"

"Let's take care of the balls~"

　At Pochi's urging, the boy wore Pochi's shoes and the girl wore Tama's shoes.

"Wow, it shrunk, it shrunk!"

"Gegege, my shoes moved on their own."

　The children wearing shoes looked up in surprise.

　Their shoes were specially made in the elf village, and had an automatic size adjustment function.

"Then you don't have to be afraid of the burrs, nanodesu!"

"Try it!"

"Oh, oh. --Oh, it's surprisingly easy."

"Wow, I got it too."

　At the urging of the two, the children peel the husks and take out the chestnuts.

"Hey, change places."

"I want to do it too."

"I'm still doing it!"

"Hey, don't pull on my leg."

　The other children, perhaps seeing the fun in it, flocked to them.

"No fighting~"

"Order, nanodesu. One at time, nanodesu!"

　Tama and Pochi interceded, and it was decided that each child would take a turn at picking up chestnuts twice.

　While watching the lively chestnut gathering, Lulu and I make chestnut rice to serve when everyone returns home.

　If the kids are hungry, we can also serve them with tempura of wild vegetables, which will give them a taste of autumn.

◇

"Tararima~"

"I'm home, nanodesu!"

　The children returned home with big smiles on their faces, using their skirts as baskets and holding chestnuts.

"Did you have fun?"

"Ai~"

"Yes, nanodesu!"

"The food is ready. Both of you should wash your hands."

"Ai!"

"Dashing, nanodesu!"

　Tama and Pochi, drooling, run to the bathroom to wash their hands.

　Well, let's hear Tama and Pochi's story for dinner today, shall we?