Our Respective Errands (2)

"Thank you,"

"No problem. enjoy your time. Be careful when you return alright?" Margrett said to Prune.

"Stay safe," Noel said.

'Just message us if anything,'

"Will do," Prune nodded. Turning around, she walked towards the orphanage with a bag of essential items such as a water bottle and wrapped bread.

Noel and Margrett left for the merchant's guild.

Prune wanted to come to the orphanage again. She thought it was nice to be surrounded by people beside the three for a bit. In a way, she felt lonely that she didn't fit in among the group.

She was the one left out. Liliath and Noel were close-- no, they were engaged now. While Nine was more assertive to conversations of the two.

Prune herself rarely brought up any topics and would just listen.

This was the first time since Prune arrived in this world that she felt something she truly 'wanted'. It's odd how spending time in the orphanage would satisfy her. More odd was the fact she was aware her tail was swinging lightly.

"Onee-chan?"

"It's Prune-chan!"

"Prune-chan!!"

The kids who noticed her arrival received her with a warm welcome. Pune smiled wryly.

"Eh? You're here today?" Nataline asked. She wore a loose maternity-dress with brown pants.

Another reason why Prune came today was because of Nataline. Prune was reminded of the story behind how she got pregnant.. it affected her more than she thought.

"Yes, it's just me today. The rest have their things they need to do," Prune said.

"Come in, come in."

"Thank you."

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"Gabriel-san-- chan is not around today?" Prune stuttered at the use of honorifics.

"She did drop by for a while but left saying that she was going to go adventuring with Jennifer-chan."

"Prune-oneesan why do you have soft ears?"

"Ehehehe.."

"Jennifer-chan actually went adventuring with Liliath-san and Nine-san."

"Oh, what a coincidence."

"Do you want some tea Prune-oneesaan?"

One of the older male kid asked. He looked to be about Gabriel's age. Short brown hair and sharp orange coloured eyes. Prune met him last time but couldn't remember his name… Reynold. That was from appraisal.

"It's alright. I brought my own water."

"Hoho, what's up with your attitude?" Nataline gave Reynold a cheeky smile.

"It's just treating a guest right?"

"No, no, no. You didn't ask Her Highness anything like that when she came yesterday did you?"

"That was Her Highness… it's different from Prune-oneesan."

"Oh, is that so?"

Prune watched their exchange grow all the more heated.

Prune wasn't dumb per se.. she could tell Reynold placed her in some special position within his heart. That said, he was still young, Prune knew he would get over it in time.

"Where is Liliath-neesan," a girl with blue hair and blue eyes came up to Prune and tugged on her clothes.

She looked like she just woke up. Rubbing her eyes with her tiny hands, behind her stood a caretaker Prune recognized.

"I came to visit Miss Familia," Prune said.

"Oh, no problems, feel free to come as you like," she smiled.

Prune then turned to little Lucia and carressed her hair, "Liliath-neesan is busy outside today. So she's not here," in a gentle voice, Prune said.

"Umu.." Lucia puffed up her cheeks and walked away.

Prune could only show a troubled smile.

"Lucia-chan.. that's not the way you treat a guest," Miss Familia said in an astonished voice.

"Uwuwu.. I want to play with Liliath-oneesan.."

"Ara, ara, come here."

"Ah?!"

"Sorry about her attitude. It's not good to be mean. Lucia-chan, you should apologize," said Miss Familia who scooped Lucia into her arms.

"Sorry!" she flailed her arms about.

"Lucia-chan, do it properly," this time it was Reynold who admonished her.

"Uwaaaw…"

"Hah.. my apologies.." Miss Familia took the obstinate Lucia away.

Prune didn't know where she was taken too, she just hoped that nothing too bad would happen to her..

"Is she going to be alright?" Prune asked.

"That's how she is at times. She'll calm down after a while.." Nataline said while stroking her stomach.

"She has a bad temper," Reynold said.

Prune only nodded to their explanation.

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"Princess! We've brought a guest!"

Prune had no idea how she ended up in this situation.

In the midst of their conversation, Nataline stood up and promptly walked over to help with the laundry-- even though she was pregnant. Wasn't it hard on her?

Nevertheless, she didn't seem to mind it. She even chatted with the other caretakers and the church sister while doing the job.

Prune thought she should help out too. The number of clothes were surprisingly heavy, more weird was how they were hanging clothes out in the sun.

They could use magic, couldn't they? Was what Prune wanted to ask but she held back. Perhaps there were other reasons why they decided to hang it out in the cold sun instead.

Though there was some resistance in the beginning, Prune managed to persuade them to help.

It was after all the clothes were done where Prune was about to return to the living room when she was dragged here by the kids. A few of them she recognized as the trio who rode on her like a horse last time. Prune didn't want to hurt them by using force so she let them drag her along.

Which led up to this situation.

The Princess they spoke about was a blue frog.

Prune couldn't help but tilt her head, her ears naturally twitched.

"It's Prune-oneechan!"

"She has very nice white hair!"

"She's very kind!"

"Nine-san didn't come today!"

Prune somehow felt as if the kids were part of a cult, the frog acting as the leader of the group despite just sitting there-- blowing its mouth.

The frog looked elegant for some reason. Prune couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"O' young one, what do you seek?" It spoke.

Prune had already come to terms with the absurdity of this world, she found it not that surprising.

"I just came because the other kids wanted me to meet you, I didn't know you can talk?" She answered calmly.

Ribbit.

"Prune-oneesan, Princess likes you," one kid said.

"What did Princess say?" another kid asked.

"I think Princess wants to get along," replied one more.

Ribbit.

"Um.. if you would excuse me, I'll be returning to the home. It's nice that I got to meet you?" Prune said and turned around.

However..

"Leaving so early? Ribbit,"

The kids held onto her. Some hands tightly around her wrist, some on her clothes, there was even one touching her tail. Prune's body froze up.

"What do you seek O' young one?"

"I-I don't wish to seek anything. I just came to say hi."

Ribbit.

Prune took a deep breath.

Ribbit.

Were the kids being fooled by the frog? Prune wondered. Though, the sad expression on their faces contradicted her assumptions. Why did they look so disappointed that she was going away?

"Prin.. cess. Are you trying to find something?" Prune turned around and asked the frog seriously.

The kids gasped.

"Wise one, it is the first time anyone has asked me that."

At those words, Prune felt all the fur on her stand on end.

"You have caught my heart..."

She quickly tore off the hands of those holding her in place, disregarding their safety and ran.

"Or not. Ribbit," unknown to Prune, the frog sighed.

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"You're good. Did your family work in a cafeteria before?" Miss Familia asked.

"A restaurant, I helped them in the kitchen often," Prune continued, chopping the big leafy vegetables into smaller pieces. It was to be used in the broth later.

"Sorry, we hadn't expected your arrival. We didn't prepare much ingredients for better dishes today."

"No, it's alright. I brought my own food. You don't need to prepare anything special or anything like that."

"How humble. Thank you. If you'd like, you can come eat with us. Are you leaving during the afternoon?"

"That depends. Probably a little later."

Miss Familia paused, then said.

"Accompany Nataline-chan for a while, would that be alright?"

"Yes. That's why I came in the first place."

They continued to cut the ingredients. Reynold came in, stood a little distance away from her and watched as Prune did work. The kids from the frog cult would stare at her from the doorway.

In fact, Prune was trying to escape them by helping out in the kitchen.

The stares were uncomfortable.

Prune had just finished slicing the vegetables. Next was to get the ribs of some unknown creature out from the broth and separate the meat from the bone.

"Reynold-chan, can I ask you to play with the kids?" Miss Familia asked, noticing how the kitchen area has become a little stuffy.

"But.. I want to see how Prune cooks."

Prune placed the chopped up vegetable bowl on the side and moved towards the broth.

"It's a little cramped here. It'll make her work harder if there is less space, you know?"

"Reynold-chan, please play with the kids," Prune followed up with Miss Familia's words.

"F-Fine. If you say so then I will do it," Reynold said, stuttering and went out, dragging along the other kids. They had a mini tug of war at the entrance which Prune decided not to pay attention to.

"Thank you Miss Familia."

"The boy has taken a liking to you it seems?"

"I guess.."

'He's not picking up.'

A message Prune received from the system took her by surprise. It was from Laura, the high elf. Was she referring to Jiwon?

Prune decided to leave the message as was since she didn't really know how to help. Moreover, she was busy cooking. Noel, Liliath and Nine who have more knowledge in this should be better at helping her than Prune herself.

"Are you alright?"Miss Familia called out

"I was just thinking of something."