Chapter 370 - But the Pastel Rabbits…

""Let's search~!""

(((((Oh~!)))))

The day after the Ruven family get-together, we came to the forest to capture Pastel rabbits for Rosalie-san. Knowing that we were planning to stay in the Capital until the new year, Wald-san said that we could go looking for them when it was warmer, but the overly-excited children didn't want to wait. So we went out early the next day.

Well, I don't think the kids would be able to wait until after the new year to go out and play, or to take requests.

"Now then, which way do we go?"

""That way~!""

The direction to go is, as always, the direction Allen and Elena want to go.

"Speaking of which, are you looking for blue Pastel Rabbit?"

"Silver and."

"Red would be nice."

"Silver and red?"

"For Wald Nii and."

"Rosalie Neesama."

"Ah, you are talking about the two's hair color."

""Yeah!""

Silver and red Pastel Rabbits, huh~ It would certainly feel like Pastel Rabbits picked especially for those two with those colors... Is there such a thing as a silver-colored Pastel Rabbit, though?

""Ah, will look for blue, too~""

"N? So you are bringing back three Pastel Rabbits for Wald-san and Rosalie-san?"

""Yeah!""

Well, keeping Pastel Rabbits doesn't take much effort, and they don't require much money for food, so three rabbits should be no problem.

"I hope we find them."

""We will!""

"… Haha, that's right~"

The children's enthusiasm was truly amazing. I felt overwhelmed.

(Hey, hey, are you going to pick herbs today, too?)

""We are~""

(Oh my, you two are such hard workers~)

Although they have not been asked to do so, the children seem to be planning to collect medicinal herbs as well.

(Niichan, Niichan, will there be any of those? Mushrooms buried in the snow.)

"Oh, you mean Snowbelow mushrooms? I don't think there are any around here, because they only grow where the snow is deep enough."

Since there is only a thin layer of snow around here, we would have to go further into the mountains to find Snowbelow mushrooms.

(Ehh~ Allen, Elena, let's go deeper into the mountains. Remember, we found lots of Pastel Rabbits in a cave before, so we may find a lot of Pastel Rabbits there again~)

Maybe because he found Snowbelow mushrooms delicious, Vector seemed to be eager to go and pick them.

""N~?""

(I don't want to sell them too much, but if we pick a lot of them, we can use them to complete requests and stuff, right? Niichan said they are rare mushrooms!)

""Sell them~?""

(We will pick a lot and sell only a little.)

It is not often that Vector, who usually hates to sell food, proposes to sell them.

Is he so eager to go pick Snowbelow mushrooms that he proposed to sell them?

(Niichan, those mushrooms can be sold, right?)

"Well, they will sell, and there will definitely be requests for them."

As I recall, there seems to be a request every year for Snowbelow mushrooms, but not many people are able to accomplish it. They're hard to find mushrooms. The Guild would definitely appreciate it if we fullfiled the request.

""N~""

(Look, didn't you two want to raise your ranks?)

Vector was trying very hard to persuade Allen and Elena. It really was a rare sight.

(Hey~ Allen, Elena, please~)

""Hm~m.""

(Right, right, let's bring it as a present for Wald-sama's bride!)

""Ohh! Let's go get them!""

(Yay~)

When Vector brought up Rosalie-san, Allen and Elena, who seemed reluctant, immediately changed their opinions, and Vector's wishes were granted.

So we decided to head for the top of the mountain, where there was a lot of snow.

""A little more?""

"Yes, I think a little deeper would be better."

As we climbed the mountain, the snow gradually got deeper and deeper, and as expected, the children found it hard to walk, so I put them on the back of Feat who turned bigger.

""So much snow~""

"Yeah. I wonder if this is deep enough, I think there might be Snowbelows around here."

Then we stopped climbing at a depth roughly below my knees.

(I will look for them!)

Vector immediately smelled the area and started looking for the Snowbelow mushrooms.

(Here~!)

Then, he immediately seemed to have found something. Well, it's probably a Snowbelow.

He plunged head first into the snow, and dug into the snow vigorously.

(Found it~!)

It seems that he has successfully found the first Snowbelow.

"Oh, that's quite an acceptable size."

Vector found a Snowbelow mushroom about 10 centimeters in diameter.

The more snow that accumulates on top of the Snowbelow, the bigger and tastier it becomes. At this size, I'd say it's about… the bottom of the average tier.

(A little smaller than the ones we picked last year?)

"Well… I guess so. But, it will still taste good."

The average size of the Snowbelow mushrooms we picked last year was 14 to 15 centimeters. The largest was 18 centimeters, I think. Compared to that, this one was certainly smaller. But, well, they taste good even at this size.

(Muu~… Niichan! Let's go higher!)

Joule didn't say that to agitate the Vector, but he apparently didn't like that it was smaller than last year's.

"The ones found around here are good enough."

(No way! I want to find a bigger one!)

"..."

Vector was now completely on fire.

"I'm going to have a hard time climbing higher than this."

(Then, you guys stay around here! I'm going higher!)

"..."

I tried to tell him that it would be tough to climb higher even for him, but the Vector showed no sign of stopping.

"Ah~ right… Bolt, Mile, can you guys go with Vector?"

(Yes, leave him to us!)

(Alright! We will look after him!)

Vector is rather often left alone and free, but somehow I felt it was dangerous today, so I decided to attach Bolt and Mile as his guardians. Both Bolt and Mile seemed to have read my intention, and gladly accepted my request.

"Vector, you must stay close to Bolt and Mile."

(Got it!—Mile, quickly get on!)

(Gee~ Calm down a little, Vector!)

I gave my permission, and Vector hurriedly picked Mile up on his back and ran toward the summit.

(Then, Aniue, I'm off as well.)

"Ah, this, take this!"

As Bolt rushed to chase after the two animals, I hurriedly handed Bolt a magic bag.

(Will they be okay?)

(I hope he doesn't do something anything foolish like melting all the snow on the mountain…)

"… Eh?"

The three of them quickly disappeared from sight, and I shuddered at the words muttered by Feat.

"Bolt, Mile, it's up to you."

As that was something I could see happening, I prayed to Bolt and Mile to return safely.

I prayed for them to come back safe and sound, without causing any disasters!