Chapter 34 : What does ‘secret’ mean?

“Hu, huu… hhh…”

“I’m sorry, Maru-ya. You seemed closer to that person named Luke than to me, so I…”

“Well, that could be. It’s okay…”

The sea relentlessly tickled me.

From the middle point on, it was so ticklish that no laughter came out, only panting sounds as I gasped for air.

Ugh, my body still feels tingly in some places.

I really thought I was going to die…

Phew.

Our Maru really went through a lot. Here, water.”

“Hiya.”

Nunu-unnie took out some cool ice water from the icebox and placed it against my cheek.

The sudden cold touch on my cheek made a strange sound escape my mouth.

“Thank you, unnie.

As expected, Nunu-unnie is the best.

You always know when I’m struggling. I was thirsty too, so this is perfect.”

I gulped down the ice water that Nunu-unnie gave me.

…This time, I drank a bit more slowly. I didn’t want my head to feel dizzy like last time.

While I was drinking the refreshing ice water and sightseeing at the zoo,

“Uweeeeng…”

“…Huh?”

I suddenly heard crying from a corner.

Who could it be? I tilted my head and turned around.

Then, I spotted two raccoon-like humanoids sitting on the ground and crying.

Their bodies were quite small, and the two of them, who looked alike, were holding hands tightly.

They seemed anxious, constantly looking around, which made me feel sorry for them.

“Hey, why are you crying?”

“Sniff, sniff… W-who are you?”

The officer, who had noticed the kids before me, approached them with a worried look…

“Ah. I’m not a bad person.”

“Uh, ugh, uh-uhhh…”

Ah, approaching them like that, as a stranger and a big adult, only made the kids more wary.

If you talk like that, you definitely look suspicious! The officer has never understood kids, both in the past and now.

I know his intentions are good, but doesn’t he have any more tact?

Officer, let me try.

“…Yeah. Nunu might be a better fit.”

In the end, the officer slumped down beside me, looking depressed.

I patted his back to comfort him.

“Hey, why are you crying here? I’ll help you.”

“We lost our sensei…”

Maybe it was because of Nunu-unnie’s warm impression, but the kids’ expressions softened compared to when the officer was trying.

They seemed less afraid.

By the way, “sensei”—such cute little kids with their lisping pronunciation.

From the fact they called their teacher instead of their parents, it seems like they were on a school trip.

“We were walking holding hands, and then…”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“We were following a butterfly, and suddenly our sensei disappeared… sniff, ughhh.”

They started crying again in fear after talking.

“Whoa, whoa. Calm down. Take a deep breath…”

“Sniff, sniff…”

Nunu-unnie, too, was flustered trying to calm them down, but it didn’t seem to help.

“Sniff… huu…”

Once the tears started, it felt like the floodgates opened.

…Is there an effective way to stop their crying?

Ah, right.

“I got it!”

“Eh? What is it, Maru?”

“You brought my fox rain, right?”

“Fox rain?”

A trick that can only be done with fox rain.

Grab the little ones, jump high into the air, and then glide down using the fox rain.

It’s called “Fox Rain Rider.”

I came up with it from a battle with an ant ghost. It’s actually not that dangerous, and it’s really fun, so they should like it.

Hehe, it’s me after all.

“Ah? I left it in the car.”

“…That’s too bad.”

But my grand plan sank with the officer’s bombshell.

He’s really no help.

“Is it my turn to step in?”

“Ugh, Bada?”

Bada, who had been licking a candy beside me, suddenly stood up proudly, puffing out her chest.

Could Bada have a good idea?

Normally, she doesn’t share with anyone, but since it’s an emergency… Eh!”

Ah. I can’t stand this.

“Eh? So soft…”

“This is great!”

Bada, with her soft, fluffy, and smooth tail, showed it to the raccoons.

The raccoons immediately stopped crying as soon as their cheeks touched the tail.

Then they started touching it as if fascinated by it.

I nodded. As expected, Bada’s tail is amazing.

Even I could lose myself in touching it, so these little kids must be in heaven.

…Thinking like that makes me want to touch it too.

I wiggled my fingers while looking at Bada.

“Hehe.”

“Hehe.”

“…I think they’ve finally calmed down.”

“Yeah, seems like it.”

Maybe because they were feeling better, the kids started smiling and rubbing their cheeks against Bada’s tail.

Watching them, I noticed Nunu-unnie and the officer’s lips gradually curling up as well.

Little kids are just so cute. They seem so pure, just looking at them makes me feel all warm inside.

“Now, what should we do with these kids?”

“Hm?”

At the officer’s casual muttering, the kids started tearing up again.

“Officer! Shh, shhh!”

“Ah, right. You said their teacher… How can we find them?”

She quickly realized her mistake and apologized, though the kids didn’t seem to mind.

“Hehe.”

Whether they accepted the officer’s apology or not, the kids were still rubbing their cheeks against the tail.

Phew, that was really close. I almost gave the officer a Maru-special flick on the forehead.

“…Maru? Why are you looking like that?”

“Oh, nothing. Just a bit disappointed.”

“Uh…?”

I kind of want to send them flying even now, but I’ll hold back since I saw your handsome face.

Anyway, how should we go about finding these kids’ guardians?

“You’re right. It would take way too long to go around searching one by one.”

Is there no other choice?

“…Why are you overthinking it? We can just leave them at the lost child shelter, can’t we?”

“Oh, right.”

At my words, the man made a dumbfounded expression, as if he hadn’t even considered that.

…Wait, was he really planning to walk around and find their parents one by one?

What era does he think this is? Has he been reading too many comics…?

Oh, wait. Is this one of those… in-game events?

Now that I think about it, these kinds of events are practically a staple.

Like when a kid gets lost at an amusement park, and we spend all night looking for their parents.

And in the end, the child finds their parents and says, “Thank you!” as the story wraps up.

So this must be that kind of event.

…Wait. Did I just interrupt an event?

Sniff, sniff. Something smells delicious.

“…Ah! Hey, kids! My tail isn’t food!”

While I was deep in thought, holding a soft little head, I saw Bada frantically pulling her tail away.

It seemed like she thought they were trying to eat it… but the kids’ eyes were actually fixed on someone in the distance.

“Oh, there’s a street vendor over there!”

I’m not sure if “street vendor” is the right term, but you know those stands at amusement parks?

The ones selling cotton candy and silkworm pupae.

There’s one of those vendors over there.

…Wait, do people usually sell cotton candy and silkworm pupae together? I have no idea.

Growl…

“Oh my, Maru, are you hungry again?”

“…That wasn’t me this time. Commander, wasn’t that your stomach?”

“Ugh, why are you looking at me like that? It wasn’t me either.”

“Then… could it be…”

Growl.

Sure enough, the loudest stomach growl came from none other than the two little raccoons sitting on the ground.

They’re tiny, but their stomachs sure are loud.

“Slurp… Hehe.“

“They must be really hungry.”

“Yeah. I’ll go buy something, so wait here.”

“Okay—”

The commander walked off with an air of determination.

I don’t know why she’s acting so dramatic just to buy some cotton candy, but whatever.

…Surely she won’t just buy two, right?

Hopefully, she has the sense to get more.

Not that I want some or anything.

But kids love cotton candy, so we should have extra, right?

And maybe I’ll have some too. Hehe.

“Unnie, unnie.”

“Hmm?”

While we were waiting for the commander, one of the little raccoons tugged at my sleeve and tilted their head.

What is it? Do they want something other than cotton candy?

“S…si…kurrit? What does sikurrit mean?”

“Huh?”

Where did that come from all of a sudden…?

Oh.

Looking closer at the little raccoon’s hand, I saw a tiny notebook.

It looks like they’re practicing English.

They probably meant secret.

“That means ‘it’s a secret.'”

“Whyy? Why is it a secret?”

“Because… well, it’s a secret, that’s why.”

“What? Tell me, unnie!”

“…Uh, how do I explain this?”

“Ugh… Can’t you just use a different word instead?”

“What? Unnie, you’re not going to tell me?”

Sorry. Let’s go with another word. I’ll teach you this time, okay?

I nodded vigorously.

As long as it’s not another weird word, anything should be fine.

Hmm…

“Then… um, uhkkaeing? What does again mean?”

“It means ‘again.'”

“What does again mean?”

“It means ‘again.'”

“What does again mean?”

“It means ‘again.'”

“What does again mean?”