Chapter 238: Happy Family of Three

Arc 14 begins.

"Wow..."

Rana let out a sigh unintentionally at the beauty when she looked down at the snow-covered townscape of Serelirin from the second-floor window of her home.

The town of Serelirin is a commercial town spread along the Saikanan Highway.

The dull light yellow townscape along with the stone pavement of the Saikanan Highway only asserts its long history, and usually it's not that beautiful.

However, today is different.

In the distance to the east, gray clouds that seem to have brought this snow remain above Mount Nanga, which looks small, but the weather in this town is now perfectly clear.

Even now, the townscape covered in snow that beautifully shines in a bluish-purple color will probably change to a beautiful golden color when bathed in the rising morning sun.

"Hey, it's snowing! It's snowing!"

Rana frolicked with excitement unbecoming of her age, and cutely patted her husband Parirot, who was still wrapped in a blanket on the bed.

"Uh, uuuh... It's cold..."

However, her husband Parirot just mumbled something like that, and completely retreated his head into the blanket.

"Come on, Ike! It's snowing! You can play in the snow with everyone at school today!"

Rana then patted the blanket of her son Ikeranjel, who was sleeping next to Parirot.

"Uh, uuuh... Sleepy..."

However, this 7-year-old son said something similar to his father Parirot, and escaped into the blanket with a similar movement.

Seeing that, Rana put both hands on her hips, made a pouting expression, and then lifted the corners of her mouth mischievously and...

"Geez, you sleepyheads! It's morning! Hurry up and... wake uuuuup!"

While shouting that, she forcibly pulled the men's blankets!

"Uwaaaaah!?"

The men had their cozy warmth taken away, and they let out a pitiful scream as they jumped up!

* * *

"Here you go, Zamago bean tea."

"Oh! Thanks, Rana-chan!"

Now, a few dozen minutes later.

This family, now fully awake, was having breakfast while bathed in the morning sun shining through the window.

Slightly reddish toast bread, bacon from a large house rat called Sasame, and the recently popular Zamago bean tea.

It's not particularly luxurious or poor, just a very common breakfast around here.

"Ahh, I wonder if school will be canceled today since it snowed quite a bit."

"Well, Ike, what are you saying!?"

To her son Ikeranjel, who said such a thing while resting his chin on his hand and looking out the window after eating only his favorite bacon first, Rana raised her eyebrows.

"But today, we have math class. I'm not good at math."

"Just because you're not good at it, doesn't mean you can run away! Study diligently."

Even while scolding him, Rana's hands move.

She pours hot water from the kettle and prepares Ikeranjel's bean tea.

"It's fine if I can't do math! I'm going to become an adventurer!"

Saying that, Ikeranjel holds his fork with both hands and strikes a pose like a swordsman.

Rana gently placed a cup of bean tea in front of her son, who said such a thing, and sighed.

"...Ike, you know, in this world, there are many villages where there are no schools in the first place and you can't study at all. You're fortunate to live in a big town and be able to go to school, so..."

"I got it, I got it, Mama... Okay, thanks for the meal! I'm going to brush my teeth!"

Ikeranjel, who sensed that Rana's scolding would continue at this rate, forcibly stuffed toast into his mouth, washed it down into his stomach with Zamago bean tea, and despite making a face at its hotness, he quickly escaped from the dining table.

"Hahaha... Ike is really hopeless!"

Parirot, who was reading the newspaper while listening to the conversation between mother and son, looked up from the article and made a wry smile.

"This is no laughing matter!"

"Rana-chan, you don't have to worry so much. Any boy around that age is like that. They always long for adventure and hate studying. I was like that too."

"But..."

Even when consoled like that, Rana was worried.

Because she used to live in a village without even a school, and she knew well the hardships of the adventurers her son admired.

"It's alright."

Parirot put the newspaper on the table, stood up, walked over to Rana, and... hugged her tightly.

And he stroked her light brown hair shining in the morning sun.

"Don't make such an anxious face. Come on, smiiiile!"

And then Parirot gently pinched Rana's cheeks to make a smile.

"Yeah, cute."

Parirot bent his waist a little to match his eye level and peeked into Rana's eyes.

"You look best with a smile, my princess."

"Hey, you..."

Rana's face turned bright red, and she unintentionally looked away.

Since meeting Parirot, it's been about 8 years... A lot has happened.

There were various hardships.

Even so, he hasn't changed at all since they first met.

He's a bit of a playboy, but he's always cheerful, kind, and... he loves Rana.

"...Papa, Mama, what are you doing this early in the morning..."

Surprised by that exasperated voice, Rana turned to the side, and there stood her son Ikeranjel, all ready to go to school.

She hurriedly tried to separate from her husband, but he firmly grabbed Rana and wouldn't let go.

"Hahaha! I'm whispering words of love! Love is a flame, Ike. The important thing is to always add firewood to it!"

"Yeah, yeah."

To his father who seriously said such a thing without any embarrassment, the son rubbed his nose with a slightly embarrassed face.

"Ike-kuuun! Let's go to schoool!"

Now, at that time, such a girl's voice echoed from the entrance.

Ikeranjel's classmate, Samilty, had come to pick him up.

"Oh, okaaay! Well, since Sami is here too, Papa, Mama, I'm off!"

"Yes, have a good day. Make sure to study diligently, okay?"

"I got it!"

Rana approached Ikeranjel, hugged him lightly, and then kissed his forehead.

"...Listen, Ike. I'll say it again, love is a flame. You have to light the fire, or it won't blaze up on its own, you know?"

"Shut up! It's not like that with Sami! Anyway, I'm off!"

Turning bright red at Parirot's unnecessary comment, Ikeranjel ran with a clatter and flew out the entrance with force.

"Well then, I'll get ready for work too! I'm very busy today, so I'll be at the site from this morning. I might be a little late coming home."

In the now quiet room, Parirot said such a thing while stretching and began checking the tools in his bag.

"Well, in that case, I'll be alone at the shop today."

"I'm counting on you. Today is the day when Mr. Kanantir comes to deliver, right?"

"Of course, I know."

After quickly putting on his outerwear and slinging the bag on his back, Parirot exchanged a light kiss with Rana and then went out the front door.

After the sound of him stepping on the snow, gyumu, gyumu, completely faded away, Rana rolled up her sleeves and got into gear.

"Well then, let's do our best today too!"

For the time being, put away the dishes, do some light cleaning, and then open the shop.

There are a lot of things to do today as well.

Thankfully, she's busy.

Although Rana started washing the dishes in the cold winter water, there was no trace of the anxiety that had slightly crossed her face earlier when talking with her son.

She was happy.

Spending ordinary days, unremarkable everyday life, with the three of them as a family.

That was the greatest happiness for her.

From now on, she would continue this happiness.

With this family of three.

...

With this family of three.