“Let’s clean up and call it a day,” I decided.
Everyone looked at me puzzled—I wasn’t the only one concentrating on my work. When I pointed toward the window, everyone voiced their agreement. Orange light was spilling into the forge, signaling that the world was about to end its day too.
“Our celebration for orichalcum will come later.” I stood up and patted my waist, then gave them a wink, knowing full well that the gesture didn’t suit a geezer like me. “But we gotta host a welcome-back party for Maribel, don’t we?”
Maribel blinked blankly for a moment before a huge grin stretched across her face, and everyone else, Lluisa included, smiled back at her.
Ah, right, and...
“Of course, you’re free to join us, Lluisa.”
The master of the Black Forest smiled as wide as Maribel when she received my invitation.
“Samya, Rike, can you fetch me some good meat?” I asked. “And Lidy, Anne, could you bring me some vegetables?”
“What about us?” Diana asked with Helen beside her.
“You two can...” The ladies’ eyes started sparkling. I felt a bit apologetic for getting their hopes up. “Just do what you normally do. Sword training is important.”
They comically slumped their shoulders.
“It’s not that I can’t trust you guys with work or anything,” I hastily added. “I just want you two to conserve your energy for if the worst comes to pass. Otherwise, we’d be in danger.”
Both Diana and Helen wouldn’t lose their touch if they skipped sword practice for a day, but I believed that raising their strength was more important than work. I genuinely just wanted them to get stronger to ensure the safety of our cabin.
“And playing with my daughters is also a very important role,” I said.
More often than not, my daughters were allowed to play around for a bit before they obediently observed sword practice. Lluisa was here with us today, so while it wasn’t required to be overly hospitable, it was best if Diana and Helen provided her some company.
The two ladies, tasked with this vital role, beamed brightly. If asked to choose the family members who played with my daughters the most, those two ladies would claim that title. But of course, I knew better than to vocalize my thoughts.
“Eizo, you really are an excellent cook,” Lluisa said thoughtfully as we dined at the table on the terrace.
As the master of the forest and a part of the Dragon of the Land, Lluisa didn’t need food to survive; even if she sat down and ate a meal with us, she was simply mimicking our mannerisms. The food she consumed didn’t turn into energy for her body, nor was it expelled out of her body. I couldn’t bring myself to ask where the food she ate went—I could only bow my head.
“Thanks,” I replied.
Krul and Hayate, who mostly survived off magical energy, and Lucy—whose appetite had increased lately, but she still didn’t eat much—had already finished their meals. They were just frolicking around the yard with Maribel, who, like Lluisa, didn’t require food. They romped about, illuminated by the lights of the terrace.
Maribel is blending right in again. It’s like she never left. I suppose that’s par for the course for our family.
“I’m surprised they can run around so much in the dark,” I observed. “But I guess they can see better than me.”
My daughters were dragon-like creatures, a wolf, and a spirit—when it came to night vision, a human like me didn’t stand a chance against them.
“Can you see them, Samya?” I asked.
“Huh? Yep, sure can.” Samya held a cup of wine in one hand and gestured to the tree line with the other. “They’re playing around in the forest.”
I could only see darkness where she was pointing, but I caught glimpses of them occasionally when they strayed into the areas where we’d set up clappers, so I could vaguely imagine where they were.
“You’re amazing, Samya,” Rike said.
“Can you not see that far in the dark?” I asked.
“Nope,” Rike replied. “I can see fairly far, but not all the way into the forest like Samya can.”
“That’s more than me.” I let out a dry laugh. Even if the nearby light was turned off so my eyes could adjust to the dark, I doubted I’d be able to see very far.
“I guess this is a difference between races,” I muttered.
“I can see very well too,” Lidy chimed in, puffing her chest out proudly. Her elven traits must’ve included night vision.
“Being able to see in the dark will make a world of a difference.”
Anyone who wanted to attack us might just do it under the cover of night. Eh, to be fair, the Black Forest is dangerous even in the middle of the day. I doubt anyone’s got the chutzpah to launch a strike at night. Still, that didn’t mean that the chances were zero. And actually, someone who attacked us at night would likely be an expert in combat.
“I can see as far as Rike,” Helen said, taking a swig from her mug. “We should be fine.”
She can see as far as a dwarf? Do pro mercenaries train for that? Or does it just come from combat experience? Her speed is completely outside of human capabilities, but I guess she’s got other attributes that separate her from normal people. Her power’s not completely off the charts, but she’s still plenty strong.
“I can’t see a thing,” Diana muttered with a dejected slump of her shoulders. “I don’t think I can be useful at night.”
“Don’t feel bad,” I assured her. “The people around us are just way too amazing.”
Anne nodded along, her face already red. Normal people had to do their best within their means too. I patted Diana’s and Anne’s shoulders. Aided by the liquor, I joined in on my daughters’ playing around—their energy inspired me to give it my all in the forge tomorrow.
And under the blanket of that cozy darkness, our tiny party within the forest drew to a close.