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“ARK! The custard pie stall’s also got some meat pies on special offer!”
“Ark, where was that store with the jars of hard candy? I finished eating the ones we bought last time, so I’d like to get some more.”
“There’s a huge line outside that fresh juice stall! It’s gotta be good! Hey, can we get in line, too?”
Ark trudged wearily behind Lille and Leo on the way to The Three Needles, the two of them dragging him to each stall lining the road.
“Two kids sure are noisy business… I really feel for parents with young kids,” he sighed.
“Are you okay, Ark?” Lille hung behind to check on him.
“Yup, I’m good. You seem quieter than earlier, though. Did you wear yourself out?” he asked.
“I’m so full that I’m starting to get sleepy…” she admitted.
“I gotcha. Leo, I’m going to sit on this bench with Lille for a bit. Could you wait in line by yourself?” Ark sat heavily on a bench at the edge of the road and pressed a few coins into Leo’s palm. “Oh, and get a cup of juice for each of us!”
“Okay!”
Enthusiastically, Leo sprinted away, then screeched to a halt at the end of the line. He stood there, restlessly, and the way he craned his neck from side to side to try to get a look at the staff squeezing the fruit was adorable.
“Here, Lille. Take a seat. We’re in the shade here, so you can rest to your heart’s content. If you’re worried about getting your clothes dirty, you can sit on this,” he offered, unwinding the scarf around his neck and laying it out on the bench for her.
“Th-Thank you,” she replied, lowering herself onto it.
She wondered where Ark had learned how to be such a gentleman. Was social etiquette common knowledge in the bird world, too?
“Ark,” she began, slightly bashful. “What did that shop assistant give you earlier?”
When Ark had bought the meat pies, Lille happened to see the young woman minding the stall gazing longingly at him before tucking a piece of paper into his hands. Ark’s human form was rather handsome, so it wasn’t unusual to see people turn their heads to look at him, but Lille had never seen anyone give him something before.
“Hm?” He thought for a second and the memory dawned on him. “Oh, you mean this?” he said, casually pulling a slip of paper from his pocket. He smoothed out the creases where it had been crumpled.
“…Looks like it’s a note for me. She’s written a time and the name of a restaurant down, so I’d say it’s an invitation,” he remarked.
“Huh? An invitation?” Lille’s eyebrows shot up. “Will you go?”
“Hmm. She seemed to be in good health, and her hair was pretty glossy. She had a good amount of meat on her, too. I mean, I wouldn’t complain about spending the night with her,” he concluded.
“O-Oh, I see…” she replied stiffly.
Although Ark’s criteria for attractive women seemed a little strange, that wasn’t what had Lille at such a loss.
Spending the night…
In other words, neither of them was looking for a long-term relationship. She’d read about adults engaging in those sorts of casual relations in books, but seeing one unfold right in front of her was different. For some reason, her heart was pounding—even though she wasn’t the one who’d been invited.
“Lille? You seem sorta rattled.” Ark furrowed his brow, peering at her in concern. “Unless it’s just my imagination…”
“N-No, you’re right. I was just surprised that you know so much about the human world.”
“I’ve been around for a long time, you know. Maybe even longer than the Grand Master.” He puffed out his chest.
“That’s true, but…that’s not really what I meant,” she said, embarrassed.
“Ah, sorry. I guess that stuff’s a bit too much for a kid to take in,” he said apologetically.
“Umm… I suppose that’s part of it, but it’s more like…”
She struggled to find the right words. Until then, she had thought of Ark as someone who transcended human customs. Contemplating the idea of him dating or having flings with human women, however, she was hit with a harsh realization.
“If Leo goes off to magic school and you get married, the house will feel very empty,” she said quietly.
For a moment, Ark’s face dropped, turning serious—and then a hearty guffaw escaped him. “You’re a funny one,” he chortled. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“But, what if?” she pressed. That afternoon he might only be fooling around, but it was possible he would meet someone he truly adored one day.
“Hmm. If I wanted to marry someone, I’d look for a bird willing to become Master Charlie’s familiar as well. Then we’d live together as mates,” he supposed.
Mates. Lille had heard the term before; it was how people referred to animals who were lifelong partners. Even if Ark found a bird who wanted to be his partner, he wouldn’t leave Lille or Charles. In fact, the house would likely grow livelier, with another addition to the family.
However, there was still one thing Lille couldn’t quite get her head around.
“Um… Can I ask you something?” she hesitated, and Ark waited for her to continue. “Do you prefer human women or…bird women?”
“So long as we have around the same level of intelligence, what species she is doesn’t matter to me. Still, a guy’s got his preferences. I don’t really have a type when it comes to human women, but for birds, I can be awfully picky,” he explained.
“W-Wow…”
“If you’re really that interested, I’m happy to tell you more, but I can see Leo heading back this way. We’d better leave it for next time. The boy can be pretty sensitive about this stuff, so let’s keep that letter between us, all right?” he said in a hushed tone.
“Of course.” She nodded.
Leo jogged up to them, holding three cups between both hands, full to the brim with juice.
“I got them! All right—orange, apple, or grape?” he asked cheerfully. The tip of his nose was stained orange from the droplets of juice that had flown out of the cups as he ran.
“I’m happy with anything. You choose first, Leo,” Ark replied.
“I’ll go with orange, then. How about you, Lille?” He spun toward her.
“I’ll have apple, please,” she said, and Leo handed the cup to her. “Thank you for standing in line, Leo.”
“C’mon, it’s not like I did anything special.” He shrugged, but his cheeks turned deep red, and he swiftly turned away, staring vaguely into the distance. She was used to the way he deflected any sort of praise, and strangely, it calmed her to know that particular habit of his hadn’t changed.
“Nope, she’s right. You’re a real gentleman now,” Ark added with a smirk.
“Can it! I know you’re just teasing me!” Leo barked.
He tried to swat away Ark’s hand when it reached out to ruffle his hair, but Ark was faster. The way they goofed around really did make them look like father and son. As Lille watched them scuffle, a thought occurred to her.
Soon their family wouldn’t be the same anymore. Leo would go to magic school next year, and the one hit the hardest by that loss wouldn’t be Lille, but Charles.