I received unusual hospitality from Chito, a diplomatic ambassador.
Hakukyo glanced at us one last time before leaving. I could hear coughing sounds from the direction of the cave.
“He seems to have caught quite a bad cold.”
“He’s been like that for over a month. He’s not getting better.”
Vivio returned to us. A baby penguin was riding on her leg. Young penguins, not yet fully feathered, ride on their parents’ legs to travel.
“That’s so cute. By the way, what do you mean he’s not getting better?”
“He probably has pneumonia. It might have started as a mild cold, but he pushed himself too hard, and it worsened. Once it gets to that stage, it’s over.”
Vivio waddled away with the penguin. I see, they don’t have adequate medical technology here. If they catch an infectious disease, it’s the end. They are truly a strange race. Why does such a small tribe live in such a harsh, mountainous region? A place where even we couldn’t survive.
Hunting is also a matter of life and death. Most animals are far larger than them. Wouldn’t it be more rational to seek refuge in a safer place at the foot of the mountain? Or is there something important in these snow-covered mountains?
“Hey, hey, what do you do if you get sick?”
“I sleep and rest.”
Chito looked up at me with his cute face. So they can only sleep and rest? They wouldn’t have any secret herbal medicines, would they?
“I understand. Just try not to catch a cold.”
“Okay. When it’s cold, I’ll hug and sleep.”
I sat cross-legged and placed Chito on my lap. Being a child, his body temperature was high. I took out some chocolate from my luggage and offered it to him. It’s a precious food source, but it’s my way of thanking them for treating us well.
“What is this?”
He sniffed it after bringing it close to his face several times. It must have looked quite bizarre to him, seeing it for the first time. A faint sweet aroma emanated from the brown slab. He probably didn’t feel like putting it in his mouth.
“… Ah, ahh, it’s sweet! It tastes sweet, ehehe.”
He took a small bite and seemed to understand. He ate it with a beaming smile. It had melted from the heat, and his white wings were now covered in sticky brown chocolate.
“It’s delicious, so delicious, haa…”
He savored the deliciousness of the chocolate, then returned it to the silver wrapper. After that, he said he was going to show it to his father and left. Don’t they need to keep an eye on us? Well, they weren’t watching us closely to begin with, so it’s fine.
“Hehe, that’s so cute. I thought they were a stern race, but it seems not all of them are like that.”
“It’s really true. If only they didn’t live in a place like this, they could live more comfortably.”
Philiana nodded in agreement. Sharin then continued to speak.
“Indeed, but perhaps it’s better that no one can live here. If there were those with savage intentions, they would be at a physical disadvantage.”
Ah, I see, they deliberately live in a place where no one can come. They protect themselves by cutting off all contact with other races. It’s a difficult choice.
Just then, Chito, who had left earlier, returned, bringing two other men with him. They must be his fathers. One had chestnut hair, and the other had blond hair. Chito, by the way, had chestnut hair.
“Oh, you’re really here. Wow, I’ve never seen one before.”
“Wow, you’re big.”
The two men looked up at us as if they were tourists. Or rather, is it okay for them to approach us so casually? It’s not my fault.
“Um, hello.”
“Whoa, it can talk.”
“Hey, that’s rude. There’s a word for giants.”
“You’re right, you are. I apologize for my rudeness. We are Chito’s fathers. It’s nice to meet you.”
Tit? Not Chito? Was his pronunciation just strange?
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Hiroaki.”
Every time I spoke, a slight stir went through them. Hmm, it feels like being a celebrity, or maybe not, it’s a complicated feeling.
“We heard you were appointed diplomatic goodwill ambassador. Are you doing well?”
“Amazing! Just as we expected from our son. We always knew you’d become someone great someday!”
The two men, one with chestnut hair and the other with blond hair, ruffled their son’s hair. Somehow, it seems that their large matriarch’s influence fosters a strange sense of unity among the men.
“Speaking of which, the blizzard seems to have stopped. How about we go outside?”
“Finally! That’s great.”
Peeking outside, I saw that the blizzard had indeed stopped, and a clear blue sky had spread. The cold remained as intense as ever, and a large amount of snow had accumulated, but it looked like we could descend the mountain now. First, we need to clear the snow wall blocking the entrance.
“Now, let’s have you clear the blocked path. Step aside for a moment.”
We returned to the small room and waited. Escorts and hunters arrived and quickly began to break down the snow at the entrance. After confirming the situation outside and signaling that it was safe, they busily started their work.
“We can’t hunt during a blizzard, so let’s go see our mother off too.”
As expected, their wives are also hunters. Large women began to emerge, carrying their weapons and luggage. Some men were among them, but they were overwhelmingly outnumbered.
