A Picnic for the Cat (3)
Crackle, crackle.
Skewers of meat still stood propped around the bonfire, roaring away merrily. They looked primitive in the extreme — and far too unwieldy for children to eat.
"They're done. Here, try one."
"Thank you!"
Ellie accepted the skewer Can offered without a shred of suspicion. Watching the scene with clear displeasure, I rose from my seat and strode straight to her side without a moment's hesitation.
"No, Ellie. You mustn't accept things from strangers so carelessly."
"Huh?"
"Besides, that skewer is so big it'll be terribly awkward for you to eat."
"But Sister, I'm hungry."
"Put that skewer down for now and have the meat I grilled instead. It'll be easier to eat and tastier, too."
Stuffing whole slabs of meat onto sticks without the slightest thought for children's small mouths could hardly be called a meal fit for them. You had to slice the meat thin, like I did — easier to eat, easier to chew. Children still had weak teeth, and chunks that large could easily go down the wrong way.
"Well? Isn't it delicious?"
"Yes! It tastes even better because you grilled it, Sister!"
Seeing Ellie's contented expression, a deep warmth bloomed in my chest. Clearly, what the children needed was not Can's crude, clumsy handiwork but my own kind and considerate care.
"So you've no intention whatsoever of raising them to be strong, I take it."
"I beg your pardon?"
"From the look of it, these are children under some church's care."
"What does that have to do with it?"
"Children like these need to be raised all the more tough."
"Feeding them thoughtlessly charred meat is your idea of toughening them up?"
"That's not the point — it's about giving them all kinds of experiences. They need to chew through meat like this at least once, so that no matter what hardships they face, they won't be defeated and will develop the ability to solve problems on their own. And in the process, they learn patience."
For a moment, I was left speechless. Not because any of it made sense — but because this absurd nonsense, that eating a single roasted skewer could build problem-solving skills or teach patience, came spilling out of him so casually that I didn't know whether to laugh or scream.
"It's just a piece of meat. Why are you delivering an entire lecture about it?"
"Small things accumulate, and in the end they accomplish great purposes."
"Please don't overdo it. I'll handle what the children eat myself, so keep your nose out of it and quietly enjoy the meat you already grilled."
I simply couldn't get a read on this man. Even after I'd made my discomfort this plain, he sat his ground without batting an eye, chatting away in high spirits. Was he oblivious? Or was he deliberately ignoring me?
"Your words are appreciated, but I'll pass on the meat."
"Huh? Then who's supposed to eat all these skewers I grilled?"
"Calm yourself, White Friend. It'd be a waste to throw them out — pretend you've been fooled and let the children try one. It'll surely be a good experience for them."
"Why exactly am I your 'friend'? And how irresponsible can you—"
As my brow creased in sheer exasperation, Ellie, who had been sitting quietly beside me, suddenly gave my sleeve a careful little tug.
"Sister... I'd like to try that skewer."
"...Ellie, that skewer could be dangerous if you don't chew it properly. It might get stuck in your throat."
"I'll be careful. So couldn't you please let me have one...?"
Her eyes had gone wide and sparkling somewhere along the way. Clear and pleading beyond all refusal, those eyes wore down my resolve at alarming speed.
"Just let her eat it, Sister. Kids these days chew through pebbles, you know."
Amid it all, Priscilla piped up with an innocent smile. Both her hands held well-done skewers, each already bitten into.
"I see it's good, then?"
"Yes! It's really good. And it feels like he just grilled it, that's all."
Every time I looked at Priscilla, worry crept in ahead of everything else. Not only was she short on sense, but her recklessness — never giving a thought to consequences — genuinely worried me about what kind of cliff she'd eventually drive herself off.
"Levi... can't we just eat the skewers?"
Eisen's careful voice followed right behind hers. Only then did my clouded gaze sharpen, and I began slowly taking in the surroundings I'd been so stubbornly avoiding.
"......"
The children were watching me. With perfectly good grilled meat sitting right in front of them, they were going hungry because of me — because I was frothing at the mouth over something utterly trivial.
This wasn't the atmosphere I'd wanted at all.
"...I'm sorry. I was being too high-strung. I only fussed because I was worried."
"It's okay, Levi. You never do it on purpose, and we all know that better than anyone."
"Thank you for saying so. Go on, eat as much as you like — no more watching my mood. Just be careful not to eat too fast, or you'll give yourselves stomachaches."
"Okay! You eat too, Levi."
"I'm quite alright."
With that, I set the plate of meat down on the ground and slowly rose from my seat.
"Where are you going?"
Once again, it was Ellie who caught my sleeve and asked in a small voice.
"Just going to have a look at the lake."
"Sister... are you upset by any chance...?"
"No, not at all."
"Can I come with you?"
"There's still plenty of meat left. Priscilla will help you with everything, so finish eating and then come find me."
At my calm answer, delivered with a faint smile, Ellie finally seemed reassured; her face brightened and she nodded.
"Eh? But it's just eating meat — what is there to help with?"
"Keep a close eye on the children so they don't wolf it down. If you've been out playing all this time, you can manage at least that much."
"Well, I... it's not that I can't..."
"I'll leave the children to you for a bit."
"...Yes. Take care..."
Having more or less settled the situation, I set off straight toward the lake.
"Uh, um?"
"How long do you intend to sit there playing the harmless bystander? I have things to discuss, so hurry up and follow me."
Not alone — with Can. For one thing, I found him deeply irritating: even as the mood turned distinctly sour, he went on calmly grilling his meat as though nothing had happened. For another, I simply could not fathom how, even now, I still knew nothing of his identity. Just what did he do, that he could blend in this seamlessly? The more I thought about it, the more absurd he became.
"So not everyone who wears a habit is meek and mild, it seems."
"Spare me. Just reveal your identity already."
"Hm? Only now?"
"I couldn't get the chance to ask earlier."
I asked after Can's true nature, keeping as far from the children as I could. At a glance he looked like a passing adventurer who'd simply crossed our path, but look closer and the suspicious points were far too many to count. No — he was blatantly suspicious, and yet I seemed to be the only one who'd noticed.
"All I did was get lost. I'm not some suspicious character."
"Ordinary people don't tag along like this. Anyone can see you're suspicious."
"No, I just happened to pass by, and it looked like fun, so—"
"What exactly did you tell them, that the children swallowed it without a shred of doubt?"
At my suddenly sharpened question, Can looked visibly taken aback.
"I told them exactly what I just told you."
"I'm sorry — you're telling me that flimsy explanation alone put the children at ease?"
"They were so excited to begin with that far from questioning me, they never even asked who I was."
"...Ha. Unbelievable."
Lies. Our children would never be so careless. After demons had come sniffing around twice in just the past few days, their guard had to be higher than ever.
"They trust you completely, by the way. They looked like they believed nothing bad could happen as long as you were there."
"Regardless, that's far too careless. Did you actually think I'd buy such a threadbare excuse?"
"I haven't told a single lie."
"As their guardian, I keep my senses razor-sharp at all times, wherever I am. If you believe I'm watching as carelessly as that Priscilla over there, you are gravely mistaken."
With that helmet enclosing his face, there was no telling what expression he wore. Even so, I could faintly sense that this Can character was even more flustered now than before.
"Hoo... it's true that I got lost, and it's true that the children didn't question me. Ask me however many times you like, the answer will be the same."
"You're remarkably persistent."
"What can I do? It's the truth."
"Then what were you doing when you got lost?"
"I received a mission and was heading for the destination with a middle-ranker when he suddenly vanished, leaving me stranded here all alone."
"...A mission?"
"Though even I don't really know what that mission is."
The more I listened, the more his story moved past suspicion into outright absurdity. I could roughly gather that the "mission" Can spoke of meant some kind of request — but claiming he knew nothing of its contents was beyond comprehension.
"You don't know what the request was for...? Does that even make sense?"
"Not a request — a mission. And every time something comes up, they just drag me along without a word, so there's nothing I can do about it."
"Haah... Then where is this destination of yours?"
"No idea. I was simply trailing along behind the middle-ranker."
This wasn't what I wanted. If I had my way, I'd resolve things neatly and simply. But every word out of this tin can's mouth needled at my nerves, and I could feel the heat climbing steadily toward the top of my head. If you were going to abandon him anyway, why on earth bring him along in the first place...
"Did you perhaps hit your head in the forest?"
"I understand why you'd say that, but I'd like you to believe me. I'm telling you nothing but the truth."
"You don't know the request, you don't know the destination... Then what exactly am I supposed to do with you?"
"Well, let's start with introductions. My name is Bell Ross. The children call me uncle, but I haven't actually lived all that long yet."
"And you choose this moment for an introduction...?"
"Good fences make good neighbors, no? This way I can at least shave a little suspicion off myself."
I could not, for the life of me, follow this tin can's train of thought. Was this really happening...?
"...My name is Levinia Fallen Grace. I look after children at a church nearby."
"That's quite a mouthful of a name. I heard that child calling you Levi — may I do the same?"
"No. Call me Levinia."
"Decisive."
It felt as though we'd exchanged a great deal of words, yet somehow nothing at all remained in my head. Far from uncovering his identity, I'd only deepened my suspicions — and learned a name I never cared to know besides.
"In any case, I can well understand that losing your way in the forest has frayed your nerves somewhat. So tell me — do you know roughly how many hours it's been since you got lost here?"
At my question, Can fell silent for a moment, wearing the look of a man thinking hard. Then, before long, he jerked his lowered head up and answered with perfect composure.
"I'd say it's been well over a week."
Confronted with an answer no one could have predicted, I was struck dumb yet again.
"Come to think of it, I have been wandering this forest for quite a while, haven't I."
"Excuse me — are you quite addled in the head?"