You know?

You know?

 

It’s a fact that I often forget because Chae-a speaks well and is very mature, but.

Chae-a is a spirit born not too long ago.

Of course, applying human age to spirits has many issues…

Even considering that, the fact that she was born recently means it’s natural for her to not know the etiquette and social norms used in human society.

‘I heard that even high-level spirits who have lived for a long time sometimes don’t know these things well.’

Thinking that Chae-a, who occasionally does strange things but usually does extremely well, might be amazing, I watched her mumbling.

‘What should I do?’

If I think about it coldly, that ant is probably not a real ant, but a spirit.

It would have high intelligence, so it wouldn’t give Chae-a food she shouldn’t eat.

‘But… the problem was that it fell on the ground.’

Literally, an ‘ant’ gave her food, so it’s understandable to be quite flustered.

While I was wondering what to do, watching Grandma Lecia carefully trying to open Chae-a’s mouth.

Chae-a whined and shook her head repeatedly.

“No! Chae-a eat!”

Her pronunciation is even more slurred than usual because her mouth is being held.

While I’m thinking about whether I should tell her to spit it out or pretend not to notice as I watch Chae-a flapping like a penguin.

Grandma Lecia, still with a shocked voice, spoke to Chae-a.

“If, if it’s candy, grandma will buy you as much as you want. So spit it out? Come on, spit.”

“Chae-a has to eat this…! Ant brother gave it!”

“Then grandma will give separate candy to that ant brother spirit too. Please, won’t you spit it out?”

It’s the first time I’ve seen Grandma Lecia so flustered.

I watched this situation for a moment, thinking it was interesting.

Then, feeling I should help Grandma Lesia, I slowly approached Chae-a and said something.

 

“If you eat that, a scary wolf mister will appear at night and go ‘Growl!'”

At those words, Chae-a started to panic, spitting out the snack in her mouth.

 

It seemed the shock from the previous hologram storybook experience (The Three Little Pigs) had been quite significant.

As I was wiping Chae-a’s mouth with a handkerchief while she was making “bebe” sounds, Grandma Lesia next to me let out a sigh of relief and said,

 

“Phew. Thank goodness.”

Actually, eating it probably wouldn’t have been a big problem, but it seems Grandma Lesia didn’t feel that way.

 

I told Chae-a, who was looking around nervously while making “eubebe” sounds, “It won’t appear because you spit it out,” and then patted her head.

Chae-a let out a sigh of relief and smiled with a “hehe”.

 

‘I’m glad it ended without any trouble.’

Of course, Grandma Lesia might think a bit differently… but I smiled awkwardly, thinking that it ended well, so wasn’t it a good outcome?

 

—–

 

After that, we looked around various places, went for a walk, and then returned to the association.

While I was satisfied with the very fruitful walk despite various incidents, Yuna wagged her tail gently and said,

 

“It was fun going for a walk with Grandma Lesia.”

Grandma Lesia, seemingly not expecting Yuna to show such affection(?),

 

picked Yuna up and cuddled her, looking extremely happy.

I watched the two of them with a satisfied smile, then decided it was time to give Grandma Lesia my signature and seal.

 

‘I should do it as sincerely as possible.’

Of course, I had given my signature and seal sincerely last time too, but…

From the middle, I lost energy and didn’t know how it was progressing, so I had many regrets.

So this time, I thought about finishing without any regrets and was about to prepare paper and pen with determination.

“Do it here, please.”

She handed me an extremely luxurious-looking board with a gentle smile.

Even at a glance, it looked incredibly expensive, so I was flustered, wondering if I should really sign or stamp it.

However, Grandma Lecia gave me a look that said to do it freely, and asked me, Chae-a, Yuna, and Seo-a to stamp it as well.

‘… I don’t know!’

Since Grandma Lecia asked, it would be right to do it.

I thought it could be erased later and put down my signature along with tail, hand, and foot stamps.

“Hmm. Perfect.”

Not just mine, but as the other kids’ stamps increased, Grandma Lecia seemed very satisfied, and then nodded with a bright smile.

I smiled brightly too, thinking it was fortunate that Grandma Lecia was happy.

*

As you know, Grandma Lecia is someone who causes a tremendous impact just by her existence.

Not long after receiving the signatures and stamps, she returned to Lear.

I was feeling a bit lonely because Grandma Lecia left for home earlier than expected, when Yuna comforted me by patting my head.

After sitting blankly for a while, I decided to focus and do what I needed to do.

‘While I have time, it might be good to teach Chae-a and Seo-a some basics…!’

In Yuna’s case, she’s sharp, so she’ll do well on her own even if left alone…

But for Chae-a and Seo-a, since they still have some shortcomings, I thought it would be good to teach them these things as an adult.

Once I made that decision, I immediately fell into contemplation about how to teach them.

‘First… it would be good to teach them in a kind and fun way, right?’

While being kind was one thing, teaching in a fun way required considerable effort and talent, so I was worried.

 

I decided to try my best and start by teaching basic manners.

“Listen, I’ll teach you.”

 

I wasn’t quite sure what words to use to teach them.

But since just worrying wouldn’t solve anything, I mustered up courage and began speaking.

 

The moment I spoke, all three babies looked at me simultaneously and quickly gathered around me.

“Yes! Ha-eun, speak!”

“We’re waiting.”

“Myam?”

 

Looking at the babies, I declared that I would teach them basic manners, and pointed to a nearby playroom while saying,

“Shall I teach you here?”

 

Then, picking up a snack that was rolling around nearby, I said,

“Shall I ask you a question? If a snack falls like this, can you eat it or not?”

 

In response to my words, Chae-a raised her hand proudly and said,

“Chae-a knows…! The answer is to eat it quickly before other insects eat it…!”

 

“…?”

Was it because she said it so confidently? For a moment, I almost shouted that it was correct.

 

Thinking that I shouldn’t go along with Chae-a’s pace, I tried to gather my thoughts.

Then, clearing my throat, I spoke to Chae-a again.

 

“… That’s wrong!”

Hearing my words, Chae-a blinked with a very shocked expression, then spoke to me with a look of complete incomprehension.

“If you don’t eat it quickly, other insects will eat it… Why shouldn’t you eat it quickly?”

In response to that, I pointed at the ground and said.

“You shouldn’t eat it because the ground is dirty.”

“?”

Chae-a stared at me blankly with an expression of utter incomprehension.

I thought it would be better to explain why it’s dirty first, so I pointed at the ground and said.

“There are things like microorganisms and viruses on the ground, so if you eat something that fell on the ground, your stomach might hurt.”

Not knowing what microorganisms or viruses are yet, they all tilted their heads and looked at me.

As I was wondering how best to explain this, Seo-a came to me with a question, babbling.

“Bba-a, kwang!?”

Wondering what it meant, I stared blankly at Chae-a, who translated Seo-a’s words.

“Seo-a asked, ‘Is it scarier than a wolf?'”

At that, I nodded and told them something very shocking.

“Yes. It’s scarier than a hundred wolves.”

“Hup.”

Chae-a and Seo-a seemed shocked by those words, covering their mouths and trembling in fear.

Then they crouched down, spread out their fingers, and had a serious conversation with each other.

“A hundred is more than we can count on our fingers…!”

“Bba-a, kkom.”

Ha-eun then fidgets with her fingers and mumbles quietly.

“Scary.”

Since Chae-a and Seo-a seemed genuinely scared, constantly looking around nervously.

I patted them to reassure them and said.

“It’s okay! Just don’t eat anything that falls on the ground!”

At those words, they both quickly nodded, showing that they understood.

Thinking that they now knew not to pick up and eat things that had fallen, I giggled, believing it would be fine from now on.

‘The next thing to teach them would be table manners, right?’

Since Chae-a and Seo-a occasionally had a habit of eating food with their hands, I thought it would be good to teach them about this.

While I was deciding to teach them step by step, thinking there was a lot to teach.

Yuna raised her hand and said one thing to me.

“Ha-eun shouldn’t eat it either. You know that, right?”

“…?”

I was in the middle of teaching them, so why was she telling me not to eat it?

I really couldn’t understand why, so I just shrugged my shoulders.

Anyway, since it wasn’t important, I said I understood and nodded, then slightly turned my gaze away, when I noticed Seo-rin secretly filming this scene.

I blinked blankly at Seo-rin doing that.

Seo-rin gave an awkward smile and disappeared somewhere, creeping away like a mirage or a ghost.