Side: Labyris
With the influx of immigrants from Rithea, the school has become even livelier.
Unusually, there were even Beast-kin and Elf children among the newcomers. These children came from an orphanage that Crack used to fund.
As for why they were moved all the way here when they were already in an orphanage...
"There is no future for children there," Crack had explained. "Beast-kin and Elf children in particular are treated as nothing more than spectacles or pets. I feel a bit guilty about it, but I brought them here as a priority. In exchange, I've brought several people who worked at that orphanage; I hope you can find a use for them at the school."
Crack certainly had his share of troubles, it seems.
Most of the children who arrived were severely malnourished. Some needed immediate hospitalization for a while, and others... others passed away shortly after.
The look on Yuki's face at that time... it's hard to describe... He was expressionless, and he didn't shed a tear, but he held the small bodies of the deceased children with such care and built graves for them in the cemetery himself.
Whether they were a friend or just an acquaintance, I don't know—but the people who knew the child wept as they thanked him and bowed deeply. Yuki watched them with a complicated expression.
Perhaps Yuki is... no, that's not for me to say.
Regarding one of the children who passed away, Elju-sama, who was handling the medical treatment at the time, was terribly distraught. She was speechless when she saw a child whose belly was distended from hunger while the rest of their body was skin and bones.
When she realized the child couldn't be saved, she desperately cast recovery magic over and over. Seraria-sama, who was accompanying her, tried to soothe her as she refused to stop the magic even after the child had died.
Unfortunately, at that exact moment, a commoner who had come to the clinic saw a part of the child's body and, thinking it was a monster, laughed. That's when Elju-sama...
"Don't laugh!! Stop it!! This child fought so hard to live until today, and this body is the proof of that... don't you dare laugh!!"
Elju-sama screamed at the person at the top of her lungs, glaring at them with incredible intensity.
Realizing it was a child from her words, the person apologized sincerely and left. Afterward, Seraria-sama had to snap her back to reality as she continued to cry while holding the child.
"That's enough!! This child is gone. Leave the rest to Yuki!!"
"I don't want to!! I have to be the one to mourn them..."
"Are you going to abandon the children who can still be saved?"
"...!! No, I would never—"
"Then your job isn't to sit here crying over this one!! Leave the rest to us and go save the lives that can be saved!! I heard it from everyone—you decided to live with the same resolve as the rest of us. If that's the case, fulfill it!! If you're more than just a figurehead!!"
"Sniff... Yuki-san. Please take care of this child. I'm going to treat the next patient!!"
Entrusting the child's remains to Yuki, Elju-sama immediately ran off.
"She's grown strong, hasn't she... Elju."
Seraria-sama whispered, watching her go with eyes that looked both happy and sad.
* * *
Anyway, I'm getting off track.
There's a problem at the school right now... Oh, it's much better than the problems at the training center or among the residents.
Because...
"You boys, eat your vegetables properly!!"
"No way!! Vegetables taste gross!!"
It's just about being picky eaters. There's virtually zero trouble between the different races. Why?
"There are Elf boys too, you know!! Elves are supposed to be vegetarians!!"
"What a disgrace to your own race! You're the worst!!"
"Shut up!! We're only basically vegetarians!! How could I hate meat after eating the food here!? I eat it because it's better than vegetables!! What's the problem with that, you herbivores!?"
"Yeah!! Well said!! You girls are leaving meat on your plates too, aren't you!? Eat it properly!!"
It's like this—the boys and girls have split into factions and are just bickering with each other.
"Be quiet!! You carnivores!!"
"Hey, Sensei... it's better to eat vegetables, right?"
The one they directed the question to was my Yuki. Every pair of eyes in the room turned toward him.
"Well, you definitely should eat your vegetables."
"See!! Don't trouble Sensei!!"
"Ugh!! Sensei, then is it okay to leave the meat!?"
"Of course, you should eat your meat too."
"See!! Don't you guys trouble Sensei either!!"
"Oh, shut up!!"
The room erupted into noisy chaos again.
What are you going to do, Yuki?
When I caught his eye, Yuki let out a sigh and began to speak.
"In other words, it would make Sensei very happy if you finished everything you were served without leaving anything behind. So, for Aslin, Filia, Labyris, Villia, and Hiiro, who finished their meals—I'll give you chocolate ice cream later."
"""EEEEEEHHHHH!?!?"""
"Of course, I'll give ice cream to any of you who finish your food properly starting now."
"""YAYYYYY!!!"""
The moment he offered the bait, the children cleared their plates in an instant. In exchange, Yuki looked exhausted.
Yeah, being a teacher is hard work.
* * *
"...And that's what happened."
"Well, that's just standard for kids, isn't it~?"
"It certainly is."
After having dinner at the inn, we were chatting over tea about the events at the school.
"Well, wouldn't it be fine if Onii-san just mixed the vegetables and meat into a curry or stew?"
Ratz suggested as a solution. I thought it was a brilliant idea.
"So you're okay with curry or stew every single day?"
"Ah, no. I'd hate that."
Yeah, I'd hate it too.
"Indeed," Eris noted. "The goal is to get them to eat properly, so perhaps it's better to avoid 'disguised' dishes and let them get used to it through steady effort?"
Eris recommended a more grounded approach of letting them acclimate naturally.
"I think it's fine to just leave them be," Riel chimed in. "They'll be able to eat most things once they grow up. Kids are sensitive, so they hate the unique flavors of vegetables especially. I don't think there's a need to force them."
Riel seemed to think we should just let it slide. Hmm, I get what he's saying, but it's also for the children's health.
"Most things can be solved if there's a proper catalyst," Seraria-sama added. "For me, it started when I picked up a sword and got caught up on the battlefield."
"""That's different."""
Everyone denied it in unison.
"But still... a catalyst, huh. If there were an event... but..."
"See? You understand what I'm saying now, don't you?"
"No," Yuki clarified. "I don't mean 'if someone can't swim, throw them in the ocean and they'll manage' like you, Seraria. I mean, if we all go out to pick vegetables together or prepare the meat and then eat it, surely they wouldn't refuse to eat it, right?"
"I think that's a great idea!"
"...If we're picking vegetables, I have a great place I manage."
"Are we hunting the meat?"
"How are you going to have children hunt!?"
"I used to hunt all the time, though?"
"Don't compare them to you, Riel..."
The conversation started to pick up steam.
"Well, we should try a test run once. I'll take Villia and Hiiro and give it a shot. Those two are the only ones who always finish everything."
...Yuki, those two actually hate vegetables. They just force themselves to eat them because they want a certain someone to praise them.
I'm looking forward to the next time they come around.
