NOVEL NEXT Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Kuro and Grooming
Chapter 69: Kuro and Grooming
In the evening after Zamza and I made the map.
During mealtime, we gathered around the hearth, cooking together has become our routine.
Today, Mil enthusiastically used a few seasonings to make a stew using Elizabeth’s milk. Naturally, without any flour, it was supposed to be thin, but it turned out like a rich cream stew, and we all devoured it greedily. The Oni relied on their natural healing abilities and dug in without worrying about burns. What a waste of abilities… Sneaky.
After a while, everyone’s bellies were full, and a relaxed atmosphere set in. Without anything specific to do, we just watched the smoke rise from the hearth. Perhaps due to walking around all day, I was starting to feel a bit sleepy after eating. The western sky was red, indicating the sun was setting, but it was still bright outside. I felt like I wanted to enjoy this atmosphere until the sun went down, even though I was sleepy.
“Oh… right, it’s time for that today.”
Kuro brought his favorite brush and oil.
Since returning to the hideout, Kuro’s hair care and my shaving routine have become daily tasks for some reason. Of course, Kuro’s hair is already well taken care of without me having to do anything. Yet, every day, Kuro looks up at me with her grooming tools in hand, and speaks a little more softly than usual. Although she doesn’t come at a fixed time, she manages to find the right timing when I’m free, like before or after meals.
For me, this daily ritual is very much appreciated. Honestly, I was seriously worried about how to express my gratitude since Kuro can do practically anything.
“Well then, let’s get started.”
“Giyaugiya!”
After doing this for several days now, I’ve started to get the hang of it. I brush her hair, making sure the oil spreads evenly.
“Kyauu, kkyauu.”
“Hmm? Like this?”
Kuro is surprisingly sensitive while being brushed. She reacts finely to even my slightest movements, smiling as if it tickles a lot or closing her eyes in pleasure. Seeing her naturally cute face change with various expressions makes me enjoy doing this, and I want to make her feel as comfortable as possible. Normally, Kuro doesn’t have any particular demands, but during this time, she won’t let me go until I’ve groomed him for quite some time. It feels like she’s depending on me somehow, which makes me happy.
While we’re doing this, everyone else stays a little away, doing other tasks. Today, too, I brushed Kuro until he was satisfied, about 30 minutes. The distant sky is still faintly bright, but the sun has already set. The atmosphere is still pleasantly warm, just right.
“Giyaugiya~!”
“Okay, okay, please.”
This time, it’s my turn to be shaved by Kuro. Sitting down on a cloth, Kuro looks up at me and taps her knees. Following her guidance, I lean my head on her small knees and lie down.
“Gyuu~gyau…”
“Hmm, like this?”
Kuro adjusts her position subtly, and I cooperate by lifting my head slightly. Once the right position is found, she suddenly produces a small knife from somewhere and swiftly brings it to my neck. It’s as efficient as an assassin, but there’s no tension between us. After all, it’s Kuro who’s holding the knife, which actually makes me feel relieved. All I have to do is enjoy looking at Kuro’s bright, beautiful eyes and the stars beginning to appear. If I do that, the task will be finished in no time.
After a while, while feeling the cold knife slowly gliding over my face, I look at Kuro.
“Giya~ugugya~ugu~giya~u.”
Kuro sings a mysterious song while gently swaying her head from side to side. From her hair, which I just groomed, there’s a faint scent of almond oil and frankincense, mixed with a hint of chocolate and coffee. It’s Kuro’s usual scent, very comforting. It somehow makes me feel sleepy. Perhaps because we always sleep together. My consciousness drifts away…
“…Shu…Bonya…”
“…Hm?”
“Gyaaauu!”
Kuro, still with me as a pillow, stares at me and says something.
She seems to have fallen asleep without me realizing it.
“I fell asleep because it felt too good.”
“Gya~u~”
“Sorry, sorry!”
“Gyaaau! Gugyaaau!”
Lifting up Kuro, who seemed like she wanted to say something, I give her a piggyback ride and spin around the hearth. It seems like she’s somewhat pleased. Among my comrades, besides Pink, only Kuro gets treated like this.
“I’m tired for today, so I’ll go to sleep.”
“In that case, we’ll take care of the cleanup.”
“Thank you, Shiro.”
“Gugyaaugyaaugyaa!”
Somehow, I feel like I’ll sleep really well tonight.
With that thought in mind, as I try to put Kuro down, her soft body firmly wraps around my upper body. Then, suddenly, Kuro’s lips gently press against my ear.
“B… Bon… Shu…”
The trembling whisper tickles my ear. I’m startled by this sudden action and freeze in place. As for Kuro, he easily releases the hold and jumps down. Turning towards me, our eyes meet, and Kuro starts wiggling and making cute noises.
“Yay! Success!”
“Good job, Kuro.”
“Oh…”
“Huh?”
While Zamza is dumbfounded, everyone else is excited. It seems like it was Gisella’s idea. But knowing that doesn’t change anything. Kuro’s voice echoing in my ears deeply disturbs my mind.
“Kuro, you… have such a beautiful voice.”
“Kyauu~”
Kuro looks embarrassed in a way I’ve never seen before. I start feeling inexplicably embarrassed just watching her, but more than that, I feel genuinely happy.
“Kuro, thank you for calling my name.”
“Uuu~”
“Kuro is so cute~”
As I express my gratitude to Kuro, she blushes and her eyes shimmer. Gisella hugs Kuro.
“Well, I was asked by Melanie to help Kuro learn to talk.”
“Is that so?”
“Actually, Melanie wanted her to say her name, but…”
“Gyaaugyaaugyaa! Gyaugyaugyaaugyaa!”
“Hey, Kuro… I think ‘Shiro’ is easier to say.”
Kuro seems to be complaining to Gisella about how easy it is to say. It seems that Shiro is also starting to scheme how to make herself be called by her name.
Honestly, Kuro must have put in a lot of effort to manage to pronounce my name this time. I never thought Kuro would be able to speak like us due to his species’ traits. His ability to pronounce my name this time was probably quite a struggle. At the moment, having a normal conversation seems impossible. Maybe the limit is just being able to call out simple names. Well, even that seems like a miracle.
But still, when Kuro calls my name, it really resonates deep in my psyche and captivates me. It feels like my brain is tingling sweetly. Maybe she’s enchanted with some kind of magic in his voice. Anyway, the drowsiness has completely disappeared.
“Well, it’s getting late, so let’s tidy up together.”
“Gyauu-gugyauu-gugyauu!”
Kuro starts cleaning up energetically as usual. While Shiro and Gisella are tidying up, they continue to interact with Kuro, trying to get her to call their names. Even Mil and Zamza, who were busy making smoked goods earlier, join in. Then, somehow, I also feel like I want to hear it again.
“Come to think of it, since she always says ‘gyaau-gyaa,’ doesn’t ‘Gisella’ seem doable~?”
“I’ve been with Shiro and Pink for a long time, so it should be from me, right?”
“Hey Mil, your name is short, so maybe?”
“If Bonus can be said, then Zamza too, right?”
“Gyaa~u, gugyaa~u~!”
For some reason, Kuro seems extremely embarrassed and protests with ‘gyaa-gyaa.’ Casually, Pink also winks at Kuro. Where did they learn that kind of thing from…? In the end, no one got Kuro to call their names, but everyone went to sleep with very satisfied smiles, especially because Kuro looked so cute being embarrassed.
Just before falling asleep, as I lie down, I feel Kuro sneak up beside me, whisper my name in my ear once, and then run away.