Dad has returned from the deserted island.
Chapter 9
If it were something left behind by a Dragon, it could be another Dragon, a Unicorn, or perhaps a Bird of Paradise...
There are plenty of divine, sacred images that come to mind when one thinks of a Divine Beast.
However, the monkey was confident even in the face of that question.
[I can naturally transform into the form of any animal. But among the animals I have seen, the monkey looked the smartest. So, I decided on the monkey as my form!]
"It says it chose the monkey because it looked the smartest."
"Is that so...?"
[And it looks convenient for picking up things to eat like this.]
"Ah!"
Before the monkey could even be stopped, it snatched a sausage from the dining table and popped it into its mouth.
[This tastes good!]
Ooh-ooh-ah-ah. Jean felt troubled as he watched the baby monkey laughing while clutching its own forehead.
'So that is... our country's Divine Beast? A monkey that is busy stealing someone else's breakfast...?'
It was too small, too cute, and... too frivolous to be a sacred animal. There was no dignity to be found.
But since it was a monkey that had hatched from an egg, it was undoubtedly some kind of mysterious being. Jean swallowed hard, feeling incredibly tense.
The monkey conveyed its intentions through Vivian.
"Dad. The monkey says you need to prepare its meal, too!"
"..."
Jean’s expression remained deeply troubled the entire time he went back to the kitchen to cook a meal for the monkey using the remaining ingredients, brought it back out, and watched as the monkey made squeaking sounds of delight while clearing its plate.
It wasn't even certain if it was a Divine Beast rather than a monster, but above all, he was most worried about whether it was safe to keep it by Vivian's side.
This was because every single monkey Jean had encountered on the island had a foul temper.
Even as he looked at the adorable baby monkey’s fingers, Jean remained serious.
It would be a problem if those hands left even a single scratch on Vivian’s face.
[Little human. The look in your father's eyes as he watches me is highly disrespectful!]
"Dad's look as he watches you is pitiful, it says!"
[That's not it!... Sigh. Fine. Whatever.]
After finishing its meal, the monkey wiped its hands on the tablecloth—Jean let out an "Oh, hey"—and climbed onto Vivian’s shoulder.
"It's heavy!"
[Consider it an honor, short human. The glory of bearing my weight is not granted to just anyone.]
"What is it saying?"
[Such an impudent human... By the way, when are you going to give me a name?]
"A name? Do I have to give you a name?"
[Of course! You woke me, and you will be serving me from now on. If you don't name me, who will?]
"I have to serve you...?"
That sounded like an incredible hassle.
Although he had only seen it for a week, the monkey was incredibly talkative, looked down on humans, and yet was constantly meddling in everything.
"Isn't it enough that I woke you up?"
[You irreverent human! You heartless human! Are you trying to abandon me even after deciding to accept my powers?!]
The monkey shrieked and began to mess up Vivian’s hair. When Vivian screamed, Jean rushed over and pulled the two apart.
"You can't do that! You must not, Divine Beast! How could you try to hurt a child?!"
[I wasn't trying to hurt—! Ack!]
Unable to contain its frustration, the monkey only calmed down after running a lap around the dining room, eventually climbing onto Jean’s shoulder.
Once up there, it began picking through Jean’s brown hair, as if trying to demonstrate its harmlessness.
[To think I ended up meeting humans like this.]
After finishing grooming Jean’s hair, the monkey began to tidy up the hair it had messed up on Vivian’s head. Her messy hair gradually became neat.
[Little human. Quickly tell your father that I am a kind Divine Beast. Tell him not to even think about kicking me out.]
"It says it's a kind kid, so don't kick it out."
"Sigh... Right. We can't abandon a Divine Beast... sir. But how is it that Vivi can hear the Divine Beast's voice?"
"I don't know either. It says I have some kind of power!"
Jean’s brow furrowed.
Vivian was an ordinary child. There had been no auspicious signs when she was born, nor did her parents possess any special abilities.
If she had any hidden power, she wouldn't have met such a miserable death.
Vivian, who had no idea of her father’s complicated thoughts, held the monkey in her arms—it was sitting surprisingly still and began to ponder a name.
"Hmm, a name. A name. I've never named anyone before."
[It is my first name too, so do not worry, human.]
"Usually, the first name is the last name, Monkey. Hmph. You don't even call me by my name."
[That is because you call me 'egg' or 'monkey'! Fine. If you give me a name, I will call you by your name too!]
"Geez, you say it like you're doing me a huge favor. Hmm, then... Kiki? How about Kiki?"
[Ack!]
At the monkey’s reaction, which made its likes and dislikes very clear, Vivian clutched her head again.
"How about Kiki?"
[What is the difference?]
"Kiki is cuter than Kiki. And Dad calls me Vivi. It sounds similar to Kiki, so it's like you're my little brother."
[Ack! Why would I be your little brother?!]
"Because you were born today. You're younger than me, right?"
[Kyaaak!]
Though it shrieked with its mouth, the monkey didn't look like it hated it at all. That is, if the expressions the monkey made meant the same thing as they did for humans.
[Fine. Then call me Kiki from now on!]
"Yes! Uh, please take care of me from now on?"
[Very well. Make sure you serve me well from now on, Vivian!]
Jean appeared in the hallway dressed in outdoor clothes while Vivian and Kiki were running around playing.
Seeing her father dressed and ready to go out, Vivian, who had been running excitedly, stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him with trembling eyes.
"D-Dad! Where are you going? Where are you going? I want to go too!"
Dressing up like that meant he was going outside the village. Vivian’s voice trembled.
Jean smiled as if to reassure her and hugged Vivian.
"Yes, our Vivi should come along too. I was planning on taking you anyway! There's no one else in this house, so how could Dad leave our princess all alone?"
Vivian looked at him with eyes full of resentment, causing Jean to quickly look away.
He had left her alone. Well, he hadn't left her alone, but he had done something even worse than leaving her alone.
After a brief moment of self-reproach, Jean put on a bright voice.
"We're going to the next village to buy our princess some new clothes, and there are things Dad needs to look into, and we need to hire new servants. We have to leave quickly so we can return before sunset. Let's go change your clothes!"
At those words, Vivian’s eyes lit up.
"The next village? Wow, I've never been there! Kiki, we're going to the next village!"
[What is the big deal about that?! As one who serves me, maintain your dignity, Vivian. You shouldn't make such a fuss over something like that!]
"The next village has a huge shopping district, and I don't even know what a shopping district is yet. I've never seen one! Is it your first time too, Kiki?"
Of course, the excited Vivian couldn't hear it. That was to be expected; Vivian had lived her entire life within this small village. It was her first outing, so she couldn't help but be thrilled.
"Let's see, Vivi's clothes..."
Fortunately, after rummaging through the storage, he found clothes she had worn when she was five. Although the sleeves were short, it wasn't so strange that it would look out of place.
She must not have grown properly because she hadn't been fed enough.
Jean swallowed his bitterness, straightened Vivian’s clothes, and set out with Kiki in tow.
The Lambert family had two carriages; one was the one they usually used, and the other was the one Jean had driven when he returned home.
The latter was in such a state from the rough journey that it had to be scrapped. Even the original one looked terrible in Jean’s eyes. That was because he had ridden in many fine carriages while helping merchants before his regression.
Jean calculated the value of the jewelry he had brought out for exchange in his head.
"This should be fine. We'll go to the village and buy a new carriage. Vivi, it might be a bit uncomfortable on the way there, but can you bear it?"
"A carriage? We have... lots of money now! Yes! I'm fine, Dad!"
Clatter, clatter. The ride in the carriage, which had been bought at a steep discount, was indeed not very comfortable.
But for Vivian, who was leaving the village for the first time, even the jolting felt exciting.
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