Chapter 407 Anna And Them

-Pomp. Pomp. Pomp.

-Pomp. pomp.

-Pomp...!

They started jumping and their destination was naturally the most fascinating person in this whole area, my dear little Anna.

They were running towards her with wide eyes, surprised faces, and wide cute eyes but, this wasn't good.

-Swish!

[< "No, no, children. Not this time... she's young like you all, so she can't handle your weight, alright? Just greet her slowly." >] I quickly appeared before Anna using a quick step and warned the overexcited children.

They were going to jump at her, just like they did with Rein and me.

And it may be cute to see, but I definitely didn't want my Anna to suffer or get hurt.

So, even though I was smiling, they understood what I meant and slowed down their advance.

And though Anna was confused by my sudden attitude, she knew I was worried and that it could have been harmful to her.

The povpoi were just young innocent children, so it would take a while for their extreme curiosity and habit of jumping at interesting people to lessen.

So... it was manageable for now.

"Big brotherrrrr~. Are they your friends~?" she asked while crouching down before the children gathered around her and started patting all of their colorful fur bodies.

They all had different shades and colors, so it was easy to distinguish between them if one tried, but normally, it didn't matter.

Anna liked all of them equally, and they were the same too.

They were even more attracted to her than the two of us or any of us. She was special, after all.

[< Master Eon... is that your sister? >] Mave asked with an astonished voice and her eyes were wide open as she looked at Anna.

[< "You can tell? Well, isn't she just amazing~?" >] I chuckled internally while answering her. I knew she would be surprised.

She was more sensitive to the core natural energy, after all.

And this natural energy meant the total of elemental affinities, affinity with nature itself as well as the natural energy Mave can use, Mana.

And Anna... well, she was close to anomalies when it came to those things. As well as her natural affinity with all creatures of nature.

[< Anyone can tell from the similar looks but, she... I know the powers are still dormant, but it's fascinating.

Just thinking about when she awakens them... >]

[< "Not much will change for her. I know that much." >]

My reply was stern and contained my usual protective voice that she was seeing for the first time.

It was naturally surprising for her... how I was sure about my words as well as my determination behind those words.

[< I believe it will all be fine. After all, she has such amazing people guarding her~. >] she chuckled in her cute voice as she looked around the people gathered here.

All of them were amazing. From the three ladies to the two older-looking amazing people... who were staring at the back of our party from the moment we arrived home.

I knew what the of them two were doing right now…

And they were looking at Zuroro and Morris, so it was easy to guess what they were doing.

Thankfully, the two will pass their test.

'It won't be surprising if they faint though...'

Especially if grandpa was going to greet them with his killing intent. Morris would definitely faint, even with his mental barrier.

They all heard me when I said the creatures here are with me, so the ladies weren't worried at all. There was something more attractive for them than a big, scary-looking lizard and an undead skeleton.

"Cute~!"

They were in a daze after seeing the povpoi, but after a while, they too crouched down and started greeting the cheerful small creatures.

Dad was the same. But, unlike them, he didn't just run before them and started touching them.

He was reluctant because he knew about these creatures as a former adventurer and not just as protected creatures of magic like the ladies.

Not that mom didn't know that, but she believed if Anna was showing such love to the creatures I brought with me, they would be nothing like those harmful few people talk about.

They were protected creatures, but still, their appearance with their mouths open wasn't something most would be fond of.

'Well... these ladies are still different.'

Who made a tiger, a ruler of nature, wear a skirt, and made them their tea party member?

They were already familiar with giant creatures with countless sharp teeth, so these creatures were just cute in their eyes.

'But my Anna still looks best with them~!' I chuckled once again. It couldn't be helped, anyway.

The scene of my little Anna gently patting and talking with some little colorful furball was just amazing~!

And Rein was the same too...

I was holding her hand so I can feel that she was trying her best to handle this high dose of cuteness from this scene.

It was just adorable~!

Her cute voice while talking with them, their cute reply with words that she could feel without understanding, her smile, those wide jewel eyes looking into their blue ones, and the ladies making similar expressions as Rein.

Zoe was also having fun with this whole thing.

She already knew everything that we did to everything that happened and though I knew she had worried for a long time, she was happy right now.

The bond we had didn't need words for the other to understand one's inner feelings.

We didn't talk much when I was gone, but still; I knew what she felt as well as knew that she knew what things I had felt throughout the time I was gone.

It was us. And she was amazed to 'see' the children with different pure colors, their mom with a mother hugging their child, the lizardman with an endless swamp covered with a dull fog, and an amazing lich with a pure dark book, filled with knowledge written in pure white words.

She was the most amazed by the lich's true self that she saw with her eyes.

It was as clear as the ones our grandparents or the two of us had, but unlike us, this wasn't as powerful.

It was a clear image that she knew was close to achieving fullness, even though it hadn't reached that level of strength.

It meant that the lich Morris already knew about himself and his goals as well as 'his world' as much as we did. Which was fascinating, considering Zuroro was still far from even knowing everything about himself.

She liked the two regardless of that, but still, Mave and her children were the most fascinating for her~.

They were pure and cute. Innocent and funny. Beings that would definitely spread smiles if we just forgot their dangerous-looking teeth.

'No being is actually perfect in nature, anyway. Everything has flaws, and she knows that the best.'

Anyway... she wasn't the only one who found them interesting.

[< Eooooooon~! My dear soooooon~! You have brought some amazing friends for me~! Thankkksss~! >] Taika shouted cheerfully, or more like what dad and I understood she did. For the rest of them, it was more like...

"ROARRRRRRR!"

It was a loud roar of a beast that sent chills down their spines or electrified their fur in fear.

-Thump. Thump. Thump.

Taika was in her full form, so she was almost as big as Zuroro, meaning she was actually bigger than him. She was on all fours right now, after all.

She ran towards us, and it was so quick that I couldn't even react.

[< Hahaha. Wow, wow, wow~! >]

She was, at the core, a cat. And right now, there were tens of small furballs before her... something that I didn't consider would happen.

[< AAAAAA! >] The young povpoi screamed in surprise when Taika suddenly appeared beside Anna and the ladies, picked up some of them, and started snuggling with them like they were some toys.

We knew she knew that they were our friends, so she wasn't going to harm them, but still, it was too surprising for the young kids.

She was having fun but her way wasn't appropriate and… I didn't need to intervene and tell her that.

"Taika! What do you think you're doinggggggg!?" Anna shouted and the other ladies followed behind.

"Taika! Put them down! How can you do that to those children?!" aunt Haze shouted and tried to stop her from picking other povpoi and throwing them in the air.

"Yes! Please don't lick them like that! They are shocked, Taika!" aunt Aug shouted and stood before the frightened ones, looking furiously at the big tiger who was still in her own fun.

But lastly, mom spoke up... and her chill-inducing words were filled with her authority...

[Taika. Stop that. Right now...]

It was a rare occasion when she actually just openly showed her authority and her voice filled with domination was enough to shock Zuroro and Morris, who were still in the middle of grandpa's test.

I knew the two of them, especially Zuroro, were now understanding what I meant. This house was filled with strong people...

'And my dear uncles and cousins are still not here...'

There was a smile on my face as I looked at the tiger who just obeyed the order from her 'sisters' and daughter, caught the povpoi in the air, put everyone down, used her wind magic, and cleaned their fur.

Then she just stood quietly as the four ladies and dad started scolding her.

It was an unacceptable behavior, and she now had to hear an earful... and it seemed fun, so Zoe also joined in~.

The big tiger was being scolded and had a sad and sorry expression and this unbelievable scene... was something fun for the two of us.

We were laughing, and the atmosphere here was perfect for a welcome party... as well as to remind my dear friend of something we had agreed upon.

'So, when should we do the cleaning?'

'Hmm? What cleaning?'

'Your personal room filled with countless things, of course. We have to find that diary as promised, no?'

'W-what diary...?'

'Too bad acting, dear lady.'

'Noooo! Please no!'

'Nope. Can't be helped. So, let's do it next weekend.'

'But I don't want to!!'

'Doesn't matter, alright. We will do it. So be prepared for that.'

'Ummmm...!'

'Cry all you want, but it's inevitable. Still, it's a few days away, so just enjoy this moment~! Look, even the little ones are laughing now. Hehe~.'

'Bastard...!'

'Hehehe.'

'Bastard!!'