Report
Chapter 196: A Gift
In the end, the party whistle was a bigger hit than expected.
Despite the difference in size between us, the korpokkur started playing with them excitedly, almost immediately arguing over who got to try it first.
“Hey! Niita made it, so it’s mine!” my little sister, Phe, exclaimed and jumped in to claim it.
I hadn't anticipated it would be this popular.
After all, it was just my first sloppy rendition of a joke item. If I brought it to the merchant guild, they’d likely dismiss it as something that would get old quickly or break easily.
“Can you make one for me too? Huh? Can you?”
“Want a bribe? Will you make it if I pay you?”
The korpokkur clung to me in a swarm, and as my mother gathered two or three of them up in her arms, she laughed and said to me,
“My, my, Al-chan, it’s quite popular. Maybe you should make more to keep them all happy?”
I’d have to make them by hand, you know. It’s quite a bit of work.
But, well, if I leave it at just one, it’ll definitely cause a commotion. While it might be impossible to make one for everyone, making a few more should at least ease the wait time.
In the meantime, though, I think I’ll have them try out another item to keep them occupied.
“Phe, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Hold on, niita! I’m busy getting my party whistle back right now!”
Phe rushed toward the party whistle, but the korpokkur holding it tossed it to another korpokkur before she could reach it.
“Muuu!” Phe grumbled as she chased after it, but the korpokkur passed it again to another one and the cycle continued.
Is she... being toyed with? If this were an elementary school, it might be seen as borderline bullying.
Well, she’s not crying, so I guess it’s fine...
Sighing, I turned to find the blue-haired Mina-chan looking on in distress, muttering, “Oh no... oh no...” I called to her.
“Mina-chan, could you help me with something?”
“Huh? You need my help?”
Mina-chan trotted over, a curious look in her eyes. I held out another item to her.
“I want to try this out. Can you help me?”
“Y-Yes... What do I do?”
Seeing the rectangular piece of paper in my hand, she tilted her head in confusion. I handed her the string attached to it.
“All you have to do is hold this string and run.”
“Run? But... I’m not very fast.”
Mina-chan looked at me with uncertainty, clearly lacking confidence in her speed.
“Don’t worry! No one’s timing you. Just give it a try, okay?”
“O-Okay.”
“Here I go!” she cried, darting forward. She really wasn’t very fast, but the sight was still endearing.
“Wha…! It’s floating! It’s floating!”
Mina-chan gasped as the paper lifted into the air.
If you haven’t guessed by now, what I made was a kite. I figured it would work, with some sturdy paper and light wood, and it seems I was right.
“What’s that? What’s that?”
“It’s flying! It’s really flying!”
The korpokkur crowded beneath the kite, fascinated.
Meanwhile, Phe, having finally reclaimed her party whistle, let out a triumphant shout, though it seemed no one noticed.
“This looks fun! I want to try!”
“Mina-sama, can we have a turn?”
The korpokkur clamored around Mina-chan, who looked overwhelmed by the attention.
It’s a bit noisy, but while everyone’s distracted, I suppose I can get back to making more. I picked up my knife and continued carving the wood.
A Little Later...
“Hey! This is the sacred lake and the hallowed temple! Stop this racket right now! I mean it!”
Kupikupi shouted angrily, trying to restore order.
“Ahahaha! This is so fun!”
“It’s amazing!”
The scene had turned into something like a kindergarten playground. Admittedly, it was my fault.
After I made a few more party whistles and kites, the water spirits brought me some durable vines, as if asking for something else to be made.
So I obliged.
I ended up setting up a zipline between two trees and a copy of the swing that was so popular at our home.
The result? This whole commotion.
I could understand why Kupikupi was so upset.
Meanwhile, the guardian of the sacred lake was challenging my little sister Phe to a rematch in Gomoku. Judging by the sounds of “Oh no... oh no...” coming from over there, I have a good guess on how that’s going.
“It’s beyond lively. It’s downright chaotic.”
“And whose fault is that?! You are the destroyer of our sacred peace!”
“Don’t exaggerate. Here, maybe this will cheer you up?”
I handed Kupikupi a joke item I’d made on a whim. Using thick paper, I’d crafted a traditional Japanese folding fan used for comedic slapstick.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a paper fan. Perfect for someone with your personality.”
Kupikupi tried it out on my head with a whap! Yep, suits her perfectly.
“Onii-san!”
Mina-chan trotted over, followed closely by Phe, who raced past her and tackled me. By the time Mina-chan had made it here, Phe was sitting in my lap and hugging me, completely in her spoiled mode
“Hehe... I was away from Niita for a little too long! Did you miss me?”
“You just want to be spoiled, don’t you?”
“Kya! Phe doesn’t know what Niita is talking about! But keep patting Phe’s head!”
She rubbed her head against me like an affectionate little kitten.
Meanwhile, Mina-chan gave me a polite bow.
“Oniisan, thank you so much!”
“Huh? What for?”
“Because you made everyone so happy, I I wanted to thank you on behalf of everyone in Kishkud.”
That’s so conscientious of her... All I did was make a few silly toys.
“No, it’s not just that...”
“What do you mean?”
“Well...”
Mina-chan blushed, looking down shyly.
“You and Phe-chan... became my friends. And that makes me really happy...”
Ah, I see. Given her circumstances, having friends must be incredibly important to her.
The korpokkur, though friendly, still treat her with formal respect, and Kupikupi keeps her distance.
My family is just naturally informal, which probably made her feel more at ease.
“You’ll be leaving soon, won’t you?”
Mina-chan’s face clouded over.
It’s true that we only came here to get the water needed for Abel’s garden, so we could technically leave any time now.
Our plan was to return home by dinnertime.
“So, I wanted to give you both a gift for being my first friends. Will you accept it?”
“As long as it’s not something too valuable...”
The moment I said this, Phe shot her hand up excitedly.
“Yes, yes! Phe wants the clear clay! Phe will knead it with all her might!!”
Well since my handmade slime loses its shape over time, it can’t be stored.
It’s only natural my dear sister would want it, but that water comes from the sacred lake, doesn’t it? That stuff must be incredibly valuable.
“Yes, if you’re fine with it, Phe-chan, you may have it.”
“Really? Thank you, Mina-chan!”
Phe grabbed Mina-chan’s hand, shaking it enthusiastically, and Mina-chan looked delighted, if a bit overwhelmed.
“And for you, onii-san, I have this.”
Mina-chan handed me a small, clear orb about the size of a ping-pong ball.
When Abel saw it, she visibly reacted.
