# 145. The Atmosphere is Suspicious (2)
That night.
Two people with bandages wrapped around their unhealed wounds appeared at the dining table.
Hare and Saten sat down in their chairs with their mouths firmly shut.
"..."
Silence hung over the dining table.
Luna and Estia, who had been putting meat in their mouths, stopped their forks when the two sat down.
They began whispering in each other's ears while watching Hare and Saten.
"Estia, is it okay for them to be like that? Aren't they going to fight again?"
"I know! I can't even eat because I'm worried I'll choke! Can't we just lock those criminals in their rooms?"
"Right, let's tell Mister! If we send them to their rooms, all the meat will be ours!"
Whisper whisper—
Luna and Estia whispered in each other's ears, plotting a strange plan.
They seemed completely unaware that Hare, with her sharp hearing, was listening.
"Luna, Estia. Stop with the useless talk and just eat your food."
"Mister! I have a great idea! Want to hear it!?"
"No, I won't listen."
"Tsk, fine..."
Luna stabbed a piece of meat with her fork and put it in her mouth.
She lowered her head and began chewing the meat slowly.
It seemed she was sulking because I wouldn't listen to her.
"Luna, make sure to chew your salad properly too."
"I don't want to! I hate vegetables! You said protein is good for muscles! So I don't need vegetables!"
"...I think I know why your brain isn't growing."
"Wh-what does that mean!"
"Never mind, forget it."
I ignored Luna chattering beside me and turned my gaze forward.
There, Hare and Saten were quietly glaring at each other.
Neither showed any sign of backing down.
*After finishing their physical fight, now it's a battle of pride.*
Hare and Saten engaged in a staring contest, neither backing down.
Even as the meat on the table disappeared into Luna and Estia's hands, the two didn't break eye contact or touch their forks.
If I didn't intervene, they'd probably stay like that until I finished washing the dishes.
"Both of you, stop now and eat first. You need to eat to recover from your injuries."
"...Yes, Mister. I'll eat."
"Mister is right. You need to eat to heal wounds. I'm not looking away of my own will. I'm just following Mister's orders."
"...Same here. Be quiet."
Two people with soft voices and gentle tones.
However, within that quietness, they were hiding blades, pointing them at each other.
They seemed to have wounded pride from the duel that ended in a draw.
*They're making a fuss over trivial things, trying to settle things somehow...*
Even now.
They were fighting with their forks over the bigger piece of meat, watching each other.
"...I stabbed it with my fork first."
"Oh my, lying is quite a habit for you. I stabbed it first."
"...Give it here."
Clatter— Clatter—
Hare and Saten pulled the meat they'd stabbed with their forks toward themselves.
The plate with the meat shook noisily on the table.
"How rude...! To cause such a scene at the dining table...!!"
"...Who started it. Let go of this quickly."
"If only I could use magic...! You'd already be on your knees...!"
"...Be quiet. Mister is watching, so let go quickly."
Nngh—
The two made a scene, engaging in a battle of nerves as if they'd never let go of the meat.
Luna and Estia looked at them with pitiful expressions and muttered.
"Geez, they don't even know how precious food is and they're playing around!"
"I know! We couldn't even see stuff like this at the orphanage! They must have it easy!"
"...Why are you like that again, Estia. Now I have nothing to say."
Luna, whose background was closest to normal.
She had no choice but to close her mouth at Estia's orphanage comment.
I quietly watched the two fight, then lifted the plate from the table.
Hare and Saten looked at me in surprise.
"Ah...! M-Mister...!"
"I was winning, what are you doing now, Mister?"
"...I need to decide your punishment quickly."
At this rate, they'll fight every time they meet.
I distributed the meat from the plate, two pieces each onto individual plates.
Hare and Saten still hadn't come to their senses.
"First, fill your stomachs. The punishment comes after. And if a situation like this happens again..."
Bang—!!
I slammed the meat plate down hard on the table and shouted.
"Then I'll give you the punishment myself. Understood?"
"...Yes."
"Yes, I understand..."
Hare and Saten lowered their tails at the mention of punishment.
After that, they ate without saying a word.
Fortunately, they didn't fight again, so Luna and Estia could also enjoy their dinner.
*Is it scarier because they can't predict the punishment?*
As expected, they listen well.
I thought that as I looked at the clock with its ticking second hand.
The time for the punishment to be given to Hare and Saten after the meal was approaching.
Punishment.
An appropriate penalty given to someone who broke the rules.
It must never be too harsh or too lenient.
It should be strong enough for them to understand their mistake.
Unlike the mistakes I made in the early days of childcare.
This was my thinking about punishment that I'd gained from raising children for a long time.
Anyway.
"I trust you properly understand why I'm giving you a punishment. If you truly feel wronged, speak now."
Flash—
As if she'd been waiting for those words.
Saten raised her hand above her head.
"Saten, tell me. What feels unfair?"
"No, I'm not feeling wronged."
"Then why did you raise your hand?"
"You haven't told us yet. About the content of the punishment."
That's right.
I only told the children I'd give them a punishment if they broke the rules.
Without deciding what kind of punishment it would be.
Since it was a punishment created after Luna and Saten had a fistfight, Hare and Saten were the first to receive it.
I pulled out two chairs from the table and said.
"Before, I gave punishments in my own way depending on the situation. However, from now on, I plan to standardize it with this punishment."
"Mister, I have a question!"
What question could she have when I haven't even explained the content yet?
I nodded at Luna.
"...Yes, Luna. What's your question?"
"Then even if we don't fight but annoy Mister, or don't eat together. If we break rules like that, you'll give the same punishment?!"
"I'll give punishments while maintaining flexibility. And yes, it's the same punishment, but the content will be different."
I gestured to Hare and Saten toward the chairs I'd pulled out.
"Hare and Saten. You two sit in the chairs."
"...Y-yes."
"Yes, Mister."
Thump—
The two sat in the chairs without any suspicion.
Hare seemed quite nervous about the punishment, while Saten maintained an expressionless face.
Saten didn't seem particularly scared.
*Rather, she looks like she wants this time to end quickly...*
She wore a bored expression.
But for some reason, her gaze was directed at me.
I deliberately ignored Saten's passionate gaze, then grabbed their shoulders and said.
"So, about the rule you're curious about. First of all, it has nothing to do with me."
"Huh? Mister is giving the punishment, so why isn't it related!"
"I'm the one giving the punishment, but I'm not the one deciding its content."
"Oh, ohhh!!"
Is she interested in this?
Estia, who had been spacing out quietly.
Did she predict what I was going to say?
She showed expectant eyes, shining her golden eyes like stars.
And I decided to meet those expectations.
"The punishment will be decided among the Hero Party members. Right now, Hare and Saten did wrong. So Luna and Estia can decide the punishment. Think about giving an appropriate punishment yourselves so the party can be maintained."
"Me, me! I want to give the punishment!!"
Estia raised her hand, seemingly interested in the punishment.
I gave Estia a look as if to tell her to go ahead.
"Me! I want to give Saten a punishment!"
"...Me, is it. Go ahead and try."
"You, Saten, who disrespected religion! You need to taste the flavor of the Goddess's Church!"
Estia slowly approached Saten.
Then, gathering divine power in her hand toward Saten's mouth...
"No, that won't do."
"Why! Oppa told me to give a punishment!"
"That's a drug that drives people crazy."
"Oppa! Are you blaspheming the Goddess right now?! The Saint can't tolerate this!"
"...I'm the Goddess's Apostle, Estia. Put your hand down for now."
"Tsk."
Estia put her hand in her pocket as if disappointed.
It felt like a swordsman finishing a quick-draw technique.
"...Try to make punishments that don't leave lingering resentment. They shouldn't be too strong, and you should consider each other."
"You, don't do this again! Like that?"
"Exactly, Luna."
Luna, who unlike usual, was using her head and belonged among the model students.
I wish she'd use her head like this normally too, but that would be my greed.
That Luna approached Hare, saying she'd give the punishment this time.
"For the party to be peaceful! You can't fight each other! Right, Hare?"
"...Right. But I had no choice but to fight. You know that too, Luna."
"Mm-hmm... That's true."
Luna nodded as if agreeing with Hare's words.
"But still! You can't fight each other! Next time, absolutely don't fight! Got it!?"
"Ahhh—!!"
Thwack—!
Luna flicked Hare's forehead.
Hare's white forehead quickly turned red, becoming as red as an Indian person.
Hare quickly covered her face, seemingly embarrassed to have her forehead hit in front of me.
"M-Mister...! Wh-where are you looking...!! P-please don't look at me...!!"
"...Alright, I understand."
Is it because of puberty?
She's quite concerned about her appearance.
I shifted my gaze to Saten.
Seeing Luna standing in front of Saten, it seemed Luna would give all the punishments.
"Estia! I'm doing this one too?! No complaints!?"
"Hurry up and make Saten drink holy water! This is a punishment!"
"...No complaints then! Got it!"
Luna nodded to Estia and stood in front of Saten.
And this time too, just like with Hare, a forehead flick...
"Forehead flick!"
"Kyaah—!!"
Thwack—
With a sound, Saten fell backward along with her chair.
Her eyes were wide open from the unexpected shock.
*Anyone can see there was some emotion behind that one...?*
Both made the same mistake.
But does Luna think Saten was more at fault than Hare?
If she thinks that way, Luna's action just now has sufficient persuasiveness.
*I'm still uneasy about giving the Hero Party the authority over punishments...*
When I'm not here.
The Hero Party won't lose their way.
Since the punishment was over and it was late, I sent the children back to their rooms.
Surely Hare and Saten won't fight for a while.
*They just got hit by Luna, so their pride must be hurt.*
If they think they could get hit by Estia too next time they break a rule, they'll never think of breaking it.
I made that assumption and entered my room, sitting at my desk.
Then, I wrote on paper for that day that would gradually approach.
"Even after fighting and receiving punishment... if their relationship worsened... give Luna food as a gift... Hare holds grudges so quickly improve her mood... and it's better to give Saten time alone..."
Right, this would be good.
"When they can't find their way, ask Hare for help... don't ignore what others cherish..."
Well, to prepare for when I'm not here, should I write things like this?
I recalled situations that might occur when I'm not here and wrote the answers on paper.
I don't know if the Hero Party will follow this.
But so I can give at least a handful of advice.
I recalled situations and wrote like that.
"I wonder if this will help..."
Perhaps this is my own way of lessening the guilt I feel about having to leave the children behind.