Chapter 175 I want to keep it
{TL: By Creed}
Since it was just the right time, we decided to head back to the inn.
I changed out of my swimsuit into casual clothes and shouldered my bag.
And as we were about to leave the beach...
"Woof!"
Aisha was still playing with the puppy.
Perhaps it was because the puppy had been helped, but Aisha was doting on it.
On the other hand, the puppy had also grown very attached to Aisha.
It was friendly and even smiled at us, but...
Its attitude toward Aisha was completely different.
A dog and a beastkin.
I guess they’re naturally compatible?
“Aisha, it’s time to return to the inn,” I called out.
“Um…”
Aisha hesitated reluctantly, taking a step back.
In response, the puppy stepped forward, its round eyes fixed on Aisha as it followed her like a loyal companion.
Aisha seemed struck by the puppy’s earnestness.
She picked it up, held it to her chest, and looked up at Sofia with pleading eyes.
“Mom… I want to keep this puppy.”
“Ugh…”
Sofia clutched her chest and staggered, overwhelmed by the unbearably adorable sight of her beloved daughter.
Yeah, I totally understood how she felt.
Even I almost fainted from how utterly cute Aisha was at that moment.
“You’re such a doting parent.”
That was Licorice, unfazed as usual.
“Ahem... Aisha, you can’t keep that puppy. Put it back where it came from,” Sofia said firmly.
“But…”
“I’m not against keeping animals, but we are fundamentally travelers. We don’t have a fixed place to live. Keeping a pet in such an environment would be extremely difficult. Not just for us, but for the puppy as well—it would be a harsh life for it.”
“That’s…”
“And most importantly, taking care of an animal is a serious responsibility. You’re taking care of a life. If something goes wrong, that life might be lost. It’s a huge responsibility.”
“Ugh…”
Sofia tried to reason with Aisha using logic.
But she had forgotten one thing.
Aisha was still a young child.
It’s hard for her to fully grasp such rational arguments.
“...Hey, Sofia,” I said after thinking for a moment.
“Why not let her keep the puppy?”
“Even you, Fate!? How could you suggest that?”
“Aisha would cherish the puppy, and the puppy seems really attached to her. Separating them feels cruel.”
“Honestly, Fate, you’re way too soft on Aisha!”
But honestly, I thought Sofia was just as soft on Aisha.
Even though I thought about it, I decided not to say it out loud.
“We are travelers, but dogs have a lot of stamina, and I think it can keep up just fine.”
“It’s still a puppy, though.”
“Even so, I think it has plenty of energy. It’s been playing with Aisha this whole time, and it still looks full of life.”
“That’s true, but…”
Aisha came back…
Despite having been playing nonstop until now, the puppy wasn’t even panting.
I didn’t recognize its breed, but it probably had exceptional stamina.
“There might be dangerous situations, but isn’t it our job to step up in those moments? Instead of making everything the child’s responsibility, shouldn’t the parents lend a hand?”
“Ugh…”
Taking the puppy on a journey could indeed be risky.
There is a significant responsibility in taking care of a living being.
But placing all that burden on a child would be irresponsible.
In fact, it would be impossible.
No matter how hard they try, a child cannot raise an animal completely on their own without any problems.
At some point, they’ll need the help of their parents or those around them.
“Sofia, I think you were just being strict to test Aisha’s resolve, weren’t you? But that’s not necessary. Aisha is a very dependable child.”
“…Sigh.”
After a moment, Sofia let out a long sigh.
She shook her head in an exasperated way and looked seriously at her daughter.
“Aisha, can you take proper care of this puppy?”
“I can!”
“No matter what happens, you absolutely won’t abandon it?”
“I won’t!”
“Will you love it with all your heart?”
“I will!”
Aisha answered every question instantly.
Her sincerity was crystal clear.
“…Well, I suppose there’s no helping it.”
“Then…”
“You can keep it.”
“Mom, thank you!”
Aisha beamed and leaped into Sofia’s arms.
She was so happy that her tail was wagging furiously, more than it ever had before.
“Thank you too, Dad.”
“I didn’t really do much. Sofia was going to let you keep the puppy as long as she understood how serious you were… I just gave her a little nudge.”
“Even so, thank you. Hehe, I’m so happy.”
Aisha smiled brightly.
That smile was unfair.
It was so adorable, I nearly passed out.
“You’re not just a doting parent; you’re an extreme doting parent.”
I thought I heard Licorice’s exasperated voice in the background.
TL Note: Extreme over doting?
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