Dad Came Back from a Deserted Island Chapter 18

“Whoa!”

[Didn’t I say you were noisy?! You pink-haired little brat. Didn’t anyone teach you not to bother someone while they’re sleeping?]

“I-I’m sorry for waking you up… But I really wanted to talk to you—”

[Kids these days… Huh? You understood me?]

“Yep! Isn’t it amazing?”

The cat, whose already large eyes had grown even wider, opened its mouth as if to say something before suddenly springing to its feet.

[How can a human… Divine Beastship!]

Kiki had emerged from behind Vivian, sauntering over leisurely.

Despite being much larger than Kiki, the cat suddenly behaved like a new recruit who had just enlisted and was terrified of making a mistake.

[Yaaawn. This child is the human entrusted with the duty of serving me. Therefore, I have bestowed a portion of my powers upon her.]

[Ah! I heard that you were staying in this house, but I didn’t know this little one had been given such an important duty.]

“Why did the way it talks suddenly change?”

Hearing Vivian’s comment, the cat awkwardly yawned.

Then it slowly approached and rubbed its body against Vivian’s calf as though they were old friends.

[You’ve had a hard time, little one, but look at you now. You’ve even been given the precious duty of serving His Divine Beastship.]

“Huh? What did I do?”

[The family living in this house used to mistreat you and wouldn’t even give you enough food, didn’t they? All the animals in this village know about it. Humans really are awful. Instead of taking care of a little one, they bully her.]

Oh, my.

Vivian was being comforted by a cat!

“You, you guys… You all knew?”

[Hmph. Of course. We may not be able to speak human language, but that doesn’t mean we’re stupid.]

“Na-biiii!”

With the tip of her nose tingling, Vivian hugged the cat that was meowing at her feet.

The plump cat’s soft, warm body was almost too big to fit comfortably in Vivian’s arms.

The happy sensation naturally brought a smile to her face.

But Kiki was making an even bigger fuss than the cat being hugged.

[W-W-W-What are you doing, Vivian?! How dare you hug another animal instead of me!]

[Hyaaaak!]

The cat twisted free from Vivian’s arms like a gymnast, its fur standing on end as it hurriedly defended itself.

[It’s a misunderstanding, Divine Beastship! I-I would never dare covet your human!]

Kiki scrambled onto Vivian’s head as if claiming its territory.

[I’ll let it go this time! Be more careful next time!]

[Y-Yes, yes! Thank you, Divine Beastship!]

Afraid the situation might somehow turn against it, the cat hurriedly fled without even glancing back at its sunny resting spot.

Vivian watched its plump little backside disappear into the distance and pouted regretfully.

“Kiki chased the cat away.”

[Vivian! How could you cherish another animal instead of me?!]

“When did I say I only liked you?”

Kiki looked as though the world had collapsed. It staggered as if overcome by dizziness and nearly fell from Vivian’s head.

[How could you?! How could you?!]

“But cats are cute.”

Vivian couldn’t resist teasing Kiki when it kept repeating the same words like a broken clock, so she delivered the final blow.

[…]

Kiki’s pride as a divine beast wouldn’t allow it to ask whether that meant it wasn’t cute, either. With eyes that looked ready to cry, it climbed down from Vivian’s head and scrambled up another tree.

“Ah. Kiki! Pfft, hehe.”

For some reason, Vivian couldn’t hold back her laughter.

Still, she couldn’t just leave Kiki sulking like that.

“Kiki! I’m sorry! Come down!”

[Hmph!!]

“Oh, come on. I never said you weren’t cute!”

[Who are you? Why do you keep pretending we know each other?]

Kiki climbed onto a branch at the perfect height for Vivian to look up at and held its head high in protest.

Even though its large ears visibly twitched every time Vivian called out to it, it stubbornly pretended not to hear her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were this jealous.”

[When have I ever been jealous?! I, for one, have no such feelings!]

“I’ll never say another animal is cute in front of you!”

[Doesn’t that mean you’ll do it when I’m not around?]

Vivian used her ultimate weapon.

She clasped both hands together, looked up at Kiki, and turned her eyebrows into a pitiful arch.

At least, Jean always fell for this.

[Ugh…!]

Kiki groaned as it endured Vivian’s attack with those gentle, rabbit-like eyes.

It seemed absurd that it would resist this much, but apparently its pride still wouldn’t let it give in.

“Kiki, please come down now. Okay?”

A group of onlookers had been watching the entire spectacle between Vivian and Kiki.

[It’s His Divine Beastship! Wait, why is he up there?]

[Yeah. That human must have done something wrong.]

[The human did something wrong.]

[Definitely the human’s fault.]

Hearing the whispers of passing butterflies, ants, and other creatures, Vivian felt indignant.

‘I didn’t do anything wrong!’

 

***

 

Jean was sitting on the sofa in the sitting room, supposedly enjoying a leisurely afternoon tea.

Yet his leg was shaking uncontrollably.

The reason Jean—who would normally scold Vivian for shaking her leg because it was bad manners—was doing it himself was simple.

He still hadn’t heard any news that diamonds had been discovered at the Dohajyu Mine.

‘Did I fail this time? Well, there was no guarantee the animals had identified the diamonds correctly. There were several other mines with “Jyu” in their names, too.’

‘Then do I have to buy every mine with “Jyu” in its name?’

‘Do I even have enough spare money? Should I give up on the diamond mine and start another business while I still can?’

‘No. I still have plenty of jewels from the deserted island. It’s too early to give up—’

As if reflecting its owner’s anxiety, ripples spread across the surface of the teacup.

Two pairs of eyes were closely watching Jean’s anxious figure.

Their owners were—

Vivian and Kiki.

[Why are you just sitting there staring at your father? Shall I call him for you?]

“No! Shh, shhh.”

Vivian raised her index finger to her lips. Anyone could tell from how tense she looked that she was plotting something.

[What are you planning to do without telling your father? If you’re planning something dangerous…]

“I’m not!”

[Then why are you acting like this?]

“Tomorrow is Daddy’s birthday! But we still haven’t—”

Thud.

A dull sound came from behind them.

Startled, Vivian turned around and found Anne staring at her with her mouth hanging open. A laundry basket had rolled onto the floor by her feet, suggesting she had been on her way to hang up the laundry.

“Anne!”

“Y-Your birthday?”

“Shh! Daddy will hear us!”

“Gasp.”

Anne hurriedly covered her mouth, making the whole scene look like a comedy.

She bent nearly in half as she tiptoed over to Vivian, who was pressed against the window.

“Your birthday…? But why are you secretly watching him like this?”

“I don’t know what I should give Daddy as a present…”

“What did you usually give him?”

Vivian lowered her head.

“I’ve never given him anything…”

That was only natural. Vivian had been five years old when Jean left.

In fact, Jean hadn’t expected Vivian to give him a present this year either. What kind of adult would expect a little child to prepare a birthday present for them?

Just as Anne was about to reassure Vivian that it was perfectly fine not to give him anything, Vivian began fidgeting with her little fingers.

“When Daddy wasn’t here, Peter gave Uncle Ron and Aunt Mary presents for their birthdays, and they were really happy… I want to make Daddy that happy too…”

The “present” Peter had given them had been nothing more than a hastily drawn picture made on the day itself, but Ron and Mary, who adored their son, had been delighted all the same.

To Vivian, who had once watched their family gathered around a table filled with food for a birthday celebration, envying their happiness from afar, it had been an especially memorable sight.

Now that Jean had miraculously returned, she finally had a chance to make that dream come true.

The problem was that, caught up in everything that had happened, she had only remembered that it was Jean’s birthday the day before!

They were supposed to move soon, which meant tomorrow would be the last time Vivian could celebrate Daddy’s birthday in this house.

Vivian’s shoulders drooped, and seeing her so dejected made Anne’s heart ache.

Without even realizing it, Anne thumped her chest and declared loudly,

“Just leave it to me, My lady!”