โLuria-chan, if Loa is a dragonโฆ I wonder if Mom would say itโs not okay to keep one after all?โ
Sara says anxiously.
โโฆThere is a possibility. We might have to pass it off as a winged lizard.โ
โDo you think we can pass it off?โ
โNot easy, thatโs for sure.โ
I, Sara, and Kuro are discussing how to get permission to keep Loa.
The problem is that my mom knows a lot about animals.
She reads โThe Encyclopedia of Strong Creatures,โ after all.
โHmm? Should we hide Loa, just in case?โ
โItโll be found out immediately.โ
โItโs pretty obvious.โ
While weโre talking, Loa alternates between rubbing its body against us, acting all affectionate.
Sara and Kuro are petting Loa as we continue the discussion.
โโฆNot all at once, butโฆ gradually?โ
โGradually?โ
โYeah. Gradually make Mom think it would be nice to keep a dragon.โ
If we lay the groundwork and make Mom think it would be nice to have a dragon, permission might be granted.
โWeโll need to subtly appeal to her, huh?โ
โGot it. Iโll do my best.โ
Sara nods firmly. I feel reassured.
โIt wonโt go that smoothly, you know.โ
Kuro says this with a tone of disbelief, but I ignore it. We wonโt know until we try.
If we fail, weโll just come up with a new plan then.
While being affectionate, Loa is now sucking on my finger.
โIs Loa hungry? But dragons donโt nurse because they hatch from eggs.โ
โThey donโt?โ
โYeah, creatures that hatch from eggs donโt usually nurse.โ
โWowโฆโ
Sara is impressed by the depth of my knowledge. I feel a little embarrassed.
โAnyway, we need to make sure Loa gets its food, right?โ
โYeah. Food is important.โ
โVery important. Loa-sama is still a baby.โ
Sara nods firmly again.
โWaah waah?โ
Hearing the word โfood,โ Daru wakes up.
Daru gets up, immediately huffing and puffing, and starts licking me.
โWait, wait.โ
โWoof?โ
โNot yet, we havenโt prepared food.โ
โPeep!โ
Daru whines, โWhy do you say such cruel things?โ as it snuggles up to me.
But Iโm not being mean.
After all, the food isnโt ready yet.
โI think breakfast should be ready when Jijo comes.โ
โPeep.โ
โWait until then.โ
I soothe Daru, patting its head.
โI can make Daru wait for food, butโฆ the real problem is Loaโs food.โ
โYam?โ
Loa, who had been sucking on my finger, tilts its head without releasing my finger.
โIf we hide Loa from Momโฆ we wonโt be able to take it to the dining roomโฆโ
โShould we secretly hide its food and bring it back?โ
โI tried something like that earlier and it was found out.โ
Saraโs suggestion is something I tried earlier and failed.
I hid snacks and brought them back to my room, but it was discovered right away.
โKuro, what does Loa eat?โ
โWellโฆ probably anything.โ
โReally? Sara, Loa will eat anything, apparently?โ
Itโs great that it will eat anything.
โYeahโฆ but Loa probably has likes and dislikes. I think?โ
โIndeedโฆ Sara-chan is right. Itโs lizard-like, so maybe it likes insects?โ
Lizards eat insects. Loa isnโt exactly a lizard, but itโs similar.
So, its food preferences might be like a lizardโs.
I pet Loa while thinking.
โBut catching insects is hard.โ
The larvae of rhinoceros beetles are underground. Itโs probably in the pupal stage now. Digging for them or asking Daru for help would be tough.
โCatching insects is difficult, but babies need to eat a lotโฆโ
โReally? Even though theyโre so small?โ
โYes. Even though theyโre small.โ
I remember when I was a baby, I drank milk from Marion and Mom about eight to ten times a day.
I remember being so hungry I couldnโt stand it.
When I was hungry in the middle of the night, I just endured it.
I could endure it because I had memories of it.
A normal baby would have cried because they couldnโt bear it.
Plus, I had Daru.
If I was hungry, Daru would sense it and go to call Marion.
I would apologize to Marion in my heart while drinking my fill of milk, as she sleepily gave it to me.
โI wish I could produce milk tooโฆโ
โBabies donโt produce milk.โ
โExactly.โ
Thereโs no use lamenting that we canโt produce milk.
Weโll have to think of another way.