However, if one fell into deep despair, the magic power that had been unconsciously suppressed could burst out all at once.

Uncontrolled magic power could even harm the user’s own body and run rampant, threatening to consume everything around it.

The greater the magic power, the more dangerous it became.

Normally, one would learn how to control it from a young age, but Cari had not.

"It may not be my place to say this, but during what happened the other day, I sensed a bit of danger as well."

When Cari saw Qiong Xing get hurt, his magic power had apparently begun to stir.

That was why Fenrisúlfr had stayed cautious and hesitated to pull his fangs away from Qiong Xing.

"Most of the times that child gets angry or cries, it is because of me."

Cari rarely cried over his own problems.

It was always about Qiong Xing.

He would cry, asking him not to hate him, apologizing for not being able to do anything.

Even though Qiong Xing had never acted in a way that would suggest such things, perhaps it was because of what had happened when Cari was younger.

No matter how much he accepted Qiong Xing as his parent, the unease in his heart had not completely disappeared.

"That child is not truly yours, correct?"

"Even if we are not related by blood, he is my child. Just like Lian, Rui, and Yue, he is my child."

Fenrisúlfr said that if the child was not truly his, he could simply let go when the time came, but Qiong Xing would never do that.

Even if he had not carried him, even without sharing blood, Cari was his child.

The first child he had gained after coming to this place.

Their meeting may have been by chance, but to Qiong Xing, Cari had already become an irreplaceable and beloved child.

"Lian, you like Cari too, right?"

"I like Brother Cari! He likes to reads picture books to me."

When Qiong Xing could not be there, Cari would read picture books to his younger siblings in his place.

"He is my precious, beloved child. If that time ever comes, I will stop him myself. Though I pray it never happens."

It would be best if it never did, but there was no way of knowing what might trigger it.

For that reason, he thought he should gradually learn how to handle it from Albe.

"...I see. That is why your magic power is so clear."

"Fenrir, you are also an important member of the family."

When Qiong Xing hugged him tightly, Lian imitated him and hugged Fenrisúlfr as well.

While he was leisurely talking with Fenrisúlfr, Qiong Xing suddenly noticed Rui running toward him.

The small child was carrying a large fish with both hands, and as Qiong Xing watched nervously, worried he might trip, it happened just as expected.

Rui stumbled, and the fish flew into the air.

For a brief moment, Qiong Xing found himself oddly impressed, thinking it was a flying fish, but the fish did not lose momentum as it soared forward.

Smack!

It struck Qiong Xing square in the face, and the force made his neck jerk slightly.

"....."

Everyone who witnessed the moment froze in silence.

Only the fish that’s still alive flapped its fins desperately as if trying to escape.

"Waaah!"

In the sudden silence, Rui burst into loud tears, whether from the pain in his knees from falling or from thinking he would be scolded.

Joa and the others quickly snapped back to their senses and rushed to help him up.

Lian and Fenrisúlfr were also stunned by the fish suddenly sticking to Qiong Xing’s face, their mouths hanging open, but they hurriedly pulled it off.

"M-Mama?"

"Qiong Xing, are you hurt anywhere?"

To think that even Fenrisúlfr was worrying about him and being considerate.

"...Pfft... haha, hahahaha!"

The situation was so absurd, like something out of a comic or an anime, that Qiong Xing could not stop laughing.

As he held his stomach and laughed at how something like this could actually happen, the others, who had been worried just moments ago, were drawn in and began laughing as well.

"Hahaha, a fish... a fish to the face!"

"What was that? Seriously, stop, that was too funny."

"The fish flew, hahaha."

"Rui, how is your aim that good?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Qiong Xing accepted Rui who had been brought over while being carried by Joa, and gently patted his head as he continued crying.

"That was impressive, Rui. Even I did not expect a fish to come flying like that."

He reassured him with a smile, saying it was alright, but Rui only cried harder, apologizing through tears.

As if influenced by him, Yue also began to cry and clung to Qiong Xing.

"It is alright. I was just surprised by the fish. You brought it to show me, did you not?"

"I-it was Rui who caught it... f-for Mama... th-that is why... Rui..."

When he heard that Rui had been so happy about catching it that he wanted to show him, there was no way Qiong Xing could be angry.

"You caught a big fish. Now we can make something delicious. Thank you, Rui, Yue."

"Waaah!"

He gently patted their backs until they calmed down, and Lian treated Rui’s injured knee.

Joa and the others were still enthusiastically catching fish in place of the twins, so Qiong Xing left the twins with them, noticing they still looked eager to join.

"Your family is truly amusing."

"It really is. I never imagined a fish would come flying like that."

As he laughed together with Fenrisúlfr about how big the fish had been, Lian brought over the fish they had forgotten to retrieve.

"Can we make hot pot?"

"Yes. Rui worked hard, so we will make something delicious."

"Miso!"

Lian cheered happily, and Qiong Xing took the fish from her and put it into his bag.

At this rate, they could expect quite a good catch.