Touya blinked awake. He was out of bed without thinking about it too much. He was in the habit now of being responsible. Today was a little complex. He was trying to not think about that either. It might interfere with his responsibility to move forward that day.
He headed for the basement bathroom. It was nice that the newest arrivals were felinoid and not likely to need the bathrooms for showers. Oh, wait. He came full stop. Have they told anyone at the university about that?
Quietly he said, "Hahaue, are you up? I'm sorry to bother."
"Mm? It's okay, Touya," Purrcy answered back about as quietly.
"MeowLi needed to continue the purifications for a while after she came. The Gate of Time is so much higher than here is. Is the whole university going to need to know?"
Purrcy chuckled just a little. "No. Inari had the whole of the city dropping at the same time as it was having the time differential slow down. That would have been rather bad to have that many people wiped out across the world."
"Yes, it would have," Touya agreed rather fervently. "Okay. That's good, then."
"Thank you for your concern. And good morning," she said kindly.
"Good morning." He was a little embarrassed he'd interrupted her sleep and her morning, but that could have been rather bad.
Touya continued on down to the bathroom, and continued his interrupted train of thought. MeowLi's siblings wouldn't need the bathrooms for bathing, then, so they wouldn't add too much more to the crunch of the morning rush. Plus they could wait until after the first set who had to be out early were done, not being able to leave the guild hall for a while.
He sighed at himself as he prepared his bath. It might be better to get the worries out of the way. It was the third anniversary of the catastrophe. He knew a lot of people weren't happy they were still here. He still was glad to be here, honestly. He'd lost use of his legs in an accident. Before that, he'd played soccer and been very active. Still, he'd faced life as cheerfully as possible.
Coming here had given him his legs back, his activity back. It was hard to make the choice to give that up on his own this time. He knew Minori wouldn't stay. Pretty much all of Log Horizon wouldn't stay, except Nyanta and Purrcy, and they were very busy.
Underneath his day to day activities for the last while he'd been trying to decide what to do about that. He'd honestly be happy staying here and running the restaurant, even if Chef Hiroki went home, which wasn't a given. It's that in learning to be responsible at Grandpa's Kitchen, he was coming to understand that he still had responsibilities on Earth that he probably should also be returning to.
Touya leaned back to let the shower rinse him off. He sighed and just let the warm water run over him, trying to wash away the heavy thoughts. He didn't really need the increase of activities and requirements that having the university come brought with it.
He'd been hoping to have Minori come back to Grandpa's Kitchen more regularly again sooner than later. This was another postponement. It was nice they had another person helping in her stead, but she was still part of the management of it. She'd only been able to give minor office help since Shiroe had given her the greater responsibilities in Log Horizon.
He was worried that her schedule would be too much for her now. Not only was she now the acting guildmaster and strategist, she'd volunteered to be a tour guide, and she would need to help with Purrcy's children. He wouldn't be surprised if she wanted him to help with that, too.
MeowLi had taken almost all of Rudy's focus. Setsubou might not take much more, but the other two were as wild as Purrcy was when she first came to Log Horizon, taking all of Nyanta's focus and portions of Naotsugu and Tetorō's as well. Touya's face made a grimace. He didn't really want that job on top of his own.
Just working at Grandpa's Kitchen was a lot for someone like him, really. His free time for keeping in practice and having a little fun already took up what little time he wasn't at Grandpa's Kitchen. While he enjoyed working there and being independent enough to earn money, he was beginning to wonder if he was still a little young for having a full-time job.
Honestly, he really wanted to spend the last few hours of his time on Theldesia playing and adventuring. He'd be a real adult back home all too soon. School work would be just about as grueling, too.
Touya sighed again and turned off the shower. He didn't pay much attention to the motions of getting dry, nor the rest of his routine. He knew if Shiroe could get the two-way door, he could come back and play, but eventually he'd be back to being too busy like this, taking care of himself and a family. Then even that much wouldn't happen.
It was important to live in the present, making the most of "now". His accident had taught him that. It was important to face that instead of live with more regrets into the future. At the very least, he should probably bring it up so it didn't sit and fester. It already hadn't been getting better that way.
It would have to be today. Today Minori was going to hand out the newest assignments, and then he'd end up resentful and that wouldn't help anybody. He had enough of that already in him that he wasn't feeling quite so guilty this morning.
The kitchen light was on as he walked back up towards his room. MeowLi was up and maybe Nyanta with her, then. He only gave it that one glance on the way up the stairs. The rest of the house was quiet except the other early-riser showers going.
Touya closed the door to his room behind him and sat on his bed, leaning against the wall at the head of the bed, and opened a chat. "Chef Hiroki, have you got a minute?"
"Sure, Touya-kun. What can I do for you?" It sounded like he might be eating breakfast. That was an okay time, Touya supposed.
"I need to cut back on my hours. I know that's going to be hard, but with the coming of the university, Log Horizon's responsibilities have increased generally and they need me at home. I'd like to discuss with you what might be a workable balance, so I still come in some, but full time won't work any more. I'm sorry."
There was silence, then a sad sigh. "Is it going to affect Minori-chan's hours, too?" Hiroki asked.
"Probably. She's already at a minimum, so she may try to keep to at least that. I'll be talking to her in more detail later this morning. If I can, I'll see if she could add a few more cooking hours, but it's not likely to happen until next week at the earliest. I'm going to need time off starting today, sadly. If we'd known earlier, I would have given you earlier notice."
He would have already done it, given how he'd already been feeling, but guilt had kept his mouth closed this long. He might have to remember to open it sooner next time. Then they would have already had the pattern set properly instead of suddenly.
He waited patiently while Hiroki thought about it. Finally he said, "You know...we're very popular. I know that makes us very busy. It seems to me we might have a few options." Touya nodded. He'd thought of a few, but he'd let Hiroki go first.
"We could cut back our hours, first of all," Hiroki said. "We're already earning quite a lot. It wouldn't be hard on us to continue to earn enough with fewer hours. That might make our customers unhappy, though.
"The other thing we could do is put a notice on the board. Maybe if a few more people wanted to learn how to make it, having the competition of one more Chinese restaurant in town wouldn't be all bad. Particularly with the new university, if they like that kind of food, too."
"Yeah," Touya said, "that's kind of what I was thinking, too. We're keeping it quiet right now, but they doubled the size of the city. Even if only a small fraction like it we could easily double our business, and we already can hardly keep up with it. Having a branch in the Academy has helped with some of the load, and most of them will go there, but it's a small venue."
"Mm, that's true." Hiroki agreed. There was a pause as he likely ate another bite of breakfast. "I think we should sit down and do the numbers, but I'll go ahead and put a notice up on the board before opening that we're looking for more help. I'll let Minori's replacement know that if we get enough interest in chefs to help out, he can start looking for his own building to open up in."
"Okay," Touya agreed. "I'm not sure what my requirements are going to be for the next couple of days, but I'll put coming by to work the numbers with you on Minori and my to-do lists and let you know when we can come. Can you ask him if he'll come in more hours? I'll try to come the busiest times once I know my new schedule."
"Alright," Hiroki agreed.
"And... I think you should make it a priority to get a Person of the Land or more to come in and learn it, if we care to have it continue once we're gone. Maybe eventually some of the felinoids might want to be part of it, too." He wasn't too sure about this. A lot of Adventurer businesses were just going to go away when they got called up to begin the work for the World Tree.
"Well," Hiroki was just as hesitant as Touya was feeling, "I'll leave it open ended and we'll see. Can you come help open today?"
Touya shook his head slightly. "I'll contact you after the morning meeting to give you more details. If I can, I will, but I think it might be hard today."
"Okay. I'll call and see if he can come today."
Touya sat quietly on his bed after closing the chat. The weight already felt a little lighter, although since things were still up in the air he wasn't settled yet. It was enough that his stomach unclenched. He might be able to eat breakfast this morning. He'd been skipping it lately, focused on just getting in to work. He'd been attending the morning meetings by chat more often than in person.
When Minori knocked tentatively on his door and poked her head in, he smiled at her. It was a small smile, but a smile nonetheless. She was surprised to see him, but smiled back. "You ready?" she asked.
He rose to his feet and walked to the door. "Yeah. You won't like what I have to say, but I already know I don't want to hear what you have to say either, so it's all good."
She gave him such a look of consternated worry he could only laugh at her. "Like any of us want more work, or to give up responsibilities we promised to take care of?" She slumped and her face turned. "Yeah, my stomach's not been any better of late. That's what we'll talk about - how to make that better ...for both of us." He gave her a stern scolding look.
Minori looked back at him. Slowly her face set and her shoulders rose until she was properly firm again. At her promise nod, Touya put his hand gently on top of her head. "Sometimes it's okay to say 'no', Minori. It just helps to know how to say it in the right way so everyone can live with it."
He rather needed the hug she gave him out of her relief, and he held her until she was ready to face their day.
-:-:-:-:-
Naotsugu took hold of Marielle's upper arm, waiting for her eyes to lock onto his. He just looked at her for a bit. Her eyes went from curious to a little concerned to calm to match his sober. He waited one more moment, but she didn't go to panic or look away. "All right. You've got this, Marie. You know it means I need to be back over there until things are settled again." She gave a courageous nod.
"I'll be here for nights, but it needs to be early breakfasts for us so I can be over there by the time they transition, and I'd rather be on the couch by my morning time if I can be. It's particularly important today and tomorrow. Once Shiroe's home it won't matter quite so much. That much will also give me a feel for how much I'll be needed."
Marielle firmed up with a slight breath. "I know. We'll be okay. Henrietta, Souji-kun, Nazuna, and I are enough. It's a larger boss than we've had deal with until now, but we've got an army willing to help and we've broken it down into manageable bites for now.
"I promise to call you all in as emergency back up if it looks like things are going to explode, but otherwise, I know. You all need to handle what's come home and the top level things."
Naotsugu kissed her. "Thank you. I'll let Minori know, too. She's going to explode otherwise."
Marielle wrinkled her nose. "No. She needs to focus. We've got enough extra volunteers. Please don't let her overwork. We'll be fine."
"Yes, you will be," Naotsugu took her in a hug. "I love you. You're so strong. This is what you were made for. Carry it with grace today. Ignore Henrietta's barbs. She's just stressed out, but neither of you need to be. They want to have the transition go as nice as we do."
Marielle took a deep breath, squeezed him, then pushed him away and smiled at him. "Get going. Tell them welcome home from us, and we're looking forward to our hugs when we can all get together to get them."
"Will do," he said with a smile. On his way past Henrietta in the hallway, he rubbed her on the head, making her glare at him, then stare after him. "Walk it calmly, Henrietta. You've both got this," he remonstrated her.
He got a muttered, "Right," to his back, but he only smiled. She'd remember to keep it calmer, now.
He was in Log Horizon's door a little before his usual couch entrance. He could hear the sounds up and down the building that said people were moving, getting their days going. He walked to the kitchen and popped his head in, then smiled. "Good morning."
Two pairs of green eyes turned his way. "Good meowrning, Meowtsugu," Nyanta said as calm as ever.
Naotsugu leaned against the doorframe. "It's really obvious with the two of you standing next to each other that you're related. Particularly when it's in the kitchen," his eyes sparkled with his tease.
MeowLi blushed and Nyanta's whiskers turned up in a smile. "Will mew be eating with us this meowrning?" Nyanta asked as he turned back to his pan on the stove.
"I can always eat again, you know that," Naotsugu said, not really willing to give up a Nyanta meal when it was his first one back that he could eat.
"So one extra helping instead of two, then," Nyanta teased him back.
"Sure," Naotsugu agreed. He watched them working for a bit, then turned for the living room. People would be coming down soon. "It's good to see you happy and relaxed, old man." He was sure he only got a flick of an ear or tail, but he was already on the move.
Still, in his ear he heard, "Thank mew for taking good care of me."
"My pleasure," he answered back. To have Nyanta be able to be himself again was reward enough for those hard weeks back then.
Naotsugu knew the new patterns. Touya and Minori didn't go into the kitchen until late now, just in time to get dishes stacked in piles on the table in the kitchen. Everyone ate more buffet style now, what with most of the residents being students who just as often ate standing in the kitchen as sitting at the common room table. The regulars would be served out here today, though, he was quite sure.
Purrcy joined him first, staying felinoid, but still sitting next to him on Tetorō's side. It was warm company and her light purr was as comfortable for him as his own strength was for her. Tetorō joined them, on the other side of Purrcy. She held his hand and continued to purr and that was enough for all three that morning until Tetorō was settled enough to need motion.
Naotsugu was surprised when she continued to hold Tetorō down. Instead of letting him get into physical motion she put him into mental motion. "Shall we have them join us for breakfast, or let Minori call them to come after the morning meeting?"
Tetorō tipped his head, then gave a smile. "Actually, they'd appreciate the invite to see you before we have to get to work, I'd think. We could just segue into that meeting, but let Minori break free so she doesn't have to get caught up in it." At Purrcy's nod, Tetorō was on a chat, inviting Rieze and Crusty to head over right then.
"Two more for formal breakfast, Chief," Naotsugu calmly let Nyanta know by chat.
"Mm," he got back and heard it passed on in the kitchen to MeowLi.
Feet were coming down the stairs now. Naotsugu paid attention to those while Purrcy continued to keep Tetorō's mind busy.
"Hey Kouhai, Minori-chan," he welcomed Touya and Minori to the main floor.
"Hey, Onshi," Touya answered calmly. That was better than it had been. He'd made some grown-up decisions then. Naotsugu was looking forward to hearing what they were.
"Good morning, Naotsugu," Minori said. She sounded just a little less stressed, too. Touya must have already told her something to help, then. Naotsugu gave a satisfied nod. Touya relaxed just a little bit more as they moved on to the kitchen. MeowLi gave them the count of those who would be eating in the main room and those likely in the kitchen, since that was going to be different today, and the dishes were clinking soon after.
Naotsugu continued to greet each person as they came down the stairs, sometimes several at a time. The first three were always headed out quickly, eating fast in the kitchen then out the door. They greeted MeowLi as usual, and Nyanta with respect, not really knowing him. They were grateful for their meals when they left, too. Not that they weren't usually, it was just done with a little more care this time. He nodded to them on their way out.
Akatsuki not arriving for her and Shiroe's before-breakfast meeting was a bit of a hole, but it had been most of this week. That would be filled again in a few more days. Rudy was down with the next set, having gotten into the habit of being up a little earlier because of MeowLi's teaching schedule. Most of them headed for the kitchen, but he paused, then turned for his chair at the main table.
"Good morning," Rudy said, looking at Purrcy.
She smiled at him. "Good morning, Lord Rudy. Thank you very much for your careful concern for MeowLi. I'm grateful I was able to leave her in your kind and capable hands."
Rudy nodded and sat down. "I think she needs more time with People of the Land. Even though the university has come, I hope she'll still take time for it."
He lowered his voice and said his concern. "When she faces me, she's polite and has learned to relax some, but she hasn't unlearned the pride when she faces them yet. She'll barely talk to Princess Raynessia when we all get together. She listens to Prince Iselius as politely as she listens to me, but won't initiate conversations, and she ignores Neville."
Purrcy understood. "I've seen it as well. I brought it up yesterday afternoon when we gave all four of them their initial requirements. That's one they know, her included. We'll talk to you in more detail on what you would suggest would be some training options. You'll want to be in the morning meeting, I think. There are other things that will come out."
Rudy gave a satisfied nod and sat back to relax in his chair.
"Are you going to call Shiroe and Akatsuki in on it?" Tetorō asked Purrcy.
She waved her tail in thought, then answered correctly, "We'll let Minori decide that." Naotsugu firmly backed that up. The person in charge needed to be the person in charge, unless they delegated. Tetorō accepted that answer.
Purrcy's ear twitched and she rose to her feet. Naotsugu watched her, but she headed for her bedroom, not the front door, so he stayed put. Touya and Minori walked out of the kitchen as Purrcy walked into her bedroom. Enough plates went down on the table to include the three newest to the house, plus the guests that would be arriving soon.
He could see making the kids learn the patterns right away. They could nap during the day if they were still jet lagged. It would only be boring for them. Which was why he was there for the day. Someone needed to house sit and babysit - once the meetings were over. He'd be sitting both of those.
-:-:-:-:-
The door to Shiroe's room closed behind the last of the people participating in that morning's meeting. MeowLi sighed to herself. Only she and her siblings were left in the common room, now cleaned up from breakfast and quiet with only four left in the guild hall at all other than that group.
Her siblings were displaying signs of unease, glancing at her and between themselves. "You remember I told you that I'm rather low in the guild?" They remembered, and weren't too happy about it, in their own ways.
"So, to start with: Miru, go to the door and see if you can walk out to go play for the hour and a half they'll be in there, most likely since they invited Guildmaster Crusty and his second here in person instead of by chat."
Miru had looked like she was insane until she got to how long it was going to be. He blinked at her in some shock, then quite agreed and went ahead and did what he was going to end up doing anyway. He tried the handle, then tried it again. He turned to look questions at her.
MeowLi waved him back to his seat. "None of us can get out. I'm going to assume they've locked me in again, too. Hahaue's unhappy with the slowness of my own lessons, since I don't really want to deal with People of the Land. They're as more often than not as hard to deal with as the children of the priests and priestesses, if they're noble.
"We're already trained to not pay much attention to the staff, and I don't need to relive the pain of school all over again." She didn't keep her own unhappy out of her ears or tail. Her siblings were more in the middle. Some could deal and some didn't. They knew her.
"The windows or patios?" Miru pleaded.
MeowLi shook her head. "When they lock people in or out you can't leave the building nor enter it at all, from anywhere, unless a member of Log Horizon is going through the door with you. I thought you'd like to get used to it from the start, although I suppose I could have let you entertain yourself trying."
She was a bit morose about it. She hadn't liked learning it her first time either. Miru probably would have wanted to entertain himself that way, but it would have gotten him into trouble.
"I'll answer questions while we wait," she offered as their alternative.
"Are you left out of every morning meeting?" Meiki was a bit incensed, liking to be part of things.
"Not all of them, but I'm only invited to ones I need to hear or have input to. If I've been invited, it's often for just a portion of the meeting, not the whole thing."
"Don't you feel left out?" Meiki demanded.
MeowLi shrugged. "Sometimes. Often they're short, like Hahaue and Chichiue's quick morning meetings over breakfast - everyone having their say for what their tasks for the day are and they're done. When they're like this, behind closed doors, that means there's more work to be done and I'd rather not have more of that."
She tipped her head. "I guess there were a few times where I needed to say things, so they let me come so I could say them to everyone. So if one of us asked, we wouldn't necessarily be kept out."
She relaxed into a curl. "Akatsuki told me that the sub-guild called them the 'Officer's Meetings'. Most of them weren't officers either, so weren't part of them. They just got their orders passed down to them and they did them. That's sort of where I am, or where we are at the moment. It's a small guild, so they're mostly all officers."
Setsubou turned his head and flicked an ear. That was enough for him to calm down. They hadn't ever cared to sit in the meetings with their parents and the temple priests and priestesses either.
"When would we let them know we want to participate?" Meiki didn't let up.
"When you walk into the room for breakfast. Let Naotsugu, or Tetorō if he's not here, know. They'll pass it up."
"What about last night's meeting?" Meiki continued.
MeowLi shook her head. "I think that might have been called by someone other than Minori. Sometimes they have them and sometimes not, now that Lord Shiroe isn't here. When he's here, Lord Crusty always comes to them, and Lord Isaac. They seem to be related to much higher level things than just the day to day activities."
"Is it normal for the youngest to lead the morning one?" Setsubou finally asked his question.
MeowLi shook her head. "Minori's been doing it since Lord Shiroe was too busy, and now he's on vacation. She's his apprentice...although I think I've overheard them saying this is her journeyman work, now. When he's back, he'll be in charge again, I would expect."
That settled her siblings better, too. MeowLi sighed. She recognized that, having already lived it and been scolded for it herself. "Remember, Minori only looks youngest. She's Touya's twin, but she had to stop taking the growth potion before he did, so he looks older.
"Besides," her head turned, "I may be as old as Naotsugu or older, but you three are still all younger than any of them, and they've had adult responsibilities for several years now, where you're just starting out." She kept it a little cool to remind them where to put their pride in that matter.
Meiki hissed a little, Miru's ears went back in a fighting tilt, but Setsubou looked at her a little sadly. He was sad to have been left behind. She appreciated his concern, but it was what it was.
"Get it straight now. I was quite scolded for not understanding with one of the members of Crescent Moon League. From the beginning her avatar is years younger than she was originally, and she grew up just as much as the rest of them did coming here. You don't know anyone's history yet. Making assumptions like that one is dangerous."
She relented. "It is hard, though, to overcome the internal preconceived perceptions and beliefs. Thus why I'm not happy to have yet another set of lessons with the People of the Land." Her upset two siblings relented finally, moving on. They'd learn whatever lessons they needed to learn, because the world would make them learn it.
"They obviously didn't keep you locked up forever," Miru finally said. "What did you have to learn and how did they teach it to you?"
MeowLi chuckled a little. "It's not locking up in prison. It's keeping you safe from exploding. You remember what it was like to first walk outside. Without someone to walk it with you that knows and can answer your questions, it's a lot longer to learn and understand.
"There's two parts to the learning. One is understanding the new world we're in now. The other is understanding how to interact appropriately with those who already live in this world. Log Horizon cares that you learn it properly early, so you've learned as fast as you can deal with. They're careful to not overwhelm, too.
"The way they did it for me was to make opportunities in their busy days to be present to answer any questions I had, that I thought of. Touya and Minori taught me how to cook using the different kitchens here. We made it a game, where they would answer one of my questions, and then I'd answer one of theirs about the Gate of Time. We were able to discuss the differences then, but in ways that tied it into what I already knew.
"When I'd learned everything I could while being only here inside, they took me outside and let me experience what I felt ready to experience. They'd know, if you wanted to jump into something you weren't ready for. They're like Hahaue and Chichiue. If they knew it was too much for you, they'd warn you, then let you learn the hard lesson for yourself, and you'd have to back up and learn from where you really are ready for."
She turned her head away from Miru and Meiki. They didn't want to hear it or believe it. "Really, I think I learned it plenty fast. I had one experience where I wasn't with them and Guildmistress Marielle got too enthusiastic. I got to learn the hard way that time, and they made me stay out in that deeper immersion until I really couldn't take it any more. I had to stay inside for two days after that to sort it all out."
She shrugged. "Sure I was taken right back out to it after that. It took another four times before I could keep my head, but I'm sure I'd really have rather not done it backwards. I would have learned it in two to three days instead of seven."
"The other thing they do is assign one of the guild to be your guide and teacher. Rudy was mine, since he's both a Person of the Land and an Adventurer. He already understands the strange things Adventurers are and can do, and has the words to explain them. I don't think they'll assign all of you to him, and I'm sure I'll be expected to help, too. Likely that's one of the things they'll decide in today's meeting."
She blinked at them and they blinked back. "Do we get a say?" Meiki asked.
"In who's assigned to help you? Not likely," MeowLi answered. "I suspect Hahaue and Chichiue get a say, though. They know us, and they know them. You know what that means."
They did, and all looked glum about it. It meant they'd be partnered up with the Log Horizon member they'd get along with least, just so they would learn the hard way how to get along with them all.
MeowLi sighed. "Even so, they are all nice. If you can be patient enough, it isn't all bad. They'll let you escape to your room or the roof whenever you need time alone, and the rest of us are all here, now. When you need to just rest and not worry, you can sleep as cat on the couch with Naotsugu. He's warm, quiet company, and is willing to listen to complaints."
Her thoughts went far back into her past. "Like that guard at the Temple, actually." There were contented purrs in the room at that. He'd always been a good place to escape to.
"Does he have good stories, too?"
She smiled. "Of course. He's an Adventurer."
-:-:-:-:-
Minori sat down in her seat and sighed. She was almost too tired in the brain to even put together her thoughts in an organized and coherent way. It had helped to have Touya stay with her today to be present. It felt like he was concerned about her and wanted to make sure he had her back. That was nice after going-on-four-days of panic and worry.
When everyone was sitting down, eyes went to her. Touya shifted, and she looked at him, willing to let him go first, since he'd already told her he had things to say. Maybe if he did that first, her brain would kick back into gear properly.
Touya looked around the room. "I think it's obvious Minori's going to hand out new tasks for us to do, and three is a lot more than one when it comes to Purrcy-san's children." He was rather dry, but not willing to sugar coat anything today, Minori had already noticed. "I've already been struggling."
His admission was a little surprising, but Minori could only believe it. He'd been working a lot lately, and she'd been getting worried, but was too busy to do much to help. He sat back, folded his arms and frowned a little. "I want to play for the short time we're still going to be here, and not in the dungeon. I'm not sure I'm ready for that even." He sat in silence with his scowl for a bit.
Looking back up at the adults in the room, he said, "I'm really still at best a high school student in age, but I've been living like an adult. While that's been a good experience, and I decided it myself, I've pushed too hard given what's coming up. I want to go back to where I should be. I'll have to be an adult soon enough on Earth as it is."
The adults weren't commenting yet, in posture or voice. He continued, "So I contacted Chef Hiroki this morning and told him that I was sorry for the short notice, but I was needed here. I've asked him to find more help. I expect I'll go back after these first few days to help train up a few more chefs, and I'd like to continue to help him with management as long as he wants me to, but full-time won't work any more."
He turned to look at Minori. "I told him Minori might have a few hours to work in the kitchen in another week or two, but she hasn't been able to do more than office management work for the last several weeks, and that's been stressful enough. We do need to carve out an hour or two in the next few days to sit down with him and work the numbers so it's handled properly, but we're going to work out something different between us all as far as Grandpa's Kitchen goes.
"It will be a lot of that same sort of thinking now that you're all here," he looked Purrcy and Nyanta in the eyes. "I know we're all needed to help, but it has to fit in with not only what we're already responsible for, but what we want to do here at the end, before there isn't time to do any of it anymore." His words were said with firm, calm finality.
Naotsugu joined in, "Marie already understands. Everyone from Log Horizon who volunteered to tour guide has replacements. If you want to help when you have the time, energy, and think it would be fun, then they won't turn you away, but it's not on your plates as a requirement." His eyes were scolding Minori most of all.
She blinked at him, then rearranged her stress and worry about that particular issue. They'd taken it out of her hands. It was nice to just let them, in the end. In that case she didn't have to say "no", but it was nice to say it after the fact, too. She would find it fun - if everything was on an even keel and she wasn't stressed out. It could go on the shelf for now. She gave a nod to let him know she'd heard him.
"Thank you, Touya," she said to her brother. "I appreciate you understanding we need your help here at home for the next bit. I'll let you bring the common sense into this morning's meeting when we get off track." He gave her a promise nod. He'd watch that front for them.
Minori looked around the room. Rudy raised his hand a little. She gave him a nod. "I brought it up to Lady Purrcy. Miss MeowLi needs more time with People of the Land, and likely her siblings will as well. Lady Purrcy suggested I come today and offer some suggestions on potential learning experiences. When you get there."
Minori gave a nod. It was going to come up generally anyway. It would probably be good to take the time to have it be a little more specific, so it actually was properly addressed. When it looked like that was it, she took over.
"Shiroe-sempai called us in last night for a conference. While we all know that it complicates life to have Purrcy-san and Nyanta-san home, and even more all of their children with them, he's bringing an additional one with him that makes it almost unmanageable." Faces were concerned at that - from those who didn't know yet.
"Thank you for freeing us up from our obligation to Crescent Moon, Naotsugu," she said politely and with relief. "Having you be proactive is great, too, Touya." He blinked at her. She took a breath. "Isuzu's coming home to help too, because they're bringing Emiline and her mother, Lady Anna, with them."
Touya and Rudy sat back in glum understanding. Crusty and Rieze sat up and looked more interested. Minori filled those in who hadn't been in the meeting. "The Inari were willing to grant that Emiline and Meiki won't kill each other while they're here in the same house. They won't be allowed to remember that they knew each other before.
"Please don't remind them or let anything slip. They were ready to kill each other by the time Purrcy-san had us go into Minami. If they remember, the guild hall will be slag. From this point on, the test for those two is only what they've learned having different parents this round.
"Isuzu is already working with Emiline and will stay her point of contact. Rudy, we're going to leave MeowLi as yours, but have her help you with Setsubou. The two of them get along well enough and he's calm like she is.
"However, based on Tetorō's experience with them already, plus Isuzu's, Emiline is just as likely to push Setsubou over his explosion point faster than over MeowLi's. Emiline has no experience with anyone but her parents, and her father is one of the grumpiest, non-people persons there is among Adventurers of Yamato."
Crusty's eyes went big, and then his hand to his eyes. "Demikas...?"
"Is staying there to build their house. We won't have to deal with him until it's time to go to the World Tree," Minori said firmly. Both Crusty and Rieze slumped in relief for small favors. Tetorō also recovered with a small shiver. "I think you should warn Serera early this time, Naotsugu," Minori said firmly.
Naotsugu's eyes widened a little and he nodded. "I'll let her know at the same time as Marielle. Together we can work out something."
"It's probably best to not let Emiline know that particular past," Purrcy interrupted. "Demikas has changed quite a lot in the last fourteen years. Having children changes people. I'd appreciate it if as many as could would try to find some forgiveness and some room to learn those changes, so he can be the better person he's worked hard to become."
Purrcy smiled. "I admit, it often doesn't look like much better on the outside, but on the inside, he really has changed quite a lot."
Minori considered that, then had to nod. "Yeah, to have him sitting at the fire side without fighting with Shiroe-sempai, and even talking reasonably when he bothered was different." Crusty and Rieze blinked in a bit of surprise, particularly when Tetorō backed that up.
"Alright. I can handle that," Naotsugu said firmly.
Minori went back to her train of thought. "Touya, we'd like to have you take on Miru." She gave him a sympathetic look. "Please feel free to be as kindly impatient as you want to be. From Tetorō's initial assessment, he's a sneak thief who'll hate having you point out everything he's going to do that's bad before he does it. Hahaue and Chichiue have already given you permission to do so as often as he needs it."
Touya glared at her, then them. Minori kept going. "I'll take on Meiki for now, although she already has more energy than I do."
Touya kept glaring. "Then she would be better for me to take on, and Miru for you to take on. You don't let anyone get away with anything either."
Minori considered that, then turned to the parents. "Can we do things together with them?" she asked.
Eyes widened a bit at that. "Ah, purrobably not a good idea, actually," Nyanta admitted. "They get into far too much trouble together, and would twist even mew two in knots trying to keep up with them. We separate them every time we can to keep the chaos and destruction down as much as possible."
Minori and Touya slumped and looked at each other. "It was suggested that when she got to be too much for me, that I'd then turn her over to Naotsugu and Tetorō for taking out into the zones for thumping. She does have fighting practice."
Touya considered it. "Okay, I can see starting out the way you've already worked out, but I think we might want to consider taking turns trading them out. If he'll actually sit quietly for you on occasion then the both of you will be able to have down time that still includes learning time. I'd enjoy getting to go out and hit things with them. I've been missing it quite a lot. That wouldn't feel like work in comparison."
Minori relaxed. "Yeah, that would be nice."
"I can help with both," Tetorō said. "You know, like with MeowLi - the hidden heavy hitter," his sly smile was rather evil. Minori immediately agreed, taking him up on it. Tetorō was the best sneak against a sneak thief there was, and he could out-idol any diva that Meiki would care to call up. He could probably handle them together, even. She wouldn't forget.
"Crusty-san, we've asked you and Rieze-san to come handle Purrcy-san and Nyanta-san's needs," Minori got to the reason for inviting them. "You probably don't really need to sit in this meeting, other than to be in the know.
"When we're done with the details, we juniors will leave the rest of you to talk about how you're all going to handle Ains-san, while we go get started with the children's lessons. Purrcy thinks it's something you'll need to work out at the Round Table level, and we can't take the kids out of the house until we know he isn't going to do everything in his power to kill them."
Crusty and Rieze were both a little dejected at being handed that job, but they nodded, understanding. Minori took a moment to put all of the rocks together, then laid them out so they could work out the pathway to get them all taken care of.
I wanted to let all my kind readers know who wish to read ahead in the story, I'm now posting chapters early to my patrons - up to four weeks early! If you're eager to know ahead of time just what is going to happen, please go and visit my page and browse around: patr(e)on dot com slash JiryuRasen - without the parentheses around the "e" (FF censors certain words like that one, nor does it allow any links in text unless it points to their own web sites).
I hope as the Covid-19 plague continues to affect the world that all of you are safe, well, and learning how to be financially solvent. So many of us are going to wish we had money trees growing in our back yards - or hobgoblins the next zone over that dropped gold coins. I'm glad I already had a job at an "essential" business, however it was never enough to cover all the bills. The other income in the house has had no work coming in with the changes.
I do hope I can continue to write my chapters to finish out the World Tree arc. If they peter out, then I've had to join those who are adding more paying work hours to their schedule just to keep eating. Blessings on all of you and may we all make it through this stressful time.
