It's been two days since I caught a cold and I'm feeling better now that the fever is gone, but I'm still sweating and feeling sick.

I've made a sign to say it's in use this time, and I'll manage until I get the key. .... I'll be back.

I put a towel over my shoulders, and with my improvised hand towel-like bathing suit in hand, I walked up to the front of the bathhouse, and for some reason I heard a small splashing sound coming from inside.

What is it? I'm sure the men are hunting or patrolling or making things, and the women are hunting or doing something else... The children are not bathing alone. .... I don't know.

Gently put your hand on the door. ....

You're not ............ Victinias, are you? ...No, no, no, no, no. .......... No way.

You'll be able to feel your throat growl as you quietly put your hand on the door. ....


.............................. .............................. ............ Long silence.


"Yes?

That's when Masaru saw what he saw: ....

A fish is jumping and dying outside the bathtub... and on the other side of it are about ten fish that have been scalded to death by the hot spring water in the bathtub.

This is a fish in the river outside the city, right? Why is this place ......... so smelly?

The dead freshwater fish were heated in hot water, giving off a terrible smell.

I'm not sure what to do.

I'm not sure what to do.

What are you doing here?

What are you doing here? I'm keeping fish here!

What?

"The fish over there must be lonely, so I thought I'd give them a friend. ....

So... the fish here are May's?

Yes! Yes! Mr. Hite caught them for me!

You know what, Mei? These fish can't live in hot water. That's right.

The words startled May and she hurriedly looked into the tub.

You know, even a slight change in the temperature of the water can be very distressing for the fish. This water is very hot, isn't it? That's why they can't live. But!

But! But the fish over there...

"But the fish over there can only live in hot water. I'm sorry, I didn't teach him well enough. ....

"...Then these fishes are .... I'm sorry.

"Let's make a grave together and say we're sorry. Let's make a grave together.

"......... Yeah. Yeah.

So May and I made a grave for the fishes and cleaned the bathhouse well. The kindness of children is very nice and wonderful, but it requires the right knowledge and experience, and this time it was an accident.

...But this time, there was someone who clearly could not be allowed to continue.

"Hey, Hight, how was your hunt today?

"Great today! Look at this white deer! You can't catch one of these a year! This one's going to be the main course this evening!

Hight, the most skilled hunter in the rabbit tribe, is showing off the white deer he's carrying with a big smile on his face.

The chiefs are waiting for you over there. The chiefs are waiting for you over there. You'll be the star of the day, Hight!

The chiefs are waiting for you over there.

I have something important to tell you at the chief's place..." "Come on, kids! I need you all to carry the white deer to the cooking area!

And don't forget to evacuate the children.

"........................... ...What? What's everyone so angry about?

You'll find a lot of people who've been in the business for a long time, and you'll find a lot of people who've been in the business for a long time.

"Well, Hight... sit there. Sit down.

They pointed to a cobblestone floor. I sat down gently in a sitting position.

"Of course you have to sit on the floor!

The ladies called out to me. I had no choice but to sit down again.

"Didn't May ask you to catch some fish for her? May asked you to catch some fish for her. "What?

"What? Yeah, I caught some fish, didn't I?

What happened to it?

What? Did you make a fish friend?

"Buh! Wrong answer. The answer was May made a fish's grave while crying. ...

"...What?

"What?" Hight began to panic, his face changing color in disbelief.

"How can a river fish survive in hot spring water? Idiot!

What? What? I'm sure you've heard of it, but I'm not sure if you've seen it.

Seriously? .... Seriously?

The people around him began to buzz.

"......... Well, ......... what do you mean?

"Idiots! How can a hunter know so little about living things? What's in your head?

What's in your head!" Hurt, who didn't know what was going on, was furious, with blood vessels rising up in his head. I'm not going to go into the rest of the story because it's too long, but until the white deer was long gone by the time dinner was served, Hight was continuously berated by various people one after another.

Mei, looking unhappy in a corner of the reunion after dinner: ....



"How was it? Did you enjoy the white deer?

Oh, big guy... I don't remember much. I don't remember much.

I know you're depressed, but the fish and the white deer you ate at night are the same.

The same?

Yes, the same life that lived and existed in the same way. .... I'm sure you're not the only one who has a problem with this. He shared his life with me, May, and everyone else here so that we could live. Thank you?

"Thank you?

Yeah, I taught you to say "Itadakimasu" before you eat. It's a way of saying thank you for sharing your life with us. It means thank you for sharing your life with us. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

"So when you eat, don't forget to say, 'It's delicious. Don't forget to say thank you. Thank you.

I see, we're the same! Thank you, big guy!

Masaru was relieved when Mei smiled at him.