A Former Police Officer Who Died And Get A Second Life!-Chapter 52: Flower Crowns

If Qiong Xing who is their master and family said it was fine, then there would likely be no problem for them either.

Although it had been said almost absentmindedly, the thought that he could still spend time with Qiong Xing and the others made Joa feel he deserved a little praise for himself.

...

"Qiong Xing is just too cute!"

"Jeez, jeez! What is that person even?!"

The boy rolled on the floor, yelling "Oh no, oh no!"

It was the silver haired Lunios who is pounding the floor and exclaiming in frustration.

"The flower crown! Qiong Xing looks the best in it!"

"The way the petals fall with that smile... I just had to capture it in a photo."

As usual, the two gods had been peeking at Qiong Xing’s actions and when Qiong Xing dove into the flower field, their hearts simply melted at the sheer cuteness on display.

From an outsider’s perspective, he might have looked like wriggling caterpillars.

"Ah, my back hurts so much."

"My hands hurt!"

Even though they themselves had put Qiong Xing in that position, the sheer adorableness of Qiong Xing had nearly driven both of them to the brink of losing their composure.

"...Still, I hope he gains at least a little sense of danger thanks to this."

Left to his own devices, Qiong Xing would grab at anything unfamiliar, poisonous mushrooms or whatever else with gleeful abandon.

Those guys who are assigned to watch him tried to warn him, but they were too weak willed to stop him effectively.

In comparison, Joa, with his age and forest raised knowledge, could clearly reprimand when something was dangerous.

Lunios hoped that having such a reliable presence nearby would help Qiong Xing settle down a bit.

"I think that too, but... ah, still, I hate it. I don’t want Qiong Xing to get hurt~"

It had started again.

Annoying.

"I can hear you, you know!"

"I know, I told you already!"

Lunios’s tone seemed to worsen day by day, or so the god thought.

"Anyway, that stupid prince! Because of that idiot, we ended up meeting that beastman too. It’s all your fault for creating that idiot in the first place!"

"Well... that’s true. But, but, but it’s not like I made him stupid! He just... grew up stupid all on his own, it’s not like I made him that way!"

Indeed, when creating that world, necessary humans were made, but from there on, the lives of those humans were their own.

They decided their own paths.

From time to time, the god might grant words as a divine oracle, but those were trivial things.

Even if humans misinterpreted those words, the god could say nothing; correcting them was impossible.

In reality, he had created the beastmen simply because the idea seemed interesting, but he had never imagined that humans would treat them with such disdain.

Even though they were far superior to humans in many ways, humans regarded them as inferior and acted as if they themselves were gods, which left him utterly exasperated.

While the beastmen lived cautiously and timidly every day, humans, ugly in their greed and selfishness, deceived, stole from, and killed others without hesitation.

That behavior was utterly repulsive.

That said, being near Qiong Xing and feeling the kindness he emanated was soothing.

"That’s true. I also went too far in my words. But, in the end, it doesn’t change the fact that you created foolish humans, so it’s still your fault."

"No, it’s not me, it’s those idiots’ fault! Damn it! What am I supposed to do if they make Qiong Xing dislike me too, those idiots!"

A classic case of reaping what one sows.

The foolish crouched figure was left to stew in his own anger while Solinus pulled out a camera from somewhere.

Click, click, click.

The sound of the shutter filled the air as he snapped photo after photo of the three of them wearing their flower crowns.

Mainly, Qiong Xing was the focus.

Occasionally, he captured smiles exchanged with Cari and Joa.

The way he pressed the shutter without hesitation was like that of a professional photographer.

"...I want a photo too."

"Then do your work properly."

"Yes."

Lunios had no choice but to nod at Solinus’s words, acknowledging that if he worked properly, there was no reason not to grant him a photo.

...

"I’m back."

"I’m back, Papa."

The moment they returned to the hideout, Leander and Elias, as if they had come from nowhere, ran over and clung to Qiong Xing with full force.

"Did you manage to help properly?"

"I did!"

"I dit it!"

No need to be so forceful. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

He patted their heads and telling them that they had done well.

"See, now that I’m back, there must be something you want to say, right?"

"Welcome back!"

"W-Welcome back."

Leander said it energetically, while Elias who is a little embarrassed said it quietly.

After reporting the day’s accomplishments to each other, they headed to the dining hall, where Fei and Ato were waiting and burst into laughter upon seeing Joa.

"Oh, you forgot to take off the flower crown."

"Oh, my head... haha, haha, ahahaha!"

"W-Wait, what... how can you, hah, no, this is too funny. Ahahaha!"

"......."

Joa silently removed the flower crown and handed over the basket filled with wild raspberries.

He then left the dining hall without a word.

"We made it together. Isn’t it cute?"

While Cari showing it to Leander and the others, he also let Fei and the rest see him wearing the flower crown.

Even while laughing, Fei and the others praised Cari with repeated "so cute" comments, and Cari looked perfectly satisfied.

"Ah, that was something to see. Your head like that... haha, no, just remembering it makes me laugh, ahahaha!"

"Well, I suppose you were just that excited. As long as it was fun, that’s what matters."

Fei teased Ato, who was still laughing, telling him to calm down, but his own lips were trembling, giving his words little authority.