The next morning, the rain was even heavier than the day before yesterday. It would be hard to fetch water in this condition.
　So we decided to give up fetching water.

It was a good thing I went yesterday.

　I thought to myself as I sat down on a chair in my living room. At this rate, there would be a lot of water in the reservoir. If that's the case, we can use it for our work, if not for drinking.
　I hear the sound of bolts being removed from the hallway. Someone must have woken up.

Oh, good morning, master.
Rike. Good morning.
It's unusual for you to be home at this hour.
I'm not going to fetch water today. That's why.
"Oh, I see.

　Rieko glanced out the window and nodded. The sound of the rain gave him a rough idea of what to expect, but it's hard to realize until you see it like this.
　I look out the window, too. It's not raining as hard as the torrential downpour of the previous world, but it's raining enough to make me think, "It's raining hard today.

Well, I'm going to the cabin.
Take care.

　I said to Rikke, and I cut up some of the dried meat that I had saved for Lucy and the others to eat today, and put it in my backpack. I also put some towels, a water bag filled with water, and two deep wooden plates on a wooden board.
　Finally, I covered my head with a thick cloth. It's not a great substitute for a poncho, but it's better than nothing.

　I walk towards the hut in the rain. The continuous rain has made my feet muddy and slightly unstable. I wonder if the soil in this forest is hard because it dries up from this state. I'll have to check again.
　I walked slowly, trying not to get knocked down, and took almost twice as long as usual (though it wasn't much time, since it was just around the corner) to reach the hut.

Krullrull.

　When I arrived at the hut, I was greeted by Krull. He licked me all over my face.

"Okay, okay, I'll wipe you down first.

　I lightly dampened one of the cloths I had brought with me with water from the water bag, and began to wipe Krull's body. The floor of the hut had been raised so that the water did not penetrate directly, but it was still moist from the continuous rain. I'll have to think of a new floor and a corridor to the hut before the rainy season starts next year.
　It will get dirty anyway, but Krull's feelings will be different if we don't clean it once a day.
　After I cleaned up Krull, I thought I'd start on Lucy.

"Wow. ......
"Woof!

　Lucy's tail was wagging happily, but her body was covered in mud. Krull exhales through his nose in disgust. Maybe she really is disgusted.
　She must have been running around in the rain yesterday, or she must have been romping around back at the cabin. Krull might have tried to stop him, but I'm not sure a wolf this young would listen to him.

　I sighed and beckoned Lucy to me. She approached me with her tail wagging.

"Just be patient.

　I said, and poured water from my water bag over Lucy to wash off the mud. This is quicker than wiping with a cloth. Lucy shakes her body to get rid of the water. I wiped her body with a dry cloth.

She's still small, but she'll be small when she grows up.

　As I wiped Lucy, I looked around the hut. There was still plenty of room for Lucy to run around and for Krull to lie down.
　But I'm not sure how big Lucy will be when she grows up. The wolf that seemed to be her mother was the size of a large dog, but there was a possibility that the demonized Lucy would be even larger, as big as a horse-sized Krull.
　If she gets that big, it'll be hard to take her to town.

　Despite my worries about the future, Lucy is running around the hut with her clean body. As I watched, I cut up a chunk of dried meat, placed it on a wooden board, and filled a wooden plate with the remaining water from my water bag.

I'm sorry, but you're going to have to stay here today. It's like this outside, so don't go out.
"Krull.
Whoa!

　Krull and Lucy responded to my words. I patted them both on the head and ran back to the house.