A week from then, I continue hunting rabbits for food, and after that kept hunting the flocks of rats earnestly.

I became able to hunt a rats' flock of some size now.

I can hunt about 50 to 60 rats without problems.

About 70 rats it's somehow manageable.

But, it's pretty tough when there are more than 80.

If I would be alone I would have been done first.

However, Pochi was there to help, so I was saved by that many times.

It was really good that Pochi was there.

But that Pochi, I felt that his head is somewhat better than before.

Even before, he often listened to what I said and took action at his own judgment, but recently he heard one and understand ten, he read the meaning of the instructions I issued and he moves so that my instructions are maximally effective.

Then, if he sees that my situation during the battle gets dangerous, he enters to help, and adjust it so that the number of enemies does not decrease too much.

One time, though I was still fighting, Pochi was looking at me from a remote place.

He was on alert to intervene if it became dangerous.

From this, it seems that Pochi knows that you gain power by defeating rats.

It seemed to be fighting by adjusting the number to defeat so not only Pochi strengthen himself but to make me, his owner, become strong.

So, he finished his quota quickly, then after that, he is watching me.

Really, isn't Pochi stronger than I am?

Or is it compatibility?

For Pochi is better to fight to an enemy that is weak and in flocks such as rats.

But, there is no image of me fighting Pochi and winning.

After being tossed out, it's easy to make the image of a bite on my throat but…

That's dangerous for my dignity as his owner.

Pochi and I had to divide the prey in half, but will that increase the amount that I beat a little.

As a ratio is 4:6, I'm 6.

Now, since I have already fought enough today, will I return to home?

I leave the dungeon ground.

Then, I got into a building when I left the dungeon.

You would think why into a building?

Actually, a government officer came during this week and built it to limit people entering the dungeon.

The building itself is like a prefab cabin, however, in fact, it was made more durable.

But, because for some reason it breaks if it's completely surrounded, only the doorway isn't closed.

Instead, an automatic ticket gate like the ticket gate of the train station is installed.

By this, it became possible to limit the people who entered.

In order to enter, it's structure that it will be able to pa.s.s by showing the Seeker card on the ticket gates.

The officials say that there's an IC chip put in the Seeker card and it seems that it can do this kind of thing.

Well, it took a little time and effort, but I was saved by it because the management of the dungeon became considerably easier with this.

As usual, I put the card and get out of here.

And, I approached home, but, somehow, the atmosphere was different from usual.

I don't know what is different but I understood something.

When I look at Pochi, I couldn't see him alerted.

Does that mean that there is no danger?

Or it isn't enough to be alarmed, either one.

For the time being, I enter the house.

"I'm home."

"Oh, you finally came home. I was waiting."

That said, mom came out.

"Did something happen?"

"A quarrel, a quarrel. The chickens are fighting and making noise."

"Eh, that's unusual. But, such a thing happens once in a while, isn't it? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"That's it, it's different from usual. You'll understand by seeing it"

That said, we went towards the chicken hut.

I don't know what it is, but I will follow along.

And, I was surprised to see it.

How the wire netting that surrounded the chicken hut was torn here and there.

"Wh-What's this!?"

"It's the result of the chickens’ quarrel"

"Haa!?"

What is the result of the quarrel of chickens?

It wouldn't be possible for the chickens to tear the wire netting.

What are you doing with that obvious lie?

I thought of such thing, but that wasn't a lie.

As I approached the chicken hut, the chickens were still raging.

One of them attacked, but it was dodge and hit the wire netting, and a hole was made.

"It's a lie, right!?"

The chickens kept quarreling without worrying about me.

Because I was surprised for a while, I just looked at the situation, but then I went back to me and decided to stop the quarrel.

"Oi, guys, stop it!"

I yell at the hut.

Then, the white and black silky fowls stopped moving.

Then, the other chickens also stopped moving.

And, the chickens divide between the white and black silky fowls.

In two a group of the white silky fowl and a group of the black silky fowl.

I enter into the hut and watch the chickens one on one.

I examined the state of the chickens, but I was relieved as they didn't seem to have a particularly big injury.

"Geez, I don't know why you get in a quarrel but do it in moderation."

I murmured such thing without thinking.

Then, as if to respond to it the white and black silky fowls came down like crying with a "kokee" without force.

Wha? These guys, do they understand my words?

No way. But, maybe.

"Listen, Haku, Koku, you are the bosses of this flock. Instead of quarreling, wouldn't it be better to stop?"

That said, they got even smaller and clucked.

"Understood? Don't quarrel if you understand, okay?"

""Koke!!""

"Yos.h.i.+, then, the talk is over. It's nice that there are no injuries."

That said, I stroke the chickens.

Then, the chickens pleased, rubbed my body.

Are~, did you guys like these?

I think that they didn't react so much even if I stroked before?

I briefly end the stroking and get out of the hut.

"Haku and Koku, I'm counting on you to take care of them."

""Koke–!!""

(TN: How didn’t he notice it? click to see how was his mother)

The white and black silky fowls clucked powerfully.

I was relieved to see that.

By the way, the white silky fowl is Haku and the black silky fowl is Koku.

If you ask why such names, I think that it can be guessed roughly but it comes from each color.

It's like white silky fowl is white → white (白) → Haku and black silky fowl is black → black (黒) → Koku.

"As one would expect, Taku-chan."

"That's why I'm telling you to stop saying that."

"Why not, because Taku-chan is Taku-chan."

She still keeps calling like when I was small, but it's unpleasant coming from mom.

"By the way, Taku-chan."

"What?"

"Tomorrow, accompany me to shopping."

"Huh? Why me? You should ask Tou-san." (TN: if you don’t know tou-san is dad)

"That's, no good because Tou-san has things to do."

I unintentionally clicked my tongue when I heard that.

"So, what would you buy?"

"Western-style clothes."

"Clothes~? Why such thing? Isn't it particularly torn or dirty, right?"

"That's right, but my body shape has changed a bit and the size of my clothes no longer fit"

"Size?"

"That's so! I don't know why but my body got thin and my clothes got oversized so I want to buy them again"

Saying so, I noticed for the first time.

Certainly, my mom's body has become slim.

A little ago mom was a typical middle-aged plump aunty, but it looks youthful with a standard body shape.

The age of mom should be in her late 50s, but I rapidly take a look and she looks in her early 40s.

In some cases, she seems to be in her thirties.

I think that is weird but since she is pleased to be thinner, so, it's okay.

"Understood. I'm fine in the morning."

"Yeah, that's fine."

That said, she went back in a good mood.

I returned a bit later.

Then, when I look at the situation of the whole family, surprisingly there was a change in everyone.

The whole family has rejuvenated.

Grandpa and grandma are over eighty and they look like 60s, and dad was supposed to be over 60 but he looks only in the late 40s.

Why I didn't notice it! There might be some guys who wouldn't, you know!!

I realized that they are rejuvenating soon after eating.

But, that's not it.

Perhaps, I think they're rejuvenating slowly and gradually.

For example, you rejuvenate as much as 1 or 2 years over the course of a day, will you notice the change?

It seems that the tone of the skins got better a little on the next day, or does it seem to be only that degree of change?

The result of such slow change continued every day led to a total rejuvenation of 10 to 15 years old.

Wouldn't you miss such a little change?

That's why I say.

You know!

So, for that change, there is only one possible cause.

Monster meat.

I can't think of others.

By the way, news about people that eat monster meat and rejuvenate was flowing.

However, as there are few people eating monster meat, it seems like it said that there is no proof whether there is an anti-aging by eating monster meat.

Because I wasn't interested, I was hearing it, but if this is true I feel that the value of monster meat is likely to rise.

Yu-p, what to do?

Am I going to be silent like this?

I feel like talking to mom and grandma.

Then, don't I have to say it?

The proof of rejuvenation? Let's leave it for now.

More importantly, why were the chickens able to break the wire netting?

I guess eating monster meat is also the possible cause.

I aimed to improve the eggs by adding monster meat to the feed that we were giving until now, but, it seems that other effects have appeared.

Perhaps this is also what happened to mom and everybody?

There is the possibility that the getting of power is higher than before.

Then, it's crazy.

If so, eating monster meat means that we can get power as well as rejuvenate.

The anti-aging effect doesn't matter, but it's important that the power goes up.

Despite this, I can't see news about it flowing.

Why is that?

Let's think about it.

First, when examining the distribution of monster meat, it isn't distributed as much as I thought.

Whether it is dealt by the best high-cla.s.s restaurants or it's bought by the hobby of a rich man.

It's almost not flowing to the general public.

When examining the reason, there are doubts about its disgusting flavor or safety, but the best reason that it's listed is that is expensive.

Surely, it's cheaper to buy normal meat than bother buying monster meat and you can buy quant.i.ty.

Do you hold back when it comes to buying monster meat?

If you want to buy, something special, you buy it as a reward, or so?

Then, it doesn't have much intake and it won't be taken in large quant.i.ties in a short time.

So what if you don't know the effect of eating monster meat?

This may be a major discovery.

It might be okay to talk to the government officer tomorrow.

Perhaps, there may be other effects by eating monster meat.

TN: Sorry, I forgot a ill.u.s.tration in the last chapter, you can see it (sorry for the poor quality)