Fisherman's Village.
Upon returning home, Hajrudin, who had endured for a long time, immediately reached out to pull Loki away: "Hey, hey, hey, Loki, don't cling to my mom's arms."
Loki said nothing, just pouted and lowered his head to avoid Ida's gaze.
His snake-like eyes were not meant to garner sympathy.
"It's okay, Loki. Hajrudin just can't accept it yet. From now on, he is your older brother, so feel free to rely on him."
Ida, overflowing with maternal instincts, patted Loki's back and comforted him gently. Then she turned to look at Hajrudin, her expression becoming serious:
"Hajrudin! Loki is just a newborn baby who has just suffered all this. As an older brother, you should give him love and care. How can you be like this!"
This contrasting attitude made Hajrudin's body stiffen, as if struck by a bolt from the blue.
Mom, Mom has been stolen!
At this moment, Loki turned his head in Ida's arms and curved his lips into a Nike swoosh at Hajrudin.
My foolish Onii-san!
Now, this is my mom!
Hajrudin hurriedly pointed at Loki and said, "Mom, he's faking it! Loki is pretending."
Ida lowered her head. Loki lay obediently on her shoulder, blinking his snake pupils.
"Hajrudin, this is the first time you've lied!!"
For the first time, Hajrudin experienced what it meant to suffer in silence: "Mom, it's true, believe me."
Loki smiled silently, then composed himself and tugged at Ida's arm.
"Loki? Are you asking me not to scold Hajrudin anymore?"
Loki nodded obediently.
"Oh my, what a cute and well-behaved child."
"Hajrudin, you can't be like this in the future!"
"Yes, Mom!"
"Let's go, Loki, Mom will take you for a bath!"
Hajrudin waited for Ida to turn back, glaring at Loki: (╬ಠ益ಠ)ｺﾞ
Loki responded with a smile, "Hehe~"
————————
Several days later.
Elbaf, West Village, on the lawn near the Lamb's House.
"Clang clang clang!"
Two blades clashed repeatedly until Hajrudin was sent flying with the greatsword in his hand, smashing onto the ground.
Raideen, a former member of the Giant Warrior Pirates with a small mustache, stopped his blade and questioned, "Hajrudin, is this your limit? Stand up!"
"Huff~" The exhausted Hajrudin panted heavily.
"Jiayou!"
In the distance, Loki, lying on a luxurious carpet, clenched his fist and waved, simultaneously spitting out a few indistinct words.
After several days of development, coupled with the experience of living a second life.
Loki could already pronounce simple sounds.
"Prince Loki is cheering for you, Hajrudin. Do you want to show this useless appearance in front of Loki? How will you protect Loki in the future like this?" Raideen's tone was subtle.
"Damn Loki, pretending to be a good child as soon as someone is around."
Hajrudin turned his head and glared fiercely at Loki, who was sunbathing. New strength surged from his exhausted body. He raised his sword and charged at Raideen.
Loki! He must defeat Loki fair and square and reclaim his mother's love.
"Jabababababa~ Since Prince Loki was born, Hajrudin has been more motivated in his training." Jorul, who had rushed over from afar, laughed and praised.
"Bojajajaja~ This is brotherhood, this is the bond! Just like us, and like Dorry and Broggy." Jarul beside him spoke with reminiscence.
Hundreds of years ago, he also shed sweat and blood on the sea with Jorul like this.
"That's right, it's truly moving!!!" Jorul burst into tears.
"Jorul!"
"Jarul!"
The two excited giant heroes hugged each other.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
Listening to the words of the two respected lords, and recalling the completely opposite interactions with Loki recently, Hajrudin, who was angry but couldn't speak out, gritted his teeth in hatred, his arm swinging the blade with even more power.
"Sure enough... no matter the age, anyone who is a pirate has to go crazy occasionally." Loki avoided this eye-stinging scene.
After a while.
Having composed himself, Jorul came to Loki's side. With a kind smile on his face, he said, "Prince Loki, we have already sent people to look for Harald. Before Harald left, he said he was going to Fish-Man Island."
Jarul added: "If nothing unexpected happens, Harald should receive the news after the Winter Solstice Festival ends, around February next year at the latest."
Loki couldn't help but feel disappointed, and inwardly complained: "This dad is also unreliable."
Getting the news next year, when will he come back?
Charlotte Linlin would have long finished her rampage by then.
How terrifying Charlotte Linlin's Eating Disorder is can be seen from Jorul and Jarul.
Harald, controlled by Im and suffering from schizophrenia, stabbed Jarul with a sword after being pierced by Jarul.
Jarul's helmet was shattered, and the blade was embedded directly into his brain.
Jarul, over three hundred years old, only suffered from dementia after sustaining such an injury, and didn't die, which shows the vitality of giants.
And Jorul, who tried to stop the rampaging Charlotte Linlin, had his weapon broken by a casual strike and was instantly killed by a backhand, suffering a heavy injury that couldn't be healed.
"What is the Winter Solstice Festival?"
Speak of the devil, and the devil appears.
Charlotte Linlin approached holding a piece of strawberry cake, her chubby face full of curiosity.
"The Winter Solstice Festival is the festival of the sun's death and resurrection." Mother Carmel, dressed as a nun and wearing a kind smile, appeared.
Jorul bent down with a smile and frightened Charlotte Linlin: "That's right, we will fast for seven days then, Linlin."
"What does fasting mean?"
Gerth beside her explained: "It means not eating anything, only drinking water."
"What?!!"
Charlotte Linlin's face instantly turned pale.
Not eating anything, so scary!
"Hahahaha, Linlin, I knew you would be afraid of this. It's okay, we will eat delicious Semla to replenish energy then." Gerth clutched her stomach and laughed.
"Delicious Semla?" Charlotte Linlin instantly regained her spirit, throwing her previous worries to the back of her mind.
"A very delicious, sweet pastry." While explaining, Gerth gestured: "The sweetness of marzipan, with cream sandwiched in the middle, and finally sprinkled with a layer of powdered sugar. It's a very rare delicacy!"
"That sounds so delicious; can we go eat it now?" Charlotte Linlin couldn't help but drool.
"Not yet; the Winter Solstice Festival only starts tomorrow."
Charlotte Linlin's face was instantly filled with visible disappointment, "What a pity..."
Gerth comforted: "It's okay, we can eat strawberry tarts today!"
"That's right, Loki, this is the strawberry tart Gerth just made. It's so delicious! Do you want to eat some?" Speaking of desserts, Charlotte Linlin instantly recovered her spirits and excitedly waved the cake in her hand at Loki.
"Mhm, Prince Loki, do you want to try some? Linlin and I picked the strawberries fresh this morning." Gerth also looked expectant.
"Ah~"
Loki opened his mouth and accepted everything.
Over the past three days, with Loki intentionally approaching, plus Charlotte Linlin preferring to play with giant children of her own size, and Carmel intentionally or unintentionally fueling the flames.
Loki had already become familiar with Charlotte Linlin, and even got to know a few children from the Lamb's House.
It has to be said that Carmel, the human trafficker, is also a talent.
Fish-Men, Minks, Longarm Tribe, Longleg Tribe...
Except for a few extinct races like the Lunarians, the Lamb's House has almost gathered all the races in the world.
This harmonious scene greatly comforted the old Jorul. He whispered to his old friend beside him: "Jabababababa~ It seems Prince Loki didn't suffer too much trauma. Entrusting Prince Loki to Ida was the right decision."
"And there are Gerth and, um, Linlin, a large group of children who can be Prince Loki's companions." Jorul stroked his beard and lowered his head with emotion: "This is all thanks to the Lamb's House you established, Carmel."
"This is cooperation." Carmel smiled warmly, maintaining her mask perfectly.
"That's true; cooperation isn't necessarily worse than war." Jorul sighed with emotion. Once they only knew how to fight, but now under the influence of Carmel and Harald, they have changed a lot.
"Unfortunately, I am nearing the end of my life." Carmel sighed, paving the way for her retirement and disappearance.
"It doesn't matter, Carmel. Elbaf will continue to welcome children of all races who have suffered to live in the Lamb's House. Your kindness will surely exist in the world forever!"
"Then I entrust it to you all." Carmel smiled gently.