333 What Is There to Learn
The morning after. I crawled out of my tent and looked around.
(Going hunting huh... How long has it been. Just gotta hope we found our prey.)
The kids haven't woken up yet. Naturally. It's still relatively dark outside, the sun hasn't risen yet.
I was being careful not to wake them as I took a portable toilet out of magic bag, started preparing for meals and also brushed my teeth.
I wet a towel in a bucket of water and wiped my body clean with it, shivering from the yet cold air before gradually getting used to it.
No more drowsiness. I went to make breakfast feeling refreshed.
As the meal was nearing completion, the kids got woken up by the smell.
They all had this look of surprise when they saw me making breakfast.
(Why so surprised? ...Ah, I get it...)
These kids are homeless orphans. They have no means or money to regularly buy meals.
I'm sure they never had breakfast in their life before. Having that situation overturned and me giving them meals must be quite a fresh experience to them.
Should I call out and reassure them here?
"Finally woke up? Take your seats now. Grab your plates from last night if you wanna eat."
As someone who's helping them, instructing these kids is my duty. With the ultimate goal of them becoming self-sufficient and independent, able to think and act for themselves. I'm their guide there.
A tall order for a common man like me. But now that I've come this far, I'm gonna see it through to the end.
"I'm going out to prepare something once I'm done eating. You kids are free until I'm back."
After I told them that, I put my palms together and said 'time to dig in' before going down my plate.
The kids mimicked me and went for theirs as well.
I finished first and loudly said, 'Thanks for the food' before cleaning up my plate.
"Wash the plate with water when you're done, be thorough. Wipe the table clean with this cloth if it gets dirty."
I need to clearly say this stuff every single time if I want these kids to learn manners and morals.
Gotta put emphasis on the sanitary. They've got to know the importance of living cleanly and healthily.
"Use these pieces of cloth to wipe your whole body clean."
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I gave more 'orders' to the still eating children in an easy to understand manner.
Then once I finished giving all the instructions, I got ready to leave this hideout.
That was when. All the kids spoke in unison, 'Thanks for the food', for having finished theirs.
I never taught them that in particular, yet they've learned from example it seems.
(They're good. Feels like they're gonna learn how to maneuver around bows and arrows just with a bit of nudges.)
It's nice that teaching them takes no time at all. I sighed in relief at the prospect of not having to look after these kids long term and spoke to them.
"I'm off."
I'm heading for a weapon store. I know that there are many such stores in this kingdom. They surely sell hunting bows there.
Thus I left the hideout with that goal in mind.