"It should be because I really like little Yoimiya. Using head-patting to express my affection for her, I suppose?"
Yoimiya tilted her head slightly and asked in a somewhat probing way.
"Head-patting to express affection? Then since I like the old uncle, can I pat the old uncle's head too?"
For a moment, the old uncle didn't know how to respond to this. Getting his head patted...
But little Sara beside him reacted first on behalf of her master.
Before she could speak, however, the old uncle held her back.
"If it's big sister Yoimiya, then there's no problem at all~"
Although deep down Cid still felt quite resistant to the idea of getting his head patted, how to put it...
There are always some people who can pat a guy's head.
It might be a cute child, a kind grandma, or someone willing to stand by your side forever, resonating with your soul...
A child's affection—why ruin it with a guy's pride?
The old uncle deliberately half-squatted down, but Yoimiya looked a bit at a loss, glancing between the old uncle and the slightly stunned little Sara beside him.
"Um... wouldn't that be a bit inappropriate?"
"No need to worry. Mutual head-patting is sometimes a sign of closeness. If it were someone else, the old uncle definitely wouldn't let them pat his head."
Yoimiya looked at the old uncle who had already half-squatted down. Although she felt a little uneasy, a child's curiosity ultimately won out.
And the old uncle had agreed, after all...
Yoimiya reached out and placed her hand on the old uncle's head. She felt that the old uncle's head was very big, his hair carried a faint fresh scent from the woods, and the sensation in her hand was like soft, sun-warmed sponge...
It actually matched the feeling the old uncle gave her—steady and reassuring.
"But speaking of which, head-patting usually happens between older generations and younger ones. If the younger generation does it to the older generation, it's like saying 'I'm your dad'..."
It could only be said that it had been a long time since anyone patted his head—this felt quite novel. The last time...
It was back when he was protecting the Hidden Leaf, getting his head mercilessly patted by an opponent, then getting thoroughly beaten. His fragile heart broke, so he uninstalled Naruto...
But if counting real life, getting his head patted...
He had no memory of it at all...
"Is... is that so?"
Big sister Yoimiya immediately withdrew her hand.
What greeted Yoimiya was the old uncle's cheeky grin.
The old uncle opened his arms, directly pulled big sister Yoimiya into a hug, then sat down on the seat. Of course, he didn't forget to turn Yoimiya around to face him properly.
"Normally yes, but if the elder agrees, then it's a different story~"
The old uncle comfortably held little Yoimiya in his arms, resting his chin on her head.
"Oh, oh, I see. So it only applies to closer relationships."
Yoimiya had no particular thoughts about the old uncle's hug—it wasn't the first time anyway. She just naturally adjusted herself to find a more comfortable position.
But big sister Aurora Mamoru beside them had thoughts.
"If head-patting means a close relationship, then Cid—you're the person I trust the most, so our relationship should be very good, right?"
Cid immediately understood what the Raiden Shogun meant.
She wanted to pat his head.
Cid hesitated slightly, briefly weighing his manly pride against his fondness for the Shogun...
Whatever. Letting the Shogun he had raised pat his head once to understand what it felt like to dote on her subjects was a good thing too.
"I think it's indeed very good."