Great Success
“Oh no… it hurts…”
My whole body aches when I walk like this.
Luckily, I woke up in the afternoon, so I barely managed to meet the quest broker.
“Why did you get hurt like this!”
“I rolled.”
“Rolling like that made you like this…? … Did the quest go well?”
“Eh… well… I’ll give you the notebook… Read it once. I ran away after finding something weird. Please emphasize that a proper investigation team is needed. Definitely.”
And after receiving the reward, she headed straight to the antique shop below White Wood Shade.
“Why did you get hurt like this!”
“I rolled. More importantly! I saved up all that money!”
Finally!
Grandma looked at Sugar with a mix of sadness and prettily wrapped the gift. She added a warning to take care of herself.
Now everything was over.
On this path, she could return to the orphanage, give the gift to her friend, and properly apologize.
Then, what? She couldn’t say anything?
‘That’s why I was going to buy you a gift!’
She’d be moved, regret why she said it that way, and be at a loss.
Haha.
Sugar thought such wicked thoughts, but then…
‘… It would be nice if it made her feel better.’
She hugged the gift tightly.
This was the first item she had bought with money she earned in this world.
Not for snacks or anything, but the result of labor to convey gratitude to her friend.
It was the perfect gift for her precious friend.
She hoped this heart would be accepted. She hoped she wouldn’t get angry, but would be happy, and poured her wishes into it.
Then she returned to the individual room at the orphanage.
“Ah…”
The moment she saw, an exclamation escaped.
Frallin was kneeling.
In front of her, their prickly friend was stomping the floor with his feet.
Then, turning to Sugar, he closed the door without a word.
He said he would go quickly, but he got caught.
She took a deep breath and opened the door again, and immediately a furious face was in front of her.
Surprise!
Sugar quickly hid the gift behind her back and tried to manage her expression.
“Ah, that… Hello, Tommy. Is there something you need?”
“Get in right now.”
“Yes…”
“You can go out.”
Frallin left as if she was waiting for it. Now only Ryly and Sugar were left in the room.
And it was Ryly who was very, very angry.
Without saying a word, she lowered her head and sat on the bed, and he spoke first.
“Are you really wanting to die?”
“Ah ha…”
“After injuring yourself like that, where are you going. Are you not mentally stable?”
“A bit… I have something to bring back…”
She slid the gift with her foot under the bed.
Ryly, who didn't seem to care at all, didn't even glance at it and looked at Sugar.
“You…”
As if choosing words, then he sighed deeply.
Taking that opportunity, Sugar quickly spoke.
“I’m sorry, Tommy!”
“I’m just sorry…”
“…”
“…”
“Why are you sorry?”
“You should be the one sorry.”
The girl widened her eyes, the boy narrowed his, and they looked at each other.
“I… don’t even know my place, went out at night alone without telling you? And got hurt there?”
“Ah…”
Feeling like she’s digging into his heart, Sugar hugged Ryly’s head.
“No… What I said earlier was just… Forget it…”
“Why… I didn’t say anything wrong. I’m the one who needs reflection.”
“No, it’s just… It’s all my fault. I’m not a proper magician, but I went out to teach you magic. I’m immature too. How can I teach you when I don’t know my place… I filled your expectations unnecessarily… and at that moment, I couldn’t protect you, and I should have firmly told you. So… I’m sorry.”
It seemed like she had decided to leave his side, so the words came out quite candidly.
Sugar, who didn't know that, was amazed at the unexpected reaction. Because he was too honest.
She knew she was angry because she got hurt, but she didn't expect him to think so deeply.
- At that moment, I couldn’t protect you, and I should have firmly told you.
The heart that cherishes and thinks of her. It felt like something warm and fluffy blooming in her chest.
Warm.
This child is giving her warmth. The child who always had to receive warmth because she was cold and hurt.
The result of Sugar’s embrace is starting to show a little. It was so touching that she lowered her head.
Ryly, who interpreted her appearance differently, closed his eyes and clenched his fist, taking a deep breath.
“And there’s one more thing I want to say… I’m going far away—”
“Sniff…”
“… Hey, are you crying?”
“Yeah…”
And the face looking up had tears in it.
“No, why suddenly…!”
“No… I’m not crying because I’m sad… It’s just that it’s touching…”
Sugar wiped her tears.
It’s too happy that there’s someone who thinks she’s precious. Especially that her cherished friend thinks of her that way, it’s touching.
Her young body has richer sensitivity.
After wiping her tears, she smiled awkwardly with a hehe.
“What is touching…”
“Your affection.”
“What!”
“Come here, Tommy.”
And she opened her undamaged right arm wide.
“No! I won’t go! Why me!”
Surprisingly, when hugged, he becomes docile. Maybe his heart wasn’t moved this time.
They wanted to talk while feeling warmth, but if she didn’t want to, she had to talk face to face.
“Tommy, there’s no need to be sorry. It’s true that I should have been careful… I’m the one who should be sorry for worrying you. And, thank you for thinking about it.”
“…”
She turned her head slightly. Since he understood it as a positive expression, she continued.
“But… There’s something I’m curious about. Among what you said earlier, why you said you’re not a magician. You said it before too. I’ve been curious since then.”
“Why…”
“Look back at what you did. You’re a complete magician.”
All the many things related to magic she’s experienced so far. Watching and listening to them directly, how could she deny it.
“That’s not it, ‘proper’ magician, you idiot…”
“So, what exactly—”
“Listen well. I can’t introduce myself as a magician anywhere. ‘Who is your teacher?’ I can’t answer. ‘Where is the staff?’ I can’t answer that either. Then how do I say I’m a magician. It’s perfect as a laughingstock…”
But even so, I filled your head with unnecessary wind, thinking I was doing something right… – Ryly covered his face with his hand.
Because he was afraid of not being able to protect her. Afraid of what would happen to his heart if such things happened in the future, he had even decided to leave Sugar’s side.
Since she kept interfering while he had to become evil.
To gain power from the grimoire, he had to make up his mind firmly.
His mind was in turmoil with many thoughts. A boy who always has a lot of worries.
Sugar quietly looked at such Ryly.
The girl who had been fiddling with her hands and hesitating unexpectedly, nodded as if she had decided, and took out the box from under the bed.
“Still… From now on, I can answer the latter question.”
“… What?”
“Open it once.”
She handed the box gently, and the boy received it similarly.
Looking at it, he smiled shyly.
Excited and a bit worried.
The prickly attitude followed by low self-esteem. She hoped it would be some comfort.
Ryly, who received the box with an ambiguous face that didn’t seem reliable, unwrapped the packaging.
It was quite heavy and long, so a sudden expectation arose.
After loosening the string and tearing the paper, a wooden box appeared.
Opening it again…
“This is… ”
“Hehe… Actually, I went out every night because of the money to buy this.”
“Why… Why are you giving this to me.”
“The grandpa at the antique shop is a magician, so I asked him. It’s too expensive, so I had a hard time too, so I compromised appropriately… but he said it’s not bad performance at all.”
“So, why are you giving this to me. This is something parents or teachers give to children or disciples… I know that.”
“Just because I usually feel grateful… I wanted to put that feeling into it…”
As she trailed off, as if she remembered something good, she clapped her hands.
“Ah, if there’s such a custom, from now on, when I’m your family, it would be fine!”
“What?”
She says with a bright smile.
It should be like that. It’s not difficult. Her warm personality speaks happily.
Ryly couldn’t say anything.
He opened and closed his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but his throat choked up and he just closed it.
He held the box containing the wand-shaped staff and just quietly, quietly.
What is family to him.
- The thing that says ‘you’re like my mother!’ was born, and it was the same!
It’s a ruthless being who does violence and contempt.
- Take care, Ryly.
An irresponsible being who betrays trust.
If the family hadn’t been torn apart and he had grown up with magic talent, he wouldn’t have received the staff.
He didn’t even have a name. No bit of expectation.
So, it was envious and embarrassing.
If he wanted to live, he could have lived long ago, but he wanted a ‘staff given by someone’. He had definitely promised to get it with his own strength, but in fact, he was sorry.
While others used items containing the love and expectations of adults, he lived alone pathetically without anyone to buy for him.
It seemed like it would be a permanent regret. Every time he mulled it over, it seemed like he’d be sad, so he kept postponing it.
In the end, there was no one to buy it for him. Since there were no parents or teachers, he kept it hidden.
In the midst of that, he received it.
The envy and inferiority he had harbored until then was blown away in an instant as if it was nothing.
The sight of this little girl eagerly saving money was clear in his eyes.
The words ‘I’ll become your family’ seeped into his body.
He received too much.
The person who trusts him more than anyone.
The person who gives him warmth more than anyone.
“…”
He hugged the box tightly and stayed still for a long time.
When Sugar approached and hugged him, he didn’t resist.
When he opened his mouth, it seemed like emotions would burst out, so he kept his mouth shut and just let tears fall.
“… Don’t cry.”
“…”
“Is the gift good? Do you like it?”
The one word of yours is a bigger gift than the staff, so I can’t say it.
When he closed his eyes without answering, a tear fell. The girl with spring-like sunlight wiped it for him.
His heart was being stroked.
When receiving the touch of her hand, it felt like it was invading even his mind.
[Wanting to be recognized by the world]
His dreams kept getting hazy. Gradually fading until even the outlines disappeared.
The weak being who suppresses the weak with strength, pulls down those above, and does all sorts of ugly things, at the end of that, what about this girl?
If I don’t protect her and she suddenly leaves, the child who said she’ll become my family?
And me?
Will I truly be happy? Can I smile?
Questions came rushing in.
It was overflowing to the point where standing still was hard. When he was struggling to breathe, a warm spring breeze lifted the boy up.
The warmth wrapping around him made his head spin.
It felt like magic to control the heart, but he couldn’t defend against it at all.
Feeling the patting hand, he was dyed infinitely with the girl’s color.
Suddenly, he looked out the window.
Time was now evening. Above the window, the starry sky sprinkled with dense jewels was visible.
When he was staring blankly, Sugar opened her mouth slightly. Maybe she thought he had calmed down enough.
“Ah… By the way, wasn’t there something you were going to say earlier? Want to do it now?”
It originally was, but now it’s gone.
- Tommy. Can you help from the side?
There was a time when he nodded at the question this child asked in front of the cafe.
He had indicated agreement.
So, there’s no choice. He had to keep the promise. He had to repay the trust.
He just shook his head.
“Really?”
Hoo. Sugar smiled and hugged him even tighter.
It looked like she wouldn’t let go at all.
As if he could never go outside the boundary line. She tightly bound him.
The terrifying plan seems to have been a great success.