Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: The Evil Dragon is Confused
My vision gradually blurred,
and the interior of the cabin came back into view.
The warm glow of the fireplace,
the rabbit munching on grass,
the quiet room filled with the scent of wood.
And—
the girl was looking up at me, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Sorry. I was lost in thought again."
"…!"
The girl leaned carefully into my arms, as if relieved.
I patted the back of the sniffling child.
Fortunately, it seemed like that was the end of it this time.
The unpleasant sensation that had been invading my mind was completely gone.
"I won't do it anymore."
"…."
The girl stared at me intently.
As if checking to see if I was okay.
I met her gaze quietly.
'…Huh?'
Wait a minute.
Come to think of it….
'Do they resemble each other?'
I reached out and gently stroked the girl's short hair.
Pink hair.
Pale green eyes.
The afterimage of a memory flickered and overlapped.
Ragged clothes and shining armor.
A cowed expression and a confident demeanor.
Trembling eyes and a sparkling smile.
The memory from moments ago and the present reality reached out toward each other.
Completely different appearances overlapped,
forming a single, strangely vivid figure.
I stopped stroking her hair.
'…Could this be this child's future?'
To be precise, it was one of the many 'possible futures.'
Futures could change at any time depending on the child's choices and the flow of fate.
'I see.'
Now the mystery was solved.
Why it felt strangely familiar,
yet couldn't be found anywhere in my past memories.
"It was you."
"…?"
"No. Nothing."
I patted the back of the girl nestled in my arms once more.
Her small, even breaths touched my chest.
A knight.
A knight, huh.
'…But she has no talent for swordsmanship.'
I pondered for a moment, then shook my head.
I had no intention of forcing her into a preconceived mold based on the memory I'd seen.
It was just a possibility, after all.
This child's life should be decided by her.
What she wants to do.
What she desires.
Where she wants to go.
Someday, this small heart will choose.
'I'll just help her from the side.'
Current humans,
how many years was their lifespan again?
'…Less than 20 years until the disaster.'
Humans from the past mostly lived over 1,000 years.
The time I had left might not reach the end of her choices.
"Still, if possible, I plan to give all that time to you."
"?"
"Because I picked you up."
The girl gazed at me quietly.
She tilted her head as if she didn't understand, but somehow looked a little happy.
"Right. I bought clothes."
"…?"
"Your clothes. You were shivering from the cold yesterday."
The girl's eyes widened round.
Her lips parted slightly,
and surprise and joy spread across her eyes at the same time.
"Want to change into them right now?"
"…!"
Hearing my words, the girl blinked carefully.
Then, very slowly, she nodded.
I took out the clothes bought from the village.
A thick coat made of sturdy fabric,
and a soft-lined one-piece undergarment.
I slowly held out the coat to the girl.
"…Huh?"
"?"
I pulled back the clothes I'd offered to the girl.
I looked at the clothes in my hand once,
at the puzzled girl once.
And then once more, I held the clothes up to the girl.
This.
No matter how I looked….
"…Too… small?"
"???"
This is weird.
These were the ones the shop clerk picked out.
"Definitely…. She said they were baby clothes…."
"…?"
"…Wait. Come to think of it."
I recalled the clothing shop clerk's words.
"Baby clothes are made this small to begin with."
"Babies grow so fast, you don't need that many, sir."
No way.
In that short time….
"…Did you grow?"
"…?"
"I heard they grow fast, but…."
To grow this much in just a few hours.
Is it similar growth speed to the first humans?
No, before that….
She doesn't look any different from before I went to the village.
I carefully reviewed my memories,
comparing the size of the girl in them.
No matter how I thought about it, the girl's size hadn't changed much.
Her build, height, hands and feet—all the same.
'This is weird….'
What could be the reason?
Then, suddenly,
the conversation between the old men at the inn flashed through my mind.
"My eyesight's getting worse and worse; it's a real problem."
"Heh heh, you've got presbyopia too."
"What's the sin of getting old? It's getting more inconvenient every day."
"Has my presbyopia gotten worse? I can't even make out things up close."
No way—
"…Is this that presbyopia thing?"
"…?"
"…Well, for now, want to try it on?"
It might adjust to fit the wearer, like in the ancient days.
The girl's gaze alternated between the clothes and me.
Then she nodded slightly, lifting the corners of her mouth.
I undid the buttons and carefully tried to put the coat on her.
More precisely,
I attempted to dress her.
It got stuck right at the opening.
The sleeves and the fit were hopelessly short.
In the middle of dressing her, the girl looked at me.
She didn't say it was small, but her expression said it all.
A '…Does this fit?' look.
Indeed—
It was no good for the girl wearing it,
or for the clothes themselves.
I took the clothes off her again.
"…It's way too small."
"…."
"No. It's not your fault; it's my mistake."
I stroked the girl's drooping head and examined the clothes.
"…Let's see. Doesn't seem to have any magic on it."
"???"
"Back when sizes adjusted, it was technology, not magic…. How does it work? Is it the same method as before?"
Did I grip it too hard?
While inspecting it this way and that, I tore it.
The stuffing inside the coat scattered everywhere.
"…Hmm."
I stared blankly at what was once clothes, now scraps of fabric.
'This can't be repaired, right? …Should I turn back time?'
As I debated whether to rewind time,
my eyes met the girl's, who was looking up at me from the side.
She just gazed without any disappointment or resentment.
"Sorry. I don't know how it works."
"…."
The girl shook her head as if it was okay.
I gently stroked her head.
"Ah, right. I bought books."
"…?"
"Maybe there's a solution in one of them."
Any book about child-rearing might have it written down.
Something like how to adjust ill-fitting clothes to fit the child.
I slowly stood up and rummaged through the books I'd bought.
"Found it."
I picked up the two books the bookstore owner recommended.
[Child-Rearing Encyclopedia]
[Basic Guide for Novice Caregivers]
'This kind of info is probably in the encyclopedia rather than the guidebook?'
I opened the [Child-Rearing Encyclopedia].
The fresh scent of a new book wafted out as I did.
I carefully turned the first page.
'…Table of contents first.'
I flipped through the pages one by one, following the small world of the child.
And soon I learned.
There was nothing written anywhere about how to adjust ill-fitting clothes to fit the child.
The other book I checked just in case was the same.
"…Hmm."
"???"
The only clothing-related advice I'd found after all that was,
'Babies grow fast, so you don't need to buy a lot of clothes.'
I sighed and closed the book.
No useful info, just things I already knew.
"Looks like you have to try on clothes before buying them after all."
"…."
"Next time, we'll pick them out together. You choose the clothes you want to wear."
Hearing that, the girl blinked as if lost in thought for a moment, then nodded faintly.
This time, her movement had a bit more energy.
"Good. Tomorrow, let's go to the village together."
"…."
"I'll have to put up with the hassle, but…."
I'd brought this child from the village ruins.
A remote place no one was looking for her in.
Someone might know the child who was there alone.
'Might get noisy with kidnapping rumors again.'
It was entirely possible.
It had happened before.
I'd carried her around because it was annoying to let go of the robe,
and the guards came,
her parents wailed and made a huge fuss.
Watching that, I'd thought,
Modern humans really treasure their children.
It was a bit surprising.
Because with ancient humans,
that wasn't the case most of the time.
I looked down at the girl quietly.
'No one came looking for her until sunset, but….'
Still, like back then,
if someone recognized her, they might demand I hand her over.
"If someone comes looking for you, should I send you with them?"
"…!"
The girl looked at me in shock.
Her eyes trembled.
Tears quickly welled up.
The girl's small hand gripped my clothes with all her might.
A silent cry of 'don't send me away.'
I couldn't speak for a moment.
I picked her up in my arms.
Slowly, very carefully, I opened my mouth.
"Don't worry."
"…?"
"If that ever happens…."
Her small shoulders flinched.
Her hand still didn't let go of my clothes.
"I'll ask you then. If you want to go or stay."
"…."
"That choice is yours."
The girl just stared at me.
Her small lips pressed tightly together,
and the grip on my clothes grew firmer.
As if she'd never let go.
"…Do you want to stay with me?"
"…!"
The girl nodded vigorously.
"Got it. Then tomorrow, we should stop by the bookstore too."
"…?"
"He said to ask if I have questions. I'll ask how to stay with you if that's what you want."
The girl's eyes went wide.
Then she buried her face in my chest, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.