A Real Family
I barely managed to swallow the last remnants in my mouth. Monte watched me with an awkward smile. Rudmila was no different. And so, the bewildering situation unfolded. Yurshil smiled at her children, while I frantically averted my gaze all by myself. Then, I finally spoke up.
"Adoption?"
At my words, two people flinched simultaneously. Monte and Rudmila shrugged their shoulders, suddenly refusing to meet my eyes.
Whoosh, whoosh! They whipped their heads away in unison. Yurshil watched them with a beaming grin, as if even that was amusing. Then, stroking my hair, she said,
"These two are just fools who want to adopt you."
"H-heh?"
I let out a dazed squeak. Honestly, I'd been eating their food nonstop, so I figured there had to be some meaning behind it—but I never imagined this.
What was truly shocking was that I'd never even dared to dream of it.
What a terrifying family...
I shuddered briefly at the Cardias' secrecy, but upon second thought, it wasn't their secrecy at all. It was just that I hadn't considered it.
Me... their family?
For nine years, I'd lived rejected and cast out. Perhaps due to the hormones surging in this young girl's body, my emotions had grown richer, my heart softer. I'd become Riru, the flincher who startled at a stranger's sigh on the street.
Because of that, I hadn't properly imagined they might cherish me out of love.
Now that the love this family had shown me, however brief, came flooding back, my heart softened just a little.
"W-well, it's not like I didn't wanna say anything! I just... y'know, a bit..."
"We tried."
"Y-yeah, we tried. Tried..."
Monte and Rudmila mumbled awkward excuses. As I listened, lost in thought, a strand of hair fell across my cheek. Black locks brushed my cheek, mingling briefly with my long lashes, before a large finger gently swept them aside.
"Baby, are you okay?"
I nodded. I was startled for a moment, but truly fine. It just hadn't sunk in yet.
On reflection, adoption sounded nothing but good for me. No more worries about food or bed, and proper treatment to boot. Things I'd never enjoyed, but if I could now, they'd be worth more than gold.
That's why I wanted to say it now. No, I had to.
I wanted to become part of their family.
As I opened my mouth to speak, drops of water fell onto my lap.
Huh, why...?
I touched the corner of my eye. No way. In a moment this joyful, tears couldn't possibly...
But against my thoughts, large, clear tears were plopping down from the spot I'd touched.
"Huh..."
Confused why this was happening, I wiped at my eyes. But no matter how much I wiped, the tears kept coming, and I frantically racked my brain for the reason.
I found it immediately.
A child's body... trauma?
I already knew this body had emotional rollercoasters—I'd experienced it once before.
Feeling like I was truly becoming part of a real family must have dredged up memories of my previous family.
My mind didn't remember them as family, but this body remembered nine years of "family"... as the Collodics, after all.
I quickly bowed my head and said,
"I-I'm fine. Really fine."
My tears elicited varied reactions. Tatadadot! First, for some reason, Monte bolted out like a shot. His reflexes were insanely fast—he'd dashed outside the moment he saw my tears, face pale as a ghost.
Next was Rudmila. Dududoo! She charged like a galloping horse. She barreled toward me at that speed, then stopped abruptly. I felt the wind, heard her breathing.
"...Uh, that."
Rudmila, with her massive frame, hesitated mid-hug, froze in panic, unable to act. Her mind must have gone blank; she flailed her hands awkwardly, but nothing touched me.
She's being careful with me...
I sensed her warm heart. She'd rushed over out of worry, but now fretted that touching me might make me cry harder.
"Really, I'm okay... why is this happening?"
Having fully experienced the side effects of this young body, I felt a bit embarrassed. I was an adult, after all. Why this?
But as my tears wouldn't stop, Yurshil scooped me up onto her lap. Suddenly lifted high, I felt the pat on my back and embarrassment washed over me again.
I'm not a kid... what is this?
But I'd never received such a tender back-pat before. In the Collodic house, servants had struck my back like they were beating filth—mechanical, devoid of affection.
Now, sensing the surging affection, my body warmed.
"Ung..."
Without thinking, I buried my face in Yurshil's shoulder. My tears would surely stain her fine clothes, but I couldn't stop.
In a low, gentle voice by my ear, she asked,
"Baby, shall we talk for a bit?"
Sensing her consideration, I mumbled "yes" with my face still buried. Her shoulder warmed under my breath.
Rudmila fidgeted helplessly at the sight, then finally nodded. And then—
"S-snack! Snack!"
Monte burst back in. In his hands, inexplicably, were the head chef's hat and a snack basket.
"...What are you doing."
Rudmila glared at him with utter disdain. Monte panted, glanced at me in Yurshil's arms, then at his hands—the chef's hat, the half-open basket spilling snacks down the hall.
"Th-this isn't... no."
He shook his head anxiously, berating himself. Rudmila clicked her tongue; Yurshil wore a look of Is this really my son?. With my cheek smooshed against her shoulder, I watched—and let out an involuntary chuckle.
Tears still leaked a bit, but even so, the laughter trickled out steadily, if faintly.
"Rudmila? Will you clean the hallway your little brother dirtied?"
"......Yes."
"Baby, let's step out for a moment."
With one last sharp glance from Rudmila at Monte, I was led outside by Yurshil. Her embrace was warm and damp—with my tears.
Feeling embarrassed, I sat in the chair Yurshil had placed me in. It was tall; I couldn't climb down easily. There, I was served a very warm cup of tea. It wasn't quite to my taste, so I didn't sip.
"I should prepare something sweeter next time."
Yurshil returned after changing clothes—thanks to my snotty mess. I quietly bowed my head.
"Sorry... I'll wash it."
At my apologetic words, she laughed. She'd smiled more today than ever, and said,
"Servants handle laundry like that. You planning to do it with those tiny hands?"
She popped a cookie into my mouth with a smile. At the crunch, I nodded.
"Baby, do you know about it?"
Yurshil brought up the Empire's Eye—specifically, the ability to read emotions. I'd never suspected as much, so I was startled.
"Yeah, I saw your emotions back when you were crying."
"...Y-yes."
"You were trembling."
I was surprised again. She knew even the finest details.
Sitting before me, she nibbled another cookie and said,
"Were you unhappy living with us?"
"...N-no!"
"Hehe, we've only been together ten days or so. I asked too suddenly."
As if acknowledging our short time together, she chuckled softly and looked up.
"Your feelings matter most."
She fiddled with my small hand affectionately, then asked with a kind smile,
"Will you be my daughter?"
Her question felt a bit odd. Maybe because it was the first time I'd heard one like it. In the room bathed in warm, flickering candlelight, I opened my mouth again.
I wanted to answer without crying. Emotions, stop going wild!
"I-I'd lo... like..."
I wanted a cool response, so I fought back the tears, mustering courage bit by bit.
But something tugged at my ankles.
Yurshil cut in.
"Are you scared?"
"......"
I realized the source of my hesitation. Steeling myself, I confessed it to her.
"It's really good... but I'm scared."
"Scared of what?"
She leaned in, as if trying to downplay her large frame. Hesitating, I told her,
"Scared... of being abandoned again."
"...Such a brave child."
It was honest. Nine years of damage to Riru's body was immense. My mind had endured it, but a normal one might have broken down completely.
Yurshil offered another cookie. In the mood, I took it automatically and munched. Pausing my chewing, I said in a trembling voice,
"If... I'm abandoned again, I don't think I'd like that."
Better to survive alone, then. With my magic talent, it wouldn't be a destitute life. That was my final sentiment, conveyed to her.
"I see?"
Yurshil nodded. She picked up the untouched teacup and said,
"Wait here."
Her voice was gentler than usual. I nodded unwittingly.
Left alone, she didn't return for a while—a full hour, long enough that I paced by the door, worried.
Did she... get mad...?
What to do, what to do. I stomped anxiously, but then footsteps approached—heavy yet refined and elegant.
Yurshil. I stepped back from the door; she entered and crouched to meet my eyes.
"...Um."
"Yes?"
Unable to hold my curiosity, I asked where she'd been, fidgeting with my hands. Her eyes narrowed cutely.
Sweeping my fallen hair over my shoulder, she said,
"Just gave my son some work... and told my big, sturdy daughter to ready the carriage."
"...Huh?"
Son was Monte. Big sturdy daughter—Rudmila. What had she tasked them with?
Before I could ask, Yurshil was ready, smiling confidently.
"Just turning this cute little miss who thinks the Cardias might abandon someone..."
She declared,
"Into my daughter."
A real family. I'd only thought if only, but somehow, it happened.
A shocking turn.
"Congrats on the adoption, daughter?"
Treated as invisible, a bad omen, trash that shouldn't exist. Picked up from the snowy field, awakened to magic.
And then—
Adopted as the Cardia family's youngest daughter.
The most surprising day of my life.