The Prosthetic Girl - 6
"When you think about it, Master, you have quite a few different ways of calling me."
It was afternoon, and Charlotte and Ed were relaxing in the living room with their books when Charlotte suddenly spoke up.
"What do you mean?"
"Charlotte, Charlotte—sometimes you even call me 'kiddo'… and there are times you just refer to me as 'you.'"
"Do you want me to correct that?"
"Well… I call you Master myself. I'm hardly in any position to complain."
"Then I won't concern myself with it. But is there a name you'd prefer?"
Charlotte took on a thoughtful pose at Ed's words, murmuring, "A preferred name…"
Ed closed the book he'd been reading so he could focus on their conversation. Charlotte did the same, of course.
"Charlotte, I think? Charlotte feels a little too stiff."
"Then I'll try to call you Charlotte."
"Then me too. Is it all right if I keep calling you Master?"
"I don't care about titles. Just don't call me Master in front of other people."
"Hehe. Got it, Master."
"Sounds like you're having fun with it."
Charlotte grinned as she called him Master, and Ed cut her off by sliding a bookmark into the book he'd been reading.
"I was going to head out after I finished this, but conversation broke my reading, so starting again would be difficult. Come on—shall we go for a walk today as well?"
"Ah, okay! I'll head out in what I'm wearing now."
Charlotte hurriedly tucked a bookmark into her own book as well and used her cane to rise from her seat.
"Oh, my gloves! I'll go grab my gloves—please wait a moment!"
She had been about to follow Ed out when the thought struck her; she turned on her heel and went to fetch them.
Ed waited for her at a leisurely pace, and Charlotte returned from her room with a pair of white gloves. She always wore the pendant, so the gloves were the only thing she needed to put on when going out.
"I put something on under my skirt today as well. Even if it slips down, it won't be a problem, so you can hold me without worrying."
"That's a relief, then."
Charlotte reached her arms out so Ed could pick her up, and he gently lifted her into his arms.
"I always feel this way, but being like this raises my line of sight a little. It's fun."
"Well, you are light, Charlotte."
"R-right. I'm glad I'm not a burden on you, Master."
Suddenly being called light left Charlotte answering in a slightly flustered tone. She had averted her eyes, so she wouldn't have noticed, but a faint smile currently tugged at the corner of Ed's mouth. In other words, that remark had been a deliberate little jab—and it had landed beautifully.
At any rate, they made small talk along the way and arrived at the meadow. As always, Ed set Charlotte down carefully.
"All right… I'll try walking a bit."
"Walk as much as you like."
The day they had gone shopping for clothes, she had walked less than usual, and the day they bought magical tools, she hadn't walked at all. So walking without her cane was something Charlotte hadn't done in quite some time. Her steps were a little slow as a result.
Even so, the accessories hadn't been mere ornaments for show.
"Hoo…"
Ordinarily Charlotte would have been gasping for breath by now, but today she could regulate her breathing calmly.
Quite the impressive magical tools, I thought.
"Your recovery is faster than usual."
"It's thanks to everything you bought me, Master… The speed is the same, but I can walk longer now."
When Ed, watching from the side, quietly offered that observation, Charlotte struck a pose that showed off the accessories she was wearing.
"I was talking to myself. Keep walking."
"Of course."
Charlotte flashed Ed a smile, then began walking slowly once more.
"That's enough. We'll stop here for today. Excellent progress."
"Got… it…"
Charlotte had kept walking without stopping, even if her pace was slow. She had looked ready to keep going even when her stamina was at its limit, so Ed had been the one to call a halt. Indeed, as she made her way toward him to take the cane, her steps wavered a little.
"Take the cane. If walking is too hard, you can refuse."
"No, I'll take—"
As Charlotte walked toward Ed, she lost her footing while reaching for the cane and lost her balance. Ed quickly bent down and caught her; Charlotte let out a small groan of pain.
"You should rest a little. I'll hold onto the cane for you."
"Please… do…"
Still holding her, Ed rose to his feet, and Charlotte entrusted her whole body to him without moving. It was a different posture from usual—truly the way one would lift a small child.
Charlotte fell asleep with Ed's shoulder as her pillow. Ed had been speaking to her for a short while before he noticed and quietly said,
"…You did well."
After that, out of consideration for Charlotte, Ed said nothing more, and Charlotte stayed silent because she was asleep. Silence hung between them on the way home, but something warm radiated from Ed.
Ed set Charlotte down on the living-room sofa and gently stroked her hair. Then, as he was about to sit across from her, something seemed to occur to him and he changed direction.
Naturally, he headed for the kitchen. Charlotte had been walking hard just moments ago; she was probably thirsty, so he meant to prepare something for her to drink. Most of what Ed had on hand needed to be served warm, so he had no choice but to bring water.
"You're awake."
"I just woke up…"
Charlotte rubbed her eyes on the sofa, and Ed held the cup out to her.
"Ah—thank you…"
"One thing. Pushing yourself like that isn't good."
"I'm sorry…"
Charlotte shrank a little at Ed's words and bowed her head deeply.
"Still—"
A brief silence fell, then Ed gently stroked Charlotte's hair and continued in a calm tone.
"I'll praise the effort."
"Th-th-thank… you…"
Charlotte, head still bowed, couldn't lift her face under Ed's caress. She didn't look upset by it, though. If anything, she looked pleased, or softened—her expression was complicated in a good way.
"If you don't like it, say so anytime. For now, I'll continue."
"Ah—no… please keep going…"
Any embarrassment had long since vanished from Charlotte's face; only joy remained. She had her head lowered right then. It was a shame Ed couldn't see that expression.
"…That should be enough."
"Huh? Ah—yes…"
Charlotte seemed to realize how thick the disappointment in her voice had been, because she clapped a hand over her mouth in surprise.
"So you liked being stroked."
"It feels like I'm being cherished. It's been so long since I felt that way—it's comforting. It feels nice."
Charlotte answered Ed's question while smoothing her mussed hair. Ed seemed to mull over her answer as he headed for his own sofa, and once Charlotte finished fixing her hair she spoke up again.
"When I fell asleep earlier—you carried me, didn't you, Master?"
"Well, yes."
"I thought so. The reason I woke up was that the place I was sleeping felt uncomfortable."
"…So you're saying being carried was more comfortable?"
"Well… yes.
Now that I've said it out loud, it's a little embarrassing… It felt gentle, I guess? Warm and soft. Comfortable."
"Thinking about it, that kind of reaction makes sense."
Ed rested his chin on his hand as if considering Charlotte's attitude, and Charlotte seemed curious about his last remark.
"Did you say it's natural for me to feel comfortable with you, Master…? May I hear the reason?"
"Compared to first impressions, a reasonably kind attitude. Gratitude for the prosthetic arm and leg. A life that's abundant for a slave. Things like that, I suppose."
"That… may be part of it, but I like you as a person, Master.
Your way of speaking is a little cold, but you watch my condition carefully and help me so I don't overdo it.
So it's a little different from those things."
"I'll gratefully accept the opinion. Though I'll still need to look a little further into why you find me comfortable."
"I know, right? Why do I feel so at ease with you, Master? We haven't even known each other that long."
Ed didn't lower his hand from his chin, and unlike him, Charlotte sat still, gazing into space as she pondered.
…They don't seem to understand their own feelings very well. Progress is going to be a bit slow at this rate, I thought.
"Master, may I ask one question?"
"Ask as much as you like."
"Why do you want to know the reason I feel comfortable with you?"
"Psychological factors. Charlotte, the more comfortable you feel in this space, the faster you'll adapt to the prosthetic arm and leg.
The pressure not to make mistakes creates mistakes. So I want you to feel at ease here.
Asking about preferred names was for the same reason—for the sake of comfort."
"I already find this place plenty comfortable. Isn't that enough?"
"That's fortunate if so, but what I want to know is the reason.
Anyway, if that was meant as comfort, then I thank you."
Even after the conversation ended, a brief silence lingered between them. Both of them probably needed time to sort out their thoughts.
Ed was the first to finish organizing his, and he broke the silence by rising from his seat.
"Hearing a third party's opinion would be more reliable. I'll have to go meet an acquaintance of mine next time.
Let's leave this conversation here. Would it be all right if I asked for help with the housework today?"
"Ah—yes! Of course!"
Charlotte answered in a bright, happy voice and stood up after Ed. The two of them headed for the kitchen together, and I was left alone in the living room.
…I hope that meeting with the third party comes soon, I thought.