Family (1)
His parents were free-spirited people. Though they were commoners without a family name, they lived bound by nothing, wandering wherever they pleased — so much so that people would murmur about how two such identical souls had ever managed to find each other.
And the only son born to them had no choice but to suffer for that freedom. Believing with unshakable conviction that their five-year-old boy was a genius, they entrusted him to the temple without a moment's hesitation. After leaving him at the Holy Fire Hall, the Church's educational institution, they began traveling the entire continent.
The catalyst had been a famous Holy Knight named Veronica taking the boy as her disciple. A renowned Holy Knight, trustworthy in both character and skill — they could leave him in her care with peace of mind. Veronica herself had asked them to trust her, so there was nothing to hesitate over.
"After that, they'd show up at the temple whenever we'd just about forgotten they existed... always carrying souvenirs from every corner of the continent."
"...Souvenirs?"
"Yeah. The ones piled up in my room at Master's house alone could fill a museum."
"...They really were something."
It was the day after Veronica had left. Ain and his companions had spent the night at Haru's house — the one they had already cleaned — and were now gathered on the first floor, talking.
"That's why Master used to drop by every now and then just to look around Ain's room, you know."
Every disciple under Veronica was an inner disciple — one who shared her daily life and received instruction not only in skill, but in character and values as well. And yet, looking at the kind of person Ain had turned out to be, one had to wonder whether it was a case of like attracting like, or whether Ain's sense of self was simply that unshakable.
That aside, Ain's parents loved their son, and they did their best to show it.
"If they couldn't visit for a long time, they'd at least send a letter. Saying they were sorry... along with another souvenir."
"So this time is something similar?"
"This one was probably sent to Master like usual. That way it'd get passed along to me."
Inside the envelope was another letter — one addressed, as always, to the son living under Veronica's care. But because the Ain who should have received it had run away, Veronica had apparently written a reply of her own, unable to bear the thought of a letter that would never be delivered.
"That's probably how they found out I'm in Karpe..."
"...So Master knew where you were from the very beginning."
"Guess so."
Ain let out a small sigh, once again realizing that his master had been watching over him all along.
"They said they happen to be passing through the area... and they're coming to see my face."
"That's wonderful, Ain."
Er meant every word.
"It's been quite a while since you last saw them, hasn't it? You must be happy."
"...Well, yeah, but."
"Then why do you look like that?"
Er tilted her head at Ain's vaguely sour expression. The one who answered her confusion was none other than Jina, who had been listening in from the side.
"He's just embarrassed."
"Hey! That's not it!"
"Oh, please. The way he's acting, he's a total kid..."
All that pointless prickliness, that dogged effort to be difficult, that desperate attempt to look tough — he was every inch a little boy.
"Puberty, that's what this is... wait, that's actually kinda cute! Ain, wanna do something fun with your big sis?"
"Get the hell away from me!"
Ain dodged Jina as she lunged at the opening, then snapped back.
"I was just caught off guard, that's all! I am absolutely not embarrassed or anything like that!"
"Ain. How many times do I have to tell you? You don't need to worry about me."
"..."
Ain shut his mouth at the sudden gravity in Jina's voice. She watched him for a moment, then let out a short laugh.
"It's not your fault I'm an orphan, is it? So why are you walking on eggshells around me?"
"...I was not."
He whipped his head away as he said it, unable to meet her eyes — she'd hit the mark, and it showed. Jina grinned and turned to Er.
"So it's no big deal. Just let him be."
"Hmm... if you say so..."
"Ah, then I should go get ready!"
"...Ready?"
Er blinked, wondering what on earth that was supposed to mean. Jina flashed her a supremely confident smile.
"I'm meeting Father and Mother — I have to look my best!"
"...Father? Mother?"
Er's brow furrowed as she turned the words over. Jina had clearly been waiting for exactly that reaction, because the smirk she produced was one guaranteed to set Er's blood boiling.
"Ahh, that's right — this'll be your first time meeting them, won't it~ What a shame. Like I told you before, I've already paid my respects, been officially recognized, and even completed the formal family introduction!"
"Formal introduction? You were just calling yourself an orphan a minute ago."
"That's exactly why it's a formal introduction!"
Ain shook his head in disbelief at the miraculous logic that being an orphan somehow made a greeting into a formal family introduction.
"Er, you don't need to worry about my parents, or about that idiot. So just—"
"No. I can't do that."
"...Er?"
In that instant, Ain saw something harden into resolve in her green eyes. He waved his hands in a frantic attempt to stop her.
"You really don't have to! There's no reason to fuss over someone else's parents—"
"Are we strangers?"
"Uh. Well. When you put it that way, I've got nothing."
"Right? So I'll need to prepare in my own way as well."
"...Prepare what, exactly?!"
"Don't worry, Ain. I'll make sure of it."
"Sure of what?!"
Despite the sheer alarm in Ain's voice, Er was already burning with fighting spirit all on her own.
"So, Jina. You'll be cooperating."
"Why would I? The more you make a fool of yourself, the better it is for me."
"Think about it, Jina. If you don't cooperate, I will do everything in my power to expose your true nature."
"...What?"
Er delivered the threat with a face of utterly shameless composure. Jina stared at her in bewilderment, as if she couldn't believe a person like this existed, but Er didn't so much as blink.
"Judging by the look of you, you've been putting on a whole act for Ain's parents, haven't you? But that won't work this time. Heh... because I'll be there. Destroying your image with a little agitation and fabrication would be the easiest thing in the world."
"...Is there something wrong with you?"
"Of course not. I don't even need to blackmail you, actually."
The catalogue of Jina's eccentricities that flashed through Er's mind in that moment was endless. On the surface she might have looked like any other girl her age, trailing after Ain and making her affections known — but Er knew the damp, clinging obsession hidden underneath. She had more than enough ammunition without needing to invent a single lie.
"Let's play fair. A smear campaign would only leave both of us wounded."
"Why should I? No matter how much you slander me, the trust I've built with Mother and Father will never break!"
"Why the hell are you two fighting over someone else's parents?!"
Ain, who had been listening from the sidelines and could take no more, shouted at them — and both pairs of eyes snapped toward him at once.
"Outsiders stay out of this!"
"Yeah, don't interfere!"
"They're my mom and dad...?"
His protest landed with all the weight of a falling feather. The staring contest between the two showed no sign of ending. Ain let out a hollow laugh, his face going slack as he realized nothing he said was going to get through —
"Ain."
"...What is it, Haru. You want in on that too?"
Haru tugged on his sleeve and shook her head.
"Ain's parents. Don't care. I just... need Ain."
"Urgh...?"
Ain was so unexpectedly moved by the admirable sentiment that tears sprang to his eyes. He was just about to say something when —
"So. What'll you do?"
"...About what?"
"The room. Lending it?"
"Ah."
Come to think of it, there was a room that had been left hanging. They had fussed and fretted and cleaned the place spotless, only for Veronica to show up far sooner than expected. For all that effort, she had not the slightest interest in any aspect of Ain's daily life, and his agonizing had amounted to nothing more than a one-man exercise in futility.
Haru, however, had no intention of letting the matter fizzle out. She tugged on his sleeve again.
"I want to lend it."
"Kh. So you're the only one who feels sorry for me, huh? Yeah, waking up to morning dew every day was reaching its limit. I could really use a stable place to sleep—"
"Ain's blood. Need it."
"Ah. So that's what this is."
The warmth vanished in an instant, and Ain's face went vacant again. Haru, no longer bothering to hide anything, mumbled through her lips with a dazed look, already anticipating his blood.
"Blood. Not giving?"
"...I feel like I've already given you plenty."
"That was for mana. What I need is for research."
She shook her head, her answer clipped and firm.
"...No?"
Ain wagged his head, at a loss for what to say to that deadpan face.
"Well, it'd be a waste of all that cleaning, and it's getting cold enough that sleeping outside isn't realistic..."
"...So?"
"I can't pass up a free room."
He was tired of waking up to morning dew. Checking whether his arms and legs still worked every time he opened his eyes — he'd had more than enough of that. They'd been planning to find lodgings anyway, and if they could save money, all the better. Besides, there were plenty of empty rooms, and Jina and Er had already claimed theirs. Using the place as the party's base of operations didn't seem like a bad idea at all.
"Just do me a favor and don't come at me with a knife in the middle of the night saying you want to dissect me..."
"..."
"Wh-what? Why aren't you answering?"
"...I'll try."
"I don't want 'I'll try,' I want a guarantee!"
Ain cried out in genuine terror — and the corner of Haru's mouth lifted, just barely. Only then did he realize it had been her idea of a joke, and he exhaled a long sigh.
"Also. Ain's parents. Research subjects too."
She seized the opening to slip in another of her interests, her eyes going round.
"If possible. Want their blood too."
"You said you didn't care!"
"Ain is first priority. That doesn't change."
"Ah! Haru's trying to seduce Ain!"
"I think Ain's blood ranks higher than Ain himself, don't you...?"
Haru's loaded remarks were enough to halt the feud entirely. Both girls piled in, and the room dissolved into noise. Watching his companions, Ain found a small laugh escaping him before he even noticed.
"So, Ain — when did they say they were coming?"
Jina's question. Ain answered.
"Today."
"...Huh?"
"They're coming today. As in, right today."
He said it with a bright, easy smile. Er and Jina stared at his face in a daze —
"Y-y-you idiot!!"
"Why didn't you say that sooner?!"
"H-huh?"
"Damn it, there isn't enough time. Preparing alone, I don't have the time or the manpower..."
"Jina, let's cooperate. Better to split the points than for both of us to crash and burn."
"Hell. Guess that's the only option..."
"What are you two even trying to do?!"
Ain shouted at the two of them as they abruptly launched into a deadly serious strategy session. The answer that came back was simple.
"We have to make a good impression."
"...Huh?"
"They're your parents, after all."
Er said it with a wide, radiant smile. Ain stared at her face in a daze, then turned away, the tips of his ears going red.
"Oh my. Are you embarrassed right now?"
"Th-that's not it!"
Watching him, Er let the smile on her lips deepen even further.
"You can look forward to it."
"...To what?"
"I'll give your parents a wonderful memory."
"...I'm begging you, please don't do anything weird. You scare me sometimes too..."
Whether she heard the look on his face or not, Er simply smiled, bright as anything.