Chapter 8 – Living in this world

 After seeing Leon and Doushi off, Shou and Falco got their stuff sorted out that they had brought with them and ate their dinner. There wasn't much for Shou to do today as Leon brought the soup. Apparently, the soup is made in the town's cafeteria with the whole pot.

As I am from Japan, I took a bath in a hot spring bath, then washed my pants thoroughly and put on my new, slightly larger size pajamas. Leon had bought me a larger one because I was going to get bigger soon. It was time to goodbye the Falco shirts.

I asked Falco, who was up first, to wipe my head. When Shou was nice and warm and moderately dry, Falco sat on the bed and held her from behind. It's a little painful, Shou thinks.

This usually doesn't happen. We don't talk much on the futon together, just spend time with the warmth, and before I know it, it's morning.

He's been preached a lot, Shou giggled and patted the hand that was holding him up.

But still, Shou thinks. The self that was hunted by a goddess, reincarnated, returned to being 10 years old, picked up by a stranger, and hunting slime. The self that could use the healing skills.

I'm sure I'm in a much more difficult situation than Falco who was being preached to.

The truth is, I'm worried about the family I left behind. Even though they will get hunted sooner or later, that doesn't take away the pain of losing a family member. I'm sure they are grieving, mother, father and Sayako. Mom...... you took great care of me and raised me with care. Mom, you're interesting, and good term with father. She was going to be around for the rest of her life,

“No, not at all. In the next life, you should look for someone else. If I'm going to be reborn, I'm going to do something different every time. You should too” 

said Mom, who was making Father depress. If you saw what I'm going through right now, I'm sure you'd tell me to have fun and that it's okay if you do. What about them who has left behind?

“Don't worry about me, I'll be fine”

I'm sure you'll say. That's right. I'm just gonna have to live with it. If I have to, have as much fun as possible. Shou chuckled.

“What's up, Shou”

“Falco, is there a mirror?”

“It's in there, in the bathroom. Oh, you couldn't see it because it's so high up”

“I didn't know it was there. I'll see it”

“Wait, wait, wait. I'll get you there”

“It's fine. As long as I have a chair”

“It's okay”

Falco picked Shou up and moved to the bathroom. He turns on the light.

“Look, can you see”

“Wow”

There was definitely my ten-year-old self there. Fluffy, dark, frizzy hair dancing around my young face. It should have been straightened and permed because it was too much work to maintain, but it was back to normal.

The color of the eyes is light brown. The original dark brown color has changed to a much lighter color. The face was originally Shou's, but I guess it adapted to this world. My face is a little westernized, but I don't feel any discomfort.

When I looked straight up, I saw Falco in the mirror. He has the same but hard frizzy hair as I do, and his light brown eyes are shaking with anxiety. Does he look like Onii-san? Like Otou-san?

He looks about the same age as Shou in the former world. He looks a little like his classmate, Saeki. Particularly his lack of self-confidence.

How can you not be confident? Why are you nervous?

I gently reach out a small hand to Falco's cheek. Falco rested his cheek on the hand.

A caretaker prepared by the goddess? No, it's not. He was just a stranger who happened to pick up a fallen child. He has no obligation to take care of me.

And yet, he doesn't want to leave, he says he wants to be with me. He's worried that Shou might leave, and that it might be better for Shou if he does, and he's a kind person.

Shou reached out her other hand to Falco as well and pulled Falco's face to his own.

Sounded ‘Kotsun’, and their foreheads meet.

“Shou?”

The forehead we put together and the hands that support us are warm. I will live in this world. With this person who picked me up.

I let go of my aligned forehead and make eye contact with Falco.

“Falco, please take care of me until I become an adult”

His brown eyes, which had been shaking with anxiety, were filled with joy and tenderness.

“Leave it to me. We'll be together forever”

No, no, it's until I become an adult.

← Previous Chapter                             Next Chapter  →