Chapter 74
Unexpected encounter . Unexpected facts . Unexpected reality .
“… so she was a popular person huh, that Celia”
“With hardcore fans too”
“Don’t just laugh and help her won’t you, in the first place it was Al’s fault this happened”
“Isn’t it just fine”
“It’s not fine!”
I whack Al’s back, while he continued to teasingly laugh .
“Alright . If Al doesn’t go, I’ll go instead . ”
When I tried to chase them, Al grabbed my arm and stopped me .
“You can’t take on that many people”
“Even then, it’s not like we can just stand by and do nothing”
“Ah… My bad! I’ll go after her”
“…Really?”
“Really!”
So just wait here, he roughed up my hair and said . Is there nothing I can do about being treated like a child . In this world, Japanese people may appear to look younger, but I wouldn’t want them to treat me like a kid forever .
While sulking, I waited a few tens of minutes for the pair to return .
“Late, way too late”
I’m worried that they are getting caught up in something, and was about to search for them, when something suddenly hit my back with a bosun, shocking me .
That pretty-faced boy from earlier was clinging to my waist .
“…?”
I wonder for what reason he is clinging to my waist .
His eyes, which I couldn’t see from afar, were honey-coloured . Unwittingly, I looked at his downward slanting, drowsy looking eyes . As I watched his eyelashes which were the same chocolate brown as his hair blink a few times, an angel-like smile appeared facing me, and my cheeks turned hot as I was filled with a desire to protect this overly cute smile .
“Oi you brat! Don’t run away!”
The one who broke in between us while we were just staring at each other, was this boy’s opponent from the match earlier . His figure looked miserable, his body completely covered in injuries .
“You used underhanded tricks!! You probably worked with some other adult to have them cast magic for you right?!”
It looks like he wasn’t happy with the result of the match earlier . I don’t think a proper adult should be shouting at a young child like that, but the one who caused him to be covered in wounds is undoubtedly this boy . In an instant, too . But, the match has already been settled, it’s too late to try and accuse him now .
When I hugged the boy protectively without thinking, the man’s gaze shifted to me instead .
“The hell are you . This kid’s guardian? Is that so, you’re the one that used magic right! It’s obvious! There’s no way this brat can use such high-level magic!”
“…Unfortunately, I cannot use magic”
“What rubbish are you saying! You are completely hidden by that hood, so you’re clearly suspicious! You’re obviously the magician!”
So suspicious equals to magician huh . Well, it certainly appears that way . It seems even this doesn’t change even in a different world .
“Can’t use magic? Do you not believe in magic?”
I heard a voice that sounded like ringing bells . Turning my gaze down, the widened, honey-coloured eyes came into view . What is this, it’s so cute . Almost like a small animal .
“I, I guess that’s how it is”
“Hmm . You’re an interesting person, onee-san”
It’s not that interesting… wait, onee-san? Did you just call me, older sister? [1]
“Stop whispering and face me!”
“Wha…”
The man grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away from the boy . The impact caused my hood, which carefully covered my whole head, to come loose and fall . Widening my field of vision, I could feel the stabbing gazes from the surroundings, suffocating me . Blood drains from my face .
―― Crap!
“A, a black-featured?!”
At that man’s shocked voice, the word ‘black’ echoed in our surroundings and people looked at me . I heard a commotion stirring . Like a second round of Celia’s earlier turmoil .
Panicked, I put my hood back on and prepared to make a lightning speed escape from this place .
“Wait”
Grabbing the edge of my clothes, I turned back to find the boy looking at me with eyebrows making a ‘ハ’ shape . I was tickled by my motherly instinct . As if I could leave behind this boy that reminds me of an abandoned puppy! I took the boy’s hand, and ran away from that place .
I ran all the way back to the entrance of the arena, and looking behind, luckily nobody followed us . They were probably too shocked that a black-featured appeared to chase me . That’s just how scarce and rare black is in this world . Patting my chest in relief, my other hand was tugged . Ah right . I was still holding the boy’s hand .
“I’m sorry for getting you caught up in that”
But thank you . Thanks to you I was saved . The boy said while smiling .
“And, it’s my first time meeting a bleach-featured . It’s so cool”
It’s not cool or anything . But the boy seemed to sincerely think it was cool, his smile pure and innocent . How should I respond to such a child, I tilt my head silently while thinking .
“But, onee-san you don’t seem to like it that much…? Why?”
“I like it”
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I love it . But it’s not something that can be expressed with just those few words, it’s a far more complicated feeling .
“I was just, a little overwhelmed and perplexed by the reactions from the people around . ”
I’m not something on display . To me, this colour is familiar and common, but the people around me don’t let me feel like that .
“That’s true . It is the colour of the Sacred Beast that saved the world after all . ”
No matter how many times I’ve heard it, it doesn’t feel real . Every time another person tells me that story, I wonder and doubt if that was really me . My own existence became something so distant, it’s no longer something I can reach for . The legendary Sacred Beast that saved the world . That may be how it resulted… but, if the world was saved, then why .
“But, in that case, why do demons still exist in this world?”
“Eh?”
The boy must have heard the words I mumbled . He made a strange and confused face . Crap . This might have been more common knowledge that I didn’t know . My blank for this world’s history is only two years worth . It was just two years, but the world changed and changed again . I’m clueless as to what is or is not common knowledge, so my careless question probably took the boy by surprise and puzzled him .
“Ah, umm, Sorry . My memories are a little jumbled up”
I didn’t tell a lie .
“Hmm . Is it like amnesia or something?”
The opposite . Far from amnesia, my brain is so overloaded with information that whenever I try to think, it feels like I’d explode . More like memory overload .
Something along those lines, I replied vaguely, and the boy didn’t pry any deeper . He might have guessed what I was hesitating to say . What a capable child, he is . At his age, he’s properly using formal language, even calling me onee-san… eh?
“By the way, you called me onee-san”
“? Should I not call you older sister, onee-san?”
“No, but, you see, it became like this”
The gender section of my identification pass says male . Although it’s saddening .
“I don’t understand what you are saying, onee-san is a female right? I know, at least that much”
…Wha, what an amazing child! I’m a little moved! To me who was being treated like a guy till now, finally an angel came! Although I’ve met an actual angel before too! Now that I think about it, I might miss meeting up with Marius . I wonder if it’s okay .
“Hey, can I ask for onee-san’s name . My name is, Chocolat Quartet . ”
Wow, what a delicious sounding name . I could eat you up, I push such perverted thoughts away, and grab the small hand that has been held out towards me .
“I’m Vi… Itoka . ”
I almost said Vito Tienne out of habit there . Back then, I had to keep saying my name to others .
… . Hmm? Chocolat Quartet? …A Quartet? That surname sounds extremely familiar . I recall those voluptuous, marshmallow melons, Ahemahem, I mean that girl with a lovely smile . I clearly remember, her family name was some western sweet or confectionary, that girl .
“You’re from Quartet village, does Chocolat-kun perhaps have an older sister”
Cold sweat forms . Maybe, just maybe . I lick my dry lips, as I sense myself getting a little excited .
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Chocolat-kun smiled very joyfully .
“I do?”
“By the way, her name is…?”
“Chiffon Quartet”
I knew it!! I thought there was no way, I’d have met her younger brother in a place like this! Looking closely, they have similar facial features . Their honey-coloured eyes for one, are exactly the same .
“Do you know my nee-sama?”
Are you maybe her friend, I was asked, but right now I’m someone who’s a complete stranger, with no connection to her at all .
“Ah, um… sorry . It seems to be a different person . I must have mistaken her for a different Quartet . If I remember right, that person also had a younger brother with a name like Chocolat-kun”
Ahh, somehow, it feels like I’m getting better at lying . Touka, your older sister has become a liar . Sorry for being such a sister .
“…Is that so? Ahh, maybe that’s Madeleine-neesama instead? She’s been adopted and has the name Madeleine Morant now though”
“Madeleine Morant… from the Morant magician family . ”
The one who got all the magic from Chiffon while they were twins in their mother’s womb and became a fledgeling magician . I was greatly helped by her when I was alive . Although it’s weird to say ‘when I was alive’ .
“Itoksan, do you know the Morant family?”
“Only what you can hear from rumours”
Saying that, Chocolat-kun happily began speaking . What is this, so cute .
“Madeleine-neesama is one of Alvina kingdom’s strong magicians! I admire her a lot”
Maybe their whole family has really strong magic . Her younger brother has enough talent to defeat an adult in the arena, so I’m likely not too far off . Thinking like that, Chiffon seems rather pitiful .
“Yeah… I heard she’s a strong and kind person . Chocolat-kun’s older sister is amazing”
Ehehe, he laughed . I guess he’s happy that his sister was praised . I too, when someone praises Touka, I lift my chin high and feel proud .
“Right now, I’m travelling because I want to become strong like nee-sama . That’s also why I’ve been going to the arena . I want to get even closer to nee-sama, so when I saw Itoksan earlier, your presence resembled someone Madeleine-neesama told me about before, and I thought you might be one of nee-sama’s friends, which is why I acted like I did . ”
“I, I see”
“Yes . She said that friend was an extremely wonderful and important friend . So I wanted to meet her too”
“I’m sorry… about mistaking your sister”
Touka, it looks like your sister is getting better at cutting ties and playing dumb . My heart may hurt, and I may want to see her whom I miss, but I can’t . Because, come wind and waves, I resolved to bring Touka and the rest home . No matter what comes, I should not be bringing out those memories . Because Itoka is not Vito .
The hero should be like a hero, and draw back once their role is over .
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“Oh, yeah . I need to search for my nee-sama . ”
Chocolat-kun hurriedly turned and looked around .
“Eh, your sister is here…?”
“Yes . We are currently travelling together . She said she would meet me at the waiting room once the match was over, but there were no signs of her coming, so I think she might have gotten lost on the way .
A small sigh . Just like a parent worried about their lost child . In short, Chocolat-kun made adult-like gestures one by one . Right, it’s not the time to be escaping reality now . To have gotten lost, it’s got to be Chiffon . Madeleine would never be in such a situation . But why is Chiffon travelling with Chocolat-kun I wonder . I thought for sure that she was working as an employee at the castle .
In any case .
“A lost child…”
As always, she seems to be showing off her natural airheadedness .
“Fufu, but you see, while Chiffon-neesama may have her clumsy side, she’s a dragon rider . She’s a female knight of the Alvina Kingdom . ”
Although she’s not that strong, Chocolat-kun laughed as he stared straight at me .
…what? ONe MOmeNT PLeaSe[2] …Chiffon, a dragon rider? What in the world, is this child saying? That Chiffon, who scratches both her hands when just holding a needle, who spills the bucket of water when cleaning, who is a huge crybaby, — a dragon rider? Female knight? What kind of joke is that?
That’s not the Chiffon I know . I thought, it’s possible that it’s someone else with the same age, name and gender, but the woman who appeared before me crushed such possibilities .
“Chocolat! Sorry I’m late!”
“Chiffon-neesama”
Surprised, my body instinctively stiffens . I could hear footsteps coming towards me from behind, and a nostalgic voice reached me . The one who I saw as I turned around slowly, was unmistakably, her .
“But the arena is huge! It’s like a castle! Ah, the match earlier was amazing! You’re not hurt, right?”
She stopped in front of Chocolat-kun, looking at him worriedly . Her honey-coloured hair has been cut shorter than before, now just reaching her shoulders . Probably tanned by the sun, her skin looked very healthy, and instead of servant clothes, she wore light battle wear which revealed her legs and arms, which were wrapped in bandages as if treating wounds . Looking reminiscent of a slightly shabby traveller, was not the Chiffon that I knew . While retaining her femininity, her body was surrounded by the air of a real knight .
Even then, there is still no doubt . Right now, the one who is standing before me, is that Chiffon .
“I’m not injured . But I was accused of being a scam by my opponent earlier”
“Eh?! Are you alright?!”
“Yeah, Itoksan saved me”
That was when Chiffon finally noticed my presence . After quickly looking me over with a sharp expression, she immediately switched to a smile .
“Thank you for saving Chocolat! I am Chiffon Quartet . Feel free to call me Chiffon! It’s rare for Chocolat to be so fond of someone . I’d be happy if we could get along!”
…This girl is truly, like a fluffy marshmallow melon .
Translation Notes:
[1] Onee-san in Japanese refers to an older sister, or is used to address an older lady
[2] The author spelt this out in the English pronunciation, but didn’t use katakana (which is used for foreign words), so I just played with the letters to get an emphasis effect .