477 - Progress of the Prank Verification and Leonardo's Return
To get straight to the point, I was unable to move to Mey Fortress. Despite being stopped by both Leonardo and Alf, I want to ask myself what on earth I was doing, but pushing forward like that is just who I am. One could also say I couldn't resist my curiosity.
...No, that's not it. This is cooperation. Cooperation in Salisa's verification experiment.
I apologize in my heart to Leonardo, who must be traveling under the open sky, for breaking his instructions, but I assure him it wasn't just for fun.
Incidentally, Alf has strictly forbidden me from working for a month, so I am currently in the midst of embroidery. While the embroidery for the Spring Flower Festival is progressing, I believe my embroidery paintings are also advancing at an unusually fast pace for paintings adorned with embroidery.
"As expected, it seems that, basically, one can only go to places they have personally visited before."
"Though it seems it's only 'basically'."
In order to compile a report, I list the discovered facts on the writing board. I believe that if I can grasp a certain direction, my guardians will feel relieved. Therefore, I hope they will forgive me for causing a bit more worry until the report is finished.
Taking advantage of Salisa's experiment, I moved to Augun Castle in the Zoogary Empire the other day. There, Carlotta and I introduced ourselves once more, and I was treated to tea. I didn't call out to Giselle since I didn't want to disturb her rehabilitation, but I was able to see Giselle's back from a distance as she strolled through the garden. Unfortunately, I couldn't see Jean-Jacques, who apparently is in an interesting situation, but it seems Jean-Jacques is using Augun Castle as a base to investigate the Zoogary Empire.
And, while it seems I can only move to places I have visited once, Salisa was able to move to places she had visited and to the place where I was. While I was walking down the hallway with Carlotta, who offered to show me Aurelia's bobbin lace, Salisa caught up to us carrying empty plates.
"For now, Salisa is the only one who can move using sweets."
"We had Aaron-sama and the others help by changing the types of sweets, but the result remained the same."
It seems the prank fairy doesn't grant wishes in exchange for pancakes. Whether it's baked goods, candy, pudding, or even unrefined honey, the prank fairy accepts it as long as Salisa offers it as payment. When I forced the prank fairy to choose between pancakes and pudding to probe for its favorites, I found that it prefers pudding over pancakes. So, when Aaron was given pudding and Salisa attempted to move while holding pancakes, Salisa moved to Mandez in exchange for the pancakes. For now, Salisa seems to be the only one other than me who can be transported. When Salisa wishes, the prank fairy grants one request per day in exchange for sweets.
"Salisa is also the only one whose requests the prank fairy grants."
In my case, I was transported just by a muttered monologue that accidentally slipped out, or simply by glancingly thinking, I want to go over there. However, it's not as if I can always go exactly where I want. In my case, I think it depends entirely on the fairy's mood. What I learned after several verifications is that even if I intentionally mutter, I want to go there, I rarely actually move, whereas Salisa always moves to the place she says she wants to go. Regarding the return from the destination, in my case, it's at the fairy's whim, while Salisa apparently returns based on her own judgment of I've had enough.
"...What is the reason for this difference?"
My opinion, as the one transported most often, is ignored, while Salisa's movements, though limited to where I am and once per day, almost always follow her will. I feel like there's some meaning hidden here, but I don't know what it is. The only thing I know for sure is that being transported this frequently only happens during winter. The reason is extremely simple. For a shut-in like me, there is no reason to want to go outside other than Leonardo's absence. Once the winter movements end and Leonardo returns to the city of Grenore, my desire to go far away should decrease.
...Yes, I feel like I've started to understand how to deal with this a little bit.
For now, if I summarize these verification results into a report and submit it, Leonardo and Alf will probably be a bit more relieved. While I was creating the report with that thought, something hit my leg.
...Huh? My doll?
I keep Enomena's pot inside the kotatsu as a makeshift greenhouse, but the thing that hit my leg seemed to be my doll. When I peeked inside the kotatsu, my doll, which should have been displayed inside the dollhouse, was rolling on the carpet.
...Is it asking for snacks?
I don't think that's possible, but Salisa and I both tilted our heads at the doll rolling on the carpet. When I picked up the doll and put it back in Enomena's pot, the doll popped out of Enomena's pot again while I was tidying up the pen and ink.
...Huh?
When the following month after winter arrived, Leonardo returned to the city of Grenore. Usually, he returns at the end of winter, but thanks to his early departure this year, his return was also early.
Finding Leonardo arriving on horseback from the main gate, I waited for him with only my face peeking out from the entrance. Once I confirmed that Leonardo had dismounted and handed the reins to Bart, I timed it for when he turned around and leaped vigorously at him.
"Welcome back!"
"Tina!? It's dangerous to suddenly jump at me... ? Hmm?"
It should have been a surprise attack, but as expected, Leonardo caught me without even staggering. He was just surprised enough to widen his eyes at me jumping at him, but he held me firmly. However, he seemed to realize something a moment later, and his face gradually became an indescribable, strange expression.
"...Tina? Have you become able to go outside?"
"Heh heh heh, you shouldn't think of me as someone who will stay cooped up forever! As you can see, I've become able to go outside!"
I puffed out my thin chest as if to say, "See?", but in truth, I only became able to go outside in the last few days. When only my doll was pushed out of Enomena's pot, I somehow felt that I could go outside now. It was truly nothing more than a "somehow." A core-like conviction that "I'm fine now" was born somehow, and I felt like trying to go outside. While thinking that was absurd, when I actually managed to go outside, I tilted my head before I even felt happy. Wondering why I suddenly became able to go outside.
...Somehow, I think it was something like, "It's okay now," or "Why don't you go outside soon?"
I felt as if Kalisa was saying, "Let's go outside soon," when only my doll started being pushed out of Enomena's pot. And as if invited, I stepped outside, and I was almost disappointed by how easily I stepped out from the entrance without any nausea or anything. I wondered what the nausea and effort of this past year were for.
Whether it was satisfied that I went outside, my doll stopped popping out even when put back into Enomena's pot. It still seems to move around inside the dollhouse, but that's all.
"...Anyway, I'm glad. That you can go outside. Really, you aren't feeling sick or pushing yourself, are you?"
"I'm fine. It's nothing."
You should praise me more, I thought, as I pressed my head against Leonardo's side. As I acted spoiled like that, my height had grown a little, so I felt Leonardo's ribs around my forehead. I'll have to hold back these full-power hugs soon, or they'll turn into headbutt attacks to the ribs.
"Even so, it seems you actually listened to the warning this time."
"What do you mean?"
It seems he's going to praise me for something else, I thought, looking up at Leonardo while tilting my head. As for me, I can think of things I should be scolded for, but the only thing I can think of that deserves praise is becoming able to go outside. While I waited for the continuation of Leonardo's words, wondering what he meant, he patted my head with his large hand.
...This habit of Leonardo-san's won't be fixed, will it? Well, it's fine for today.
I've been saying I want him to stop patting my head, but I myself haven't corrected my behavior, which can only be described as childish. I have no right to force Leonardo alone to stop treating me like a child.
"You didn't come to Mey Fortress. You listened to the warning and waited at the house, didn't you?"
"Ah, that's not it. I just 'couldn't go' to Mey Fortress."
Oh, so that's all, I thought, understanding and correcting Leonardo's misunderstanding. I think this was the mistake.
"...Oh?"
"Ah."
By the time I realized my slip of the tongue, it was too late. Leonardo's voice dropped an octave, and the movement of the large hand that had been patting my head stopped. Leonardo's hand descended straight to my cheek—
"Big Brother Leonardo, thank you for your long journey! The road from Mey Fortress to the city of Grenore must have been difficult, right? I will brew you a heartfelt 'thank you for your hard work' cocoa. ...It's instant, though."
Now, please come this way, I said, grabbing Leonardo's hand, which had intended to pinch my cheek, and began pulling him along. It's impossible for me to move Leonardo with my arm strength, but Leonardo gave in. While making a sour face as if to say the lecture isn't over yet, he seemed to agree to change locations.
...Well, certainly, pinching the cheek of a sister who is technically an adult as punishment isn't something to do at the entrance.
Entering the entrance hall, I asked Salisa to prepare hot milk. Compared to the cocoa Salisa brews, it was instant cocoa with a cheap taste, but if brewed with hot milk instead of hot water, it becomes reasonably delicious. The large amount of instant cocoa I brought back is being consumed steadily like this.
...Now, how should I distract him from the lecture?
While stirring the cocoa, I stole a glance at Leonardo, who still had a difficult expression. He's probably bracing himself, thinking that as a brother, he must firmly scold his sister. The wrinkle between his brows, which thins when he lets his guard down, deepened occasionally as if he remembered.
...There is one topic that will certainly make Leonardo-san's thoughts go beyond a lecture.
If it's a topic to distract Leonardo, there is one. However, it's the kind of topic where I wonder if it's right for it to come from my mouth. Mainly, in the sense of whether that's appropriate for a girl.
...But, Leonardo-san is my guardian, right?
As a guardian, he should probably know the state of the person under his protection. If I had a mother, there would be no need to inform Leonardo, who is a man, but the only guardian close to me is Leonardo. In that case, Leonardo is the only person to talk to about this. Even if I don't speak, Salisa or Tabitha will probably mention it soon as a report about me.
"Here you go," I said, handing the cocoa to Leonardo. I watched Leonardo take a sip of the cocoa while striving to maintain his difficult expression, and timing it perfectly, I dropped a bomb on him.
"By the way. Besides becoming able to go outside, there was another change."
After that preface, I continued, "I got my first period," and Leonardo's movements stopped dead. I had been timing it, thinking he would surely spray the contents of his mouth, but surprisingly, Leonardo calmly swallowed what was in his mouth, though it seems it went down the wrong way as he began to choke violently. As I rubbed Leonardo's back while playing innocent, saying that I've finally joined the ranks of adults, I received a protest from a teary-eyed Leonardo, "Isn't that something you normally don't tell the opposite sex?" I also thought a bit about whether I should say it or leave it unsaid, but since Leonardo is my only guardian, it couldn't be helped. I thought it would be better to get the embarrassment over with early by saying it first, rather than the awkwardness of him somehow sensing it at some timing later while I stayed silent.
"...How should I put this... is 'congratulations' the right thing to say?"
While saying he's happy about my growth, Leonardo wore a shy smile. Despite saying it myself, it was indeed a bit embarrassing, and it must have been an awkward topic for Leonardo too.
"Since the topic is that I've grown, I think 'congratulations' is the correct answer."
As I continued, saying I don't really feel like I've become an adult, Leonardo's hand, which had reached for my head, was lowered. He probably realized that he truly must stop treating me like a child.
For both of us, the time has come to revise the distance we've had until now.
Alf "What's with the shy setting?" Salisa "The young lady has always shown manliness in strange places, after all."
Since Tina grows as the story progresses, I put this in casually. Probably late in terms of age, but a reasonable timing in terms of height.
Typos and omissions will be handled at a later date.