This is the middle post of a three-part series. Please take note.
The latter half comes first and the former half comes last, so please be aware of that as well.
“—Oh, oh! Old woman, she seems to be awake!”
Recognizing the hoarse voice, “I” tried to open my eyes slightly. However, my eyelids wouldn’t move properly. Like a rusty door, it took a long time to let in the light of the world.
During that time, another hoarse voice could be heard from the other side.
“……Oh, it seems so. In that case, I’ll prepare something warm right away. We need to get something in your stomach first. You won’t have the energy to move otherwise.”
“That’s right.”
By the time I finally managed to open my eyes, I was blinded by the long-absent light. Still, I squinted my eyes to try and gather information about my surroundings.
The first thing that caught my eye was an unfamiliar ceiling. It wasn’t flat but had a strange, three-dimensional shape, like a triangular pyramid. Wooden beams crisscrossed to support the ceiling, weaving like a canopy within the triangular space.
From the ceiling, I felt a sense of security, as if I were looking at a giant tree towering over the land.
Where is this place……
It’s very different from where I was before.
I feel like I was in a darker place……
Why…
I don’t want to remember…
Ah, that’s right……
More importantly, I need to confirm where “here” is……
I slowly turned my head to the side.
With the lattice-less window, where light streamed in, at my back, an old man sat with a smile. He wore beige clothes that clearly showed he had worn them for many years, a benevolent old man. He was likely a “Demon” like me. The tips of his limbs were shaped like octopus tentacles. There was a high possibility of him being a mix of jellyfish or octopus, or a water-dwelling Monster.
Upon realizing that the person next to me was not a “Human” but a “Demon,” I felt a sense of relief. And with that composure, while gathering more information about my surroundings, I spoke. I was a little anxious, but my dry, parched throat managed to produce a voice.
“Wh-where is… this…?”
I was definitely inside a building. Next to the window where light shone, there was a shelf for daily use, with various tableware lined up. From the dried fruits hanging on the wall, I could tell it was a private home. I was currently lying in the bed of that home.
“Ah, it’s our home. You can rest easy now. At least you won’t starve to death.”
The benevolent old man next to me replied in a gentle voice.
Surprised by the warmth of his voice, I responded.
“Uh… ah, yes…”
I couldn’t even properly thank him. That’s how long it had been since I had experienced such direct kindness.
Then, as I was bewildered by the situation, something warm was offered from the opposite direction. It was a wooden bowl, filled with potato soup emitting white steam.
The old woman, likely the companion of the octopus old man, placed the bowl in my hands.
“It’s nothing special… Here, eat…”
Another gentle voice.
My confusion only intensified.
“Why… are you giving me food…?”
Looking at the soup, I asked.
“Why, you ask? If we were to abandon a child like you, we would be punished by the gods who watch over us. No, we wouldn’t be able to face the Kings of Viaisia Country who protect us. Is that why?”
Punished by the gods? Because I couldn’t face the royal family of the country that protects us?
I was given an answer that I couldn’t comprehend at all.
At least, it was a way of thinking that had never occurred in my life.
So, I couldn’t push the soup away, nor could I bring myself to taste it. I just froze.
Seeing that, the old man continued.
“I understand. You must have fled from the South, haven’t you?”
South.
It was an expression I rarely used.
However, I had come heading North. Therefore, the place I came from would appropriately be called the South.
I nodded in response.
“……Yes.”
“Our relationship with the South has… no, the rift between ‘Humans’ and ‘Demons’ has deepened these past few years. I hear that ‘Demons’ are treated poorly in the South. You must be one of them, aren’t you?”
The old man seemed to have understood my entire situation.
Thinking it was no use hiding where I came from, I truthfully nodded.
“……Yes.”
I had been running, and running, and running.
Believing the rumors that there was a paradise for Demons in the North, I had come all this way without eating or drinking. Then, unable to walk or move, I lost consciousness alone in the desolate Grassland, thinking I would die there.
“It’s amazing that you managed to reach the remote lands of the North with such a small body…… You can rest easy now. There are no Humans here to threaten you……”
But I was saved.
I am alive now. Saved by the old man and old woman, who are Demons like me.
The old man comforted me with words, and the old woman gently stroked my back.
“You should rest your body today. We can introduce you to the village tomorrow.”
“……Huh?”
I was surprised by the suggestion that I could stay here indefinitely. I had been thinking about how to repay them and how to live from now on.
“……My child. Did you perhaps think of leaving?”
“Y-yes. Because, I am—”
—A nuisance outsider. As I was about to say that, the topic was suddenly changed.
“By the way, what kind of demon are you mixed with?”
My body trembled.
—Mixed.
That word stimulated my trauma. That word had decided my entire life.
However, not answering would be dishonest to my benefactors. It was as if they were asking what kind of being I was.
Suppressing the trembling that surged from the depths of my body, I replied.
“……It’s slightly mutated, but I think it’s a Harpy.”
“Hmm, so you are indeed a ‘Demon’.”
“Demon.”
That was what had driven me this far. Not being a “Human.” That alone had made me—
“—In that case, we are kin. What problem is there for family to help family?”
But, hearing those words, the old man put on the most wonderful smile.
Even when hearing words that would only elicit looks of contempt from anyone else, he did not change his attitude.
“F-family…? But…”
“Blood ties don’t matter. We decide our family by our own laws. According to those laws, you are already our family.”
Our own laws…?
Family…?
“But, I am tainted by poison…”
“Such nonsense won’t fly here. Besides, we are also ‘Demons’.”
R-right.
Perhaps because I was confused, I had thought I was the only one tainted. But that was no longer the case. The “North” was different. That’s why I had come all this way.
Because there are many people like me here…!
“I won’t force you. But, for just a little while longer, would you consider living here? We would be happy just to have someone to talk to, us old folks who don’t have much time left.”
The old man gently extended his wrinkled hand.
“Young people are always welcome. Especially cute children like you.”
The old woman also gently stroked my young, grassy-green hair.
Neither of these things had ever happened in my life.
It was too warm. I felt like I could melt away and disappear at any moment.
Ah, ahh……
“Th-thank you…… Thank you…….”
Finally, I managed to utter my thanks.
The moment I said them, all my tension snapped.
Until now, I had felt like I was walking in the dark, cold depths of the earth.
I thought I was living in the abyss, like hell.
But, that was wrong.
It was wrong now.
“Here” is bright and warm.
That alone made all the strength leave my body.
“Thank you… so much—”
Relief brought tears to my eyes, blurring my vision.
—”Here” is “Paradise.”
The rumors were true. There was a final “Paradise” for those who fled North.
I had reached it……
The moment I understood that I had reached it, I lost consciousness.
In the warm bed of a warm home, I slept with my head buried in a soft pillow.
◆◆◆◆◆
However, humans are fickle. When I was near death, I thought of the old man and old woman like gods. But once I regained my strength, I started to think, “Is there some hidden motive?”
I was one of those ungrateful individuals.
Perhaps it could be said that I had walked a life that made me think that way, but it was still somewhat embarrassing as a person.
“Child, what are you doing?”
The old man called out.
I stopped what I was doing.
Next to the house stood a giant tree with white flowers. I was splitting firewood on a stump nearby. While removing white petals that had stuck to my forehead without my realizing, I replied.
“I’m here. Old man.”
After being taken in, I became a member of the village.
However, even though I was provided with a place to stay, I still hadn’t opened up my heart.
While diligently helping with tasks, I observed everyone around me. Repeating this, several days passed before I knew it.
“I’ve finished splitting the firewood…”
Carrying the firewood I had just split on both shoulders, I headed towards where the old man’s voice had come from. The old man, who was behind the house, looked surprised to see me.
“Wh-what a strong child you are…”
“Do you think so?”
I replied while putting the firewood, which was barely my height, into the storage shed.
“You’re a mix of Harpy, aren’t you? You should be weaker…”
“But the others were also doing this much.”
“Hmm, others?”
“People mixed with Red Ox, or mixed with Black Wolf…”
“The fact that you’re comparing yourself to those species already indicates something is strange…”
Is it strange?
But, if I couldn’t manage this much, I don’t think I would be alive right now. Back then, I was so desperate to keep up with those around me that I never even considered my own species…
“Perhaps, child, you might be a little special.”
“Special…?”
Does he mean special even among Harpy mixes?
Or as a “Demon”? Or fundamentally as a person?
“Occasionally, I hear that some individuals adapt well to the poisons of this world. They say those individuals can control the power of poison and create fire or wind.”
“With the power of poison, fire and wind…? That sounds like a Monster.”
It sounds like fantasy magic. It might be convenient if I could do that, but it’s too unrealistic.
“Well, that’s when it becomes legendary, but it’s true that those who adapt to poison and can control it have stronger bodies?”
“Ah. Is that so…? And that’s me?”
While I’m skeptical about legends, the idea of improved physical ability seems plausible.
“Ah, child, perhaps you are— Hmm. However, calling you ‘child,’ ‘child’ is difficult to say. You’re going to grow up, so we can’t keep calling you that forever.”
“Um… I’m sorry I don’t have a name…”
“That’s not something you need to apologize for. But, a new name, huh…”
I’ve never been called by a name, so I don’t know my own name.
That’s why I’ve always gone by ‘child.’ Instead of ‘hey’ or ‘you,’ ‘child’—I actually like it, but the old man doesn’t seem to.
“Oh ho, in that case, I shall give you a cute name.”
As we discussed names, the old woman appeared from the front of the house. The old man was exasperated by her perfectly timed entrance.
“Old woman, you were here…”
“The child’s name is Titty. What do you think, isn’t it a cute name?”
“……Indeed. That might be the best one.”
The old woman suggested with confidence, and the old man agreed.
“Titty?”
I repeated the name.
Hearing me, the two nodded.
I’m happy to have a name. I’m happy, but—
“Could it be that this is a very important name…?”
I sensed it from their expressions.
For a moment, they seemed to be reminiscing about something as I spoke the name.
“……Do you dislike it?”
The old woman asked anxiously.
I had only one answer. Refusal wasn’t an option.
“I don’t dislike it… I think it’s a good name. Titty…”
It’s a little childish, but a cute name.
I immediately liked it.
“Then it’s decided. From today, you are Titty.”
The old man made the decision with a bright face.
The solemn atmosphere disappeared, and the topic changed.
“Also, we need to fix your way of speaking soon.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected remark, I tilted my head.
“Huh? Is there something wrong with how I speak?”
“Ah, there is. We are family now. You don’t need to use such polite language.”
“Between family, polite language isn’t necessary…?”
“Ah, that’s right. Let’s be more casual, Titty!”
He slapped me on the back.
I nodded, hesitant about this unprecedented request.
“Ah, h-hai. I’ll try my best. I’ll do my best.”
Then, I bowed my head as much as I could.
The old man looked a bit troubled when he saw that.
“Ah, that’s no good.”
The old man’s finger approached my head, and with a snap, his index finger touched it.
I received a light tap on the head.
“Ouch! …Excuse me.”
“Hmm. Even when I tap you, that’s your reaction… In times like these, you should say, ‘What are you doing?!’ You don’t need to use polite language!”
“Y-Yes! I will do that!”
I bowed my head deeply again.
Furthermore, the instruction not to use polite language had completely flown out of my mind.
Naturally, I was gently tapped on the head again.
“Ah. Uh, um, okay— W-What are you doing!?”
After taking a breath, I replied with renewed determination.
This time, I managed to shed the polite language. I looked at the old man and woman with anticipation, but…
“You sound like a puppet.”
“Monotone.”
It was no use.
The words themselves might have been grammatically correct, but the intonation and other aspects were too unnatural for conversation.
I was at a loss.
I never imagined that anything other than polite language would be so difficult. The price of believing that only polite language was necessary my entire life was coming back to haunt me…
Seeing my predicament, the old woman clapped her hands and suggested,
“That’s right. Try imitating how we speak.”
“Huh? Imitate…? If that’s the case…”
I should be able to do it.
I had a living example in front of me for intonation as well.
“Okay. I’ll try it little by little… for you.”
It was crude, but it should at least be recognizable.
Hoping for their evaluation, I looked up at the old man and woman.
“Well, it’s better than before. Probably.”
“Heh heh. It does seem to be losing its stiffness. It might be a good idea to try that until you get used to it.”
The two of them smiled kindly.
Then, they both gently stroked my head.
“Ehehe.”
It tickled a little, but their palms were so warm. As I let myself sink into the sensation, I smiled too. I was sure I had the same gentle expression as them.
I could feel the ice-like stiffness in my face melting away.
Just the right amount of sunlight fell from the blue sky, and a refreshing breeze blew from the grassland.
White flowers scattered, and their petals landed on the gable roof of the house. Just watching them go by was enough to calm my heart.
Ah, “here” is warm.
Surely, “here” is where I belong.
That’s what I thought.
As a child, I decided where I belonged.
And so, I decided to protect it.
“Th-Thank you, Grandpa, Grandma! Well then, I’ll go do my next task… for you!”
Perhaps because of my subconscious belief that there was no place for those who didn’t function, I immediately tried to move.
“Didn’t you just finish splitting firewood?”
“I still have plenty of energy…! I’m fine!”
I tried to speak as lightly as possible and ran out of the garden. There were many chores around the house. Splitting firewood wasn’t the end of it. I had to work harder for my place here. I decided to start by fetching water.
“If that’s the case, then alright, but be careful!”
“Try not to fall!”
The two waved as I ran into the distance with the bucket for fetching water.
I ran across the grassland with the urge to skip.
Slicing through the wind, I raced through the vast, bright world.
I loved the wind that caressed my cheeks.
Thanks to it, I could run all day. Fetching water was no trouble at all.
I proceeded along a gravel path a little distance from the house, heading towards the river that served as the village’s water source. There was a forest near the river. Even though it was called a forest, it wasn’t very dense. It was more like a grove. The spaces between the trees were wide, making it as bright as the grassland and the path easy to walk on.
The animals that came out of the forest were all small ones. Since it wasn’t an environment where large beasts could survive, I could fetch water with peace of mind, even as a small child.
However, even if a large beast were to appear, I would be fine—
“Everyone, I need your help again today.”
I spoke into the empty air as I walked along the path.
Then, small animals poked their heads out from the nearby bushes. There were white ones on four legs, brown ones, and many other kinds of small animals. I didn’t know their names, but they had cute ears—my friends.
They heard my voice and came out to help their friend.
“Today it’s just fetching water… but I want to do my best to surprise Grandpa and Grandma.”
Hearing my words, they all nodded.
Then, they placed one of the buckets I was carrying onto the backs of two white animals running beside me. This way, for the past few days, I’ve been receiving help carrying heavy loads.
I hadn’t realized it when I was in the South, where the monsters had been eradicated, but I learned how intelligent animals were here. It didn’t take long for me to talk with them and offer my cooperation. After all, even as a child, I understood that anything was faster when done together.
I’m sorry to my friends, but today I’m going all out.
I ran down the path at the maximum speed the small animals could keep up with.
Once we reached the river, it was straight to fetching water.
Working together, we carried the water-filled buckets back to the house. Along the way, everyone helped, and we made many trips.
I didn’t feel tired. Rather, the buckets filled with water seemed to get lighter bit by bit. It felt like strength was welling up from deep within my body as I moved… It even felt like I was absorbing energy from “something” around me.
After about an hour of work,
enough water had been brought to the house’s garden.
Seeing it, Grandpa and Grandma were surprised.
“You’ve really fetched a lot of water. This will be more than enough. …And even things that look like firewood, a lot of them. You must have worked hard.”
“No, I was helped by my friends, so I’m fine… for you!”
My words became mixed when I was suddenly addressed from behind. But Grandpa and Grandma seemed more concerned about something else.
“Friends…?”
“Yes.”
I nodded and introduced the more than ten animals running at my feet.
“My, my…”
“Indeed…”
Grandpa and Grandma looked impressed. No, “amazed” seemed to be a more accurate description of their reaction.
“Titty, you can understand these creatures?”
“I can’t understand their words… you see.”
Ah, this time it was the opposite. It might be better not to force myself to use it until I get used to it.
After taking a breath, I began to explain.
“It’s like… I can somehow understand what they want to convey… That’s what it feels like…”
I told them the truth without hiding anything. When they heard it, their faces were solely filled with astonishment.
“What…!”
“Is this… strange?”
I asked, timidly.
“W-Well. I don’t like to believe fairy tales, but it seems as if you’re manipulating the power of poison. It’s the same power as the legendary ‘Ruling King’.”
“The ‘Ruling King’…?”
“They say there was one in the northern continent in ancient times. A Savior who saved many people.”
“The Savior…”
I felt my heartbeat quicken slightly. The words “King” and “Savior” stirred the curiosity of my young mind.
“…Well, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a rather unusual power, but you are you, Titty. Regardless, we are greatly helped. Thank you.”
As Grandpa and Grandma’s expressions turned into smiles, I felt something warm filling my chest. The warmth was comforting, and I naturally smiled too.
“Ehehe.”
I placed both hands on my chest, feeling that warmth.
Just that alone made me feel so fortunate, as if I understood the meaning of my birth.
“She’s our pride and joy.”
“You can be proud?”
“Ah, she will undoubtedly grow up to be wiser, stronger, and more resilient than anyone in the northern Royal Capital.”
Told that I had the potential to exceed the confines of the village, I blushed.
“Those wings on your back will also heal soon, and you’ll become a peerless beauty.”
Grandpa pointed at my back.
Beneath my clothes, the marks of my being a demon mixed with a Harpy remained. They were signs I had torn off myself because they would stand out in the South.
“Perhaps Titty isn’t a mixed-breed mutant, but a ‘Winged Human’ after all. According to legend, the ‘Ruling King’ was also a ‘Winged Human’. The characteristics are very similar.”
The two continued talking.
Then, their expressions became a little more serious.
“Titty, you are brimming with talent. That’s why there’s something I need to ask you early on.”
My body trembled at the sudden change in topic.
“You can choose various futures. Have you thought about honing that power elsewhere? You could probably become anything. Working for the castle in Viais would not be a dream.”
It was about my future.
From their expressions, it seemed I truly possessed unparalleled talent, without any bias.
However, for me—
“…I don’t want to go.”
Such talent was irrelevant.
I didn’t need it.
There was something more important. Something that resided in my heart right now.
So, with an equally serious expression, I spoke about my future.
“I know the people in the northern town aren’t bad people. The orphanage was also a splendid place.”
Grandpa and Grandma had taken me to the northern town once. At that time, there were other paths for me. People who dreamed and worked as live-in staff, people who laughed with many companions in the orphanage.
They had likely taken me there for my sake.
The kind couple had taught me that this village wasn’t everything.
But for me—!
“Still, I’m happy ‘here’. …I like ‘here’.”
That was my answer.
It had taken me some time to be sure of that answer, but now I had no doubts.
I want “here” to be my place.
And someday, I want “here” to be my grave.
Yes… That’s what I thought…
However, it was a selfish request, considering I had been taken in.
I wasn’t considering the burden and trouble I would cause Grandpa and Grandma.
I might be refused. No, that would be normal.
Such dark thoughts swirled in my mind.
But those dark clouds quickly cleared.
“—If you say so, then it’s fine. No, I’m happy, Titty.”
“Ah, there’s nothing that would make us happier than our pride and joy, Titty, being ‘here’.”
What awaited me were their smiles.
It was a heartfelt welcome.
“Thank you…”
Tears welled up.
Warm tears flowed down.
Even though I wasn’t sad at all, and even though I was smiling, and even though “here” was a place of peace, the tears wouldn’t stop.
Grandpa and Grandma embraced me.
—And so, I gained a family.
After a long, arduous journey, I had arrived in a comfortable world.
And I worked hard in the village for the two of them.
To repay them even a little, I exerted my so-called talent to its limits and kept working. They even scolded me a little for working too hard.
Day after day… warm days passed.
However, even in such a warm world, this story was not over yet.
There was one more family member I couldn’t forget.
Oh, that’s right.
I had Grandpa and Grandma—and my younger brother.
That younger brother was our third family member, and the most beloved.
That idiot younger brother’s appearance was, if I recall correctly—
◆◆◆◆◆
“—Grandpa, Grandma. This one’s suspicious.”
A year had passed since then.
It had been a very long year. I had finally become a year older, but I felt like yawning at the slowness.
Before I knew it, the child’s height had approached Grandpa and Grandma’s. Harpies grew quickly, but even so, it was said to be an unusual speed. Even though she hadn’t reached double digits in age, she had taken on a form close to that of an adult.
It was as if the “World” itself was urging the child to grow up.
So, when she stood next to a child of the same height as the former child, they looked like siblings separated by a significant age gap.
The child’s head was about at the height of the former child’s stomach. While rubbing that brown head vigorously, she stood before Grandpa and Grandma, as if presenting a suspect.
In the unchanging interior of the house, Grandma, sitting on a wobbly wooden chair, asked,
“So, Titty, where did you find this child…?”
“…I found him while playing a little far away.”
“A little far away— Did you go South? I specifically told you not to…”
“Uh, umm, on my way to visit the neighboring town to the East, I might have strayed a tiny bit South?”
“Sigh…”
It was easily revealed that the child had gone into a forbidden area. However, thanks to that, she had managed to catch a suspicious person approaching the house, so she hoped it would be a fair trade.
Grandma sighed and gave up pursuing the child, then spoke to the boy, who was clad only in a dirty rag.
“It’s alright. You can rest easy now. There’s no enemy for you here.”
“Y-Yes…”
The boy was frightened.
As if to release their guard, the old man and old woman slowly listened to the boy’s story.
“First, let’s hear your name…”
“My name…? I don’t know. I probably don’t have one.”
The boy’s words were familiar.
It seemed the old man and old woman felt the same way.
“Just like Titty’s. You probably ran away from a similar place.”
A child who ran away from the south, just like the child…
I can barely remember, but I know it wasn’t a good memory.
This trembling boy had probably suffered terribly in the south too. Thinking that, I felt a little kinship.
And then, in front of the child, the story between the old man, old woman, and the boy continued. This was also a familiar story. With its warmth, they were able to dispel the boy’s wariness, and his stay in the village was easily decided.
Just like the child in the past, he lost consciousness in bed.
I glared at the boy who was occupying the bed the child always used.
It felt like an alien had invaded my precious space, and I pouted, making a sarcastic remark.
“But, this guy is suspicious. Really suspicious. Grandpa, is it really okay to let someone like this into the house?”
“If you’re talking about suspicion… Titty, you were similar too.”
“Mmmph.”
Being compared to the child of the past, I couldn’t retort.
Seeing me like that, Grandpa smiled wryly and petted the child’s head. At the same time, he petted the new housemate boy too.
“Don’t sulk like that, Titty. He’s from the same hometown. Treat him well.”
“Even if you say he’s from the same hometown…”
He’s too much of a stranger. Besides, I’ve decided that ‘here’ is the child’s hometown. The south is by no means a homeland to return to.
“In other words, he’s your younger brother. That means, from today onwards, Titty, you’ll be an older sister.”
Grandma happily welcomed the new family member.
Those words dispelled a bit of the child’s rigid wariness.
“Younger brother…?”
He muttered and looked at the boy in the bed again. This time, not with a glare, but with curiosity.
There was a boy with earth-colored bangs drooping, small tears falling from his eyes.
This boy, who resembled myself in some past moment, was the child’s younger brother…?
I was bewildered by this sudden turn of events.
I had always thought that ‘here’ only consisted of the child and Grandpa and Grandma.
A new family member had entered.
–This was their meeting.
This was the encounter with a family member who would walk alongside the child for a long time to come.
And then, the next morning.
The child went out to fetch water. It was a bit chilly, but breathing in the fresh morning air was pleasant. It was a daily routine since being picked up, done every day without fail.
However, today, something different was mixed into the usual routine.
A boy running with quick steps followed behind.
“Why are you following me? This is the child’s job, don’t follow me!”
I turned around and rebuked him a little sternly.
Then, the boy, looking troubled, mumbled his reply.
“B-but, Grandpa and Grandma told me to follow you…”
The boy’s way of speaking remained stiff. Just like the child’s, Grandpa and Grandma had said it was “stiff,” but it didn’t seem like the way he spoke would change at all.
It was a way of speaking as if cursed.
Perhaps he had been in a harsher place than where the child came from.
“Mmmph.”
When Grandpa and Grandma, whom I loved so much, were brought up, I could only groan. To the child, Grandpa and Grandma held a status almost equal to gods.
Reluctantly, I grudgingly allowed him to accompany me.
“…Don’t get in the way.”
“Y-yes!”
The boy replied energetically, looking pleased. He then kept pace with the child’s hurried steps.
Why is that?
We haven’t talked much, yet he’s attached to me. Is it because I was the first one they picked up? Or did Grandpa and Grandma tell him about us being from the same hometown?
This boy believes that–… well.
“Hey, you. Do you really have no name…?”
“No…”
Will I always call him ‘you’ or ‘boy’?
The child wouldn’t mind, but he himself probably would. It would be best to decide on one quickly.
Thinking that, as I stared intently, the boy, blushing, asked back.
“Um, what about you, Sister…?”
“S-Sister…?”
Perhaps because I wasn’t used to it yet, it felt a bit ticklish. No, it’s not that I dislike it, though.
“Yes. What is your name, Sister?”
My name… that’s a very good question to ask.
There are about three things the child can boast about. That’s this fast-growing, sturdy body, the way of speaking inherited from Grandpa and Grandma. And my name.
“My name is Titty. Don’t get it wrong! The child’s name is Titty. It’s a precious name I received from Grandpa and Grandma!”
“Titty, Sister… And, it just occurred to me, why do you say ‘warawa’…?”
“Hehe, isn’t it cool? When I say ‘washi’ like Grandpa and Grandma, it sounds a bit old and uncool! I read a lot of books and borrowed this cool one!”
“…Ah, I see. Is that so.”
The boy just nodded with a polite smile.
Mmm, his reaction is poor.
He’s not going along with it.
I expected a more surprised reaction, but it seems our tastes don’t match. This is the part where he should clap his hands and say, “So that’s what it was! As expected of Sister! How cool!!”
Because I didn’t get the reaction I expected, I puffed out my cheeks a little and walked silently across the grassland.
And then, as usual, I drew water at the river. However, unlike in the past, the number of companions cooperating was different. Moreover, the quality of that cooperation was also different.
To the collaborators waiting at the river, the child called out.
“–Everyone! Thank you again today!”
Waiting there were not only various animals–but also insects, birds, and large beasts called monsters, waiting as my friends.
As my body grew, my ability to speak with animals also increased.
Thanks to that, I was able to not only help with transportation but also engage in bartering. I could also offer advice if they had any problems, and mediate between different species.
As a result of continuing such interactions, for some reason, the animals in this area began to revere the child and offer me tributes. Even though I told them I didn’t need it, they stubbornly kept giving me something, saying they were grateful for past favors.
Today, there were many mountain delicacies laid out.
Hmm, I felt like eating fish today…
But the child didn’t show it on his face, thanking them and accepting the offerings. This was also usual. It had become a daily routine.
However, seeing that, the boy exclaimed in surprise.
“I-incredible…! Can you communicate with them!?”
“Mmm. That’s right.”
“Really!? With that power, you could live your whole life without starving!”
What. You can even raise your voice.
I thought you could only speak in hushed tones.
“…It’s not like I get it for free. I do things that only humans can do, and in return, they do things that only they can do.”
“Even so, it’s amazing!”
“Is it that amazing?”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing! There was no one in the South who could talk to monsters! Titty Sister’s power is amazing! It’s a power that overturns the very foundation of life!”
Oh, oh.
I don’t really understand, but it seems to have touched a chord with the boy.
I was surprised for a moment, but being praised as amazing is not bad.
Yes, it’s not bad at all!
“A-hem! Fwahaha! Of course! Your older sister is great! She’s wise and strong! Look!”
After clearing my throat, I clapped my hands.
As a result, the animals around me lined up all at once.
Everyone looked puzzled by the emergency signal, but please forgive me. This is a very important moment as an older sister.
And, as expected, the boy’s eyes sparkled.
“I-it’s amazing…! Titty, Sister!”
“Fwahaha, isn’t it, isn’t it!”
The child laughed, feeling good.
At that moment, the boy said words that pleased the child.
“You’re just like a legendary king! Just like the ‘Ruling King’ himself!!”
“Nfufu, like the ‘Ruling King’? Ah, people say that often. That story about the savior of the North, right? There are rumors that I am his reincarnation!!”
“The reincarnation of the ‘Ruling King’!? How cool!”
“Isn’t it, isn’t it!”
What!
He’s not a bad guy!
As expected of the child’s ‘younger brother’!
“You’re truly amazing…! Even though we’re from the same South, you’re completely different from me…!”
“That’s not true, my younger brother! If you try hard, you can become like the child! Efforts are everything!”
“N-no, I can’t… I’m a weak species…”
The boy’s face immediately darkened, and he looked down.
He might think the difference in strength is a difference in species.
“Hmm, what kind of demon are you? I’m a mutated Harpy.”
“I’m a Treant.”
“D-Dryad? In what way?”
At first glance, there’s nothing tree-like about him.
“I’ve shed all the visual characteristics… All that’s left are the hidden parts.”
Saying that, he first pointed to his brown hair. Originally, traits as a Treant would have sprouted there.
Then, he lifted his clothes to show the hidden characteristics.
“I see. No, you don’t have to show me. You must have gone through a lot too.”
I held his hand to stop him.
I had done the same thing, so I felt no need to see it. There were probably scars left, as bad as or worse than my own shed wings.
The child quickly tried to change the subject.
“But, you, that– That’s right! As your older sister, I don’t like calling my younger brother ‘you’ or ‘you’! Your name, hasn’t it been decided yet!?”
“Ah, y-yes… It hasn’t been decided…”
“You just have to think of a word you like! Just put yourself into words! It’s simple, isn’t it!?”
“I don’t know myself. I don’t have any likes…”
The younger brother looked troubled.
However, the child understood his feelings. If Grandpa and Grandma hadn’t given me a name, I would have said the same thing.
That’s why I couldn’t stand my younger brother remaining nameless. Somehow, I just hated it.
And then, my mouth moved naturally.
“–Then, your name shall be ‘Aid’! Isn’t it a good name!?”
“A-Aid…? Why Aid…?”
“Eh, eh–!?”
Asked to explain, I faltered for words.
The name that sprang to mind was the name of the small, brown animal that had died just the other day. Grandpa and Grandma gave me the name of a departed loved one, and I tried to imitate them, but perhaps I failed.
“Um, well, Aid was a senior among the animals here… He died of old age a little while ago, so I thought, if you’d like, would you inherit his name…?”
After all, was the name of a dead animal a mistake?
But I’m sure ‘Aid’ was originally a male name from the story of the ‘Ruling King,’ so it should be fine for a person to use.
“‘Aid’, the senior of everyone here…? What kind of animal was ‘Aid’…?”
“What kind…?”
“Yes, what kind of existence was he to my older sister, I want to know.”
The younger brother’s eyes were serious.
To respond, the child decided to speak truthfully about ‘Aid’.
“Aid was a friend I played with every day for this past year… And he was also the first retainer of this ‘Ruling King’. He was the first one, beyond a collaborator, who kept up with me, a Demon…”
“First retainer…”
“Ah, when we started playing ‘Ruling King’ games here, he became a strong ally to me, who was small… And he stayed by my side until the very end…”
I thought I had shaken it off, but recalling my small friend, my eyes welled up a little. Even now, I feel like ‘Aid’ is resting on my shoulder.
“Aid… It’s not bad. No, it’s cool…”
And then, the younger brother savored the name and praised it.
“I-is it cool…?”
“Yes, very! Very cool!!”
Hearing the unreserved praise, all the child’s previous anxieties vanished.
“F-fufu, fwahaha…! Well, not as good as Titty, your older sister! But be mindful, younger brother! The name Aid is not to be taken lightly! After all, it is the name of a hero of this kingdom! Be honored to inherit it!”
“Yes, I gratefully accept! I will strive to be worthy of the title of First Retainer! Titty, Sister– No, ‘Ruling King’!!”
“Hmm!!”
Aid joyfully played along with the make-believe game of appointing a king.
Both the child and Aid had wide smiles as they shook hands.
Now, here a new sister and brother were born.
To celebrate that moment, the animals joined in with a chorus of their calls.
Amidst the blessings, the child felt even better.
“Fufufu, the cheers of my people are pleasant today! And a reliable new subject has been born! I am satisfied! Hahahahahaha!”
At the peak of his joy, he let out a booming laugh.
Then, a voice that was neither the child’s nor Aid’s cut in.
“–Geez. I thought it was taking an awfully long time, and you were playing some amusing game. What a waste of worry. Right, Grandma?”
“I must have told Titty too many old tales… But if it’s a kingdom, perhaps we’d be Chancellors?”
It was Grandpa and Grandma, who had come to check on them.
However, there was no need for any more worry. Aid had safely become the child’s younger brother. And their kingdom was progressing smoothly.
“No, I will be the Chancellor! I want to be!”
Aid, full of enthusiasm, raised his hand. Did he have a particular attachment to that role? For some reason, his expression indicated he absolutely would not yield.
“Hmm, then I shall appoint Aid as Chancellor! Grandpa and Grandma will be the country’s advisors – like the Senate or something!”
The child was getting carried away.
He yielded the important roles that appeared in legends to the two of them.
“Hehehe, sounds like we’re the Senate, dearie.”
“Hahaha, I’m surprised. I, of all people, have received such a grand position.”
Laughter echoed.
Beside the clear river reflecting the light, everyone wore dazzling smiles.
The child was satisfied with this.
“Hmm! Today too, thanks to everyone, the child’s country is bright!”
“That’s right, ‘Ruling King’!”
Brother and child joined hands and blessed this world.
To this, Grandpa and Grandma played along with wry smiles.
“Hah. But my, how that quiet girl has changed. She was quite the handful, wasn’t she? Our Titty.”
“This must be Titty’s true personality. It’s a good thing.”
It was a bright world–
‘Here’ was warm, a wonderful place where everyone could laugh.
Welcoming a new family member, the child’s place of belonging only grew brighter. In just one day, the distance between Aid and the child vanished, and they were soon playing together.
And so, the story of the child and Aid began–
“–Grandpa, Grandma! Aid and I are going out!!”
After finishing their daily routine, the child took his younger brother and went out to play.
“Today we’re swimming in the river!!”
“Sister, in the river!?”
“Yeah! While thinking about what we’ll do tomorrow! Time is precious, you know!”
“Y-Yes!”
After that, they played in the forest, and then in the mountains.
There were days they ran around in the grasslands, and days they busied themselves helping the villagers.
–This was the true beginning of Lord Titty.
It wasn’t an adventure that could be recorded in a hero’s tale.
Most of it were days of blunders, a series of failures.
But… it was truly a grand adventure for me.
I had an adventure that rivaled any hero’s tale.
Inviting a spirit from the river to the child’s home, fighting against night phantoms appearing in the northern town, taming monstrous birds that flew in the sky, seeking teachings from traveling mages, getting a bit too cocky and angering important people in the city, participating in a boxing tournament in the northern town to save Aid, who had been taken hostage, exterminating winged dragons that appeared in the great plains of the northeast– well, most of the fights ended in clumsy defeats, and negotiating with my special skill usually got me off the hook– it was a grand adventure, rivaling even the legendary ‘Ruling King.’
All of that was condensed into just one year.
Perhaps because I had Aid as my partner, each day was filled with turmoil, making the year feel incredibly long. It felt like decades of adventure.
Yes.
Childhood days always felt so long…
And then, another year passed.
The children, who had grown up steadily here, continued to live their lives as usual.
The child, believing this time would continue forever, ran across the grasslands today as well.
Before they knew it, their bodies had grown.
The child, who grew at a rapid pace, was still under ten years old but had already surpassed Grandpa and Grandma in physique, with a build that rivaled adults.
Their grass-green hair had turned a translucent emerald green, and the wings they had plucked off their backs had regained much of their shape. They had transformed so much that they would be recognized as adults even in the city.
“–Aid! Apparently, that big monster has appeared in the eastern forest again! Let’s go defeat it together!!”
However, what they were doing hadn’t changed from when they were children.
Perhaps it was because, no matter how much time passed, the child’s inner self remained the same as a year ago, acting like a child.
On the other hand, the child’s partner–
“Hmm? Aid, what’s wrong…?”
Unfortunately, the younger brother’s height hadn’t changed much.
Aid, who only reached the child’s stomach, was staring intently at the same spot near their home for a long time.
In the direction of his gaze was a white flowering tree.
Aid picked up a petal that fluttered down and smiled.
“I like this tree.”
Over the past year, Aid had spent a lot of time gazing at plants. Among them, he spent an exceptional amount of time looking at the tree next to their house.
It was a hobby the child didn’t quite understand.
“You’re always like that when you’re not studying… Just admiring nature, you have no desires.”
“It’s fun just to look, you know? The plants move slightly in the wind. Also, it’s interesting to check how much they’ve grown compared to a few days ago.”
“I can understand that…”
However, there was a limit.
The child had received books and toys from the town and traveling merchants, but Aid had never asked for anything. He always politely declined, saying he didn’t need anything.
“Aid truly doesn’t want anything, does he… Hmm…”
This was a problem.
Since Grandpa and Grandma were also troubled by this lack of desire, as an older sister—no, as the king who commanded him—she couldn’t stand by idly.
“That’s right! Say anything you wish! I will grant it for you!!”
“Eh, Sister Titty?”
“Indeed! This is a reward!”
“A reward…?”
“I am your king, you know! You’ve been working unpaid for this past year! As king, I thought this was unacceptable!”
“N-No! I don’t need it!”
“What! You refuse the child’s reward? Does that mean you’re resigning as Chancellor!?”
She teased him a little, cornering him forcefully.
“N-No, it’s not like that… I want to continue being the Chancellor of ‘Ruling King’s’ country…”
“Then say it quickly!”
Aid looked troubled and first glanced at the tree with white flowers next to them.
Then, he shifted his gaze slightly, looking up at the sky of ‘here.’
Gazing at the endlessly blue and clear sky–
“…Then, ‘Now,’ please give me more of this time.”
–he wished.
“Hmm, hmm?”
Despite it being Aid’s wish, he tilted his head at the overly abstract request.
“Um… it means I want to live peacefully forever. ‘Here.'”
“Ah, you desire peace. As for me, I would have preferred a more dangerous wish.”
“No, ‘Ruling King.’ What I want is peace. Because I love this country, this village—no, this home.”
Saying so, Aid smiled.
It was a rare, full smile for Aid, who often gave a troubled, polite smile.
The child, drawn to it, also smiled.
“Me too… I love ‘here’ too…”
“Right? That’s why I don’t need anything else as long as I have ‘now’ and ‘here.’ Therefore, ‘Ruling King,’ please give me more of this time.”
“Hah, you truly are a person of no desires!”
“I’m not without desires. I am desiring, you know.”
“‘Now’ and ‘here’ are free! They will naturally exist tomorrow and the next year! Therefore, they are not worth even one copper coin! They don’t count as desires! Try again!”
“I-Is that so…? I think it’s a ‘treasure’ more valuable than gold coins, though…”
Hmmmm.
He’s really stubborn. While that’s a good trait of Aid’s, it also means he’s inflexible.
“Oh, fine! If you’re that worried, I will make an ‘A-promise’! As a reward, I, your king, will ‘promise’! I swear that I will protect this ‘treasure’—’world peace’! Ahh, let’s live together forever, Aid!”
“Hehe.”
Promised a reward, Aid smiled even more happily.
“—Yes, ‘Ruling King’!”
Beside the gable-roofed house, on the grassland where white flowers scattered.
With his eyes narrowed to their limit, his flushed cheeks puffed out, his mouth opened wide into a crescent shape– he smiled and answered.
Satisfied with her best full smile ever, the child took Aid’s hand.
“Alright! Then, follow me! Today, let’s go east!!”
“Yes, I will accompany you!”
And so today, two children leaped out from the shade of the trees.
They ran through the grasslands at full speed, eager to enjoy their next game.
While running, the child looked up at the sky.
A rich, deep blue stretched out to the horizon.
And in that sky floated many fluffy white clouds. In their center, a round sun shone brilliantly. A dazzling light spread out, and a halo of light flew around.
Then, the sound of the crystal-clear wind whispered through their ears.
Even without looking down, thanks to the beautiful music, they could clearly perceive the state of the ground.
The wind weaved between the grasses, creating a rustling sound. The grasses swayed and rubbed irregularly, playing nature’s melody.
Now, the child was running on a carpet of vast grasslands.
It was a vast, vast grassland that made one want to lie down, stretch out their limbs, and yawn.
It felt like they could go anywhere, carried by the wind of freedom.
Their hearts felt like they could float high into the sky. Emotions of joy burst and sparkled, making them want to sing along with the sound of the wind.
And as they kept running, they started to get a little out of breath.
But it wasn’t painful at all.
The exhaled breaths felt refreshing. The sweat dripped down, and their heartbeats quickened with a refreshing surge.
Ah, this feels good…
‘Here’ feels so good…
–Yes.
‘Here.’
‘Here’ was the child’s true dwelling place.
And it was the place that shaped the child’s personality.
Even if they spent hundreds of years in orphanages or castles from now on, ‘here’ would always be the child’s home, their hometown. Therefore, everything learned ‘here’ became their values, and everything gained ‘here’ became their beliefs.
I wanted to remember it, but as I lived, I forgot… I searched so desperately, but I was only moving further away from this true ‘paradise’…
The most distant… yet the warmest memory.
At this time, Aid still understood that the child was just playing at being king with a dummy.
The child was still a child, and the adults, Grandpa and Grandma, protected them.
Those were days of great security and immense joy.
This is my treasure. The world of ‘beautiful stones’ I found as a child.
And the true ‘treasure’ I could never hold again.
…As I understand now, this world will not last long.
Soon, that ‘Ruling King’s’ heroic tale will begin.
When written, it would be a single sentence stating, “The South invaded under the guise of demon hunting,” and the child would drop this ‘beautiful stone’ into a hole.
It happened on the way back from a distant trip to the northern town with Aid.
Watching that grassland engulfed in flames.
…It hurts just to remember.
But because it hurts, I must not forget this. Even if anything happens, I must not forget it, but perhaps I forgot because I didn’t want to accept reality. Perhaps I wanted to escape, pretending that such a ‘past’ never existed. …Indeed, the child was still a child.
The village was destroyed.
By soldiers from the South, their home turned to ash, the village demons were killed, everyone in the forest was devoured, and that grassland became hell.
Among the piles of demon corpses, they found the bodies of Grandpa and Grandma.
Seeing them, Aid cried out.
“G-Grandma!?”
“N-No, Aid! If you go out, you’ll die!!”
Perhaps out of a sense of responsibility as an older sister, the child maintained a sliver of composure.
The child also wanted to help Grandpa and Grandma. But the older sister, the child, understood that it was already too late.
She took her younger brother’s hand and hid in nearby bushes.
“S-Scary. It’s scary, Sister. What in the world is happening…?”
She encouraged the trembling Aid. It was all she could do.
“It’s okay, Aid. You have me. With your big sister here, you don’t need to worry about anything.”
–This was the beginning.
“Sister is here… That Sister is ‘here’…”
“Ah, that’s right! Haven’t you always managed things yourselves, Brother!?”
“Yes, Sister, you are strong… Stronger and wiser than anyone else… My proudest sister.”
“As Aid says, Brother is strong. Stronger than anyone. It’s the return of that legend, isn’t it? So—”
“Are you truly stronger than anyone, Sister!? Truly, like that legendary ‘Ruling King’…?”
—His younger brother’s hopeful anticipation.
“…Of course. Leave it to me, Brother. I am no match for such mere grunts.”
—And his older sister’s response.
“…Oh, good! With the ‘Ruling King,’ I feel at ease! Because the ‘Ruling King’ is the savior of the North! They won’t lose to those from the South! They are a king stronger than anyone!!”
—Together, they would create the ‘Ruling King.’
“Ah, that’s right. Brother is strong. The ‘Ruling King’ who is stronger than anyone…!!”
With those words, the child stood up.
Leaving Aid behind in the bushes, they strode toward the burning battlefield where the enemy awaited.
If this were a hero’s tale—it would be written that they proclaimed themselves the ‘Ruling King’ and achieved vengeance with their overwhelming power—but reality differed.
Certainly, the child was strong.
But only for their age, for a village girl from the frontier…
There was no way it would be a fair fight.
However, Aid believed.
He believed his sister would somehow manage.
And so, as a sister, she had no choice but to go—!
“Now, I will save everyone! Wait for me—!!”
That’s why she shouted.
That’s why she challenged them in pursuit of revenge.
If this were a hero’s tale—it would be written that an ordinary person could not possibly stand against the ‘One who steals the logic of the wind,’ that all soldiers were cut down by the power of the free wind, and that she temporarily reclaimed the area from the South—but this too, was different.
She had actually died.
She had lost.
The child was not strong at all.
She was utterly lacking in power to face a thousand soldiers.
Though she fought valiantly—she was killed.
Her arms were severed, her heart crushed, her body riddled with arrows, and she died of blood loss.
“Y-you certainly made this bothersome, you wench…”
The enemy soldier spat on the child’s corpse.
Seeing this, Aid, who could no longer bear it, burst from the bushes.
“—R, Ruling King!!”
“You’re still here… What an annoying brat. Are you relatives of this woman?”
“Sister, please stand up!! You are the King, aren’t you!? The legendary ‘Ruling King’ who doesn’t lose to anyone, right!?”
“…Did you go mad when your sister died…?”
“No! She’s not dead! The ‘Ruling King’ does not die! Because they gave me a reward! They made a promise! There’s no way that ‘Ruling King’ would die without fulfilling it!!”
“For now, I’ll take the brat. Unlike the mangled woman, this one might sell.”
Even though she was dead—the child heard their conversation.
The ears of the corpse lying on the ground heard it.
Even as Aid was being taken away, he continuously called out to the child as the ‘Ruling King’—she heard the voice of his expectations.
Therefore, even as a soul, her body trembled.
—His younger brother believed.
That alone was sufficient reason for the child to challenge the logic of the world.
To meet that expectation, her soul strained beyond its limits.
To make that pretense and bravado real, she pleaded with the world’s laws, even as a corpse.
—Please.
Heart. It’s fine if you’re crushed.
But for a moment, please pretend to move.
With that, she slowly stood up.
Oh, ‘Ruling King’ of legend. You don’t need to exist.
But for a moment, grant me the use of that legendary magic.
With that, she manipulated the wind.
And, life. It’s fine if it’s gone.
But for a moment—!
—To save my younger brother, let me fight!!
With that vow, she stole the principles of the world.
Unfortunately, that talent belonged to a girl named Titty.
Yes.
Unfortunately, she could not die here; she became a ‘Thief of Principles’ and would lose precious things as a ‘Price.’
“Don’t cry, Aid… Brother will lose to no one…”
Moving the corpse’s mouth, the child spoke.
The soldiers leaving glance back.
Their eyes widen in shock. They looked as if they had encountered a zombie.
“Stand down, you dogs. This is before the Ruling King.”
With the burning grassland behind her, a blood-soaked girl with no heart, yet moving, stood enveloped in an extraordinary wind.
It was understandable they would have such expressions.
Looking at the foolish soldiers’ faces, the child chuckled.
“A……Monster…! What is this… what is she…!!”
“Why is she moving!! There’s a hole in her! A hole in her heart!!”
“Ughhhhh, aaaaaaaaahhhh—!!”
And so, the soldiers, driven to near madness, challenged the ‘Ruling King.’
The child met them with composure.
As she fended them off, she spoke of her brother—no, of the wishes of her country’s Chancellor, which she remembered well.
She swore as if chanting.
“—Rest assured, Chancellor Aid. This ‘Ruling King’ will protect you. I will protect the village that Grandpa and Grandma loved.”
She sliced back at a soldier who lunged with a blade of wind, shouting.
Blood Rain fell.
“—Most importantly, I will protect you, whom Brother loves.”
A rain of arrows fell from a distance. She dispelled them all with wind, and in return, sent a rain of wind arrows, slaughtering the archers.
Faced with this abnormal sight, the soldiers tried to flee.
However, the child cut them all down from behind with the wind.
This was truly a scene that could be called a line from a hero’s tale—only a commoner could not possibly stand against the ‘One who steals the logic of the wind,’ and all soldiers were cut down by the power of the free wind.
At the end of this convenient reversal, the child shouted.
“Brother—no, *I* am the King of the Winged Humans who rule the Continent! The descendant who carries the oldest Demon Blood, the King who rules all in this world, ‘Rowen’! There is no reason for me to be defeated by trash like you!!”
Thus, the story of the ‘Ruling King’ began.
The battle for the playful king to become a real king commenced, and the girl Titty’s time stopped due to the ‘Curse.’
This was all of her forgotten childhood.
After this, this false king was carried by the desperate northern people. And the child king, who had only started playing at make-believe, would reign over the country for decades, leading to the North’s collapse under the strain. In the end, the ‘Ruling King’ was killed by Nosfy of the South. However, unable to even die from the curse of being a ‘Thief of Principles,’ she was forced to be king in the depths of the earth for a thousand years—her soul breaking.
This was the child’s everything.
The true everything.
Finally, I remembered…
The paradise the child sought was the gable-roofed house, now burned to ashes.
The family the child longed for was Grandpa and Grandma, and Aid.
The reason the child became king was for one person alone—to protect Aid.
That’s right.
‘Paradise’ is not ‘Viais.’
‘Family’ is not ‘the populace.’ It is certainly not Rainer or Kanami.
She did not become ‘King’ for something grand like ‘peace for the country.’
The ‘Ruling King’ was born to protect ‘Now’ and ‘Here.’
It was not something as grand as a country, but a much, much smaller world.
Sufficiently wide for two children to run around in the grassland, watched over by an elderly couple.
This childhood grassland was everything—
—And yet.
She became unable to say anything of it, was cornered, held it all in, and stubbornly persisted.
Perhaps, her grandparents’ teachings had influenced her. She hadn’t wanted to report to the two in heaven that she hadn’t helped her fellow fiends, despite having the power to do so.
And so, she was relentlessly worn down.
But if she had properly explained her suffering to Aid, that ending could have been avoided. Her younger brother, not Uzunami, would have become her greatest understanding companion. However, her foolish sisterly pride got in the way.
If she had confessed just once to her younger brother that she was just a child pretending to be the ‘Ruling King,’ that would have been enough. With that, she could have returned to being just a child, not a king.
But she couldn’t.
—That is why she regrets more than anything not denying the expectation of being a flawless king.
Ah, I’m finally understanding…
The lingering desire at the root of the child…
It is simple to put into words. One word.
To deny all expectations from all people, to return to the light body she had back then, and then—
—I want to go home.
To that house, now nothing but ashes—to the ‘Now’ and ‘Here’ more precious than the gold coins Aid spoke of—I want to go home.
I want to betray all expectations placed upon me and go home, abandoning everything.
That is my—no, this girl Titty’s true wish.
Ah, no wonder I couldn’t reach it, playing here for a thousand years.
The child’s lingering desire is—!
To return to the gable-roofed house next to that White Cherry!
To have Grandpa and Grandma call me “Titty”!
To have Aid call me “Sister,” not the ‘Ruling King’!
To return to that grassland where the pleasant wind blows—and to run with all my might again!!
Ah, that’s right! All this time, I was trying to go home!
But then!
Look at this!!
I got lost, and fell all the way to this place!!
Where on earth is ‘Here’!?
—Her eyes snap open.
What fills her eyes is the space behind the 66th Floor.
The Fiftieth Floor world, which represents her entire being… is empty.
Even looking up, there is no blue sky or fluffy white clouds.
There is only nothingness. A space unbelievable for the human world.
A world that could be called the bottom of an abyss, an eternal prison, hell on earth.
Not a single ray of light, let alone the sun, penetrates here.
The profound darkness sinks into her heart, and only feelings of sorrow arise.
Naturally, the free wind doesn’t blow here at all.
Moreover, the air is thin. She feels like she might stop breathing at any moment.
So, even if she strains her ears, she cannot hear the sound of the wind.
All she can hear is the scream of the world’s collapse. The sound of its death throes echoes continuously.
There is nothing here. Because there is nothing, she cannot go anywhere.
The realization chills her body. It’s cold. Freezing.
Ah, I’m going mad. I feel like vomiting.
The breath she exhales with ragged gasps smells of blood. Her heart pounds as if it will burst. That smell and pounding fill her with unbearable anxiety.
Ah, I feel sick…
‘Here’ is the worst…
After getting lost and desperately surviving, I have ended up in a place like this…
No.
This is not what the child was aiming for.
It was the grassland.
But why—!
“Why…?”
A voice escapes. It just comes out.
“Why… have I come all the way to a place like this…!”
And then, ‘I’ shake my head.
A place like this!
I’ve come all the way to a place like this, all the way to a place like this, all the way to a place like this!!
“I’VE COME ALL THE WAY TO A PLACE LIKE THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
That voice resembled the sound of a soft heart being crushed,
And it was close to the sound of flesh and bone tearing apart beyond repair,
It was the scream of a dying person, and a curse after death.
—In a single word, a shriek.
“Uaaaaah, aaaaahhhhhh, aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhighthaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh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The pent-up screams echoed through the labyrinth.
These were a thousand, one hundred and eleven years’ worth of ‘screams.’
