The walk lasted a short while, but it felt like an eternity. I hadn’t experienced such a walk in ten months, the warmth her hand had as it held mine; the simple back and forth talks that felt endless as we walked down the beautiful streets of the city that I had never seen for ten months.
“Ah right, how long has it passed here?” I looked at Mana and asked before she tilted her head, looking up as she shook her head before all of a sudden, a cute voice responded.
“Three weeks!”
It was none other than Flora who was still being carried by Mana, hugging her by the neck as she looked at me with a smile. Three weeks and she already matured a bit too much, her atmosphere felt more solid than before. Her cuteness was still there but it was covered in a bit of maturity.
“Three weeks huh, it must have been hard for the two of you,” I patted her head before she averted her gaze.
“It wasn’t that hard with Leisha and another person—oh right, there was another person who is staying at our residence ever since you went unconscious. This person told us that she was an aide from your side before you arrived here, she is also a major contributor to helping us. Do you know someone like her?” Mana asked before I tilted my head in surprise.
“What does she look like?” I asked before her cheeks moved a bit.
“It’s hard to describe but she is one beauty, it also seems like Leisha knows her a bit since the two of them got along fast. The person had platinum white hair that was similar to the one Leisha described but also a bit different, she had golden-orange eyes that are almost like the sun,” she answered.
I was a bit surprised since I know none that matches the description, Kaori doesn’t have platinum white hair nor did the Goddess, and neither of them had golden-orange eyes unless either one of them used some colored contacts which is theoretically impossible as colored contacts don’t exist here… but there is a possibility since Kaori is a once in a millennium genius back on our world, she could easily create colored contacts if she wanted.
“There is no one that matches my description so far, but we’ll know when we get there, speaking of which, the two of you seems to have matured a bit… especially Flora who is now a bit more quiet than usual, did something troublesome happen?” I inquired before Mana smiled wryly.
“Well, it was a bit troublesome…” she said before pointing at the sushi corner in the distance as she smiled, “How about we eat dinner first while I explain?” as I looked at Flora who was drooling a bit but was desperately trying to hide it.
“Okay, let’s go eat some then… I am a bit hungry,” I nodded before Flora’s eyes glittered as we made our way towards the sushi corner.
After a short while, the three of us soon reached the sushi corner where we sat down on a free table before Mana stood up and looked at Flora who was still desperately trying to hide the drool on her face. The two of them felt more different than before, their sufferings over the past three weeks were visible but it was glossed over this layer of relief and happiness.
“What do you want?” Mana asked Flora before the little cuddle girl pointed at another table’s sushi which was a plate full of uramaki sushi. The rice was wrapped outside the fish with seaweed wrapping the fish and a bit of condiment.
“I see, how about you?” she looked at me.
“Your pick, this patient over here doesn’t know much about the dishes,” I smiled before her lips curled up as she nodded with confidence.
“I’ll be back then. The two of you should have a long talk, this little girl of ours had plenty of stuff that she should brag about when you wake up,” Mana giggled, looking at Flora who was blushing a bit as she smacked Mana on the lap a bit.
“Mwama…” Flora glared at Mana who simply laughed it off as she left the table, leaving the two of us in an awkward situation.
“Mhm… I heard that you have some stuff to brag about, come show me what you have,” I smiled while looking at her in the eye as she averted her gaze. She had changed a bit since we last interacted, I felt a bit guilty as had I not left that day, she would still be the happy-go-lucky child.
I do not know what changed her but all I know is I have some part with her change, it could be because of the tension the residence had when I went unconscious or something she heard while I was gone but as her parent, I feel guilty… truly guilty.
“Flowa will show later…” she mumbled in a soft voice that was adorable as I smiled at her before all of a sudden, a cute voice echoed from behind.
“Flora!” the voice said causing the two of us to be surprised as we looked towards the origin of the voice where a brown-haired girl together with a violet-haired girl stood, waving their hands at Flora as the violet-haired girl blushed a bit.
“Sheila! Yui!” Flora answered back as the two girls walked towards our table before looking at me a bit surprised but bowing down in an instant.
“Hello, Auntie!” the two girls said which made me smile a bit from their politeness. The two felt a bit unfamiliar to me, I had little recollection about them but it felt like the three of us met somewhere.
“Have we met somewhere?” I asked before Flora looked at me with her cheeks blushing a bit, staring at the brown-haired girl with an odd gaze and me at intervals.
“Mhm! The two of us visited your residence that time,” the brown-haired girl answered enthusiastically as she looked at Flora as if asking whether she can sit beside her to which Flora nodded without hesitation, dragging the two of them beside her.
I can tell with a single glance that Flora treated the brown-haired girl who should be Yui more than the violet-haired girl who if my memory serves me right should be Kayla’s little sister. The two of them aren’t bad though, both are polite, but Kayla’s little sister is too nervous which is minus points from me.
“I see, have you two been well?” I looked at them and smiled before the brown-haired girl, Yui nodded with her usual enthusiasm, hugging Flora’s left hand as if declaring her liking to Flora which made Kayla’s little sister a bit agitated as she hugged Flora’s other hand.
They were children but it felt like they were adults for some reason which I don’t mind as it showed that Flora had people she can depend on if ever a time where she would be left alone because of certain circumstances. I felt like I could trust the two of them when such a situation happens.
“Oh, it’s Yui and Sheila…” Mana came back and said as she placed four plates filled with different sushi rolls on the table, looking at the two with a smile as the two synchronously stood up and bowed down as they looked at Mana.
“Hello, Auntie Mana!” the two of them said as Mana smiled at them, patting their heads as she sat down with a bright accepting smile.
“The two of you feel free to join us for dinner, where are your parents?” she asked before the two of them pointed at the clothing store at the other side as Mana nodded, “I see, are they perhaps preparing for the school party?” as the two nodded.
“You two… sit down,” Flora looked at them with a bit of a blush as the two looked at Flora for a second, nodding as Mana chuckled a bit.
“The two of them are fit to become brides, don’t you think?” Mana looked at me with a wink as I nodded before Flora pouted as she took a single roll of sushi from the table, glaring at Mana which made me surprised as I was seeing a totally new side of her.
“Anyway, how about we start eating for now?” I suggested before the four of them nodded as we took a short bow at the food… of course with the exception of Flora who was fuming with embarrassment before we started eating through the night.