Chapter 91

Note: This chapter has not been edited yet

Since our surroundings were in chaos for several days after the beast attack, I forgot something important for a while. Jake’s magic abilities.

‘Jake, when did you start using magic?’

In the end, I couldn’t beat my curiosity and decided to ask Jake a question. To be precise, I visited Jake, who was ill after using the magic. Fortunately, by the time I stopped by the duke’s mansion, Jake had a better complexion. He seemed to have recovered his magic and stamina within a few days.

“Try this, Jake. Herbal juice is good for your health.”

This herbal juice was what my mother told me to bring to Jake. It’s very bitter, but when you drink it, your body will burst with energy.

‘You’re the friend who saved our daughter. We should do this much.’

Judging from what my mother said, it must have been a very expensive and rare herb.

Ugh, I want to drink it too. But for today, I have to yield to Jake.

“Yes, thank you for this.”

Jake, who doesn’t like bitter things, for some reason gulped the herbal juice I gave him. I was delighted to see this, and then I gave him a sweet candy as a gift. After a while, Jake smiled brightly.

“Thanks. I feel much better because Mir came to visit me.”

“That’s good. Guess I’m your human remedy. Ahaha.” I awkwardly scratched my cheek. Then I asked carefully, “But Jake, I have a question.”

“What is it? Go ahead.”

“… Since when were you able to start using magic? You said that your ability hadn’t awoken yet when you entered kindergarten,” I asked, tilting my head. Jake was suddenly bewildered. Then he hurriedly started making excuses.

“Oh, that’s it. I never meant to hide it from Mir. In fact, not long after I entered kindergarten, I was able to cast magic.”

That’s how Jake began narrating his story. Turns out, there was a hidden truth. “… I was going to show Mir when I would be able to make a heart with flames by training well.” Upon answering that, Jake had a very disappointed look on his face. As if regretting it the more he thought about it, he even messed up his hair. On the contrary, when I found out the truth, I was rather moved.

Oh my.

Jake wanted to first show his magic to me and nobody else. How could I not be touched?

“Jake, you really are my best friend. Thank you. Even though I couldn’t see it the first time you cast magic, you know it’s still the coolest thing ever? You saved the other children, and you saved me too.”

Immediately, I grabbed Jake’s hands and my eyes sparkled. Jake bowed his head shyly. At the same time, he muttered in a low enough voice that I could not hear him.

“…It was only natural that I saved you.”

***

After that, that is, one day, one week and a few days have passed since the Magic Beast incident. The atmosphere in the kindergarten was rather quiet because of the strict escort and restrictions such as prohibition of entry outside the kindergarten. It was a day when I was hesitant about what to do and play in my free time after a long time.

It should be a game that can be played indoors, but what could it be? I sat down on a chair, crossed one arm, and dazedly fell into deep thought. As soon as a thought came to mind, I opened my eyes.

Wouldn’t hide and seek be a good idea? It’s the perfect game for those of us living in kindergarten. After thinking about it, I immediately got up and shouted, “Hey, would you all like to play hide and seek with me?”

The replies came almost instantaneously.

“Sounds good.”

“Hide and seek, would that be fun? I’ve never played it before.”

“…I really wanted to try it!”

The children around me, each doing different things, suddenly turned their eyes as if they were happy with my proposal. Even Nicholas put down the book he was reading and stared at me. After all, hide and seek is a popular game for children of this world too!

Delighted with the enthusiastic response, I immediately decided to assign one of the children as the seeker with rock-paper-scissors.

“Rock Paper Scissors!”

After playing the rock, paper, scissors with the six of us, the seeker was decided.

“……I’m the seeker. Ahaha.”

The seeker was me.

But that’s alright. There’s a different fun in being the seeker and the hider! I turned to the classroom wall and bowed my head.

“I will count to one minute. In the meantime, everyone hides. Ah! You know it’s against the law to go out of kindergarten, right?”

In my heart, I would have liked to count till 30 seconds, but that wasn’t enough time for everyone to find a place to hide in this spacious kindergarten. Soon after, footsteps of children running out of the classroom were heard.

“…60! I have finished counting. Here I come!”

Finally, I finished the number and announced the start with a loud voice.