Eventually, Ninaina complained.
“I want to play as the tagger in my next free time. I don’t like to hide. My leg hurts.”
“Great. So are we going to play hide and seek again next time?”
Everyone agreed with me.
It was almost the first time everyone played together like this.
Everyone was smiling happily.
Suddenly, I looked at the scene and thought.
The past when we first came to kindergarten and we were awkward with each other.
And the afterimage of the present that overlaps the appearance of the past.
‘I think I’m doing well.’
At first, it was just my intention to make connections with the main characters of the original story, but as I got closer, I started to want everyone other than me to get to know each other.
And that wish… It seems that somehow half of it has come true.
In ten years or so, can we see a future where everyone, including me, will be happy?
***
It has been over three months since I went to kindergarten.
Spring was almost coming to an end.
Here, too, there are strangely four seasons, but only summer and winter are annoyingly long, and spring and autumn pass in the blink of an eye.
“The petals are all gone and it’s unsightly. I have to tell the gardeners to clean it up.”
Ninaina, who was just staring at the window, murmured.
Hearing the words, I unintentionally turned my gaze to the window.
And just then, beyond the window, when I saw an unfamiliar carriage running from afar, I tilted my head.
‘That carriage, is it Cedric’s?’
In fact, Cedric’s seat has been empty for me the past few days.
They said he was absent not because he was sick, but something like a family trip.
For a while, I wondered what I would do when I went on a trip with my family.
It was strangely empty as one seat was vacated continuously for several days.
Cedric grumbles and complains every day, but we seem to miss him strangely when he wasn’t there.
Just then, Cedric returned.
We heard a loud sound of getting off the carriage, and we rushed out of the classroom to meet Cedric.
“I have come! I’m back! Wahaha!”
Cedric, whose face seemed to have been slightly tan for a few days, came with a happy face and something wrapped in his hands.
“Have you been on a trip?”
“Hmm, what’s in your hand?”
The children’s questions poured on Cedric.
I intervened in the middle and asked, sticking my head out.
“Did you bring any souvenirs?”
Cedric answered my question with one big nod.
“…how did you get it right? Do you read minds?”
Then Cedric waved his hands and spoke.
“Hmm. Well, anyway. I will hand out a souvenir to everyone, so stand in line.”
With that said, the children lined up in front of Cedric.
After all, no matter how noble or imperial, souvenirs are undeniably welcome.
“It’s all the same, only the name engraved on it is different.”
Cedric muttered, handing it out one by one.
The children who received the gift unwrapped the package, and each gave a brief exclamation.
“It’s a necklace with a sword-shaped pendant and a shield-shaped ring, right?”
It was.
The gift was a set of ornaments.
However, one peculiarity is that the necklace and shield-shaped pendant were engraved with the Cedric family crest.
‘Wow, that’s amazing.’
I glanced over my shoulder at the other children’s memorabilia, waiting for my turn.
But, Cedric, standing in front of me, isn’t just rummaging through the package.
Eventually, he tried to shake it down, but nothing came out.
I got a little anxious.
“Lord? Why?”
“……Uh, that’s . I think I got into a bit of trouble.”
Hearing that, I somehow felt bad.
Soon after, Cedric said with a shy smile.
“It’s strange, I definitely had everything before I came. I forgot about yours and didn’t bring it. What do you do?”
“……!”
I looked at Cedric with eyes full of surprise and disappointment.
Cedric then apologized.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would be like this either. I think I left it in my room.”
“…..No, it’s fine. You can make mistakes.”
It’s just a little, very, very sad.
As I recounted those thoughts, I tried not to show an upset expression.
Then Cedric said sensibly.
“Then come home and take it today.”
“Yes?”
“Visit Polly too.”
My doubts about the sudden suggestion disappeared immediately at the word ‘Polly’.
I nodded my head.
“I’m going, I’m going. Of course. Let’s go together right after kindergarten.”
Polly.
The last time I saw Polly was when Cedric first brought it to kindergarten, months ago.
An offer like this cannot be missed!
“…do you like it that much? Since you’re talking about Polly, look at how your expression changes right away.”
“Are you kidding? I like it so much.”
Cedric asked with a look of disappointment.
I shrugged and asked back, “Why are you asking something so obvious?”
Actually, there was no reason to go to Cedric’s mansion other than to see Polly.
If I go there, I think I will hear a lot of the sounds of the knights’ training cheers.
‘I want to buy some snacks for Polly, but it’s a pity. I have to go right after kindergarten is over.’