Volume 1, 3: I found a family.

Volume 1, Chapter 3: I found a family.

After breakfast the next day.

I sat across from Gilford and Anastasia on the sofa in my room to talk.

“Do you feel better?”

“Yes, I’m completely fine now.

“That’s good. Don’t push yourself, okay?”

“I won’t. Thank you.”

I had slept soundly, cleared out my plate during dinner and breakfast and recovered completely. The head maid, Mary, had helped me into the bathtub, and I felt refreshed after a bath. I thanked them again for helping a stranger like me.

“Now, let’s continue from where we left off yesterday. I’m sure you have a lot of questions, Risa.”

“Yes.”

“You see, I happen to be a royal magician of this country, and we found you when I was investigating a magic phenomenon in the area.”

According to Gilford, there was a mysterious emission of light the day I came to this world. As a royal magician, he set out to investigate while going out on a date with his wife. Finding nothing out of the ordinary other than some flattened grass, they were on their way home when they found me collapsed on the main road.

“It is likely that given the time and place, the emission of light was from your arrival to this world.”

Gilford nodded in approval.

“The spirits said that I was brought here by the Goddess…”

“Yes, they also said that it was the will of the Goddess to me. Spirits do not lie, so I believe it is the truth. It seems our meeting was part of the will of the Goddess as well.”

“…is that so?”

“Yes. The spirits entrusted you to us before leaving. They are the messengers of the Goddess to humans ever since the olden days. That is why…”

Gilford paused and shared a look with Anastasia.

“Hey, Risa.”

With a look of determination, Anastasia gazed at me.

“I wouldn’t mind if you’re okay with it. Would you like to become our daughter?”

“…I beg your pardon?”

I was struck dumb by the sudden proposal. Anastasia’s expression showed that it was not a joke, but I had no idea how to reply.

“I’m sorry. Of course you would be stumped at such a sudden question.”

Anastasia cracked a wry smile at my flustered silence.

“Although Gilford and I have been married for more than ten years, we do not have any children. We have tried everything, but we just can’t seem to have any.”

There was a hint of sadness in Anastasia’s tone despite her smile. Gilford held her hand as if to support her, and she smiled at him before turning back towards me.

“Gil and I both love children, so we really wanted one for our own. But even the doctor didn’t know why it wasn’t working. We’ve also considered adopting, but it just didn’t sit very well…”

“We aren’t the main family, so there was no pressure in producing an heir, either.”

“But once I saw you, Risa, I immediately knew that you were the child we were looking for.”

Anastasia’s warm eyes fixed on me.

“Isn’t it strange? Even though I don’t understand why, that’s definitely how I felt.”

“I don’t think Tasia’s feelings and the spirits entrusting you to us are unrelated. You will lack for nothing, but we won’t force you if you don’t want to. But if you would like, won’t you try living with us for a while?”

A mix of joy and confusion welled up in my chest at the couple’s words.

Anastasia crossed the room to sit next to me and took my hand.

“Let’s become a family in this world.”

Anastasia’s hands gently enveloped my right hand.

Still across the table, Gilford warmly smiled and nodded.

“Would you have me?”

“I would have no other, you know?”

Anastasia smiled happily and said.

“…I am in your care.”

Deeply touched by their sincerity, I lowered my head in reply.

In a jubilant Anastasia’s embrace, I began to think that the ‘will of the Goddess’ or whatever wasn’t so bad at all.

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Afterwards, I confirmed that the two of them thought I was only fourteen or fifteen years old.

It seems that Japanese people look younger than their age regardless of what world they are in. As I felt a combination of joy and sadness, I was spared from calling them “Papa” and “Mama” on the basis of my real age. They were really sad about that, and I felt bad, but I managed to get them to accept being called “Gil” and “Tasia.”

That was how I started my life in another world, but I still did not know back then.

The fact that the food culture of this world was the lowest of the low.

Neither did I know that the bland milk porridge-like stuff that I thought was the diet for the sick was actually high class food.