CH 69

I want to become an adult.

That’s what I think.

The person who had saved me, the one I treasure, and love.

In that forest I was scared, lonely, stomach growling, painful, and had thought that I would definitely die if that continued….

….However, since the last thing I had wished for was to 『live』, I had thought that I had to try my best. It was then.

The person who had saved me, the one most important to me.

Other than family, he was also the first one who would say 『I love you』 to me.

Other than family, he was also the first who would give me a hug.

He had brought me to a warm, happy place where I could feel safe.

I love everyone, nano.

As well as being able to try new things and getting praised for them.

Even when I would be told “Bad” or scolded, I think I’m still thankful towards everyone.

Which is why I want to quickly grow up….

In tough times, in difficult times. If I was an adult then, they would definitely let me know about it. They won’t end the conversation with just a “Things are alright.”

He would let me stay by his side, even when it’s a job that may lead up to us getting injured.

I wouldn’t lose out against other people, knowing about the him during the times I wasn’t there.

*

*

“Latina…. wants to grow up soon….”

“That again? You’ve been saying that a lot lately…. It’s alright for you to grow up a bit more slowly. You don’t have to force yourself to become an adult.”

He smiled bitterly as he pats the young girl who has been mumbling complaints so much recently that it’s almost become her favourite phrase.

He thought back to himself who had to become an 『adult』 as soon as he left his hometown.

It was tough having to become an 『adult』 and it was also tough not being treated as an 『adult』.

Seeing that this young girl was somewhat similar to himself, he smiled bitterly. The two of them, having lived together, might be becoming similar to one another.

Which is exactly why, he thought.

That he wants her to grow up slowly. He wouldn’t say that trying to do go above and beyond is a bad thing, but after one becomes an 『adult』, they cannot return to being a 『child』 after all.

*

*

Rita is extremely cool. She works a lot, and even the larger men who come visit the shop have to straighten themselves out.

Furthermore, seeing the figure of her protecting her and Kenneth’s precious baby inside her large stomach is extremely cool.

“It’s all thanks to you Latina, you’ve been a great help.”

“Really, nano? I’m just happy I could help.”

“I’m, not very good at, sewing and needlework.”

“Rita, you’re busy after all.”

I had heard the we needed to prepare lots and lots of napkins for the baby to come. After being taught loads from Chloe’s family as well as by Granny, I was happy to hear Rita’s praises.

You just sow in a straight line for napkins so they aren’t difficult.

Rita was putting away a lot of paperwork today as well. The speed at which she read the documents, ran her pen, and the calculations for the request fee and stock, was extremely, extremely fast.

Maybe someday, I would be able to help Rita out as well.

“When is the baby due?”

“Once Autumn comes. I have to be careful of the summer heat.”

“Rita is weak against the heat after all.”

Since I was told that eating nothing by cold foods is bad for you, I decided to help out Rita so that she could have a healthy baby. I have to start thinking now, about how to best live coolly in the summer.

“I wonder if the baby is a boy or a girl.”

“Either one is fine, as long as he comes out healthy.”

The sight of Rita saying that and smiling, is really cool.

I hung out with my friends every day until the end of summer.

Once Autumn came, the two years they spent traveling to and fro Asfar’s school will come to an end, and everyone will go their different ways.

Somehow, it made me feel slightly lonely.

It wasn’t like we were parting forever, so they were still able to play like they have been until now, but it just felt, a slight bit strange.

Chloe said that she will stay at home just like her mother and be a tailor. With the salary from the 『Ocelot』, I requested clothes from Chloe and was replied with “I’m going to make something special, something just for you Latina”.

I love my cute, pink, fluffy clothes, but Chloe would always say, “Just that? It’s such a waste!”.

I wonder if I’ll be able to wear cool, western-styled clothes like Chloe.

Silvia said that she would go to a Green god, Ahdar’s shrine. She said that we won’t be able to see each other often, but since the 『Ocelot』 was a place with Ahdar’s flag, she said with a somewhat 『evil』 smile, that there were lots of ways to contact each other. I thought that was just like Silvia.

She said that she would study magic as well as train in self-defence.

『Ahdar’s priests』 would travel across the world. They would head towards places regardless if it’s dangerous, or unexplored.

The 『information』 that the 『Ocelot』 handles, is also largely gathered from the 『Ahdar’s priest』 in that sort of manner.

She said that she even wants to go to 『Demon race country (Vasirio)』 one day.

Maybe there will be a new 『First Demon King』 when Silvia goes to Vasirio. If that was the case then, Silvia would definitely be slightly safer when she goes to that country.

Marcel said that he would be training himself, at his home’s bakery.

When lunchtime came, Marcel would bring over the bread from his house, and so I knew very well, just how tasty it was. The 『Ocelot』 goes to a different store to stock up on bread, but I think I might go and buy some every now and then.

I had a lot of fun talking with Marcel about the taste and ingredients, as he was also helping out with his store. He promised me that he’ll teach me how to bake bread next time.

Even Kenneth said that he couldn’t match up to the pros when it comes to the relationship between the wood fire bread ovens, and the cover(こーぼ), which is why the chance to be able to study the real thing is really important!

(TL: What’s a こーぼ :c)

Anthony had said that he wants to advance to high school.

Speaking of which, when I told the teachers at school I was studying at Cornelio-sensei’s place, they were extremely surprised.

It appears that sensei was an extremely famous teacher.

It seems that I was studying a lot of things that they don’t even teach in high schools. Although I didn’t study everything and, I wasn’t able to do math or foreign languages at all.

If Anthony is going to being traveling to high school then, I think I might ask him what he was studying there.

And Rudi said that he would be doing something other than his family’s line of work.

*

*

“You’re going to the military?”

“Yes. After graduating, I’ll go to the reserve corps to train and assist them, in order to prepare to be a military man.”

Facing her, who was tilting her head, puzzled, Rudolf answers and turned his gaze away slightly.

Even if he was asked why he wanted to join the military that protects Kroix’s peace, he would feel embarrassed.

In this city, the only ones who were able to face head on against the 『adventurers』, were the 『Military』.

Not possessing any particular abilities from birth, he was born and raised in a place dealing closely with weapons, but that didn’t mean he had any way of learning how to use them. For him, even if he had plans to become an 『adventurer』, there’s a high chance that he would die before he could even get good.

Since that was the case, he would make the best of the advantage of being born in a large city, and the most reasonable place to receive his training would be as part of the excellent, perimeter Military Reserve Corps.

Rudolf was called an idiot, but when he was in front of her, he was able to seriously think about these things to a certain degree.

“There are also a lot of Military men who visit the 『Ocelot』 as customers, so I’ll be sure to ask them to take care of you, Rudi.”

However, this young girl, smiling happily, didn’t seem to have any special reason for doing that. He had half a face of relief, and half of disappointment. It was complicated.

“It isn’t only 『adventurers』 who visit that shop?”

“Un. The Military men as well as the Gatekeepers come by quite often. However, since the other gates are far away, only the people in charge of the southern gate comes by.”

“…Do the people from the reserve corps come?”

“Hmmmm…. The military man said this before, but the people from the reserve corps try their best every day, until they’re exhausted. They said that they don’t really have that much time to play outside.”

The Military Reserve Corps, live a life where they stay in a boarding house.

It wasn’t just for training, but also for the sake of throwing them into the relationship between rules and their hierarchical society.

It wasn’t like they had no time for breaks at all, but it’s certainly true that they wouldn’t be able to 『meet up』 like they have been.

Despite that, if he was able to safely become a Military man then, it seems that it wouldn’t be unnatural for him to brazenly go into the 『Dancing Ocelot』 every day.

That was probably his current goal.

At Rudolf’s current position, he couldn’t possibly even imagine.

The meaning of “Please take care of him”, being said to the regulars of the 『Ocelot』 — who even amongst the Military men, would be placed either first or second place, in terms of position and power. –.

He would never have thought about what it meant, or how he would be seen as when he was “talked up” by the young girl who the regulars, consider an idol, and for some, “The Platinum Fairy Princess”.

In several meanings of the sense, immediately after he entered the reserve corps, those higher up had their eyes fixed on him.

It couldn’t be said that it was all bad. Being stared at even when he was just training, meant that he was also able to receive much more enthusiastic instructions than the other trainees.

It’s just that, that was unbelievably, unimaginably tough.

*

*

Being hugged by my favourite person, I said “Good night” tonight as well.

In my safest place. My favourite place where I felt warm and pleasant, relieved, and was able to relax, fuahh.

It may make me seem like a 『baby』, and I had thought about telling him I’ll sleep alone countless times, but I couldn’t do it.

Every time he was away, when I would go to bed alone, I would always feel tight, like something was clutching at my heart. I would wrap my body within the cool sheets, hug the pillow tightly and close my eyes.

Sometimes, I would wake up in the middle of the night. Inside the dark room, there would be times when I didn’t know where I was. There were many times where I would be reliving a dream where I was running away from something scary within the dark 『forest』, and couldn’t help being scared.

“Hmmm…. What’s wrong Latina?”

“*Shakes head* No, nothing’s wrong.”

“Really? Did you have a scary dream….?”

Saying that, he would pat my head, “Good girl” and things would really be alright. There was nothing scary. Because this here, is the world’s safest place.

Which is why I want to grow up soon, but I think I’m fine the way I am right now.