The moment of realization.
"......"
I felt a strange sense of foreboding.
Why?
'Does it really matter that much?'
The fact that Cherish sent Aen to the Rodbel family. It might not be that important after all.
Cherish probably didn't know what kind of end Aen would meet either.
Their only goal was <Ayala's Book of Medicine>.
But...
'Something feels off.'
I felt a strange discomfort and a tingling in my heart.
Aen turned back to look at me as my pace slowed.
"Lady? Is something wrong?"
I stared at him blankly for a moment, then smiled brightly and shook my head.
"No, I'm just a little nervous."
"Haha, you don't have to be nervous."
Fortunately, Aen laughed it off.
"This is the room."
He walked across the living room.
'Okay, let's not overthink it.'
I shook my head and focused on the scenery of the house.
'It's warm...'
The sunlight streaming in through the arched white windows bathed every corner of the living room in a warm light.
A sofa just right for two people, a pure white rug, and a butterfly mobile hanging in front of the window.
It was quiet, but it felt peaceful.
'I...'
At that moment, a dream suddenly came to me.
'I want to live in a house like this.'
In the distant future, when I am free, I want to buy a house like this and live a simple life.
The ominous premonition had already disappeared, and what remained was a concrete desire.
Then Aen said.
"Lady, how do you like this house?"
I looked up at the sudden question.
Aen stopped walking and was looking down at me.
I answered honestly.
"I like it. It's warm."
"Really? Then..."
He hesitated for a moment, then continued cautiously.
"Will you live with us later?"
"Pardon?"
My eyes widened at the unexpected words.
Live together?
For a moment, I couldn't understand, so I just stared blankly instead of answering, and he quickly added.
"No, well... I mean, later when you become an adult, you can be independent. But you might get married before that."
"Ah..."
"If you don't get married and leave that place, won't you come away with us? Ah, of course, that's a long way off and it's okay if you refuse if it's too much pressure-"
"I will."
In a hurry, I answered before he could finish speaking.
The situation was reversed, and this time he looked at me with surprised eyes.
Seeing that, I felt a little embarrassed, wondering if I had answered too hastily.
"Lady, you can take your time to answer. I'll wait patiently..."
"No."
I shook my head firmly.
"I..."
I was always anxious.
That I would be alone when everything was over.
I would have been happy about that in the past, but now.
'Because I've come to know the warmth of others.'
Someone once said that humans are social animals.
That's why humans have to live among humans.
I couldn't agree with that. I thought humans were the most cruel creatures, but.
"I'm glad you said that."
This life didn't just give me a chance to live.
It also allowed me to know the warmth of others.
But I was worried that the warmth would be one-sided. That I was the only one feeling it.
Aen's words about going together made me truly happy because it seemed that he also recognized me as a warm person.
I smiled from the bottom of my heart.
Belatedly, I added.
"Of course, Cherish might think differently..."
"I told you, Cherish also wanted to see you very much. You don't have to worry about that. I guarantee it."
He said with a determined face.
Seeing him more serious than ever, I felt like laughing and also felt relieved.
'Okay.'
The abstract future was drawn a little more concretely.
The warm sunlight carried on the breeze seemed to permeate my heart as well.
'I hope Marin can come with us too.'
Wouldn't it be really happy if Cherish and Aen, Marin and I, lived together like this?
'It makes me feel good just thinking about it.'
A smile naturally formed on my face.
However, that smile disappeared the moment Aen grabbed the doorknob of the pure white door.
'Aen said it would be okay, but.'
I was inevitably nervous because it was our first meeting.
Thump, thump. My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest.
"I'll open it."
I nodded.
Squeak.
The doorknob turned.
Swish.
The door opens.
With trembling eyes, I waited for the sight beyond the door.
But.
'Huh?'
I couldn't see inside well.
After blinking my eyes a few times, I realized that the room was dark. It looked even darker because of the backlight.
I immediately understood the reason.
'The curtains are drawn.'
Thick blackout curtains were covering the entire window.
"Ah, Cherish doesn't really like bright things."
Aen whispered to me. I see. That makes sense.
"Let's go in."
".....Yes."
He opened the door all the way and went inside.
The room wasn't very big.
All there was was a bed and a bookcase filled with books.
I immediately spotted the girl lying sideways on the bed.
It was dark, but I could tell at a glance.
'That child is Cherish.'
"Cherish, we're here. Lady Lucia is here too."
".....Aen?"
A fragile voice that seemed about to break was heard.
The girl slowly raised her upper body.
The reddish-brown hair that had been spread out like a lake also seemed to rise with her body.
Was it because she was fighting an illness?
I'm small, but Cherish was even smaller than me.
She was withered.
I could see her pale, thin body through the pure white dress.
She turned her head this way.
A snow-white, small face. Transparent reddish-brown eyes under long eyelashes captured me.
She stared for a moment.
"Ah..."
Pink, thin lips parted.
"Hello?"
It was a clear, beautiful voice that matched her delicate, glass doll-like appearance.
'Wow...'
I forgot to answer and just stared at the girl - Cherish - in admiration.
'She's so pretty...'
The most beautiful person in my life was definitely Miracle.
However, Cherish was very beautiful in a different way from Miracle.
If Miracle's beauty was bright and lovely like spring, then Cherish was.
'Like winter.'
She was so transparent that she felt even precarious, as if she might break at any moment.
As I was absorbed in that beauty and didn't answer, Cherish tilted her head slightly.
Only then did I come to my senses and hurriedly part my lips.
"Ah, yes. Hello."
I hesitated, raised my hand, and waved.
'Is this the right thing to do?'
I often dealt with adults, but it was my first time dealing with children my age other than Vansis and Miracle, so I kept fumbling.
Is it okay? Does my appearance look strange right now?
I became anxious and uneasy for no reason and couldn't even raise my head properly.
"Puhut."
I heard a laughing sound.
I flinched and raised my head.
"You're cute, just like Aen said."
"......?!"
I froze at the unexpected words.
I didn't know how to react, so I just stood there frozen, and Aen whispered softly in my ear.
"See, she wanted to see the Lady a lot. You don't have to be nervous."
It didn't relieve my tension to hear those words, but.
'It seems like I didn't make a bad first impression.'
I felt a little relieved in that regard.
And what should I say.
'It feels a little different from what Aen said.'
Aen said Cherish was prickly, but I couldn't find any prickliness in the girl in front of me.
On the contrary, her smiling face looked very kind.
"Do you want to come closer? I can't get out of bed."
"Ah, yes."
"You two talk. I'll go get something to eat."
Ah, wait a minute.
Before I could grab him, Aen left the room.
I knew. He said he was going to get something to eat, but he was actually leaving so that Cherish and I could have time to get to know each other.
'......It's going to take a long time.'
My heart became uneasy like a child who had lost her guardian, but.
'Okay.'
I couldn't rely on Aen forever.
I had to take the initiative and become friends with Cherish.
I took one step at a time towards Cherish.
Cherish's smile deepened as I got closer. Her eye color was even more reddish when I saw her up close.
Was that why Aen said Cherish and I looked alike? As I was thinking that, the moment I got closer to the bed.
Suddenly.
A white, thin arm slipped out from under the blanket and grabbed my wrist.
Surprised, I looked at her.
"I caught you. Finally."
Cherish smiled.
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