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Chapter 3
The child, after opening his lips a few times as if hesitating, finally averted his gaze and answered.
“…As.”
“As?”
“Yes, you can call me that.”
The child replied firmly, as though drawing a line.
I nodded with a gentle smile, like one would when coaxing a proud cat.
“Alright, As. That’s a really pretty name.”
“…”
Suddenly, As’s ears flushed red.
He half-hid his face behind his hand and lowered his head.
The tense silence in the air loosened for a moment.
I didn’t let the chance slip by and asked in a soft, careful tone.
“As, when we go buy new clothes, I can take you home afterward. If you tell me where you live, I’ll make sure you get home safely. Hmm, or if it’s hard to say exactly, I can at least take you close by.”
In that instant, the softened air froze stiff again.
Meeting my gaze slowly, As answered quietly.
“…I don’t remember.”
“Huh?”
“I don’t remember where my home is.”
It sounded like a lie, but instead of pointing it out and upsetting him, I simply nodded with a light laugh.
“Yeah, that can happen. Well, if you do remember, you have to tell me right away, okay?”
“…”
As didn’t answer. He only looked away.
Still smiling, I felt tears threatening to spill from my eyes and wiped the corner of them.
What on earth should I do with this child…
Maybe I should ask Harnen about it later.
That was when—
Grrrgle.
My eyes widened instinctively.
As’s jewel-like ruby eyes also went round in shock, as if he hadn’t expected the sound himself.
His face flushed crimson.
With a sharp turn of his back, he spun away from me.
I bit my lip, watching him.
Don’t laugh, Einra. You’ll just embarrass him.
“Ahem, ahem. Are you hungry? I prepared baguette and chicken stew for lunch. Would you like to eat some, too?”
“…Can I?”
He asked softly.
I tilted my head, then nodded.
“Of course! Absolutely.”
“Then… please.”
As mumbled his reply.
I grinned and went to the kitchen, bringing out food and dishes.
Just like a noble child, As ate with elegance and refinement, even for such a simple meal.
Unlike me—who dropped plenty of crumbs—his seat remained spotless, without a single crumb.
“As, did the food suit your taste?”
I asked as I carried the dishes to the sink once the meal was done.
As, who was tidying his own dish, paused before nodding slowly.
“I’m glad you liked it.”
When I said it with a bright smile, As quickly turned his head away and set his dish in the sink.
“…Don’t smile at me.”
He pulled his hands back from the sink as he spoke.
At his incomprehensible words, I blinked wide-eyed and looked at him.
“Huh? Why not?”
“Because… it makes me think it’s okay.”
Answering on reflex, As then bit down hard on his lips and turned away from me.
I tilted my head, watching the child’s back as he walked into the living room.
“Don’t smile…?”
Could it be tied to some bad memory?
After a short pause, I began washing the dishes with spirit magic.
When I finished the dishes, I took As outside with me to buy him new clothes.
“As, stay close to me. You mustn’t wander off, alright?”
“…That’s the thing I can do better than anyone else in the world.”
As muttered from two steps behind me.
His voice was so quiet that I barely caught it.
I tilted my head.
“Hm? What did you say?”
After a brief silence, eyes averted, he murmured,
“…Nothing.”
The southern lands of Count Hyla’s territory in the Empire were famous for their mild climate and excellent safety.
The townspeople carried an air of ease, and the streets were lined with blooming white blossoms of the rice-flower trees.
“As, the flowers smell lovely, don’t they?”
“…”
“Look at those blossoms. Doesn’t it seem like cotton candy or snow piled up on the branches?”
“…”
“The weather’s so warm! Maybe after we buy clothes, we can go on a little outing nearby?”
“…”
On the way to the clothing shop, the silence grew awkward, so I tried striking up conversation in many ways.
But no matter what, no answer came back.
Haha… maybe I misheard him earlier, and now he doesn’t want to reply…
In the end, we reached the shop with nothing gained.
I swallowed a sigh and opened the door.
Clang! The bell on the door rang brightly.
“Hello, Auntie Cecile!”
“Welcome—oh my? Einra again? Didn’t you already buy clothes earlier? Here to exchange something?”
Tilting her head as she came over, Cecile Auntie caught sight of As behind me—and her eyes widened.
“My, what an adorable little young lady!”
At those words, As’s face froze cold. I could almost hear the grind of his teeth.
Oh no, teeth are supposed to last a lifetime!
I couldn’t let the poor boy ruin his young teeth!
Before Auntie could gush any further about the “adorable little young lady,” I quickly stepped forward.
“Ah, Auntie! As is actually a handsome young gentleman!”
“Oh? A young gentleman?”
“Yes! I made a mistake before… We’re here to look for boy’s clothing that suits our As.”
“Oh my, I see. Sorry, As.”
She added that dressed this way, she had mistaken him for a little girl without a doubt.
Innocently, she pressed on with another question in her kind voice.
“Since Einra isn’t married yet… is he perhaps your cousin? Or nephew? Hoho, I didn’t know you had such an adorable relative!”
“Haha, relative? No, As and I don’t even look alike—”
“We’re not related.”
Before I could clarify, As bit out the words like spitting through clenched teeth.
For a fleeting moment, his red eyes even seemed to gleam with menace, and I felt strangely heavy-hearted.
Yeah… he’s right. We aren’t related.
But still, if he dislikes it that much… it hurts.
Auntie, sensing As’s sharp reaction, flinched for a moment. Then, glancing at me, she quickly shifted the mood with a bright voice.
“You came to look at boys’ clothes, right? Come along.”
She guided us to the boys’ section.
As looked indifferent, even faced with so many clothes. But I was bubbling with excitement at the thought of dressing him up.
With looks like his, anything would suit him!
“As, why don’t you try this one—”
“This is enough for me.”
What he picked was just a simple, comfortable shirt and pants.
Blinking in surprise, I glanced at the fancy frock coat I had in my hand.
Normally, kids prefer flashy things to plain ones, don’t they?
“I’ll get that too. But since we don’t know when your memory might come back, wouldn’t it be better to buy several sets of clothes?”
As nodded without hesitation.
Covering my mouth, I smiled broadly.
Those soft white cheeks, those red lips, that aloof expression…
My heart pounded at the thought of dressing such a beautiful child in all sorts of outfits!
“Auntie!”
“Yes, Einra?”
“Please show us clothes! From here to here—the most popular ones!”
“…”
As’s face instantly went pale as he glanced over the section I’d just indicated, but I pretended not to notice and hummed happily.
With my income as an Imperial Spiritist, I had more than enough to spare.
This much was pocket change.
After the wild fashion show with Auntie Cecile, I pulled out my wallet with its dimensional pocket to pay for all the clothes.
While Auntie was busily calculating with a big smile, she suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, Einra.”
“Yes, Auntie?”
“That man Milren I told you about before—how about him? Still not thinking of meeting him?”
