TLFP 1

Chapter 1

“…You.”

A face filled with utter shock came into my fading vision.

The moment I tried to answer the small call, a cough burst out instead—along with a spray of red blood.

Through my blurred sight, I fumbled forward with my hand.

The man’s heart, which had been pierced clean through just moments ago, was now perfectly restored, as if nothing had ever happened.

He lived.

And I was going to die.

My senses were dull, but I managed to move my lips with difficulty.

“I’m… glad you’re safe.”

Did he understand what I said?

No sound came from my throat, so I couldn’t tell.

Maybe my ears weren’t working anymore either. Still, through my hazy vision, I saw his eyes widen slightly.

Ah… so you can make that kind of expression too.

The face I’d always known—so cold, so merciless—I had forgotten that this person could even have expressions.

There was so much I wanted to say.

Since this is the end anyway, I should say everything I’ve been holding in.

Slowly, I moved my lips. I couldn’t hear my own voice anymore, so I didn’t even know if I was speaking properly.

“You might not like hearing me talk, but since this is the last time… please listen.”

Father’s eyes were wide.

Maybe he’s thinking it’s admirable that I’ve finally grown up enough to understand my place.

I forced the corners of my stiff lips upward.

Hoping I was smiling properly, I opened my mouth.

There were a lot of things that made me sad.

I wanted to try calling you “Dad.”
I wanted you to praise me at least once.
I wanted us to go on a trip together.
I wished you would come to my academy graduation.

Of course, I must have been a daughter you were ashamed of.

But still…

Even so…

I was grateful that you didn’t throw away a useless burden like me and carried me with you all this time.

There was so much I wanted to say, but I didn’t have much time left.

So I carefully chose my words and let only a few reach the tip of my tongue.

“…Forget about me now, and live your own life.”

You shut yourself away in your laboratory, isolating yourself just to save your foolish, terminally ill daughter.

And yet, you were always by my side whenever I was in pain.

That’s why I couldn’t even resent you.

I couldn’t see anymore.

I couldn’t hear either.

After thinking for a long time about what my final words should be, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I’m sorry… for being your daughter.”

If it hadn’t been for me, you could have soared so much higher.

Was it raining? My cheeks felt wet.

Strange. We were indoors.

Soon, all my senses dulled, and my mind slowly faded to black.

“…don’t.”

A faint voice reached me.

The last thing I saw was a golden light wrapping around me.

Even though I could no longer see anything, that light alone shone brilliantly.

And so, on my sixteenth birthday—

I died.

Blink. Blink.

A chill against my skin made my eyes snap open.

A familiar yet strangely sparkling ceiling came into view. It looked a little cleaner than the one I remembered seeing last.

“…What?”

I just died.

I had been attacked. My father’s heart was pierced, and as he was dying, I used up every last bit of my life force to save him.

That damned ability.

Out of habit, I pulled the blanket up to my chin and sulked.

Other people could breathe fire or water, fly through the sky, or wield incredible powers. Why was mine the only ability that was completely useless?

Well… Father was a noble, yet his ability wasn’t anything remarkable either.

It would have been stranger if I had some amazing power.

“But… did I still have life force left?”

I didn’t think I could survive.

When I used that ability, I was sure it was the end.

I thought it was truly the last time.

I think I said a lot of embarrassing things because I thought it was my final moment.

The memory made my face burn.

I rolled around on the bed and buried my face in my hands.

“…Huh?”

Wait.

Something was strange.

I hurriedly touched my face—soft, small, subtly squishy.

Then I froze.

My hands were tiny too.

I groped around my body and widened my eyes.

“Wha—what?!”

I shot upright from the bed—

—and immediately wobbled. My legs gave out from the shock, and I plopped right back down.

Low.

Too low!

My viewpoint was way too low. What, did my ability reduce my height instead of my life force?!

Pushing aside the ridiculous thought, I scrambled off the bed.

It wasn’t a child’s bed but an adult one, so it was high. I had no choice but to use the blanket like a rope to climb down.

I ran to the full-length mirror with a crack on one side and stood before it.

Then I just stared, mouth hanging open.

“Huh…?”

What is this?

I mean, of course I know a mirror reflects me.

What I mean is—

I was supposed to be sixteen.

But the reflection staring back at me looked about five.

“This is ridiculous. It’s a dream, right?”

I examined myself in the mirror.

Pale skin, almost white.

Soft, unblemished hands and feet.

Chubby cheeks that hadn’t lost their baby fat.

A body so small and short that I could pass for three or four years old.

“No…!”

Do you know how I lived those sixteen years?

Do you know how I died?

And now I have to live that miserable life all over again?!

No way.

“Waaah!”

Overwhelmed with unfairness and sorrow, I burst into tears.

How long did I cry like that?

What’s certain is that not long after I started, the door burst open.

No, I only cried for a moment!

I mean, if you think you died, deliver heartfelt last words, open your eyes—and suddenly you’re back in a childhood filled with nothing but suffering—wouldn’t you feel wronged too?

“……”

“……”

Anyway, I definitely didn’t want to see that expression on his face.

That unmistakable look of shock.

“…Father?”

At my call, his eyes widened.

“……”

He stood there blankly, then quickly stiffened his face as if startled and glared at me before speaking.

“Why are you crying—”

He looked fine.

Healthy.

Still cold-faced, of course—but much younger.

A healthy Dad.

I stared at the father who looked far younger and healthier than in my memories, then suddenly ran up and threw myself into his arms.

Startled, he hurriedly caught me.

“You…!”

He was warm.

Really, truly alive.

A father who wasn’t dying.

“…Father.”

Or maybe this is a dream.

Maybe all of this is just a final illusion before death, something that will fade at any moment.

If so, I should savor it now.

Maybe this is my dying mind replaying its regrets one last time.

Yes. That’s enough.

After holding him to my heart’s content, I finally felt a little better.

The problem was that even after hugging him for quite a while, there was no sign of the afterlife.

Do I need to let go of all my lingering attachments before I can be reborn?

Maybe I have to say everything.

Maybe I can’t move on because I left words unsaid.

“Dad…”

At my small call, his shoulders trembled.

“I just… always wanted to call you that.”

“……”

What else did I want to say?

“You know… live your own life. Not for me.”

His eyes widened.

Ugh, why am I lisping?

Some of my pronunciation slipped awkwardly.

“I’m really okay…”

So you should live your own life.

I clutched his clothes tightly. There was something I had always wanted to tell him—when he was still healthy like this.

“I’m sorry… for being born.”

I knew. I knew you shut yourself away in that underground lab because of me.

If it weren’t for me, you would have had a better life.

With your brilliant mind, you could have developed better medicines.

You might have earned recognition from the rest of the family.

You wouldn’t have had to estrange yourself from them.

“So now forget about me and live happily—”

Instead of wasting your time trying to fix someone like me.

After saying everything, I slowly closed my eyes.

I thought the final reel of my life would pass by now, and the afterlife would come.

But nothing came.

…This isn’t right!