TYMFPSA 12

Chapter 12

At my question, oppa flinched.

“…You’re the first one to ask that so directly. Anyway… yes. I’m going to die soon.”

“Don’t die.”

“Why?”

“Just… we just met today.”

Oppa, who looked like a spring tree with flowers blooming, kept coughing lightly.

There were older girls like that at daycare too.

And then one day… they suddenly disappeared.

“It’s sad when you can’t meet anymore.”

“…Is it?”

He answered calmly and then sat down.

After that, he told me his name.

“My name is Elzen. And you?”

“I am… I am Chuu, perty.”

“Shuperty?”

I was about to say “Chuu” like usual, but quickly corrected myself.

Right, I have a proper name now.

Thankfully, Elzen oppa understood easily.

‘He must be smart!’

He looked kind of cool.

His posture was neat and proper.

And he was even reading a difficult-looking book.

I climbed onto the chair slowly.

Then I sat next to Elzen oppa and let out a big breath.

Because it was hard.

“That’s good. That you’re here.”

“Hmm?”

“I was worried about father. But now… I think I can leave in peace.”

I wanted him to not die… but it felt like he had already decided.

While fidgeting my fingers, I suddenly grabbed his hand.

“Oh?”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m blowing on it so it won’t hurt.”

“That won’t make it stop hurting.”

Cough, cough.

Elzen oppa coughed again.

As I patted his back worriedly, I saw blood on his pale hand, and my eyes widened.

“Blood! Blood!”

“You don’t have to make a fuss. It’s natural.”

“But… blood… it hurts…”

Why do I feel so sad?

With teary eyes, I quickly took out a handkerchief from my bunny bag.

It was the bunny-embroidered handkerchief Rina gave me.

“I’ll wipe it for you.”

“You’re kind. You don’t have to do this for me. I’ll die soon in some corner anyway, so there’s no benefit in being nice to me.”

“I’m not doing it to get something.”

I couldn’t explain why.

But I kept feeling sad.

It felt like something like this had happened before.

Even though that shouldn’t be possible.

‘If I had orca sugar, would Elzen oppa feel better?’

I shouldn’t have used it all back then.

I do have 10g of cheering butter… but I haven’t received it yet.

“I want to make you better.”

“It’s an illness that can’t be cured. Unless a partner with the same Bijou shares their life force.”

“…Mm.”

“But I don’t want that. If they are my partner, I would love them the moment I meet them. And then what? Steal their lifespan and live like that? I won’t do it.”

At that moment—

[The Emotion Elemental King ‘■■■’ bursts into tears.]
[Pure love! It’s pure love!]

The Emotion Elemental King reacted strongly.

Then a flood of text appeared.

[Someone like him must live! He’s still young, how can he be so kind? If someone like him dies, it’s a loss for all humanity’s romance! But to save him, a partner must appear?! Then they both won’t live long… sob. I’m crying! Waaah! Our union mi—!]

[Warning: 140 character limit! (;´Д`)]
[Due to spam, Emotion Elemental King ‘■■■’ is muted for 1 minute.]
[This is calculated in spirit world time.]

Something just passed by…?

I stared blankly, then focused on the last disappearing words.

‘Union mission reward?’

Like the orca sugar from before?

[The Flame Elemental King ‘■■■■■’ clicks their tongue.]
[Materials from Eden cannot be taken to the human world without reason. You know that. If we’re not careful, we could disappear.]

[The Earth Elemental King ‘■’ agrees.]
[Right. And she’s not even a contractor yet. Last time was an exception, so we agreed to give a reward, but we can’t do it twice. The Water Elemental King has a connection with that child, so that was understandable…]

[The ◇◇ Elemental King ‘■■■■■■’ carefully suggests.]
[Then what if we ask her to bring something we need, or show us something we want to see? And we give her a “Well Done Stamp.” Then she can exchange it for materials from Eden… wouldn’t that work?]

[The Flame Elemental King ‘■■■■■’ thinks.]
[Not bad. But she must collect three stamps. Can you do it?]

“Yes!”

Without realizing it, I shouted.

Elzen oppa looked at me strangely.

“Who are you answering?”

Oops.

I quickly covered my mouth with both hands and smiled.

“You smile a lot.”

“They said if you smile, good luck comes.”

“Really? It looks nice. There’s no one here who smiles like you.”

Tap.

Elzen oppa lightly touched the tip of my nose.

It didn’t hurt, but it felt strange.

Like how someone treats a cat they meet on the street.

“My real younger sibling would probably look like you.”

“Younger sibling…?”

“Yes. I had one. But she was swallowed by the sea with my mother. Maybe she became a divine beast. When I die, I’ll become one too, so I might meet her again.”

Come to think of it… there’s no mother. Only father.

I wanted to ask more, but it felt like I shouldn’t.

‘I’m curious though…’

At that moment, just like before, a quest appeared.

Quest!
Become vice class leader!

The ◇◇ Elemental King has given you a task!

 Become vice class leader in the election
Reward: ★Well Done★ Stamp x1
Failure: Very unlucky days will come! (3 days)

Huh, vice class leader?!

Now that I think about it, the classroom had been noisy about the class leader lately.

‘They said the class leader is Lord Lewiwood.’

Everyone calls him that, so I got used to it too.

Lord Lewiwood is usually outside doing training or missions, so the one who actually leads the class is the vice class leader.

Quest!
When family is mentioned, tears come!

The Earth Elemental King and Water Elemental King have given you a task!

 Find Admiral Diegon Pashayen’s family portrait
Learn about Admiral Diegon Pashayen’s family secrets
Reward: ★Well Done★ Stamp x1
Failure: Eat 100 beans grown with the Earth Elemental King’s sweat

Wait, 100 beans?!

No way!

[The Earth Elemental King ‘■’ looks sad.]
[They’re beans I grew with care…]

‘Ah.’

I suddenly felt sorry.

[The Water Elemental King ‘■■■■’ smiles sadly.]
[We want to give you everything… but for now, try collecting two stamps first. When you complete those tasks, we’ll tell you the condition for the third one.]

Okay, I’ll try.

I answered in my heart and counted what I had to do.

First, find the Admiral’s family portrait.

Second, find out what happened to Elzen oppa’s sibling.

Third, become vice class leader.

Fourth, make bread with orca sugar for Teacher Cedric and Elzen oppa.

Fifth, figure out who the ◇◇ and ○○ Elemental Kings are.

Sixth, learn the names of the Elemental Kings!

Ugh, why is there so much to do?!

I don’t know if I can do everything, but I decided to try step by step.

I want to at least earn my keep!

‘And seventh. This is the most important.’

Elzen oppa, who is probably my second brother.

Me, and the Admiral.

And Micard oppa, whom I haven’t met yet.

I want all of us to become a family.

And someday… I want a family portrait with me in it.

I kept that wish hidden deep inside.

It still felt like something far away.

After returning to my room, I flopped onto the bed.

Then I opened a book, and the first thing I read was about Bijou.

A Bijou is a jewel, a pure form of power that appears somewhere on the body, including the face.

The same-shaped jewel will also appear on the partner’s body.

The location may differ.

Partners with the same Bijou are naturally drawn to each other.

The moment they meet, the awakened person becomes imprinted and cannot resist the attraction.

This phenomenon is called the “Bijou phenomenon.”

‘This is it! What Elzen oppa was talking about!’

A partner with the same Bijou.

“But… what is a partner?”