Chapter 49 – It Was Summer

It Was Summer

“What should I do! What should I do!!! I did it!!!”
To think I kissed Ariel when she was awake, not asleep!
It was on the forehead, not the lips, but what does it matter? The important thing is that I did it.
I can’t praise myself enough for my courage.

“Hehehe…”
And this bracelet too. It’s a small, modest bracelet with a little crescent moon charm, but to me, it looks more splendid than anything else in the world.
I immediately cast the Blessing of Eternity on the bracelet.

It’s a blessing that can be used once every half year to grant permanence to an object, but it doesn’t matter.
This bracelet is more valuable to me than any sacred object.
Uncontrollable laughter kept escaping. If others saw me, their eyes would widen.

But the joy was short-lived, as anxiety began to rise from a corner of my heart.
‘Maybe she disliked it…’
A kiss between women, it’s unpleasant, isn’t it?
…Should I take comfort in the fact that she didn’t seem displeased when I glanced at her?

“M-Maybe Ariel has feelings for me too… Sigh. That’s impossible.”
…Perhaps it would have been better if I was born a man.
Well, thinking like this won’t change anything.

“By the way, to think Saya was embarrassed about her worn-out shoes. And shoes that Ariel gave her?”
That can’t be. The fact that she wore the shoes for two years means she must have treasured them… Ariel can be a bit dense sometimes.
“But I like that about her too.”

‘I feel like the sensation is still there…’
I absentmindedly rubbed my forehead as I opened the front door.
“Welcome back! Oh? What’s that in your hand?”

“Gifts… Huh? Where are Saya and Puel?”
The two children who would usually come to greet me even before I opened the door are nowhere to be seen. Did they go out to play somewhere?
“They went to play at the stream. I was waiting for you, Ariel-nim!”

Cherny strikes a pose, puffing out her chest proudly. It’s certainly admirable, but for some reason, I feel like teasing her.
“I see. It’s getting dark, so they should be coming back soon.”
“I-I was waiting for you, Ariel-nim.”

I lightly patted Cherny’s head as she looked dejected for not being praised. She closed her eyes and made a purring sound, just like a dog.
‘Maybe I’ve been treating her too much like a dog.’
There’s a saying, isn’t there? Even if it’s a man, if you treat him like a woman, he becomes a woman… Let’s stop here.

Actually, when I was choosing a gift for Cherny, a collar-like necklace with an unknown purpose caught my eye.
“Hehe. Oh, that’s right! I left the pot on the stove!!!”
Hurriedly. Cherny immediately ran into the kitchen.

…Since we got a magic tool that works like a gas stove last time, it seems she’s become quite interested in cooking.
As I followed Cherny into the house, I saw Saya’s shoes left alone in the shoe rack.
‘As I thought, she was embarrassed about her worn-out shoes.’

My heart felt heavy.
Seeing Saya’s shoes made me feel ashamed that I hadn’t paid proper attention to her.
“Phew. Fortunately, the pot didn’t burn. Using fire magic like this, humans make such interesting things.”

When I went to the kitchen, I saw Cherny stirring a pot while talking to herself.
As I thought before, she looks so suited to being a housekeeper that I feel like I should start paying her a salary.
“Tonight’s dinner is corn soup made with corn from our vegetable garden! There’s bread too… Eh?”

Cherny was surprised when I handed her a gift.
“C-Could it be. Is there one for me too?”
It seems she didn’t expect there to be something for her. It’s a bit sad.

What I prepared for her was not a dog collar… but an apron with a cute chick drawn on it.
A gift for Cherny, who’s recently become interested in cooking.
“It’s so pretty! And cute!”

Fortunately, Cherny likes it.
…It was a moment that made me reflect on myself for having considered buying a collar.
“We’re back!”
“We’re home.”

Just then, Saya and Puel returned from the stream.
“Welcome back, kids!”
I hid the gifts for the two behind my back. I wanted to surprise them.

“Hehe. We’re soaking wet.”
“Undine seemed excited to visit the stream after a long time, so she tried to run away… I think I’ll need to scold her later.”
Puel said in a slightly cold voice. To think she’d scold a high-level spirit.

“Oh? Ah… I see.”
Over the past two years, the relationship between Undine and Puel has changed 180 degrees. It’s almost to the point where it can be considered a master-servant relationship.
‘Puel… what a scary child.’

To be able to handle a high-level spirit like this in just two years. Puel’s growth is frightening.
At this rate, will I have to start calling Puel ‘big sister’…?
“Sister, what’s wrong?”
“Ah, nothing. I just had something on my mind.”

“I’ll go take a shower, sister.”
“I want to shower with Puel too!”
Then the children, who had come back soaking wet, headed to the bathroom to shower.

‘This is my chance!’
Seizing the opportunity, I quickly set up the gift boxes on the table in the living room.
When Saya and Puel finish their shower and come out to the living room, they’ll naturally encounter them.

“It’s a surprise! I’ll help too!”
“Thank you. First, let’s turn off the magic lamps… and draw the curtains.”
When we blocked out the light from the setting sun and the magic lamps, the living room was enveloped in complete darkness.

Afterwards, I waited for Saya and Puel to finish their shower, feeling a mix of slight anxiety and anticipation about whether the two children would like it.
And a little while later.

“…Saya. I told you to put on clothes after showering.”
“Ah, okay Puel. Your eyes are scary…”
I started to hear the voices of Saya and Puel who had finished showering.

“Let’s get ready, Cherny. Turn on the magic lamps as soon as Saya and Puel come in.”
“Yes! I’m so excited!”
“…Lower your voice a bit.”

Creak.
I heard the sound of the bathroom door closing.
“Shaa? Puel. All the lights are off!”

“Sister? Cherny? …Where did everyone go?”
“Sister? Cherny?”
As soon as Saya and Puel entered the living room, Cherny turned on the magic lamps, brightly illuminating the dark interior.

“Ta-da! Surprise!”
The two, who seemed unsure of what had happened for a moment, saw the gift boxes on the table and their eyes sparkled.
“Gift boxes!”
“S-Sister. This is…”

Saya happily lifted the wrapped gift box, while Puel froze in place as if shocked.
“Try opening it, Saya.”
“Okay!”

As it happened, inside the box Saya lifted were her new shoes.
“Shoes! They’re so pretty…”
“They’re yours, Saya. Want to try them on?”

Before I could finish speaking, Saya started putting on the shoes. Fortunately, they seemed to fit well, as she started hopping around the living room in them.
“Ariel. I love you!”
The sight made me smile contentedly.

“Sister, this is…”
Meanwhile, Puel, who had unwrapped her gift box, spoke to me in surprise.
What Puel held in her hand was a pair of earrings reminiscent of the lily flower she had once given me.

…It was my gift to her now that her ears had fully recovered.
“Do you like them…?”
Just as I was thinking they might be too old-fashioned, I saw Puel’s face looking like she might burst into tears at any moment.

“I-I… love them so much…! Sister.”
…Various emotions must have been swirling in her heart.
For her, whose ears had once been cut off by those who deserved to be torn to pieces, seeing the earrings must have brought up many thoughts.

The reason I deliberately chose earrings as a gift was in hopes that she would overcome that trauma.
“Sniff… Sister, thank you…!”
Puel threw herself into my arms.
…Although her body had grown, Puel was still my cute child to me.

“Hug me too! Ariel!”
“Of course.”
And even Saya, asking me to hug her after a long time.
It was a happy evening.

“Um, Puel. It’s a bit cramped…”
“Fufu. Maybe the bed is too narrow…?”
“I like Ariel’s smell…”

After a satisfying dinner, we chatted for a while and then lay down side by side on the same bed.
“Should we call Cherny too?”
“Hmm, maybe it’s okay…?”

We once invited Cherny, who used to sleep alone on the sofa in the living room, into the room, but she said the sofa was more comfortable.
She didn’t seem to be lying, so we’ve been letting her sleep there all along.
Besides, if Cherny came up on this bed too, it would be too cramped.

“Saya?”
Wriggle wriggle. Saya burrowed into my arms.
“Hehe. Ariel. Thank you for the gift.”
What should I do? I feel like I might cry.

Saya, who had recently been showing less affection, was now being affectionate like before, and I felt like tears might well up.
‘If I ask now, she might tell me.’

“Saya. Why haven’t you been asking me to hug you lately? Do you dislike me now…?”
“N-No!!!”
When I asked Saya while deliberately pretending to cry, she denied my words excessively.

“…Ariel dummy. There’s no way Saya could dislike Ariel.”
Pat pat. Saya lightly patted my shoulder with her small hand. Of course, it didn’t hurt.
“Then why? Was it because… I made you keep wearing shoes without realizing they were worn out?”

“Shaa? What are you talking about?”
Saya asked back as if I was saying something ridiculous.
“W-Weren’t you embarrassed about your worn-out shoes?”
“Shaa?”

“…Sister. What are you saying? Saya treasures those shoes so much.”
Eh?
On behalf of Saya, who kept tilting her head in confusion, Puel spoke.
“Saya treasures those shoes so much.”

“She didn’t wear them often, so…”
“That’s because she was saving them.”
Eeh?

“T-Then, the reason Saya has been a bit cold to me lately is?”
In response to my question, Puel whispered softly in my ear.
“…There was something in the book Leon-oppa gave us last time about being disliked if you act spoiled, and I think Saya saw that.”

“Shaa? What are you talking about?”
“Saya. You know…”
After repeatedly telling Saya that I would never dislike her even if she acted spoiled, I made a resolution.

‘Leon… I won’t let this slide.’
Another peaceful night in the forest passes.
…It was summer.