Family

The ground itself shook violently with each step the land dragon took.

To describe it with a bit of exaggeration, it was like a small mountain walking.

The time to ride the land dragon was only about 10 minutes… but I couldn’t say it wasn’t fun even as a white lie.

Above all, the very fact of riding on top of the land dragon made my heart flutter a little.

After that, as time passed in the amusement park, my expression became more and more satisfied.

And in direct contrast to me, Rier’s expression was becoming increasingly complicated.

Eventually, when we had toured all of the magical beast zoo.

More precisely, while Tine briefly went to the bathroom, Rier called me aside saying he wanted to talk to me.

“What if you really have fun? That’s not what we agreed on.”

“T-This is my first time playing like this. I got carried away without realizing it.”

I added that from now on, I would properly try to fulfill Rier’s request.

“I’m not asking you to be mean, just don’t say anything. Wherever you go, just show a lukewarm reaction.”

“Ah, yes…”

I felt a slight pang of conscience at having to act coldly toward someone trying to be nice to me, but I couldn’t help it.

After all, I hadn’t come here to have fun but to reject Tine.

So, from the moment we met Tine again and started walking toward the rides.

And even after riding various attractions with Tine, I tried my best not to show any expression.

However, after trying to maintain an expressionless face for a long time, whether the rides were scary or fun…

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick somewhere?”

“No, I’m not sick, just… I got a little tired.”

“Well, we have been walking around without rest.”

Instead of making Tine give up her feelings, I ended up making her worry about me.

Feeling an ache somewhere in my chest, I slightly averted my gaze.

Right after that, an announcement that a parade would start soon echoed throughout the amusement park.

Following this, Tine suggested that we watch the parade instead of going on more rides, saying it was perfect timing.

“Let’s rest while watching the parade. Okay?”

“…Yes.”

After that, we joined the crowd that had already started gathering along the parade route.

However, because Rier said he would stay back for a while since it might cause a commotion if people recognized him.

The already awkward atmosphere became even more awkward with Rier’s absence.

Still, as voices of amazement were heard from here and there pointing at the parade procession that was starting to appear in the distance.

Thanks to Tine carefully initiating conversation once again.

“It’s even more magnificent than I thought, Lua. By the way, were parades always this splendid?”

“Hmm, this is my first parade too…”

It didn’t become unbearably stifling.

Like that, I was absentmindedly appreciating the parade that brightened the street with various colored lights as it passed by.

-Stagger.

“Huh?”

“Lu-Lua!”

At some point, as I tried to step aside to make way for the crowd that had pushed in from all around, I lost my balance for a moment.

The problem was that Tine hurriedly grabbed me and fell down with a thud instead.

“Ouch…”

The bigger problem was that there was a small wound on Tine’s knee, as if it had been slightly scraped when she fell.

No matter how much I looked around, I couldn’t find Rier, who had said he would be nearby, for some reason.

Either way, it didn’t seem right to remain fallen among this large crowd.

So I took Tine to the nearest bench.

However, as soon as I sat her down, she told me to go back and finish watching the parade while she stayed there.

The sight of her pretending to be okay while smiling kept bothering me.

The guilt and remorse stemming from deliberately acting cold for the past few hours made my hand move.

“…It’s my first time using this on a person. If you feel anything strange, please tell me right away.”

“Huh? What?”

So, after gently placing my hand on the puzzled person’s knee. Ding.

[You Are the Shield (A) is used on entity name: Tine.]

[Entity name: Lua’s regeneration stat has been bestowed upon entity name: Tine.]

I used my cheat-level skill and stat on a person for the first time.

The wound on her knee healing rapidly.

I deactivated the skill as soon as the wound completely healed, just to be safe.

But for some reason, she just silently looked at me with a somewhat dazed expression.

“What, what’s wrong? Do you feel sick somewhere? Or is your stomach upset?”

I urgently asked if she was feeling any side effects.

The answer that came back from Tine was a couple of nods.

And a brief thank you, along with an apology for making me worry.

Right after that, Rier, whom we had unintentionally separated from, found us.

“Somehow I couldn’t find you no matter how much I looked. Were you here?”

“We were looking for you too, Dad.”

“Oh, I guess we missed each other.”

By now it was evening, with the sunset dyeing the entire sky reddish.

In other words, it meant there wasn’t much time left before parting with Tine.

“Let’s go ride the Ferris wheel as our last activity, Lua. I really wanted to ride that, if nothing else.”

“…Okay.”

I couldn’t possibly refuse Tine’s last request.

So, as we got on the round-shaped Ferris wheel one by one.

“I’m sorry, sir, but you’ll have to ride separately. You’re just too big.”

“……………………”

For safety reasons, I was separated from Rier once again.

Why did Rier’s expression look so complicated as he watched Tine and me get on the Ferris wheel alone?

It looked like he was telling me to reject her decisively with his eyes.

Only after I unconsciously nodded slowly in response, clank.

The Ferris wheel’s door closed, and we began to slowly rise upward.

Not long after, Tine’s voice began to reach my ears.

“Hey, Lua. Did you… have fun today?”

To fulfill Rier’s request, I should have answered no.

I should have told Tine only harsh words, saying it wasn’t fun at all, that it was boring.

But to the person who had tried to make me happy all day.

To the person who had even injured her knee because of my mistake, I just couldn’t say mean things no matter how hard I tried. Absolutely couldn’t.

-Nod.

In the end, I silently nodded slowly to affirm Tine’s question.

At this, Tine’s face gradually brightened.

“…I’m glad. You kept looking unhappy, so I was worried you weren’t having fun.”

The voice that soon followed said she hoped there would be another time like this someday.

In other words, it meant she wanted me to accept her as part of my family.

“I’m… sorry.”

I forced my reluctant mouth to open and said it wouldn’t be possible.

I only told the lie that although I was grateful for the fun day, I didn’t think I was ready to accept Tine yet after giving it much thought.

Because if I didn’t do this, both Rier and Tine would end up struggling in their own ways.

I thought it would be better to end it here, even if it made me uncomfortable.

However, contrary to my expectation that she would persistently ask why not, looking surprised.

She only showed a slightly disappointed expression and returned only the words “I see” to me.

My guilt toward Tine, which had already reached its limit, pulled my gaze downward.

Almost simultaneously, I was enveloped by a feeling that I had done something terribly wrong.

I just couldn’t get rid of the thought that I had intentionally hurt someone for the first time.

Finally, unable to bear it for long, I opened my mouth on my own.

“…I’m not really Rier’s daughter. And it’s all a lie that I don’t like you, Tine…”

I chose only words that would be of no help to the person waiting for me down below and uttered them.

But the answer that came back from Tine was also.

“I already knew. The people working under your sister told me everything.”

Since it was a quite different kind of answer than I expected.

I lifted my head in surprise and asked, almost accusingly, why she hadn’t said anything if she knew.

“…What? Th-Then why did you say you wanted to see me?”

“Because Rier called you his daughter. Family doesn’t have to be connected only by blood, right?”

The calm voice said she thought there must have been some circumstance between Rier and me.

She added that regardless, as long as Rier called me his daughter, I was both Rier’s daughter and someone she should cherish.

This was problematic… in many ways.

Seeing how well she treated me even knowing I was a fake daughter, her feelings for Rier seemed even stronger than I had thought.

By this point, I was even curious, so I asked why she wanted to be with Rier so badly.

After a moment of contemplation, the answer that came back from her was of the simplest kind.

“Because he’s my ideal type.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Even though he goes off to fight monsters in dungeons at the drop of a hat? Even though commotion is his daily life?”

“That’s all part of the Rier I love.”

I was speechless.

Is this what it means to see someone through rose-colored glasses?

“I need Rier and no one else.”

I was finally finished off by the confident sentence that came next.

The slightly red face of Tine was a bonus.

What’s more, in less than a few seconds, she even asked me to help persuade Rier to accept her.

“Once a week. No, even once a month would be fine… I just wish Rier would accept me.”

Right after that, the slowly rotating Ferris wheel began to gradually stop.

Feeling flustered, I unconsciously looked down.

“It’s okay, Lua. I asked them to stall for a little more time.”

When I heard that it was actually Tine herself who had made the Ferris wheel stop.

“Why…?”

“Because I wanted to talk with you a bit more, Lua. And I have a few things I want to ask.”

I unconsciously swallowed dryly and slowly met Tine’s gaze.