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The next day is Tuesday. I decide not to go to school now that I have no reason to, and sit in the living room while satisfying
my hungry stomach.
Reiji: *Slurp* *Gulp*
I slowly slurp up the pasta with olive oil and garlic that I had made with my chopsticks.
It's a frighteningly simple lunch, but with half of the residents of the house now gone and Sakura still sleeping, I didn't
feel like making anything complicated.
At most, the only thing I have to fear is becoming a little sleepy because of it.
Because we don't know when Eyespace will come around next, we can't afford to be completely complacent.
Sakura: Mmmm, that smells good~
Reiji: ...Sakura?
Apparently the smell of my lunch was strong enough to reach upstairs where she was sleeping and compelled her to come down.
Reiji: Has your magical strength recovered already?
Sakura: Nn. While I haven't completely recovered yet, I'm well enough to do what I usually do.
Reiji: I see...
Sakura: Therefore Master, I want you to make me lunch as well. I want to have the same thing you are~
Reiji: Yeah, I got it, I got it.
While Sakura stares droolingly at my plate of pasta, I put it down and head towards the kitchen.
Reiji: However, don't do anything else alright? After you eat you're going back to bed.
Sakura: Eeeeeh?! I'm tired of sleeping though!
Reiji: Whether you're tired or not isn't the problem here...
Sakura: Uuu...But I feel fine...
Afterwards, I shut Sakura up with a helping of pasta, but in the end I have to carry her back to my room.
Sakura: I'm going to get fat like a cow if all I do is sleep and eat.
Reiji: Hey you, that's an insult to all the hard-working cows.
Reiji: You need to recover all the strength you can so you can function later.
I sit down next to Sakura since she's still reluctant to go back to sleep, and rip at her complaints.
Sakura: You're not being fair, Master. I'm not mad that you want me to go to sleep, but I'm already fully awake...
Sakura: I can't recover my strength as fast as you, Master. It's not fair~
Reiji: Mu...
Indeed, even though I used up a lot of strength to defeat Satomura and Ryuichi, I feel like I'm at my peak.
I don't know why I've recovered so fast, but maybe it's a trait unique to magi.
Reiji: That's why I'm able to attend to you. I'm even holding your hand.
Sakura: Even if that's the case...
As if to prove my point, I shake our held hands that are under the blanket.
Sakura: ...Eheeheeehee.
Immediately, Sakura's cheeks flood out into a happy smile despite the fact that she was pouting just a second ago.
Reiji: What is it?
Sakura: I was just thinking that you're always unusually kind when you try to get me to go to sleep.
Reiji: Hey, that makes me sound like I'm always mean otherwise.
...Well, it's true that I am rather blunt and rude most of the time.
Reiji: ......Alright than. I'll be kind to you until you fall asleep.
Sakura: I'm glad than. If you'll be nice to me Master, than I can forgive you for restraining me a little.
Reiji: ...I'm glad you'll listen than.
Sakura: ...Eheehee. If you get cold, than I don't mind if you crawl in and we can recover our magic together.
Reiji: Don't say dumb things like that, just go to sleep.
Sakura: Nn. ...If I'm with you, Master...Than I can easily fall asleep...
Reiji: Yeah. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.
Sakura: Nn...
Reiji: .........Hm?
Apparently I fell asleep without noticing while I was watching over Sakura.
I rub the sleep out of my eyes and blink a couple of times, and as I look out the window I see that it will be evening soon.
Sakura: *Yawn* Good morning, Master.
Sakura wakes up almost immediately after I do, and mumbles a greeting.
Sakura: Master~ I'm hungry~
Reiji: What, already? You ate lunch just a little bit ago. There's still a little time before I have to fix dinner-
Sakura: Even so, I'm hungry. I have to keep up my strength if I'm going to recover as fast as possible.
Sakura: I've already digested what I had for lunch.
Reiji: Well, at least that's good.
It seems that she's recovered a bit more of her strength with that.
Since food helps her recover, maybe there's something specific about her having such a big appetite all of a sudden, but if
it'll help her recover, it's fine.
Sakura: Master, I want to eat something sweet.
Reiji: Sweet?
Sakura: Nn, one of those large sweet buns!
Reiji: I thought you didn't like those kinds of things.
This is the first time this girl has said that she actually wants a large sweet bun.
Sakura: Nn~ To tell the truth, Sayuki-chan and I ate them together before, and I've taken a liking to them.
Reiji: ...So that's how it is.
Apparently Sayuki got Sakura hooked on a new favorite food.
Maybe she kept that information hidden from me because it was embarrassing...When I think of how Sayuki seemed to lose her
composure around those buns, I smile.
Sakura: Ah...
I see her wince slightly and quietly mutter that is was "a slip of the tongue".
Sakura: ...I'm sorry.
Reiji: What are you apologizing for? Don't worry about it.
Sakura: But...
Reiji: It's alright. I was just thinking about Sayuki; Something like that won't upset me.
Sakura: ...
Reiji: Just because she's gone doesn't mean that everytime we think about her we have to feel sad.
Reiji: When I remember her, I try to smile and think about all of the good times we shared.
I quietly tell Sakura that as she still looks away apologetically.
Reiji: She may have been defeated in this war, but she'll live on in our hearts and memories; We have to stake everything and
fight just as hard as she did...
Reiji: I try and think of what happened to her as an unfortunate accident because of my own carelessness.
Sakura: Master...
Reiji: That's why it falls to me to carry on her wishes and finish this war, because I owe her that.
Reiji: I have to be determined to be so strong that I can crush anything...That way they won't ever lose either, you know?
Sakura: ...You're right.
Sakura's expression softens after hearing my words.
Yes. I will do it, because that's what I owe everyone that has died during this war.
Until the day comes to when I can defeat Odin with my own hands, that is the only condolence I can give myself.
*Sakura's stomach growls*
Reiji: .........
Sakura: Ah...
Sakura looks away embarrassed as the loud sound mangles the serious air that had surrounded us.
Reiji: You...
There was no subtlety in the sound, and I can't help but smile as I try and keep myself from laughing.
In order to suppress her embarrassment, Sakura begins to talk rapidly.
Sakura: A-Anyway while my physical condition has improved, it will still take time to fully recover, and I can't fight on an
empty stomach!
Reiji: I know, I know. I'll remember that from now on you'll just be a glutton.
Sakura: Muuuuu...Master, I don't want you to say that I'm a big eater!
Reiji: Yeah, yeah, I apologize.
Sakura: If you understand, than hurry up and go buy some of those large sweet buns! If I'm going to continue to recover my
strength, I need one!
Reiji: Well, I'll be a little troubled if that’s all I go and buy...Is there anything else you want for dinner?
Sakura: Even so, I want one!
Reiji: Geez...There's no helping this spoiled princess.
Partially pushed by Sakura's strong desire to have a sweet bun, I leave the house behind and head for the shopping district.
As I walk down the road, I look up at the red-tinged sky.
Reiji: ...
Grasping my mother's brooch, I begin to ruminate.
It's true that the path I'm moving down on may be a mistake.
If I were a more clever person, I might have found a better road to follow.
...However, even so I can do nothing but continue forward.
Even if the route is very ugly and poor, there's nothing that I can do other than continue to force my way ahead...
I'll probably be in bad shape. Other people may not understand why I choose to continue on. But I don't care, even if it seems
foolish to everyone else.
Even so, I have someone that I have to protect.
That's why I have to defeat Odin.
In order to never see her eyes so full of tears again...I cannot believe that my path is wrong.
Reiji: ......
I kept walking while thinking deeply...And before I knew it, I had arrived in front of the school.
Suddenly, the thought of wanting to see her comes to the front of my mind...And I instinctively step forward towards the building.