Chapter 11

After that, I managed to get Nina off my lap after she stopped crying, and we decided to prepare the meal.

I heard that while I was gone, Ariamel had been cooking with the help of Iska and Fio. Ariamel is being a big sister.

…Ah, I have to give the doll to Nina after the meal. I hope she likes it.

Even while I was cooking, Nina grabbed my clothes and didn’t leave my side.

Ariamel tried to make her let go, but when I said it was okay, she replied, “I understand,” a little happily.

Ratz looked at the ingredients we had bought and sucked his finger. Like with the apples…is he a foodie character?

The food is ready and everyone is eating, while glancing at Iska.

Iska enjoys the delicious meal while talking to Fio. He looks like an ordinary boy. I am curious to know what kind of life he will live and if he will save the world as a hero, of course I will help him…but if possible, I want these children to live a peaceful life.

I know.

I know this is just my selfish wish.

―――――

(third-party perspective)

Nina can only vaguely remember her real father’s face. The young girl still remembers the warmth of her father’s gentle, warm hands and that he gave her a doll for her birthday.

Nina lived with her father in a remote forest. Her mother died of illness soon after Nina was born, but she lived a happy life with her father who gave her a lot of love.

“Nina. Happy birthday, our precious daughter. Here’s your birthday present.”

Her father gently stroked her head saying so. Nina hugged the doll she had received and believed that this happiness would last forever.

One day, however, when she woke up in the morning, her father, who was supposed to be next to her, was not there.

She looked around the house to see if he had woken up earlier, but he was nowhere to be found. Nina became anxious and left the house to look for her father.

No matter what

At any rate, Nina couldn’t remember what happened at that time. Something very important happened…

Nina found herself in a strange city. She wanders around the city, clutching a doll given to her by her father and feeling uneasy.

Nina, who doesn’t know anyone other than her father, could not speak to anyone and just staggered along, hoping that her father would find her.

Nina stumbled over with the doll several times, soiled her clothes and the doll, and started crying on the spot because she was hungry. No one called out to the girl, as they did not want any trouble.

However, there was someone who called out to such a girl.

“What’s wrong, did you get separated from your father and mother? I’m Ariamel, tell me your name, okay? 』

After that, Nina’s father couldn’t be found no matter what, but that did not mean she could be left alone, so Ariamel took Nina to the hut where she lived with Iska and the others.

Ariamel somehow guessed.

Nina’s father is no more…but she won’t say it,as long as Nina herself believes her father will come for her.

Ariamel, Iska, Fio, Ratz, Stella… Nina loved everyone she had to live with.

Still, Nina holds on to her battered doll and continues to wait for her beloved father.

One day, an adult man came to help Stella who was sick.

Iska and Fio said that he looked scary… but to Nina he seemed very kind.

I grab the clothes of the person who is making me dinner, and my eyes meet those of the person who looks back at me.

“…Hey, don’t move.”

Saying so, he gently wipes my face.

“Wait over there, I’ll bring it right away.”

He said with very kind eyes.

“…Oto-san?”

Nina thought that her father had finally come, but when she woke up in the morning, he was gone again.

Nina cried, Ariamel hugged her with a troubled face, and Stella gently patted her back.

“It’s okay, Papa will definitely come back.”

Just as Stella said, my father came back. I hugged him and cried a lot. My father stroked my head with a troubled look on his face for a long time.

After finishing my meal, I was about to sit on my father’s lap when he called my name.

“Nina. Ah …… look, here.”

What he handed me with that was a beautiful and precious doll.

I remember the day my father gave me the doll for my birthday.

“And …… let’s see. Well, I’m going to buy a house here in town. So… if it’s alright with you guys, …… would you like to come live with me?”

I knew it was Oto-san!

Nina was very happy.

From now on, everyone will be able to live together, Nina thought.

――――――――――

But Gray doesn’t yet realize that the house will have to be considerably larger than planned, considering the children’s rooms… (kind of stirring up a sense of unease)

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