TL: Yuki
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When I headed to Rikka"s house, Barbarsan came out to receive me. She looks really tired from nursing Rikkchan that you could see bags under her eyes and was really pale.
「Oh, Toto-chan, it sure is a bad time for you to visit, right now Rikkchan is still sleeping」
「A little, fine, see, face a bit」
「Okay, just go quietly」
「Unn」
I was guided inside by Barbarsan until we reached the entrance of Rikkchan"s room then I entered the room alone.
The room was as simple as ever, with a wooden bookshelf and a small desk with books on top of it, but it was noticeable that the books weren"t touched for quite some time now because of the acc.u.mulated dust that blankets it.
When I entered the room, it smelled a lot like medicine.
Rikkchan was sleeping on the bed. When I approached, it seems like she reacted a bit and was seemingly suffering, but then she soon went back to sleep.
「Rikkchan…」
I seated myself near her bed and watched over her sleeping face. Her cheeks were so thin that it looks almost like skin and bones as if she lost all the blood in her body.
However, this situation is terribly awkward if I"m going to kiss her. Whether I give her a light peck or not, it would still be extremely embarra.s.sing. I couldn"t even imagine giving her a deep one or if it would be better if I do it that way.
I need relaxed myself for a bit and was breath slowly.
Just touching her lips with a peck should do. The mood is just like a prince in a fairy tale, yes just like a prince……
(Yosh, let"s do this!)
Looking from the audience, it won"t probably look like that of a prince at all, but I nervously move my head closer to Rikkchan"s face. It would be extremely awkward if she suddenly woke up during this moment.
And then our lips touched each other. After confirming contact I lifted my face to check.
(There"s no change…)
Rikkchan was just sleeping quietly just like before.
It seems that there are no drastic changes to her skin like becoming glossy or lively immediately after the kiss, I guess I can only wait if there will be changes from this point on.
Please, with this, as I stood up wished that it would help her recover.
「Please, quickly get well」
I muttered in a low voice as to not wake her up, then left Rikkchan"s room.
Three days later I heard that Rikkchan"s condition finally started to get better. But because she was bedridden for quite a long time, her physical strength still haven"t recovered yet, but there were no more severe coughing or loss of breath unlike before. I guess she"s finally saved.
But for some reason, she said to Barbarsan that I should not visit her for now.
There"s no doubt that it"s because of the help of that Doppelganger that I was able to help Rikkchan with that kiss. I don"t know what she was aiming for teaching me, but I"m still thankful that I was able to save Rikkchan"s life.
I was expecting that the Doppelganger would appear after seven days like usual, but she didn"t appear anymore.
I was expecting that she would appear on the days after but after 10, 12 and more days nothing happened, she didn"t appear anymore. Although there are time before that she was hardly noticed, it didn"t really matter if she didn"t show up.
Well I didn"t really know why she was only visible only to me in the first place, and she might probably appear again in the future, or more like she might just suddenly appear at any given time.
And after that.
「Rikkchan, I visit now」
「Toto-chan! It"s been a while!」
「Wafuu」
Rikkchan who was still in the middle of recovering, came hugging me as I enter and was really glad when she saw me. I noticed that my body didn"t grow at all, if compared to Rikkchan"s who body seems to have grown well, not to mention her height was also a head taller than me.
Eh, did you just become much healthier? It was unexpectedly extremely powerful!?
Also the feeling of the hug just now instead of a 《Hug》 I would call it more like a 《Bear Hug》 and it"s really tight.
「You, Okay? Not feeling bad?」
I ask her while with a concerned voice while hugging back.
「Un, I"m feeling fine now, my chest and stomach doesn"t hurt anymore. And also I didn"t feel any pain anymore」
「Good」
We exchanged a few conversations just like that, but she"s not letting go of me. I dislike being held forever like this, because I can"t move, I struggled hard and pushed my arms out.
But you know, that, what to say.
When I looked at Rikkchan"s face I can only think of the scene where I kissed her and feel awkward about it then turn my face away from her.
Rikkchan is also trying to catch a few glimpses at me but I don"t know if she was aware of me staring back.
The struggle lasted for a while and it became interesting, and when we had our fill I just laughed.
But on the contrary, Rikkchan who was seemingly dissatisfied pouted and puffed her cheeks.
「Mom was so surprised you know, and always asked me if I"m really okay after knowing that I have recovered and was trying to help… 」
「Is that so」
Perhaps Rikkchan is trying to make up for all the housework that she haven"t done until now.
Well, thinking about how people live in this village, there is a strong sense of self sufficiency and having extra hands is really indispensible.
「Right now, I might be able to play with everyone」
「Do you think so?」
I don"t think that it okay for Rikkchan to do so this early, but if her sickness have really disappeared, then she will finally be able to play outside more. Then Rikkchan called out to me.
「For the time being, sit down sit down」
「Un」
While saying that Rikkchan moves behind me who was seated on a chair and pressed on both my shoulders.
Then, I just noticed afterwards this position when we were talking… Iya, when was it that I was hugged, but at this distance, isn"t this a little too close? Have you always been like this since before? Well, I don"t really dislike it though.
And now time pa.s.sed and I"m nine years old, I caught up a word when Dad was talking about his past.
「That time you see, I have a dream of working in the Kingdom」
「Dad! Want to know! 」
「Ah, Ok」
「Different? Place, what is like? 」
「Yeah, it"s far away from here, but you can go there by riding a carriage」
「A merchant riding a carriage also comes here regularly」
「People, A lot there?」
「Yup, you would be really surprised if you compare it to the people here」
「Shops, a lot there?」
「Yeah, of course, a lot of them are lined up side by side. There are also street stalls and huge buildings that you can see」
「king-shama also there?」
「Yes, but meeting him would need a lot of process to be done」
「……such a shame」
As expected, there is a capital after all.
And you know, with this power it gives you a strong desire and make you want to go on an adventure.
There are a lot of possibilities on this world which is quite promising.
To do that, I need to go to the kingdom at least once to see what it"s like.
As of the moment, the only place I know is this village.
But I am also certain that my black hair would stand out, also when I"m also thinking of bringing Rikkchan with me but I think it will be impossible.
Right now, were only children, and so if I go out there it will probably be on my own.
I wonder when I will be able to leave this village and go to the kingdom. It"s a good thing that my father and mother are the type that would let me do what I want. I still haven"t said that I will be leaving the village, but I don"t think they would permit me if I ask right now due to my current age.
By the way, I have never heard of what age you would be considered an adult in this world, but I think it would be 15 just like the templates that I have expected. It would probably be OK if I go to the kingdom when I"m that old.
If Rikkchan would also reach that age, then maybe we can go together, but well it would still depend on what she decides.
Never in my imagination did I expect that a year from now, I will be visiting the Kingdom"s Capital.