Chapter 5 : My Childhood Friend, Maori-kun
Chapter 5 : My Childhood Friend, Maori-kun
「LEFIYA! PLEASE, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO WAIT FOR ME TO PICK YOU UP! 」
Maori then ran without turning around.
I couldn"t do anything but to watch his back.
I mean it happened so suddenly.
But it was so natural since we were used to being together.
Even though we were always together.
I never expected him to suddenly disappeared like that…………
Ours is a peaceful village with population of 600 people.
I was born and raised in Marielle, a rural village. Visitors are a rarity in our village since the position of our village is separated from the highway thus everyone in the village is acquainted.
Around the time when I was 4 years old. Parent and child peddler were coming from somewhere and then settled in our village.
Visitors from outside were rare, thus I couldn"t hold back my curiosity.
Those peddlers were uncle Cel and Maori.
Uncle Cel is a plump and sociable man thus he quickly adapted to our village. Maybe due to his peddling experiences, he had a vast amount of knowledge, and many people would seek a consultation with uncle Cel.
Maori was the exact opposite of uncle Cel.
He was always by himself, separated himself from the rest of the children in the village.
He was always looking afar by himself.
That might be the trigger for me calling to him.
The one who started that wasn"t me.
The other kids who couldn"t leave Maori alone always came back in tears.
When I asked him the reason, I hit him since he always ignored me.
I just couldn"t hold back from hitting him since the sight of him touching his head with teary eyes was just too cute.
He told me about being noisy and kept saying incomprehensible things but, I forced him to join us from the next day.
Contrary to his doll-like appearance, Maori was a rude, selfish, haughty kid and yet he was also a crybaby who easily succ.u.mbed to loneliness, in short an extremely troublesome kid.
Since he would make the other kids cry as soon as I took my eyes off him, it then came to me to always stay by his side as his watchdog.
Thus, I often stayed in his house and there I heard many interesting stories from uncle Cel.
Uncle Cel is just like a walking dictionary, I kept hearing many interesting stories whenever I went to their house.
I enjoyed the process of learning something that I didn"t know so he taught me many things from calculation and letters to swordplay.
When I noticed, I"m almost always together with Maori.
Being together with Maori became something natural for me.
Digging pitfall together, eating hunted wild boar together, plucking the feathers of a bat who made a nest on the roof and making a mantle of it.
Being with Maori was fun.
Even if he couldn"t play with the other kids, it"s possible when I"m with him.
In the end Maori could bring himself to play with the rest of the kids.
It was when I was 12 years old. I was enjoying the stolen candy that was hidden by the village head on top of the ceiling beam of the barn.
One foot of the beam suddenly collapsed.
“Oh c.r.a.p!” was my only thought.
I frantically clung to the beam in an awkward position.
I who was clinging to the pillar like a lizard with candy stuffed in my mouth, wished that Maori would come to save me.
I wish he would come with ladder before my hands became numb.
I, who couldn"t talk due to the candy in my mouth couldn"t do anything but signaling him with my eyes.
Maybe because he heard of my desperate plea, Maori made his gallant entrance with a determined look on his face.
「LEFIYA! PLEASE, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO WAIT FOR ME TO PICK YOU UP! 」
I nodded in hearing his determined voice.
「Oi, WAIT」
「Eh? 」
The Maou stopped my story about my childhood friend Maori.
「Didn"t you say that this is a story about betrayal? 」
「Yes. That"s why even though I kept believing in his words and waiting for him till my arms cramped, he betrayed me since my parents found me much later after dusk」
The aftermath of that incident was an extremely painful memory for me.
My angry parents, the angry village head, getting no dinner, and on top of that I have to repair the beam that was broken by me.
My parents were nothing but demons at those painful moments.
「The next day, Maori and uncle Cel vanished from the village. It seems they already said their farewell to the other villagers while I was desperately clinging to that cursed beam, so I"m the only one who didn"t know about their departure」
I"m recalling about those time when the Maou said “Promise”.
About the extreme sense of despair and cruelty as time pa.s.ses while I"m hanging on that beam.
Even though I waited for help that will never come, it"s just an empty promise.
「I had never experienced such a cruel betrayal in my life. My anger, if I can meet him now…………. Maou-sama? Are you alright? 」
When my flame of revenge was lit by recalling such painful memories, the Maou held his head.
「…….. Your majesty」
「Please don"t say anything. Adolphus」
Maou-sama is tottering.
For some reason Adolphus and Reanschild are looking at the Maou as if he"s the most pitiful guy in the world.
…….. What happened to him? Nature calling?
「Lefiya. Please consider your answer after you"re calm. Adolphus. Please guide Lefiya to that place. I"m a bit…………. I want to be alone for now」
「As you command」
The Maou left with unsteady steps.
Even though he was the one who told me to tell that story.
Why did it seem like that he is the one who is tired instead.
Geez, what the h.e.l.l is with this Maou.
「Did I just say something that deeply hurt Maou-sama……」
「You really are…….. ……. No, it"s nothing」
Adolphus stopped right before saying something.
What"s with him I wonder.
If you wanted to complain about something just say it, this pigorilla.
「About that Maori-sa———N, what happened later? 」
「Nothing at all, I"m still wondering where and what he"s doing right now」
Reanschild was pouring tea for me.
Retelling those memories made me surprisingly thirsty.
Really, where in the h.e.l.l is that Maori right now.
If possible, I wish for him to stay healthy and lively.
Since if he"s not, I couldn"t savor my revenge to the fullest.
「……. Well then, your majesty ordered me to become your guide. Even though I don"t want to do this, an order is an order」
「Big brother. Some matters are better left unsaid」
Reanschild is chiding the grumbling Adolphus with a seemingly unwilling tone. These two are, siblings?
But they don"t resemble each other.
「But then, somehow, I want to tip my hat after hearing this girls story just now……….」
「That manner of speaking is too insolent even for a queen to be. Maybe because she has some sort of standing」
「It"s not like it is decided for her to become the queen. She"s just a village girl until she marries his majesty」
「If his majesty wishes for it, I"m going to pave the way for him. No, I must pave the path for him」
“Must” he says.
What the h.e.l.l was this guy talking about. It sounds like some amazing things.
Even the older brother gave off the same fiery pa.s.sion as his sister.
「Understood. Oh well. I"ve no intention of quarreling with you on this matter. Lefiya…………… -Sama. Since I"m ordered to become your guide, follow me. I will die from boredom if I stay in this room. So, let me to show you our drill field too」
As if running away from an argument with Reanschild, Adolphus runs toward the door.
Yup, definitely boring to death.
The tea and snacks were delicious indeed but, there"s no doubt that it"s some kind of torture to my body. This accursed corset was waay too tight to the point that I couldn"t even move my finger.
Even so, it might be better to go to the drill field first.
Even if I"m an honored lady in this case, I"m just a girl in the end.
And troublesome you say.
We left the room while feeling dissatisfied inside.