96. A new morning
The next day.
I used the thing called leave starting from today.
Nee-san said, 『It’s the best system that gives you money without working』. Seems that I will get money without working.
When contacting Kaa-san, I was told that I should take a break from work for a while, so I decided to take holiday.
And speaking of what I did–
「Ooi. It’s time for breakfast」
Knock-knock. I knock the door.
The words Nee-san said.
–Take responsibility.
Although it is heavy for me, it is still a hundredfold better when the objective can be seen rather than continuing walking in the darkness.
Well, this might also just be another person’s opinion, but still, I think about what she said and decided on my own. I’m sure that I won’t regret it.
Gii…… The door opens a little.
There are half-closed eyes peeking through it, but after seeing my face, her eyes opened wide.
「The moment I saw your face…my sleepiness vanished. Die」
Batan! Saying those words only, and shuts the door.
……W-Well, I knew it already.
It certainly hurts a little, but it’s not as much as last time.
I don’t mind even if I’m hurt or she hates me. Because I have decided to watch over her until she becomes an adult.
My mouth loosens a little, and I lean my forehead to the door.
「I don’t mind even if you hate me. But at least, won’t you come out and eat?」
「……」
No reply.
As expected, no matter what I think, it has nothing to do with her. That’s why, it’s normal for her to hate me.
To be honest, something like the victim is being followed by the a.s.sailant, and at the end, the a.s.sailant becomes the guardian. If the a.s.sailant were to say something with a smile, I’m confident I would punch him.
Even if I’m beaten, I want to protect her.
「I, from today onwards, will be your Nii-chan」
Immediately after that, the door opened as if slamming the door, struck my forehead hardly. On top of that, I fell to the floor like someone pushing me down.
When I raise my head, I see the figure of the girl with her flame-cladded fist, and she silently–swings down her fist.
And–
Juuuuu!
A burned smell can be smelled, and I leaked a small shriek due to the pain in my palm.
「Ugu…… Ku」
「Wha–」
She probably didn’t expect that I wouldn’t dodge nor erase the flame as I accepted it. She becomes stiff. I raise up, and use my other arm to hold her under my arm.
「W-What are you–」
「Yeah yeah. Now that you’re out, let’s go eat something. I will feed you if you don’t want to eat. That’s why, if you don’t want to be fed, eat it yourself」
While saying that, I look at my left palm.
A terrible burn mark.
I thought before when fighting the Shutendouji, but burn is more painful than expected. Pain will keep running, and if it’s not treated, blisters will be formed. There’s no way I can sleep at night.
While thinking that, I smiled wryly, and I get down the stairs while carrying her in my arm.
「S-Stop it! You pervert! Pedo b.a.s.t.a.r.d!」
I have no idea what she’s talking about, but for now, I who felt that I was being made fun of, bring close the clearly R-18-looking burn mark to her face to shut her mouth forcefully and get down the stairs.
I don’t mind no matter how much she hates me.
I don’t mind no matter how much she hurts me.
It doesn’t change the fact that I want to run away, though.
–But I will not run away anymore.
I who have brought her to a seat on the dining table, sat on the sofa in the living room while cooling down my left hand with ice.
The worst is the palm.
Next is the fingers, then the back of the hand. And lastly, the large burn mark until my arm.
「If I’m not mistaken……this is it, right?」
Saying that, I took out a light blue bandage from the first-aid kit.
–Bandage horse.
It’s a fully light blue bandage made of an Unknown with the Battle Rank of 48, I think. It’s a super rare Unknown that has very low numbers, and the bandage made from its body has the ability to improve self-healing ability.
「Fuu, with this, it should be good」
After wrapping the cold bandage, I take a breath.
When I move my eyes as I felt someone’s looking at me, the girl was standing net to the sofa and glaring at me.
「……Nn? Did you finish your meal?」
Saying that, I look at the dining table, and there’s the half of the breakfast left and the other half was scattered around the table.
「Food…is not edible…at all」
「You sure say harsh things…… Well, it’s the truth so I can’t talk back」
I won’t say that you’re not good at eating your meal properly.
Because I feel that I will get hit if I say that.
I instinctively drop my shoulders, and I realize her existence which is not trying to move away from my side.
……I wonder what’s wrong. I thought that she hates being with me.
「……y」
「Nn?」
I heard a small voice, and I ask again.
Then, she breathes in softly.
「Why…you didn’t…do the erasing thing?」
This time, she said it properly.
The erasing thing, huh.
Probably about the 『Erase Bullet』 of the Creator Gun. That’s the bullet that contains my superpower. It seems that she presumed that I can use the same ability myself.
「If it’s you…you should be able to erase the flame. And yet…why you didn’t?」
I recall the first time fighting her.
I erased her flame accurately.
That’s why, she felt doubts.
「……And also…the door is repaired. Not replaced…but it completely repaired. That’s…probably the ability of a superpower. Then…why didn’t you use it on your hand? Are you an idiot?」
「Hey, what do you mean by idiot」
Saying that, I felt admiration that she’s seeing things properly.
Last night, I repaired the door by using the 『Restore Bullet』 of the Creator Gun. When bringing her down to the dining table, it’s necessary to pa.s.s over the entrance. She probably confirmed it at that time.
I smiled wryly and scratched my head with my right hand.
「Well, actually. I lost my superpower」
「…………Ha?」
As expected, she has never heard of this kind of case before. After a few seconds of petrification, I finally squeeze out such words.
I look down at my right hand, and make a fist.
Immediately after that, it lit up in blue light for an instant, but the light vanished before the superpower activates.
「As you see. That’s why, I can’t use superpower. I can recover by shooting the bullet of that gun, but that bullet, after using it on the door, I only have 4 more left……」
–Four bullets.
I used one for the door, and I have four more.
At first, I thought whether I should use it on the door or not, but I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, and it’s like h.e.l.l when there’s no door in winter at Sapporo. Only people who live in cold areas will understand this.
「……As expected…you’re an idiot. Rather than repairing that…it’s obviously…better to recover this」
「If you think so, then I hope that you won’t use your flame anymore. Because even you will feel troubled if this house is burned」
「……」
–Ignored.
However, as if she was conscious of the danger of playing fire inside the house, cold sweat starts to drop down from her cheek. It looks like I won’t be burned for now.
While smiling wryly, I look at her once again.
The long bluish white hair and the transparent and yet burning in hatred, the blue eyes peek through the long bangs.
The skin as white as snow, and slender arms.
Worn out white……poncho, was it? And a white shorts.
Overall slightly dirty as if a person living the slum quarters.
「……Although it’s late already, aren’t you cold?」
「……」
–Again ignored.
However, when I see properly, her shoulders are shaking, and come to think of it, her room don’t have things like futon.
「Uwaa……」
I held my head.
Although I know that I’m having my hands full of myself, I didn’t expect that I never look at her condition at all…… I was made to realize my uselessness once again.
「Okay, first, you should enter the bath」
「……Bath? What’s that?」
……Huh?
Unknowns don’t bathe?
Such question pa.s.s my mind, and I leaked a sigh.
Not knowing the bath means that she also don’t know how to use it.
「……Haa. I’ll teach you, so let’s go」
「Don’t…order me」
「Yeah yeah. I know, I know……」
Saying that, I carry her who showed no sign of movement, and head to the bathroom.