Chapter 60 – The Longing for That Day in the Past
Translator: Eros
Editor:
From her back figure, the little girl figure seems to only think about grievous things.
But the olden days are there no more.
There is only a pathetic figure of a man who only wish for bringing back the past there.
In the dim lit room where there is only one lamp to illuminates it, a figure of a little girl who endlessly tries to clean the filthy room in silence can be seen.
She tries to not create any sound as to not disturb the man concentration.
Just like always, she put down a leather bag filled with coins on top of the rack beside the table.
The man won’t touch any of the food that the little girl brings to him nor would respond to her even if she says anything. He just silently takes the presented money bag and that’s all.
Although being in a gloomy mood, the man is still stubbornly holding his life dearly so he takes that money bag.
But he not in the least recognizes the existence of his one and only lifeline, the little girl, at all. No, he doesn’t even want to.
With that, it seems like the little girl had finished her business here so she quickly leaves.
The man doesn’t even turn his head to look at her.
He only keeps on doing some kind of unclear research on top of the desk.
Those eyes of his had already lost the light of the living, yet those eyes are not dead yet either.
Because the only thing that those eyes can see is only one thing: the past.
And the little girl that existed beside him just now are not on the past that he seen.
◇
(…… Ah, Lunch…… What should I do?)
Without any job to do and clear destination, Rebecca wanders aimlessly in the city while worried about where to eat today’s lunch.
She doesn’t feel comfortable making her own lunch at home so she would usually just eat out and she is currently troubled to choose in which food stall she will eat.
Even if she mostly works alone, she still managed and has completed quite a number of jobs by herself. So in the term of income, she has a better situation rather than any other average wanderer. She doesn’t do any kinds of asceticism after all and she doesn’t mind having a bit more luxury as delicious food is one from the few limited things that could give her the feeling of happiness. She doesn’t want to give any compromise in it but that’s also the reason of why she is now troubled by the choices.
Unable to choose, she decides to at least visit her favorite restaurant first then walk around there to see if there’s any interesting shop but as she walks on towards her destination, she happens to meets with someone unexpected.
“Ah! It’s Rebecca-chan desu!”
“Oo, you’re right. We happen to meet at a good time”
They are Renya and Theresa duo combi. Therese is especially seems delighted to meet her that the sparkle in her smile just increases twofold from usual just by seeing her.
“Good afternoon Rebecca-chan”
“…… Mm, afternoon”
It is not only Renya - Therese combi that are feeling surprised by their chance meeting, Rebecca is also feeling the same. It’s only been a few days since they first met, and the time they are being together is also haven’t been that long yet somehow, Therese just got very infatuated with her. Rebecca is actually feeling a bit overwhelmed by that matter.
The only thing clear for her is that she doesn’t feel troubled from Therese affection.
But it just that, Therese straightforwardness whe
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n she showing her affection somehow makes Rebecca wants to keep her off at a distance instead.
Especially the figure of Renya and Therese together like that somehow happens to be similar to a scene in her past which made Rebecca feel a bit complicated that she doesn’t know what she should do with it.
“Sorry for being sudden but, have you had your lunch Rebecca?”
“……… No, I’m going to…… haven’t decided what to eat”
Rebecca gives him her answer by cutely shakes her head left and right. But somehow, Renya who look at Rebecca action is getting stunned for a while without a clear reason.
Rebecca feel a bit worried seeing his reaction. She is afraid whether she does anything impolite that made the other side feel offended. After all, it’s been awhile since the last time she talks with the kind of people that is similar to Renya so she might unknowingly did some mistakes but.
“…… A similar cute little-animal-like girl like Therese but with a different flavor eh…… How interesting”
(Eros: Police-san~ this is the guy!)
When Rebecca is seriously worried, such mysterious reply came back.
“………?”
Rebecca who doesn’t understand what Renya means just now slightly tilts her head while looking up at him as they has quite a big gap in height. But those actions of hers are just, in many meaning, dangerous.
“…… Okay, let’s clear my head first. My brain is almost reflexively screamed ‘bag her home~’ kind of stupid thing for a moment”
Renya then let out a big clear throat sound to refresh the atmosphere around while also calms his heart down. Seeing him like that made Rebecca becomes even more confused.
She definitely had something along the line of ‘what the heck is this person doing’ in her mind.
“Sorry, I got totally side-tracked there. We are about to go and having a lunch ourselves here but we are new around here you know? So if you have any recommendation of any good restaurant around could you please guide us there? Of course the food will be on me so let’s eat together”
“……… I know some good restaurant…… but…… having lunch together…… are you okay with that?”
“Of course we have no problem with that desu! Having a meal together with a friend isn’t a bad thing in the slightest desu!”
Hearing Therese who gives her quick-reply with usual innocence, the corners of Rebecca’s lips slightly arched upward.
Really, this girl could infect the people around her with her happiness with her straightforwardness only.
To Rebecca, who almost forgot how fun it is to talk to other people after being distant from it for so long, talking with Therese seems like to revive a part of her that has been withered for long and it made her feel happy.
“……… Okay…… let’s go then. This way”
“Okay! I’ll be in your care desu!”
Like it was a natural thing to do, Therese takes Rebecca hand and grabs it. Rebecca feels a bit surprised by it but she doesn’t say anything and just let her hold her hand.
And then there is also Renya who look at the two with attentive warm eyes and follows them from behind.
This trio strange combination then walk a few minute from where they met before they finally reach their destination which is a certain small restaurant.
The atmosphere inside the restaurant gives the impression of it as the restaurant for the ma.s.ses. The melody that could be heard is the tumult noises from the customer ordering food. The waitresses that are busy dealing with the customer orders are filled with smile even when they are busy with their job. Even more, the aromas that drift along from the kitchen are fragrant enough to whet their appet.i.te.
The situation can be described by the word noisy but at lunch time, if the restaurant isn’t noisy like this, then it would make them feel suspicious about it instead. Reversely, if the restaurant is noisy, there would be better expectation from it.
Renya group follow the guide of the waitress and sit in the table next to the window. When they look at the menu, Renya and Therese finally know that this restaurant is a pasta specialist. The pasta menu in this restaurant is pretty much complete. One serving of the pasta is also bigger than the usual one man portion because in this restaurant, one serving of pasta is meant to be eaten by multiple people together. One serving is priced more than the usual price for one serving in another restaurant because of the size but if you think that one serving can be divided for multiple people while also enable them to taste many kind of menu at once, it seems like a bargain indeed.
The three of them order the pasta that they like while Renya ask for another serving of salad and with that, they are done with their order.
While waiting, Therese a.s.sertively tried to start a conversation with Rebecca.
“And then desune, when I went around the free market desune, there’s a certain uncle who had unique items to sell desu”
“……… That place…… at times, there are people who bring a real bargain…… Therese, must have good eyes”
“Is that so desuka?”
Even with difficulties, Rebecca still tries her best to gives her replies after listening to Therese’s stories.
Looking at the two figures, Renya feel that he had to amend a little bit of his opinion about Rebecca disposition.
He thought that her being taciturn was because she doesn’t like having contact with other people but he was wrong. She is simply just a poor talker and she is also bad at expressing her feelings. Also, she seems to be aware of the fact so she just keeps her speech at minimum. Well, there might be other reasons too but it seems that her situation had somewhat force her prefer to go solo when doing job.
And there also Therese just being herself. Maybe she feels happy because she made a friend her age that she seems to be in even a higher spirits than usual.
Long ranged attack specialist Therese and close ranged specialist Rebecca.
If they party together, the two should have a good compatibility with each other.
If there are no issues then he really wants to recruit her to his party. Renya starts considering this for a moment.
(…… But then again, I feel like it’s too soon to talk about that)
Rebecca seems to live in this city anyway and Renya party planned to stay for a while in the city so there are still time.
For now, he decides that it would be better to try getting to know her better first. He doesn’t want to say unnecessary things that might hurt the two girls’ relationship. With that decision, he stops thinking about that for now.
“Thank you for the wait~”
And it seems that his timing is just matched with the moment the food they ordered finally reaches their table. The waitress skillfully brings the plate filled with the food they ordered and place those on top of their table. The cute waitresses’ uniform which design magnificently pushes up their breast to emphasizing those really attracts any male’s eyes but at the time, his appet.i.te is larger than his desire so all of his concentrations are focused on the big place which exudes a good aroma in front of him.
There are a carbonara-like pasta with strong pepper smell that really tickles his appet.i.tes, an orthodox pasta with tomato sauce as the base, and a pasta that is garnished with mouth-watering thick slices of bacon cooked with b.u.t.ter. These menu line up is a great temptation to any human’s appet.i.te during lunch time.
“What a feast, then without any further ado”
“Okay desu. Rebecca-chan, which pasta would you like desuka?”
“…… Ee, then, the tomato sauce…… one”
“Okay~, then I will serve it for you desu”
And then, while enjoying their meal, they continue on chatting.
The one who mostly brings up the topic are both of Renya and Therese but Rebecca still tries her best to reply them even with difficulties. Seeing Rebecca doing her hardest like that, their heartstring just got tugged critically over and over again.
But the thing that surprises them the most is Rebecca appet.i.te.
Despite her appearance, Therese appet.i.te is quite on the normal standard but Rebecca manages to finish one portion of this restaurant pasta that is evidently surpa.s.ses a normal person stomach capacity with ease.
“…… Doing job…… moves a lot…… so have to eat properly”
And that is what her excuse for her appet.i.te. Still, Renya think that it is amazing and he expresses his admiration to Rebecca.
Then he just casually looks at Rebecca’s rich chest part that is growing too well despite her age and Therese’s poor chest part that is well matched with her age alternatively to compare them. And after a while, he nods like he finally understands something.
“So it was because the difference in appet.i.te eh”
“Oniisan!? Just what do you mean by that and what do you use as comparison desuka, Oniisan!?”
“Don’t worry Therese, yours are also have their own charm. It’s a kind of status”
“Uwa~n! You definitely thought of something strange there desu!”
Renya laugh monotonically as he tries to avoid Therese relentless questioning while Therese letting out loud voices while clings on his hand.
Looking at the two sudden playful scene, Rebecca is stunned momentarily but then she understand the situation and slightly smiles.
“…… You two…… are close”
“Well but of course, we have been together for quite a while after all”
“For me, I keep on getting surprised each time I know more of Oniisan wonderful ability”
“……… is, that so”
The deep meaning behind Rebecca last weak respond is not yet known by the two.
Then the fun times pa.s.sed in a blink of an eye. They finish their payment and walk out from the restaurant.
“Fuh, that was a feast. It is indeed a good restaurant. I will take Floria and the other girls here sometime”
“That’s right, everyone will definitely want to try visit once they heard about this desune”
“Also, thanks again Rebecca. Thank you for telling us about that restaurant”
“…… No need. If you happy, then good”
She herself also got to enjoy a fun meal time after a long while. And she thinks that this kind of favor is not the one where they need to be feeling thankful anyway.
“Ah, that’s right desu. Rebecca-chan, this is for you desu”
“……… What, is this? A bracelet……?”
That is just a plain looking bracelet that is made of silver.
It was too big to fit her hand but after Therese whisper out some kind of incantation, the bracelet suddenly shrink to fit her hand.
“When you want to take it off, just say ‘anti’ desu”
“……… is this…… magic item……?”
“It’s different desuyo. This is a magic tool that I created desu. It’s like a kind of magic talisman that is even usable to people who can’t use magic desu”
It is said that the magic talisman is a kind of defensive magic item that can be casually used for those who could use magic while this bracelet aren’t as convenient but instead, the bracelet will gives its wearer an absolute defense barrier that will activate when it detects danger in the wearer condition or even when it detects that the wearer feel something dangerous closing in instinctively.
“Although it is a bit inconvenient when compared to a magic item, as exchange, the effect when it activates are superb desu. Rebecca-chan seems to work alone most of the time so just in case, when the bracelet activates please go find a safe place before the effects wear out desuyo?”
“……… Is it okay? Giving such amazing thing”
“It’s okay desuyo~. I personally feel happy if the things I made could help other people like this desu. Even more so, if my creation could help out a friend when they need it the most desu”
Friend you say?
Looking at Therese who said that in a straight face made some forgotten emotion inside Rebecca to re-emerge from within her.
But she just endure the feeling that is flooding out from inside so it would not sweeps her away.
I can’t.
I mustn’t.
It is forbidden.
Showing that out is not allowed.
“……… Mm, thank you…… Therese”
She don’t want to let this new friend of her who smile brightly like the sun to get involved with the distortion that she is crucified with.
She replies to Therese with her usual expression as the mask that Rebecca tries so hard to keep up. She can only give Therese her genuine grat.i.tude in the depth of her heart.