NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7 - Side Story: Gilnandio, Part 2
Side Story: Gilnandio, Part 2
“Nnmuu…?”
How much time had passed? It seemed the girl finally awoke late into the night. I resolved to speak as softly as possible so as not to startle her.
“…You’re awake.”
”!?”
The child flinched at my voice. She slowly turned to face me, her expression wary.
I had thought her sleeping face delicate, but her features upon opening her eyes were even more adorable. Her large, navy blue eyes, which could appear sharp at first glance, were softened by their beautifully arched brows, giving her a gentle impression.
As I was observing the child, she suddenly began to tremble. Hmm, th-this is…
“Fu… ue… Waaaah!”
“Wha-… Wait…”
As expected, the child started to cry. Damn it, did I scare her? Thinking back, I was dressed entirely in black, my face mostly concealed by my hood and mask. It was no wonder I’d frightened her. I realized my mistake.
But what should I do? I had no experience handling children. I didn’t even know how to interact with them, let alone soothe a crying one. I used spatial magic to retrieve a fresh towel. I thought about handing it to the girl right away, but I hesitated, unsure of the right timing. I was afraid of making her cry even more. …It was an unexpected discovery to find I was capable of such fear.
As I stood there, at a loss for what to do as the child continued crying, they gradually calmed down on their own. Silence fell once more. Should I try speaking to her? …Ah, maybe I should at least remove my mask first. I hesitated slightly at the prospect of revealing my face in public after so long, but my companion was a child. Besides, it was better than scaring them again. Strangely enough, I felt no discomfort about showing her my face.
“…Do you need this?”
“…Th-thank you…”
As soon as I spoke, the child replied with a sweet voice like the tinkling of bells, thanking me from between her adorable, small, rosy lips. A jolt ran through me at the sound of her voice.
What was this…? I involuntarily checked if the child had used some kind of charm magic, but there was no sign of it. The sheer destructive force of their pure cuteness filled me with awe. Were all children like this…?
No, now wasn’t the time for that. Careful not to frighten her again, I handed the little girl the towel and quickly retracted my hand. …How pathetic.
Thinking it was a shame to let such a lovely face remain puffy from crying, I handed the child a warm towel and a cold one. She accepted them without hesitation, alternating between pressing them against her face. …The way she glanced up at me from time to time was endearing, like a small animal. But I knew she was most likely looking at my face.
I was aware of my own attractive appearance. Disgustingly so. It was incredibly tiresome to be constantly approached by women wherever I went. Of course, I knew not everyone was like that. My guildmates teased me about my looks but never made advances, and even when they tried to use them, it was always part of a strategy for a request.
However, the fact remained that I was often the target of unwanted attention. In the case of women, I felt many simply wanted to show off that they were with an attractive man. I wanted to tell them not to treat people like accessories. As for the men who directed misplaced jealousy my way, I thought it would be best to punch them without a word.
When gathering information, my appearance makes an impression on people. That’s why I took to concealing my face in everyday life. I’d be remembered as a suspicious character regardless, so I might as well use that to my advantage. During missions, I could always use illusions to disguise my appearance when necessary. It was far more preferable to be avoided as a suspicious individual than to be subjected to unwanted attention simply by walking down the street.
Honestly… It was frustrating how many people tried to use appearances to their advantage. It made me somewhat distrustful of humanity.
That’s why I couldn’t help but feel a moment of disappointment, thinking this child, staring at me with wide, innocent eyes, would be no different. But as I observed her, I realized it wasn’t the same.
Her eyes held the same kind of wonder as when one beheld a beautiful sight. She seemed to genuinely find me attractive, nothing more or less, with no ulterior motives or desire to use it to their advantage. The fact that her demeanor remained unchanged was proof enough.
This was rare indeed. Acknowledging my appearance and yet harboring nothing but pure admiration. Well, perhaps it was simply because they were a child, but I didn’t dislike it; on the contrary, it was rather pleasant. …It sparked a desire to dispel her wariness. It was only natural she’d be wary, and I commended her for it, but still…
Afterward, I gave the child some Appli water and fed her the vegetable soup I’d prepared. Her hands were so small, it was almost alarming, and I found myself lending a hand. She showed no fear as I cared for her, so I continued to see to her needs.
She seemed somewhat reserved, so I imagined she was the type to try and handle things herself whenever possible. However, this was a special circumstance. I decided to pamper her a little, both to ensure her well-being and to teach her it was alright to rely on others. …It was unexpectedly enjoyable.
Perhaps because her stomach was full, the girl began to doze off. Even though I told her it was alright to sleep, she tried to stay awake, so I encouraged her to rest, and she quickly drifted off.
…What was this feeling? It was completely foreign to me. I couldn’t say for certain if this was how parents felt, but I didn’t hate it. I finished tidying up, erected a sturdy barrier for good measure, and decided to take a nap myself.
“Nyoh!?“
I woke up to the child’s strange yelp. I’d been getting up several times throughout the night, maintaining a light sleep out of caution, but it seemed I’d made the blunder of letting the girl see me sleeping. The pleasant warmth radiating from her must have lulled me deeper into sleep than I’d intended.
I pulled myself together and urged her to get ready for the day when an unpleasant possibility, one I hadn’t considered, occurred to me. The child didn’t seem to know how to use magic.
Any child her age should have been able to use simple daily magic as easily as breathing. Unless… they had amnesia.
It was a disconcerting thought, but I had to consider the possibility. I would have to interact with her carefully, making sure she didn’t feel like their inability to use magic was strange. I didn’t want to risk confusing her or triggering anything unpleasant.
I’d never been so considerate towards another person before. After a light breakfast, I gave a brief introduction of myself and mentally planned to leave the dungeon as soon as possible.
——
Appli → In this world, it refers to what is known as an apple in the original world.