Episode 61: I’m So Glad
“Here, please take these home!”
Just before they left the village, Adam handed her a basket full of vegetables.
To be honest, they still had plenty of vegetables left, but she’d accept them gratefully all the same.
“Oh, right! Last night, I saw a shooting star. Did you see it too, Fiine?”
“…Yeah, I saw it.”
Beside Fiine, Yuria gave a small, amused laugh.
Maybe she’d noticed that Fiine had slipped out of the inn.
“I made sure to make my wish, three times!”
“What did you wish for?”
“That I’d be able to protect Mum and Mary!!”
He was just a child, with no power of his own. And yet his feelings were real.
“I’m afraid I was asleep and didn’t get to see it myself,” Helena said, letting out a wistful breath.
“You’ll get to see one again soon!” Adam said, taking her hand to cheer her up.
“…Um, if anything happens, please get in touch.”
“Eh?”
“As a magic doll shop, I can’t take the same commission twice. But as Fiine Fellner, personally, there’s a little I can do.”
Too embarrassed to see how they’d react, she bowed hurriedly and climbed into the carriage.
Glancing quietly out the carriage window, she saw Adam, Helena, and Mary, held in Helena’s arms, all waving at her with everything they had.
“I’m surprised, Fiine saying something like that.”
“…Once in a while, you know.”
She didn’t like standing out, and she had no wish to be leaned on more than necessary.
But surely the people of Epfel Village wouldn’t come to rely on Fiine alone.
So she’d wanted to reach out a hand.
“Fufu, you don’t need to be embarrassed. I can see right through you, you know.”
Perhaps because it was early morning, there were no other passengers in the shared carriage.
Some time after they set off, Fiine took Yuria’s hand.
“Hey, Yuria.”
“What?”
“…Does it ever bother you? The way you died?”
Magic dolls don’t know their own cause of death. Yuria was no exception to that.
So she didn’t know.
That she had died because she’d protected Fiine.
(I keep thinking I need to tell her someday, but…)
She’d been too afraid to bring it up herself.
“Either way’s fine with me.”
“Eh?”
“If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen. If you don’t, you don’t have to.”
“But…”
“So there’s no need to rush.”
Yuria’s hand reached out and gently cupped Fiine’s cheek.
Only when their eyes met did Fiine realise her own had been frightened.
“Hey, Fiine.”
“…What?”
“I’m so glad you’re alive.”
Tears welled up before she knew it. Crybaby, Yuria said with a laugh, and gently wiped them away.