Chapter 66: You Who I met In This World?
Chapter 66: You Who I met In This World?
A few days passed since Celia came to the stone house, in those several days she and Rio taught Miharu and company about this world’s language.
Yesterday, it was almost one month since he started teaching those three the basics, then he performed a Spartan training with Celia’s cooperation.
At the same time he also assisted in Celia’s research.
Like that, Rio’s everyday life became really busy.
Till early morning on that day
「N……」
The refreshing morning sunlight entered the room through the small gaps of the windows of the rock house, Rio opened his eyes absentmindedly.
The color of light reflected in his eyes from the opening in the ceiling.
Since Rio’s goal is to get a peaceful sleep, towards that goal he built this rock house, last night he also slept well.
Above the wide bed specially made by Dominique, Rio slowly moved his hands to turn the bed covers and blankets.
And then, at that time.
His hand touched a soft object.
It was not a blanket or bed cover.
Nor was it the bed mattress.
It had more elasticity.
The object in his palm is a little cold.
Moving his hand a little, it somehow felt good in his hand.
What is this?
Rio moved his hand awkwardly, trying to discern the object’s true nature.
And then—–.
「N……」
A rustling sound along with the small charming voice of a woman was heard.
「Su~……、su~……」[TL : SFX of sleeping sound]
It continued, the calm sleeping sound from his side, a bit confused, Rio glanced to his side.
And there, one girl was sleeping peacefully beside him.
Somehow her age is similar to Rio’s age.
Is her existence a thin one?, or her transparent feeling a strong one?, the result of her mysterious atmosphere and beauty.
A beautiful girl with long pink colored hair.
No, she is an earth shattering beauty.
「N……」
The girl squirmed restlessly, tightly gripping Rio’s gown.
Just like that, her face is moved closer to Rio.
He can feel the girl’s breath in his ear.
Rio consciousness immediately fully awakened.
「…………」
He looked at that girl’s face in amazement from point-blank range, exerting all the power from his body once again.
He closed his eyes once again.
(It must be dream………. I’m still sleeping. Yeah, there is no mistake about it)
That’s how he tried to escape from reality by doing some self-suggestions.
Because even if he was sound asleep, he should have woken up immediately when he sensed an unknown person getting close to him.
Maybe he had become senile because of this little peace.
No, in the first place Rio can’t feel any reaction of an outsider getting caught in the intruder detection magic surrounding the house.
And yet he failed to notice it, this is surely not a dream.
He mustered more strength to close his eyes while thinking about that.
Opening his eyes slowly after one minute, timidly turning the blanket by hand hoping for it to be empty.
And there, an impossible scene spread again before him——-.
A woman with snow white skin, extremely balanced and smooth proportions, soft tender bulges—.
In other words, it’s a beautiful girl in her birthday suit.
「EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!?」
Rio let out a horrified shout.
The beautiful girl next to him snapped from her sleep.
This kind of experience is the first time for him in his two lives.
Awakened by Rio’s voice, the girl moved her body.
That movement was unusually erotic, Rio’s face flushed, then quickly averted his gaze.
「N……」
That girl expressionlessly looked at Rio.
Rio’s body was covered with cold sweat.
Why?, how can it be?, I’m sleeping with a beautiful girl in the nude?.
Shouting like that in his mind.
「Wha, what’s wrong! Haruto-san?」
And then, the confused Miharu entered the room.
Though this is a soundproof room, the door was a little open, so all the people living in this house could hear Rio’s scream.
Thinking that it must be hard for them to only receive his favor, Miharu woke-up early to help him prepare breakfast.
Her appearance which is wearing an apron above her tunic suited her very much and was really lovely.
But, now it’s not the time to be fascinated by Miharu’s lovely appearance.
Miharu had a flabbergasted expression, looking at Rio in his gown and the beautiful nude girl.
In his confusion, Rio slowly covered the girl’s naked body with the blanket.
「Ki, Kyaaa!!!!」
Now, it’s Miharu’s voice that resounded inside the room.
That’s natural.
That seemingly honest benefactor of hers, bringing in a woman without telling her and spending a night along with her.
Though Rio isn’t that kind of person, the Miharu right now couldn’t see that fact.
「N, no you’re mistaken! Mi-cha~, Miharu-san! This is—–」
It’s the worst.
Rio tried to explain to her in confusion, but he couldn’t say anything.
In his confused state, he almost called her name with the way he called her in their past.
Because the pink haired beautiful girl tightly embraced Rio with a blank expression.
Snuggling closer to Rio, Miharu looked at that scene with a wondering expression.
Looking at that scene, Miharu’s face became flushed.
「I, I’m sorry! For rudely opening the door!」
Lowering her head in confusion, Miharu closed the door.
「You’re mistaken ……」
Rio apologetic voice echoed vainly in the room.
Only Rio and the pink haired girl remained.
Rio hung his head in a heartbroken state.
「What happened, Rio? For Miharu to scream like that」
And then, this time its Celia’s turn to come into the room with a still sleepy expression.
It looks like she stayed up all night till dawn.
The panicking Miharu tried to stop her from behind.
While frantically saying clumsy words「no, you can’t」with a desperate expression.
But, it looks like she was one step too late.
The appearance of those two people perfectly entered Cecilia’s field of view.
「Ha-haha ……. 」
Rio stiff laugh vainly resounded in the room.
The beautiful girl, whose body was covered only by one thin blanket, cuddled her body closer to Rio above the bed.
Her bare skin that peeped from the gap of the blanket triggered Celia’s wild delusion.
「Fu, fufu…….」
Though her face was flushed red, Celia smoothed it with a smile on her face.
As a result, the two people mysteriously laughed in harmony.
However, each of their laughs had a different meaning.
「Please excuse me for disturbing, now you can continue to enjoy your time」
Celia closed the door while leaving those words.
Though he’s anxious what kind of atmosphere happened between Miharu and Celia outside of the door, now is not the time to worry about that.
「……. Uhm, who are you?」
Rio asked with a magnificently cramped face.
Though his really wanted to chase after Celia and Miharu, he couldn’t just blatantly ignore this strange girl.
Though he didn’t know what he should ask since his head was still in chaos, he couldn’t just throw a vague question.
「I’m the spirit that made a contract with Haruto you know?」
The girl answered with a thin voice that sounded like a transparent drop of water while tilting her head.
Though it seemed somehow inhuman, her voice was beautiful.
「Eh, Ah ……. Contract …… I see, Contract Spirit. You ……..」
Rio head instantly cooled down with those words.
Rio stared at the girl’s face and then her expression instantly changed.
When he looked again, her face was strangely well-ordered.
It’s like the creation of a first class art which won’t come be even if the artist bet his entire career.
Her beauty was illusory, as if she were transient, he felt that it’s not strange even if she vanished at any moment.
Though he had never been fascinated by any girl except for Miharu up till now, if he didn’t have a strong will, he might have been spontaneously entranced by her beauty.
「May I ask why are you just awakening at this time?」
[――Because the time has come.]
In that moment, he somehow noticed as he heard the voice of the girl in front of him.
Rio stared at the girl with an amazed face.
But, she’s shaking her head slowly――.
「I don’t know」
Was her answer.
Though she seemed as expressionless as ever, her voice seemed lonely.
Then, she reached with her hand to seize Rio’s hand.
[――It’s warm.]
He noticed that he could hear such muttering.
Her face looked as if she feels relieved.
「Euhm, then may I hear your name?」
「I don’t know my name」
The girl answered with her deep crimson pupils seemingly sad and shaken.
「You said that you don’t even know your name. Then, anything that you might remember? 」
Rio asking with clearly bewildered expression.
「I’m always on Haruto’s side. That’s why I want you to give me a name」
(Always by my side)
Maybe that’s different from the usual case since she is Rio’s contracted spirit.
Though even the person himself didn’t notice it, Rio felt that he accepted this girl being with him as if natural, that’s why he couldn’t hold any antipathy.
Besides, he can’t give a name due to compassion.
But, it’s an unacceptable answer of the question.
Well, Rio’s also at fault for asking such vague question.
「Yhm, it’s not unusual, I want you to tell me why you made a contract with me and, what kind of spirit you are」
Of course, though he expected that he couldn’t get an answer even if he asked her, it’s her duty who became his contracted spirit before he knew, to explain it to him.
But, her troubled atmosphere told Rio that she really didn’t know anything.
Rio sighed a little as he looked at that girl.
「Your name is …….. Come to think of it, how did you know my name? 」
Now he noticed that the girl was calling him with “Haruto” since the very beginning.
(Why did she call me with that name?)
With that kind of thought, Rio asked why she knew the name “Haruto”.
「Because Haruto is Haruto right?」
「No, I don’t mean that …………」
The girl answered as if it was natural.
Rio gazed quietly at the girl.
She also stared back at Rio in silence.
Maybe because they’re staring at each other for a while, the one who averted their eyes first was Rio.
「Uhm, so you want a name, a name that comes from me?」
The girl nodded as her answer.
「Even if you say that …….」
Rio found himself at a loss for words.
No one will easily come up with a name if they’re suddenly asked for it.
Moreover, he feel that it seemed to not be such a simple matter.
But, he’ll certainly be in trouble if he didn’t come up with name right now.
「Can you let me think for a while?」
Rio asked as if being troubled by it.
「Uhm」
The girl nodded.
「Well then ….. Uhm …….. though I think it’s obvious, why are you not wearing any cloth?」
Rio asked with a flushed face as he unintentionally could imagine her naked body under the quilt of the bed even now.
「Cloth……」
After muttering that word, a dim light suddenly appeared in the room, then the girl suddenly turned over the quilt and blanket.
「Wa- WA!」
Rio become flustered and averted his line of sight from the girl’s eyes.
And just like that, staring intently at the wall —
「Is this alright?」
Rio’s timidly moved his neck as he heard those words coming from his side.
Turning his line of sight to the girl as if prodding in something unexpected, reflected in his fleeting glance was kimono-like clothing.
At that place was a spirit girl who wore a nice and tidy black one piece with frills on it.
「Eh, how……?」
To be honest, he thought that she was really cute.
But, he felt an even stronger problem.
Before he noticed, the girl seized Rio’s hand —-.
「I knitted it with odo and mana」
She said with a bit emotionless voice.
「Eh, ah, so this is the light that came out from the futon just now is ……」
He readily gave his consent.
But, even Rio didn’t know how to do that.
(Making a cloth with odo and mana.)
(Is that even possible?)
Though he was puzzled with that question, now he had some bigger problems that he had to settle immediately.
「First, Mi …………….. I want to solve the misunderstanding with Miharu-san but, can you help me to explain my circumstances?」
When he thought back about the incident from some time ago, his feelings instantly became heavy, so he muttered in a low voice.
Though she wants to cooperating with him, while they might be coming together, it’s mainly Rio’s job to explain the situation.
「……Okay」
Though there’s a few seconds of pause, the girl nodded slightly when she noticed that Rio’s troubled.
(It seems she’s not a bad child)
「Uhm, Though I’ve yet to hear why you know about my name in my previous life, please keep it as a secret for now. Since I’ll tell them myself someday」
Rio told the girl while sighing a little.
Why was the girl knowledgeable about himself in his previous life.
It’ll become trouble for Rio if she carelessly told Miharu about that.
「Understood」
The girl answered with a emotionless voice.
(Did she really understand?)
(Well she doesn’t seems to be a bad child, so it’s okay, maybe)
Thinking like that, he decided to trust the girl.
Or rather, he had no choice but to believe her.
「Well, shall we go then」
Rio accompanied the girl walking to the lounge.
When they left the door, reflecting in his eyes are the figure of Miharu awkwardly cooking in the kitchen.
Celia was enjoying the aroma of the black tea brewed by Miharu on the sofa of the living room with a friendly smile floating on her face.
Though her hand that held the cup was trembling if one took a good look at her, not even Rio had the composure to notice that.
Somehow, Aki and Masato hadn’t woken up yet.
「Ehm, guys! Good morning! 」
Rio greeted them with waay too stiff voice.
「Good morning, Rio」
Celia answered with the same friendly smile as ever.
Though he couldn’t read what she was thinking of, it might be just his imagination that he shivered a little.
「G-Good morning! Uhm, I’m currently preparing the breakfast, will you wait for a while?」
Following right after Celia, Miharu answered Rio’s greeting from the kitchen without even looking at him.
When she made a blushing face, .he instantly understood.
「Uhm! Will you hear my story for a while? It’s about her」
Rio said that awkwardly towards Miharu as his line of sight moved towards the girl who was reserving herself behind.
Following that, he said the same thing to Celia.
And then, Miharu and Celia line of sight gathered toward the spirit girl. [Ce : So big, beautiful, and cool… Mi : So beautiful and graceful]
Maybe because they were unintentionally fascinated by her beauty, they looked at her with their eyes wide open.
The stillness made a silent atmosphere――.
「Uhm, and what is it?」
「Yeah, of course I would like such information」
After a while, they regained themselves and each of them replied in a different language.
Miharu aside, Celia was looking at Rio with scornful eyes.
(Now unless I explain it clearly)
With that kind of decision, Rio opened his mouth and took a deep breath.
Part 9
「First, is it okay if I start the explanation from Miharu-san?」
He asked Celia permission for the order of the explanation.
「Yeah, she’s the first witness after all. Please give a CLEAR explanation」
Maybe because she’s dumbfounded by the lifeless atmosphere of the girl, Celia answered while sighing as if feeling tired of this event.
After telling his gratitude to Celia, Rio faced Miharu.
「I believe that I already made a brief explanation regarding the existence called spirits before, she’s one of them」
「She is ………… A spirit?」
Miharu was looking at the contracted spirit girl.
Though she exuded an otherworldly beauty, no matter how you look at it she couldn’t be seen as anything but human.
Their line of sight intersected.
「Miharu……」
And then, the spirit girl called Miharu name.
「Ah, Yeah. My name is Ayase Miharu. Uhm, and you? 」
「I have no name」
After muttering with a lonely voice, the girl was staring enviously at Miharu who had a name.
「As you hear, she has no name. Somehow or another she’s been continuously sleeping inside my body but, even I don’t understand what kind of existence she is」
Though he himself had no clear grasp on his own situation, Rio was frantically explaining to Miharu.
「What I know is that she’s somehow connected by a contract with me before I noticed. When she awakened this morning, she materialized on my side. This is my best explanation for the current situation…. Can you understand until this point? 」
After finishing his explanation, he’s looked timidly at Miharu’s face.
「Uhm …….. Somehow but, I think I understand the general situation」
Thereupon Miharu chose her words carefully.
「You…………. Believe me?」
「Yes. Somehow I understand when I look at that child’s appearance. Moreover, I know that Haruto-san isn’t the kind of person to lie without any reason」
Miharu answered bashfully.
「T-Thank you very much! I-It’s definitely not a guilty conscience! 」
Rio said that passionately while turning his line of sight towards the spirit girl.
Especially for the second part.
And then Miharu giggled.
「Yeah, I know that」
Then she agreed.
Finally Rio felt relieved.
He stood still for several seconds and felt that power leaked from his body in relief.
「Uhm, nevertheless, she really is an extremely beautiful spirit right」
Miharu spoke to the clearly exhausted Rio while sending a fleeting glance towards the spirit girl.
And then, the girl’s silently tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
「It’s clear then?」
Somehow the girl asked the question by using Japanese language.
Which reminded him that she spoke to Rio with Strahl region language after first making her appearance.
And yet, now she’s also speaking in Japanese.
「Eh, you, understand our conversation?」
Rio stared at her with a dumbfounded expression when he noticed that fact.
「Yeah, I can speak in all languages which Haruto mastered」(Ed: calling him Haruto already…)
The girl answered with a nonchalant expression.
「……」
Rio was completely taken aback.
He wanted to ask the reason very much but, somehow he knew that her reply would be「I don’t know」.
「Spirits are awesome right ……」
Somehow Miharu had the conception that it won’t be strange in what she could do if she’s a spirit, it was a pure admiration.
Rio sighed a little.
「Uhm, theen, I’ve to explain it to Celia-sensei next. Please wait for a while too ……. Miharu-san」
After saying that.
The spirit girl nodded.
Miharu also nodded back at her.
「Ah, Yeah. Then I’ll make breakfast」
Was her answer.
「I’m sorry」
After apologizing to Miharu, Rio changed his line of sight towards Celia.
美春に謝り、リオがセリアへ視線を移す。
「It seems your conversation has ended. Now, will you give me a satisfactory explanation ? 」
Celia showed a sullen expression while folding her arms.
「Please forgive me, since I’ll give a full explanation of what I understand」
Rio unintentionally smiled wryly.
Maybe because the explanation to Miharu ended safely without any accident, the confusion till some time ago vanished, Rio regained his calmness.
(And yet he explained it hurriedly to Miharu)
Celia’s cheeks puffed a little as she felt a little vexed to that fact.
「Yeah, please then」
Even so, Celia faced Rio while showing the fa?ade of a daring smile.
Celia thought that herself who can’t show anything but this kind of attitude isn’t cute.
(I wonder what Rio feels about Miharu? Eh, No, I shouldn’t think about it. Or now I won’t learn anything about this child)
Even when her thought incidentally straying from its path, Celia put her consciousness back to the spirit girl.
Though what Rio felt about Miharu is important, the absolutely beautiful girl who suddenly appeared was even more important.
In the first place, what is her relationship with Rio?
Celia face blushed when she recalled the girl lascivious figure under the blanket that she saw a while ago.
Thereupon, on that place.
「First, she’s a spirit」
Rio started with his explanation.
「Eh ……?」
Celia line of thought halted.
It’s just like being defeated by the pitcher’s first winning pitch.
「Spirit, could it be that she’s the high ranking existence that you said from before?」
But, should it be better to say as expected, after regaining herself she instantly thought of the possibilities, so she asked that question to Rio.
「Yes. Yes, she’s the existence that you are imagining right now. Though I think that there’s almost no human who even sees the spirits, some of the spirits make contracts with humans」
「Contract?」
「It’s something like a link to strengthen the connection between human and spirit. Spirits receive odo ……… they’re receiving magical power from humans, and the human receives the help from the spirit as a payment」
「Though you put an interesting story for now. Judging from the flow of the story, this child should be the spirit that is contracted with Rio right? 」
「That’s right. As expected of sensei」
She instantly understood the point of his explanation just by revealing a bit of information.
Truly a genius conversation partner.
「J-Just because you flatter me, don’t expect that will help you! So, why was this child in your room with that kind of appearance? 」
Though she almost got herself coaxed by Rio’s words which made her happy, she has yet to get the explanation for the reason why the girl was inside of his room with that kind of appearance.
「Even I didn’t know the reason for that. This child was always in a deep sleep state even while under a contract with me. And before I noticed, she just suddenly appeared on my bed this morning ……….」
「Ho~h, REALLY?」
Celia sent a sharp gaze to Rio.
「I swear」
Rio gave a clear answer.
「It’s not because of a GUILTY conscience right?」
「O-Of course it’s not …..」
Though the feeling of the girl’s breast and naked body is waaay too vivid in his fleeting thoughts, which was after all an act of God.
Rio was drenched in cold sweat as he tried to persuade her.
「Hu~m……」
Celia’s looking at Rio with a piercing line of sight.
「Ahaha…….. Well, after that there is nothing but to believe me. Please ask the story for this child herself if you can’t believe me」
「……It’s okay. I believe you」
Celia muttered in a low voice turning her face as if she’s sulking.
She didn’t have any intention to doubt Rio.
Because she knows that there’s no way Rio would force his way on that girl against her own will.
But, even if she trusts him, an unpleasant matter is still an unpleasant matter.
Though Celia somehow understood that this feeling is jealousy, it’s the first time in her life that she finds it difficult to comply with that feeling.
「Well, when I think about it, the situation is just too ridiculous indeed」
Celia sipped the black tea that Miharu made to calm her mind and then managed to say that.
(Could it be that I’m the jealous type of girl? U~h, I can’t do it. I can’t calm my heart)
That’s what she though while taking a deep breath.
「Well then, I wonder what’s the name of this child?」
Celia inquired the girls name.
「The truth is, she doesn’t have a name」
「Is that so?」
「Yes. Since the person herself said that」
「U~hm, but isn’t it pitiful to have no name. You can’t do that, think of a nice name for her」
「I’m also thinking about it since it seems she wants a name too」
「It seems she herself is conscious about something like a name. More or less, come with something easy and befitting for her. Though I think there’s no need to think so hard about it. What name do you think is fitting for you? 」
Celia asked while sending a fleeting glance at the spirit girl.
The girl fell into silence for a while.
「Anything is okay if it’s a name from Haruto」
Was her answer.
「She really likes you doesn’t she」
Celia’s looked at Rio with half-opened eyes. [TL : Yandere eyes]
「Ahaha」
Rio replied with an awkward laugh.
「Uhm, though It’ll be a great help to me if you tell me something that you like」
And then, Rio asked the girl.
「….. I like Haruto, you’re the most important thing to me」
So the girl answered. [TL : Celia Rage o meter = MAX]
「Like me and, most important thing ………」
What came first into his mind was Miharu.
Maybe because of that.
He immediately recalled of one name.
「Aishia[アイシア] ………….. how about that name?」
Aishia was a word in ancient Seirei no Tami language which meant “Warm Spring”.
It’s from the word “Haru[春]” of “Miharu[美春]” as a reminder of that name. [TL : The “Haru” here both mean spring]
Her hair color is a light pink colored hair like that of sakura petals which made him think that the name was strangely fitting for her.
「Aishia. Okay」
And then, the girl immediately replied.
「Are you okay with that? Though I think we can think of other options if we think with the others …….」
「Uhn. Aishia is good」
The girl’s didn’t show that much emotion on her face after awakening.
But, only this time she felt an unusually strong will from the girl.
「Well, if you’re okay with that name but…….」
Rio looked at the girl a little surprised.
And then, it’s just an instant, Rio saw that girl smiling delightfully.
「Well, best regard then, Aishia」
「Yeah. Best regard. Haruto」
Aishia nodded back at him.
「My name is Cecilia Claire. Best regard, Aishia」
「Best regard. Celia」
Aishia returned Celia’s greeting with her beautiful and transparent-like voice but with the same inhuman-like tone as ever.
「Well then, I’ll introduce everyone again during breakfast」
There’s still two dwellers who had yet to meet Aishia.
He has to introduce her to them if she’ll be living in this house from now on.
「Yeah. Aki and Masato」
「You know about them ………..」
What Aishia knew, or what she didn’t know.
There’s a need to confirm it a little.
While thinking that, Rio who was about to throw a question to Aishia.
「Good morning」
Was interrupted
Aki appeared in the living room with a drowsy face.
「Morni~ng」
And Masato followed her almost at the same time appearing in the living room.
「Eh, that person is……?」
Aki immediately spoke with questioning words when she noticed Aishia.
「Ah, she’s――」
When Rio tried to introduce Aishia to Aki-tachi.
At that time.
「The meals are ready, Haruto-san」
Miharu called that the breakfast is done.
「Ah, so Aki-chan and Masato-kun have already woken up. Good morning」
「Good morning. Miharu-oneechan」
「Morni~ng. Miharu-neechan」
This is the usual morning and that was the usual spectacle.
Though the dwellers in this place will increase by one person after today, this habit won’t change.
Rio was looking at that scene with a smiling face.
Before he knew, Aishia who was standing beside him sent him a fleeting glance at his face.
(There’s something that I don’t quite understand but)
Right, after all, There are still many things about Aishia that he has yet to understand even though she awakened.
Though there were so many things that he wanted to ask when she awakened, the world won’t just easily let that happen.
But ———–.
「Still, it’s not bad either」
Rio muttered with a face that was full with a delighted smile.