Chapter 26

We decided to have the conversation in a room at the back of the church.

There are five of us here: Mika, Amalia, Loreta, Kifurodo, and Rady.

When we sit at the table, Kifurodo and Rady are on the left, and Amalia and Loreta are on the right.

Mika is in the so-called "birthday seat."

"Lord Kifurodo told me that you are going to the magic academy. You are worried about that, aren't you?"

Rady asks Amalia.

Amalia looks down with a dark expression and does not try to answer.

"Amalia, it's better to let out whatever you're thinking. It might be hard to say in front of Mika, but it's better to speak your mind. If you don't, you won't understand your child's feelings at all."

That's a harsh thing to say.

Mika does understand, to some extent, but it's not enough.

Well, if it's not enough, that's that.

At Kifurodo's words, Amalia hesitantly begins to speak.

"……I don't even know what's going on anymore. They say I used the 'Miracle of God' all of a sudden, and then talk about 'escaping the academy'... It's just not a reasonable conversation."

Amalia speaks with a pained expression.

Tears stream down her face uncontrollably.

"I've been worried that Mika will be taken away from me... And now, the magic academy? And next year, no less... What is this!? What is this all about! ...Why, why is this happening..."

"Mom..."

Amalia covers her face with her hands and starts to cry uncontrollably.

Loreta gently pats Amalia's back with a concerned look.

But Mika can tell that Loreta feels the same way.

Tears are also streaming down Loreta's face.

(I really... I'm not just a fool. How much more do I have to make them sad...)

This time, it seems to have completely exceeded Amalia's tolerance.

For Amalia, this village is the whole world.

Living according to the village's rules is enough, and there was no need to think about anything more.

Until just a few months ago, she could live peacefully.

If it weren't for Rikuhashi Ritsu, it would have been fine.

Mika tried to say something to the crying Amalia but couldn't say anything.

What can Mika, the cause of her distress, say to this broken person?

Unable to encourage or reach out, Mika could only look down.

"Then, it's better to let go."

In the room where only Amalia's sobs could be heard, Kifurodo's whisper sounded unusually loud.

"Lord Kifurodo!"

Rady shows her anger at Kifurodo's heartless words.

"Even if you let go, the fact that the two of you are mother and child won't change. Then, it's just a matter of taking care of her at the church for another six months and sending her to the magic academy."

"Don't say such ridiculous things! How can you tear a mother and child apart! Are you even a priest!?"

Rady's outburst is something Mika has never seen before.

She usually smiles and sometimes looks troubled, but he had never seen her angry.

Moreover, the target of her anger is Kifurodo.

"If you can't bear it, there's no choice. As it is, Amalia will be crushed. There's no need to hold back. Just tell the villagers that you entrusted her to the church for training—"

"Lord Kifurodo!!!"

Rady slams the table and stands up, glaring at Kifurodo with a look of fury.

It's as if she's trying to kill the devil in front of her with her eyes alone.

Mika can almost see Rady's luxurious hair fluttering and an aura rising from her.

(Scary! Really scary! Oh, calm down!?)

Rady's overwhelming presence makes Mika think he should stop her, but he can't mediate.

Kifurodo, who is receiving such a gaze, still looks calm.

"Rady is saying that, but don't worry. There's no need to worry about the villagers. You just need to do what you think is right. What do you want to do?"

Amalia and Loreta are taken aback by the sudden battle between Kifurodo and Rady.

Kifurodo gently asks Amalia what she wants to do.

"......I... I..."

Amalia looks down and whispers.

Everyone holds their breath and watches Amalia.

"I... I..."

With red, swollen eyes, she looks at Mika sadly and kneels beside him.

"......This child is my child...!"

She says and firmly hugs Mika.

"......I can't even think about letting go. It's such a terrifying thing to consider..."

She nuzzles Mika's cheek and lovingly strokes his hair.

Seeing this, Rady lets out a sigh of relief.

"Is that so? Then, you need to make up your mind."

"Lord Kifurodo!"

Rady's anger flares up again.

It's nerve-wracking to watch, as if she might grab him.

"Resolve...?"

"Yes. ...This child probably can't live a normal life. No one knows if it's a happy path, but at least the kind of normal life you want is probably not possible for this child."

"Such... Such a thing..."

Amalia tightens her hug, looking at Kifurodo with a reproachful gaze, wondering why he says such cruel things.

"It's tough, isn't it? Any parent wants their child to be happy and live a peaceful life. But it's not possible. This child probably can't live such a life."

"......"

That's something Amalia had vaguely felt.

She had been afraid that Mika would fly out of the "shape of happiness" she wanted.

Recent changes in Mika strongly suggested this.

"After much suffering and struggling, no one knows what you'll get. You might not get anything. But... there are people who can only live that way. It might be hard for you to understand, but..."

Kifurodo confronts the reality that Amalia had tried to avoid.

But his voice is always gentle,

gently explaining the harsh reality.

"Moreover... there are people who think such a life wasn't so bad. It's hard to believe, isn't it? I can't believe it either."

Kifurodo looks at Mika with a bemused expression.

Mika feels a bit awkward and instinctively looks away.

"It's tough for a parent. Especially since Mika is still a child. But... there's no choice but to give up. And then, you need to make up your mind. ...It won't be easy, of course."

"Father..."

Convinced by Kifurodo, Amalia finally realizes the nature of the vague anxiety she had felt.

And she is told to accept it.

Loreta stands up and goes to Amalia's side.

Her eyes are filled with a strong will.

"Mom."

Loreta strokes Mika's head.

"......It can't be helped. He's a boy, after all."

"Loreta..."

Amalia looks troubled.

It's not easy. It's not something that can be accepted immediately.

"......He looks like a girl, though."

"Hey, big sister!"

Loreta protests with a pout and a playful tone, and then breaks into a smile.

Seeing this, Amalia finally manages a stiff smile.

"......It really can't be helped, can it."

She says and hugs Mika tightly again, kissing his forehead.

"It might be difficult, but... I'll try."

Amalia looks straight at Kifurodo and says this.

It's a major shift from her previous values.

But Amalia decides to accept it.

For the sake of her beloved child.

"If anything happens, please let me know. I will definitely help you."

As they leave the church, Rady speaks to Amalia.

"When you're having a tough time, don't keep it to yourself. You're not alone. Don't forget that."

"Thank you, Sister Rady."

The conversation somehow ended without any major issues.

Mika will continue to be entrusted to the church during the day, but the surveillance seems to be relaxed.

There was a sense that Mika shouldn't go out alone, so he didn't try to go out before, but now it won't be as strict.

However, Mika plans to stay at the church as usual.

He might go outside the building, but he doesn't plan to leave.

Mika is aware that he has caused a lot of worry and trouble to those around him, so he plans to behave.

And from that day on, a dramatic change occurred in the Noisheim household.

Surprisingly, Mika was allowed to do his own sponge baths with hot water.

This makes Mika cheer involuntarily.

(...It's been a long time. Now I can finally escape the hell of being a girl.)

In six months, Mika will go to the magic academy.

The argument that Mika will be in trouble if he can't do it on his own once he enters the dormitory was accepted.

Since there is a record of daily independent sponge baths, it was decided that he doesn't need to do it together anymore.

Furthermore, Mika was allowed to sleep alone.

However, due to the lack of beds, it can't be every day.

It was decided to have two days a week for sleeping alone.

This changed the situation a bit, as Mika had no intention of leaving the church during the day.

He needs to prepare a simple bed as soon as possible and set it up in the empty space in the bedroom or the dining room.

If not, on the days Mika sleeps alone, Amalia and Loreta will have to share a bed.

It's a bit cramped for the two of them.

If Mika prepares a bed, this problem will be solved.

(...I don't have the money to buy one. I'll have to make it myself.)

The beds in the Noisheim household are simple, with legs, but not much else.

Grass is laid on top, and sheets are spread over it.

Mika's simple bed doesn't need legs.

However, it won't be possible to fold it or lean it against the wall like in his original world.

(Well, as long as I can lie down, I can sleep anywhere. A board a little longer than my height should be enough.)

He won't be using it for long, just six months.

Besides, he's used to sleeping in narrow and hard places.

When he had to stay overnight for his previous job, he would wrap himself in a blanket and sleep on the floor.

This would go on for a week. You get used to it whether you like it or not.

The next day, while thinking about how to get a bed at the church, Ninetyana came.

Ninetyana sometimes brings Dyl to play at the church.

However, since Kifurodo doesn't like talk about adventurers, the conversations are usually harmless.

"I heard, Mika. You're going to the magic academy? That's amazing!"

Ninetyana is overly excited, but why is she so happy?

(It's like a military academy. What's so great about it?)

Mika used to be enthusiastic about going, but now that he knows the details, his enthusiasm has cooled.

There are probably ways to avoid it, so he doesn't think his future as a soldier is set in stone.

"Huh? You don't seem very excited? Going to the magic academy is a great honor, you know."

Ninetyana looks puzzled at Mika's reaction.

"I'm not aiming to be a professional soldier. I guess I'll learn a lot, though."

"Ah... Is it a bit troublesome for an adventurer? I'm not sure, but..."

Ninetyana remembers Mika's ambition to be an adventurer and nods.

"Indeed, if you graduate successfully, you'll be highly respected, but if you drop out, you'll be looked down upon. ...It might be tough."

Ninetyana's sympathetic gaze is a bit sad.

"But, there are magic academy graduates among adventurers. I don't know how they did it, though."

"Ah, really?"

He immediately gets some useful information.

Even if he doesn't know the means, it seems there are ways to avoid it, as expected.

"I didn't like them, though. Magic academy graduates. I respect them, to some extent, but..."

What's going on? She just said they are respected.

Ninetyana looks complicated and strokes Dyl's head.

"Didn't I tell you before? They tend to be troublesome. B-rank adventurers, mostly."

"Ah... B-rank? Are magic academy graduates mostly B-rank?"

"Not exactly, but they tend to be arrogant and look down on other adventurers, regardless of rank."

It's like an elite mentality.

There were people like that in his original world, who would brag about their alma mater.

But they couldn't do much, and his friends would complain about them at parties.

"Mika, you shouldn't become one of those people."

"Ahahaha, I don't think I will."

He doesn't feel like he's chosen.

Rather, he thinks it's a troublesome situation.

Will he change during his time at the academy?

He wants to be careful not to become like that.

"This year's Harvest Festival, we'll celebrate Mika's admission to the magic academy. Look forward to it."

"Really?"

The Harvest Festival is celebrated on the first day of the first week of the first month of the Wind season.

In other words, it's a day to celebrate the year's harvest at the beginning of autumn.

In a few days, the village will celebrate Mika's admission to the magic academy.

(Until yesterday, I was treated like a sore spot. ...People are so fickle. Is this what they call a palm drill?)

Perhaps it's a celebration because of that.

After all the trouble, it's a way to move on.

(I'm not good at this... I can't just let it go so easily.)

But thinking about Amalia and the others who will stay in the village, it's probably best to let it go.

If he rejects it because he's not in the mood, it will cause trouble for Amalia and the others later.

Perhaps he should hint at consideration for his family by saying, "I'll let it go, so you better understand, right?"

Mika is troubled about what to do.

"Do you want a bed? Why?"

While chatting with Ninetyana, Mika mentions that he is thinking about getting a bed.

"A small one for myself is fine. I'm borrowing one every day now."

"Ah... I see."

"I need to get the wood and figure out how to make the bed. I don't need legs or anything, and a board would be enough. I can't just take wood without permission, so I'm not sure what to do."

"Okay... I see."

Ninetyana thinks along with him but suddenly grins mischievously.

"Is a simple one fine?"

"Yes, I can't make a sturdy one anyway."

A board would be enough.

As long as it has a bed-like shape, it should be fine.

"Can you wait a few days? I think I can get it for you."

"Really!?"

She needs a size reference, so they decide to go to Mika's house.

They go back home after calling Kifurodo and show him the bedroom.

"I need a bed that fits between this bed and the wall, and it should be a little longer than my height."

"That's pretty narrow, isn't it? Is it okay?"

"It's fine."

The bed in the bedroom is closer to Amalia, and the one at the back is Loreta's.

Mika plans to place his bed at the foot of Loreta's bed, between it and the wall.

Ninetyana looks at the space where the bed will be placed and says, "Okay, I got it," and leaves the bedroom.

She doesn't measure the length, probably because she doesn't have a measuring tape.

Ninetyana says goodbye casually and leaves with a light step.

Mika returns to the church alone, feeling a bit uneasy.