Episode 18

 Recollection Part 2

　I remember something from when I was 10 years old.

“Temee. I’ll tell you something splendid,something simply wonderful.”

“Yes, what is it, Master?”

　I listen with hollow eyes and speak with a hollow voice.

It was a time when my mind was at its worst. The time when the residual heat of the Revolutionary War was the hottest. The executions were repeated almost every day, and my mind and body were reaching their limits.

“Your parents seem to have died.”

“Huh?”

“It seems that the money earned from selling you was used up for gambling and the two of them committed suicide. Hahaha! I’m sorry. There is no place for you to return. Temee is a slave ​​for the rest of his life.”

　My master stood up and left the hut, laughing all the way.

　Somewhere in my heart, I think I was expecting my parents to buy me back someday.

　I remember my Master telling a friend or someone that he could sell me if someone paid a fortune of 50 million.  If my Master has enough money, he will release me. 

The people who were my parents died easily. The person who could buy me died easily. What irresponsible people!

“Charles! Play!”

“…!?”

　Henri came into the hut, so I wiped my tears.

　But she didn’t miss them.

“… Charles. Are you sad?”

　Henri runs up.

　I thought she was annoying. So I pushed her away. What a fool.

“Huh?”

“Go over there! I don’t want to play right now!”

“Charles…”

“It’s annoying! You’re annoying! You’re given a meal and a bed without doing anything! Get out!”

　My parents’ memories revive like a ghost that shouldn’t have come back.

　It’s a memory of my parents when I was still little.

　My mother’s memory of her washing her hair, beautiful and sparkling.

　The memory of my father who patted my head due to the fact he was proud of me.

　Tears were dripping from my eyes.

“Gah! Why? Why me?”

[TL Note: The MC is only a whiny little bitch when he’s younger, I swear]

“Charles.”

　I was hugged by a small body.

“Come here.”

“–!?”

　Small, soft hands stroke my head.

She was supposed to be smaller than me but.. She felt so much bigger.

“It’s okay. You’re not lonely. I’m with you.”

“An.. ri…”

　Henri rubs my back, comforting me like a baby…

　My tears couldn’t stop.

I cling to her back.

“I loved them… I loved them…. Why didn’t they love me?”

“It’s okay.”

“I thought I could live with them again!”

“It will get better.

　I cried. She let me. She stayed with me until I stopped crying.

　From that day on, she was my most valuable and only friend.

　◆

“Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.”

“WHAT!?”

　I woke up when I was hit smack in the eardrum by the loudest and most annoying call of any bird ever.

“GODDAMN CHIME BIRD.”

　Anyway, I had a dream.

　Recently, I often dream of her…

I get into the shower.

　The shower is, of course, a magical type. The shower head in the wall is engraved with magic circles, and when you touch it with your finger, warm water is sprayed. Touch it again to stop.

“Hmm.”

　The water stopped. Looking at the magic tank attached to the wall, the blue ether (to put it simply, liquefied magic power) is gone. I took the ether container that was left in the bathroom as a spare and packed the contents in the tank, and water started to come out again.

　I dry off my head and tie my hair.

　When my hair is dry, I open the door of the bathroom and make my way to the door of my apartment. Cold, fresh air tickles the nostrils. I realized again that a new life has begun.

I go to the common room on the first floor of the dormitory.

I’m hungry.

　What should I do for breakfast?

　I can’t prepare breakfast because I didn’t have time to shop yesterday.

　I smell something, probably because I’m hungry, it smells really good.

　No, it’s not because of hunger. Whatever it is smells really good.

　I was caught by the smell and entered the kitchen. The contents of the long pot in the kitchen seem to be the source of the smell.

　I step over to the pot and look into it.

　I wonder what this is.

　The pot is filled with black and thick soup, and a wide variety of ingredients float ontop the soup. Eggs without yolk inside, triangles, white and round things, and the only ingredients I know are boiled eggs.

　Damn, I’m curious. However, if you eat it without permission, someone will get angry.

“It’s called  oden.”

　I was called out to.

　It was the dormitory manager.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes, well, it’s very fragrant.”

“Wait a minute.”

　The dormitory manager stirred the contents of the pot, took out a plate from the shelf, and put the oden on it.

“Eat it.”

“But I don’t have money…”

“Hey, do I look like that kind of guy? It’s a treat from your dorm brother.”

　There is still time before the class starts.

　With the kindness of the dormitory manager, I decided to eat “oden”.

　At the table I eat the oden. It’s good. It’s the most peculiar thing I’m sure I’ve ever eaten.

“The eggs that are hollow are a chikuwa. The white one is a hampen. The triangle is a konjac.”

　Chikuwa, hampen, konjac.

　All have a new texture. I can’t think of ingredients with a similar texture.

“Ume, right?”

“Yes!”

　So that’s it. Does this dish called “oden” collect ingredients with a unique texture so that you won’t get bored? My fork doesn’t stop as I eat this delicious  dish.

　Every ingredient has a taste. This thick soup brings together the ingredients with different personalities. It’s like a concert. Soup will be the conductor, chikuwa, piano, konjac the singer and  hampen the ensemble, master piece put together.

“There are foods and dishes from all over the world in this school. Sushi! Nikuman! Ramen! There are tons of rare dishes. If you have time, go to the commercial area and you’ll surely find a lot of food you’ve never seen.”

　As expected it is a super prestigious school. They do not cut corners on the ingredients.

“Thanks for the meal”

“Mmm. I’ll wash the dishes, so get out. You can’t afford the time.”

　When I check the clock in the room, the hands are at 8:15.

　Morning assembly starts at 8:30. from here it takes 15 minutes to get to the class building. I don’t have time. I was too absorbed in Oden.

“I’m sorry, thank you! I’ll probably repay you, someday.”

“Someday?! Anyway, hurry and I’ll give you a lift if you’re fast enough, just raise your hand.”

　I didn’t have time to asnswer back or fully understand what he’d said, so I bowed and went outside.

　I go down the hill, cross the bridge, and run through the brick town.

　While heading to the class building, I saw a blonde person, Rand.

“Rand!”

“Hi ~! We’re going to  be late! Good morning Charles! What should I do? We have a crisis!”

“Grab my hand!”

“What? Why?”

“Just do it!”

　When Rand raised his right hand alongside my left a wind noise rang and a gust of wind blew from overhead. A big shadow is reflected at our feet.　When I look up behind and raised my head there was a flying dragon. There is an adult with goggles on his back.

“YO! Needa ride?”

“Flying dragon!?”

“One dragon taxi ordered! Students can ride for free in the morning and evening!”

“Then, please go to the White Tiger school building!”

“OK. Grab onto the hanging leather.”

　The dragon ducks low, just above us.

　Suspended leather and supporters such as rings hang from the saddle of the flying dragon.

“Wait a minute! We have to hold onto that?”

“Don’t have time! Just grab on!”

“Well, really… my arm will die…”

“Shut up and get on!”

　Rand and I grab the hanging leather.

“Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

“GAH!”

　I can afford it.

Rand screams like a banshee.

　Sure enough, just before arriving at the White Tiger school building,

“MOTHERSONOFAGODHAVEMERCYONMYSOUL!”

　Rand’s arm reached its limit, and his hand was separated from the hanging leather.

“GAHHHHHHH!”

　Rand fell from the sky into a densely populated area of ​​trees.

　After arriving at the White Tiger school building, I made a dash to the point where Rand fell.

“Are you okay, Rand?”

　I call out to Rand, whose uniform has been tattered.

　Rand swore with tears that he would never use Drataku again.

　Anyway, thanks to Drataku, I was able to go to school safely with plenty of time.