Adventurer's Guild Café: I Was Wrongfully Exiled by the Saint, So I Will Enjoy My Second Life with My Fluffy Friends - V 2.2 Chapter 6.4

“…Gier, you’re amazing.”

I wiped away my tears and smiled faintly.

“When you look at me, it must remind you of yourself. It must hurt.”

“Yeah. That’s why I want to help you—just as someone once helped me.”

—That’s the very reason I’ve lived until today.

Saying so, Gier took my hand.

“…I respect you. Thank you, Gier.”

At last, I understood why I always rushed out alone.

—Because I couldn’t say help me.

That day at the academy in Aluda, when I was condemned, when Roy denounced me, all I could do was tremble. What I really wanted was to say, help me. But I couldn’t. Because back then, there was no one who would help me. But now, it’s different. I have everyone with me. Even so, I still have this habit of rushing out by myself. Maybe it’s because I’d been alone for so long that I never grew used to asking for help. I think I’m only now, little by little, starting to change.

I went into the dungeon because I wanted to be strong, to change. But strength isn’t only about a sturdy body, or about standing up against someone.

Being able to say help me—that too is a kind of strength. For me, that act takes enormous courage. To reach out your hand and have it grasp only at empty air, as if the world itself is telling you you’re alone… it’s terrifying to the core of your soul. That fear had soaked deep into me. But now that I can think calmly, I know there are so many people who will take my hand. When Father and the others suddenly showed up, I just panicked, that’s all.

What was I in such a hurry for? I really have changed. Slowly but surely, I’m growing. I’m not that same person anymore. Once I realized that, the trembling stopped. My body warmed, as if Gier’s heat had flowed into me all the way down to my fingertips.

“Gier.”

“…Yeah.”

“P-please… help me… I don’t want to go back to Aluda…!”

My trembling voice spilled the words. The only reason I could say them now, in this moment, was because Gier had found the courage to share his own story with me.

“Of course. Kuna, we’ll protect you. So come with us.”

I nodded. My body, which had felt heavy as stone, could finally move again.

“Everyone… I’m sorry, for making you worry.”

“Ruu?”

I gathered Lulu and the others into my arms and spoke to them.

“We’re about to head somewhere a little far away. Is that alright?”

Lulu wagged her tail in delight. The Mokomotts squeaked cheerfully. So warm. It’s okay—because I have everyone with me. At last, I felt like I’d returned to being my usual self, and relief filled me. When we get back, I’ll apologize to everyone. I don’t know when that’ll be, but still…

Just as I squeezed Gier’s hand, something strange happened.

“Eh…”

Here and there across the grassland, tiny sparks of golden light began to glow. Their numbers and brilliance grew, until the entire field was wrapped in a sea of golden radiance.

“What is this…”

Looking closer, I realized they were golden buds. The buds all began to blossom at once. All around us, flowers of light bloomed in profusion. I’d seen these very flowers before—in the dream of the subterranean fish…

That’s right… my mother was beside them, and she had saved me, hadn’t she…

As I stood there breathless, Gier murmured softly:

“…Atlantia.”

“Atlantia?”

“This flower’s name. It blooms under the influence of magic. But why would it bloom now?”

Gier too was staring in astonishment at the flowers spreading all around us.

So this flower is called Atlantia. I’d always wondered about it.

“It’s beautiful…”

Up close, the blossoms radiated a faint warmth.

“Come to think of it, when I saved you before, this flower bloomed then too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Thanks to the warmth these flowers give off, your body didn’t lose its heat.”

So that’s what happened… This flower saved me as well. My benefactor.

When I reached out to touch one in gratitude, the nearest bloom rustled and shook.

“!”

What was that—an animal?

Tilting my head, I peered toward the sound. Then suddenly, something with a brilliant glow hopped up from within. Hop, hop, hop. It was bouncing straight toward us.

“Hyah!?”

Without thinking, I clung to Gier.

“What is it?”

Gier, just as surprised, fixed his gaze on the movement. The flowers parted, and before us appeared—

“!”

“This is…”