"...Prince Philip stood at the edge of the cliff. Not because he wanted to jump, but because the sea seemed the only thing vast enough to match his loneliness..."
She wasn't reading word for word; she was interpreting. Emilia didn't just know the story—she felt it. There was no magic involved, yet in that room, with only a sunbeam cutting through the window, I felt pulled into the tale. I could swear I heard the crashing waves and smelled the salt air.
"Well?" she asked, looking at me with shining eyes. "Was it... terrible?"
"It was incredible," I said sincerely, smiling. "You have a gift. You don't just read the story, you make it come alive."
She blushed and looked away.
"I just... like to imagine how the characters feel. It's easier than... well, dealing with my own feelings."
"That kind of empathy is powerful." I stood up. "You're right, people can be cruel. But there are also people, like those kids at the orphanage, who would give anything to hear a voice like yours telling them that dragons can be beaten."
I walked toward the door.
"Emilia... I'll wait for you in the garden."
She didn't answer, just looked at me in surprise.
"Take a bath, put on some outdoor clothes, bring your favorite book, and don't ask questions. I'll explain when you're ready."
I didn't give her time to refuse. I stepped out and closed the door, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
"Well?" the father asked, wringing his hands. "Did she scream? Did she kick you out?"
"Quite the opposite," I said with a calm smile. "We read a little. Your daughter has a wonderful storytelling voice."
"Reading?" The mother blinked, confused but hopeful. "That's it?"
"For now. I told her I would wait in the garden. If all goes well, she'll be down in a while."
"Thank you, young Daiki. Thank you."
I started to leave, then stopped.
"There is one more thing. And it's important."
They both looked at me.
"Do not come out. Do not let her see you."
"But... why? We want to see her. We want to tell her..."
"I know," I interrupted. "I know you love her. But right now, she feels ashamed. She feels guilty about disappointing you, about everything. If she sees you now, that guilt will crush her and she'll bolt back to her room."
I pointed toward the garden.
"She needs to see that the world hasn't ended. I'm taking her somewhere safe where no one will judge her. But I need you to let us go without any sad goodbyes. If she sees you there, hovering with food trays and teary eyes, she'll feel the pressure. Let her breathe."
I glanced at the window.
"We aren't staying in the garden. I'm taking her outside the walls."
The mother stepped closer. "Outside? To the street? But she hasn't left her room in months!"
The father sighed and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "He's right, dear. Let's trust him."
"Stay hidden," I suggested. "Watch from the upstairs window if you want, but don't let her know. When she returns, just act normal."
"Alright," whispered the mother. "Please take care of her."
"With my life."
I went out to the garden and waited by a fountain.
I knew she would take her time, so to pass the hour I started reading a book a maid had brought me when she noticed me sitting on the ground. I hadn't read it before, and part of me wished Emilia were the one reading it to me. I missed that "magic" in her voice, and I hoped with all my might that she could help those kids.
Taking her out this soon is a gamble. If something goes wrong, if someone says something cruel... it could set back months of progress. But what choice do I have? She has to see that the world won't devour her. She has to see that there are things bigger than her fears.
...Although I admit, I'm worried.
[You will succeed. She will too.]
...I hope you're right.
Finally, I heard the latch of the door.
I closed the book and stood up.
There she was.
She had bathed. Her hair was tidy and brushed now, revealing a color I hadn't seen before. She wore a simple light blue dress and a hooded cloak that concealed most of her face and body.
I approached slowly.
"You look good, Emilia. Blue suits you."
She looked around frantically, scanning the empty garden. Seeing no one, her shoulders slumped slightly.
"Where... where are they?" she asked. "I thought... they would be here."
"They're busy inside," I lied. "Something urgent came up."
She seemed relieved.
"Oh... I see." She adjusted her hood. "Ah, by the way..." She pulled a hand from under the cloak, clutching a thick book against her chest. "I brought... I brought the book. Like you asked."
She looked at me curiously, waiting for an explanation of why I had whispered "bring your favorite book" before closing her door.
"Well done," I said with a smile. "You'll need it."
"What for?" she asked, confused. "Are we going to read in the gazebo?"
"Not exactly." I gestured toward the side exit. "Let's go. No carriage. We're walking."
"W-what?" she stammered. "Walk? On the street? With people?"
"With people," I confirmed, heading toward the garden gate. "Normal people minding their own business. You need to see that."
"I can't." She took a step back, shaking her head. "They'll laugh. They'll point. They'll say I'm weird... I can't, Daiki."
I stopped and turned to her.
"Emilia. Do you think the world revolves around you? People out there have their own problems. No one has time to scrutinize you unless you act like you're running away." I offered my hand. "Let's walk. If anyone says anything mean, I'll buy you all the chocolate you want. If no one says anything... well, we'll see."
She looked at my hand, hesitating. Finally, with a shaky sigh, she took it.
We stepped out onto the street.
The noise of the city made her shrink back, clinging to my arm as she pressed the book against her chest.
As we moved through the crowd, a man passed by carrying some boxes and glanced at us.
"Daiki! You didn't waste any time, eh? You've already got a girlfriend!"
I looked at her with a calm smile.
"See? He didn't call you weird. He called you my girlfriend. That means you look normal. They're just idiots."
After a long walk, she finally spoke.
"No one is looking at me..." she whispered. She lifted her head slightly, letting the hood slip back just enough to get a better view of the blue sky.
I smiled. "Do you see the world you're missing? What better stage to read to children than this sky above us?"
After a long walk, we finally reached my objective: the orphanage, the place where she had lived before being adopted. I knew how much she had suffered there, but I also knew it was necessary; I couldn't just ignore the past.
"A-an orphanage!" She looked at me, confused and suddenly frightened. "Why are we here?"
"There is something you need to know," I said, turning to face her. "Your fear comes from thinking you aren't enough, that people judge you for what you look like or what you have."
I pointed to the book she held tight against her chest, The Adventures of Philip.
"That's why I asked you to bring that. You told me you wanted to be the exception. That you wanted someone to listen to your story. I heard you... but you need another perspective. A more innocent one."
I let go of her hand and approached the door.
"Wait for me here. They can be a bit... intense, but they're good kids."
I left her alone, hoping she wouldn't run. When I walked in... well, I got the usual welcome.
"Brother Daiki!" a little girl shouted, dropping what she was doing and launching herself at my leg.
"Daiki's here!"
"Tell us a magic story!"
I just smiled at their affection. I had spent the last few months helping out at the orphanage; I remembered living in one in my past life, feeling lonely, and being their "hero" comforted me.
"Storytelling isn't really my thing... But I have a special girl for that. However..." I turned serious. "I want you to treat her well. She is my friend. If you don't, I'll get angry and confiscate the toys and chocolates I bring you."
I went back to the door and opened it. Emilia was leaning against the wall, white-knuckling her book. She watched people pass by, visibly worried, but no one was looking at her.
"Emilia, come!" I called out, snapping her out of it.
She jumped, startled, and quickly fixed her hair.
"Are... are you sure...? I... I don't know..." She started to stutter.
"I told them you were special, don't make me look bad, okay?" I smiled to reassure her.
Once inside, the children watched in wonder.
"She's so pretty! She looks like a princess!" they whispered as I slipped the hood off without her noticing.
Emilia brought her hands to her head, suddenly feeling exposed.
"W-what...?" She tried to pull her hood up, but I stopped her.
"Let them see you," I whispered, leaning toward her. "A storyteller doesn't cover her face before her audience. Besides..." I nodded toward the little ones. "Do you see any mockery on their faces?"
Emilia stood still, slowly lowering her hands. She stared at the children. A boy with a smudge of mud on his face approached and shyly touched the fabric of her dress.
"Are you a real princess?" he asked, eyes wide. "Your hair shines like the sun."
Emilia turned bright red, but not from shame.
"I... I'm not a princess," she stammered. "I'm just Emilia."
"Emilia the Princess!" a girl shouted, and the rest followed with laughter and applause.
I seized the moment. I guided her gently to the wooden chair in the center of the circle.
"Sit down. They're ready for the adventure."
Emilia sat, smoothed her skirt with trembling hands, and opened the book. Twenty pairs of eyes were fixed on her.
"O-once upon a time..." she began.
A boy in the back row leaned forward. "What'd she say? I can't hear."
Emilia froze. Panic returned to her eyes and she looked for me.
I said nothing. I just smiled and nodded firmly.
Do it like in your room. Do it for them. That was what I told her with my gaze.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them, the scared girl had momentarily vanished.
"Once upon a time!" she repeated. "A prince named Philip lived in a crystal castle where the sun never set. But Philip hated the light, because it reminded him of everything he couldn't see in the shadows..."
And so, her moment began. I decided to leave her alone, stepping outside to sit on the ground and look up at the blue sky. I wanted her to know she could do it without me there.
Mission accomplished. And without a single spell.
[I must admit Cliff was right for the first time in giving you this mission... Daiki, you are saving a life. Do you realize what you are capable of doing? And you still believe yourself insufficient...]
...Ayam... don't start with your motivational speeches.
[It is the truth. You refuse to see it, but you changed that girl's world today. And those kids'.]
I stayed there, sitting on the ground with my back against the outer wall of the orphanage, listening to Emilia's voice.
It was a moment of peace.
"Daiki!"
The peace lasted exactly two seconds more.
I looked up to see a familiar figure marching toward me, furious.
"What the hell are you doing sitting here staring at the sky?" Cliff shouted, stopping in front of me and blocking the sun. "You were supposed to be at the Miller mansion! We had a Rank A mission! 'Exorcise Sloth', remember!"
I brought a finger to my lips, making an exaggerated gesture for silence.
"Shhh. Keep your voice down, Cliff."
"Keep my voice down? Don't hush me! I left you in charge of diplomacy and I find you lazing about in the doorway of an orphanage! Did they kick you out? Did you fail?"
"Listen," I interrupted him, pointing to the open window just above our heads.
From inside, Emilia's voice drifted out.
"...The dragon breathed fire not to burn, but to light the path, because at the bottom of the sea, darkness is the true enemy..."
"That voice..." he whispered, frowning. "Is that...?"
"It's Emilia," I confirmed with a satisfied smile. "The girl who refused to leave her room and hated her own voice. Right now she is reading to twenty children who are looking at her like she's a goddess."
Cliff looked at the window, then at me, then at the window again.
"You got her out of the house? You brought her here?" he asked, his tone softening. "Without using magic?"
"I just used a book and a bit of common sense. She needed a purpose, not a sermon."
"Hmph. Well... I suppose that is an... acceptable solution. Unorthodox and risky, typical of you, but effective." He crossed his arms and looked away. "Technically, if she is here and doing something productive, the 'Sloth' has been exorcised. Mission accomplished."
I smiled at him.
"Exactly. So wait. The chapter isn't over yet."
Cliff grumbled something about "wasting valuable time," but instead of leaving or continuing to yell, he leaned against the wall beside me.
Everything was fine, until...
I heard a familiar voice, a voice I remembered so vividly that it shot me to my feet instantly.
"...Daiki...?"
Cliff, noticing my sudden reaction, straightened up and looked where I was looking.
"Who is it?" he asked, frowning. "Know him?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't. My throat had closed up.
"Son..." the man whispered, and then, with more force, he shouted. "Daiki! It's you! By all the gods, you're alive!"