Dad has returned from the deserted island.
Chapter 13
It was a garden filled with mist that evoked a dreamlike atmosphere.
A flowerbed that clearly had the touch of professional hands, though Vivian didn't know that, marble-paved floors, beautiful statues, and a fountain where clear water gushed forth endlessly.
Although it was her first time here, Vivian stepped forward without a hint of fear.
The soft grass and the pure white marble ornaments placed here and there did not feel unfamiliar.
It was as if she had been here many times before, a place so familiar—
"Dad!"
While admiring a statue surrounded by rose vines, Vivian tripped over her own feet. Seeing the ground rushing toward her, she reached out her arms and squeezed her eyes shut.
However, no matter how long she waited, she didn't feel the impact of hitting the floor.
Instead, she felt something supporting her, so she peeked open one eye to check.
"……!"
A pair of human arms were supporting her body.
Arms that were shorter and thinner than an adult's, belonging to a child. Vivian’s breath hitched as she looked up, curious to see who it was.
"Hah."
The moment their eyes met, a vivid red color pierced through her heart.
Red eyes that seemed to bewitch anyone who looked into them.
Eyelashes that cast long shadows over them.
A high-bridged nose and delicate lips that looked as if they had been carved by the greatest sculptor with all their heart and soul.
Even skin as white as snow, which wouldn't lose out to the marble behind him.
He was a boy of such beauty that she couldn't possibly think of him as human.
If she had to find a flaw, it was his ice-cold expression, but even that flaw vanished in an instant.
The boy’s cold eyes turned warm, as if a gentle breeze had blown, the moment they took in the trembling Vivian.
"Fairy...?"
"A fairy?"
Even the faint smile that followed Vivian’s bewitched murmur was like a masterpiece painting.
"You're not a fairy? Then, are you an angel?"
"Not an angel, either."
"Then who are you?"
The boy replied as he helped Vivian stand upright.
"Diti."
"Huh?"
"You can call me Diti, Vivi."
There was a weight to Diti’s voice as he said the two syllables, *Vivi*.
"Okay, Diti! You look really pretty. Oh? How did you know my name?"
"You told me."
Vivian tilted her head, about to retort that they had just met, so when could she have told him?
"Did I? No, we just met."
"Right. Have you met your Dad?"
Vivian, who had been tilting her head in confusion at the inexplicable familiarity, nodded. A smile tugged at her lips just at the mention of "Dad."
"I can live with Dad forever now! Today, I even went to the next village with him!"
"That’s good. You missed him so much."
"Yeah! I love him so, so much!"
When Diti held out his hand, Vivian naturally took it, just as she always had.
Jean’s warning that she shouldn't follow strangers because it was dangerous had long been forgotten.
The boy, who looked to be about her age, didn't look like a "dangerous person" at all.
"Hehe."
Vivian giggled softly, enjoying the feeling of the soft grass under her feet every time she took a step while holding Diti’s hand.
The sound of water spraying from the fountain.
The faint chirping of birds heard from very far away.
It was a beautiful place, just like stepping into a fairy tale.
They arrived at a gazebo where vines wrapped around white pillars.
The long chairs placed under the blue roof were a bit too high for Vivian, who was much shorter than her peers.
"Heave-ho... uh?"
Diti lifted Vivian up and sat her on the chair just as she was naturally trying to climb up.
"Wow! You’re really strong!"
"You’re just too light."
Vivian stomped her feet in surprise. Diti was taller than her, but still, he was just a child!
"But Peter is two years older than me and he couldn't lift me! Oh, right. How old are you, Diti?"
"I'm one year older than you. ...That Peter guy, you don't live with him anymore, right?"
Diti’s eyebrows twitched the moment he heard Peter’s name.
"Then you're eight? Wait, how did you know I was a year younger than you?"
"Because you told me."
"Oh, come on! I never did!"
"Anyway, you don't live with that Peter guy anymore, do you?"
"Nope. A man in armor took him away. Dad said he’d probably go live with his relatives."
"And his parents?"
"Ron and Mary? Uh... they’re going to prison, I heard. How do you really know all this?"
But Diti seemed to have no intention of satisfying Vivian’s curiosity. He simply raised his hand and stroked her cotton-candy-like hair.
"Prison, huh. That’s good. I’m relieved, Vivi."
"Grrr! You don't answer any of my questions! Why are you the only one asking?!"
Vivian’s cheeks puffed out completely.
Unfortunately, her attempt to look fierce wasn't threatening in the slightest.
She looked just like an angry rabbit.
"Sorry. It’s just... I had so many things I was curious about regarding you."
Diti, who had poked Vivian’s cheek lightly with his finger, opened his hand and cupped the girl’s face.
"There were so many things I wanted to ask."
Vivian’s cheeks flushed bright red at the touch of his hands carefully caressing her face.
It felt as if someone were tickling the inside of her chest with a foxtail grass.
The boy, with his surprisingly delicate features, had eyes that were filled entirely with her.
While Vivian placed a hand on her chest and took deep breaths to calm the trembling she had never felt in her life, Diti waited for her without rushing her at all.
Thanks to that, Vivian regained her composure.
Soon, they continued to chat about trivial things endlessly. This time spent together felt incredibly enjoyable and, at the same time, familiar.
In the middle of their conversation, Diti suddenly looked up at the sky.
Even though the boy’s face was expressionless, a sense of regret was somehow palpable.
"Your dad is looking for you."
"Huh?"
"It’s time to say goodbye."
"Dad is looking for me? I don't see him?"
Vivian hopped off the chair, following Diti, and looked around.
But no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't see her dad.
She couldn't hear his voice calling her name, either.
For some reason, the mist seemed to have grown thicker.
Her head felt a little dizzy, too...
She couldn't see the boy’s face as he left his farewell.
"Let's meet again, Vivi."
Only his voice remained.
"Vivi! Wake up!"
"Uh...?"
The morning sun was dazzling.
When she opened her eyes, which she had been squinting tightly, she saw Jean’s face.
"Dad?"
"Yes, it’s Dad. My princess. You must have been very tired yesterday. I couldn't wake you up for a long time."
"Umm? Is Titi...?"
"The Divine Beast has been up for a while. Come on, let's get up and have breakfast!"
"No, not Kiki. Wait, who was it again?"
"Please return from dreamland now."
"Ugh."
Her head felt groggy, as if she had just woken up from a fairy’s spell.
She had definitely been with someone.
She felt like she shouldn't have forgotten.
As Jean carried her to the dining room, she pondered who she had been looking for, but no one came to mind.
Kiki, who was dressed neatly in the clothes they bought yesterday, got angry as soon as it saw Vivian looking at the food on the table.
[Vivian! My stomach was about to stick to my spine. To think you’d sleep in instead of getting up and taking care of my meal!]
"Oh, come on! Because of you, I forgot what I was thinking about!"
[What? How dare you blame your own stupidity on—!]
Once she arrived at the dining room, Vivian completely forgot what she had been worrying about while bickering with Kiki.
The breakfast Jean had prepared was cream stew with a baguette to dip in it.
It was a heavenly taste after waiting for the stew to soak into the hard bread until it became moist.
Jean, who was watching his daughter eat with a happy face and puffed-out cheeks, went back to focusing on his work.
While eating his stew absentmindedly, his gaze never left the map spread out on the table.
"Let's see~ where could the mine be~"
Kiki watched Jean intently.
[Vivian. Why is that human singing to himself?]
"Hmm? Adults are just like that. They always do that when they're looking for something, don't they?"
[Why is he looking for a mine?]
"Hmm... I don't know either. But what is a mine? Dad! What is a mine?"
"It's a mountain where you can find things like jewels if you dig into the ground. Sorry, Vivi. I told you not to do other things while eating, but I’m not setting a good example. I’m looking for something very important right now..."
"Wow! A mountain where you find jewels if you dig? It must be a super sparkly mountain!"
[Hmm. Important, you say. Very well. I like these clothes very much, so I shall bestow a favor upon the big human!]
"Huh?"
[...I said I would find the mine for you!]
"Eh?"
"Vivi. What's wrong?"
"Kiki says it will find the mine."
"Huh?"
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