Chapter 42 (1/2)
Translator(s): DCThanatos Editor(s): XSSpeed Proofreader(s): The Colorless King, DCThanatos TLC(s): s.h.i.+mizuA
Note: Many apologies for not posting a chapter for weeks, this is mostly my fault. I more so prioritized working on MLW than ABM, plus I was having a hard time getting someone to edit the chapter, etc. There should be a chapter next Wednesday, however we all know how I am with promises (>.>).
Without further adieu, enjoy the fruits of my labor
One day – Early Morning
Ever since being 'invited' to the 3rd squad of Black Maria, Mary has been clinging to s.h.i.+zuru.
When he gets up, just like the duckling of a spot-billed duck, she follows behind. When it was time for him to go to sleep, she nestled close to s.h.i.+zuru, and subst.i.tuted Lady as a pillow, sleeping on the floor instead of the bed.
s.h.i.+zuru didn't want her to get depressed and such, so he allowed her to do what she liked.To begin with, no emotion existed for him to feel annoyed, so it was natural so to speak.
Yellow day of the week. White magic’s effectiveness is considerably weakened, and so the medical office is closed on this day of the week. s.h.i.+zuru was writing early in the morning inside a room across from the 3rd squads base, using it as his home for camouflage.
”Well… Because I used five silver coins here…”
While comparing several memos, he occasionally played around with his abacus[1] and wrote down the calculated results on paper. While he was doing so, before long, a faint voice sounded out quietly from behind him.
”Mother…? M-mother?”
”… Yes? Oh, good morning Mary. You're sure up early”
As s.h.i.+zuru turned his head, he saw Mary, who was wearing an oversized s.h.i.+rt in place of a nightdress, appeared from the partially open door while rubbing her eyes from drowsiness. Shortly after, her small footsteps sounded out as she rushed towards s.h.i.+zuru and embraced him in a hug. The child had a peculiarly high body temperature that was emitted through her clothes.
”Mary…? What's wrong?”
Not only body temperature, s.h.i.+zuru also felt a faint trembling at the same time, so he placed his pen down for a moment, and turned to face her. While he gently rubbed her head, she looked up to him with a look of anxiety on her face.
”Did you have a scary dream?”
In response to the question, she swung her head back and forth horizontally. Then, after a moment of silence, Mary opened her mouth while trembling.
”When I woke up in bed… When I woke up, mother wasn't there… and I thought that I had been abandoned by mother…!”
Mary's eyes began to shed tears like a rain cloud around her second mother. She desperately clung to him, and s.h.i.+zuru rose up from his seat and gently hugged her.
”Mother…… Don't go anywhere……!”
”… I'm sorry, Mary. I've scared you.”
s.h.i.+zuru calmed her voice down by cuddling and patting her slender back. Before long, little by little, she began feeling relieved within his gentle hands
”Mother, mother, mother…”
――Mary was broken. She was like a shattered gla.s.s figurine, only held together by glue, barely retaining it's former shape. As such, in order to prevent it from falling apart, someone has to always keep careful watch over it.
However, the broken gla.s.s was too sharp, meaning most humans who touch it are cut, letting it slip from their bloodied hands only to break again. It was only s.h.i.+zuru and Beth who could touch Mary's heart without breaking it, without being cut.
”It's all right. I'm not going anywhere.”
s.h.i.+zuru, in a voice that gave people relief, whispered closely in Mary's ear.
Immediately after awakening, she got anxious from s.h.i.+zuru not being by her side. The fear of the thought of possibly being abandoned surfaced.
From finding him safe, came relief.
There were a lot of feelings mixed in her heart, but everything was washed away with one statement. Afterwards, only Mary's unconditional relief remained, and an innocent smile that was appropriate for her age hung upon her face.
”Mother……What are you doing?”
She had regained her calm demeanor back from her noisy heart.
Suddenly, Mary recalled that s.h.i.+zuru was sitting at his desk writing something.
And with children, they were always curious about their parent’s actions. Thus when she gave a look of curiosity, s.h.i.+zuru picked up the doc.u.ment off the desk.
”Oh uh, yeah, I keep an account book. How much money we spend, and how much we earn, things like that.”