Extra Story 3: The Girl Who Ran Away to the World of Numbers (2/2)
She was Hilda Everett, a mid-thirties woman in glasses with short auburn hair who used to be her father's assistant.
”I've been looking for you ever since Dr. Rayne died.”
Hilda said in a calm voice as she covered Monica, who was freezing after being kicked out of the house by her uncle, with her own scarf.
But Monica can't perceive those words. All she could understand were the numbers.
As she muttered the exact number of letters of the words she had heard and applied them to the equation, Hilda smiled softly and stroked Monica's cheek.
”So Dr. Raine had taught you the formulas… and at your age, you're already so proficient on it.”
”………….”
”You don't deserve to be here. Come with me, Monica.”
”………Monica?”
When was the last time someone called me by my first name? wondered Monica at that word. After all, her uncle never called her by name but ”trash” or ”dimwit”.
She hadn't heard his father's name in a long time, since everyone had treated it as a taboo to be spoken.
Her own name, her father's name, brought Monica's consciousness, which had been wandering in the world of numbers, to the surface.
”…my name… the name my dad gave me… Monica Rayne.”
Hilda hugged the bruised and battered Monica, looking like she was about to cry.
”Dr. Rayne would be very sad to see you like this.”
”…Dad… Dad… Dad…”
That person didn't punch or kick her when she uttered the word ”dad”.
She just mourned her father's death and hugged Monica affectionately. That brought her so much happiness.
”My dad wasn't wrong… my dad was… my dad was…”
”I know. Dr. Rayne was an outstanding man.”
”My father was burned… and all of his study… all of them…”
As Monica's body quivered, Hilda's arms tightened around her body.
That alone was enough to convey how sad this woman was over the death of her father.
”*sniff* *sniff* uwaaaaaaaaaahhhhh…. Daaaad…”
Monica cried aloud for the first time in a long time in Hilda's arms.
That scene was like that of a whimpering young child.
The next day, Monica became the adopted daughter of Hilda Everett, a researcher at the Magic Institute, who later discovered her talent for magic and sent her to Magician Training Institute Minerva.
And this story took place about five years ago when Monica was still twelve years old.