C 84
"Dad, when will I grow up?"
At night, just before going to bed, I asked my father carefully.
I wanted to grow taller.
Should I say that because my body is small, my mind is also small?
"They say dragons can only grow if they receive affection, but that's really strange," Erno Etham said curiously.
Wow, did something go wrong? I hurriedly asked.
"What?"
"Because I think of you this way, there should be no reason not to grow."
Ah, yes.
I was speechless for a moment at the confidently delivered statement, but then I smiled and sank into his chest.
It was nice to feel his pat on my back. The warmth touching the body felt good, and the arm pillow was nice too.
"I hope I can grow soon."
"So it shall be."
He said confidently.
Erno Etham's words have always had strength. If you listened to him silently, it really seemed like that would happen.
"Sleep well."
"Goodnight, Dad."
I wish I could be taller when I wake up tomorrow morning.
I fell asleep thinking that.
I did it...
Oh, my God!
I've grown a lot.
When I opened my eyes, I suddenly saw myself enlarged in the mirror near the bed.
"My limbs hurt..."
It felt like someone had stretched my limbs all night like a rubber band.
Still, the sudden height made me look a bit like a ten-year-old now.
I jumped out of bed and stood in front of the mirror, spinning around.
"I'm still cute."
No matter how you look at it, I can't understand the nicknames "bun" and "fluffy."
The deep golden eyes were beautiful, but otherworldly, so they looked a bit strange.
I looked at myself in the mirror and sat back on the bed.
It was because I felt the need to face a fact.
"Anyway, my ability seems to be 'thinking' or 'wishing'."
Even when I was trapped in the underground auction house with Enosh, and when my father was sick, as always, I thought to myself and wished.
That someone would help me, that my dad wouldn't get sick anymore, that Enosh would get better.
Just like before going to bed, I hoped to grow quickly.
As a result, what I hoped for came true.
"Should I learn about dragons?"
It was incredible that a wish could come true with just imagination.
"Should I experiment?"
After thinking for a moment, I closed my eyes.
What should I wish for?
I'm thirsty, so I'd like some water.
In fact, I was a bit thirsty. The moment I made my wish, I thought I could hear the sound of water, and then a large stream of water gushed in front of my eyes.
Splash-
"Oh...?"
Then the water that had risen into the sky began to rain and soaked the room.
It wasn't very romantic. It rained only at first, then poured like a downpour.
Yes, wishing for water didn't seem like something simple.
It meant that the water had just started to rise from the ground, as if some underground water had burst.
"What is this?!"
I jumped up in alarm. My whole body was already soaked.
"Now, wait. Stop! Stop!"
I quickly raised my hand.
"Hey, stop falling!"
At that moment, the water that had been gushing stopped. Then, in an instant, it disappeared.
Tak, tak.
A puddle fell, soaking the carpet.
I couldn't stand the dampness where my feet touched.
"My lady!"
Laurent, who seemed to have heard my commotion, opened the door and entered, then opened his mouth at the flooded room.
"I, I'm sorry. I didn't do this on purpose..."
"Oh my, my lady. Are you not hurt? Where are you ill?"
Laurent rushed over and took me into his arms, not caring that the hem of my skirt was wet.
"She's soaked, she'll catch a cold. It would be better to wash up and change clothes in another room."
Although I looked like a drenched mouse, he approached me without hesitation. He must have been rendered speechless by the sight in the room, but he didn't even ask.
I was a little surprised by this new behavior, and while I was still dazed, he poured hot water into the tub in the adjacent room with a concerned look on his face.
"I had an accident, but, aren't you angry...?"
"Angry? Why would I be angry? Children are naturally curious and want to try various things, right, my lady?"
"... Yes."
I just wanted to know what my abilities were.
"Yes, the adults will take care of the cleaning. You just need to grow up healthy and happy."
Laurent said, cupping my cheeks with both hands.
"Then don't make that face. I'm not upset."
"... Yes, I understand."
"Oh? But my lady... Are you taller?"
"I was like this when I woke up."
Laurent's eyes widened.
It's even stranger that he didn't notice it while carrying me.
Even if I was a child 5 years younger and less than 100 cm tall, I should be 30 cm taller now.
"My lady."
Laurent called me with a serious expression.
"Yes?"
"Ha, what if marriage talks start? I can't send my lady."
He said firmly and hugged me. A small keychain hung from his waist.
"That... is that a dragon...?"
Isn't it?
It's a small lizard with very tiny wings. Looking at the shape, it seemed a little closer to a dragon.
"What's that doll?"
"What? Oh, this... It's just a doll."
"Does it look like me?"
At my words, Laurent's shoulders trembled. To be honest, every time I see similar items, I get nervous.
"Did Laurent make it?"
"Oh, no..."
"Then?"
"That's... Oh, I'll tell him next time! I'll call another companion lady soon!"
Laurent moved his feet with a flushed face, then pretended to cry and ran out of the bathroom in an instant.
And in less than a minute, a new maid entered.
"What the heck..."
The maids of honor also let out a small exclamation when they saw me suddenly grow. Still, they quickly regained their composure, as if they had been forewarned, and helped me bathe.
After washing up and stepping outside, Erno Etham, who had been sitting on the bed, stood up and came toward me.
Despite steam rising from my body, he hugged me without hesitation.
"I heard the room turned into a sea of water."
As he said that, I looked around my body. Looking at the maid of honor, the clever lady quickly shook her head.
"Are you okay? Are you cold?"
"Yes... I'm sorry, I made a mistake."
"It's okay, that's not the issue."
Erno Etham said, holding me in his arms.
"I was just trying to test my abilities."
"Abilities?"
"Every time I think about it, everything becomes real... I wondered if it was really like that... I was thirsty, so I just wanted to drink water..."
Suddenly, water gushed from the bare marble floor.
The uncontrolled water poured incessantly, turning the room into a sea of water, and all the expensive ornaments, furniture, and beds must have become useless.
"It's okay, first and foremost, I'm glad you're not hurt."
Erno Etham said, touching our foreheads together.
"It seems to have gotten out of control."
"... I don't know."
"The basis for using magic is imagination."
"Imagination?"
"Yes, if you want to make a wind sword, you have to think a bit more precisely than you think, like how sharp you want it, what you want to cut, and what shape you want it to be."
I just thought I wanted to drink water, I didn't think I wanted to drink any specific kind of water.
"Should I have thought of a glass of water?"
I wanted to try it again, but I didn't dare to.
"Would you like to try?"
"But..."
"If something goes wrong, I'll stop you this time."
Now that I think about it, Erno Etham was an exceptional magician.
But instead, his psychotic temperament and his way of using the sword stood out more, so I forgot about that.
"Yes."
I closed my eyes and thought of a glass of water in my head.
"Just a glass of water... I just want to drink a glass of water."
"Eirin."
As I closed my eyes, I heard my father's voice. It was when I wondered if I had done something wrong and started shaking my head.
"Open your eyes."
A large hand patted my back.
When I slowly opened my eyes, there was a glass of water floating in the air in front of me.
"Whoa...!"
When I reached out, the glass of water came closer. It was genuinely cool water.
"My daughter... you must be a genius."
"Yes?"
"It's not easy to get it right with imagination."
As if it were commendable, he ruffled my hair. My lips parted in response to the praise.
I felt like the bridge of my nose was rising completely.
"By the way, you grew like this in just one night."
He said as he lifted me up.
"I'm in trouble."
"... Why?"
"I'm afraid you're already attracting suitors."
He smiled when I tilted my head.
"Daughter."
"Yes."
"Would you like to live with your father forever?"
Erno Etham asked quite seriously.
"Oh... No."
"...."
He stayed still for a moment, as if surprised by my answer.
"Not?"
"... No..."
"Why?"
"... I want to go out, and I want to get married...?"
Suddenly, I heard the sound of something breaking somewhere. I turned my head left and right, but there was nothing like that, which was strange.
"... Is that so?"
"Yes... but I like Dad more."
At my words, Erno Etham's stern face relaxed a little.
"Yes, there's no need for any other men in the world."
And he murmured softly, as if a screw were loose somewhere.
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