C130
Shirone felt a lump in his throat. How badly abused must a child be to utter such words?
“From that day, those words became a sort of spell. Every time my adoptive father beat me, I would say this. 'It's okay to kill me.' Then my adoptive father stopped beating and left with an angry expression. Ha, I just lived like that. Even when I was twelve, thirteen, until I left the house at seventeen.”
“You were around my age then.”
“Yes, at the right age to open one's eyes to the world. Then one day, I finally realized the meaning of the actions my adoptive father had done to me. No, maybe I knew it already. That's why I didn't ask for anything.”
Shirone could now guess. Marsha's adoptive father had a terrible thought that he should never have had. (H: FFFFFFFFFFF. I really don’t want to curse but this, ffffffffuuuuu-)
“Foolish. If you want to, why not just go ahead and do it? I wouldn't have been entangled messily for 17 years then. In the end, he was a pitiful coward who could neither do this nor that. From then on, I carried a knife in my bosom. One day, I saw my adoptive father's eyes as he was hitting me. Ah, I couldn't bear to see him so pitiful, so I just told him.”
Marsha spoke calmly with restrained emotions.
“You can embrace me.”
“...Did your adoptive father do that?”
“Ha, strangely, there's no twist in this story. He pounced on me as if he had been waiting, and I stabbed him in the throat with my knife. To be honest, I didn't feel anything. After that, I left home and wandered around the world until I drifted here.”
Shirone was heartbroken. When he heard from the mouth of the person concerned about the story he had only heard about in books or rumors, unknown resentment filled him.
“Um, I don't know what to say…….”
"It’s okay! Now I just have to eat and live. My adoptive father died, but my Kleptomaniac didn't disappear easily. It's not the first time or two that I've been in trouble because of this. Ugh."
When Marsha smiled brightly, Shirone also felt better. He thought she was incredible, knowing how to consider others despite having been through such an experience.
“If it is an unforgettable pain, embracing it is also a way. Old Sis doing your best to overcome the pain. I’m sure Old Sis’ Kleptomaniac will disappear soon.”
“Thank you, for understanding. If you were thinking about doing something to me tonight, you would have had a hard time.”
“No! I really……!”
“I know. Don't blush for nothing. It wouldn't be boring if I had a younger brother like you.”
“I feel the same. In fact, I also thought that Old Sis Marsha was really like my biological sister.”
"Hihi! Yes, thank you.”
Shirone was sincere. The other day, he thought about how he wished he had a brother while watching the relationship between Rian and Reina.
Had he have a sister, would he feel the same way he do now? Her every word and action made Shirone's heart feel at ease.
Meanwhile, the bartender who had gone into the room came out.
He didn't know the details, but it seemed that all kinds of information was being gathered in the room he came out of.
“Gamose alarm is off. He seems to have found a woman he likes, and he's returning to the mansion to have a party.”
“Phew, thankfully it's not too late.”
Marsha glanced at Shirone with sullen eyes.
“Hmm, you seem to hate being with me that much? Just a moment ago, you were begging in a baby voice, 'Marsha, please become my real older sister.'”
“...I didn't say it like that.”
Shirone also felt regretful. It was the first time that he, who was not used to women, had a conversation without noticing the passage of time.
However, for the sake of the chefs at the villa who were waiting with a grumbling stomach, he had to leave.
“I think I should go back. Can I see you again?”
“Of course. What, are you going to run away in the middle of the sea? If you're bored, come visit. I'm planning to stay here.”
"Haha! Yes, then.”
Tags:
Infinite Mage (Novel)
