A week had passed since that duel everyone had witnessed.
Yet Lyriette's daily life hadn't changed all that much.
Her mother Cassdia was still just as strict with her.
Her brother Abel was still just as distant.
Though if there was one small difference,
"...Off to train, are you?"
"Huh? Ah, yes. Brother."
"Good luck, then."
Whenever they happened to cross paths in the hallway, Abel—who used to click his tongue and look at her like she was some kind of bug, or pick fights outright—now at least offered her a brief greeting before walking off.
And though it wasn't drastically obvious, the environment around her had shifted a little too.
For one, no one gave her any trouble anymore about using the training grounds.
Thanks to that, Lyriette could throw herself into her training without interruption.
"Young Miss, breakfast is ready."
And another thing.
Her meals had started coming out properly.
Where before, anyone could see that what she was given was far too meager for a daughter of House Argent, now the same food the rest of the household ate arrived warm and fresh.
Not that the reason she'd avoided the dining hall had ever really been Cassdia's fault to begin with—it had always been her own choice, not wanting to feel other people's eyes on her. Still, Lyriette welcomed this change all the same.
But if she had to name the change that made her happiest of all, it would be this—
"Lyriette... oh, my. Were you in the middle of eating? Sorry, the door was open, so I just—"
"It's fine. You can come in. But what brings you here, Uncle?"
"I came to ask if you'd like to step out for a bit later. I heard that performance troupe you enjoyed so much last time is back in town."
"Really? I'd love to go."
Going outside had become remarkably freer now.
In truth, whether she could go out or not had never mattered much to her.
What mattered was that her most respected uncle, Baal, always accompanied her whenever she did.
If Baal wasn't beside her?
Then even watching the same performance she'd once found so delightful wouldn't feel the same.
Even though she was only a ten-year-old girl, of that much she was certain.
"Hah."
As Baal watched her chewing on her bread, he suddenly burst out laughing, and she tilted her head to the side.
"What's the matter, Uncle?"
"Just thinking our little niece has gotten a bit rounder in just a week."
"Wha—!? Did, did I gain weight? I don't want to show you something unbecoming, Uncle...."
Startled, she set down the bread she'd been eating and quickly snatched up a mirror.
Reflected in it was a face with a slender yet softly rounded jawline.
It was an adorable look, perfectly fitting for a child her age.
But Lyriette set the mirror down with an expression of shock.
Baal spoke up, trying to calm her.
"No, no. I meant it as a good thing. When I came back after two years, our little niece's face was gaunt as could be. This just proves you're getting healthier."
"Is it really alright? I heard men dislike it when women put on weight...."
"Depends on the man. But I think you're plenty cute just as you are now."
"Cute.... Ehehe."
Under the brutal combo of a pat on the head and a compliment, Lyriette's expression melted into a puddle.
But soon enough she remembered something bothering her, and pouted her lips.
To her, it was a matter of no small importance.
"But it's not 'little niece'—it's Lyriette, Uncle."
"Hm? Ah, sorry. Did I call you that again?"
"Yes. Even yesterday, you called me 'little niece' seven whole times."
"Cut me some slack. It's just stuck to my tongue, that's all."
"I know that, but still...."
Even Lyriette thought she looked pathetic, pouting over something this small.
But what else could she do?
That was simply how a person's heart worked.
If one could control one's own heart at will, that wouldn't be a person—that would be a machine.
"Alright, alright. I'll make it up to you when we go out today, so forgive me. Ni—"
"....."
"...Lyriette."
"Hehe."
Her parents called her by name. Even her brother did, at the very least.
So why didn't it feel like this whenever they said it?
Lyriette couldn't help the silly grin that kept slipping out.
'Uncle's voice is strange.'
She noticed it every so often—maybe Baal's voice carried some rhythm different from an ordinary person's?
The same words, the same name, spoken the exact same way.
And yet whenever it came from his mouth, it always left her feeling ticklish inside.
More than anything else, Lyriette thought it felt like magic.
And that magician was bound to cast his spell on her again today, without fail.
She was endlessly curious what kind of magic it would be this time.
***
I took Lyriette out right after we'd finished lunch.
I'd originally thought about just buying her something to eat outside.
But honestly, compared to what House Argent's head chef made, outside food could only fall short.
In taste, and in freshness both.
So we decided to eat our meals at the mansion, and instead buy Lyriette some small snacks she'd like while we were out.
Well, kids her age tend to love that kind of street food, don't they?
Something a little bold in flavor, something that hits the tongue just right.
"Uncle, there are so many people on the streets."
"That'll be because today is the Star Nativity Festival."
"The Star Nativity Festival? Ah, I think I've heard of it."
Of course she'd heard of it.
If anything, her vague response was what struck me as more absurd.
The Star Nativity Festival.
A day similar to Christmas, from my previous life.
Though the concept diverged a little.
Where Christmas celebrated the birth of Jesus itself, the Star Nativity Festival was closer to something like Parents' Day.
The reason for that ties into this world's own mythology.
At the dawn of creation, the goddess Archesia, mother of all creation, bore five children.
And the moment those five children were born, it's said they each offered up one eye and their blood to the mother who bore them, as an act of gratitude.
A rather grotesque legend, admittedly, but myths tend to be that way.
Anyway, because of that, the Star Nativity Festival became known as a day to emulate those five gods' actions—a day to express gratitude to the parents who gave you life.
"Wow, there are so many flowers, Uncle."
"So there are. I've never really had reason to wander around at this time of year, so I didn't know."
Sure enough, the streets were lined with vendors selling carnations everywhere you looked.
Apparently the shape of those blooming red petals was meant to evoke the divine blood the five gods offered to Archesia, or something along those lines.
Actually, it wasn't limited to carnations.
From what I recalled, pretty much any lush red flower worked.
Red roses were fine. Ranunculus too.
Though each apparently carried a slightly different meaning.
Carnations, if I remembered right, symbolized wishing someone health and long life.
"Did you give flowers to Grandfather and Grandmother on the Star Nativity Festival too, Uncle?"
"I did. If I recall correctly... I think I first did it when I was eight."
Well, that was also the last time.
Starting at nine, I'd begun learning swordsmanship, and I was so hopelessly bad at it that all I ever got was nagging—which soured me enough that I never gave anything again after that, if memory served.
But telling her that would probably knock down whatever respect Lyriette had for me, so I decided to skip it.
"What about you, Lyriette?"
"I've never given one before. Not just because I wasn't allowed outside, but somehow I felt like neither Father nor Mother would want a flower from me anyway...."
"...I see."
Guess I shouldn't have asked.
In hindsight, the answer had practically been a given.
'I really wish this kind of thing had been written in the original story.'
Whether she'd given one or not—if I'd known, I wouldn't have even asked.
This was all the original author's fault.
"But this year, I'd like to try giving one."
"Why's that?"
"Because you said you believed in me, Uncle. So I decided to find some courage of my own."
"That's quite the admirable answer."
Whatever Lyriette decided to do, I was ready to support her.
If I hadn't been, I wouldn't have bothered coming to find her in the first place.
"Alright. Go ahead and try it. Since it's a special occasion, let me buy you the flowers."
"No. I decided I'd buy them myself. I brought my own allowance, so don't worry."
"You don't need to refuse, though."
"No. This, at least... I have to buy with my own money. That's the only way it means anything."
Hmm, seeing her act so admirably like that only made me want to sneak some money into her pocket even more.
But I supposed I had to hold back.
Besides, I could understand what Lyriette was feeling.
It wasn't about the money—the meaning came from giving a gift entirely through her own effort, with her whole heart behind it.
"Flowers for your Star Nativity Festival gifts, right here! Carnations, roses, we've got every kind!"
Just as Lyriette made up her mind, clenching her little fist cutely and nodding to herself, a lively woman's voice rang out from across the way.
A stall packed full of red flowers, all different varieties.
Piled up in abundance like a garden itself, it drew a crowd of people flocking in from every direction.
Business was booming.
Though thanks to that, someone was getting crushed in the crossfire, so to speak.
"Waaah!? W-wait, just let me through... eep!?"
"Oop, there we go."
Unable to just watch Lyriette stumble under the press of the crowd, I stepped in and hoisted her right up onto my shoulders.
I'm not exactly the strongest guy around.
But carrying a ten-year-old girl on my shoulders wasn't too much of a burden.
Though the fact that I secretly cast a strength-enhancement spell out of sheer nervousness is a secret I'll keep to myself.
Maybe I should actually start exercising.
"There, better now?"
"Th-thank you, Uncle. Though this is a little embarrassing...."
"This is just what kids do. Look over there, they're doing the same thing."
I pointed to one side to distract her from her reddening cheeks, and sure enough, there was a little boy riding on what looked like his father's shoulders, striking a delighted Superman pose.
Watching that quietly for a moment, Lyriette murmured softly.
"I see. Is that what normal families do? I've never done it before, so...."
"You'll get plenty of chances soon enough. Isn't this one step toward that?"
"Heh... you're right!"
Just as she'd started to look a little downcast, a bit of encouragement was enough to brighten her right back up, and she reached into her pocket to pull out some money.
"Welcome, how can I— oh my?"
"C-could you tell me which flower would be good to give to my parents?"
A little tower had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and the flustered shopkeeper blinked in surprise as Lyriette, blushing with embarrassment, looked over the flowers.
Honestly, to my eyes they all looked more or less the same.
Similar shapes, all uniformly red—I could barely tell one from another.
"Pfft, let me explain. Each flower carries a slightly different meaning. Carnations, for instance, represent wishes for health and long life, red roses symbolize respect and affection, and ranunculus represents a happy, harmonious family."
"Thank you. Then I'll take one red rose and two ranunculus, please."
One and two?
That made three total, didn't it?
So who was the extra one for... ah.
"Alright, that comes to 4 silver total."
"Here you go."
"Thank you so much. With such an adorable daughter giving these, I'm sure your parents will be thrilled."
Before the confusion could fully clear from my mind, Lyriette had already finished paying, her face still flushed as she urged me to hurry and leave.
I suppose standing alone in the middle of that crowd had been embarrassing enough on its own.
"Thank you, Uncle."
"For what? Did you pick out good flowers?"
"Yes. I picked well. The shopkeeper told me the meaning behind each one... and so, um, well...."
"...Hmph."
Ah, wait—I shouldn't laugh right now.
This is supposed to be a touching moment.
But watching Lyriette squirm and fidget like that made it nearly impossible to hold back.
She kept sneaking glances at me while clutching a single red flower, slightly different from the others in her hand.
So that's why she bought three.
"U-Uncle!"
"Hm?"
"H-here... please take this!"
Deliberately keeping up an act of calm indifference, I responded evenly, and Lyriette bit down on her tongue while thrusting the flower in her right hand toward me with all her might.
"Is that for me, perhaps?"
"Yes. I know one flower can't possibly repay everything you've given me, but... I wanted to at least convey my gratitude...."
When had our little Lyriette grown so brave?
Even without the flower, just watching this moment unfold was enough to move me to tears.
I really wanted to take a picture and keep it somewhere safe.
"Thank you, Lyriette. I'll treasure this flower for the rest of my life."
"I'll give you one every year from now on, so you don't have to go that far...."
"Then I'll just treasure all of those for the rest of my life too."
Assuming I lived to about eighty, and got one flower every year until then, that'd add up to roughly sixty flowers.
Guess I'll need a huge vase in my room.
Now all that remained was to see how her brother and sister-in-law reacted to receiving those two flowers.
"Hehe, now if I give these to the two of them...."
Seeing the anticipation written all over Lyriette's face, whatever I was about to say got swallowed right back down.
All I could do now was pray things went well.