/
“I’m a Demi, after all.”
__
I then carried her on my back to the second floor. Since both my hands were full, I asked Rhonya to open the door and entered.
On the right of the room is her bed, while on the left is a brown desk and a sofa, and the curtain swaying around due to the wind entering from the opened window.
A small room brimmed with the smell of flowers. It’s the smell of the Rotos who were on top of the table, and of Rhonya’s. And an unknown smell which came from somewhere.
It has been some time since I met the Rotos, which Chise described as similar to muscat grapes.
There were various kinds of herbs and plants lined up, and a mortar. Looks like the Rotos were making medicine, and this was the origin of the unknown smell.
The light green Rotos, the same as I first met them, stiffened up with their eyes and mouths wide open. They seemed surprised due to my appearance.
Gently putting Rhonya down on her bed, I could see Rotos on the side table as well. Flustered, they jumped down.
“….You guys should just get used to me already.” Shrugging my shoulders, I bent on my knee and persuaded the Rotos on the floor and on top of the table.
“Let’s take care of Rhonya together, all right? Since we feel the same about wanting her to recover to full health, right?”
The Rotos looked dumbfounded.
“You guys should just focus on making the medicine and taking care of her as she rests, and I’ll deal with the visitors. Understood?”
After saying so, the Rotos then placed their small hands on their forehead and shouted out ‘Aye-!’ while making a salutation.
“Fufu…”
Hearing soft laughter, I turned around. Rhonya was sitting on the bed, covering her mouth with her left hand and laughing. The gentle laughter fixed my eyes on her, and then I quickly stood up.
“You should lie down and rest now.”
“Okaaay.”
After helping Rhonya lie down, I covered her with the blanket, and moved the light covering from her shoulders to the top of it.
“Fufu… Sena-san really is a good brother.”
“You too have an older brother, right?” As I subtly asked her, but Rhonya replied in a whisper.
“……Yes.”
“Hmmm…. Then aren’t you lonely to be apart from him?”
“That’s not true.” Rhonya turned pale and shook her head to the sides.
While wondering about her weird response, I reached out to her hair. Due to the force of shaking her head to the sides, her hair had become disheveled. I then brushed my hand through her hair.
Rhonya’s hair felt very smooth. The sensation felt great to the touch, which made me touch it more than needed.
“Ah, sorry…”
Realizing Rhonya had looked upward, I removed my hand.
“Was it disheveled?”
“Yeah, a bit… Can it brush it?”
“Ah, alright”
She readily gave her permission.
As I look around for a brush, a group of three Rotos brought it to me. Receiving it, I sat down on the bed and started brushing Rhonya’s hair.
Her silky platinum hair had tinges of sky blue. I brushed through the gently wavy hair which then turned smoothly straight. ‘Fuwawa~’ As I saw the Rotos squeal out, which seems to indicate how nice her hair was to the touch.
“Speaking of which, the time before when you were alone with Shize, did you get to touch his mane?”
“No.”
“Eh? Then did you frolic?”
“We did but… Just his hand.”
So she didn’t get to frolic with his mane, huh. She should just tell Shize how much she wanted to touch it…. No, it’s probably due to Shize’s consideration. Since on that day, Rhonya was troubled by how clingy Ryuse and Chise was.
“Shize-san really is a very kind person…” Rhonya ventured.
“….Yeah, I guess.”
Gazing at her profile, I responded in kind.
“I heard Shize-san’s father was a human, and a knight.”
Oh? Did Shize tell Rhonya about those as well?
“I forgot to ask his family name. I may probably know him.”
“…I don’t know as well. Since we Demis don’t have family names like humans do. Since to us, our appearance indicates our family name. Our appearance links us to our parents.”
“I see… Then, Shize-san’s mother would also be a black lion then”
Rhonya made a gentle smile.
“I’m sure she is a wonderful person.”
…I wonder if Rhonya came from a family of knights as well. And it’s surprising how she calls her parents ‘otou-sama’ and ‘okaa-sama’ as well. And if she knows Shize’s father from his family name, I could deduce that she comes from a fairly well-known family.
That moment, the Roto who was making pounding noises on top of the table started flapping around its hands, and called out to us. It seems the medicine is completed.
The herbal medicine which was shaped into a ball wafted out a bitter smell. But after the Roto wrapped it in a large white petal, the smell vanished.
I brought up a glass pot and a cup from the first floor, and let Rhonya drank the medicine. Now all she needs is some sleep.
“I heard that the medicine spirits make are very effective.”
“Your first time drinking it?”
“The only time I had fallen ill like this was when I was a child.”
As if she had reached her limit, Rhonya quickly fell asleep.
Since she looked a bit unwell in her sleep, I lightly wiped off the sweat on her face with a wet towel.
The Rotos who were cleaning looked very adorable, but they were a bit boisterous. To make them quite, I held out my pointing finger on my mouth, ‘Shuush’. And so, the Rotos started imitating me and placed their hand on their mouth and ‘shuush’.
Moving my gaze towards the table, my eyes fixated on the mystery novel which I had lent Rhonya and a notebook alongside it. I nonchalantly took up the novel. I heard that she brought it along during her baths, but it was not dirtied in any way. I could slightly feel traces of magic, so I guess she used a protection magic on it.
Taking up notebook into my hand, I realized it was fastened by a string. If I remember correctly, this leaf reacts to the person who touches it, and its scent can change.
If she wants to make sure that this is not touched by others… it would mean that this is something along the lines of a diary.
I sure am curious about the contents, and reading her diary may allow me to understand her character. But it’s not in me to read another person’s diary.
Guess it’s best for me to go back to the first floor soon. Leaving the Rotos to nurse Rhonya, I decided to read a book on the first floor. I’m sure they’ll call me if anything comes up.
Once again I wiped the sweat off Rhonya’s face, and left the towel on the side table.
The moment I tried to exit the room, Rhonya moved her left hand around mid-air as if looking for something.
I wonder if she wants some water, or is it due to the agony from her fever rising?
Moving closer to check her body temperature, Rhonya grabbed onto my hand. Tears dropped from her closed eyes.
“……Schneider…”
She let out such a name with a faint voice. The tears on her cheeks didn’t stop flowing.
The Rotos quickly tried to move closer to the weeping Rhonya.
“…Who?” (Sena)
In a quiet voice, I tried asking the Roto who was trying to come up the bed.
The Roto held back its tears and pouted. Then shook its head forcefully from side to side. It seems like it’s angry.
Letting the Roto ride on the palm of my hand, I carried it towards the bed. It then quickly clung onto Rhonya.
A person whose existence would anger the spirits…. I guess. Schneider, I suppose it’s a name of a man.
Speaking of, Rhonya did say she just got heartbroken. I wonder if that’s the name of her partner.
It seems the pent-up sadness flowed out as she fell ill.
Although she did say she was heartbroken, Rhonya did not show any traces of grieving over it. Seeing how positively she started a new lifestyle in this town, I’m sure she still grieves deep in her heart.
“…”
I wonder what that man did to Rhonya. Surely, I know nothing of the truth. Anger welled within me. The kindhearted Rhonya, beloved by us (probably the Demis), spirits and the townspeople. He is the man who made such Rhonya weep.
She should just quickly forget about him. That man who robbed her smile away from her.
I softly patted Rhonya’s head, gently, to comfort her from her sadness.
I felt of wanting to protect her. Rhonya who wished to spend her time carefreely, for as long as she is here. If by any chance the man who hurt Rhonya comes, I will not hold back. No, we (Demi) won’t hold back. If I talk to Shize and the others about this, I’m sure they too will be extremely angry.
I then stayed by Rhonya’s side until her tears stopped.
It’s best to let the sadness flow out. Then, by the time she opens her eyes again, I’m sure she will be able to smile as usual again.