I guess she was so tired that she didn’t wake up until a whole day later.
It was the next morning alright.
I was sleeping on the living room sofa when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. That woke me up so I got up too. I stretched out and prepared to greet her.
The glass door opened and she—Karen, entered.
「Good morning……how was your」
「Bark!」
Chocola nestled at Karen’s feet. Last night, after I slept, he seemed to have stayed at the bedroom door.
Karen nodded at me and squatted down.
「Good morning……Chocola, you’ve grown bigger」
「Bark!」
And then, just like that, he started squirming at her.
「Good good good good good good」
「Kwuuunn, kiyuu……」
「……you…..even showed your belly……!」
Chocola lied on his back while being patted with satisfaction. He has completely fallen. He rarely showed that kind of expression even in front of me and father.
However, I’m not surprised about that anymore.
I guess it’s normal for Chocola to miss her.
It has been a whole day since I brought her to my room yesterday.
I had plenty of time to think and organize my thoughts.
「Ano, you are……Karen-san, right?」
「Karen」
「Yeah, Karen-san」
「No, Karen」
「Right, Karen-san」
「Karen」
「Ka-ren」
「Yeah, Karen」
It seems like I obtained the right to call her by her name. No, the hurdle of calling a girl her name is……but I used to call her that.
And—apparently, she valued me enough for her to kiss me as soon as we meet again. I don’t think I should do anything that would turn her off.
I stood and opened the curtain of the sweep window.
「You must be hungry. I only have canned food and stuff……how about we and Chocola eat breakfast together?」
Let’s fill our bellies first, shall we?
-0-
Karen was a silent, munching type of eater, which was kind of cute. However, I guess she must have been very hungry because when the food in front of her ran out, she looked at me as if asking if she wanted more. When I asked her “You want more?” she nodded with an “Uhuh”. When I gave her a refill, she munched again silently, emptying seven canned foods, three packs of retort porridge, and two liters of pet bottle.
It was amazing but I’m glad that she seems to have gotten comfortable.
While brewing tea after the meal(there were tea leaves in the cupboard),, I once again turn to face Karen across the table—at an angle to be exact since it’s an L shaped sofa.
「Ehto, first of all, I owe you an apology.」
After taking a sip of tea, I start.
「Actually, I don’t remember anything about you until yesterday. Even now, I can only remember bits and pieces……like your name, Karen. I know that we talked when we were children but that’s all. I still don’t know most things……I’m sorry.」
「Hmm. I understand Sui’s situation. Let me ask you a few questions.」
Karen nodded without being surprised or shocked. Given her expression and the way she speaks, it means that she has anticipated this situation to some extent.
Her question, caught me off guard.
「This house. Why doesn’t it have any electricity?」
「Eh……? Because, you know, this is from another world like me.」
「Is there no electricity in another world? Is that what Sui thinks?」
「Yeah……how could there be?」
Wait a minute, why does she know about electricity?
「The water supply is working just fine. If so, that means you are using magic to some extent……and yet, there’s no electricity……」
「Ehto, Karen?」
「Hnn……sorry. Next question. How much do you remember before you were five years old?」
「Five years old? Before I went to elementary school……」
「Do you remember anything? Can you remember anything? Or—」
Or?
I took a deep breath,
「—you weren’t even aware that you didn’t remember anything until I ask you.」
「………!」
Karen just pierced my heart.
Right.
It’s exactly as she said.
What kind of life did I have before entering elementary school? What kind of people did I play with and how did I spend my days?
Thinking about it, I don’t remember.
No—I wasn’t conscious that I don’t remember.
「That can’t be. You mean……」
I was horrified.
I had been living my life without any sense of uneasiness. I thought I had been living a very normal life. I had never thought about the fact that I had no memories before the age of five.
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