After finishing breakfast, I spend time with everyone in the living room. Father and Mother seem a bit tense.
Just a little more. Just a little more, and this problem will come to an end. So, please wait just a bit longer.
『Rina, the watchers have moved』
Yuu, who had gone to check outside, bursts into the living room.
What should I do? What can I do right now?
『Rina. When I think of ghosts, I think of poltergeists』
That is impossible unless my spiritual power level is two or higher.
『So please teach me how to do it』
I look at Yuu and shake my head slightly.
『Does that mean no?』
I shake my head again.
『Is it impossible? Even though I am a ghost?』
I do not quite understand what he means by 「even though I am a ghost」, but I nod slightly. Seeing my reaction, Yuu makes a fuss next to me.
『Then, what am I a ghost for!』
It is definitely not for causing poltergeists.
『I came to another world but have no cheats! It is not even a light novel world! I could not even play the otome game I had been counting down the days for! What is the meaning of my existence?』
I do not know.
I avert my gaze from Yuu and look out the window. Through the trees, I can see the figures of men looking this way. They were completely hidden until now, but did they reveal themselves to threaten us?
I wonder what kind of people have gathered. Huh? The watchers. There are noose-like things tangled around their necks, but are they not taking them off? They look quite obstructive.
『Do not ignore me!』
I look at Yuu, then at the male watchers.
『What is wrong? Huh? Did they reveal themselves? Ah, a threat, I see』
Yuu does not seem particularly concerned even seeing the watchers. Could it be my mistake?
I rub my eyes with my hands and look at them again. As expected, nooses are tangled around their necks, right? Huh? It seems the thickness of the nooses differs depending on the person.
「A curse?」
『A curse? Rina, can you see something?』
Yuu looks in the direction of my gaze and tilts his head.
「Rina, what is wrong? Ah」
Onii-chan looks in the direction I am looking and stiffens his body. Noticing this, Father and Mother also look out the window.
「Rigus」
Mother grabs Father’s arm.
「It is okay. I will go talk to them」
I step in front of Father, who is trying to go outside, and spread my arms wide.
「No! Father, that is a threat. They are showing themselves to scare us. So, you must not fall for it!」
「Rina」
「It is okay. Just a little more」
Will the Bishop really come? Even if he comes to this village, what if those trash people hand over the money?
No! Do not become weak-hearted.
「Understood」
Father pats my head and gives a faint smile.
Relieved, Suna suddenly starts crying. Mother hurriedly picks up Suna and gently pats her back.
「Did she sense our fear? It is okay now. It is okay」
Perhaps relieved by being hugged by Mother, Suna stops crying and falls asleep. Seeing this, Father shows a relieved expression.
「Good」
Father and Mother look at Suna, who is sleeping on the sofa, with gentle eyes. Seeing the three of them, I cannot help but smile.
Ah, I must check if Yuu can see that now.
「I am studying in my room」
「How about here?」
Father looks at me with worry.
「When I can write characters a bit more beautifully」
『Ah, yes. That is true』
Somehow, I feel frustrated being understood by Yuu.
「Ah」
When I look at onii-chan’s small voice, he cheers me on with 「Do your best」.
『Agus seems to know Rina’s handwriting too』
As expected, that reaction meant that. It is fine. I will work hard to be able to write beautiful characters!
Huh? Remembering what I just thought, I tilt my head. That was not like me… Come to think of it, that action of stepping in front of Father and spreading my arms was not like me either.
I return to my room and look at Yuu.
「Yuu. Is there anything strange about my behavior?」
『Hmm? No, there is nothing strange. Come to think of it, you have become natural at acting as Rina』
「Natural?」
『Yes. Especially your expressions. Your childlike way of laughing has started to come out naturally』
Certainly, I have become able to laugh like Rina without even thinking about it. Or rather, probably my way of thinking and acting too. Does this mean… the real me is disappearing? No, since this body belongs to Rina, maybe that is fine. But if that is the case, what will happen to me?
『Rina? Your complexion is bad. What is wrong?』
「It is nothing. I am fine」
『You are not fine, are you? What is worrying you?』
Seeing Yuu’s serious expression, I involuntarily hold my breath.
I am not even managing my expressions well enough that Yuu is genuinely worried. But perhaps because I realized he is genuinely worried, my feelings calmed down.
「My way of thinking and acting as Rina are coming out naturally. I think it is a good thing, but I became a little anxious wondering where my original self is going」
『Being anxious means you are worried about disappearing, right?』
He is sharp.
「Yes」
『Hmm～ Maybe Rina and Rin are merging?』
「Merging?」
So, Yuu thinks that I and Rina are melting together?
『Looking at the current Rina, the Rina part and the Rin part are melting, mixing? I do not know which expression is correct, but I think they are coming out according to the necessary situations』
Is that so?
『Sorry, my explanation is poor. Um, the current Rina has both Rina-like parts and Rin-like parts. When interacting with family, the Rina-like part comes out strongly, but your way of thinking is still the solid Rin. Um, in other words… it is taking the best of both!』
I cannot help but laugh seeing Yuu speak desperately.
「Thank you. So, when interacting with people, I act according to my age. But my way of thinking is my original self. Is that correct?」
『Yes. That is exactly right』
Hmm, certainly my way of thinking and perceiving things might be Rin’s. But my actions seem to be age-appropriate.
『It is okay. If you ask for evidence, I will be troubled, but I think it is okay』
I laugh again at Yuu’s words, which have no persuasiveness at all. But for some reason, I felt 「it is okay」.
Besides, worrying about it now will not change anything. So, let us do what is necessary first.
「Sorry. I am fine now」
『Good』
「By the way, Yuu. Did you not notice that nooses are wrapped around the necks of the watchers?」
『Eh, were there such guys?』
When Yuu goes out through the window, he returns in less than a minute.
『There were none. Maybe they took them off?』
I look out the window, confirm that the nooses are still wrapped, and shake my head.
「They are still wearing the nooses. Can you not see them, Yuu?」
『Eh～』
Yuu presses himself against the window and stares intently at the watchers. But since he cannot see the nooses, he looks at me and shakes his head.
「You cannot see them」
So, although they look like nooses to me, are they actually not nooses? But if that is the case, what are those noose-like things?
I grab Yuu’s arm.
「Yuu, go closer and look—」
『I can see them! It is true! They are nooses. Nooses are tangled around everyone’s necks』
Eh, you can see them?
Surprised, I let go of Yuu’s hand.
『Ah, they disappeared』
Eh, they disappeared? But you saw them, right?
『Could it be』
Yuu looks at me and grabs my hand.
「What?」
『As expected, it seems I can see them when I am touching Rina』
「What is that」
『No, I do not know even if you ask me』
Yuu and I look at each other.
「Do you know what those nooses are?」
『No, I do not. By the way, it seems the time for threats is over』
Eh?
When I look out the window, the figures of the watchers had disappeared.
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