"Let's dump him into an orphanage, I don't have any obligation to take care of this kid."
She's not even my daughter! Like seriously though, I'm a virgin yet you're asking me to take care of this kid?! Like seriously, what will other people think of me?!
"You can't do that, Hinata! Of course, you have obligation to take her. You're the one who asked for her, the Commander just did what you asked!"
Oh shut up, Euclius! That's because I mistook their prisoner for Clattanoia. Just because Clattanoia is gone, you're going to replace her heroine spot for this snotty brat?
We're supposed to take our leave tomorrow and go back to Tokyo but this question about whether we take this kid with us, leave It at my parent's house or just dump It somewhere is still lurking with us. So we're still sitting on our butts here in the living room
While Euclius and I are packing our baggage and talking about whether to take the kid or not, the child in question is just sitting at the corner, looking down.
She also has some dark and depressive aura, as If everything in her world is now shattered and hopeless. For some reason...
Before I knew It, I already put some distance from Euclius and in turn, approached the kid.
"Oi, Hinata-"
It looks like Euclius is about to say something but decided to just shut up. Good call, Euclius, good call.
I already approached her and all that but she's still not raising her head, or even moving or twitching a little. Did her sixth sense already stop working?
Well, even though I'm already crouching down looking down on her, It looks she hasn't noticed me so I'll just show something that will draw her attention!
"Little girl, do you know this?"
When I finally uttered a word to her, she then, raised her head and looked at me with her golden eyes. Her eyes are golden yet there's no light inside Them... All right, she's looking at me now!
"This book I'm showing to you is called a manga! It's a book but with pictures!"
She can probably read this. Euclius and Clattanoia can already automatically read Japanese when they came here. That's some anime logic there. Whenever a character will go to another country or world, they'll automatically learn the language. Well, no shit, that's true
She slowly reached for the manga I'm showing to her and took It. After getting It, she stared at her with confusion, As If she's trying to comprehend the object that I'm showing to her.
"You know, you're supposed to open that like this."
"Eh?"
I opened the manga that is now in her hands and slowly turned the pages to show her how to read It. She also squealed a bit, that's probably the first time I heard her voice.
The moment she saw the insides of the manga, her golden darkened eyes suddenly turned lighter, as If discovering something that she never saw before. So there's no manga in another world, huh?
"This is titled Black Clover, a story about a guy who doesn't have magic who lives in a world where magic exists..."
+++++
"So how is she? The girl, I mean?"
"I told her about Black Clover and now she's reading It faithfully. I also taught her how to read the manga"
"Wait, she never said anything at that time span?"
"Yeah, but don't worry, Euclius. I can feel that she's happy."
The moment her eyes lightened at the sight of that manga, I'm certain that she's happy with what she received. She's now at the corner reading Volume 1 of Black Clover. She's probably taking slow since It's her first time.
"But Hinata, why did you do that? I thought you don't want to get involved with her?"
Well, that's true. My legs moved in front of her before I knew It. The moment I saw her face filled with despair, I just...
"I remembered myself."
"You remembered what?! Please elaborate"
"Nah, let's just continue packing our baggage so we can finally get out of here. I can feel my father is staring at me. He's definitely not satisfied that we pushed the explanation."
Yeah, she reminded me of myself when I'm just a little lad. I will often weep and ask myself why was I even born... but someone lent a hand for me at that time.
"Hinata, do you know this?"
"It's... a manga... Sensei... I'm not that dumb... I know that..."
"Oh? What mangas did you read?"
Damn, some nostalgic memories suddenly popped into my head. That's some precious memories, all right. I should hold on to It, and probably pass it to someone as well.
"Euclius, let's just take the kid."
"Ehhh?! Sure, but... can you work for us three? Clattanoia, the kid, and I... Work hard to feed three of us"
"What do you mean feed three of you? I'll only feed one and It's the kid, go find your own work"
Geez Euclius, you can't be a parasite forever you know? I'm already letting you inside my house, be content with that. Euclius is now looking at me like I'm the worst man to ever live. Oi, stop trying to make me the bad guy!
Now that I about It, I still don't know the name of that little girl. Whatever, even If I ask her, I doubt she'll answer me. I'll just ask her when she feels ready or I'll have her write her name somewhere
With that, the hectic 14-day vacation that is supposed to be refreshing and relaxing finally ended(For real this time, no joke)
END OF CHAPTER 18