Chapter 12 – Sieglinde is rejected

“Is this Ririh’s new home!?”

“That’s right. You have your own room too.”

Ririi woke up, and she’s been exploring our new home with a glitter in her eyes. She opens a closet and poses while looking this way, gets on top of the furniture and poses again… She’s so incredibly cute, smiling while waving at me. Sieglinde and I haven’t moved from the entrance to the living room.

“…Are you sure about this? This is pretty high-end.”

I ask Sieglinde, who is watching Ririi run around excited about her new home, with no emotion in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, it was vacant anyway. One of my subordinates lives near here too, so don’t worry about security.”

“…You really helped me out here. So, about Ririi…”

“I’ll handle that too. I need to report that you’re back, but I’ll just include in the report that the girl is an elf that was born with some abnormalities.”

Says Sieglinde while pushing her glasses up. Unless that changed from when we were in school, that gesture means she has something to say.

But still, I have to return the favor after all she’s doing for us. I’m willing to help her with pretty much anything, so I’m just waiting for her to say what it is.

Ririi waves this way from the back of the room, and I wave back. Sieglinde does nothing but stare.

“I know I’m changing the subject but… Does she have a mother?”

“…Ah?”

I let out that stupid sounding voice because I have no idea where Sieglinde is going with this.

Obviously she has a mother. She’s a person after all. And it’s also obvious that Sieglinde understands this, so I don’t know what she’s talking about.

“What do you mean?”

I ask, and her face turns red for some reason. Her skin is very pale, so that slight redness stands out.

“…I’m speaking from a biological standpoint. Purely an opinion from a scientific point of view…Wouldn’t it be best for a child to grow up with two parents?”

“Ah, I see what you mean.”

So Sieglinde is worried about Ririi’s emotional education. She can study in the magic school, but the rest of her education she has to get in her home.

That really might be too much for me to handle. I mean, I’m the guy that ran away from home without even telling his parents. It really would be good for her to have a motherly figure in her life.

“That said, it’s not like I can do anything about it.”

I don’t have a girlfriend or a wife, and I’m not planning to get one in the near future. Back in Zenith, Horo was the woman I was closest to, but I can’t imagine marrying her either. There’s just something about her.

“…What if I’m her mother?”

Asks Sieglinde, with her voice trembling a little. Anyone who knows her would know she’s pushing herself.

I guess that’s just how much she wants to get involved with Ririi. After all, she knows very well how rare high elves are.

“Stop joking. How could you even be a mother? You did nothing but study back when we were in school.”

“Don’t underestimate me. It’s been years since then. I’m not a schoolgirl anymore.”

“Then I’m sure you’ve had a boyfriend or two, right?”

Back when we were in school, she never showed even the tiniest bit of interest in romance. She was more into magic and history books. I remember her staying in the great library any time she could.

But her appearance is actually not bad, so she was pretty popular anyway.

“That really doesn’t matter. And you know, I always…”

Sieglinde stops herself, as she looks at Ririi having fun jumping on the sofa.

“…Anyway, you disappeared completely, so I took a position in the ministry of magic, and I want to be repaid for all these years.”

She says before walking over to Ririi. She’s been sleeping since we reached the gate to the capital, so she hasn’t met Sieglinde yet.

She stops and stands on the sofa, looking at Sieglinde with a puzzled look on her face. Ririi isn’t really scared of strangers, but I wonder how this will go.

“…My name is Sieglinde.”

“I’m Ririh! Hum… Orphan…? That’s it!”

Good girl Ririi. She’s sticking to that story just like I told her.

I don’t know why, but Sieglinde is glaring at Ririi hard. Wait, is she actually just nervous?

Looking at it more closely, her face is very stiff.

“…Ririi. This is sudden but… Do you want a mother?”

“Pff.”

I just barely contain myself. That was way too direct.

Look at Ririi. She’s tilting her head in confusion too.

“…A mommy?”

“Yes. You live alone with your daddy, right?”

“Yes.”

Ririi nods. She looks interested in what Sieglinde is saying.

…I guess it really would be better for her to have a mother. Deep down, she might be feeling like something’s missing.

“What would you say… About me becoming your mommy?”

Sieglinde’s eyes glint behind her glasses. It’s really obvious that she isn’t used to dealing with kids at all. She’s talking to her like she would talk to someone at work.

“Uu…”

Ririi sees Sieglinde suddenly pressing her with that scary face, so she starts looking around like she doesn’t know what to do.

Then she turns to me like she’s asking for help… But I purposefully do nothing. I want to see how Ririi really feels.

“Ririh… Has daddy… So…”

Ririi jumps down from the sofa like she’s running away, and runs straight towards me. She grabs my clothes and hides behind me.

Sieglinde is looking this way with a blank look on her face, like she can’t believe it.

…I mean, did you really think pressing her like that would work?

“That lady’s scary isn’t she? Sorry.”

I pat Ririi’s head and tickle her ears. She starts twisting her body while holding on to me.

“Hahaha, daddy that tickles!”

“But why…”

Says Sieglinde with a dry voice, after seeing Ririi’s smile back on her face.

Because your face scared her. If you can’t even understand that, you really shouldn’t be her mother.

But still… Maybe Ririi really does want a mother.

She ran away because of the way Sieglinde was pressing her, but her face showed hesitation. I’m sure she’d happily say yes if Horo asked her the same thing.

I’m going to have to think about that. I guess the best possible solution would be if Ririi and Sieglinde got along.