GalaxyTL
“Next. You. What’s your name?”
“Uh, um…”
He’s told me about himself, so it’s my turn, right? It’s easy to say… but to be honest, I don’t know anything.
And so we stumble at the first hurdle. My name is Hasegawa Megu, but I don’t know this body’s name. I can’t decide if it’s okay for me to call myself Megu.
“…You don’t know?”
“U… No…”
As I was humming and hawing, Gilnandio-san threw me a lifeline. I mean, what do you mean you don’t even know your own name? Even if I am young, I’m old enough to speak properly, so there’s no way I wouldn’t know my own name, right? …Should I use that well-worn trope of amnesia? As I was thinking about this, Gilnandio-san said something surprising.
“…Meg, huh.”
“Eh…?”
I was shocked that he had guessed my name. I was so surprised that my eyes widened, and I froze completely.
As I was stunned, Gilnandio-san’s hand touched my ear. I was so startled that I froze.
“Oh, sorry. This. Your earring. It says ‘Meg’ on it. I thought maybe that was your name.”
I was wearing an earring? Thinking this, I gently touched my ear and felt it there. I couldn’t tell the exact shape, but it seemed to be an ear cuff, not a pierced earring.
…Huh? Now that I’m touching my ear… something’s not right about the shape… It feels pointier than the ears I’m used to…
Could it be?
That race unique to isekai, isn’t it…?
I couldn’t help but clutch both of my ears. …Yep, they’re real.
“Ahh… Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you until your guardian shows up, the one who can vouch for you. I won’t just abandon you. Besides, there are other elves in the guild.”
…Did you just say, “other elves in the guild,” Gilnandio-san?
Wha—!? I’m not even human anymore!? You’re kidding, right!? Ow, ow, ow! I squeezed my ears too hard! This isn’t a dream! And they’re real ears!
“…One last question. Meg, do you have any idea who that adult might be?”
As I was clutching my ears with tears welling up in my eyes from the overwhelming confusion, Gilnandio-san said with a pitiful look on his face. O-Okay, let’s think about that later.
“N-No… I don’t think so.”
I don’t think there is anyone… I was all alone when I realized it. Besides, I wouldn’t know even if there was.
Come to think of it, I really was in a bind. I was literally in an unfamiliar isekai with no one to turn to. I was so anxious and uneasy because I didn’t understand anything.
Even if my body was still that of an adult, it would have been a critical situation. I was trying not to get my hopes up that help would come.
The truth was, I wanted to cling to someone. I wanted to ask someone for help.
Tears welled up in my eyes. My vision blurred.
A large hand gently stroked my head, and I couldn’t hold it in any longer; I burst into tears.
“Well, we should get going.”
After a series of actions that involved handing me a towel, wiping my nose, holding me, and comforting me as I cried my eyes out, Gilnandio-san made the announcement once I had calmed down. …I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused.
“Going? Where are we going?”
“The guild, of course.”
“But… what about your job?”
“…My work here is done. We’re just going back, so it’s no problem.”
He patted me on the head with a gentle smile. …I think his expression, or rather, his overall demeanor has softened considerably in the short time I’ve known him. It feels good to be patted on the head… I wonder how long it’s been since the last time. Was it because I never had a boyfriend? I’m the type to just stay friends. Sigh.
“Meg. I’m thinking of taking you to the guild. Unless you want to stay here…”
“Please, take me with you! Please!”
I replied so quickly that I almost interrupted Gilnandio-san, and he chuckled. …H-He’s teasing me!
“The members of the guild are mostly trustworthy. Well, they wouldn’t be members otherwise. I’m going to talk to one of the most trustworthy people I know about you. …And if, by any chance, they can’t keep you at the guild, I’ll take care of you myself.”
Eh, they’ll keep me at the guild? It’s a special-grade guild, so it must be pretty hard to get into… And if that doesn’t work out, Gilnandio-san himself will take care of me… I wonder if it’s okay for me to rely on him that much.
“…You’re thinking about whether it’s okay to ask for so much, aren’t you?”
“Ahh… but…”
When I remained silent, he lightly poked my forehead with his index finger, pointing out my thoughts. …Is it that obvious? It kind of hurt, though, and I had to cover my forehead with both hands.
“It’s okay. You’re a child. You may be able to do a lot of things by yourself and think properly, but that’s different from this. Your body is small, and you don’t seem to have much physical strength or magical power. But that’s normal for you right now.”
He hit me with so many truths that the corners of my eyes drooped. I know, I know!
“…So, rely on me more.”
“Please,” he said with a troubled smile and held out his hand.
Rely on him, huh… Come to think of it, I may have never really relied on anyone.
Since I grew up in a single-parent household, I feel like somewhere along the way I had this sense of mission that I had to do the housework. And ever since my father passed away, I had to do everything by myself, and I had managed to do so.
At work, too, I would try my best to understand what I was told and do more than what was asked of me, and then people started asking me for help from all directions. I was a little happy about it, so I worked even harder, and that’s how I became a full-fledged corporate slave.
Asking for help from others is difficult and embarrassing… but I guess it’s not so bad.
I wonder if it’s okay to rely on him. I wonder if it’s okay for me to take this warm hand.
With trembling hands, I placed my small hand on top of Gilnandio-san’s.
“Yes… Pleash take care of me…”
“Yeah… Leave it to me.”
His hand, which ruffled my hair a little roughly, felt nice, both in its touch and its warmth.
Now that I’ve taken his hand, I’m going to let him help me. But I still don’t want to rely on him completely! Once we get to the guild, I’m going to see if there’s anything I can do. And I’m going to have to ask for help properly myself.
The depressed feeling I had until a while ago began to lift. With the determination to do my best, I smiled in relief for the first time since coming to this world.