“Daddy, test!”
Ririi returns from school and runs straight into the living room. She rushes to throw her backpack, robe, and hat to the floor, and jumps into my chest, as I lay on the sofa.
“Wapuh… Test? Already? And what do we say when we get home?”
“Ririh’s back! Hn, next week.”
“Next week? So what is it about?”
“Hum, hunting bouncies, but Ririh doesn’t like it…”
She says as she buries her sad face in my chest. I pat her head, and she makes a pleased sound.
“Hunting slime? That means fighting real monsters. That’s not the kind of test you give first years.”
On-site lessons are usually something you do in the third year. I guess even first years can easily take out slime, but education should be about safety on top of safety. I doubt a normal teacher would do something as dangerous as having first year students fight monsters.
…Last time, when she took them outside, it was under the pretext of a picnic, but this time it’s an actual on-site lesson. I’m surprised the school is allowing it. Actually, they probably aren’t.
“Does Ririi have to defeat bouncies…”
“Hm… Well…”
Tests are important, but not everything. I can think of something more important than grades, becoming strong enough to defend yourself.
I want Ririi to be strong enough to face the difficulties that are going to be put in her path one day. That’s my goal in raising her.
And so…
“Ririi, are you listening?”
“Hn?”
She raises her head, and looks at me with those beautiful unsullied eyes.
…No, it’s more like she forgot about it. Her eyes lost their light at some point, before regaining it.
“You want to be friends with bouncies, right?”
“Yes… Ririh just wants to play with bouncies.”
“Yes. But what if you’re out on a picnic, and a scary monster attacks a bouncy?”
“Ririh’ll help!”
“How?”
“With magic!”
“Is it okay to attack a scary monster with magic? Scary monsters might have families too.”
“…Au… Hum… Then how… Maybe it’s not good…”
She holds her head, seemingly troubled.
…Sorry, but this problem doesn’t really have a solution.
“If you don’t help it, the bouncy dies. But you’d have to take down the scary monster. It’s a problem, isn’t it Ririi?”
“…Uu… Daddy, what should Ririh do?”
“Well, daddy doesn’t actually know either. Only one thing is certain, that’s how we live…”
“…Hm… Ririh doesn’t really get it…”
“I see… Maybe it’s too soon for you.”
“But daddy.”
“What?”
“Ririh wants to save the bouncy!”
“Yes… That’s because you’re kind.”
I feel a warm light in my arms. When I hold Ririi, I feel like even I’m turning into a good person.
“Then… How about this? You only fight when you want to save someone.”
“Only to save?”
“Yes. In this example I was using, the scary monster was attacking a bouncy, right? Only fight in those times.”
“…! Sounds kinda good!”
Ririi smiles, having found the answer in her own way.
Maybe what I said was just lip service, but it should be enough to get her running.
There’s going to be a time when this way of thinking won’t be enough, but I think it will be fine if she finds her own answer again at that time.
“That means you don’t have to force yourself in that test.”
“All right! Let’s play, Beary!”
Ririi is feeling happier, so she gets off me, and runs off to Beary, who was sleeping in a corner of the room.
They roll around on the ground, grappling with each other, and I mull over how hard education really is.
…What would I do in her position?
Attacking someone to save another. Unfortunately, that’s just how the world is. There’s no magic solution that’ll leave everyone smiling.
Even at this moment, we’re living on the backs of sacrifices. Trees had to be cut down to build this house, we ate meat for breakfast, and the sofa I’m sitting on is made of some sort of fur.
Even the rug Ririi and Beary are rolling on, is of course, made of angel bear fur.
An answer that would make everyone happy…
Even if there was such a thing… I probably wouldn’t understand it.
I’m just not a good person.
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