Ririi’s stress hit her limit.
“…Wanna play outside.”
It was the fourth day of Sieglinde’s great revolution.
Ririi was used to Weiss’ cozy warm parenting, so this was hell. Cleaning in the morning, studying at noon, helping in the afternoon… Her schedule was packed until her afternoon snack.
“Boring summer vacation…”
She rolled a pencil on her desk as she puffed her cheeks
It was her own fault. A result brought by the devastation in her written tests and her bad lifestyle, but the small Ririi could not understand that sort of cause and effect.
“You wanna play too, right Poyopoyo?”
Rather than respond, it hopped on her lap. It was simply responding to her voice, but to Ririi, it was a sign of agreement.
“No more… Wanna play outside…”
Beary turned over on the bed. It was an unguarded pose that was as though it was saying sleeping was the best.
As she saw that, an idea flashed in Ririi’s head.
“…That’s it!”
She jumped from her chair and held Poyopoyo.
“Ririh’s goin on an adventure!”
Once that thought popped into her head, it was immediate. She grabbed her small backpack, and started packing.
There were three of her favorite cookies, a picture book, her crystal dragon staff, and for some reason, spare socks. She had no idea where she was going. She just wanted to go out, and her body moved.
She put Poyopoyo on her head, and a hat on top. With her backpack on her back and Beary in her arms, she snuck her way to the entrance. She was young, but her intuition told her if she was seen, it would be over.
It was the early afternoon. Sieglinde was at work, and Weiss was sleeping on the sofa.
It was the perfect time.
She stood on her tiptoes and reached for the doorknob.
She reached, put her weight… Clack.
Slowly, sunlight entered, and wind caressed her cheek.
The next moment, her shoe slipped…
She fell outside.
She felt the smell of grass she loved. The sky was wide. The wind felt nice.
She suddenly felt bright inside her chest.
“Start adventure!”
Poyopoyo jumped out from a gap in the hat, and Beary ran around the yard.
And so, Ririi, Beary, and Poyopoyo’s adventure began.
It could normally be called running from home.
Their adventure started from the street in front of her house. There was a gentle slope from the stone pavement to the center of town. Her heart pounded as she looked on.
It was not like when she went to school, she was free to go anywhere.
They went down to the shopping district. As she walked down the street, a baker she knew called out to her.
“Oh my, it’s Ririi. You’re not with your daddy today?”
“Ririh’s on an adventure.”
“How brave. Excellent.”
The baker smiled, and noticed the other two.
“Are they… your pets?”
She knew about the slime, but had not seen the one that looked like a bear.
“Beary and Poyopoyo.”
Ririi bowed. She knew she had to be proper in place of the two that could not speak.
“Beary and Poyopoyo. Do you all like bread?”
Asked the baker while handing a bag with several small pieces of bread.
“These are leftovers. You can have them if you want.”
“Bread!!”
Ririi’s eyes shined, and she carefully put the bread in her backpack.
“Thank you.”
She bowed deeply, and left the bakery with the other two.
“Oh, Ririi! Out for a walk?”
She was soon called out by a butcher.
Walking around meant everyone called out to her. She was fearless since her time in Zenith, and talked to everyone she found on her way to school, so she was like a mascot to people in the neighborhood.
“Not a walk, adventure!”
It was cute how her polite speech dropped if she was not conscious of it, and the butcher on the other side of the counter laughed with his arms crossed.
“Eh, that’s a big deal, an adventure. Where are you going?”
“Hn… Secret!”
She puffed out her chest and said it proudly. Poyopoyo shook, and Beary jumped. It was as though they were saying leave it to us, the adventurer party was in perfect sync.
“You sound reliable. Here, for free, to help with your adventure.”
The butcher handed a freshly roasted sausage. There was steam, and the nice smell reached Ririi’s nostrils.
“Looks tasty…!”
She gulped without thinking, and almost bit into it… But shook her head.
“Beary and Poyopoyo first!”
She crouched and put out the sausage, and Beary and Poyopoyo immediately bit. Monsters did not hold back, and it was soon gone.
“Tasty?”
But Ririi did not complain. In fact, she smiled as she saw they looked happy.
“Good girl, Ririi! You’re like a big sister!”
“Ririh, good?”
“Weiss would be moved to tears if he saw that. Here, have this.”
Said the butcher while handing a fresh croquette. Ririi’s eyes shined as she bit into it.
“Tasty!”
She hopped as she felt the crunch. Once she was done, she wiped her mouth that was shiny with oil, and left.
Then someone called out from the next place. Her backpack was full of gifts by the time she left the shopping district.
<<Previous Chapter Index Next Chapter>>
