This time we’re not just celebrating my birthday, we’re also celebrating the birthdays of the people whose birthdays we neglected because of all the trouble with the monster.
“Happy birthday.”
“Happy birthday!!”
A lot of people say happy birthday, including me.
When I tell people happy birthday, they smile. I’m really happy to see everyone smiling.
We don’t have a place to live, but we’re all together, so we’re happy.
I don’t think I could be happy in these circumstances if it wasn’t for them.
“…Happy birthday Lerunda.”
“Thank you. Happy birthday, Gaius.”
Gaius’ birthday came and went while we were busy. There really is something strange about him. What is he thinking about?
I hope he’ll tell me eventually, now that our troubles with the monster are over. That’s what I think, but I still don’t ask him.
“You’re nine too Lerunda?”
“Happy birthday.”
Mister Nirushi and another cat person named Guja approach me.
I’m happy that they’re smiling at me, and that people are saying happy birthday to each other. These warm and pleasant feelings are increasing.
I loved this day last year, and thought it was very happy, and now I like it even more. My birthday was always just a day for my sister, but now people celebrate mine too. That’s why this makes me feel so happy.
“Are you happy Lerunda?”
“Yes…!”
“Great.”
Says miss Lan as she pats my head.
“Gurugururuuuu~♪”
“Guruhguruh”
“Gurugurururururuu~♪”
The gryphons sing for me again. Apparently they’ve been learning from the elves, and sing something I don’t recognize. I want to learn it too.
Hum… Mister Oshashio?”
“What is it?”
“Where’s Gaius?”
“Gaius… He’s over there.”
I notice that Gaius isn’t here with us.
When I ask mister Oshashio about it, she says Gaius is sitting nearby, by himself. He looks like he’s thinking about something again.
What is going through his mind? Why is he thinking about it while everyone is having fun?
“What is going on… With Gaius?”
“Hn… It seems he has something on his mind. I think we should leave him be for now.”
“…Do you know, what he is, thinking?”
“More or less.”
I feel a bit hazy, because I don’t understand at all, but it sounds like mister Oshashio does.
I think I’m friends with Gaius, and I like him a lot. He’s helped me a lot of times, and I’ve learned a lot from him.
If he’s concerned about something, I want to help. I want to know more about him, but right now, I have no idea what he’s thinking.
“Don’t make that face, you should have fun today. Look, my mother is calling you.”
Mister Oshashio puts his hand on my head, and I look where he’s pointing. I see grandma gesturing for me to go to her.
She is one of the oldest people here, even now, so it must be very hard for her to move to a different place. I want to do all I can to help her.
“Grandma.”
“You look a little taller Lerunda.”
She says with a smile when she looks at me.
She’s right, I have been growing little by little ever since I arrived in the beast people’s village. People stop growing when they become adults, so the height difference between me and everyone else is very slowly getting smaller.
“Yes, I am.”
“I made something for you. Try it on.”
Grandma made clothes for me, a one piece like the one I usually wear. The patterns and trimmings are really cute, and I try it on right away.
It’s really comfortable and easy to move in, but above all else, the fact that grandma made this for me makes me really happy. It makes me really happy when people do things for me, so I want to become someone that can do things for other people too.
She smiles brightly at me. I really admire her, and I want to be like her when I’m older.
Mister Sileva, miss Wetani, and all the elves are celebrating too. Now that I think about it, seeing everyone smiling and getting along like this is like a miracle.
Miss Lan and I are human, Gaius, mister Dongu, and the others are wolf beast people, Mister Nirushi and the others are cat beast people, and Sileva and the others are elves.
We’re all different beings, so it’s incredible that we can all laugh, share a common goal, and celebrate together.
This realization makes me happier than anything else. It’s the best birthday present I could ask for.
—Girl and celebration on the road
(The girl that is probably the miko enjoys her birthday on the road. She feels the miracle that is several very different people laughing together.)
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one day, Grandma will pass away.. Hopefully not before she has a chance to see the new country