Chapter 169 - Emerald Emerald

I truly was looking forward to that all.

Adventurers were cool, and I would soon become as cool as them, too. How was I not to be expecting my being an adventurer with my whole being altogether, hm?

I was doing that–and I waited.

Day after day.

Up until the great deception arrived.

The magic school opened its gate to us.

When I came here, on the first day, I'd been so charged and full of everything.

Full of motivation. Full of happiness. Full of strength. Full of eagerness. Full of courage. Full of everything.

But I discovered it would be the great deception at this time, precisely.

And upon arriving here, I was full of everything, then again, but the other kind of everything. The 'everything' that I didn't like. That nobody liked.

Namely, full of unwillingness to continue here. I didn't like it. And nobody would.

Be that as it may, though, we were still attributed an amphitheater, a group of apprentices, and different masters. All of which would be serving us during our curriculum. Then we immediately started to contemplate the science of mana.

Thus school began. It seemed I and the elven princess were a bit late on the time, though, for some reason.

Instead of joining in just like everyone, we were delayed a little.

And when we officially joined that group of learners, we had to introduce ourselves to the young folks of the class.

The elven princess was simply the elven princess. Her cute and meek demeanor and way of introducing herself had had some effect on the disciples.

She would study in this group and she was welcomed by it.

And then I had to introduce myself.

What was even an introduction, though? That thought occurred to me at the time.

I wasn't to introduce myself.

I was the monster, after all, right?

Or maybe the parasite?

Or maybe the Player…?

Well, I didn't know. I didn't know about that, and I didn't know how to introduce myself to the people of this life.

That wasn't fair. I didn't like it even more strongly.

But that was that. I didn't know–and that's when I rushed to big sister Elina, being very disappointed and sad.

Arriving at her, wherever she was, I jumped onto her and hugged her fluffy pillow-like curves the tightest I could … and then I complained, frowning. I was seeking comfort from her.

I had no name.

Why was that?

Me, I wanted a name, too.

Just like the others.

It wasn't fair I had no name.

I didn't want to be nameless.

I complained and complained. Then she patted my head, brightly, warmly smiled at me like she usually does, and told me it was all right.

Wondering how it was that my most-respected uncle wouldn't even know about my name when I explained to her so saying that it was unfair and all, she waved off all my worries and complaints away with yet another of the warmest smiles.

It was all right. And the deep emerald-colored strands of her falling on my forehead shouldn't be so pointy, dry, angry, and sad–it didn't suit me well.

She patted my head, smiling.

Telling me I should then probably go and see uncle to see what's the resolution of my very weird and complicated problem … she told me that just with a glance, the name she'd guess was mine would be Emerald.

That was my victory.

I laughed. Very hard and very loud.

Ha, ha, ha, ha! That kind of mischievous broad laughter. There was nothing that required the old man sipping tea for confirmation or anything.

I had a name now, and that was my victory.

Rushing through me was happiness, and rushing to my class was Emerald.

My introduction went very well.

Except for the fact that I made a weird first impression on everyone here. But that was cool … wasn't it?

Emerald. This was my first name, said the master. What about my last name, hm? The name of my clan, family … what was it?

Well. Last names. I didn't see that coming … but stammering my way out of this, I muttered something about it being Emerald, too. I sure didn't want to go back to the princess after all this running around so that she would find a solution again (even though I was mighty rapid) and why not just repeat the name?

Why even a last name, anyway? What's the use of that thing?

There were others questions like this popping out in my head, but I held it fine. Without panicking, it made and named me Emerald Emerald.

Emerald climbed the steps up and sat at his place.

–Hence do we say: the past is what brought me here.

That was the past. And I've pretty much covered it up now … so, hm.

The elven princess was my family:

"And so … Leafana, what is it that you wanted to talk about again? The important last details to you, hm? About you being my family or what," I spoke in a low voice.

"…"

"Oi. Elven princess," I poked shoulder.

"… wait, Master Grimare is onto something important, right now…" and she whispered, too.

"No, but. You don't care about that. … You're my family, right? You accepted. You said 'yes.'"

"… sure, Emerald. Along with Uncle. I'm your family."

"Hm, yes. But you and me, mostly. We founded our family, right? … Ha, and there you go again … becoming all … bright and red for some reason; you're sure you aren't sick again?"

"I–I'm trying to concentrate, Emerald."

Oh, she seemed upset. Or maybe she was just embarrassed. She often was when she talked to me about that affair, first. So maybe that was that. Was I forcing that conversation unto her too much?

"No, but, let's talk about it. You know I'm bored. … That, and I'm worried, too, kinda. … Worried about your red skin. You must be sick again … and you're forcing this dumb disciple stuff onto you. … Not good."

But she still listened to that master of magic. Or maybe she was just pretending. I knew she heard me, yes.

My finger had to go and poke herself again:

–"And you know, Emerald, founding or … 'making a family' …" laying her quill down the desk next to her ink, "what do you think that means?" she then asked me, crossing her arms upon her chest and turning to me blushing a bit more.

Well, there she goes at last.

And placing my arms, crossing them just like her, I was already turned to her: "That's, you know. … I wanna say, you weren't all like … 'this' back then in the forest–you were more direct."

That girl was special. She was the elven princess. And she was mine.

When she asked me to save her from her ill, that was direct and straightforward: she asked me, the monster, to help her, accepting me for who and what I was; and in exchange, I said she would become my family and the monster's home.

I had learned you need a home and a family to belong to something or someone, after all. And I had learned everything had a price, too.. So that's how I approached it.