Chapter 10
“Th-then… Chuu eats anything well… so the pretty ones can be eaten by people who eat only a little.”
Anyway… is it really okay to give this and receive a new name?
I wasn’t sure, but I was curious about what kind of name it would be.
Right now, I understood my situation very well.
Admiral is a fake father, and I am a fake daughter.
I can’t go back to daycare, and I can’t become a chef.
But still… there are blocks here, Rina is here, and there is lots of delicious food, so I didn’t hate it.
‘I don’t know how long I’ll stay here. But until I leave… a new name… yeah, that’s nice.’
The Admiral bent down and took the cookie from my hand.
His expression was strange, and his touch was very careful.
It was just a cookie, but he kept gently touching it again and again before finally putting it into his jacket pocket.
Then he slid his hands under my arms and lifted me up.
“Shuperty.”
“…!”
“From now on, your name is Shuperty Pashayen.”
His quiet voice carried my name.
It felt like sugar was crunching inside my mouth.
It felt like if I opened it, candy would pop out.
Suddenly, my heart started pounding, and I couldn’t stay still.
“I am Chuuperty!”
“…Shuperty.”
The Admiral corrected my pronunciation softly.
I smiled and hugged his neck, rubbing against him.
“Then Chuu will be Admiral’s daughter forever now, right?”
“Yes.”
“Wow!”
Somehow… somehow I feel happy!
‘I’ll probably leave someday, but it doesn’t feel like I have to leave soon, so I’m happy!’
While being held, I kicked my feet excitedly and smiled brightly.
I couldn’t stop smiling.
“So now, try calling me father.”
“…Huh?”
“Repeat after me. Fa-ther. That’s how you say it.”
The Admiral looked very, very serious.
He usually doesn’t show much expression and speaks mostly with his eyebrows… but now, his eyebrows were serious.
I quietly opened my mouth to follow him, but no sound came out.
‘He gave me a name, and said I’m his daughter…’
But the word “father” just wouldn’t come out.
“Hm, still not yet.”
The Admiral’s eyebrows lifted.
I just smiled and rubbed my cheek against him.
I don’t know why, but I was like this even when I was at daycare.
Someday, I will leave this place.
I don’t know where I will go.
But I will definitely leave.
It felt like someone inside me was whispering that.
“Do you like your name?”
“Yes!”
“Then that’s enough. It is the name of the North Star that guides ships, and the goddess of battle.”
North Star?
I know that.
‘We came from a faraway star. Someday, we will return there.’
Crackle.
‘Huh?’
Something just passed in front of my eyes.
I also heard a very warm voice.
I looked around with wide eyes, but only the Admiral and I were here.
“What is it?”
“Mm… nothing…”
I must have imagined it.
“You also have two who will become your older brothers.”
“Two?!”
“Yes. The eldest is Micard. He is named after the god of blood and victory.”
Micard oppa.
I memorized the name.
“The second… you don’t need to know his name.”
“Why?”
“You won’t meet him, so you don’t need to remember it.”
The Admiral looked sad when he said that.
His expression and tone were the same, but somehow… he felt lonely.
[The Water Elemental King ‘■■■■’ asks you for a favor.]
[Please hug him once. He’s a foolish person who doesn’t even realize he needs comfort.]
At that moment, glowing text spoke to me.
Strangely… the text looked like it was crying too, so I rubbed my eyes.
‘Well, hugging is something Chuu is good at.’
I hugged the Admiral tightly around his neck.
He looked at me like he was wondering why.
I stared into his reddish-purple eyes and fidgeted my fingers.
Even my toes wiggled.
‘When my friends cried at daycare, I hugged them, patted them, and gave them kisses.’
Does the Admiral like kisses too?
My daycare teacher liked them.
While I was thinking, glowing text appeared again.
Quest!
A daughter’s kiss is the strongest in the world!
The Water Elemental King has given you a task!
✔ Help Admiral Diegon Pashayen not cry
Reward: 10g of cheering butter butter
Failure: You will not be able to taste sweetness! (3 days)
Huh?! I won’t be able to taste sweetness?!
Panicking, I tightly closed my eyes and bumped my head forward.
Thunk!
“……?”
Smack!
“Don’t cry…”
“Hmm?”
“But… if you still want to cry… you can go ‘waaah.’”
Then I won’t be able to taste sweetness… but that’s okay.
Even adults must have days when they want to cry.
I cupped my hands around the Admiral’s ear and whispered.
“If you want to cry… Chuu will hide it for you.”
“…….”
“Okay? Promise.”
I smiled and held out my pinky finger.
The Admiral looked at me for a long time.
First my face, then my pinky.
“…For someone like a crab. Crying is for children.”
“I’m not a crab. I’m Shuperty.”
“Good. Then let’s go eat.”
The Admiral quietly turned his head.
There was a vein showing on his jaw, so I gently rubbed it.
Adults don’t cry with their eyes… they cry in a strange way, I thought.
* * *
Mealtime was very fun.
Today, the most delicious things were the big blueberry pie and lasagna!
But even after I was full, the Admiral didn’t stand up.
And it wouldn’t be polite for me to stand up first.
I swung my legs and thought as the silence continued.
It felt like I should say something!
‘Ah, should I ask that?’
The thing I still haven’t asked Rina.
“Admiral…”
“Yes.”
“What is Bijou?”
Bijou, Bijou.
It even sounds pretty.
I stuck out my lips playfully.
The Admiral looked at me quietly, then slowly answered.
It felt like he was waking up from a long thought.
“Bijou is the pure form of power.”
“…?”
That’s it?
Seeing my expression, the Admiral cleared his throat and continued.
“First, when someone awakens, a place for the Bijou appears somewhere on their body, including the face.”
“Yes.”
“Later, a jewel grows there. Once the Bijou appears, you can use abilities. Abilities are special powers.”
That was better.
At least now I knew Bijou is a jewel.
“In your case, it will appear on your left shoulder blade. As long as it is not damaged.”
“Damaged…?”
I made a confused face, and the Admiral pressed my head gently.
My seat was close enough for him to reach.
“It means you must not show it carelessly to others. There are people who target awakened ones before their Bijou appears. Once it appears, it cannot be easily taken.”
“Even Rina?”
“Pashayen… no. Trust only me, your brothers, Karmine, Rina, Cedric, and my father.”
“Okay.”
So I have to protect it carefully.
‘Then I hope it appears soon!’
I didn’t show it, but I was still sad about losing my class leader badge.
‘Instead, I’ll protect my Bijou well.’
What kind of special power will I get?
What about the Admiral and grandpa?
Does Rina not have one?
I had so many questions.
But this was the most important one.
“Then when will mine appear?”
“When you grow up, it will appear. Usually around ten years old. But talented ones can awaken earlier.”
“When did yours appear?”
“At seven.”
The Admiral looked very proud.
“Then I will be seven too.”
How many nights until seven?
I counted on my fingers and looked up at him.
The Admiral seemed like he was holding back a smile, then nodded seriously.
“Yes. It would be good if it appears at seven.”
“Then… what ability do you have, Admiral?”
