Book 12 Chapter 13

Child Weaving Hearts (6)

"How about trying a maid cafe?"

Rain tilted his head.

'Strange. What is this déjà vu? I definitely remember hearing the same words sometime before…'

Come to think of it, I think I've disliked this fellow since our first meeting.

Because of his four-dimensional mind, whose thoughts are impossible to predict, and how he just blurts out unexpected things.

It's surprising that his personality is still the same after 300 years. His face too. Even smoking his kiseru pipe anywhere.

Friede.

Friede, the Oracle of the Fire Dragon.

A legendary oracle who received a special name from Bel'dakidun, the Fire Dragon, one of the Three Divine Dragons, in the long history of witches who spread the dragon's teachings.

She says that herself… but if you look closely, she's just a chain-smoking old lady.

As soon as she met Nen, she hugged him and rubbed her face against his, and I salute Nen for enduring the cigarette smell that must have wafted from her mouth.

"Maid? Maid cafe?"

Miria reacted to the peculiar name.

"Coming all this way, I've noticed there are already many bakeries nearby, right? Who would bother coming all the way out to this suburb? Unless there's a unique competitive edge."

"We're not trying to sell a lot of bread, though."

"But just imagine our Nen dressed in a maid outfit, welcoming guests! How many customers would come? Even though it's a republic, there are many people who find the lives of imperial nobles interesting."

As if her idea was still brilliant even upon reconsideration, she pressed her forehead and let out an exclamation of "Khuuh~".

"I'm not just giving this idea to anyone. In fact, I was going to do it myself. As you all know, I already applied for the copyright 300 years ago. I'll hand it over this time, just for this once, on the condition that I receive a 10% share of the profits."

"Khuuh~ Khuuh~ Khuuh~! 10%, an opportunity that only comes now. Originally, I should receive 30%."

Her eternal partner, Pipi, mimicked Friede's gesture, touching its head with its wing. Miria let out a hollow laugh.

"Hmm… it seems like a good idea, but it feels a bit off, like we're commercializing Nen…"

"What a hurtful thing to say! It's not anything perverted like that. Look! It's just a black one-piece dress with a white apron dress!"

Miria, who had been examining the clothes Friede brought, nodded slightly in agreement.

"Indeed… if it weren't for the apron-decorated dress, it's a modest outfit that could easily be mistaken for a nun's habit."

The dress, with its hem reaching her ankles, covered her arms, legs, and neck completely, leaving almost no exposed skin.

Flames sparked in Rain's eyes.

"You shameless old hag. You knew this, and yet you made me wear that kind of thing back then?"

"Pipi, bite him."

"Gah! Surrender, surrender!"

Friede entrusted the Rain front to Pipi and set about persuading Miria.

"You opened the bakery to teach about various human relationships, and to show them, didn't you?"

"……"

"Like it or not, she'll be exposed to many people and thrown into the front lines of human relationships, won't she? Having a moderate number of people, rather than too few, will help with training."

Miria sent a look as if seeking help. There was no need to even think about the answer.

"I refuse. Because only I have the right to see Nen's unbelievably cute appearance."

A burst of boos!

"It's tyranny! Nen belongs to everyone! She's public property! To try and monopolize something so cute all to himself, have you ever seen such a scumbag!"

"Scumbag! Scumbag! Scumbag!"

"Hmph, I hear some insects barking. By the way, how did you even get here? I thought you couldn't leave the Sea of Flames?"

Then Friede put the kiseru pipe in her mouth and her eyes gleamed meaningfully.

"I made my junior handle some of my chores."

"Junior?"

"Akki is so strong, it seems okay for me to be away for a little while~."

"Hey, you! What kind of tyranny are you inflicting on my small, precious Akki!"

"Kyahahahaha! If we don't open the maid cafe, Akki will be stuck doing all the work alone!"

"All the work, all the work, Akki does all the work. She has to massage Friede's shoulders every day."

"You wicked creatures! You'll be punished by heaven!"

Children can't understand the pranks of adults.

"Yes, if Nen doesn't become a maid, will Akki unnie have a hard time?"

"Yes. Very, very hard. So hard it'll bring tears to her eyes."

"Th-that shouldn't happen!"

"Then it looks like Nen will have to become a maid."

"Holding Akki hostage and threatening us, you're still such a villainous person."

"That's my charm, isn't it, Pipi?"

"Charm, charm, charm. Friede's charm. Rin is a brat, so he wouldn't know."

Truly, she's incorrigible… A smile formed on Miria's lips as she watched the scene.

Friede had definitely said that she made a contract of firewood with the blessing of the Fire Dragon.

All red dragons are firewood for the Sea of Flames. They protected the wall of flame by burning their bodies and souls.

This means Akki has grown enough to bear Friede's karma.

'No, Akki wasn't the only one who grew.'

The person originally intended to be the maid in Friede's plan was… surprisingly, Rin.

It still comes vividly to mind.

Rin's appearance when he was forced to cross-dress after losing a bet with Friede, his expression mixed with anger and embarrassment, and even Friede's laughter as she clutched her stomach and laughed maniacally.

Back then, behind such pranks, there was worry and anxiety.

Because they didn't know what tragedies they would encounter in the consecutive battlefields, in those fights…

They seemed to smile brightly at each other, yet held unspoken anxieties in their hearts, but now…

'Being able to laugh without such worries, how truly happy that is.'

Though a minor memory, Miria, having emerged from such a dazzling recollection, secretly wiped away tears while her friends weren't looking.

Her three friends didn't see those tears, but Nen could, in an instant, see even the memories beyond those tears.

She couldn't see all of others' memories clearly. She could only perceive the scent or warmth emanating from vague, dream-like memories.

'What exactly is a "maid" then…'

Does this memory have colors like blooming sunflowers, or does it carry such a fragrance?

She grew curious.

She wanted to know.

Was that why, before Rain or Miria could even give their permission, she had already said that to Friede?

"Then Nen will try it."

Without knowing what problems she might face from the very beginning.

* * *

The problem arose where no one expected it.

It wasn't when they were expounding on the maid's mindset or demeanor… it was when she was about to put on the maid uniform, which could be considered the very beginning.

Nen couldn't even properly look at the maid uniform. She shook her head, trying to move away from it.

"Don't you like the design? I thought this would suit Nen perfectly and make her look the cutest."

Friede tilted her head.

Rain made a comment.

"Don't think your peculiar aesthetic sense applies to children, too. How much I suffered because of you back then…"

"What are you talking about? Even Rista admitted it was cute."

"Don't talk about that time! Got it? It's the biggest stain on my life! Just thinking about it still makes my blanket soaked with tears."

At that moment, Nen spoke up.

"Oh, no, I-I don't like it, bl-black, I don't like black."

"Why black?"

"I… don't like black. Black comes out of my body too. Black swallows everything. It stains everything with bad colors. That's why I don't like making Mom and Dad troubled."

Rain shook his head.

"No, Nen. You just got caught up in the adults' prank. There's no need to apologize. We were thoughtless."

As he tried to hug Nen, Friede grabbed his shoulder.

Her expression was so serene and solemn that it was untouchable. Friede had moments like this.

There were moments when she was more playful than anyone, yet more mature than anyone.

At such times, a shiver runs down one's spine.

To the point where it felt natural that she was still revered as the Oracle of the Fire Dragon by the world.

"Nen, do you know what color black is?"

"A bad, dirty color…"

"Black, you see, is the color that appears when various colors are combined. So, it's actually not surprising that the 'emotions' combined within Nen's heart are erupting as black."

In truth, though he had never expressed it verbally, he had admired it.

That wise way of speaking.

The sagacious insight that warmly soothed the sorrows born of ignorance in an era of turmoil.

"I also have some knowledge in art, and black is indeed a difficult color to use. Even a slight misstep can make the entire painting look dirty and dull."

"Ri-right?"

"Yes, black can be a dirty color if used incorrectly. But if used well, there's no color as upright as it. Black is the fundamental and essential color of all colors. Think about it! We write with black ink, and sketches for paintings are also done in black, aren't they?"

Rain thought, looking at Nen, whose eyes had widened, 'When I heard Friede say such things, I must have had that same expression.'

"Nen, what you are embracing are the colors of this era. While there are bright and beautiful colors, there will also be dark and sad ones. All those colors will combine into one within Nen's heart, becoming black."

"…!"

"How you will record this era with that black, and how you will draw the blueprint for the next era, all depends on you, Nen."

Friede received the teachings of benevolence and righteousness from Bel'dakidun, the Fire Dragon.

Friede possessed the ability to convey those lofty and profound teachings in a humble and simple way. That is why she became the Oracle of the Fire Dragon.

'I probably won't be able to become like that even after a lifetime.'

"I believe."

Friede's two hands lovingly gripped Nen's shoulders.

"Even though we are not bound by blood, as the daughter my friends bore in their hearts, I believe the vision of the era that Nen, who has seen and learned all their kind natures, will present, will truly be beautiful."

"Believe, believe, Pipi also believes."

"So don't be afraid, Nen. Your black is the most beautiful color in this world. It's not darkness. It's the color that will lead the way in this world, as a blueprint."

Tears of sorrow welled up in Nen's cross-shaped eyes.

Before those tears could turn into sobs, they were startled away by the impact of Friede's palm hitting her back.

The expression, more virtuous than anyone's, vanished as if by magic, and a playful, chain-smoker's grin reappeared on her face.

"Alrighty~ So, the outfit isn't a problem, right? Hurry up and put it on! Now, you two can give the maid special lecture, right? You two would know much more than I do."

Then Miria sighed, looking troubled.

"Friede, I've thought about it carefully, and I really don't think saying 'Master' is a good idea."

"Why? That's a maid's identity!"

"Why? It just feels a bit off. We can just call them guests."

"Oh-ho! Think carefully! Nen is a dragon. Dragons shouldn't flaunt their power, but learn how to serve the weak with that power. Don't you think this will be a good opportunity?"

"Opportunity, opportunity, Miria is an idiot who doesn't know an opportunity."

"Stop. If it's a no, it's a no."

Still, the words of the former hero party leader were absolute; if Rista seriously said no, then it was a no.

"Well, I guess there's no choice then. Rin, you get ready to change your clothes too."

"What?"

"Where there are maids, there are also butlers! Isn't that obvious!"

"No, wait, no, hey! Miria, help!"

* * *

"Maid cafe? What's that? Isn't that a term used in the Empire?"

"They say an incredibly cute little maid will be serving! And a super handsome, flower-boy butler will be handling the payments?"

"Really? Should we go check it out?"

*Ting-a-ling*, the wind chime rang clearly as new customers entered the shop. The little maid in the black uniform bowed courteously. Awkwardly, yet charmingly because of her awkwardness.

"…Cu-customer! Welcome to the Maid Cafe!"