Anya watched Lirina shake her head, her large eyes full of guilt… and curiosity.
And maybe… a little… sympathy?
“…Why?” Anya finally asked, clenching her teeth and closing her eyes, not looking at Lirina.
Lirina dared not move her hands to touch Anya, but then she couldn’t say anything. Her eyes reddened with urgency.
Feeling the tremble of Lirina’s lips under her palm, Anya’s heart tightened.
Opening her eyes, she saw Lirina’s reddened gaze again—it twisted her heart anew.
“Huff… Why break a promise?”
…How do I answer that when my mouth is covered? Lirina’s toes scrabbled against her shoes in panic.
“…Because you probably thought someone like me doesn’t need to follow promises, right?” Anya asked for confirmation.
“No!” Lirina shook her head violently.
The soft brush of lips against her palm sent another shiver through Anya.
“Huff… You came back… to check if I’d leave without noticing?”
“No no!!” Lirina shook her head even more emphatically.
“Tch…” Anya gritted her teeth. “…I don’t understand.”
Lirina froze, staring at Anya, whose expression was usually calm but now weighed even heavier.
“I just… don’t understand why you’d do this. Not leaving a note would’ve been fine.” Anya stared into Lirina’s clear, innocent eyes—eyes now red with guilt and care, completely untainted. Knowing Lirina had never deceived her made it even harder to bear.
So why break the promise?
“…Why did you take me in yesterday? Why give me that comfortable sofa to sleep on? Why feed me porridge so gently? Why hold me when I couldn’t sleep? Why even consider if I might be hungry when you went out, buying me such delicious food like a Sister… why? I don’t understand… why give me so many precious moments of happiness, only to take them away with a simple broken promise at the end!?”
Lirina froze.
She heard Anya shouting almost in tears.
She saw Anya’s tear-streaked face, like a tiny kitten abandoned in the rain.
…She realized she hadn’t thought much. What she thought were simple, natural actions had brought Anya immense happiness.
She finally understood how serious her broken promise was.
“…Forget what I said. I’m leaving now.” Anya grabbed her cloak from the clothes rack and draped it over herself.
Lirina’s eyes widened at the sight of Anya putting on the cloak.
Too much information came at once—she couldn’t process it.
In her view, Anya’s black cloak—the one Lirina had tossed on the rack after helping her onto the sofa yesterday—was worn. The fabric had seemed stiff and uncomfortable for sleeping.
Suddenly, Anya’s figure flickered, then returned to normal.
“I’m leaving now.” Her final words.
—That’s the cloak that lets Anya disappear?!
Realizing this, Lirina felt that if she didn’t act, this girl would really leave.
She pushed Anya’s hand aside and hugged her.
“Anya… Anya! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry!”
She stopped thinking about anything else—there was only an apology, only holding this precious angel tightly.
“Sorry… sob… sorry, Anya… it’s my fault… sorry… sob… cough… sorry…”
…Amidst the dizziness, she heard that voice.
A voice full of tears, calling her name.
…What am I doing…? Speaking emotionally, seeing the cloak on the rack, grabbing it without thinking, and activating it.
Of course, her magic wasn’t enough, and she got severe feedback from the failed spell.
Darkness filled her vision; buzzing filled her mind, dizziness nearly knocked her off her feet.
As she struggled to stand, she felt two soft masses press against her, then arms hugging her tightly.
A hug filled with: I absolutely cannot let you leave.
Anya wanted to open her eyes… but couldn’t.
Between the buzzing and dizziness, she heard the sobs and apologies of the one holding her.
“Tch…”
What the—
“Anya, I didn’t keep my promise, I’m sorry… I left you alone at home, I’m sorry… sob… don’t go… I truly know I was wrong…”
Hey… what the hell.
“Sorry, sorry…”
Can we pause? So loud…
No… actually, that’s not really how I feel.
…With such an apology, a method impossible not to forgive…
The broken promise can be forgiven… and the happiness I lost will come back…
Just thinking that makes me want to cry!
“Anya…”
“Alright…”
Lirina lifted her head, seeing Anya struggling to open her eyes.
“Anya?”
“….” Anya closed her eyes again. Exhaustion and dizziness made visual processing unbearable.
Tears clouded those pitiful eyes—she couldn’t bear to meet them even for a second.
I’ve suffered so much… why does it feel like I’m bullying her?
“Anya… your magic… just now…” Lirina realized—Anya had overexerted herself. That last thing must have been a spell… her magic?
“Tch…” Anya tried to cover Lirina’s mouth again, but her arms were too weak. She let go halfway.
Lirina noticed: “Anya… your magic… hasn’t recovered yet, right? Just now…”
“Quiet… don’t say that.” Anya raised her voice with effort, stopping her.
Lirina opened her mouth, then looked around the room.
“Then… shall we go inside?”
“There’s nowhere else I can go.”
Lirina helped Anya back onto the sofa.
“Ugh…” Adjusting her balance made her grit her teeth in discomfort.
Lirina’s guilt multiplied.
“Huff… huff…” After a few breaths, Anya opened her eyes to Lirina. “Lirina, I have a question for you.”
“Y-yes!” Lirina sat upright, mentally ready to explain everything from today, carefully thinking how to prevent Anya from hating the light novel club.
“Why… are you so kind to me?” Anya asked, staring at her.
“Today… um?” Lirina spoke automatically, realizing it wasn’t the answer she had prepared.
She looked down at Anya. Her gaze was calm.
“U-uh… uh…” Lirina tried to recall Anya’s question.
Why so kind to Anya…? How could she even know?
“I… I don’t know.” Lirina shook her head.
“…Idiot.” Anya turned toward the sofa’s backrest.
“Ugh.” Scolded, yet unable to reply.
They sat quietly for a while.
“Someone like me… it doesn’t matter if I—” Anya stared at the ceiling.
“Eh?” Lirina froze.
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