The Mysterious Visitor

Days later my mom came to my room and knocked on the doorframe.

“Kurenai... You need to eat something.”

“I... don’t... want... to...”

Slowly sneaking up on me, she grabbed my blanket and, with one quick move, pulled it off of me.

Kyaaaaah!

“Mom!”

“Enough sulking, come help me out in the kitchen.”

Hmpf.

“So you’re giving up on your dream?”

“It was just a big lie to begin with...”

“I see, so that’s how little it meant to you.”

Haaa!?

Swiftly I jumped up and glared at her.

“It meant everything to me! But heroes don’t exist!”

“Are you sure about that?”

“What do you mean?”

My eyes narrowed.

“After all, real heroes do exist.”

“Really!?”

“Yes, I’m even super close to one.”

“What!? And you’ve never told me!? That’s so mean of you, Mom!”

“But you know them as well.”

Huh?

My brain short-circuited.

I know them? Who? Dad? The village elder?

“Who?”

She chuckled.

“You, of course. You’re our village’s own hero.”

“That’s not how it works, Mom!”

“Didn’t you say it yourself? A hero is someone whose duty is to...”

“Protect anyone and everyone in need of help.”

“Exactly, when the dragon attacked and our village needed help, who drove it off?”

Mmmmmm...

“I did...?”

She embraced me tightly and smooched my forehead.

“Stop... it... Mom.”

I tried escaping her grasp, but that just made her pull me in tighter.

“My littwe cute hero.”

“Wait! You’re right, Mom! I did protect everyone.”

Though, I don’t even know how I did that. For once the flow of mana felt completely natural, as if it were just an extension of my body. That’ll require more experimenting! But first, I need to-

“So, are you going to help me?”

“Sorry, Mom! I’ll help you later, I have to do something right now.”

“Is that something outside?”

Ah huh.

While rushing to get dressed, I quickly nodded at her.

“How about I brush your... hair for you?”

I instantly froze. Just those few words... you have no idea how amazing it feels when my mom brushes my hair! I always beg her to do it, but she’s usually too busy. I really really want to... Surely I have a little bit of time for it, right?

Turning around, I jumped right into her lap and looked at her with big puppy eyes.

“Pwease...”

“Hehe. You got it, Kurenai.”

Then she took the brush and gently brushed my hair.

Mmmmmmmmmmm.

“Feelsh shooo good.”

“No matter what happens, Kurenai. Never forget what defines a real hero.”

“I knouw, Mom.”

“It’s important, because eventually you might meet people who are considered heroes in the eye of the public. Doesn’t necessarily mean that they are.”

She started to brush my hair more intensely, putting me on cloud nine.

“That makesh no shenshe...”

“Unfortunately, life itself isn’t a fairy tale.”

Her head drooped and she stopped brushing, so I took the chance and jumped off of her lap. Then I turned around with my chest puffed out and fists on my hip.

“Then I’ll just have to make the fairy tale real!”

After proclaiming my resolution, I bolted right out of the house towards my hideout. Leaving my mother grinning like a proud parent.

Crawling right into it, I snuggled up to Eggy and told Eggy about everything that happened and about my new goal.

I ended up talking so much that I fell asleep cuddling Eggy.

The upcoming days were mostly quiet, except for the occasional visitor coming to thank me for saving our village. While it did make me happy, it also took away from my time I could be spending on experiments as well as on Eggy!

Hence, I tried to keep those interactions short. I also definitely didn’t just use a line from a fairy tale...

“A real hero doesn’t need thanking! I’m doing it just to please my conscience.”

But people knew right away... I guess using a line from the most commonly known fairy tale wasn’t my best idea.

Oh well, it still worked sooo it doesn’t matter!

A few days later, while I was helping my dad with the fields, Mom shouted.

“Kurenai! There’s someone here to visit you.”

Ugh...

“Again? Dad, can’t we just pretend that I’m not home?”

I whispered to him with big teary eyes.

“But that wouldn’t be nice of our hero, no?”

“You’re right...”

It is quite exhausting, so I’ll just keep it brief!

“...”

“They aren’t coming? Mom! Where are they?”

“Maybe they are waiting for you inside?”

Putting down the rake, I went inside. Just to find Mom sitting with someone at our table.

I looked her up and down, but I’ve never seen her before. Is she a traveler, or maybe an adventurer!? Though she looks a little too weak-

“It’s quite rude to just stare at someone like that.”

“I’m sorry! It’s just... I haven’t seen you around here before.”

“Would you like some tea?”

“I’ll gladly accept.”

Mom got up, winked at me, and went into the kitchen.

Eeeeeh!? What does that wink even mean?

I sat down across from the girl.

“So, you wanted to meet me?”

“Yes, I’ve heard of your recent major accomplishment.”

Ehehe.

“Not just anyone can drive off a dragon, single-handedly.”

“So, it already spread?”

“But that’s not all... you also managed to find something precious.”

My eyes widened and I froze.

Who is she!? She knows about eggy? Impossible! Not even my parents know!

“Hehe. I found something precious?”

“Indeed, something unusual and rare. Do you mind showing it to me?”

“I have no idea what you could be referring to.”

She stared deep into my eyes, it felt like she was trying to stare into my soul directly.

Being stared at like that made me really uncomfortable, but I had to keep up my poker face. If I break eye contact now-

“Here’s your tea.”

Mom walked over and placed a cup of tea in front of each of us.

“C-can I have some milk with mine?”

I muttered, trying to get her to leave us alone.

Just as a precaution, of course. So that this weird girl doesn’t reveal my secret to her, that is, if she really knows it.

“You little trickster... Using the guest as a reason to ask for special things?”

“Pleeaaase?”

“Fine, just this once.”

She then walked off, and my focus snapped back to the mysterious girl.

“You know, there’s no point in playing dumb.”

She said as she took a sip of the tea.

“...”

“Delicious, your mother knows how to make good tea.”

The longer our staring contest continued, the more I felt like I had seen that gaze before, but where?

“Have we met-”

“Kurenai! You have even more guests.”

“Isn’t it considered rude to keep guests waiting?”

She’s so smug about everything. Ugh! Can it get any worse!?

Getting up, I walked to the front door, where Mom was.

“Who is it, Mom?”

“Are you, Kurenai?”

“Yes?”

A man wearing armor? It looks familiar... Oh. It’s similar to the royal knights!

“I see, so you really are a child.”

Eeh?

“Is it true that you single-handedly drove off the red dragon?”

“What if it is?”

That look... He looks really mean... I don’t like him!

Slowly moving a little, I hid behind Mom.

“How did you do it?”

“I don’t know...”

“I see. Then you have to come with us.”

Just as he finished his sentence, two knights from behind him walked in front of him. One of them grabbed my arm and tried dragging me out.

“Hey! What are you doing!?”

Of course my mom instinctively grabbed me and pulled me back, protecting me.

But in retaliation, they drew their swords on her.

“Count Vandegard wants to talk to her.”

“B-b-but I don’t want to talk to him!”

“You heard her! She’s declining his invitation.”

“So you are going to deny a count’s invitation? You? Some random villager who is even lower than a commoner?”

His expression turned even darker, he wasn’t even considering us humans. You could really see how much he despised our mere existence in his eyes.

“...”

“You should be grateful for the mere chance to talk to someone of his stature.”

“I-I don’t c-care! I don’t want to talk to him anyway!”

He gripped the hilt of his sword.

“Seems like your parents didn’t teach you the proper manners.”

“You’re wro-”

“Seems like you aren’t leaving us a choice. We’ll just have to drag you to the count after correcting your parents.”

Shhhk.

He drew his blade.