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Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

The special cookies, endorsed by Vannabelle, Numelin, and Lili-Lulu, were given as a token of gratitude to Aunt Ur, who had agreed to swap rooms, as well as to Farah and Hom.

Aunt Ur tried one on the spot and was overjoyed, commenting on their light, crispy texture that made it impossible to stop eating. When she learned from Alfe that I enjoyed cooking, she went so far as to suggest that I create an original menu for the cafeteria. It seemed she truly appreciated my recipe.

Farah and Hom each took one cookie right away, mentioning they wanted to savor the rest later, before retreating to their rooms.

Having spent nearly half the day since morning baking a significant quantity of cookies, we enjoyed some of our creations as dessert in our room after dinner. Afterward, Alfe and I took a bath together for the first time in a long while.

“When we were kids, the bath used to feel so spacious—like we could swim in it,” Alfe reminisced.
“Oh, yeah, I remember that,” I replied.

She was likely talking about the time before we enrolled at St. Salaius Elementary School. I could picture her recalling the evenings when my mother, standing in for Mrs. Clifford, who worked at the port diner, would pick us up and spend the night with us.

Personally, I had even older memories—back when Alfe was still a baby. Her description of being able to “swim” in the bath might have stemmed from her body remembering the joy of kicking her legs around back then.

Even though my body had stopped growing, sharing the dorm’s bathtub now felt a bit cramped for the two of us. While we could still enjoy the public bathhouse, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness at the thought that these moments of bathing together might become rarer in the future.

“Even if it’s cramped, we can be close, so I don’t mind,” Alfe said, almost as if to brush off her own feelings.

Perhaps she, too, felt a pang of guilt about growing up while I remained unchanged. Whatever it was, I decided to continue pretending not to notice unless she brought it up herself.

After our bath, we took the opportunity to dry each other’s hair using a magic dryer.

When Alfe finished drying mine, I carefully combed through her hair with my fingers as I dried it. Alfe seemed to find it soothing, swaying gently from side to side in a relaxed, almost dreamy manner.

It was amusing how such small gestures hadn’t changed since we were children. Maybe because it had been so long since we spent time alone together, today felt unusually nostalgic. It left me in a curious state of mind.

“You’re like a mom, Leafa,” Alfe said softly.
“Well, I always do this for Hom,” I replied.
“…That’s wonderful. I’m a little jealous of Hom,” she murmured at my response.
“Alfe?”
“…Lately, I’ve been thinking about something,” she began.

Her voice, though partially muffled by the hum of the dryer, carried a faint note of melancholy.

“When I was little, I wanted to try everything on my own. I was so happy when I could do something by myself, and I kept wanting to do more and more things on my own. But looking back, I realize I stopped asking Mom for help as much. Mom always said it made her happy to see me grow up like that, but… I think it must’ve been lonely for her.”

Her quiet words felt like they came from a place of deeply rooted sadness, a feeling that resonated within me as well.

“It’s been the same since I started attending this academy. I’ve been drifting further and further from you, doing more things that only I can do.”

What could I say to her at a moment like this? Alfe’s growth made me proud, and I knew I, too, would continue to grow mentally and intellectually. We were two different people, and I understood that no bond could remain unchanged forever. Even so, I couldn’t help but wish to stay together.

That feeling wasn’t just tied to the promises I had made with Alfe back in our elementary school days. It was something I deeply desired in my heart even now.

“…I think I feel the same way. Our paths are different, and we chose them knowing that.”
“Yeah, I know… or at least, I think I do.”

Unsure of what else to say, I could only offer her these vague, noncommittal words. Frustrated at my inability to comfort her, I bit my lip.

When Alfe’s hair was fully dry, I moved the dryer away and stopped its flow of aether.

“But, you know…”

When the sound of the dryer stopped, Alfe’s voice came through clearly. This time, it wasn’t sadness I heard—it was gentleness. Before I realized it, I was wrapped in her embrace.

“I want to depend on you more, Leafa. Not just saying I love you—I want to hold you tight and be together all the time, like we used to.”

Alfe was strong. She could openly express what she wanted and knew what she needed to do.

“If we grow up one day… and if the time comes when we can’t do that anymore, I…”
“It’s okay,” I said, patting her back softly and whispering in as reassuring a tone as I could muster. “I for one won’t grow up. I’ll stay like this forever.”

Whether it was fortunate or not, I would remain unchanged. At least on the outside, I would always be the Leafa she said she loved. I didn’t entirely know what made that “okay,” but I felt like something unspoken was conveyed to her. Perhaps, in my own way, I was leaning on Alfe, too.

“Leafa…”

With tears welling in her eyes, Alfe placed her hand on my cheek.

“Shall we rest? We can keep talking while lying down if you want.”
“…Yeah.”

I placed my hand over hers and gently guided her toward the bed. Alfe nodded and, as if it were the most natural thing, slipped into my bed.

“Hehe, it smells like you, Leafa,” she said, grinning.
“Today, it smells like you too, Alfe.”

It wasn’t just the scent of soap from our bath. There was a soft, sweet fragrance, like a gentle flower, lingering close by. If I closed my eyes, it felt as though that scent might carry me into dreams of the days when we were little—a peaceful and comforting aroma.

“I want to stay like this, holding you tight, as we fall asleep tonight.”
“You can do whatever you like, Alfe. It makes me happy too,” I replied.

Alfe smiled, a look of relief spreading across her face, as she wrapped her arms around me and closed her eyes. Feeling her warmth, I encircled her back with my arms and closed my own eyes.

As I gently stroked her back—slender but noticeably grown—I could hear her quiet, steady breaths signaling she had drifted off. Though she had already surpassed me in height, it felt like she still had room to grow. Perhaps it was because, unlike the slow and steady growth of elves, half-elves matured at a pace more akin to humans.

I remembered what Mrs. Clifford had confided in me—half-elves would grow rapidly until they reached their prime, after which their aging would slow significantly. By the time Alfe graduated from this school, she would have grown into a fine adult.

Yet here she was, curled up beside me as if nothing had changed since she was a baby. It felt like those early days all over again, our bodies close, finding comfort in each other. I lifted my gaze to look at her, and her sleeping face was just as adorable as it had been back then.

I wondered, when would Alfe truly become an adult?

How much longer would she allow herself to lean on me like this¹?

1. Robinxen: You’re half the problem here!!!!

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