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“…I will!”

Rir took my hand. It was slightly cold, slender, and delicate; a typical girl’s hand.

“In that case, shall we show you around the house?” Mom was about to get up, seeing this as a good stopping point.
“No, there is one more thing,” Pops stopped her, dropping his earlier smile.

Don’t tell me he’s still not happy with my reply?

“Wh-What now, Pops. Didn’t I tell you that I’ll make sure to be there for her?”
“No, this isn’t about you. Rir, isn’t there still something you want to tell us?” he asked in a gentle tone.

She nodded while still holding my hand.

“Wh-What, did somethin’ happen?”
“There… there is something I still haven’t told you, Shuu. I’m feeling a bit guilty because of that. It’s incredible that you were able to see through that, Mr. Hino.”

Somethin’ she never told me… Oh, I get it. It’s ’bout that.

“Do you mean what happened to you before we met?”
“Exactly. I mentioned it the day after I came to Earth for the first time… To be honest, I was planning to bring it up at a later time, but when I heard how you thought about me, Shuu… well.”

She looked dejected as she spoke those words, but she didn’t let go of my hand. I wasn’t planning to let go of her, either.

“After all… I keep wondering whether I deserve your affection.”
“What do you mean?”

Mom and Pops deliberately kept quiet and didn’t try to interject. Rir, who probably also noticed the atmosphere, swallowed and then continued speaking.

“Once I tell you of my past, you might find me repulsive. But it’s something I need to… want to tell! Especially you and your parents, Shuu.”

She looked anxiously at me, with eyes like those of a puppy afraid to be abandoned. I made up my mind, took Rir’s other hand too, and squeezed it tightly.

“No matter what you tell me, no matter how bad it is. I won’t ever hate you. Never. It’s impossible. I promised you just now, but even if I didn’t, I don’t think I’d react like that. Even if it’s horrible… just tell me.”

A single teardrop formed at her eye. When it had traveled down to the corner of her mouth, she showed a small smile.

“Th-Then I’ll be taking up a bit more of your time. I will tell you about me… before I met Shuu.”

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Rir Fún.

In a hamlet solely made up of wolfkin to the far north of Yggdrasil’s capital, she was born to a woman who, while seen as beautiful, didn’t particularly stand out, and a man working as both a woodcutter and huntsman.

Before she was one year old, she seemed to resemble her mother in beauty even as a baby, but otherwise cried, laughed, and touched things like a normal baby would and grew up quickly.

That didn’t change once she passed her first birthday. She learned to speak and recognize some letters, and other than possessing a vocabulary quite big for her age, she was perfectly normal.

At two years of age, Rir was able to read children’s books. While those were made for children, only few could read them at that age, and rumors of her being a bright child started to circulate in the hamlet.

Furthermore, she often went to watch her father at work. He would carry her on his back as he went into the forest, have her wait in a safe spot and then cut down trees. Rir loved to watch him do that. What she loved even more was when he used leftover lumber to make wood carvings and then showed those to her.

Rir spent her days either by reading books, watching trees being felled, or looking at wood carvings.

At three years of age.

She spoke a great deal and was now able to read books on the level of children’s stories easily.

Since she preferred reading to writing, she hadn’t learned many letters, but even though she was living in a far-flung hamlet, she was able to read on the same level as average children of wealthy city folk at the same age.

She now wasn’t just watching her father at work, but also went to observe what her mother did every other day. When she was doing the laundry, cooking meals, or cleaning the house.

Even at three years of age, Rir realized that she possessed a good memory, so she squeezed all those things, the stories her parents told her, and how they acted with other people, into her brain.

At four years of age.

Rir started to exercise within her capabilities. Physical training was seen as important by the warlike wolfkin, and it also allowed her to help her father with his work (though in truth, it was still woefully insufficient). She gathered firewood with him and then carried just a few sticks with her, something her parents found rather endearing.

She obviously also continued her self-studies as before.

Finally, at five years of age.

This was the prime of Rir’s life before she met Shuu. She continued growing up without any issues, or rather, her development was outstanding compared to normal children. She was loved by her mother and father, and she had endeared herself to most of the hamlet. Although there were some exceptions.

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