Episode 29

Since Persis didn’t allow us to stay overnight, Floa and I had to return home.

It was early evening when we arrived at the train station. Floa came with our luggage, his hands full.

Instead of Floa, I went to the station attendant and received two tickets before boarding the train. Once again, it was a second-class compartment, not first-class.

“The atmosphere on the morning train and the evening train is quite different, isn’t it?”

“I suppose it’s because they head towards different destinations.”

“The atmosphere changes depending on where you’re going, right?”

“That’s right.”

While Floa placed the luggage on the rack, I took a seat by the window. Unlike when we arrived, there were other passengers in the two seats facing me.

In the aisle seat, there was a man wearing a burgundy-colored hat covering his face and sleeping, while in the window seat, there was a woman wearing a hat pulled down low and reading a newspaper. They seemed like a couple.

I alternated my gaze between the man and the woman before looking out the window. It was gradually getting dark outside.

Floa sat next to me, and finally, the train started moving.

We hadn’t had much time to enjoy ourselves, so I felt a bit regretful about leaving already. I thought I should plan a more leisurely schedule and come back again.

Suddenly, I had the thought of wanting to come back to the Beach later and meet that boy.

Come to think of it, I didn’t ask for his name. I even gave him a shell, but I should have asked for his name at least.

“Floa, next time, let’s get permission to stay overnight and come back here.”

“Sure, anytime.”

He responded as if it were obvious.

Growl-growl. The belly button started ringing. The owner of the watch was, of course, me.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes, I’m hungry.”

“Would you like a sandwich and milk?”

“Do you have them?”

“The train attendants are selling them.”

Upon hearing that, I leaned my face to the side and looked down the aisle. Just as Floa mentioned, two train attendants were pushing a serving cart from the end of the aisle, selling sandwiches and milk to the passengers.

Since I had never experienced buying and eating something on a train before, excitement welled up within me along with the thought of choosing from the menu.

“We have sandwiches and milk for sale. We offer chicken sandwiches, egg mayo sandwiches, ham and cheese sandwiches, and beef sandwiches, a total of four options.”

“If you would like to make a purchase, please raise your hand.”

The menu options were simple, and they weren’t bad, but the word that captivated my heart was “chicken sandwich.”

When I told Floa that I wanted to have a chicken sandwich, he said he would buy it for me.

However, right in front of me, wouldn’t you know it, the chicken sandwiches started selling like hotcakes.

“Please give me two chicken sandwiches and three bottles of milk.”

“I’ll take one beef sandwich and three chicken sandwiches.”

“Please give me two each chicken and egg mayo sandwiches.”

Thanks to that, before the flight attendants could come to us, the chicken sandwiches were completely sold out.

I suddenly felt gloomy and dropped my hand, resting my forehead on the table.

“They’re all sold out… I wanted to have a chicken sandwich…”

“I’ll go get them right away.”

As Floa tried to get up, I weakly held onto him.

“Are you trying to take it away by force? Just forget it and sit down. Let’s just eat something else, well…”

I thought maybe I made a mistake by choosing the seat in front, as I wanted it so badly.

Unlucky, just unlucky.

“Should I have the egg mayo sandwich…”

I was mumbling to myself when it happened.

Knock, knock.

“Hey, kid.”

The woman sitting in front of me knocked on the table and called out to me. I looked up and gazed at her, meeting her bright blue eyes.

Did she call me?

I pointed at myself and asked.

“Me…?”

“Yeah. Aren’t you the only kid here?”

The woman showed a sweet smile and handed me something. It was only then that I noticed, the newspaper she had in her hand disappeared without a trace, and in its place was a chicken sandwich.

“Do you want to eat this?”

A strand of light blue hair, slightly hanging from the woman’s navy blue beret, brushed against her cheek.

“I bought this before you came. I bought a lot, so would you like to have one, little sister?”

The woman gave me a playful smile. It seemed like there was a halo of light around her.

At that moment, I felt like I had witnessed an angel.

***

“Nyum nyum nyum-”

Thanks to the angelic lady in the front seat, I was able to eat the sandwich I wanted. She also handed me milk and another sandwich.

“You got some on your face.”

She kindly wiped the sauce off my mouth.

“Take your time. Eat slowly. If you feel choked, drink some milk.”

With my mouth full of sandwich, I nodded instead of answering.

There’s no angel like her!

After wiping off all the sauce, the lady smiled contentedly as she watched me enjoy the food. I wondered if my mom would have taken care of me and looked at me warmly if she were here.

With a sandwich in my right hand and milk in my left, I ate non-stop. The lady told me to eat slowly once again and introduced herself.

“I’m Iris. What’s your name, little one?”

I swallowed the food in my mouth and replied, “May Flotina!”

Iris murmured my name with a meaningful expression.

“May… You’re the descendant of Pasebea.”

It was strange to be called the descendant of Pasebea when I was not even Persis’s son, but it was true, so I nodded.

“That’s right.”

As I took another bite of the sandwich, I suddenly realized that her name was the same as one of the names of the three imperial guardians.

No way…?

When I raised my head, I noticed that Iris’s gaze was on Floa. The way Iris looked at Floa resembled the look she gave to someone familiar.

“If You are the guardian of the family, make sure to feed him well. He’s at a growing age, so he should be nourished without any shortcomings.”

Upon hearing this, my eyes widened. I hadn’t even introduced Floa, but she knew that he was a guardian.

When going out, Floa casts a mental barrier spell to ensure that no one can recognize him as Floa and to prevent any troublesome incidents.

But even so, if she knows Floa’s true identity, does that mean she is truly the person I think she is? Usually, magic doesn’t work on someone with greater magical power than oneself.

Floa spoke as if it was bothersome.

“… I’m not being underfed.”

“Of course.”

I looked back and forth between the two of them.

“But how do you two know each other?”

The answer came from Iris’s mouth.

“The guardians have an annual meeting. To ensure that each guardian’s duties are carried out without interference, we gather once a year to coordinate our protective domains.”

Since Floa became Plotina’s guardian a long time ago, it meant that their relationship had been established for a very long time.

“Hmm…”

Just then, a man who had been sleeping with his face covered by a cap stretched and woke up.

“Are we almost there?”

The man asked straightforwardly, and Iris replied.

“Yeah, we’ll arrive soon, so wake up.”

The man lowered the cap that had covered his face and placed it on the table, revealing red hair and yellow irises.

The man spoke as he looked at Floa in front of him.

“So, you’re Floa. I thought it was a dream when they said Floa, but it really is Floa. What’s the occasion? You rarely go out.”

“We’re on a trip. The person I have to protect wanted to go on a trip.”

Then, everyone’s attention turned to me.

A cool-looking man extended his hand to me for a handshake and greeted me.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Cassius.”

From Iris to Cassius. I wondered if he might be the same name, but he was still the 3rd guardian of the empire.

One of the guardians of the Empire greeted me…!

If they see me well, they might put me in the ranks of the Guardian Knights!

I proudly shook his hand.

“I’m May Plotina. Nice to meet you, too.”

As I smiled brightly, Cassius’s mouth curled up in a small smile. It was a face that looked at a child with affection.

“Floa, you’re lucky. Protecting May must be enjoyable because she’s so adorable.”

Floa immediately acknowledged without hesitation.

“It is enjoyable. Enough to want to protect her for a lifetime.”

He smiled gently at me.

As I held hands with Cassius, Iris also reached out her hand to me.

“Shake hands with me too, May.”

“Sure!”

I extended my empty left hand and shook hands with Iris. Finally, I ended up shaking hands with both hands, crossing my arms.

Iris found my hand cute.

“Your hand is small and soft.”

While she was playing with my hand, I asked her.

“By any chance, is Hestia also on this train?”

Hestia, is one of the three guardians of the Empire. Since I had met Iris and Cassius, I became curious to see Hestia in person as well.

“No. Hestia usually goes around with her knights. She cherishes them like her own children. Well, it’s not like we don’t cherish the knights ourselves.”

“I see.”

It was the first time I heard that Hestia cherished her knights like her own children. Considering that I had only encountered the Three Great Imperial Gods through books, it was somewhat expected.

The train slowed down as it entered the platform. As it came to a complete stop and the doors opened, the announcement from the crew could be heard.

“This station is Paint Park Station. Those who wish to disembark, please take all your belongings with you.”

Cassius and Iris finally let go of my hand.

“We have to go now.”

“You’re getting off at this station?”

As I expressed my disappointment, Iris also looked disappointed.

 Yeah. But I’ll visit you if I have the time, knowing where you live. Is that okay?”

Cassius stood up from his seat, took out a bag from the shelf, and said.

“I’ll come too.”

“Yes! Come anytime!”

“See you later.”

“Make sure to come and hang out!”

Iris and Cassius waved their hands to me and went out of the train. I couldn’t help but watch the place where they left, feeling regretful for not having a few more words of conversation.

Outside the train doors, I saw people going their separate ways.

I really hope they come to visit. They were such nice people…

It was a moment when I wished for them to come and visit.

Someone entered my field of vision.

Platinum hair. Short hair. Expressionless face.

The man, with sharp scars that seemed to have been inflicted by something, had a lazy eye, unable to fully open one eye.

“!”

As our eyes met, I found myself looking ahead without even realizing it.

What…? Why did I flinch?

Was I scared of that person? Because of his lazy eye?

Is that why I can’t turn my head right now?

I couldn’t fully grasp the reason. I couldn’t muster the courage to turn my eyes back and confirm him.

“The doors are closing.”

With the announcement from the crew, the train doors closed, and soon the train departed towards the next station.

Support for more