I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Bonus chapters are like surprise blossoms—unexpected, yet full of joy! 🌱

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"You're cheating! Sara, you're totally cheating!"

"Stop squirming! You'll fall off!"

Sara tightened her grip on Chika's legs, barely managing to prevent the girl from slipping off her back after a bout of chaotic movement.

Though honestly, even if Chika did fall, it wouldn't be too serious as long as she didn't hit her head.

"It's my first time playing these games. How could I possibly cheat? You're the one who taught me the rules."

Chika was fuming because, despite teaching Sara the games herself, once Sara got the hang of the rules, Chika started losing more often than she won.

Take the game of searching for four-leaf clovers, for example. Normally, a game like that relies heavily on luck, but Sara's keen eyesight from her archery training gave her a distinct advantage, making the game much easier for her than for Chika.

"That's why you should train in martial arts with me and Master," Sara suggested.

"No way!"

Chika turned her head away defiantly, pouting.

Sara continued trying to persuade Chika, but the latter's refusal was unwavering.

Currently, Sara was carrying Chika home on her back. Chika had been so caught up in her competitive streak from losing repeatedly that she played to her heart's content, leaving her legs sore and unable to walk.

The hottest part of the day had passed. In this sealed space where seasons didn't exist, the temperature and humidity remained perpetually ideal for human habitation.

Though there were no chirping birds or buzzing insects, the rustling leaves swayed gently in the breeze. Sunlight bathed the world in warmth, and Chika, content from playing, now resting on Sara's back, let out a soft yawn, her eyes welling with a few tears.

She rubbed her eyes and opened them again, but the scenery before her seemed to blur.

That day, the sunlight had been blinding.

That day, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

And just like now… she had been carried on someone's back.

Her father's back had been broad and strong, a comforting presence.

Sleepiness crept in, and Chika closed her eyes.

"Oh my, it looks like Chika's fallen asleep," her mother's lively, gentle voice said.

"Ah… she must be tired from playing. That's how children are."

Chika wasn't fully asleep, though. For some reason, she decided to feign sleep and quietly listen.

"When I was Chika's age, I must have been even more energetic. I never realized how exhausting it must be to be a parent."

"We're both first-time parents. I think having these little worries is normal. Only now am I beginning to appreciate how difficult it was for my own parents… I wish I could proudly introduce you and Chika to them. I'm sure they'd be thrilled."

"Your parents would absolutely love me. And Chika, too, of course. You've said it yourself—Chika takes after me. If your parents met us, they might even start favoring us over their son."

"…If I could see them again, I wouldn't mind losing their favor."

Her father's parents… grandparents, right?

But Chika had almost no memories of them.

They existed only in stories her parents told.

"Still… if I did see them, they might beat me to a pulp. No, that would be getting off easy. I've been a terrible father."

"Because you feel like you've failed Chika, don't you?"

"…Yeah."

Resting on her father's back, Chika could sense the stiffness in his movements, his body briefly freezing.

"Even though I consulted the villagers and they all supported me… Chika's still so young. I…"

"You're afraid that as Chika grows older—no, in this place, no one has the right to 'grow older.' You're worried that she won't understand your choices and will resent you for them. Is that it?"

"…If she resents me, so be it. After all, I'm the one who forced her—and the other children her age—to make decisions far beyond their years. Even if they grow mature enough to understand the weight of those choices and despise me for it, it's my burden to bear."

"…You idiot. Why did I fall for someone like you?"

Her mother's voice had been filled with exasperation, but beneath it, there had been something else.

Something sweet, like the honey candies Chika got during New Year's. Something tender, like her favorite lavender melons.

Something she didn't fully understand or know how to describe.

Her mother had once explained it to her, smiling brightly as she did.

"This feeling… it's called 'love.'"

"Listen closely: it wasn't you who forced the children to make choices. It was this cruel world. And it wasn't you who caused our deaths. In fact, if not for you, neither I, Chika, nor anyone else in the village would've survived that black tide. That's why, when you asked for everyone's opinion, the entire village supported you."

"We were all rescued from the ocean of death. Every one of us remembers who it was that gave us this chance to live. We've already made peace with our circumstances. So when you decided to gamble our 'future' to save even more lives, we accepted it gladly."

"I'm proud of you, my love… And I'm sure Chika will be, too, once she learns the truth. After all, you said it yourself: she takes after me, doesn't she?"

Chika couldn't recall what had been said after that.

She only remembered the warmth of the sunlight on her skin, the gentle breeze playing with her hair, and the comforting embrace of a sweet dream.

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Sara suddenly noticed that Chika had gone quiet on her back.

No more fidgeting. No more chatter.

Turning her head slightly, Sara caught a glimpse of Chika's face resting against her shoulder.

Chika's expression was serene, her breathing steady, with a faint smile gracing her lips.

It seemed she was having a good dream.

The girl who had been so boisterous all day was now silent, and Sara found herself unaccustomed to the change.

Gazing at Chika's peaceful face, Sara thought to herself, So, she can look like this, too.

Perhaps without realizing it, Sara's steps slowed. Her breathing steadied, her gait becoming smoother and more careful.

Was she trying not to disturb the dream? Sara didn't know.

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