by CHIROLU
She suddenly turned around. It was clear that she was even less mentally prepared than she thought. She wasn’t even able to look Dale in the eye. Her heartbeat felt deafeningly loud. Bringing both hands to her cheeks, she felt that they were getting hot. Right now, even her ears were probably red.
Forgetting to walk quietly, Latina ran up into their room in the attic.
In response, Dale thought, She... She won’t even look at my face...! This damn rebellious phase...!
Latina didn’t even realize that Dale had dropped his head, crestfallen and powerless, and let his emotions flow forth as tears.
†
Latina headed for the Backstreet Bakery early in the morning again the next day.
After the morning peak passed, there was time for a breather.
“Huh? What’s wrong, Rudy?”
“I should be asking you that, Latina. What’re you doing at Marcel’s place?”
Latina gave a troubled smile in response to Rudolph’s words. Seeing her expression caused Rudolph to remember the catastrophe of that night, and he awkwardly averted his gaze. He then rather unnaturally stated his reason for being here.
“Y-You see, my superiors sent me here. They told me to go buy something for a snack.”
He had been ordered by his superiors in the guards on an errand to this shop in particular. It was already well known amongst the regulars of the Dancing Ocelot that their favorite adorable waitress was working as a temporary employee of a bakery. They didn’t head there themselves because they had an unspoken rule to not bother her.
Thanks to the fundamental hierarchy of the guards, it wasn’t possible to interrupt a superior when they were giving an order, nor could one ask for further clarification. That was the kind of work environment Rudolph had.
“I’m still not used to working here, so it’ll take a bit. You’ll need a lot of sandwiches, too.”
“That’s true,” Rudolph responded while Latina started preparing the bread. She pulled out a number of pieces of bread and then slid a knife into one from the side. She skillfully smeared on some butter mixed with mustard, showing off the results of all her experience with food since she was young.
“Are there any ingredients I should avoid?”
“You don’t have to worry about every little thing like that. It’s fine.”
“I see.”
After laying down a heaping helping of colorful vegetables, she layered slices of smoked meat on top. In the blink of an eye, she’d completed a delicious-looking sandwich. Seeing that it was a big order, Marcel’s mother had come out to help and started wrapping up the completed sandwich in thin paper. When Latina saw that Marcel’s mother was taking care of it, she returned to making the sandwiches once again.
In a short time, the order was done. Looking at the mountain of completed sandwiches, Latina couldn’t help but tilt her head.
“Rudy... are you going to carry these all back by yourself?”
“Ugh...”
“Do you need a hand?”
“I-I can handle this much. And you’re helping man the store right now, so you can’t just leave your post so easily.”
“That’s true. Take care, Rudy.”
Latina opened the door for Rudolph and saw him off, as he had both hands full carrying the masses of bagged sandwiches. She watched in concern for a while as he headed off towards the guard station, but since she couldn’t do anything more to help, she headed back into the shop.
Rudolph, who had been offered help from Latina but refused her, ended up finding his afternoon training unusually rigorous. Thanks to the special treat of handmade sandwiches from their favorite adorable waitress, the old men in the guards’ upper ranks got huge boosts of energy. If Latina had helped Rudolph carry the sandwiches to the guard station, they would have had a chance to show off outside of their usual drunken state, so Rudolph’s afternoon training ended up being especially harsh.
One way or another, though, things would have ended up bad for him.
After finishing up her work at the Backstreet Bakery, Latina visited Chloe’s house. On the night of the festival, she had worn a new dress that her friend had made, and she’d left the clothes she’d been wearing at Chloe’s house. She’d borrowed makeup tools and the like, too. Even though Latina knew she needed to take them back, she was a little reluctant to do so.
As if to support that premonition, when Chloe greeted Latina and heard about what had happened after they parted ways, the girl let out a large sigh and drooped her shoulders. And then, a chop descended upon Latina’s head.
“Ow!”
“You’re so smart, but you really can be dense in some strange ways, Latina.”
“B-But...!”
“No ‘buts’!”
Chloe let loose another chop. She wasn’t moved at all by the way her friend’s grey eyes watered up in response to the blow.
“Why did you have to say it that way?” Chloe was so astonished because Latina had told her how she’d worded the confession that had led her “guardian” to say she had entered her rebellious phase. What she ended up saying had lacked too many key words to get her point across.
“But...” Latina looked down sadly in response. Even so, she didn’t hold her tongue. Through the pitter-patter of her teardrops, Latina told Chloe everything that had happened.
“I always tell him that I love him... So I thought I should try to phrase it differently...”
That was why she’d told Dale that she didn’t think of him as a replacement for her father. To her, he was a precious man she loved. She had been trying to tell him that it wasn’t the sort of affection one had for a father.
“I never thought he’d question if I even cared for him at all...!”
Dale had reacted like his child had rejected his very existence. Latina had thought that her telling him how much she loved him constantly was obvious evidence to the contrary, but Dale had ended up questioning that. His reaction had been just too great of a shock and had left Latina at a loss for words, awash in pure confusion.
“I should have told him he was misunderstanding and that I loved him... But my mind went blank, and I had no idea what to say...”
Depressed, she looked down at the floor the same way she often did when she felt like this.
“So... why have you been sulking ever since?”
“Wah...”
In response to Chloe’s unrelenting questioning, Latina slowly looked back up, her eyes filled with tears.
“Even I don’t understand myself right now...”
“Huh?”
“I decided to confess my feelings... I wanted to have a different sort of relationship with Dale... That should’ve been how I really felt, but...!” She was holding her voice in check, and it certainly wasn’t loud, but it felt like Latina was screaming out the feelings in her heart to her friend. “When Dale didn’t recognize that I’d confessed to him, I felt really relieved...!”
“Latina...?”
“I was relieved... that things could stay the same... I wanted to do what you told me, but... I realized that even more than that, I wanted things with Dale to stay the same way that they had been...”
To Latina, being held in Dale’s arms made her feel more relieved than anything else in the world.
She’d felt that way ever since he’d saved her and hugged her tight when she had given up on everything, even her very life. When she was lonely and when things were painful, the warmth of his arms helped support her. When she felt like her heart would break and when her tears wouldn’t stop flowing, he’d tell her everything was okay in a gentle voice and hold her tight.
And Dale would likely continue to protect her with great care. He’d hug her with those arms and gently stroke her head with the warm palm of his hand. As long as she remained his “cute daughter.”
Even if Dale fell in love, got married, and started a family, he wouldn’t abandon her. She knew better than anyone that he was deeply kind and caring.
Dale had never seen her as a member of the opposite sex to begin with. After all, he still saw her as a young, tiny girl. On top of that, she may not have even been someone Dale saw as a potential target for romantic affection.
Unlike his “work acquaintance” she had once met, she wasn’t mature or composed, nor did she have the sort of physique that fascinated men. She had wanted to become the sort of woman Dale could love, and she’d tried her hardest to do so, but to be honest, she didn’t really know what sort of woman she should become to start with.
At the very least, she’d be better off if she were at least a human, like he was. Just by being the same race as him, the other women around him must have seemed far more wonderful than she was. Latina couldn’t help but tally up all the things she lacked.
Confessing to Dale may do nothing but trouble him. And... if their relationship became more awkward as a result...
She’d lose the one place she could be at ease... The one place she could return to.
To Latina, that thought was absolutely terrifying.
It was true that Dale not realizing she had confessed was so embarrassing that it left her feeling depressed and not wanting to see his face. But at the same time, she also couldn’t deny that she felt truly relieved.
“And so... I wanted a little more time. To distance myself from Dale a bit until I could say I was sorry, and that everything could go back to the way it was, and until I could smile again...”
Latina honestly felt that now that her feelings and her desire to change their relationship hadn’t gotten across, she wanted to bury them deep in her heart and let things stay the same.
The feelings Sylvia had pointed out were the result of all sorts of contradicting emotions tangling together. Latina was no longer able to do anything about the unrest and disturbance in her own heart.
“I just want... a little more time...”
She at least wanted enough time to get her heart in order and figure out just what she wanted to do.
†
Five days had passed since Latina started going to the Backstreet Bakery. It could also be said that it had been five days of Dale barely being able to talk to Latina.
During that time, Dale had considered going to look in on the Backstreet Bakery several times, but he hadn’t actually done so. If he got caught, he felt like Latina might end up hating him for real. That thought frightened him more than the idea of facing any massive monster.
Latina’s very presence helped soothe Dale. Seeing her smile, hearing her voice, and spending time close enough to feel her warmth... Such happy moments gave him the energy he needed to get through the day. Having suddenly lost all that, he’d grown haggard. He hadn’t withered away physically, but he’d lost all of his vigor and looked like an invalid as he sat in a corner of the Dancing Ocelot and gathered dust.
“Latina... I’ve got a Latina deficiency...”
As his good friend would put it, this was Dale at his worst.
This was a truly deplorable fact, in a way, but when Dale was like this, his combat skills and judgment weren’t dulled in the least on the field of battle. It was precisely because he was able to cut himself off from his emotions and remain composed that he had come to be called first-rate at such a young age.
However, that was a story from the battlefield, so now, the young man burning out for all to see looked like nothing but a hopeless good-for-nothing.
“Rita... How long does it take for a girl’s rebellious phase to pass...?”
“You wouldn’t exactly call something that only lasts a few days a ‘rebellious phase.’”
“Dying... I’m dying... Ugh... Just how much penance must fathers the world over endure...?”
“You’ll be fine. She told you she doesn’t think of you as her father, right?”
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
Not realizing the meaning behind Rita’s biting words, Dale let out that pathetic shout and then collapsed on the table. His reaction only made the irritation behind Rita’s smile grow as she continued dealing with paperwork. Surely there was a limit to how dense someone could be. Rita was well aware of just how much Latina had been hurt by this man’s thick-headedness. Seeing Latina bravely try to share her feelings, Rita, as a fellow woman, couldn’t help but feel irritated at Dale.
“Kenneth...”
“What is it?”
“Is that thing alright?”
Looking over towards Dale, at whom Sylvester was pointing, Kenneth let out a big sigh. “Apparently, he intends to take a wait-and-see approach until Latina calms down.”
“The little lady, huh...” Sylvester wore a serious expression and folded his arms. “She’s a smart kid, so... I get the feeling she may end up admitting defeat...”
“Yeah...”
Dale wasn’t the only one who had watched Latina grow and come to feel affection for her. Sylvester was near the top of that list.
“I’m worried that the little lady’ll decide to act like nothing happened and go back to just trying to be a ‘good girl.’”
Kenneth had also watched over Latina, so he truly understood what Sylvester was saying. He’d also realized that ever since she was little, Latina had always been just too good of a kid. She was a clever child.
Not only was Latina naturally reasonable and a good listener, she also seemed to have always kept her situation in mind, even back when she was very young. Because of that, the adults around her worried that her actions were because she thought she needed to be a good girl.
That’s just the kind of girl Latina was.
Now that even such a clear display of affection hadn’t gotten through to Dale, Kenneth and Sylvester couldn’t help but feel that Latina would jam all of that back down inside and act like everything was back to normal. She was skilled and clever, so as painful as it was, she’d surely be able to pull it off.
“The little lady really is a good kid... so I at least want her to have a chance to clearly settle things.”
“Right...”
The two men wanted Latina to have a proper answer, even if it was rejection. She was still maturing; the experience would help her grow. If Latina kept on like this, hiding her feelings deep inside, it wouldn’t be good for her.
Nobody was concerned with the man slowly becoming a member of the living dead over in the corner. When it came to picking sides between a full-grown man or a girl entering puberty, the one who would get Kenneth’s and Sylvester’s support was a natural choice.
As they thought about the girl’s mental state, the two men folded their arms again and gave a sigh.
That night, Kenneth called out to Dale. The young adventurer couldn’t help but worry about Latina and when she would return, but he pathetically lacked the courage to directly deal with the matter. He made for a horribly pitiful sight.
“Dale... How long do you plan on staying like that?” Kenneth asked listlessly as he watched Dale listen attentively with a bitter expression on his face for the sound of footsteps on the stairs in the kitchen.
“Until... Latina’s rebellious phase... is over, I guess...?”
“You mean it’s up to Latina?”
Dale looked deeply troubled by Kenneth’s question.
“I mean, I’ve only got a little brother... I really don’t know how to deal with a girl at a sensitive time like this...”
Seeing that his “little bro” seemed to be serious, Kenneth heaved a sigh. At this rate, it felt like things would turn out just as Sylvester had feared. There was no way that such a clever girl would fail to realize that Dale was in this state, and she’d hide her own feelings and smile, just like he wanted. That was the sort of girl she was. In that case, if Kenneth waited until Latina was mentally ready, it may be too late.
But even if Latina did have lingering feelings of hesitation, choosing to leave things as they were wasn’t inherently an unfortunate decision. If she did so, she’d end up swallowi
ng down her painful feelings, but she’d be able to remain in that happiness, like a warm, sunny spot. And from then on, the two would be able to keep enjoying that calm, gentle contentment. That was one of the options open to her.
If that was the case, then what Kenneth was trying to do may have just been meddling, and it could lead to little but his own self-satisfaction. While thinking that, Kenneth poured an amber liquor into two glasses filled with ice, then placed them in front of his “little bro” and himself.
When Kenneth plunked the glass down in front of him, Dale stared back at him questioningly. “Kenneth?”
“Pretty much all of the customers have left, and my job is done for the day,” responded the other man, and he brought his glass to his lips and took a sip. “Dale, hurry up and figure it out already.”
“Figure what out...?”
“Latina told you she didn’t think of you as a ‘father.’ She didn’t say that because she’s hit puberty.”
“Kenneth... what are you...?”
“Latina may have considered you a guardian this entire time, but not a replacement for her father.”
Dale still looked befuddled even after Kenneth said all that, leaving Kenneth completely astounded with his “little bro’s” troublesome personality.
“Do you really not get it?”
“Like I said, what are you talking about?”
“For a long time now, Latina has seen you as a ‘man.’”
“...Huh?” Dale squeaked out in a strange voice, looking like even more of a blockhead. He stopped and thought on what Kenneth meant for a while, then broke out in an awkward smile. “Wh-What are you saying, Kenneth? That’s not poss—”
“How can you say it’s not possible?”
“I mean, Latina’s my cute little daughter... We’re not blood-related, but still...”
“Latina’s not as much of a child as you think. Devils may have long lifespans, but still, that girl’s almost an adult.”
“I know that. That’s why I’m always so worried—”
Seeing that Dale really hadn’t realized, Kenneth brought his glass to his mouth again and then interrupted. “You may say that, but you’ve been treating Latina like a kid all this time.”