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"Relax now⦠There's no need to cry so muchâ¦" I said. "I promised your father that I would find a way to bring your body back. So I cannot really leave your side until then."
"Y-You promised my father⦠such a thing?!" She asked while blushing and looking at me filled with embarrassment. "W-Why do you promise such an unrealistic thing?! T-That's⦠Not something possible I⦠My bodyâ¦"
"I know, as long as there is even a small bone left, it is possibleâ¦" I said. "Trust me, Erika, I know a way."
Erika looked at me as her hair covered her face a bit, she moved her hair away from the front of her face, as she nodded.
"Okay⦠I⦠I trust you just because you're the one saying thisâ¦" She said. "But I am just happy⦠As I am⦠My greatest fear was losing you because you were to know the truthâ¦"
"Don't worry, you'll never lose me." I said.
"N-Never? Blakeâ¦" She cried, as she hugged me again. I could feel her entire body over mine.
"You're such a crybaby, aren't you?" I sighed. "Calm down, Erika⦠Everything is going to be alright as long as we are together in this⦠As long as you stay at my side, I'll lead you to a brighter futureâ¦"
What I said sounded rather hypocritical, but I just wanted to comfort her with these measly words⦠Maybe deep down, I thought of them as completely stupid, and even a bit corny, but this was what I wanted her to know, this was what I wanted her to feel⦠I wanted to see her happy, to see her how she was⦠as always, as radiant as the sun.
Within the darkness of my past, that constantly haunted my mind and my memories, aside from my family, Erika was always there to give me a hand, to smile back at me, and to offer her companionship and friendship. I suppose that she was one of the people that healed my heart, the least I can do is to do the same for her.
"Y-You say such corny things sometimesâ¦" She said. "B-But I can't help but feel like⦠I want to believe themâ¦"
"You're the corny one hugging me so muchâ¦" I sighed.
"A-Ah! S-Sorryâ¦!"
Erika tried to move away from me, realizing she was really violating all my privacy by resting on my body and rubbing herself on me as if I were her new bed⦠But I stopped her and held her held her hands with my own.
"No, don't go." I said. "I like that you're clingy⦠I also want you to hug meâ¦"
For some reason, my pale face turned slightly red, and what I said made my chest feel a bit heavier, while the beating of my heart accelerated.
"R-Really?" She asked.
"Yeahâ¦" I said.
"Blakeâ¦"
Erika hugged me back, as we rested on the bed like this. For some reason, I didn't want this to stop. It soothed my mind and my heart, and made me feel like I was happy. I continued hugging her back and caressing her silky pink hair.
"See? Now you're finally back to how you wereâ¦" I said, as I cleansed her tears. "You're prettier when you're smiling."
"Smilingâ¦" She said. "Blake⦠You⦠Y-You mean a lot to meâ¦"
"You also mean a lot to me." I said.
"N-No⦠I didn't mean it like that⦠Iâ¦" She muttered. "I⦠W-Well⦠I-I want to promise you⦠W-When we grow up⦠I⦠I'll marry you!"
"Huh?"
Erika grew even redder, resembling a tomato at this point, she averted her gaze from me but was constantly looking back at my surprised eyes.
"P-Papa said that⦠T-That's what we should doâ¦"
"Your father said that?!"
"A-And⦠He said that when we love someone⦠W-We marry themâ¦"
"â¦"
"S-So⦠W-Wait for that momentâ¦"
"Sigh⦠You're always talking things that make little senseâ¦"
I thought that she was just joking around, but she furrowed her eyebrows.
"I am serious!"
"Ahâ¦"
"Papa said that when we marry⦠We can spend the rest of our lives with the one we⦠we loveâ¦" She said. "S-So⦠I want to spend the rest of my life with you⦠J-Just like you said you'll stay at my sideâ¦"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Oh⦠I did say thatâ¦" I said. "This is⦠Iâ¦"
Erika looked back at me, she seemed filled with conviction, but I was an old monster, it was hard for me to deal with something that a little girl was promising to me for the future. What should I tell her? Should I accept? Should I decline? If I decline, her heart would be broken, and that's not what I want. I suppose I have to go with her plan for now, I am sure that perhaps in the future, she'll change her mind⦠After all, she's just a child talking childish things.
"â¦Sure," I sighed. "I'll wait."
Erika became happier, as she smiled back at me and moved her face closer to my own, and suddenly kissed my cheek.
"E-Erika, why are you doing this�" I asked.
"B-Because I⦠I love you, Blake! T-That's what people that love doâ¦" She said.
"Sighâ¦"
I moved to her side and kissed her cheek. Kissing felt⦠strangely not as I expected, it was nothing special, yet the emotions conveyed in such an action made it somewhat unique.
"B-Blake⦠You kissed meâ¦" She said.
"I had to give it back or I would feel badâ¦" I sighed.
I petted her head as she seemed to be filled with happiness now, more than I ever thought she would feel⦠She was so happy her eyes were sparkling and shining incredibly brightlyâ¦
"You're happy now, aren't you?" I said.
"Youâ¦. You make me happyâ¦" She said. "More than anythingâ¦"
"I suppose you also make me happyâ¦" I said.
â¦
After what had happened there, we quickly moved back to normal, and I went downstairs, where I made the potions at long last, after that, I invited Erika to have dinner at my house, and she ended telling everyone she was going to marry me when she grew up⦠my family made a fuss and constantly teased me, it was very annoying. I wasn't going to regret what I did, but it really felt like it was not something I didn't think over very well⦠I feel ashamed of myself.
And at night, Eleanora was rather grumpy, furrowing her eyebrows a lot. She ended upcuddling at my side while sleeping, and hugging me tightly, as if trying to convey her thoughts through such actions.
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