CH 10

“Thank you! Thank you so much…!”

“I didn’t know it was that important. Well, I’m glad you found it.”

Hearing Tohsaka’s thanks, I got out of the pond and handed her a beautiful necklace of red jewels.

Naturally, my body was soaking wet, covered in mud, debris, little bugs and carcasses.

However, Tohsaka embraced me without regard to such things.

And then she started apologizing profusely.

“Uuu… I’m sorry… really sorry…!”

For the first time in my life, I was hugged by a girl, and I panicked as my face heated up.

“Y-you’ll get dirty! Stay away! And I’m glad you’re grateful, but I don’t know what you are apologizing for!”

“I-I couldn’t do anything! I watched you being bullied and laughed along with everyone else! So— why did you help me…?”

I understood the feelings that Tohsaka was having, and I agreed.

And now I’m going to tell her how I feel.

“… You weren’t laughing. Tohsaka wasn’t laughing at me.”

I had noticed.

Seeing me being bullied, Tohsaka’s expression showed that she was smiling, but her eyes were terribly worried.

— So only Tohsaka was special to me.

“… Tohsaka, could it be that they threw away the necklace?”

“Yeah, they did it to me when I was taking it off during P.E. class. Because I said to everyone this morning, ‘Please stop doing terrible things to Yamamoto-kun.’”

“I see, so that’s how it is. And that’s why you are left out.”

Tohsaka had no choice but to laugh along with the group of bullies, even if it was just a formality.

I can’t blame her, because otherwise this would have happened.

Still, I was secretly very happy that she had the courage to tell them to stop bullying me.

“This necklace is a memento of my mother. I really… I really appreciate it!”

“Why didn’t you try to rely on me first?”

“Because… I turned a blind eye to your bullying. I don’t deserve your help…”

“It’s amazing that you didn’t join in with the bullies. And to even try to convince those guys. Well, from now on, you’re going to have to stand up for yourself and not be this reckless.”

Having found what Tohsaka was looking for, I turned away to head home again.

Now Tohsaka and I will be strangers to each other again tomorrow.

It’ll be better that way.

“I’m used to it. So don’t worry Tohsaka, you can be friends with them again. See you later.”

As I was about to leave, Tohsaka grabbed me from behind by the waist of my clothes.

“… You’ll catch a cold if you stay like this.”

Then she started explaining something quickly.

“My house is just around the corner. You can take a shower there. I think you can wash and dry your clothes in a couple of hours.”

“— Eh? No, it’s fine. It’s common for people to come home soaking wet.”

“Come with me, please. Come home with me.”

Persuaded by Tohsaka’s refusal to let go of my sleeves, I followed her.

[Postscript]

Thank you.

Thanks for reading!

Thanks to your support, we’ve made it to the memorable 10th chapter!

I can’t wait to transform him and turn him into a warrior!

Let’s keep going!