Riese - 06

 Stay healthy and stay hydrated! x2

# ６

Episode 6

Many days have passed since then.

I was now able to slowly walk while holding to the furniture in the room.

With me recovering this much, Shinkan-sama now leaves me house-sitting, you see? Although he's been going out a lot, I don’t have any problem because he always leaves me with a picture book and food.

I can drink water when I'm thirsty, I can eat food when I'm hungry, I can wake up whenever I want and I can go to sleep at any time.

My life now feels like a princess'.

It's like a dream, and at night, I study with Shinkan-sama.

I'm too happy right now that it sometimes worries me.

Whenever I feel lonely and depressed, Shinkan-sama always reads me a picture book and hugs me.

I think Shinkan-sama might be the reincarnation of Mama or Papa after all.

Otherwise, there's no way he would be so nice to me.

The house is tightly locked, and he told me that I shouldn’t go out alone.

Of course, I keep my promises with Shinkan-sama.

In my old house, Papa and Mama died because they went outside.

That's why I will not get outside. If I don’t be a good girl, Shinkan-sama might die too.

I don’t want that. The outside is scary. You don’t get food. And people hit you. I don’t like anything that hurts.

Just remembering it makes me feel scared.

I will try not to think about that.

When it was hard, I would only think of fun things.

In my dreams, I was always happy.

I had a warm bed and ate until I was full.

But now, I'm in a much happier world than that I had imagined.

Since I was always bullied, I didn’t know such a happy life could exist.

I wonder when will Shinkan-sama come back?

I wonder what will he talk about today?

It'd be great if it was a story about a girl meeting a dragon, like yesterday.

Shinkan-sama is amazing at reading picture books.

He makes a scary voice when it's a scary part. And he reads it in a fun voice when it about having fun.

Please, please.

Hurry back home.

I'm afraid that if I'm alone, another scary person will come and they'll bully me.

Please, please, Shinkan-sama. Come back. I want to see you. I want to see you.

I was waiting for Shinkan-sama in the bed like always.

"I'm back. Riese. Were you a good girl?"

With a clang, the door opened.

Riese is my current name.

Shinkan-sama told me that it was better not to use my old name so that the bad people wouldn’t find me.

It's a great name that Shinkan-sama gave to me.

"Ah, aaaー! "

I was so happy to hear the usual Shinkan-sama's voice that I jumped out of bed.

Thank God. Thank God. He came back.

Leaving the bed to fast, I went in front of Shinkan-sama and he stroked my head like always, saying 'good girl, good girl'.

"I brought a new picture book today. I'll read it after we're done studying."

Saying so, he carefully placed the book on a shelf.

Wow, great. There are a lot of books now!

I can't see the cover, but I'm happy there are a lot of picture books.

I wonder what kind of story will be this time?

Did he notice my gaze glued to the picture book?

"After we're done eating and studying, okay? If you don’t learn how to write, you won’t be able to tell me what you want to tell me."

He said so while raising one finger.

Uhhhー. I want to read, but I also want to be able to write.

"For now, I'll go prepare the meal. Please be a good girl and sit down. Let's make your favorite stew and bread today."

Shinkan-sama smiled kindly at me while saying that, so I nodded in response.

■□■

Kotokotokoto.

The boiling soup smelled nice.

The sweet smell of the fish stew drifted in the air, and I looked at Shinkan-sama's back as if asking "is it ready yet?"

"Just a little more time. Sit down and wait. It might be bad for your body if you stand up for too long."

Saying so, he held me up and carried me back to a chair in the dining room.

I don’t like the dining room because I can’t see the back of Shinkan-sama since it's too far from the place he cooks.

I want to keep watching Shinkan-sama all the time.

However, if I'm too selfish he might get angry, so I'll be a good girl and wait.

I wish I could see Shinkan-sama from here.

I tried stretching to take a look at Shinkan-sama from the dining room table, but a wall was in the way.

As I waited for Shinkan-sama to come, he brought the stew and bread and placed them on the table.

"Alright, it's done."

Saying so, he handed me the stew he brought to me.

I love how Shinkan-sama blows on the hot stew.

Looking at him makes me smile.

"You really like stew, right, Riese? Wait a moment."

He then patted my head.

"Aahー."

I love stew, but I also love Shinkan-sama.

I tried to move my mouth to say that, but Shinkan-sama seemed to think I was waiting for the stew, so he tore a piece of bread and put it into the stew.

Shinkan-sama didn’t notice even when I tried to move my mouth.

I wish I could speak.

"Alright. Please eat."

I scooped the torn bread and some stew from my plate and began eating.

The soup I used to drink tasted muddier and wasn’t delicious at all.

The stew Shinkan-sama makes, on the other hand, is sweet and thick, and extremely delicious.

I'm sure he's an angel, that's why he's so good at cooking.

The bread is also fluffy and soft.

It's completely different from that dry and hard bread.

"You look really happy eating, Riese."

Shinkan-sama smiled at me as he looked at me eating.

I nodded at him in response.

After all, I'm really happy.

I can eat food every day.

I can take a warm bath every day.

And I can sleep at a bed at night.

A very fluffy and soft bed.

The voice in which Shinkan-sama reads me the picture books is very gentle.

Completely different from the shrill voice that shouted at me every day.

Ohh, please.

May this happiness continue forever.