Chapter 68: 68. Italian Adventures: Part 4.
Kouske's POV
Over the past few days, we've been exploring various places in Italy. Lavinia even took a day to visit her parents' house.
I had two more meetings with Esri, during which we agreed that I would teach Dia magic and help her master her sacred gear, providing her with magical books.
Today was supposed to be the day I met Dia, as Esri had planned to introduce us. However, I didn't anticipate seeing Lavinia and the others at the house. I assumed they were out sightseeing. Could Lavinia have come because Dia was in the same city? I could swear I saw her exchanging messages on her phone.
"Ko-kun?" Lavinia's surprise was evident when she spotted me. I had mentioned that I would be occupied for a while.
"Hey there. Are you here to meet Dia?" I inquired, and she nodded eagerly. It was nice to see her expanding her circle of friends.
"Ko-kun? Didn't you say he's younger than you, Lavinia-san?" Dia questioned, looking puzzled.
"He is!" Lavinia affirmed, pointing at me, which only seemed to spark more curiosity from Esri. I could feel her squinting gaze boring into me.
"Care to explain?" Esri prompted, her tone demanding answers.
"Ha ha ha," I chuckled nervously, unsure of how to respond.
Just then, Sakuya emerged from the kitchen with snacks, accompanied by another individual. She appeared apologetic, likely having overheard our conversation with her touki-enhanced hearing. I wasn't even aware when she had learned touki. After I briefly explained it to her, she managed to acquire the skill over time. Esri requested that the other girl leave, and now she was glaring at me. It seemed like it was going to be a challenging night.
*sigh*
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After some explanation, Esri was furious, to say the least. However, she begrudgingly agreed to let Dia learn about her sacred gear and magic from us. The whole ordeal was exhausting.
As we all headed back to our hotel together, I suddenly felt a connection and saw some faint strings. They were slowly fading, indicating a severed connection. But what caught my attention more were the dark red strings. Someone was in mortal danger. So, after asking Sakuya to escort them home, I hurried to the location.
What I found there was far from pleasant.
In one of the alleyways, I discovered a young blonde girl lying face down, blood seeping from her body where street rats had bitten into her flesh. Her complexion was pale, indicating malnourishment, likely from not eating for days, given her emaciated frame and torn, dirty clothes. Quickly dispatching the rats, I administered a healing potion that restored her health and even brought back some color to her complexion. Exhausted and likely fatigued, she slept soundly, her breathing steady.
I brought her back with me to the hotel and asked Sakuya to care for her. Sakuya appeared saddened by the sight, while Elle remained stoic. Grateful that Lavinia was already asleep, I instructed Sakuya to clean the girl and allow her to rest for the day. We could inquire about what happened in the morning. With that settled, I retired for some much-needed rest, mentally drained from the day's events.
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I woke up feeling more exhausted than usual, so I slept in a bit longer. When I stepped outside the room, I saw the girl dressed in clean clothes, eating hungrily from the food that had been ordered. Tears streamed down her face as she ate, and her sadness struck a chord with me. Lavinia was already in tears at the sight of her.
"Eat slowly. There's plenty of food. I'll order more for you," Sakuya reassured the girl as she went to place another order, selecting various dishes for her.
"So, what's her name? And how did she end up there?" I asked Sakuya, knowing all too well that people in her condition are unfortunately not uncommon, influenced by societal, economic, or even supernatural factors. It was a sad reality.
"Well, she didn't even react when she woke up in an unfamiliar place. I tried asking her, but she didn't say anything. Her empty stomach was rumbling loudly from hunger, so I brought her out to get some food," Sakuya explained.
To be honest, I recognized her from the resemblance. After we finished breakfast, we attempted to inquire about her family and background, but she remained silent. Her once beautiful greenish-yellow eyes appeared empty and devoid of life. Eventually, I resorted to using 'Cognizance Nexus' to read her mind.
Unfortunately, the revelations about her mother were not pleasant. I shared this information with Sakuya through our mental link. For now, we decided to keep her with us. Lavinia is doing her best to help her open up.
"But what should we call you?" Lavinia asked.
"Anything you like," the girl replied.
"How about Tarte? Do you like that name?" I suggested, seeing no reason to change her name from her franchise.
"Hm," she replied.
"Then I'll just call you Tarte-chan," Lavinia decided.
Over the next few days, we traveled through Italy with Tarte. Although she didn't speak much about herself, she started becoming less reserved and more lively. One day, she even spoke to me with a smile on her face.
"Thank you, Kouske-sama. I heard you were the one who saved me and brought me here," Tarte said, bowing slightly. Was she trying to imitate Sakuya?
"Don't worry. I'm just glad you're okay. And there's no need to call me like that. Just call me Kouske," I replied, patting her head gently.
Tarte was with us when we met Esri and Dia. I gave Dia a bracelet to conceal her sacred gear and left some books with her for the time being. She turned out to be quite studious, and Lavinia enjoyed spending time with her. Esri was cordial but her lingering glare hinted that she was still upset with me. When Esri learned about Tarte's situation, she even offered to let Tarte stay at her house, but Tarte didn't give her an immediate reply.
After a few days, it was time for me to visit Ferrari's Headquarters in Maranello, the town famed for Ferrari.
As soon as we arrived, I wasted no time heading straight to the museum showcasing the iconic red cars, including the legendary F1 models. While I immersed myself in exploring the exhibits, Sakuya showed keen interest in the town's history, Lavinia and Elle admired the craftsmanship and marveled at the engineering, and Tarte soaked in the atmosphere with wide-eyed wonder.
Following our museum visit, we proceeded to the Ferrari headquarters, where the managers and staff warmly received us after verifying our identities. The entry permit was under Akatsuki's name, and the staff proceeded to guide us around, explaining the details and history of Ferrari. It was fascinating to witness the direct influence of the Miyamura Conglomerates.
After hours of exploring the intricacies of Ferrari production, I couldn't resist asking the ultimate question. "Are there any spare cars I could buy today?" I inquired enthusiastically.
"Are you even old enough to drive?" the manager replied, amused by my request but eager to accommodate the young enthusiast.
"Don't worry. I am old enough to drive," I reassured him. Even in my adult form, I looked quite young. Maybe I should alter my appearance a bit.
As the manager led us to view available stock, Elle couldn't help but question my driving abilities. "I'll wing it. My instincts are supernatural," I joked, causing Lavinia to worry.
"Just don't embarrass us, please," Elle added, echoing Lavinia's concerns.
Truth be told, I am quite a proficient driver. My excitement bubbled over as we delved deeper into the showroom.
Afterward, I drove around the area for about half an hour. Seeing me drive, Lavinia expressed a desire to drive too, but she was neither old enough nor did she know how to drive. Sakuya intervened to prevent her from doing so, which left Lavinia a bit disappointed. Incidentally, Sakuya took the wheel for a while.
Lavinia and Elle seemed a bit sad not to have the chance to drive, so I promised to make up for it sometime. Tarte was visibly excited as she looked around the place, although she didn't show or voice her excitement.
After a while, I approached the manager with a smile, explaining my intentions to have the cars shipped back to Japan. In the end, I bought two cars. One can never have too many cars.
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It was time for us to return to Japan. Lavinia and I would occasionally visit to assist Dia with her magic, so there was no need for lengthy goodbyes. The real dilemma lay in deciding Tarte's future. She would have to choose where she wanted to live—whether to join us in Japan or stay with Esri, who had already offered her a place.
While we awaited her decision, Lavinia was quite emotional, clinging to Tarte and shedding tears.
"Can't she stay with us?" Lavinia asked tearfully, looking at me and Sakuya.
"Reni-chan, it's up to Tarte to decide. If she wants to stay with us, we'd be delighted to have her. But if she prefers to stay with Esri and Dia in her home country, we must respect her choice. It's her decision," Sakuya explained calmly to Lavinia.
After some time, Tarte spoke up in a soft voice, barely audible.
"Um... I would like to stay with you guys if possible. I like it here," Tarte said.
"Are you sure? You'll be moving to a new country with a different culture," Sakuya inquired.
"Yes, I want to go. I don't enjoy staying here," Tarte replied.
"Then welcome to the family," Lavinia said with a smile.
"Yes. Thank you," replied a teary-eyed Tarte.
With Tarte's decision made, we boarded our flight and returned home to Japan. Sorting out her paperwork and passport wasn't difficult, given my knowledge of her true identity. However, I would need to create a new identity for her in Japan. When the time was right, Tarte would share more about herself willingly, and we would be there to support her every step of the way.
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We introduced Tarte to everyone around us and shared some souvenirs with them. Uncle Ryuga was especially pleased with my choice of cars when they arrived. It was also nice to see the old granny again.
For now, Tarte has been equipped with the same translation magic that Lavinia initially used. Tarte will just have to gradually learn Japanese on her own. She has already witnessed magic during our time with Dia. Unfortunately, Tarte doesn't possess any sacred gears, but her affinity for lightning is extraordinary. I plan for her to learn spearmanship and magic, as she is eager to learn and strengthen herself to live in this supernatural world.
Tarte has also taken an interest in learning from Sakuya about being a maid. No one forced her; she asked Sakuya herself. God knows why! However, Sakuya isn't going easy on her during the training. Sometimes, I feel like my house is turning into a female orphanage and childcare center.
As I pondered these thoughts, a certain magical girl unexpectedly appeared on our doorstep.
[A/N: What do you guys know about Ingvild Leviathan? Is Serafall hiding her in one of the Sitri hospitals? Or Serafall doesn't know about Ingvild, but some of the Leviathan Clan members/servants are hiding her in one of the Sitri hospitals? Which one is true? Do you have any idea?]
[Author's Note: What did you think of the chapter? Feel free to share your thoughts, leave a review, and even drop some power stones. Add it to your collection if you enjoyed it. I'm open to constructive critiques that help me improve and grow as a writer, so don't hesitate to provide feedback. Thank you for reading!
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