A Little Closer To Home
Description: In which the Saintess died a bit closer to home
Chapter 1: The First Meeting
I had just given up acting as an Isekai protagonist. It was a decision that I had given much thought to. After contemplating my position as a baronet, I realized I was too low-level to enact any change in the plot in this brutal caste system. Even if I did raise my rank to an absurd degree, the game's final confrontation relied on the protagonist's ability to get laid with one of the capture targets. The best course of action was to stay away from the main cast. The most training I should do should be the minimum necessary to survive the war's conflicts. Any more may drag me into life-threatening situations.
It stung to know that I was a mob in more than simply not appearing in the game. Even with prophetic knowledge of future events, I could do nothing about it. I bitterly accepted my place in society. As a result, I picked a profession as far removed from the 'hero' as I could think of.
My parents were surprisingly happy with my decision to live a simple life. Unfortunately, they only gave me encouragement rather than any real help. Thus, I was in town with a wagon, shopping alone for farming equipment. I am glad I decided on my career outside the summer. The cart was still so heavy that I needed to sit at the fountain due to exhaustion.
How was I expected to get all this stuff back home? Maybe my parents weren't as thrilled about me choosing to be a farmer as I had initially thought. No matter how much I struggled and sweat, the damn thing wouldn't move.
"Are you okay?" a girl asked as I stewed in frustration.
Looking up, I saw a light-blonde-haired girl my age.
"Huh?" I responded unintelligently. I blame my exhaustion.
"I asked if you were okay."
"Just tired. This cart is just too heavy."
Looking at my load, her eyes expressed confusion.
"Why don't you have a mule or horse? Surely you must have some farm animal if you have all these farming tools."
What a precocious little girl though she didn't question why I was buying all the tools at once.
"My parents wouldn't lend me anything besides this cart."
"That's rather silly. If you were sent to buy enough stuff to fill a cart, they should have given you something to help move it."
"Perhaps they didn't know," I mused.
Maybe they thought I was only buying a few tools since I was only a child to them. What would a child know about farming normally?
"Would you like some help?"
"I couldn't possibly bother a girl with something like this. Besides, I doubt two kids could pull all this back to my home."
"I could do this on my own," the girl said proudly as she puffed out her chest.
I stared at her skinny arms in doubt.
Noticing my expression, she grew a bright smile.
"It's simple when you can use magic."
Right, I had forgotten about magic despite being in a new world, or rather, it was because I was still adjusting to my situation that I had overlooked using magic. Though now that I think about it, the magic issue would still have been an issue since I was only taught offensive magic until now.
During my silence, the girl must have thought I didn't believe her. She had walked towards my cart and grabbed the handle. Her arms lit up, and she moved the cart to prove her point.
A part of me wanted to take advantage of this. The little girl was willing to help drag my tools back home for me, but it felt wrong for a child to do my work.
"I get it. You can move the cart on your own. Sorry for doubting you."
The girl made a small giggle.
"So, where do you need me to take this?"
"I appreciate the help, but I can't allow you to take the cart home for me."
"Why ever not?" the girl responded with a pout.
"Because my mother would tan my hide for having a girl do my work," I said with a shudder. My mother inspired genuine fear. I would have tanned the hide of any boy that did the same regardless of how economical or reasonable, but my mother wanted to raise me right.
"But you can't get this back home on your own."
"Yeah... But it is what it is. My only option is to sit here until they get worried enough to send someone for me," I said flippantly.
"But then your parents will be worried for you," she said with a frown.
"And that is on them for not adequately equipping their son," I said with a shrug.
"Don't you care?"
"Of course, I care. That's why I can't have you carrying the tools for me. That would worry them more. They would wonder where they went wrong with me."
"I see... I think they would be more worried if their son went missing."
"We live in a peaceful part of the countryside, and they know where I should be. They'll be here before they get worried," I said more to put the girl at ease.
"I guess that's okay then," the girl said brightly as she sat with me on the fountain.
"What are you doing?"
"I'll wait here with you."
"But why?"
"So you won't be lonely."
"Won't your parents be worried?"
"Why would they? We are sitting right out of our store."
"We are?"
"Gardenias' Gardening Goods," she said as she pointed to the store where I had bought my seeds. The woman by the entrance gave us an excited wave with a warm smile etched on her face. The mother must have sent the girl to check up on me. I should have figured.
"So Ms. Gardenia... Not to be rude, but why are you still here? It's clear your mom sent you to check up on me."
"Do you not want me to be here?" the girl asked with a downcast look. It was like looking at a kicked puppy.
"That's not what I meant. It's just that I can't imagine sitting by the fountain will be particularly interesting. I'm certain you could find something more amusing to do," I hastily reasoned to spare myself the guilt trip.
"Even more reason for me to keep you company. Doing things together is always more interesting than by yourself."
"... Suit yourself, Ms. Gardenia."
"Olivia, but you can call me Livia."
"What?"
"My name is Olivia, but my parents call me Livia for short."
"Isn't it weird that you want me to call you by your parents' pet name?"
"Is it? I think it's normal since I like the sound of it."
"You like the sound of it because your parents love you. It's a term of endearment."
"En-deer-meant?"
"It means that they call you Livia because they are close to you."
"So that's why it feels so nice? Then you should call me Livia."
"Why?"
"Because you are my first friend. You must care about me enough to call me Livia."
Did she unilaterally decide I was friends with her? More importantly, what did she mean by her second statement?
"Your first friend?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
"I find that unlikely; maybe first guy friend. I may even be the first friend your age, but you seem far too outgoing not to have made other friends."
When she didn't respond, I looked at her. Olivia was nervously kneading the hem of her dress. Did she truly have no friends? I pondered why that would be and wanted to ask her the details. Based on her reaction, I decided to let the issue go. It was not worth prying the information from her.
Feeling pity for the girl, I decided to humor the girl. Imagine a thirty-year-old man (even if I was in the body of a child) befriending a little girl.
"Well, I'm honored to be your first friend, Livia. To commemorate the event, how about I buy us some ice cream."
"Ice cream!" the girl exclaimed excitedly as she ignored that I had accepted her desire to be friends. Inwardly I was laughing at how a frozen treat ranked higher than my friendship.
As I got up, Livia exclaimed, "Thank you... um."
"Leon," I said to my first friend in this new world.
Short Story: The First Meeting (Nicks)
I was sent to the market to pick up Leon. He had predictably not been able to fulfill the task of bringing back all the farming supplies. Hopefully, this would dissuade him from his path of becoming a farmer. We all knew Leon was a slacker nowadays and likely only chose to be a farmer for a simple life. It was something that could never be allowed, especially since his fever.
Had his decision been made before his fever, it would have been a life our parents would have approved of. Simple, secure, and safe. But that changed when we noticed the changes after his illness. He was a lot smarter now. Leon was already a good student before his fever, but it would take him a few lectures to understand the material. Now he sometimes knew the answer before we presented the material. He also spoke more maturely. Sometimes it felt like we were talking with an adult with some of his preconceptions of how the world worked. It was strange when my younger brother would say a small but insightful quip.
Our parents and I were under the impression that Leon might be a prodigy. Father was even discussing raising enough money to enter Leon into the academy. Heaven knows that Zola would never consider sparing the funds. She hated us all, but she hated Leon in particular. Her hate has only grown since his recovery. Part of me wonders if she sees him as a legitimate threat against Rutart's position as heir or because of Leon's newfound sass.
Maybe that's why Father is desperately trying to scrounge up enough money to send Leon to school. At least his attendance will make Zola hesitant to do anything since the academy can be ruthless in routing out any foul play.
I was doubtful that Father would be able to do so, and part of me was glad if he would be unable to. Leon would hate it at the academy, and I feel it would only break him as a person. I believe Leon should pursue a career as an adventurer. It would be more entertaining, pay well enough, and keep him respectable. If farming was his goal, he could easily save up after a few dungeon dives and buy the farming land. As it was now, he was not set to inherit anything, and what family land he worked on would be bled dry by Zola.
Leon could achieve much more now and didn't need to be under Zola's thumb.
Such a troublesome brother. Why couldn't you have stayed the naive child you were before? Watching Leon's potential be stifled would be heartbreaking.
Entering the main square, I saw Leon sitting by a girl at the fountain. Both of them were talking and laughing about something. How odd. Leon was acting his age. Usually, he was like our parents when dealing with younger children. He was accommodating but was never invested in the conversation with kids our age. It was especially evident when he dealt with our youngest siblings.
I wonder what this girl was like for Leon to be so at ease.
AN:
1: It has been a while. I have been busy with a Ph.D. program which equates to little time to do anything. I am currently on spring break, so I wanted to write something. But I am unsure how to continue my other fics. I could have either written nothing or written anything. So I wrote a small chapter of an idea I thought of a few months ago. This will probably be a small side project at most.
2: I will use Olivia's name because I am too lazy to make a non-canon name. Assume that Olivia is the non-canon name so that Leon doesn't pick up on the fact that he is dealing with the protagonist. Technically, Leon has no idea what the protagonist will go by since the game allows the player to input their name and listen to cutscenes with the name voiced. For instance, the protagonist could be named something as ridiculous as FutaGirl69. That would still work with the game's mechanics.
3: Some things will be different for the sake of the plot if I do manage to get this to the main plotline.
4: I picked Gardenia as the last name due to its meaning as a flower.