Bluepiss Orphanage.
The place where I spent twenty years of my life.
Though it’s true they raised me until now, whenever I remember those days, anger rises from the pit of my stomach.
A creepy building fenced in by tall iron bars on all sides.
The administrators provided the bare minimum care and set rudimentary rules, but in reality, they declared a policy of neglect.
Even when outsiders visited, the staff merely pretended to control the children.
Where did the government’s generous subsidies go? All we got was some watery porridge, and if we ever crossed a line, they would lock us up in solitary confinement—a truly疯狂 method.
It was nothing short of a prison masquerading as an orphanage.
The problem was that the children didn’t realize how wrong these methods were.
Because they had been treated this way since they were very young, they accepted it as normal.
In this way, the children began to accept violence as a given and couldn’t distinguish right from wrong.
It was only after I came to the Academy that I realized how wrong the orphanage’s system was.
Just before meeting Lily, I heard that the orphanage had closed its doors.
Though I suspected as much, I still had to ask, and as expected…
“Bluepiss Orphanage?”
I frowned as I asked.
“Did you get anything when you left the orphanage?”
“…A silver coin.”
I barely managed to suppress a string of curses.
They sent children out into the streets and gave them nothing but a measly silver coin?
‘Real bastards, aren’t they?’
According to information I found in the Academy library, the government provided a substantial amount of funding to orphanages.
And yet… a silver coin?
They were nothing but trash who only cared about their own benefit until the very end.
‘Th-they…’
The mere thought of those people made my mouth fill with bitterness.
Just as I was shivering in anger, Lily wrapped her arm around my shoulder.
“Are you alright?”
Turning my head, I looked at Lily…
“…Lily, excuse me for a moment.”
“What?… Ugh…”
Then she kissed me.
The touch of her lips, the saliva, even her scent—it was all so sweet.
The bitterness that had filled my mouth was neutralized by the sweetness of the kiss with Lily, and only then was I able to calm down.
As I turned to look at the young girl behind the blushing Lily…
“…Are you hurt anywhere?”
The girl was wiping sweat from her brow and turning her head away.
“No, I’m fine…”
For some reason, I felt concerned, but I decided to address the important matter first.
“Could you return the item you took from me?”
The girl hesitated, then slowly pulled out a case from her pocket.
As soon as I saw the black case, relief nearly made my legs give out, but I held myself together because of the situation.
She offered the case to me.
Instead of taking it, I looked into the girl’s eyes.
Her pitch-black eyes were even darker than the case she had handed me, and my reflection in them appeared as an adult—an image of someone who had already become an adult in her eyes despite having been out of the orphanage for only two years.
I withdrew my hand that was reaching for the case.
Turning my head slightly, I whispered to Lily.
“Lily, can you—”
“Here.”
Lily immediately handed me a money pouch.
As I stared at it blankly, Lily smiled and said,
“I knew you’d do something like that.”
“…Thank you.”
I grabbed the case the girl handed over and took five gold coins from my pocket, placing them in her hand.
Her eyes widened like saucers as she alternated her gaze between me and the gold coins.
She jabbed at the coins, then reflected light off of them.
When she saw the anti-counterfeiting seal on the Madon Empire gold coins and realized they were real, her face turned deathly pale.
“What… what is this?”
“It’s payment for the item.”
“…But it’s stolen property?”
The girl looked at me like she was staring at a lunatic.
Yeah, if anyone saw this, I must look like a total madman.
Buying stolen goods isn’t exactly normal behavior.
But I couldn’t just abandon her.
If I hadn’t received any support, if I hadn’t been able to enter the Academy, if I hadn’t met Lily, I might have been in her position right now.
I knew all too well the desperate need she felt to survive.
I studied just as she stole, merely a different approach to survive.
For that reason, I couldn’t hate her.
“Even though it’s stolen property, it still belonged to you. If I just took it, I’d be no different from a thief, right?”
“…Somehow it sounds strange, but it kind of makes sense…”
Of course, it does; it’s sophistry.
The girl continued to hold the gold coins as if they were bombs.
“Why are you helping me?”
The girl looked up at me with a mixture of unease and suspicion.
Of course, anyone would be annoyed. After all, it’s hard to believe someone like me, wearing the fancy clothes picked out by Lily, could understand what life is like for common people. If someone like me, who seems to have been raised in luxury, said such things, anyone would get angry.
But.
“I know. I understand that feeling.”
Her expression distorted slightly.
Naturally, she’d be irritated.
It’s hard to believe someone who dresses like this would truly understand what it’s like to be desperate.
“Didn’t you come from Bluepiss too?”
“…What?!”
The girl widened her eyes and cried out like a startled bird.
Placing my hand on her head, her shock was so great she didn’t even think to resist.
I began to speak slowly while stroking her hair.
“I’ve lived there too, that godforsaken place. Though I’ve found a new path now, still…”
“In any case, I’ve gotten the chance to make something of myself, even if I came from that place. And you? You’re now free from that place. You’ll have opportunities galore.”
“Never give up and always look out for new opportunities. If a chance comes, seize it with everything you’ve got. That’s what being smart is, that’s what being strong is.”
As the girl listened to me silently, she slowly tightened her grip on the gold coins.
“…I’m sorry for stealing.”
“That’s good.”
“And…”
The girl clenched her fist as she stood up and bowed to me.
“Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”
I gently patted her head.
“I won’t lecture you on living honestly. I know the desperateness you’ve faced. But don’t cross the bare minimum line. Beyond that, any opportunity that comes your way will only be kicked aside.”
“…Understood.”
Her face turned red, but she didn’t move away from my hand.
—
The girl disappeared into the crowd.
I watched her vanish silently.
As I stood there thinking, something soft brushed against my arm.
Startled, I turned around to see Lily had hooked her arm with mine.
“Wha-…”
“Good job.”
“…Did I do the right thing?”
As bold as my words were, I still knew I was someone still filled with many inadequacies.
Am I in a position to give advice to someone like her?
Was my judgment really correct?
Did I inadvertently put strange ideas into her head?
Doubts continued to pile up endlessly.
And what broke the chain of doubts was—
squish~
“!!”
An indescribable, overwhelming softness that I felt in my grasp.
“Li, Lily?! What is this suddenly…?!”
As I pulled my hand back in shock, Lily smiled and said,
“Compliments.”
“Who gives compliments like this?!”
“I do. Do you hate it?”
“…”
There was no way I could say I disliked it.
Lily grabbed my hand and placed it on her head.
“?”
“Give me some compliments too.”
“…?”
Why the compliments all of a sudden?
Are you just seeking affection from me?
‘If so—’
There’s no reason not to.
I started stroking her hair, and Lily responded with a bright smile.
Seeing her carefree smile, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
‘Really… She’s just too cute!’
Thinking that, did I plan to—
No, wait?
I quickly looked around.
The clock inside the nearby café visible in my line of sight.
7:04 PM
4 hours and 56 minutes until the New Year.
Will I be able to recreate that kind of moment now?
‘Regretfully, I missed the perfect timing just now…’
Sadly, it passed.
But there was no point in regretting since I couldn’t turn back time. I made a decision.
I have to create the mood somehow within the remaining 5 hours or so.
Absolutely, I need to make sure somehow today—this year—doesn’t pass!
—Thinking about it now, there was a time when I also had those thoughts.
I looked ahead with a despondent gaze.
The main square’s central clock in the capital.
11:48 PM
12 minutes until the New Year.
‘I’ve failed…’
I couldn’t create that mood no matter what during the time that passed.
Upon reflection, after the evening, our schedule was just too active…
There was no way to present a ring right after a magical duel.
Not to mention, my ears were already ringing from the sound activation of magic.
30 minutes, an hour, and 4 hours went by.
Before I knew it, I was here.
It was too much fun celebrating the festival with Lily that I ended up getting carried away without noticing.
Only 12 minutes left.
There wasn’t enough time to recreate the mood.
How could this be an appropriate setting for a proposal with so many people gathered here on the square waiting for the New Year?
What should I do? Should I take Lily to a dim alley right now?
I was pondering all of this when Lily tapped me on the shoulder.
“Arthur, wanna see something fun?”
“Fun… Sure, let’s go!”
We had to move somewhere with fewer people.
I needed to propose today before the year ended!
Lily led me away from the crowd.
Once we got a little distance from the square, Lily stopped.
Looking around, there wasn’t much to see here.
“What, Lily, what are you going to show me—”
“Hold on tight.”
“Uh… wha—?!”
Lily suddenly grabbed me firmly, and we soared into the sky.
The ground quickly distanced itself, and the buildings below shrank.
“Whoaohohohohoho!”
I tightly shut my eyes and, when I opened them moments later, all movement had stopped.
Lily’s hand touched my cheek.
“Open your eyes.”
“Li, Lily—”
“It’s fine. Trust me and open your eyes.”
With that, I slowly lifted my eyelids.
And—
“Wow…”
I couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.
The people below looked like grains of flour, the closely packed buildings, the dazzling lights spilling out of the shops—everything was beneath my feet.
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
In response to Lily’s question from beside me, I couldn’t help but nod.
Even though I had wondered about the night view while riding a sky-bicycle, I hadn’t expected it to be this stunning.
“How did you…?”
Turning my head, I saw Lily looking at me with a smile, her arms around me.
“Of course, it’s flight magic. Plus, I cast an invisibility spell so other people can’t see us.”
To use flight magic, known for its difficulty and high consumption of magical energy, so casually—once again, I had a vivid sense of just how formidable Lily is as an outsider.
While marveling at the night view, I turned to look at Lily.
She was gazing down at the cityscape, her face illuminated from below, her dark eyes twinkling.
Seeing her beauty, I instinctively knew—
‘This is the moment.’
“…You’re beautiful.”
“What? Isn’t the city view—”
“No, it’s you, Lily.”
Right as she turned to look at me, puzzled, I kissed her lips.
smack… suck… smack…
“Hmm… Why did you suddenly… do that?”
Instead of answering Lily’s question, I posed my own.
“Do you remember the sky-bicycle, Lily?”
“Eh, yes? Why do you mention it?”
“Could you create a transparent floor like that?”
“…It’s possible.”
“Could you, please?”
Lily tilted her head as if trying to figure out my intentions but soon waved her hand.
A firm sensation underfoot confirmed the existence of a transparent floor, invisible but real.
“About five steps wide.”
I tested it a couple of times and then untangled my arm from Lily’s.
“Arthur?”
I kept a small distance from Lily, facing her.
I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out the case.
As soon as she saw it, Lily’s eyes flickered slightly.
Despite the thunderous heartbeat and trembling jaw, I slowly began to speak.
“Lily, you’ve given me so much. If you hadn’t been there, I might have ended up like the girl we saw earlier. And so, I thought I needed to reciprocate somehow.”
“I, I didn’t ask for anything—”
“I know, your help came from pure kindness. But that’s human nature—when someone is kind to us, we want to return the favor.”
I slowly opened the case lid.
The red moonstone ring sparkled brilliantly under the night sky.
Lily gasped, covering her mouth with both hands.
Facing her, I slowly got down on one knee.
A speech I had thought about dozens, perhaps hundreds, or even thousands of times.
Though countless thoughts flitted through my head, and then went away, ultimately there was only one thing I wanted to say.
Stripping away all unnecessary embellishments, I presented Lily with just the pure essence.
“I love you, Lily. Will you marry me?”
“!!!”
