Regressor’s Notebook
Episode 6
A Young Heart (3)
When I opened my eyes again, it was Tuesday.
The match had been on Monday, so I had been unconscious for an entire day.
“……Having fun?”
This was the infirmary inside the orphanage. Lying hospitalized, I asked the kids on the opposite bed who were going *pew-pew, pew-pew*.
“Mmhmm……”
“……Ugh!”
Berry and Belle.
The two were sitting with their heads together, playing a game on a smartphone.
They’d been like that since I woke up.
They must have explored the smartphone on their own while its owner was away, progressing swiftly from YouTube to mobile games.
—Game over.
“No!”
“Uwah.”
“Berry died…….”
I let out a bitter smile. Then Berry and Belle turned to look at me. The overly pure eyes of the children made me feel strangely embarrassed.
I scratched the back of my neck and spoke.
“Sorry about that.”
I had put on quite the tough act, but ended up losing.
To be honest, if I were to make excuses, there was nothing I could do. Who would’ve known a monster like that would show up?
“Still. Promises are made to be broken. Lies are meant to be told. That’s the way of the world—”
“Sion, you were so cool.”
“So cool.”
Berry and Belle grinned, showing their teeth. There was no sadness or disappointment in those smiles directed at me.
Thanks to that, I froze for a moment.
“Like, bad guys went *whoosh*, and *bam! Bam!*”
Berry waved both arms in big circles with unnecessarily dramatic expressions.
“That’s right, that’s right!”
Belle chimed in.
“……Hmph.”
I felt awkward for no reason. I shrugged and brushed my hair back.
“Still, I couldn’t keep my promise.”
I pointed at the smartphones resting in Belle and Berry’s hands.
“I’m giving you those.”
In an instant, the two children’s eyes grew wide. *Crackle*—electricity surged. Their hair stood on end as if they’d turned into human static electricity.
“W-Wow—”
“……”
Belle’s cheeks puffed up full of anticipation, but Berry bit her lip.
“No.”
Then she shook her head resolutely and held the smartphone back out.
“It’s okay.”
“……Why?”
“They’ll take it away. When we leave our home.”
It was a very realistic reason. Far too heavy to be contained in a young child’s mind.
At an age where they should be filled with nothing but wants, without worrying about having things taken from them.
“……”
Seeing my expression, Berry grinned.
“Berry’s fine. It’s not even that fun anymo—”
“You. You’re thinking about it wrong.”
I flicked her forehead with my finger and forcibly placed the smartphone on her palm.
“You don’t refuse it because you’re afraid it’ll be taken. You get stronger so it won’t be taken. Why give up without even trying?”
“……Huh?”
Suddenly, Berry’s eyes grew faintly subdued. She quietly looked up at me. I spoke as if grasping that gaze.
“Hold it. Tight.”
Then strength entered Berry’s small fingers. The smartphone, too big for her to hold even with both hands, was wrapped in her chubby fingers.
“You may be weak now, but if you grow strong, no one can take it from you.”
“……”
Berry bit her lip without a word. She seemed to be holding back tears, but her cheeks puffed up like steamed buns. Her eyes became teardrops, and her face scrunched up.
She was on the verge of tears.
“If you understand, take it and go now. I have things to do.”
The moment Berry nodded, she dashed outside. Belle followed her older sister without understanding what was going on.
Watching them, I let out a sigh.
“……I got unnecessarily attached.”
Uselessly.
Well, whatever. We’d be parting soon anyway.
I flopped down on the bed.
“Ah…… it fucking hurts.”
My condition was much worse than I thought. The side effects of Perrion were as serious as expected—no, even more serious.
“I probably shouldn’t use this unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
I could feel it almost instinctively.
If I used it more than twice a week, I would definitely die…….
I quickly fell asleep again.
* * *
The next day.
When I woke up late and came out into the hallway, the youth ward dormitory had transformed into some kind of party hall.
“……The hell?”
I stood blankly and looked around.
A closing-down party? Like when a shop goes bankrupt and sells everything at clearance prices.
But the caretaker and Dent, and even all the youth ward kids, were strange. Every last one of them had a smile on their face.
“Hey, Sion!”
Just then, Tellun called out to me. Everyone in the lobby turned this way.
I asked him,
“What kind of party is this?”
Tellun smiled broadly and said,
“We’re celebrating because the orphanage is relocating to the provinces.”
“……The provinces?”
My eyes grew slightly wider.
“Yeah. It’s not a complete shutdown, apparently.”
“……”
Relocation to the provinces.
This was an event that hadn’t happened in the future I knew.
In my past timeline, not only was it completely abolished, but the orphans here had been scattered across the continent.
“But apparently the scale will shrink tremendously. Only kids younger than nine or ten will go…… The rest of us will just become independent.”
Tellun smiled faintly. Nameless youth ward kids approached me one by one.
They stammered out words and sent awkward glances. Within those seemingly meaningless gestures, there was gratitude. Goodwill. And apology.
“It’s thanks to you.”
Tellun said so, seeming to reminisce for a moment before looking at me.
“You were insane. Crazy fast, dude. Honestly, isn’t that basically a win? Your opponent was just too—”
“When was this decided?”
I cut Tellun off. Then Dent, who had approached at some point, answered in his place.
“It was decided at the Libra main house at dawn today. We found out this morning. The kids will leave on the bus coming at noon, and we’ll stay here until this place collapses.”
“……But why is this thanks to me?”
I was doubtful. Honestly, it was absurd.
How on earth was this sudden development because of me?
“The youngest lady…… Miss Jia personally mentioned you. She said she was impressed by your fighting spirit.”
Jia, me?
My mouth fell open blankly. Dent smiled and placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Moved? Well, I told you. Work hard and you’ll be rewarded. More importantly, where are your things? You need to leave now.”
“……Huh?”
“Your things. Your stuff.”
“Ah. I don’t have anything like that.”
I shook my head. There was nothing I particularly needed to pack.
……No.
There was something.
A treasured sword of the Ascal household, passed down from generation to generation since my grandfather’s time.
I could just grab that from the dormitory later.
Dent said,
“Is that so? Well then, the bus to take the kids will be here soon. Let’s go to the playground.”
* * *
The orphanage playground.
The eldest son, Jedric, was indeed swift. Architects and technicians had already gathered to discuss demolition methods.
I sat in the stands with Tellun and watched them.
“The kids are coming out.”
Small children began filing out of the young children’s dormitory.
Wearing yellow hats on their heads and yellow backpacks on their backs, they held hands tightly and waddled with their heads swaying—like little penguins.
Now the playground they walked onto was full of laughter. Their uniquely childish voices prickled the ears. As if they were going on some kind of trip.
—Ah!
Among those two hundred–some children, there were two who sought me out.
Belle and Berry.
They came running together, *patter-patter*.
“Sion~ we’re not getting separated. They said we’re going to a different house.”
“That’s right, that’s right.”
Berry and Belle, having quickly arrived, grinned widely. I looked at Berry’s neck. A smartphone hung from an adorable handkerchief.
A necklace they’d made by attaching their own ring to the smartphone and threading a handkerchief through it.
“Is that so.”
Berry grinned.
“What will Sion do now?”
“Who knows. I’ll do whatever.”
“Wow…… whatever……”
“Waaah……”
While Berry and Belle marveled, three large buses entered through the orphanage gates.
“The bus is here. Go now. There’s no time.”
“Yes sir!”
They must have watched some cartoon movie yesterday; Berry and Belle struck strange loyal salutes. Then they tied their handkerchief necklaces tight again.
“Call us.”
Tapping the smartphone that was now theirs, they smiled and took one step—two steps—moving away with small strides.
I watched them quietly.
“They’re leaving now, I suppose.”
Just then, Tellun approached.
“Hey Sion. Is this the right phone number?”
He showed me a number scribbled on paper and asked.
“Yeah.”
“Thank goodness. So we can keep in touch with them.”
Apparently, Tellun intended to maintain the connections he’d made here.
“You will too, right?”
“……”
I thought for a moment, but soon shook my head.
“I’m busy. I have to go to college and everything. I don’t have time to keep in touch.”
“……What? Wow~ is that so? You’re so fucking heartless.”
Tellun pouted and turned away.
—Alright~ everyone sit down~ make sure to fasten your seatbelts as soon as you get in~
By chance, Berry and Belle sat in the very back seat of the bus. They turned around in their seats and waved at me through the window. Moving their small lips as wide as they could, they chattered something or other.
“Go on.”
I waved back. Berry and Belle giggled.
Before long, the bus carrying all the children closed its doors.
The commotion and laughter that had filled the playground vanished.
In that silence, the bus started its engine.
*Vrrroom——*
Fortunately, the children wouldn’t see “our home” being torn down.
They wouldn’t have to separate from each other.
Perhaps it was okay for them to leave for a distant place because of that.
Because in a young child’s heart, they can find hope and smile in any moment.
“……Amazing.”
A story so different from the past I knew.
Today, Libra preserved a tiny bit of its humanity.
Had that change come about because of me?
“Sion Ascal.”
As the bus slowly began to depart, Dent called my name. Watching the bus, he was already streaming tears.
“You can become a greater person than your father.”
Those words delivered in a trembling voice were somewhat of a relief.
Because he hadn’t said, *like* your father.