Chapter 24: Aunt Eru and Orpheus

Orpheus’s hand movements were light and relaxed.

Comfortable as if dealing with an old friend.

Casual as if a child were playing with a toy.

There was no hesitation in each movement of plucking the strings.

and the melody flowed naturally as his fingertips touched.

But each tone was delicate, and it contained an inexplicable depth.

Even though it was the first time I heard the song, it didn’t feel unfamiliar.

Nevertheless, each melody was full of novelty.

Forgetting what I was doing, I was lost in the melody flowing from his fingertips.

“Haha, it’s a bit awkward to play in front of others after a long time.”

“……Wow.”

I inadvertently let out an exclamation.

Orpheus took his hand off the lyre and smiled softly.

Even though the performance was over, the lingering feeling did not easily disappear.

It was a strange feeling of being dazed and yet feeling at peace.

“Was it okay, Sachan?”

“Huh? …………Uh, uh-huh….”

I nodded with a dazed expression.

My head was still filled with the afterglow of the melody from a moment ago.

Then, I shook my head vigorously and looked at Orpheus with sparkling eyes.

“Amazing—!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! I, I’ve never heard such wonderful music in my life! Right, Ria—!”

“…That’s right♡”

Ria nodded with a slight smile.

One is a master of cookies, and the other is a master of music.

This couple, they’re amazing.

I couldn’t help but admire them, looking back and forth between the two.

“You’re both amazing! Auntie’s cookies are super delicious, and Uncle’s playing skills are really the best!”

“Hehe, is that so?”

The woman covered her mouth with one hand and let out a faint laugh.

“Yes! So, so~! Or-u-pae-u-jeu… ···Olpheutjeu?”

“It’s Orpheus, Senior♡”

Ria laughed and corrected my messy pronunciation.

I covered my cheeks with a red face.

“I, I know—-. It’s just hard to pronounce—! So Ozpe….”

“Orpheus.”

“Otseu, Orreu, …Aight! Orpheutjeu—!”

There is nothing that cannot be done with effort.

I have lived with that belief.

…Having a short tongue is not something that can be solved in a short period of time.

In the end, I succumbed to my physical limitations.

I fiddled with the hem of my skirt and lowered my head towards Orpheus.

“…Ugh. I’m sorry.”

“Haha, it’s okay, Sachan. You can call me whatever you want.”

“……Then can I call you. Or Uncle…?”

Orpheus nodded with a gentle smile.

I was relieved for a moment, but the woman pointed at herself with sparkling eyes.

“Here, Sachan.”

“Yes?”

“Can you try calling Auntie’s name too? Auntie’s name is Eurydice.”

“Eh….”

·This one seems difficult too?

I was flustered and looked at Eurydice.

Eurydice was staring at me with eyes full of anticipation.

‘I just had my tongue twisted because of Orpheus, and now it’s Eurydice…?’

No, I can do it.

It’s much easier than dealing with monsters.

I took a deep breath. I calmly organized the pronunciation in my head.

‘Eurydice, Eurydice, Eurydice……?

As I ran simulations several times in my head, my confidence gradually grew.

Yes, this is nothing.

I won’t be defeated just because I have a short tongue!

“Euwiede… Ewoo…, No, Ereu, Eruludi…. Ugh.”

“Oh, so cute.”

“…Awoo.”

But the input and output were still not the same.

I glanced at Ria.

Ria, who had been correcting my pronunciation until just now.

was now bending over, clutching her chest, and had no intention of getting up.

For a moment, I was worried if she was sick—.

‘Cute. Cute. Cute. Cute. Cute.’ I quietly turned my head at the murmur.

In the end, I clutched the hem of my skirt and muttered quietly.

“……I’m sorry. I can’t.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

“……Can I call you Eru Auntie?”

Eurydice burst into laughter at those words.

Orpheus also shrugged his shoulders next to her, holding back his laughter.

Seeing that, my face became even hotter for no reason.

‘…Why are the names of people in this town so difficult.’

Eurydice, who had been chuckling, stroked my head.

“Yes, Sachan. You can call me Eru Auntie.”

“Yes! Thank you!”

Eru Auntie’s touch was warm and soft.

Maybe it’s because the naming issue was resolved safely.

Or maybe it’s because the touch was warm.

I quickly felt better, and a smile spread across my eyes as she stroked my head.

Eurydice smiled softly as she looked at me.

“Sachan, if you want more, just tell me. I’ll bake more for you.”

“Really? Thank you!”

“Ah, come to think of it, I forgot to give you something to drink. Are you thirsty? Do you prefer juice or milk, Sachan?”

Usually, milk goes well with sweet cookies.

but with these savory, top-notch cookies, refreshing juice might also be a good balance.

But I’m worried about the sugar….

I fell into serious thoughts.

It felt like juice and milk were fighting in my head.

“…Um, ugh.”

“I’ll bring both. Just wait a moment.” 

“Yes! Thank you!”

“So cute. Oh, right. …Miss Ria, you’d prefer tea, right?”

“Yes.”

Eurydice nodded and went back to the kitchen.

Orpheus, who had been watching her, smiled and tidied up the lyre.

With regret, I put down the cookie I was eating and muttered.

“…Eh? Are you putting it away?”

“Huh? Why, do you want to hear more?”

“Yes. Or Uncle, can’t you play another song?”

“Sure. I’m in a good mood thanks to Sachan, so I’ll play one more song.”

Orpheus picked up the lyre again and lightly plucked the strings.

At that moment, the room was once again filled with a sweet melody.

If the previous one was a bit light and bouncy.

this one felt refreshing, like walking through a green meadow.

I’m very, very sorry to Eurydice.

but it was such an excellent performance that I put aside even eating delicious cookies.

Before long, the performance that felt like a fantasy came to an end.

Even after the performance ended, the room remained quiet for a while.

Everyone was lost in the lingering feeling, forgetting to speak.

I blinked blankly and clapped my hands as if possessed.

“Wow……. Wow! Uncle, you’re amazing—!”

“Really?”

“The last one was good, but this performance is amazing too! No, it seems even better! Right, Ria—!” 

“Yes. Senior♡ As you play, the tone seems to get better and better.”

At our praise, Orpheus scratched his cheek shyly and smiled.

“I’m a little embarrassed to be praised so much. Actually, I’ve been resting for a long time, so my skills have deteriorated a lot.”

“Ehhh? Don’t lie! Ah, no. No.”

I shook my head hurriedly after speaking.

“You’re saying you can make even more amazing music than this. Amazing—! Uncle, you’re a really, really amazing minstrel—!”

“Haha, thank you. Sachan.”

“But why did you rest for so long? It seems like you really like playing, judging by how smoothly you play.”

The atmosphere in the room instantly sank.

Orpheus lowered his gaze for a moment at my words and gently stroked the lyre.

“…There were many happy things thanks to music, but there were also many bad things.”

“Bad things…?”

“It’s not that music was a sin…. I guess you could say I died because of it. Haha, so I stopped playing after I died.”

I opened my eyes wide at Orpheus’s words.

His tone was light, but there was a hint of sadness in it.

A voice that seemed relieved yet full of lingering regret.

I hesitated for a moment, then clenched my fists and shouted.

“B, but—! Or Uncle’s performance is really the best! So never stop! I, I really, really like Uncle’s music!”

“…Really?”

“Or Uncle said it himself. Music is not a sin.”

After taking a deep breath, I stretched out my arms and continued.

“Those people did wrong, not Uncle. You shouldn’t give up what you like because of bad people—.”

“Haha, you sound like my wife.”

“If you hated playing, I wouldn’t have said anything….”

Orpheus clearly looked happy when he played.

As if he had met a long-lost friend, his eyes were filled with warmth when he looked at the lyre.

“……Or Uncle, you really like music. So, you shouldn’t stop doing what you like!”

“Really?”

“Yes—! This is Elysium! A paradise where you can do whatever you want—!”

At my words, Orpheus looked down at the lyre silently.

At that moment, Eurydice quietly approached and placed her hand on his shoulder.

She smiled warmly at me and said.

“Sachan’s right, Orpheus. Your music has brought joy to many people. Not only me, but Sachan and Miss Ria are also happy like this.”

“…..Eurydice.”

“And you too.”

Orpheus listened to his wife’s words and stroked the lyre.

“…Yes. Music is not a sin.”

“Yes! I’m also working hard to do what I want! …It’s a bit bumpy and the start isn’t great, but I won’t give up!”

“I thumped my chest with my fist and continued.”

“If I work hard, I’ll be good at it someday!”

“What kind of dream are you trying to achieve, Sachan?”

Eurydice asked with a curious look.

For a moment, I just mumbled, but then I shook my head vigorously.

I can’t hesitate to reveal my preferences forever.

I’m the cute and lovely owner of an amusement park!

“I’m—. I’m making a cute world!”

“A cute world?”

“Yes! My dream is to make an amusement park full of cute and lovely things and make everyone happy!”

Eurydice and Orpheus smiled warmly at me.

“That’s a really wonderful dream that suits Sachan well?”

“Haha, a world made by Sachan would be really lovely.”

“Really?!”

I clenched my fists with strength at those words.

“I’m going to make a world where everyone can smile and have fun. So Or Uncle and Eru Auntie, you have to come and visit!”

“Yes, I’ll definitely go.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it, Sachan.”

“Yes!”

Ria, who had been quietly standing next to me, smiled and gently stroked my head.

Somehow, the air in the room felt warm.

Eurydice, who was smiling at me, poked Orpheus’s side with her elbow.

“See, Orpheus. Even such a small and cute child is working hard.”

“That’s right. I should follow her example.”

I don’t know why.

Somehow, my hands and feet were twisting and I felt unbearably shy.

I looked around to avoid the gazes of the three people and pointed to the dried herbs hanging in the living room.

“H, hey. Eru Auntie, do you want to decorate the garden?”

“Huh? Hehe, that’s right. Auntie is a nymph.”

“What’s a nymph?”

When I tilted my head, Eurydice smiled and explained.

“Nymphs are fairy-like beings who protect and love nature. They are also the spirits that dwell in forests, rivers, flowers, and trees.”

“Wow…!”

Eurydice, she’s a fairy.

It felt like a fairy tale, and my heart was pounding.

“That’s why you like decorating the garden!”

“Yes. It makes me really happy to see the plants grow.”

Eurydice smiled warmly as she looked at the herbs.

“Are there many cute flowers in the garden?”

“Of course. It’s full of very pretty and cute flowers. Do you want to see?”

“Yes—! I want to see! Please show me!”

Then, Eurydice smiled and headed towards the back door.

“Then, do you want to see it now?”

“I want to see, I want to see! Ria, let’s go—!”

I jumped up from my seat with sparkling eyes.

Ria smiled gently and lightly grabbed my hand.

With a pounding heart, I followed Eurydice.

When the door opened.

And a refreshing breeze and bright sunlight greeted us.

“How is it? This is my garden.”

The moment I saw the garden full of flowers I had never seen before, I stopped breathing.