Chapter 6 : Your Name

“This is it.”
“Clean place.”

As Shion opened the door, a spacious, tidy room came into view.

“That terminal over there will connect you directly to Kang Rimun.”
“Good. I’ve got a few things to ask for.”

The girl needs clothes and shoes, and I need something normal to wear.
I’ve been stuck in this armor unintentionally, but I can’t wear it all the time.

Step, step.

As I entered in my armor, Shion’s eyebrow twitched, but I ignored it, knowing the cleansing spell kept it spotless, and looked around.

“Then, rest well.”

Shion closed the door and left. I scanned the room more, then tried to set the girl down.

Squeeze.
“…Hey, uh?”

…I tried to set her down.
But she clung to my neck, refusing to let go. I hesitated, afraid I’d hurt her if I forced her off.

“…Roland, like.”
“Yeah, I like you too. But I’m not going far—maybe you could get down?”
“…Don’t, wanna, fall.”
“Ugh.”

Is she like this because I’ve been carrying her since we met?
…Guess I’ll talk to Kang Rimun first.

Is this the terminal Shion mentioned?
A long, rectangular black object was plugged into a stand. She meant to pick this up, right?

Click.
Ring—ring—

As I lifted it, a strange repeating sound came through.
Must mean it’s connecting.

—This… Lord Roland?
“It really connects. Like I said when we first met, this stuff’s amazing.”
—Is that so… That’s not your only business, is it?

It felt like he’d yank the terminal out of the room if it was.

“Of course not. Can you arrange children’s clothes and shoes, plus something for me to wear?”
—That’s doable. But you don’t need shoes, Lord Roland?
“I’m good. Got something nice already.”

Come to think of it, I haven’t taken off the armor yet.
With a thought, I tapped the floor lightly.

Clank, clank—

The armor swiftly retracted, vanishing into my steel boots.

“…!”

The girl, still in my arms, widened her eyes—the biggest expression change I’d seen from her.

—What’s that sound?
“You don’t sleep in armor, do you?”
—Oh, I thought you’d sleep in it.

His voice rose in genuine surprise. If we were face-to-face, I bet his eyes would be wide too.

“Of course not. Oh, and can you tell me where to go after leaving Cheongdo tomorrow?”
—Nearby, there’s Glimmer Garden, Babel Stack, and Nodril up on the cliffs. Nodril’s entirely controlled by ORRYX, so you can’t go there. Glimmer Garden’s your best bet.

Glimmer Garden, huh? Wonder what it’s like.

—I’ll give you a brief now and more details when we meet tomorrow before you leave.
“Thanks.”
—No trouble at all. Oh, the clothes and shoes will arrive in ten minutes.
“What?”

Ten minutes after I asked?

“That fast?”
—Yes, well, it’s possible.
“Huh… this world’s wild.”
—Anything else?
“Nope, that’s it.”
—See you tomorrow then.
Click—

I set the terminal down.
Items delivered in ten minutes? This world’s insane.

Tap, tap, tap, tap—
“Hm?”

Feeling frantic taps, I looked at the girl, her eyes still wide, staring at me.

“…Roland, Roland.”
“What’s up?”
“…Roland, clean.”
“?”

I gave a puzzled look, and she tapped again, frustrated, then grabbed my cheeks with both hands.

“…Here.”
“My face?”
“…Yeah, face. Clean, and, like.”
“Clean, sure. No beard either.”

I thought I’d have a majestic beard by twenty, but why’s it still not growing?
Master said to train instead of worrying about it, but still.

Shake, shake—
“…No, like. Clean, more like.”
“More than clean?”

How’s that better than clean?

“You mean handsome?”
“…! Yeah, face, handsome.”
“Really?”

My parents said I was handsome as a kid, but after years of training, no one I met said it, so I thought I was average.
Was I wrong?

“…Nice, to look. Handsome, like.”
“Haha… got it.”

If she likes it, that’s enough.

“By the way, wanna get down now?”
“…”

I crouched subtly, asking, but she stared at my face.
Just when I thought she wouldn’t budge—

Nod, nod.
“…Yeah.”
Hop—

She nodded, released my neck, and stood on the floor.

Stare—
“…”

She looked up, staring at my face.

“Uh… what’s wrong?”
“…Handsome.”
“Haha.”

I thought her liking it was enough, but this is getting embarrassing.
I scratched my chin awkwardly, then opened my mouth for what I’d planned.

“Hey, want a name?”
Tilt.
“…Name?”
“Yeah, my name’s Roland, right?”

She tilted her head, her expression darkening slightly.

“…My, name. Experiment subject?”
“No, that’s not a name.”

I firmly denied it, knelt before her, and took her hand.

“So, I want to give you a name. How’s that?”
“…Name. My, name?”
“Yeah, your name.”
“…My name.”

Her expression shifted subtly, repeating the words.
Or maybe she looked dazed?
Her minimal expressions made it hard to tell.

Nod—
“…Good.”
Nod, nod, nod—
“…Good, name, like.”

As she nodded, her white hair and yellow strands shimmered, her eyes sparkling with life.
I’d seen her yellow pupils glow before, but this was different.
I rubbed her hand, patted her head, and met her lively gaze.

“Your name is—”

Many names flashed through my mind, but this one felt right.

“Freesia.”
“…Free, sia?”
“Yeah, a beautiful yellow flower, like you.”
“…Flower, name. My, name.”

I moved from patting her head to her cheek.

“Yeah. It’s not just the yellow color, but the meaning too.”
“…Flowers, talk?”
“What? Haha, think of it as the flower’s meaning.”

So innocent.
I laughed and continued.

“Freesia’s meaning is… ‘I’ll cheer for your beginning.’”
“…Beginning, cheer?”
“Yeah, Freesia’s just starting, but you’re still young.”

Freesia stared into my blue eyes.

“…Why?”

An unexpected response.

“Uh, huh?”
“…Me, Roland. By chance.”
“You mean we met by chance?”
She nodded.

“…Meeting, chance. Cheering, weird.”
“Why, I can’t cheer for you when we’ve known each other less than a day?”
“…Roland, like. But, weird.”

I lifted her hand, bowed, and kissed it lightly.

“…!”
“It was chance I saved you, but this is my choice.”

A faint blush spread across her unchanged expression, but I thought she was happy and continued.

“And… is it just chance?”
“…Uh, huh?”
“Maybe there’s a reason I ended up right where you were.”

I smiled gently, rubbing her hand, and she stared at me blankly.

“…Then, what?”
“Fate.”

I recalled first meeting her.
Waking in a strange world, attacked, breaking through without killing, and finding—

“…Fate?”

The girl in the glass tube.

“Yeah. Not just anyone, but a knight from another world appeared there to meet you… If that’s not fate, what is?”
“…Me, and Roland, fate.”
“So I’m cheering for you. Like… a godfather, I guess.”

She’s young, so godfather feels heavy, but whatever.

“…Godfather, no.”
“No?!”
“…Roland, like. Godfather, no.”

What’s that mean?
She likes me but not the godfather thing?

“…Like, Roland, too much. So, godfather, no.”
“I’m too good… but why no godfather?”
“…Be something else.”
“Huh…?”

I don’t get it.

“Fine, if Freesia says no godfather, I won’t be one.”
“…Yeah, Freesia… yeah. I’ll, try.”
“Good, good.”

No clue what she means, but good’s good.

Knock, knock.
“Huh? Freesia, hold on.”
“…Yeah, Roland.”

I stood and opened the door. A stranger held a neat box.

“Gasp—”

He saw my face, inhaled sharply for some reason, then shook his head and spoke.

“Lord, Lord Roland?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Here, for Mindpulse sync… oh, you don’t need it?”

He tilted his head, checking something.

“Really don’t need it, first time for this… Anyway, confirmed.”

He handed me the box, still flustered. I took it.

“Thanks.”

He left after confirming I received it, and I closed the door, examining the box.

“Freesia, looks like clothes. Wanna check?”
“…Clothes. From earlier, talk.”
“Yeah, what I asked Kang Rimun for.”

I sat in front of Freesia and opened the box. A pair of soft brown shoes appeared first.

“These are yours. Like them?”
“…Yeah, pretty.”

I set the shoes aside, revealing a gray cape.
Touching it, the waterproof material and hood made it seem perfect for rain.