Ricardo and I have overcome many adversities.
-From now on, this is Ricardo's house.
-wow...
-When? How is it?! How is it?!
-The house...
-huh!
-It's very cold.
-It's not that cold... It'll be warm if you cover yourself with a blanket!
-...
-Are you very cold?
-Yes, it seems colder than the slums.
I was annoyed because he complained a lot.
-I need to build a stove.
-There it is!! Look, it's incredibly big, right?
-This is called a brazier. What I'm making is a fireplace.
-...Fireplace?
-Just watch quietly. I'll fix everything from start to finish.
Ricardo, whom I had only thought of as a friend to entertain me when I was lonely, had adapted to our life so competently that he easily surpassed both my father's and my expectations.
-Voila.
-Wow... It's huge.
Even his father was amazed by Ricardo's dexterity, as he was able to build his own fireplace and chimney at a young age.
-What were you doing outside?
-I went around begging.
-...You're not a noble who ran away?
-If he had been a nobleman, he would have plundered instead of begging.
Ricardo, who had a different way of life, cooked for his father when he was away from home due to his adventurer work.
-Okay, let's eat, Yuria.
-My name is Yuria!
-Then, Yuria, eat.
-yes.
-Today, I boiled some pork bones and leftover meat and made soup.
-Can you eat bones?
-Hmm... You don't eat the bones... Just try it. It'll be delicious.
Whenever I complained that I was bored, he would often make me a toy and play with me.
-East, west, south, north.
-...East, west, south, north?
-Now, look at this cutting-edge piece of civilization. If you unfold this paper like this…
-wow...!
I always enjoyed my time with Ricardo, and because he was always by my side wherever I went, I was able to endure my life in the North without feeling lonely.
Ricardo.
-Snowball... Explosion!!!
-Why are you throwing snow at a normal person?
-Speak informally!!
-Oh my.
Because you were my only friend.
Even if I say harsh things sometimes.
-The country is salty...
-is it so?
-huh
-Let's do it again.
He smiled like an adult.
When bad thieves come to the house.
-Please hide for a moment… .
-Ricardo is also hiding… .
-Shh. Be quiet... Okay? I'll give you some of the green grape candy I've been saving up, so you have to hide in the closet without making a sound.
Ricardo risked his life to protect me from thieves who were trying to steal my money.
The new family that came to us was like an angel who gave me laughter.
Thanks to Ricardo, I feel like I've learned a lot and become a more capable person with more stories to tell.
Because now I have a strong pillar I can lean on even if I fall.
That's how we grew older.
-Gyaaaah!!
-I didn't know you were here. I sweated a bit today...
-You have to knock!! Why are you coming in while I'm taking a bath!!!!
-You used to cry because I didn't take a bath with you.
-That was a long time ago!
As we pass the time of bathing together, we become a couple.
-Don't peek secretly today.
-If anyone heard this, they would think I'm a pervert.
-no?
-...Isn't that right?
Crying together.
-James I is dead… .
-Did you give your hamster that name?
-Let's go bury it together.
-...I'll bring a shovel.
Laughing together.
-Ricardo, I got into the academy!
-congratulations.
-What happened to Ricardo?
-What am I...
-I... I should say something later, you idiot.
-I passed.
We have become adults.
After Ricardo and I became adults, my father decided to give up his adventures and open an inn.
-I'm going to do business with noodles.
-...This is a copyright infringement.
-That's not my situation.
-Please give me 30% of the profits.
-A guy without a beard...
My dad was now at the age where he should be retired, and his knees were so bad that he couldn't do adventure work anymore.
-If you need pocket money, just tell me.
-I will feed Yuria, Father.
-Don't call me father. It's disgusting.
-Then, Master.
-Do you want to die? Even when I get old, you will win.
-There is no son-in-law in the world who can beat his father-in-law.
-This is... repaying kindness with enmity.
-haha!
The relationship between his father and Ricardo was good.
-What are you two doing…?
My father and Ricardo seemed to be close friends, to the point of jealousy, and at times, they seemed to have established themselves as a true family, open to each other without pretense.
-You have to practice in advance.
-You son of a bitch… .
It may just be my eyes that see it that way.
-Then let's eat. I made some soup.
-Good~ As expected, he is my son.
-Yes, sir.
-...ha.
Every day was precious to me.
The life that Ricardo, my father, and I shared in the North felt like a single star, filled with only good memories, and I felt like I was enjoying this moment beautifully.
-Stop fighting and eat!!!
Before entering the academy.
"Yuri, today we're going to have a man-on-man drinking party, so go somewhere and have fun."
"why?"
"Tseuup... It's a serious story."
"Why are you holding so much weight? It doesn't suit you."
I once overheard my dad and Ricardo talking over a drink.
-I'm worried... I wonder if sending Yuria to the capital is the right thing to do...
-It'll be okay. I'm here for you.
-You bastard...! That's because you're the biggest problem!
-How can you say that to me? I've worked so hard.
-If you can't even speak, you wouldn't know... Oh my.
The two of them were always talking about my concerns.
Please take good care of me in the capital.
I laughed at my father's request that Ricardo take care of any bad people who might be around, but I also felt a little bitter.
-Please take good care of me, my son.
-Yes, Master.
-I'm dying. Really.
-haha!
Time has made us even closer, and the passage of time has created a more beautiful bond of friendship. I believed this bond, unbreakable no matter what, would continue even at the academy.
"Then shall we go? To the Academy."
"huh!"
Ricardo is a swordsman by training.
I was able to enter the academy after a long life in the north thanks to the special recruitment of the divine power.
You never know what might happen there.
Arrived at the academy in a carriage so hard it left bruises on my butt.
"wow..."
It was really beautiful.
So much so that I want to keep that feeling forever.
"Really... pretty..."
The academy was filled with large buildings, and the place, filled with students of the same age, felt different from the capital where I had briefly visited until now.
“It’s a clock tower….”
"Is this your first time seeing me?"
"uh."
"I've seen this a lot in the past when I was begging. Begging here is a lucrative business... But the security guards kicked them out..."
"It's not fun."
As time went by, Ricardo, who had been speaking politely, became more comfortable with his speech, but he would say strange things whenever he had the chance, which gave me a headache.
"If you succeed, you can't abandon me."
"...Here he goes again."
“I raised you….”
"If you say that at the entrance ceremony, I'll really throw you out."
"too bad..."
In particular, that was something Ricardo often said.
"You should never like green hair."
Beware of the green hair.
I don't know why, but ever since he told me he was going to the academy, Ricardo has been worrying me about men. He's been saying things like, "If I don't get things sorted out, life will be difficult."
"what."
“You absolutely must not like the prince… If you like him just because he’s a prince, you could be in big trouble.”
"You don't like me, do you?"
"That could be true."
"what…."
Ricardo and I had a relationship as friends.
My best friend in the world, the one I can't break away from no matter how hard I try.
If there's one thing that's strange,
The words Ricardo said before entering the academy.
"Never touch Desmund."
"uh?"
"You have to be friendly. No, you just have to avoid him."
"Who is that...?"
"There is. A villainess."
It was about distinguishing between people you should be close with and those you shouldn't be. Why worry so much when you're not even a mother?
"You take care of yourself."
"Mom worries a lot."
"Poohaha!! What are you talking about?"
-The academy entrance ceremony will now begin.
I was looking forward to starting my school life with him. I wondered what kind of friends I would make, what kind of work I would do with Ricardo.
"My nose is ticklish."
"Be quiet...!"
"If you sneeze, you'll get in trouble."
"Don't do it..."
It was expected.
A day, two days, three days passed like that, and when we both started to focus on our school life.
"Ricardo."
"huh?"
"my friend."
I had my first friend.
"Fuck."
"...I told you not to swear."
"Tch tch...!"
A friend who is a bit strange.
"He's a new friend."
“Friends…?”
"Yeah. Say hello. Ricardo."
"This is a bit..."
Olivia.
"What are you looking at?"
I was able to become friends with the girl from the Desmunt family, whom Ricardo had told me not to meet.
The trigger was simple.
-hi.
-hmm?
-My name is Yuria. What about you?
-...What are you looking at?
-Want some chocolate?
Because we became one through chocolate.
That day, Ricardo wiped his forehead with a handkerchief dozens of times while introducing a new friend.
"What are you looking at?"
"...Ugh."
"You're a commoner, why are you acting like this?"
"Yuria, you made a strange friend?"
"I'm a bit curious."
"...That's not a compliment."
"Fuck!"
However, the two people who seemed like they would never become close became close much faster than I expected.
"You know, Yuria."
"huh?"
"That redhead."
"Ah, Ricardo?"
"huh."
Olivia.
"I'm interested in him."
Because I started to like Ricardo.
"You look like you're good at cooking."