20th Episode: Arisa 2

It was the day that Edgar had left for the village.

Arisa had an awkward smile.

 

“……Take care, Ed.”

 

Arisa watched Edgar’s back as he left to go hunting.

After a few minutes, Edgar left her sight.

 

“I wonder if Ed will be okay……? It seems like he won’t come back for a few days, so I’m worried……”

 

Arisa absentmindedly muttered those words, and sadly narrowed her eyes.

 

To be honest, she was more lonely than worried.

 

＊＊＊

 

⸺Ed will be gone from this laboratory for a few days.

 

Since Ed informed her about that, finally the day has come.

 

Arisa was uneasy.

 

(Ed, is going to leave?)

 

Just by imagining that, her chest tightened.

 

To Arisa, Edgar is an existence that can be called her last family member.

Her original family treated her like a monster, and Arisa didn’t think of her mentor as important.

……After their death, it’s different however.

 

That precious person. Beloved person.

Always, if possible, if Edgar accepted it, she wanted to be with him their whole lives……! Someone she thought that about.

 

(That important person, who can even be called my everything, will leave my side⸺)

 

An anxiety that was hard to describe.

 

But, if Ed knew of that anxiety that could crush me, he’d stay with me because he’s kind. He’d spoil me.

From now on, he’d definitely stay by my side.

 

Arisa thought.

 

(⸺That’s not good.)

 

If we form a relationship with me one sidedly dependant on him, it’d eventually collapse.

In order to live with Ed, and to stand by him⸺I need to become a suitable woman for him.

 

Thinking that, Arisa rose her fighting spirit.

 

“Okay, it’s alright, it’s alright, Arisa. Even without Ed, you can overcome a few days!”

 

Arisa said that, but,

……As soon as she stopped paying attention, her gaze turned towards the direction Edgar had left in.

 

She was not alright at all.

 

＊＊＊

 

Then, at night.

By doing housework, Arisa somehow managed to make through half a day.

 

“Fuu, I feel refreshed……well, let’s go to bed now.”

 

Arisa got up from the bath, and headed to the bedroom while drying her hair.

 

“……Uu.”

 

While lying sideways in the bed, Arisa acutely felt her loneliness.

It seemed like tears would overflow.

 

As a last resort, Arisa buried her face in the stuffed animal of Edgar she made.

 

By the way, it was wearing Ed’s used T-shirts as they were as clothing⸺naturally, Edgar didn’t know that.

 

Arisa usually used it too much, so she noticed that Ed’s smell was thinning.

 

“I already have to change these kids’ costumes……”

 

Arisa stared at the stuffed doll in her hand with a gaze filled with love.

If Edgar heard those words, there’s no mistaking that he’d get goosebumps.

 

However, the moment she hugged the Edgar doll, a demonic idea came through Arisa’s head.

 

“E,Ed isn’t here now right? Th,then……”

 

⸺It’s a rare chance, so how about I wear Ed’s clothes instead of the stuffed dolls!

 

‘Genius’, Arisa’s brain sent applause.

 

The moment she thought of that, took off her pajamas, and softly stepped into Ed’s room.

 

⸺Proceed quietly, without making a sound.

Edgar isn’t here. That’s why there’s no need to worry.

However, for some reason an overwhelming sense of tension was born. Arisa felt her own temperature gradually rising.

Darkness and silence dominated Edgar’s room.

 

“Wa, I have to hurry up and decide……”

 

For some reason or another, Arisa didn’t feel like turning on the lights, and in the darkness, Arisa began searching through the drawers.

 

If Edgar saw this, there’s doubting that he’d pass over being surprised, and lose consciousness.

 

“Mufu, mufufu.”

 

Arisa dove into the drawer.

 

(Amazing! The T-shirts that Edgar usually wears, his pants, and jerseys……! Of course, his underwear too……!)

 

To Arisa, this was a treasure trove.

 

After thorough, repeated careful investigations, Arisa decided on what she’d borrow from Edgar tonight.

She chose the top and bottom of jersey slighter bigger than her, a baggy T-shirt, and……underwear.

 

Arisa thought that she should go orthodox here.

The meaning of orthodox is unknown.

 

“……Nnsho……”

 

Arisa hastily changed her clothes on the spot.

Arisa’s face was colored with impatience, interest towards the unknown, and bashfulness.

Arisa fully equipped her entire body with [Ed], and was restless.

There was a feeling of guilt burning in her heart from hiding from Ed and doing something bad, and a mysterious excitement that was born from it.

 

Arisa, whose whole body was wrapped in Ed’s smell, rose to a never before felt sense of tension.

 

“U,uaa……Arisa, what kinds of naughty things are you doing……! I’m sorry, Ed……!”

 

In contrast to her words, Arisa’s eyes have already lost focus, and her mouth sluttishly loosened.

 

⸺Still not yet! Arisa’s attacks won’t stop at this level .

Arisa next set her sights on……!

 

“⸺The bed.”

 

Having already overcome the wall of her guilt, Arisa didn’t hesitate.

 

It’s what she was told it was hard to sleep and ordered to leave by Ed from, ‘Ed’s bed’.

 

She jumped onto it for the first time in a while.

 

(⸺!? I can’t stop……!)

 

From the moment she jumped onto it, Arisa was wrapped by that person’s warmth which let’s her be relieved.

 

Arisa will testify at a later date that it was exactly like Edgar, nothing more and nothing less.

⸺To who? That is unknown.

Right now, Arisa was thinking that if Edgar saw this she’d stay in bed for 10 days.

 

Having her fill of this, *gyu*, she strongly embraced the bed covers.

 

“Fuaa……Ed……”

 

Then, Arisa went to sleep.

 

The first day.

 

Arisa was able to overcome it safely.

 

＊＊＊

 

The next day.

Was it because she was so excited last night, so she couldn’t sleep?

Or was it because she didn’t have Edgar to take care of?

 

Unusually, Arisa overslept.

Where did her energy from yesterday go?

⸺There aren’t any signs of her excitement from yesterday in her expression.

 

(⸺Here, I’m alone.)

 

That sentence ran through Arisa’s head as soon as she woke up.

 

⸺She didn’t feel like cooking.

She didn’t learn to cook so she could eat. She learned to cook for Edgar.

If she were alone, then as long as she didn’t starve, she wouldn’t care.

 

⸺She didn’t feel like cleaning.

She didn’t clean in order to be in a clean environment.

 

My everything is there for Ed.

The significance of my existence was there for Ed⸺that Ed, is not here now.

 

How should I fill that vacancy?

No, is filling it even possible?

Among what she’s felt until now, Arisa’s heart was currently being violated by her deepest, and most intense despair.

 

And as early as by the second day.

Even from her eyes, Arisa’s tear were overflowing.

 

“Ed, Ed……! Hurry on home……! Please……I’ll do anything!”

 

While gripping his Edgar’s T-shirt, Arisa sobbed.

 

Before she knew it, the laboratory’s windows were getting struck by rain.

 

Within the span of that day, Arisa didn’t leave Edgar’s room.

 

＊＊＊

 

The third day.

 

Arisa awoke in Edgar’s bed.

The house was enveloped by the same silence it had before Edgar came.

 

“Ed……”

 

Arisa somehow raised her body, and washed her face.

Her face that was reflected in the mirror had lost so much spirit that it couldn’t have been thought of a few days ago.

 

After that, as if sleepwalking, unsteadily headed to the entrance.

Wearing Edgar’s jersey in front of the laboratory, she was doing calisthenic sitting.

Arisa stared at the direction Edgar left in with empty eyes,

 

“Ed……”

 

Arisa muttered in a small voice that only she could hear.

 

“Ed……hurry and come home……”

 

She buried her face in her lap.

 

“Hurry up and come homeee……Edgarrr.”

 

Wearing Edgar’s jersey, she soaked it with tears.

 

“EdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdEdEdEdEdEdEdEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdEdEdEdEdEdEdEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgarEdgar.”

 

As if cursing, Arisa repeatedly called the name of her beloved person.

In that stance, Arisa awaited for Edgar to come home with empty eyes.

 

⸺Would those feelings be rewarded?

 

Evening.

 

She saw someone coming here from the other side of the forest.

 

It was my dearest person.

My important person.

Someone who I can’t live without.

 

Noticing his figure, Arisa jumped out from the entrance, and headed for him.

 

⸺Ed.

 

Thank goodness.

 

⸺Ed.

 

You came back.

 

⸺Edgar.

 

“⸺Edgarrrr!”

 

While receiving Arisa, who spiritedly jumped at him, Edgar unapologetically laughed, and said:

 

“I’m home, Arisa.”

---

On a completely unrelated note, I picture Arisa in her bunny pajamas to look like this:

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