【5】Noel’s Side

Everyone at the orphanage always spoke ill of Noel.

“it’s creepy! Your hair looks like white hair, and your eyes are golden.”

“Why do you stare so much? What are you thinking?”

“Noel-chan, why can’t you talk?”

“Maybe you’re not human!?”

“That’s right. You’re not human!”

… These guys are quite smart. Actually, I thought so.

Yes.

Noel is not actually human.

Noel is a ‘cheat-filled’ flower spirit.

The one who gave birth to Noel is a goddess named ‘Floren.’

She claimed to be the goddess of flowers who created this country a long time ago.

About four years ago, Noel was standing in the flower field at the edge of the royal capital. … That’s the earliest memory.

The goddess was also standing with Noel, saying, ‘You are my child.’

(I wonder if there are other children like Noel…) I was thinking in my heart,

The goddess said, ‘There are quite a few. I feel like creating them when I’m in the mood.’

It seems that the goddess casually gives birth to beings.

‘I can no longer directly interfere with the human realm. Therefore, I have decided to give birth to you as flower spirits and enjoy observing the human realm through your eyes.’

… I didn’t really understand what she was saying.

To ensure that the fragile flower spirit Noel could live easily, she said she made her ‘filled with cheats.’

Cheats are apparently something like ‘amazing powers.’

I’m good at drawing and skilled at climbing trees, and though I can’t speak yet, I’ll apparently become an amazing singer soon.

I can read human hearts a bit, and I can use a cheat to rewind time just once.

But the goddess told me that I should only use the time cheat for someone I really love.

Also, the goddess said, “I’ve given you the power skill to make even horribly tasteless meals taste delicious.”

(…I don’t really care about cheats other than for meals.)

That’s what I thought.

“Listen, Noel. There’s only one weakness for flower spirits. Until you meet a trustworthy human, you’ll be in a state called ‘bud,’ and you won’t be able to speak.”

…I wondered why it was designed that way, but it seems there’s no help for it.

“Flower spirits only ‘blossom’ when they meet a trustworthy human. Through blossoming, your body will start to grow, and you’ll become a complete spirit. Beloved Noel, I pray that you will have wonderful encounters in the human realm.”

The goddess disappeared.

I thought, “If you love someone, don’t leave them alone,” but it seems that’s the way it is…

By the way, what does “the way it is” mean?

It’s like a word I’ve known from the beginning.

Noel is not human, and probably that’s just the way it is.

After that, Noel, having nowhere else to go, walked slowly.

She was caught by a soldier.

“Where’s your home?” they asked, but since Noel couldn’t speak, she wrote “flower field” on the ground as an answer. The soldier cried and said, “Poor thing.”

So, she was taken to the church and ‘protected’ at the ‘Orphanage.’

Being ‘protected’ seems to involve getting scolded a lot by scary old ladies.

But because she had cheats like blocking out loud noises and making terrible meals taste good, Noel didn’t have too much trouble.

…There was nowhere else to go; they provided food for now, so she thought she might as well stay here.

That’s how about four years passed.

…And then.

“Hey, Noel! Won’t you come to my place!?”

Mireille is a very energetic older sister.

She’s really rich, defeated the old lady at the orphanage, and became the ‘Director.’

For some reason, she seems to really like Noel.

(Ohh, live Noel! Precious! Precious, heart-skipping, ahhh, so cute!) When I heard that voice in my heart, I thought this sister was a dangerous person.

Yes.

Noel can sometimes understand people’s hearts a little.

If she stares quietly, sometimes it seeps through.

It’s the goddess’s cheat.

Even though she stares forever, there are times when she can’t hear anything, so maybe it’s a bit of a defective cheat.

But Mireille’s voice is well heard.

(Ugh. I absolutely cannot forgive this sister! Treating Noel and the children like this… I won’t let it go!)

(I will definitely save you, so wait for me, Noel!)

(I want to create an environment where Noel can live freely… What should I do?)

Mireille always likes Noel, and she’s also a really good person.

It feels good to be petted by Mireille.

Being praised for being good at drawing was also delightful.

So, Noel was able to move to Mireille’s house, and every day was enjoyable.

Because Noel is good at drawing, Mireille’s elder brother, Mireld, became her ‘Patron’.

In exchange for the drawings, he let her live in this huge house and provided delicious meals.

Mireille is the director, so she often works at the orphanage. Today, she bought sweets as a souvenir.

“Noel. Is it delicious?”

“…”

Delicious.

Even without using cheats to make terrible meals taste good, Mireille always feeds her delicious food.

“Noel. Let’s read a picture book together today. Come sit on my lap.”

“…”

Actually, she can read everything, but Mireille’s lap is soft, and she likes Mireille’s voice.

She liked Mireille.

“…Mireille.”

For the first time, words came out of her mouth.

Mireille dropped the picture book, tears falling from her eyes.

“O, Onii-sama…! Noel, she spoke!!”

Holding Noel, Mireille hurried to Mireld’s room.

Mireld was exasperated, but…

Mireille has said many times in her heart that she finds Mireld to be “very dear” or “precious.”.

It seems they’re not real siblings.

That’s why Mireille is said to “long for Mireld desperately.”

…It seems to be quite complicated.

Since she could speak, Noel gained access to even more cheats than before.

She could sing amazing songs,and when flipping a coin, she could always get the side she wanted.

Being able to read hearts made her unbeatable at Old Maid and poker.

She excelled at Petanque.

could run faster than horses,

and even became skilled at making pancakes.

… Even though they were unnecessary cheats, Mireille happily said, “It’s like a mini-game!”

What could a mini-game be?

*

By the way, Mireld hasn’t come home for two weeks.

He’s working at the royal palace and has ‘overnight stays.’

This time of year is always busy.

Mireille thinks of Mireld as ‘very dear’ and wishes he would come home soon.

She doesn’t say it out loud, but her heart is screaming.

“… If you like him, why don’t you get married?”

“Huh? Noel, what are you suddenly talking about?”

“If you like Mireld, why don’t you get married?”

“Huh!?”

Mireille widened her eyes and then laughed oddly.

“Sure, I like Onii-sama, but… this is a family kind of ‘liking.’ However, you do know that I was just thinking about him. Did it show on my face?”

Yeah. I answered.

I haven’t told anyone about the cheats or being a flower spirit.

No one has asked, so I’m keeping it a secret for now.

“Noel, don’t call Onii-sama casually like that. I’d rather you call me casually, but in public, add ‘sama’ to my name. Having good manners can be useful later on.”

… Mireille truly believes they are real siblings.

However, even though she knows they are siblings, Mireille says, “I’ve somehow come to really like him a lot.”

She gets excited when thinking about Mireld.

She unintentionally says, “I can’t help but think about Onii-sama all the time.”

So, lately, Mireille is actually feeling quite troubled.

It would be good if Mireld could properly tell her, “We’re not siblings.”

Then the two of them could become a couple.

Don’t people who like each other get married?

It was written in the picture book Mireille read to me the other day, wasn’t it?

“…Mmm.”

“What’s wrong? You look dissatisfied.”

Noel loves Mireille a lot.

So, it feels unpleasant when Mireille is troubled or feeling sad.

*

The next day, Mireld came home.

“Welcome back, Onii-sama.”

Mireille was very happy, smiling as she welcomed him back.

But Mireld didn’t even try to look at Mireille.

“Ah…”

In a somewhat cold manner, Mireld passed by and went straight into his room.

–“Don’t think of Mireille.”

— “She was a good girl and not for someone like me to touch.”

–“We have to keep our distance.”

Mireld had the usual expression on his face, but inside, there was a lot of turmoil.

…It seems something happened with the royal palace’s work.