Chapter 226. Aponia?
"Elysia?"
After leaving that humble little town full of memories, the two of them made their way to the second stop of their trip—a bustling metropolis.
Walking down the street, Xander Masato was about to say something when he suddenly realized Elysia had vanished from his side.
Puzzled, he looked back and saw Elysia—who had been right beside him moments ago—paused before a shop window. He wandered over, curious, and spotted a display inside: a ring inlaid with a pink gemstone lying quietly on its stand.
Elysia pressed both hands to the glass, a thread of longing in her eyes as she gazed at the ring.
Sensing Xander approach, she didn't wait for him to speak. Hugging his arm, she said brightly, "Let's go, let's go, Xander—there are still so many places I want to browse~"
"...Mm."
What he'd wanted to say lodged in his throat. He let her lead him on, then glanced back at the ring. Maybe because he wasn't paying attention, his shoulder bumped a passerby.
"Sorry."
He apologized on reflex, only to hear an irritable voice snap back, "Watch where you're going."
Snapping to, Xander noticed a woman—hardly worth remembering—glaring at him. When her eyes fell on Elysia clinging to his arm, jealousy flared.
He'd met plenty like her. He'd barely brushed her—no more than a tap—and he'd apologized first. Seeing she still wanted to make a scene, Xander simply ignored her and steered Elysia away.
"Hmph!"
She huffed, displeased. She moved to tug her boyfriend along, then noticed his gaze trailing after Xander and Elysia as they left.
"Still looking!"
She yanked him hard, and he sheepishly pulled his eyes back.
"I just thought that guy looked familiar."
He meant Xander, but to the woman it sounded like Elysia was "familiar," and her temper spiked.
"Every pretty woman looks familiar to you, huh? So what if she's a little good-looking—who knows what she's thinking. Come on, you promised to buy me a ring today!"
A smug note crept into her voice. So what if the girl was pretty? A pauper who couldn't even afford a ring—she'd clearly seen Elysia's yearning little look at the window.
"Yeah, yeah."
Knowing any explanation now would only be wrong, the man answered helplessly.
On the other side, Xander quickly put the episode out of mind. After a short walk, he pointed to a nearby restroom. "Elysia, wait for me a bit—I need to run to the restroom."
"Mm, I'll wait right here for you. Be quick~"
There happened to be a bench by the road. Elysia gathered her skirt and sat, took out her phone, and started tapping away.
Seeing this, Xander headed toward the restroom. Noticing Elysia still bent over her phone, he quickened his pace and looped back along the little lane behind it.
He'd finally seen something Elysia liked; he didn't want to miss the chance. Besides, those clean hands of hers deserved a little decoration—and it wouldn't hurt to stake a claim so strangers would stop trying to chat her up.
Just as he was picturing how happy Elysia would be when he gave her the ring, his steps halted at the jewelry store door.
Elysia stood there too, wearing the same faintly embarrassed expression. For a second, silence stretched between them.
Then both failed to hold it in and laughed at the same time.
"Young lady, would you do me the honor of browsing this jewelry store with me? I'd like to buy a ring for my beloved."
Pretending not to know her, Xander smiled and held out his hand.
"Hehe, what a coincidence. I was just about to buy a ring for my beloved too. Let's go together~"
Elysia took his hand, and they stepped inside.
The woman from earlier was still picking through a display and happily asking her boyfriend's opinion. Hearing new customers at the entrance, she glanced over—and immediately frowned.
Those two again.
She stopped choosing and watched them walk straight to the case for the store's signature collection. At once, she sneered inwardly.
She didn't even dare look at those prices for long. Those two who hadn't even dared enter earlier—how could they possibly…
Right then, she heard the man speak: "Please wrap this one for me. Thanks."
"Of course. How will you be paying?"
"Card."
He produced a globally accepted Anti-Entropy bank card, and the sales associate's smile bloomed as she ran the payment.
Taking the exquisitely wrapped little bag from the associate, Xander stood off to the side while Elysia continued choosing, idly looking around.
His gaze swept past the awkward-looking woman. Just when she thought he might say something, his eyes slid right over her—like he didn't even remember who she was.
The realization left her stifled—and then something even more aggravating happened.
Her boyfriend, noticing Xander looking his way, seemed to think of something and hurried over, face alight with excitement.
"You—!"
She reached out but failed to grab him.
"Y-you… hello! Are you Mr. Masato—Designer Masato?"
Amusement flickered in Xander's eyes. "You know me?"
"I—I'm your fan!!"
"I have too many fans. What kind are you?"
He choked, and Xander immediately grinned and raised a hand. "Kidding. Nice to meet you."
"N-nice to meet you! Nice to meet you!!"
The man clasped Xander's hand in both of his, shaking it in excitement.
"Could we take a picture together?"
"No problem."
After the photo, Xander watched him head back beaming.
"Met a fan?"
Elysia had finished picking out her ring. Holding a little gift box identical to his, she walked over with a smile.
"Just happened to. Since we've got what we came for, shall we?"
"Mm~"
In tacit agreement, neither handed over their ring right then. Hand in hand, and with the staff grinning behind them, they left the jewelry store together.
Inside, once they'd gone, the woman finally asked her boyfriend, "You know that guy? Is he some celebrity?"
"Comparing the celebrities you follow to him would be an insult to him."
He said it with disdain; when she was about to blow up, he hurried to explain, "You know Gensokyo Company, right? The Duel Disk you gave me last time, and the Pokémon you like—those games are from that company."
"Of course I know. What about it?"
"That guy is Gensokyo's boss—and the lead designer behind all those hit games."
"Hiss—"
She sucked in a breath. "That Gensokyo?"
"Yeah. Masato—the 'Old Rogue Masato' I've told you about so many times."
"Then… why didn't you tell me earlier!!!"
"I—I saw you didn't like him and…"
"..."
Completely unaware they'd just—without trying—staged a classic humble-pie face-slap scene, Xander and Elysia continued their journey.
The morning flew by. In the afternoon, as they walked past a small hospital, the wails of children at the gate drew their attention.
"What's going on? Why are they crying so hard?"
Chuckling, Xander peered curiously at the cluster of little tots.
For some reason, it reminded him of the kids at Cocolia's Orphanage, and a sudden fondness rose.
"Since it's a hospital, maybe they all came for shots."
Elysia smiled back. At that moment, the person who walked out of the hospital made them both widen their eyes.
"Aponia?!!!" both of them cried.
That familiar golden hair; that alluring figure that could make even a nun's habit look sinful—who else but Aponia?
But… why was Aponia here?
Before they could go over, several other familiar figures followed behind her.
"Kalpas? Pardofelis? And Rozaliya and Liliya?"
Puzzlement crept over Xander's face as he hurried up.
"Aponia~"
Hearing that familiar voice, Aponia first thought yearning had conjured an illusion. But when she looked up, she saw that familiar boy—the one never swayed by her, who drew so close, the one she could offer gentleness and solace to.
Surprise didn't suit her. A soft smile rose naturally to her lips.
"Xander."
"I'm all grown up—don't call me what you did when I was little."
Catching Elysia's muffled giggle at his side, he scratched his cheek, a bit embarrassed.
Aponia only smiled. Whether she'd heed him was anyone's guess.
"What are you doing here?"
Kalpas still had that keep-out-strangers air, arms folded, the mask hiding his expression.
"I'm traveling with Elysia. But you guys—shouldn't you be at Cocolia's Orphanage? What are you doing here?"
At that, Pardofelis and the twins Rozaliya and Liliya at the back spotted Xander and bounded over, excited.
Though he always bullied her, the street-savvy cat who'd learned to seek advantage since childhood knew exactly whose side to stick to for the comfiest cat life. She flung her arms around Xander's waist, and Rozaliya and Liliya each latched onto one of his sides.
The sisters glanced left and right; seeing that Seele wasn't around, they both sighed in relief and chirped, "Big Brother, long time no see~"
"Big Brother, you haven't come back to the orphanage for a whole year. Everyone misses you."
"Yeah? I'll be back at New Year's, won't I?"
He patted Felis's head, then looked helplessly at the two human accessories hanging from him.
"So, what brings you here—and those kids crying at the hospital gate…"
"Let me explain."
Aponia stepped forward, her voice gentle.
It was simple—an old matter left over from years ago.
Back then, besides funding Aponia's welfare home, Kalpas had sponsored another elsewhere.
When Cocolia hired him as the orphanage cook and they planned to move Aponia's kids over together, the other welfare home's director—an elderly lady—didn't want to leave her hometown.
Kalpas didn't push it. If they wouldn't go, they wouldn't go. He'd continue the sponsorship.
Recently, that home-loving, kindly old lady passed away. She hadn't asked anything of Kalpas before she left, but he took it upon himself to shoulder the children's care, planning to bring them to live at Cocolia's Orphanage.
Cocolia—who'd been very satisfied with Kalpas from the start—naturally didn't refuse the terms they'd agreed on.
These past days, Kalpas had been working with Aponia and the others to handle the welfare home's affairs. Older kids who didn't want to go were placed nearby, and the little tots needed to be taken along.
A few days passed, and things were mostly wrapped up. All that remained was one last round of vaccines for the little ones before heading to Siberia.
Shots, huh—no wonder they were bawling, Xander thought, amused.
"The children can come in now."
A doctor stepped out and called to them.
"Got it. Right away."
Kalpas answered, then looked back at the shrieking tots and pressed a hand to his temple.
He could cook and fight just fine, but taking care of kids… that was a bit much.
He turned to Aponia.
Aponia fell silent. She could calm the children with a single sentence, but that strange, controlling power—she didn't want to use it on them.
As the pause stretched, a pleasant voice chimed in.
"How about I give it a try?"
Elysia, who'd been listening from the side, smiled.
"If you can handle it, go ahead."
Kalpas knew Elysia. Though his impression of her wasn't great—in his eyes, she was the weirdo who used to frequent the orphanage and had her eye on Xander when he was still a kid—well, it seemed she'd finally gotten what she wanted if they were traveling together now.
He grumbled inwardly about her "raising him up," but he did acknowledge her knack with children—otherwise she wouldn't have charmed Xander into this state.
"Hehe, watch me~"
Confident, Elysia smiled and headed for the kids.
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