Paingo
“Mmm… Ahh, I slept so well.”
Waking up in bed, I stretched out big.
I feel like I really slept more than usual.
… Hmm? Huh? But I’m pretty sure I collapsed from overusing teleportation.
Ah!! What about my brothers? Nancy, Nathan, Zack, Sarah, and Anny?
Click.
“Ah!! Young lady Joaaaaan~~~!!”
“Ah!! Sarah!!”
The person who came in through the door was Sarah. When she saw I was awake, she rushed over to the bed and hugged me tightly.
“Uuu… I’m so glad. I’m so glad you’re okay, Young lady Joan.”
“Yeah, I’m glad you’re okay too, Sarah. Are you hurt?”
“Y-Yes. I’m fine. Thanks to you going to get the Master.”
““Jo~!!””
Brother Noel and Brother Gene came in. They rushed over to the bed and hugged me in turn.
“Brother Noel, Brother Gene. Thank goodness you're okay. Are you hurt?”
“Nah, thanks to you, everyone’s alright. Just a few scrapes here and there.”
“You really did great. But we were worried, you know! We heard you collapsed right after coming back from defeating the warg-wolves. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m totally fine. My head and body feel super clear.”
Grrrrrowl
“Pfft—Ahahaha!”
Ugh, that’s embarrassing. My stomach just made a ridiculously loud noise.
“Ahaha, well, that’s not surprising. You’ve been asleep for two days.”
“Eh!? Two days!?”
I couldn’t believe what Brother Noel just said.
“You must’ve really worn yourself out from teleporting everyone around.”
Brother Gene added.
Thud, thud, thud… BAM.
“Joan!!”
Father rushed in and hugged me tightly.
“F-Father… You’re… choking… me.”
“Ah—Father!! You’re crushing Joan!!”
If Brother Gene hadn’t spoken up, I seriously might’ve passed out again.
“Ah, sorry. But I’m just so glad you’re alright.”
““Young lady Joan, thank you so much.””
Grey and Nancy bowed their heads.
“Eh!? Please, lift your heads. I just went to get help, that’s all. Nancy, you really gave it your all. Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
“Yes, just a few scrapes, that’s all.”
“That’s a relief. Huh? Now that I think about it, where’s Mother?”
“Oh, Maggie’s in bed—her stomach is hurting.”
“Eh!? Is she okay?”
“She’s fine, no need to worry. Anyway, are you hungry? You must be starving.”
“Yes. Absolutely famished.”
Grrrrrowl.
“Ahaha—your stomach agrees. I’ll have Abe whip something up.”
After a quick bath, I waited in the dining room, and Sarah brought me some food. Anny was right behind her.
“Uuuu… Y-young lady Joan…”
“Anny, don’t cry. I’m totally fine, see?”
“Bwaaahh… I’m really soooorrrryyyyyy…”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. So stop crying.”
Finally calming down, Anny’s face was swollen and had huge dark circles under her eyes. Apparently, she hadn’t slept at all since I collapsed. For the record, Sarah had tried to stay up to take care of me too, but Nancy scolded her, saying she wouldn’t be able to respond properly when I woke up if she didn’t get some sleep.
“Pain pain, go away~ First Aid.”
I placed my hand on Anny’s face and cast First Aid, healing the swelling and the dark circles under her eyes. Anny thanked me over and over as she left the dining room.
Mr. Abe had made a miso soup packed with vegetables. Maybe because we’ve cooked together so many times, the flavor was really similar to mine.
“Phew~ I feel alive again.”
“Haha. I’m glad to hear that.”
“Once I’m done eating, I was thinking of going to see Mother. Could you check if it’s okay?”
“Understood.”
With that, Sarah left the dining room.
Coming in right after her were Nathan and Zack.
““We’re really sorry.””
They said in unison, bowing their heads.
“Eh!? What? Come on, lift your heads.”
“... Joan, you rushed out to get help without thinking of your own safety, and we just sat in the carriage, unable to do anything.”
“We were too scared to move…”
“Ah, but that can’t be helped. Everyone has their strengths. As long as the right person does what they can, it’s okay…. Wait, what’s that bruise?”
““Ah!?””
When I noticed the bruise peeking out from their sleeves and asked, they hurried to hide it.
“Ah, well… We decided to retrain ourselves and asked Dad to help. That bruise is just from a practice sword hitting us a little.”
“That bruise doesn’t look like ‘just a little.’ Let me heal it. Roll up your sleeves.”
“No, this is kind of our way of taking responsibility. We don’t need healing.”
“But…”
“We’re really okay.”
“Nope, still not okay!! That kind of ‘taking responsibility’ is just self-satisfaction. I tried so hard because I didn’t want anyone getting hurt. So even if it’s training, I don’t want to see anyone injured!! Paingo. Okay, Zack too, Paingo.”
“Joan… what’s Paingo?”
“Short for ‘Pain, pain go away~’. I could do it without saying anything, but, you know, it just feels right?”
Come to think of it, I remember a comedian doing a skit like that way back when.
“Pfft—Ahahaha!”
“‘Short for’… hahaha… sounds like you’re just being lazy.”
“W-What’s wrong with that!? Zack, you’re so annoying!”
“Haha, but… thank you. …You’re right, it really was just for our own satisfaction. From now on, I’ll work harder to protect Noel, Gene, and you, Joan.”
Nathan said that as he gently patted my head.
“And I’ll work just as hard, so I won’t lose to big bro. I’ll work harder than Mom and Grandma too.”
“… Yeah, but no one’s beating Rottenmeier.”
““That’s true.””
“““Pfft… Ahahahaha——”””
Really, I’m so glad everyone’s safe.
All that effort was totally worth it~
What do you think about this chapter?
