First grade elementary school children are small and cute. Sometimes they don’t listen and make me frustrated but it’s at a level where I can overlook it because of their cuteness.
“What did I do when I was in first grade?”
I tried to recall my first grade elementary school days. But besides the unfamiliar 「Entrance Ceremony」 and the first dance class I learned called 「Sizzle Sizzle Jam Jam」, I couldn’t really remember anything. Well, in first grade everything was fun but unfamiliar so it felt like everything passed by in a flash before I could even process what was what.
Looking back, first grade went by too quickly. It seems the same was true for children like Naru, Hina and Cecily.
“Naru feels like we just enrolled but first grade is already over! Starting tomorrow Naru will be 7 years old! Wow, holy shh! Naru likes 7 because it feels like a lucky number!”
Whoosh— Naru raised her hands. Watching Naru, Brigitte who was looking over test papers slightly furrowed her brow.
“But Naru, you need to write down what 7 plus 501 is here.” “Naru likes 7! You shouldn’t carelessly add or subtract other numbers from the lucky number 7…!”
Woosh— Naru ran out of the study room Pitter— Patter—. Naru had fallen from a pear tree during winter break, and since then she became very energetic and couldn’t stay still for even a moment.
“Naru, I hope there isn’t some kind of problem?”
Brigitte made a “hmm—“ sound while looking at Naru’s test paper with concern. Her attitude was like melting ice cream. I spoke to reassure Brigitte.
“The diagnosis showed she’s very healthy and strong. Kids naturally become healthy and strong by running around and playing like that.” “But she’s going to be in second grade now. The regular curriculum at Graham Academy actually starts in earnest from second grade. Will Naru be able to keep up with the other children?”
Well, I’m not sure about that either. But for some reason the words “second grade” felt strange to me, and I had an odd ticklish feeling in my back and waist. It felt like someone was scratching my back.
Scratch— Scratch—
“…Dad…”
Come to think of it, someone really was scratching my back. It was Hina, who always puts her all into everything.
“What is it Hina?” “Mom took my New Year’s money…”
I see. The Pangaea continent had recently entered the new year. On New Year’s Day, relatives came over and gave the children New Year’s money after receiving bows from them, and it seems Salome had taken Hina’s share.
“Why?” “…Mom says she’ll save it…and give it back later…”
A pretty common happening. While Hina rarely complained or demanded things normally, she seemed very disappointed about having her New Year’s money taken by her mom this time. In this case, I should step in. I went to Salome’s room and said.
“Why did you take Hina’s New Year’s money?” “I didn’t take it. I’m just holding onto it for now. It’s too much money for Hina so I’m keeping it safe. Don’t you think 5.5 million rene is too much New Year’s money for a 7-year-old?”
5.5 million rene. It was roughly equivalent to 5 million won. Considering prices are a bit cheaper in this world, it was actually worth much more than 5 million won.
“You’re right that it is a lot of money for 7-year-old Hina.” “Right?” “Hieek…!”
Hina finally couldn’t hold back and trembled. Seeing how restless she was, something occurred to me.
“Is there something you want to buy with the money?” “……”
Hina shook her head. I was going to use my own money to buy it for her if there was something she wanted. Soon Salome said.
“Hina just likes money.”
I see. Her love of money seems to take after me and Salome.
Swoosh—
I took out a gold coin worth 1 million rene from my pocket. When I held it out to Hina, her eyes grew wide.
“Ooh!” “You have to use it wisely.” “I won’t use it…I’ll put it in the treasure vault…!”
Pabat— Hina ran off somewhere saying that. ‘Treasure vault’. It was quite an unfamiliar phrase to hear from children’s mouths. When I showed my puzzlement, Salome said.
“The children made a treasure vault together recently after turning a year older. She probably wanted her New Year’s money back to put it in there.”
Is it like a secret base just for the children? Where they put dolls and other toys and such. When I was young, I also had experiences of taking all the clothes out of wardrobes, putting various things inside, and giggling to myself in that dark space. Hina, Naru and Cecily have already reached that age too.
“Where is this treasure vault?”
I asked. Salome shrugged her shoulders.
“I don’t know either. A treasure vault is supposed to be kept secret from others right? Try asking the kids if you’re curious. Though they won’t tell you.”
I see. I went to find Naru who was climbing a persimmon tree in the garden. Naru had managed to climb all the way to the top of the persimmon tree and seemed to be enjoying the air up high.
Whoosh—!
Naru spread both arms. Soon Naru looked at me and pat— jumped down towards the ground.
“Dad!”
I caught and held Naru in mid-air. Of course even if I hadn’t caught her, Molumolu would have cushioned her fall.
“Naru, I heard you have a treasure vault?” “……!”
Naru made quite a shocked expression. Then she slowly slipped out of my arms and backed away.
“…Naru doesn’t know.”
Oh my. Does she want to keep it secret even from me? Until recently these children would say things like “Dad is the best!” but now they’re keeping secrets from me.
“Naru really doesn’t know…!”
Wabat— Naru ran off somewhere saying strange things. I asked Tywin who had been watching from the side:
“Tywin, do you know where the children’s secret vault is?” “I do know, but I can’t tell you. I promised. Girls naturally start liking to keep secrets when they turn 7. Secrets make young ladies more mysterious and beautiful.”
I see. The children are already 7 years old. They’ve reached the age of having secrets they can’t even tell their parents.
# # #
Naru ran out of the garden, left the city and headed to the nearby forest. This place was called the 「Fairy Forest」. The reason for that name was because nymphs often appeared here. These days it was also called the 「Children’s Forest」. Naturally because children frequently roamed the forest.
In the peaceful and quiet winter forest. When Naru was shivering baruru— from the cold, Molumolu jumped out from hiding in Naru’s shadow and wrapped around her neck like a scarf.
━Meow.
“Thank you, Molumolu!”
Naru expressed gratitude to Molumolu who was warm and soft and squishy and even smelled nice. This 「Molumolu Scarf」 alone was enough to keep children warm through winter.
Crunch— Crunch— Fun sounds kept coming from under Naru’s feet due to the recently fallen snow. While leaving footprints kong kong— in the untouched snow, Naru discovered small footprints similar to her own size.
“It’s Cecily!”
Wabat— Naru ran following the footprints. The destination was the entrance to a small cave.
When Naru slowly entered, she felt the cave was warmer than expected and released the Molumolu scarf. After walking for a while, she heard voices chattering Durun— Durun—. Naru went deeper into the cave and finally arrived at a chamber where small candles were modestly lit. This place used to be the hideout of Zoro and his gang who had named themselves the 「Dawn Group」. But after Naru and the children drove them out, it became the hideout for Naru and her sisters and their friends. An old chair and a table found somewhere. A map hanging on the wall. A mirror and so on. It was full of odds and ends but Naru felt this place was incredibly cool and amazing.
“Cecily!”
Naru hugged Cecily who was brushing her hair while looking in the mirror. Cecily then looked around suk suk— before asking in a hushed voice “You weren’t followed, right?” Naru nodded her head vigorously.
“No followers!” “The adults have been wanting to know where our secret base is lately. But secrets are like a basic virtue that noble young ladies should have. They mustn’t be carelessly revealed.” “Naru likes secrets too!”
Saying that, Naru went over to a small chest. Inside were lots of pebbles that Naru had collected secretly from adults. While there were many with quite unique shapes, they were just ordinary pebbles.
“Hehe, Naru is rich!”
Pat— Just then someone rushed into the children’s secret base. It was the imp Horohoro with her tail swishing back and forth.
“This Horohoro has heard an interesting story! A third grade boy named Murta went hunting for the new year and found a strange stone on a cliff!”
Strange stone. Naru’s eyes lit up at those words. Even Cecily who had been brushing her hair seemed interested as she suddenly stopped her hand.
“Where is it?”
As Horohoro went eum— pondering Cecily’s question. Hina who had followed behind Horohoro held out a small marble.
“This marble. It seems…somewhat special…but it’s not the 「Memory Fragment」 we’re looking for.”
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on freёwebnoѵel.com.
The children were slightly disappointed at Hina’s words. But since it was a pretty marble, Hina carefully placed it on the shelf where she kept all her treasures.
Chwaruru— Hina soon unfolded a map and placed it on the table. Then she drew large X marks with a brush over several of the circles marked on the map.
“Any new news…about treasures? If we keep finding treasures like this, we might be able to restore Dad’s memories.”
The children looked at each other’s faces at Hina’s words. Then they started drawing circles on the map one by one. The sisters and children were in the process of gathering news about treasures, exploring them directly, and collecting the spoils in this cave.
Naru said.
“Now the map really looks splendid like a treasure map! Above all else, this map is our treasure that must not be discovered by others!”
Roll— Roll— Roll— As Naru was rolling up the map and tying it with string, Cecily suddenly stopped moving. Something seemed to occur to her at the words “treasure map”.
“Seven years old…treasure /genesisforsaken