{Anna}
My name is Anna, the only daughter of a woman who lost her life partner.
At that time, I was only just turning 6 years old—
"Anna-chan, where do you want to play today?" (asked my friend)
All I could do was keep playing at my young age, and today I was only playing with her.
"I'll just follow you, Laura-chan." (I answered)
Laura, more precisely Laura Brigend, a daughter from a noble family just like me, also 6 years old.
I don't know why she wanted to play with me...
If I think about it, wasn't her family rich? While my family only lived modestly in a small house.
(The beginning of Anna and Laura meeting)
I went along to a party held by a noble. I couldn't calm myself down since this was my first time attending a party like this.
"Mama, did Papa win?" (I asked)
Here Anna calls her parents "mama" and "papa." (N)
Mama stroked my small head gently.
"Yes, Anna… your Papa won again, you know." (Mama answered with a smile plastered on her face)
Anna's Papa, William. William was an adventurer in the Ulvur guild, his abilities equivalent to rank B.
With some of his achievements, sometimes he and his family were given special rights to participate in certain activities. One of them was being allowed to attend this party. (N)
Papa hardly ever came home every day. There was even one time when Papa didn't return home for almost 5 days.
I was a little worried back then—why wasn't Papa coming home?
"Anna dear… your Papa just fought a really strooong enemy…" (Mama)
"So, we have to hope Papa wins!" (Mama)
I was so excited at that time.
"Yes!" (Me)
"If Papa wins, Mama and I win too, right!?" (I asked excitedly)
Mama smiled widely at me.
"That's right, so you mustn't be gloomy." (Mama said)
Ah, Mama cared about me so much. Even the slightest change in me, she would immediately notice.
For me, having a Mama like this… felt so joyful and happy.
———
When the party began, Mama and I could only watch from afar as people dressed so elegantly.
(Papa was gathered with his other friends.)
They wore elegant and expensive-looking clothes, very different from mine.
Mama and I only wore clothes that looked fancy, but were actually just layered with fabric twice. And our clothes were already a little worn out.
And then, whispers and gossip reached Mama's and my ears.
"Aren't those two the adventurer's family?"
"I heard they're just from a poor family."
"Really? Then what are they doing here?"
"Shhh… they say the host of this party invited them."
"Enough, enough, they're looking at us."
The parents turned their gaze away after realizing Mama and I were staring at them.
"Anna, don't listen to them, okay? Anna must grow into a strong woman." (Mama said)
My heart felt warm… it seemed like Mama had just motivated me to become a great woman.
———
The party had entered its halfway point.
The nobles were drinking wine with their crystal glasses. Picking up meats that had been served.
I could only sit by the window, waiting for Mama to return.
"Mama's going to get food first, okay?" (Mama had said a while ago)
I could only sit quietly, not knowing what to do while being alone like this.
But suddenly—
"Hey, do you want to play with me?" (she asked)
She had just extended her hand toward me, and I looked up at her face.
A little girl like me, with short brown hair and a yellow party dress, was standing before me.
"You're alone, right? I'm alone too, so let's play together!" (she invited)
"Umm…" (Me)
"I'm Laura, you?" (Laura)
"A-Anna…" (Me)
Laura smiled, her eyes sparkling.
"Anna-chan." (Laura)
From that moment on, our relationship began to grow.
Still on the same night, after the party ended and I finished playing with Laura—
Mama came to me, immediately taking my hand.
"M-Mama…" (I said)
I could only watch Laura from afar as she slowly disappeared from my sight.
When we got home—
"Anna… don't get too close to her, okay? If possible, just play with Mama, alright?" (Mama said with a slightly sad tone)
At that time, I didn't realize why Mama wanted me to stay away from Laura.
———
Actually, without Mama knowing, every day I played with Laura-chan. She would always come to my house.
———
That time, I was sitting outside the house, enjoying the warm sunshine.
Until I saw a little girl walking toward my house.
When I looked more closely—it was Laura.
"Anna-chan!" (She shouted)
I immediately stood up and hugged Laura, who hugged me back.
"Laura-chan, what are you doing here?" (I asked)
Laura only answered,
"I came to invite you to play!" (Laura)
I thought for a moment.
"S-sorry… I don't think I can…" (Me)
(I thought I had been playing with her too often… if I overdid it, Mama would get mad.)
Laura looked at me with a sad expression.
"Why? Are you bored of playing with me?" (Laura said)
I shook my head.
"No, it's not that… Mama said I shouldn't get too close to Laura-chan…" (Me)
Laura was silent hearing my words, but suddenly someone called me—
"Anna!" (He shouted)
I looked back—it was Papa.
I became so excited and ran toward Papa, hugging him tightly.
"Papa! Papa, when did you come home?" (I asked in a spoiled tone)
Papa stroked my head.
"This morning…" (Papa)
Papa looked at Laura with a curious gaze.
"You… are Anna's friend?" (Papa asked)
Laura nodded her head.
"Hmm… do you want to go to the river? You can play there too." (Papa invited)
Laura-chan and I immediately got excited.
"Really!? …But…" (Me)
Do I refuse Laura's invitation, and instead choose to play at the river?
"Your friend can come along." (Papa)
I ran back to where Laura-chan was standing and grabbed her hand.
"Laura-chan, let's go!!" (Me)
———
Papa took the two of us to the river, located about 5 minutes from my house.
The river was clear, with many fish swimming here and there. The good thing was, the river was very shallow.
WHUSH
Papa splashed water at Laura-chan and me.
"If you two win, Papa will buy you a present!" (Papa)
Laura-chan and I immediately jumped into the river and started playing in the water until evening came.
"It's already evening, let's go home?" (Papa asked)
Laura-chan and I simply followed Papa's words and went home.
———
The three of us almost reached the front of the house, and when Papa opened the door—
CLING
"William-san, come with us."
"Don't resist."
A group of men wearing armor, perhaps knights, captured Papa.
"Papa!!" (I screamed)
"ANNAAAA!!!" (Papa)
Mama immediately came out of the house, hugging me tightly while glaring sharply at Laura-chan.
That glare made Laura-chan immediately run away in fear.
...
The next day, Mama and I were summoned to the great house of Count Brigend.
[There are several levels of nobility, one of them being Count. Cities like Ulvur are ruled by nobles with the status of Count.]
"The trial today, begins!"
"According to eyewitnesses, William was seen taking his daughter and the daughter of Count Brigend to a secluded place… is there any defense?"
Papa stayed silent, only lowering his head.
"PAPA DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG!!" (I shouted, breaking the seriousness in the room)
But nobody paid any attention to me.
Mama just stood beside me, holding my hand.
Her eyes red after crying for so long, her body trembling in fear.
"And William is suspected of committing acts of harassment against the daughter of Count Brigend—"
Before that man could finish his sentence, Papa spoke out.
"I didn't do it!" (Papa)
"I only took my daughter and her to play at the river, that's all—" (Papa)
PRAAKKK
A hard blow landed on Papa's face.
From afar, I only cried loudly. Mama hugged me, but I still looked toward Papa.
"For your actions, William… your adventurer rank will be revoked and you are given the right to commit suicide."
"If you refuse to commit suicide, then let the Count himself execute you."
"PAPAAA!!" (I screamed, tears flooding my face)
(Papa didn't do anything wrong, from the start Papa never treated Laura-chan differently—he only thought of Laura-chan as my friend.)
Papa's eyes trembled hearing those words.
"I-I didn't do it—" (Papa)
The man who had struck Papa now held a sharp sword, pointing it at Papa's face.
"Any last words, from the accused?"
Papa could only sit silently before the Count and nobles.
"Then, what is the victim's statement regarding the accused's actions?"
That question was surely directed at Laura-chan.
I looked toward the Count's side—Laura-chan was standing there.
Her body was trembling a little. I didn't know what had happened.
Her eyes showed care, but Laura-chan had already been forced.
"He… is lying." (Laura-chan)
"H-he and his daughter deliberately took me to the river… a-and then the two of them did inappropriate things to me." (Laura-chan)
"I never thought… they would do something so cruel…" (Laura-chan)
Laura-chan started crying, while I could only freeze at her words.
At that moment, I thought,
(What do you mean? You're the one who wanted to come with Papa, weren't you?)
(You're the one who invited me to play, right!? Was that just a little game for you!? Answer me, Laura-chan!!!)
"Oh, how pitiful… to be treated so badly by a man who already has a family."
(What is this? All of this feels like a plan prepared to bring Papa down.)
(Those rich people… they're only thinking one-sidedly and accusing without solid proof.)
(Is this how humans use their power to stay on top? …Pathetic.)
The nobles began to look at each other, whispering.
"What's with him?"
"They say he has a family, but he still went after a little girl."
"His behavior is unforgivable."
"How big was his lust all this time?"
"He was at the party, wasn't he?"
"Don't tell me, he already targeted her back then?"
"Disgusting."
"Just die already!!"
"Die!!"
"Die, die!"
"Die."
"Die."
"Die."
"Die."
"Die."
(YOU ALL DIE INSTEAD, TRASH!!!)
My body froze, unmoving, my tears stopped falling, and the whole hall only echoed with the word "die."