"What!?"
Kiana's cry of disbelief echoed through the spacious meeting room. She stared in disbelief at the vacant-eyed Theresa, then glanced at the exasperated-looking Himeko.
"This white-haired dwarf... is my great-aunt?"
Seeing that her best friend looked just about ready to break down, Himeko had no choice but to step in and explain. She might have red hair, but she was definitely not Kiana's great-aunt.
However, once the misunderstanding was cleared up, Kiana found the truth even harder to accept.
Between a mature, beautiful woman with gorgeous red hair and a white-haired dwarf who looked like a little kid, anyone would assume the former was their great-aunt.
My great-aunt can't possibly be a little girl!
Kiana turned to look at Otto. He was the person she trusted most here. Not even the bonds of blood could surpass that trust.
And Otto gave her a slow, confirming nod.
Crack.
It was the sound of something shattering.
The image Kiana had constructed in her mind—of a mature, steady, and beloved great-aunt—crumbled into pieces.
Theresa is the cutest in the world.jpg
At the same time, the light gradually returned to Theresa's eyes. Her body gave a slight twitch.
She looked at Kiana as if nothing had happened, planted her hands on her hips, puffed out her Schicksal-brand flat chest, and declared with a burst of energy:
"Hmph, hmph! That's right, my dear niece! I am your great-aunt!"
Nothing happened just now!
This principal didn't hear a thing!
"White-haired dwarf" definitely wasn't referring to me!
Theresa directly chose to escape reality.
Escape may be shameful, but it's damn useful.
"How can my great-aunt be..."
...such a pipsqueak.
Kiana bit back the rest of her sentence. She had to admit, Theresa's cute face did bear a slight resemblance to her own. Still, rather than believing this girl was her great-aunt, Kiana found it more plausible that she was an illegitimate child her deadbeat dad had produced somewhere along the line.
---o---
Just then, Otto walked over to Kiana's side, a mischievous smile on his face. He looked at his "granddaughter" and asked with a grin, "My dear little Theresa, tell me, how old are you this year?"
Theresa shot Otto a puzzled look. Didn't her grandpa know her age best of all? He gave her plenty of gifts every single birthday.
"This principal is already forty-two."
(Author's Note: Theresa was created by Otto in 1972, and the current timeline is 2013.)
Still, Theresa answered obediently. She figured she'd just chalk it up to her grandpa's old age. The young should be more patient with the elderly.
"Oh, only forty-two, that's still so young... huh? Wait, what!?"
As Kiana repeated the number, she realized something was terribly wrong.
Are you sure it's forty-two, and not twelve?
She stared at Theresa as if she were seeing a ghost. This little child was 42 years old?
How was that even possible?
Kiana was stunned, but then another thought struck her. Otto had said Theresa was his adopted granddaughter. In that case, how old was Otto!?
If he had a 42-year-old granddaughter who never aged, then Otto...
Oh, hell.
Have I been the victim of a cradle robber?
Does that mean in the future, I, the white-haired one, will be sending off the golden-haired one?
Kiana had never imagined that the problem of differing lifespans would apply to her. Her hands clenched slightly, but Otto gave her back a gentle pat.
"Don't be fooled by how little Theresa looks. She's been an adult for a long time," Otto said with a smile.
"Hmph, hmph! Of course!" Theresa placed her hands on her hips and snorted twice, though what she was so proud of was anyone's guess. She pointed a finger at Kiana. "Listen here, my good niece! I'm the one who gave you your name, you know."
"I was your mother's best sister, so you have to call me Great-Aunt, okay?" Theresa waved her little fist, trying to establish her authority. "If anyone bullies you, I'll help you teach them a lesson!"
She was determined to be a great-aunt full of dignity.
"Okay, hello, Great-Aunt." Kiana still replied politely. She could feel that Theresa was being very kind to her, not at all like the wicked stepmothers and evil relatives from fairy tales.
A warmth spread through her heart. Is this what real family feels like?
Besides, what she's saying sounds a lot like what Otto said earlier. They both don't want me to be bullied.
A faint smile touched Kiana's lips.
"Alright, alright."
Otto spoke up, ruffling Kiana's hair before turning to Himeko, who had been standing by quietly.
"Miss Himeko, please take my girl with you for now. I hope you'll look after her in the future."
He gave Kiana's back a light pat. Himeko blinked, looking at Otto with a flattered and shocked expression.
The Overseer... knows my name!?
She was just an ordinary Valkyrie from a branch office and hadn't accomplished anything particularly praiseworthy. Yet the Lord Overseer had spoken her name with such a familiar tone.
"Y-Yes, sir!" Even the 27-year-old Himeko, who had seen her fair share of things, was a little flustered.
---o---
"Oh, by the way, let's exchange our private contact information," Otto added suddenly. "If little Theresa is slacking off or being naughty, please be a dear and secretly report back to me."
"Grandpa! What are you saying! I never slack off!" Theresa cried out indignantly. Her niece was standing right there; how could her grandpa expose her like that?
"Mm-hm," Otto just chuckled.
After nervously exchanging contact information with the Overseer, Himeko spoke respectfully. "Lord Overseer, I will take my leave now."
"Miss Kiana, this way please."
Himeko knew the Overseer had matters to discuss with Theresa and that she should make herself scarce. But... the Overseer is surprisingly approachable.
Himeko left the room, and Kiana followed behind her. Just before she left, she glanced back at Otto.
She saw him smiling at her, then he tapped his own lips with his finger, as if to remind her not to forget their promise.
Kiana's cheeks flushed. She gave him a small nod and followed Himeko out, feeling a pang of reluctance.
Only Otto and Theresa remained in the reception hall.
"Honestly, Grandpa, when did you even get to Nagazora? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"And why wouldn't you let me bring the Hyperion in? You made me walk such a long way."
With Himeko and Kiana gone, Theresa's tone shifted to one of a spoiled child.
Otto just smiled and ruffled her hair. This girl really was quick to change her tune. Though she wasn't young, her heart was still like a child's.
As pure as a blank sheet of paper.
Blank sheet.jpg
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you next time," Otto said with a laugh. But then his eyes narrowed slightly, and his tone shifted.
"However, my dear little Theresa, you were wrong about one thing just now."
"What was that?" Theresa tilted her head, confused. This principal is so smart, how could I have said something wrong?
"Her name. It wasn't you who chose it."
"It was... given by Siegfried."
Otto spoke softly. Theresa looked at him, puzzled. With Siegfried's unreliable personality, how could he possibly come up with a nice name like Kiana? Grandpa must be getting senile.
Otto leaned down, his lips close to Theresa's ear.
A single sentence was all it took to make her heart sink like a stone.
"She is the girl Siegfried took away."
"K423."