WFMW 39

Chapter 39

I’ll Call You Nelly

April 8, 2024

When I first met Grisha, this was what I thought:

“I’ve never seen a kid this pretty in my life!”

As a child, Grisha was beautiful—almost fairy-like.

A slender, pale face, and impossibly large eyes, nose, and lips that somehow all fit together perfectly. His long, ebony-black hair made him look almost like a girl.

Even someone like me—who’d never cared much about appearances—was struck speechless by how lovely he was.

So before I knew it, the first words out of my mouth were:

“Hi there, pretty one.”

At my greeting, Grisha gave me a bewildered look and said clearly,

“My name is Grisha.”

“Grisha? What a lovely name. I’m Nelly Fairway.”

I smiled brightly as I complimented his name, but for some reason, Grisha’s expression soured slightly.

Does he not like being complimented?

I wasn’t sure. I’d joined the academy when I was very young, and I’d never really interacted much with kids my age.

Then again, Grisha isn’t exactly my age either.

He was quite a bit younger than me.

Looking down at him reminded me not of my little sister back home, but of myself at seven years old, just entering the academy for the first time.

Diana must be doing well, loved dearly by our parents.

But me…

“Call me ‘senior.’ No, for someone your age, ‘big sister’ might sound friendlier. You can come to me whenever you’re having a hard time.”

“When I’m having a hard time?”

“When you feel lonely and want to cry, or when you start missing home. At the very least, I can be here for you.”

I’ve always been a bit dense, but even I had a hard time when I first entered the academy.

The studies were too hard, and the nights felt endlessly long and cold when I slept alone.

That was when I realized something: even though my parents were never very affectionate, home was still home.

It took courage to say that to him, but Grisha only shrugged and politely declined.

“I don’t think I’ll need that kind of help.”

“Really? I sure did.”

He must have been tougher than I was.

At my muttering, Grisha blinked his round eyes and asked, in a friendlier tone than before,

“…Is life at the academy really that lonely?”

I was so happy that he’d asked that I started chattering away, smiling.

I told him about how hard it had been at seven years old—having to eat, bathe, and do laundry all by myself.

“I can help you tie your hair. No one ever did that for me, so I always left mine down.”

Back then, I didn’t even know where they kept the soap, so my hair had been a total mess.

Remembering that time, I smiled softly.

At least now I could use that experience to take care of Grisha.

“Whenever you need help, just ask.”

Maybe my sincerity came through, because Grisha smiled radiantly and took my hand.

“Gladly, big sister.”

After that, we got along quite well. The academy was a very closed-off place, so we spent a lot of time together—

Complaining about professors, gossiping about the senior mage apprentices who were unreasonably harsh even to children like us, and leaning on each other through it all.

Years passed, and by the time Grisha began to feel more like family to me than a friend, this happened.

I was sitting in a cramped corner of my tiny room, surrounded by piles of belongings, reading a letter when Grisha leaned over my shoulder and asked,

“What are you doing, sister?”

“Reading a letter from home.”

“Is your family close?”

“Well…”

Close, huh? Having left home so young, I honestly didn’t really know what an affectionate family looked like.

I tried to think of how to explain, then smiled brightly as I spoke of Diana.

“I have a younger sister. She’s older than you, though. She’s very pretty and clever. My parents adore her.”

“I see…”

Grisha gave me a faint smile and sat beside me, holding out a ribbon in his hand.

So that’s why he’d come to my room—he wanted me to tie his hair.

Grisha’s hair is so soft… it slips right through my fingers.

As I gently combed through his dark hair with my fingers, I asked,

“What about you? Do you have any siblings?”

“I don’t have a home.”

“What?”

Why would he say that? I was sure Grisha had a surname.

Ugh, he introduced himself properly when we first met, but it’s been so long I can’t remember. I probably wasn’t listening carefully back then.

After that, whenever I asked about his family, Grisha would just smile and never answer.

Today was no different.

“Here, I’m just Grisha. Isn’t that enough?”

“Well, I suppose it is.”

Whatever his background, whoever he really was, Grisha was just Grisha to me.

After loosely tying his hair, I pulled him into a warm hug.

“Then I’ll just be Nelly. You can stop calling me ‘sister’ and call me Nelly instead.”

Grisha returned the embrace gently and replied,

“When I’ve earned the right to, I’ll call you that.”

Years later, now a grown man, Grisha smiled warmly as he called my name.

“Nelly.”

Not sister, but Nelly. Hearing that, I could truly feel how much he’d grown.

Grinning from ear to ear, I grabbed both his hands and shook them vigorously.

“You’ve become a mage! Congratulations!”

“Thank you.”

Even his calm, mature tone—it was all so adult now.

That little boy grew up so much…

Was this what parents felt like? My chest tightened, and my eyes filled with tears.

I rubbed them away with my finger and patted his shoulder.

“I wanted to congratulate you in person. I’m so sad I couldn’t attend your appointment ceremony.”

Grisha must have looked amazing on that stage—commanding the entire room.

If only I didn’t have to pretend to be in this ‘coma’… I could’ve been right there beside him.

A moment ago, I’d cried out of pride, but now my tears were out of frustration.

As I sniffled, Grisha gave me an awkward smile and slowly wrapped his arms around me in comfort.

“It’s alright. I know your heart.”

“Grisha…”

Just as I was about to hug him back—

“Hey, hey! You can’t do that here! Absolutely not! Please, come inside!”

Haile’s flustered voice broke in as he pushed us both toward the door, forcing Grisha to let go of me.

Tilting my head in confusion, I clapped my hands as realization hit.

“Oh! Someone passing by might’ve seen us. I wasn’t thinking!”

“Well, I’m not exactly afraid of what strangers might think, but…”

“Then what are you afraid of?”

“…I’d rather not say.”

Haile averted his gaze, pretending not to hear.

His evasive answer made me puff out my cheeks in protest.

Ugh, Haile always trails off like that!

What’s he thinking this time? Don’t just make it mysterious—explain!

As I sulked, Grisha gently tugged on my arm.

“I’m thirsty after such a long trip.”

“Oh, right! Let’s go to the drawing room!”

I’d completely forgotten I was leaving my guest standing outside.

I pointed the way and turned to Haile.

“Could you bring us some tea, please? Or just hot water and leaves is fine—I can brew it myself.”

“I make excellent tea too, you know.”

Haile muttered grumpily but didn’t move. He fidgeted with his fingers, looking uneasy.

“Why? Is something bothering you?”

“Well, Madam… do you know the Young Master?”

“Young Master?”

The strange title made me frown. Haile glanced nervously between me and Grisha, clearly wanting to say something but hesitating.

“What do you mean, ‘Young Master’?”

Finally, I turned to Grisha for an explanation.

At my question, his thin lips quirked slightly before curling into his usual gentle smile.

Grisha extended a hand toward Haile politely.

“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself in all the excitement. I’m Grisha, newly appointed mage this year. And you are?”

“I’m Haile Cleban, aide to the Captain of the Azure Dragon Knights.”

Haile bowed respectfully, gripping Grisha’s hand despite his obvious wariness.

It was clear to anyone that Grisha outranked him.

But I was too shocked by something else to even comment on that.

“You’re the Captain’s aide, Haile?”

“…Thank you for your blunt assessment.”

“I didn’t mean it that way! You just always looked so… relaxed.”

“Please don’t ever say that in front of the Captain. He’d work me into dust.”

“Ahh, I see.”

So if I ever wanted to see Haile suffer, I’d just have to tell Sider he seemed to be slacking off lately.

Good to know.

Haile’s nervous twitching wasn’t because he didn’t know who Grisha was—but because he already knew too well.

Once introductions were over, he couldn’t hold himself back anymore.

“Sir Grisha, your name is well-known even in the Azure Dragon Knights! They say you can manipulate internal mana circuits directly!”

“That’s correct.”

“Th-then! Can you see mine too? I’ve been stuck trying to reach Swordmaster level—I’d love to know what I’m missing!”

His flushed face was full of mixed emotions—frustration at being unable to advance, and desperate hope that Grisha might show him the way.