Sairi!
“As expected, little Sairi is really quite mischievous! Needs a good lesson!”
With that, Hilvia brushed her hair back, stood up, and grabbed hold of her.
“Ahahaha! I was wrong! Hilvia sister! I… I really was wrong! Don’t… don’t tickle me anymore…”
At this moment, Hilvia’s hands were wildly tickling Sairi’s armpits, causing her to tremble uncontrollably with laughter.
“Little Sairi, you’re so naughty! You need a proper scolding from your elder sister!” Hilvia showed no sign of stopping, continuing her playful torment.
Not only that, she launched an attack lower down, tickling both sides of Sairi’s waist.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I really can’t take it anymore… ah… hahahaha!”
Seeing Sairi laughing so hard she was nearly out of breath, Hilvia finally let go. But the moment she did, Sairi suddenly stood up as well.
“It’s not my fault! Hilvia sister was the one who started it! You teased me while washing my hair first!”
As she spoke, Sairi lightly tapped Hilvia’s arm—not because she was gentle, but because she was afraid of accidentally touching the “Evil Thing” in front of Hilvia.
“All right, all right, my fault. Who could resist teasing such a cute little Sairi~ hh”
“You’re so bad, Hilvia sister!” Sairi sped up her tapping, prompting Hilvia to start defending herself.
“Okay, calm down now.” Hilvia reached out and caught Sairi’s hands. Sairi struggled to break free, kicking her legs wildly.
“Be careful, don’t—”
“Thud!”
Before Hilvia could finish her warning, just as she feared, Sairi slipped and fell into Hilvia’s arms.
Her face landed on something soft and plush, which caused Hilvia to lose balance and fall back, both of them landing in the bathtub with water splashing everywhere.
Hilvia protected Sairi as she leaned against the edge of the tub.
“Are you okay? Be careful not to move around too much while bathing.”
Sairi quickly composed herself.
“I’m fine. Sorry, Hil—”
As Sairi opened her eyes, she saw before her a pale, milky, bouncing giant Evil Thing! (Of course, not that giant, but compared to Sairi, it was huge.)
Realizing she had just fallen into Hilvia’s arms and that her face had landed against that very place, both bare and pressed together with a little bump, Sairi truly overloaded.
“Ah… ah… ababa… aha… ahehe… ah…”
This time, Sairi was utterly speechless, her face flushed bright red, steam practically rising from her head as she babbled dumbly in confusion.
Watching this, Hilvia finally understood what was going on.
“hhh, alright, alright, no more teasing. Just soak for a while, then we’ll dry off and rest.”
Hilvia kept her word, no longer teasing Sairi, and the two obediently soaked in the bath.
“Um, Hilvia sister, by the way, do you know where exactly we are?”
Breaking the rare silence, Sairi spoke up.
“This is Miru Town, a small border town of the Kingdom of Humans. The entire large area here is called Windspring Land. The forest we met in during the day is called Windspring Forest, part of Windspring Land.”
“So it’s basically a border town?”
“Yeah, something like that. If you go through Windspring Forest, you’ll come across a vast prairie. The grass there is soft and thick.”
“Beyond the prairie lies other countries. That prairie is magical—though there are no wind chimes, when the wind blows, it makes a pleasant ‘dingling’ sound.”
“Eh, really? And beyond the prairie, where do you get to?”
“That depends on the direction. It could be the Bloodspirit Empire, or the Silver Dragon Kingdom, or even the Demon Domain and the Elven Sanctuary. You could also head to the No Man’s Land, but that place is desolate.”
“Do you know many people in those countries, Hilvia sister? You’ve traveled so much, you must have met a lot of people.”
“Well, I do know some, but many of those acquaintances weren’t by choice. I was dragged into some trouble and met them along the way.”
Hilvia said calmly, her tone showing no emotion.
“And I haven’t traveled the whole world yet. I’ve only briefly been to the Elven Sanctuary and the Silver Dragon Kingdom. Those are the only two places where I have what you’d call good friends.”
“There’s also the Kingdom of Humans! Hilvia sister, you must have seen the big cities there, right? Like the Royal Capital, which must have lots of fun things!”
“And lots of delicious food! Like Little Soup Dumplings, Crab Roe Soup Dumplings, Shrimp Crystal Buns, and stuff! (‘a’)”
Hearing this, Hilvia couldn’t help but laugh and reached out to pat Sairi’s head.
“Ahahaha, you little one really love your buns, huh?”
“Of course! One bite, pure satisfaction!”
“There really are lots of fun and tasty things, but honestly, I don’t like staying there much.”
“Why? Isn’t the food and drink better there than here?”
“Well… to be honest, it’s noisy, there are lots of things to deal with, and many people will bother you. It’s a developed place with plenty of rich feasts but also starving bones on the roadside…”
“There are people chasing profits at any cost, which puts a lot of pressure on you.”
“Eh, that doesn’t sound very appealing.”
“And I prefer freedom. I love carefree travel—just going wherever I want whenever I want. Little Sairi, you barely know anything about this world, right? Perfect chance to take you along.”
“True… but why bring me along?”
“Because you look so silly~ Asking so many questions, knowing so little, innocent and adorable, harmless like a little angel. Traveling with you will definitely be a joyful experience~”
“Hey! What do you mean by ‘harmless’?! I’m smart and full of potential!” Sairi didn’t want to be teased and puckered up to protest.
“All right, all right, I’m listening. But you do realize I was the one who saved you from the wolf pack, right? You didn’t know where you were or where you were going.”
“That’s… that’s true!”
“Okay, don’t be mad. How about I take you to travel to other countries in a while?”
“You promise? No backing out!”
“All right, all right. No backing out, promise.”
“No more talking!” Sairi got excited, crossed her arms, and turned her head with a humph.
Hilvia laughed heartily at this, realizing the child was genuinely cute and innocent. She stretched out her right hand and hooked her pinky.
“Come on, pinky swear. I promise I won’t back out.”
“Okay!” Sairi also extended her right hand and hooked pinkies with Hilvia.
“Pinky swear, hanging for a hundred years, no changing!”
Their voices intertwined, sounding like the best of friends in the world. But did either of them harbor secret desires or worries?
Who knew? At least for now, in this small room, they were among the closest friends in the world, and this story would unfold alongside their friendship.
***
After soaking for a while, the two finally finished bathing. The water had cooled from its initial warmth.
“All done, dry off and get ready to rest. Come here, put on your clothes.” Hilvia, holding the clothes for Sairi to change into, approached with a smile.
“Hey! Don’t treat me like a child! I can dress myself.” Sairi snatched the white shirt and pulled it over her head. “You wear your own clothes. No need to always think about helping me.”
“All right, all right, I’m listening. But why hasn’t Sairi put on those cute panties yet? Don’t like my taste?” Hilvia started putting on her clothes, pulling her top on.
“No! I’ll wear them… I’ll put them on now.” Blushing, Sairi reached for a pair of panties hanging in front of the mirror and quickly put them on.
Ah! What is this? It felt cool, slippery, and sticking to her skin—very strange to get used to.
Meanwhile, Hilvia picked up another pair of panties from the mirror stand and paused for a moment, as if noticing something. She smiled faintly before putting them on.
Of course, Sairi didn’t notice this, because she was still focused on putting hers on.
Afterward, both finished dressing their underwear. When Sairi glanced at Hilvia, uh… wow, hers were much bigger—at least bigger than hers.
The biggest difference from her previous life was probably her chest. /(ToT)/
After getting dressed, Sairi followed Hilvia’s instructions to drain the bathtub water. Hilvia handed the dirty clothes to the inn’s front desk for washing.
Time flew to past eight o’clock. Watching the clock hands on the wall, both knew it was late and time to rest.
“All right, time to sleep. The bed is big enough, and I brought an extra quilt. Let’s call it a night. Tomorrow, I’ll take you out to explore the town.”
“Yay!”
Sairi happily flopped onto the bed, immediately burrowing under one of the quilts, only her head peeking out with a goofy smile at Hilvia.
“Pfft, little Sairi is always adorable no matter what. Let’s sleep together!”
Hilvia then blew out the magical oil lamp, plunging the room into darkness.
Only a few strands of pure white moonlight filtered through the window, casting soft light on the floor and the two of them, creating a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.
Sairi’s heart had calmed like still water. After bathing together, sleeping side by side was no big deal.
After all, there was nothing left to miss from her previous world, and she didn’t really know much about this one yet.
In other words, she was currently in a limbo state, between leaving her old teacher and before meeting the new one.
Most of the town’s residents had already gone to sleep at this time.
Many children were already dreaming, and the town had entered a restful period, no longer lively and bustling like during the day, replaced by the sounds of cicadas and frogs.
“Little Sairi, is this your first time in this world?” The two lay facing each other in bed. The moonlight and the chirping insects added a solemn tone.
Although they couldn’t clearly see each other’s facial details, their eyes reflected sharply, piercing through the quiet.
“Hilvia sister, why do you ask? Is there something wrong?” Sairi looked confused but was struggling fiercely inside.
What should she say? Should she tell the truth or lie?
“Nothing much, I just feel that little Sairi reminds me of a friend I once knew.”
At this, Sairi’s inner battle resolved. She opened her mouth and asked, “Hilvia sister, aren’t you afraid I might be a bad person? I suddenly appeared, knowing nothing, and today you kept exposing yourself to get close to me.”
“Aren’t you afraid I might be a bad person? I opened my heart to you on our very first meeting, treated you so well unconditionally, bathed with you, and now sleep beside you.”
Sairi hadn’t expected Hilvia to answer so straightforwardly and toss the question right back at her.
“I… I’m not afraid. I think Hilvia sister is a good person. You saved me when I was in danger and have been so kind.”
“Also… I feel you’re a very emotional, kind, and insightful person, like a traveler carrying a story, roaming the world, meeting all kinds of people, witnessing all sorts of scenes.”
“People like you aren’t bad—meeting one is rare…”
Hearing this, Hilvia paused, then reached out to pull Sairi’s head close, holding her gently in her arms.
“I have met many people and witnessed countless events, but not all were joyful and happy—there was sadness and disappointment, too.”
“That’s okay. That’s real life. Whether happiness or sorrow, none of it can fill our whole lives. Like birth, aging, sickness, and death, we must experience different setbacks, joys, and pains.”
“That is life! Happiness, joy, excitement, fear, worry, disappointment, sorrow, anger—life’s sweet, sour, bitter, and salty—all must be felt, experienced, and deeply lived.”
Hmm, Hilvia could be a bit gloomy sometimes, huh? Looks like Sairi’s pep talk method was about to kick in. She threw out her words in a rush, hoping to comfort Hilvia and maybe get closer.
“Ahhh, little Sairi looks silly but is actually a little poet, so philosophical.”
“Not really, I’ve just experienced a little before. But it’s been so long I’ve forgotten most of it.”
“So this is you being honest with me?”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“Haha, don’t worry, we’re friends now. To be honest, I had a friend who told me I’d meet new people and start new friendships, but after traveling for so long, though I met many and had close friends, they gradually got busy with their own lives. So I continued my journey.”
***
Hilvia began to open her heart.
“Haven’t you thought of visiting them?”
“I have, but we can’t bother others too much.”
“Then why not go back to the Kingdom of Humans? You came from there, so surely you have family and old friends.”
“Well, I don’t like it there. There are no family members left, and my old friends have gradually drifted apart—some married, some working, some sent abroad, some died unexpectedly, some grew old…”
At this, Sairi couldn’t help but reach out and hug Hilvia. They lay in bed holding each other tight, curling into a ball.
Didn’t expect Hilvia to be so emotional—truly a hero! Looks like today is hero meets hero!
“It’s okay. Hilvia sister has me now. From now on, I’ll always be with you, seeing every part of this world together!”
Hilvia chuckled at this.
“I’m more convinced you’re the friendship I’ve been searching for. That friend once told me that someday, I’d meet someone sent from the heavens who’d become my best friend and touch my heart with true feelings.”
“Looks like she was right. On a plain, ordinary day, I met you—someone who carries the shadow of my old friend and stirred my heart with sincerity.”
Sairi knew this was about her but noticed Hilvia kept referring to that old friend.
“Who was that old friend? Do you still keep in touch?”
“That person’s name was Hongli. She’s no longer in this world.”
“Really? I’m sorry, Hilvia sister.”
Realizing her question saddened Hilvia, Sairi immediately apologized. It seemed Hilvia’s friend had met with misfortune.
“Haha, it’s fine. Look ahead. People have to move forward. Heaven answered my prayers and sent down a bright and lovely little sister~ hh”
“Hilvia sister, actually… actually this is my first time in this world. I don’t know much about it yet. I came here on a friend’s request. I think I’m already dead in my original world.”
“Hm?”
“That person told me to travel this new world, make friends, and help solve problems…”
“Little Sairi isn’t simple at all. All right, no more sadness. I don’t care where you came from. The fact that we met and are here together now is the best proof my friend’s words and yours are true.”
“Yeah! We’re friends! We’ll see all the beautiful sights and eat all the delicious food and play all the fun things!”
“Good~ Tomorrow, I’ll take little Sairi to the town to eat delicious food. Though it’s a small town, it has many delicacies.”
“Yay! It’s settled! Sleep, sleep! I can’t wait!”
“Okay, sleep, sleep!”
After their promise, the room fell back into quiet. They lay facing each other, breaths ebbing and flowing, confirming the arrival of night.
Before drifting off, Sairi recalled everything that happened today—so dreamlike, so fleeting. Luckily, she met Hilvia.
She didn’t know how their friendship would develop, or if she truly regarded Hilvia as her best friend in this new world.
No one knew. Even she was unsure whether “treating Hilvia as my interdimensional lifeline” was genuine or not.
All she knew was that tomorrow Hilvia would take her to town, they’d spend a fulfilling day, Hilvia would laugh and be happy, and Sairi loved Hilvia’s smile.
In the darkness, not a sound was heard. Hilvia, stirred by their before-bed talk, dreamed of her past experiences, her old friends, and herself.
Hilvia realized she and Sairi were alike. Though not the same person, the feeling was familiar.
Beside Sairi, Hilvia rediscovered joy and warmth. Seeing Sairi smile made her happy. She began to look forward to tomorrow’s adventures in town. Smiling softly, she drifted into sleep.
In another space, a goddess watched over the day’s events, smiling joyfully. Perhaps she smiled at Sairi’s rebirth, Hilvia’s reunion, or the adventures yet to come.
She flicked her fingers, stirring ripples in the air. A gentle breeze blew out from Windspring Forest in all directions.
On one side, the wind swept across the prairie, stirring the pleasant “dingling” sound to spread afar.
On the other side, it drifted toward sleepy Miru Town, to the inn’s roof, gently swaying the Wind Chimes hanging beneath the eaves.
“Tick-tock~ tick-tock,” they played the night’s melody, lulling people into dreams…