Plurk paste

"So, the award ceremony's over?" Rita suddenly brought it up at the dinner table.

"Huh?" Marget's fork struck the plate with a clatter. "Rita...um."

"What? You got an award, right? Congratulations."

Marget looked searchingly at her face. "...Thank you. But how did you know?"

"I just happened to be at the research institute. I read it—the director's award paper. It's bound to advance that guy's career."

"About that, Rita-"

"I finally get it. Why Semyon was talking about Mama's thesis back then."

"That's wrong..."

"What's wrong about it?!" Rita shouted as she lost her cool. "What, that the main findings weren't entirely from my notes?!"

"You're wrong. It's a coincidence..."

"Oh, really? It's that full of coincidences? So putting aside the formulae, even the analytical discussion just happened to be word-for-word by chance?"

Marget nodded with a grunt. "...Th-that's right. Have I stolen anything from you? Is something missing?"

"No," Rita shook her head. "But it would've been easy for you to copy. Doing something like this—don't you think it's disrespectful to those poor blastia? What if I go to the research institute with my original notes—then what'll you do?"

Marget gave her a thin smile. "Who would believe something like that? They'll simply think you copied my paper."

There was a sharp pain in Rita's chest. "But, look at this." She placed the bundle of notes she'd been holding onto the table. "See, here, here, and here. I've always made sure to write my initials on my notes. In case a thief ever stole them, weren't you the one who told me to use it as evidence?"

Marget chuckled, seemingly amused. "How ridiculous. Rita, don't you know my name? It's Marget Rowan. Your initials could very well be mine."

There was a sharp intake of surprise from Rita. "Why? Why are you doing this? I would've been fine with it if you'd just asked me. You were thinking of me like a child!"

Marget sighed and lowered her eyes. "Yes, that's right...you're still a child. There's nowhere to publish for someone like you. However, if it's considered my achievement, it will advance blastia research."

"Wha..."

"You're a mage colleague's daughter... That's why I wanted to do all I could for you. Really. But just because I happened to run into you, walking unsteadily around the city, all unkempt...countless years and years...

"..."

Rita thought once again about how Marget had come over to her house every day. It was only natural that she must have made more than a few sacrifices to do so.

"I'm sorry," Marget finally murmured in a barely-audible voice. "...There are plans to build a training facility for mages near Nor. If my transfer request is accepted, I should receive the post of director or deputy director. I'm human too, Rita. I want my younger siblings to have an easier time. Even I desire that much."

"But..."

"Yes, that's right. I admit to doing wrong. I really am sorry. If you want to tell the research institute the truth, there's no helping it."

"I..."

Marget lifted her face and stared directly at Rita. "But you know, you're also wrong, Rita. You have a natural genius when it comes to blastia. The hard work of an ordinary person like me could never compensate for that. Since you were blessed from birth..."

"But Marget, even you always arrived at the right answer, didn't you?! I mean, I might've always gotten there faster, but as long as you take your time..."

"That time is valuable." Marget delicately shook her head like she was saying that Rita couldn't understand. "I pity you, Rita..."

"Stop it!" Rita shouted. "Even if you were the only... ...Just you...!" No more words would come. She ran to her bedroom and slammed the door shut.

Even if the other children her age wouldn't accept her extraordinary ability, she'd believed that Marget was the only one to fully understand. However, that wasn't the case. Rita realized how easily feelings could end up changing based on each person's circumstances.

"Rita. Rita...Rita?"

Marget repeatedly called for her from the other side of the door. As Rita listened to that voice, her emotions suddenly cooled.

(People...are such a pain...)

She took the blastia on the desk and hugged it tightly to her chest.