"Yuzuru, you're such a good girl. Here, this is a gift your big sister brought for you. I hope you'll like it."
Eriri smiled as she gently patted Yuzuru Nishimiya's little head, then pulled out the clothes she had bought for Yuzuru at the shopping mall from her storage space and handed them over.
Looking at the shopping bags Eriri offered, Yuzuru hesitated instead of taking them right away.
"Eriri-nee, Mom told me not to accept things from others so easily..."
It was clear that Yuzuru really liked the gifts Eriri brought. But out of respect for her mother's usual reminders, she suppressed her desire.
"It's okay. I'm not an outsider, after all. You can go ahead and accept my gift. Your mom definitely won't blame you."
"Thank you, Eriri-nee."
After Eriri's gentle persuasion, Yuzuru couldn't resist her desire any longer. She happily accepted the shopping bags with a bright smile.
Peeking into the bags, Yuzuru quickly realized they contained clothes. She immediately felt the urge to go to her room and try them on.
But remembering that Eriri was still here, she held that urge in check.
"By the way, Eriri-nee, where did you pull those clothes from just now? They just appeared in your hand out of nowhere. That was amazing!"
Recalling the scene from earlier, Yuzuru suddenly became excited.
"Haha, it's just a little trick. You can think of it as a kind of special magic."
Eriri laughed and patted Yuzuru's head again. "Oh, and your sister can do it too. See how she's not carrying a school bag? That's because she stored it herself~"
"Wow, so Onee-chan can use magic too? That's amazing!" Yuzuru's eyes widened as she turned to Shouko, filled with excitement.
Standing nearby in her indoor slippers, Shouko smiled as she watched Eriri and Yuzuru talk, not planning to join the conversation.
But when the topic suddenly turned to her, she couldn't help but speak.
"Yuzuru, I don't know magic. That storage space is an ability from the chat group," Shouko said with a bashful expression.
Yuzuru looked confused. "Eh? Really? But Eriri-nee said it was magic..."
Because of Shouko's unclear pronunciation, Yuzuru only understood the first part of what she said—the rest went over her head.
"Haha, Yuzuru, Shouko's right. She doesn't know magic—at least not yet. But it won't be long before she becomes a real magical girl~"
Thanks to Eriri's treatment yesterday, Shouko's physical condition had reached the human limit, placing her at Level 1, Stage 9.
Once she officially entered the ranks of transcendent beings, it wouldn't be wrong to say she possessed magic.
The moment Eriri mentioned magical girls, Yuzuru's interest peaked. For a girl her age, magical girls were irresistibly fascinating.
"Ah, Eriri-nee, can I become a magical girl like you too?" Yuzuru looked at Eriri with bright, expectant eyes.
"Of course you can. Don't worry. One day, you'll definitely become a magical girl. I promise."
"Mhm! Thank you, Eriri-nee!"
Hearing Eriri's promise, Yuzuru beamed with joy, already fantasizing about becoming a magical girl herself someday.
Just then, a gentle voice called out from the living room, accompanied by steady footsteps.
"Yuzu, I thought I heard voices. Do we have guests?"
As the voice faded, an elderly woman with a kind expression rounded the corner from the entrance.
Just like before with Yuzuru, the elderly lady immediately spotted Eriri the moment she reached the entryway—Eriri's dazzling presence stood out starkly against the humble surroundings.
"What a beautiful young lady!" the old woman exclaimed in amazement.
Upon seeing her, Shouko and Yuzuru quickly ran over. Yuzuru eagerly announced:
"Grandma, Eriri-nee came over!"
This elderly woman was Ito Nishimiya, grandmother to both Shouko and Yuzuru.
If Nishimiya Yaeko was a strict and strong-willed mother to her daughter, then Ito was a kind and loving grandmother to her granddaughters.
Because Yaeko worked long hours to support the family, Shouko and Yuzuru were mostly cared for by Ito.
Before transferring to Suimon Elementary, Shouko had often been bullied due to her hearing problems. If not for Ito's comfort and guidance, she might have chosen to end her life long ago.
Upon hearing her granddaughter's words, Ito's expression quickly changed.
"Oh my, so Miss Eriri is visiting us." Ito greeted her warmly. "Why are you still standing by the door? Please, come in and sit."
"Alright, Grandma. And you don't need to be so formal with me—just call me Eriri," Eriri replied with a smile.
Eriri generally maintained a friendly attitude toward chat group members' relatives, as long as they weren't of poor character.
The Nishimiya home was modest—two bedrooms, one bathroom, a combined kitchen and living room. With a dining table in place, there wasn't much space left.
Still, the home was kept very tidy and clean, equipped with all the necessary furniture and appliances.
Eriri's visit brought a cheerful buzz to the household, and Ito repeatedly expressed her heartfelt gratitude.
After all, to Ito, Eriri was the savior of her beloved granddaughter.
...
By a little past 7 p.m., Nishimiya Yaeko was walking home alone after finishing a day's work.
Ever since learning last night that her eldest daughter had regained her hearing, Yaeko had been in high spirits, smiling much more than usual.
But in front of her daughter, she still kept a stern demeanor.
In her view, strict parenting was necessary for Shouko's growth.
Soon, Yaeko reached the door of their apartment. Hearing faint laughter from inside, a subtle smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
She retrieved her keys from her handbag and opened the door. Composing herself, she stepped in with a serious expression.
"I'm home."
After calling out to the living room, Yaeko swapped her shoes at the entrance and walked inside.
As she entered the living room, she saw Yuzuru and Ito sitting at the dining table, each enjoying a slice of cake. The laughter she'd heard earlier had come from Yuzuru.
"Mom, welcome back," Yuzuru said cheerfully, waving from her seat.
Seeing the clothes Yuzuru was wearing, Yaeko frowned slightly. It was clear the fancy-looking outfit hadn't been bought by her.
"Yuzuru, who gave you those clothes? Haven't I told you not to accept things from others so easily?"
"They're not from just anyone. They're a gift from Eriri-nee," Yuzuru replied confidently.
Hearing this, Yaeko, who had been angry just moments ago, froze for a second. Then she turned toward Ito, who was sitting across from Yuzuru.
"Mom, is that Miss Eriri here at our house?" Yaeko asked, sounding somewhat excited.
"That's right, she arrived a few hours ago. She's in the room right now teaching Shouko how to speak," Ito Nishimiya said with a smile. "Oh, Yaeko, would you like some of the cake Eriri brought? It's really delicious."
Unfortunately, Yaeko had no mind for cake at the moment—she was far too eager to see Eriri.
"If Miss Eriri arrived hours ago, why didn't you call to let me know sooner? I would've left work early to come home. This feels terribly impolite now," Yaeko said, sounding somewhat upset.
With that, she set her bag on a chair and quickly headed toward Shouko's room.
...
"Wa~"
"Wa~"
"I love Eriri-nee~"
"I love Eriri-nee~"
In the shared room of Shouko and Yuzuru, Eriri sat holding Shouko in her arms at a small round table, carefully teaching her how to pronounce the fifty sounds of the Japanese syllabary along with some basic example phrases.
Shouko was now wearing the new outfit Eriri had bought her earlier that morning. It made her look even cuter—like a little princess.
While Eriri could have used her powers to instantly grant Shouko perfect pronunciation and speech, she didn't.
Because she knew that Shouko was cherishing the sense of fulfillment that came from learning step by step—something she had once lost and now wanted to regain.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door, followed by the sound of a doorknob turning. Moments later, Nishimiya Yaeko entered the room.
Like her daughter and mother before her, the first thing Yaeko saw upon entering was Eriri casually sitting on the floor, holding Shouko.
Eriri's long golden hair spread out across like a shimmering curtain. At a glance, it looked as if she and Shouko were seated atop a sheet of golden silk.
The stunning sight brought a flicker of daze to Yaeko's eyes.
Eriri's elegance and beauty struck her just as powerfully as learning that her daughter had regained her hearing the night before.
"Mom, welcome back!"
Seeing that her mother had entered, Shouko quickly left Eriri's embrace and ran over, greeting her sweetly.
Hearing Shouko's voice snapped Yaeko out of her daze. Her gaze shifted from Eriri to Shouko.
And she immediately noticed that Shouko's pronunciation just now sounded much clearer than it had that morning, filling her with joy.
She also realized Shouko was wearing a completely new outfit—one she had never seen before.
"Shouko, is that outfit a gift from Miss Eriri too?"
"Mhm, Eriri-nee bought it for me when we went out this morning."
Yaeko nodded. Though she had some questions about what Shouko just said, she didn't press further.
After all, their benefactor Eriri was right there in front of her—she couldn't afford to be rude.
She then turned back to Eriri, her expression becoming solemn.
"Hello, Miss Eriri. I'm Nishimiya Yaeko, Shouko's mother. Thank you so much for taking the time to come visit today."
She paused for a brief moment, then continued before Eriri could respond.
"The reason I asked Shouko to invite you wasn't for anything else—just to express my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for saving Shouko... for saving our family!"
With that, Yaeko deeply bowed to Eriri.
As a mother, Yaeko loved her daughter dearly. Shouko's condition had always been a source of pain in her heart.
So when Eriri healed Shouko's ears, she also healed Yaeko's inner wound. Naturally, she was immensely grateful to Eriri.
"Aunt Yaeko, please stand up."
As Eriri spoke, Yaeko suddenly felt her body move on its own and stand up—an involuntary action that left her stunned.
Although she had heard from Shouko the day before about the chat group and how Eriri had restored her hearing by granting a wish, it wasn't until this moment—experiencing supernatural power firsthand—that she truly grasped how extraordinary it all was.
Still, before her surprise could linger, Eriri's next words drew her attention.
"Honestly, there's no need to make such a big deal out of this. I helped Shouko simply because I like her—and besides, it was just a small effort on my part. Nothing worth mentioning."
Hearing that, Yaeko smiled and shook her head. "You can't say that. It may have been something trivial to you, but to us, it meant everything. The two are not comparable at all."
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