I have become stronger, but also shorter [comprehensive]

Skip cause and effect.

After deeply realizing that he only disliked his past "self" more, not the most, Eric let go of this knot for the time being.

After all, even if you want to correct your mistakes, you can’t, because that’s the former “he” who has become the past, and it’s impossible to forcibly cut off the “past” that has lasted for a long time——

"Forget it, forget it, who doesn't have a black history."

"That's right, it's just that your dark history has lasted a little longer... It's just hundreds or thousands of years longer than the average person, so what's the big deal."

"Kusuo is right, I have to say, Eric, when you look back at the present you in the future, you might think that the shorter you are Hei Li—"

"Fuck! Are you here to comfort me or to piss me off?!"

In short, before Eric was so pissed off by all kinds of destructive atmosphere from his friends, he thought about it and simply didn't care about it.

——Commonly known as broken pot broken fall.

Eric didn't bother to think about these things until the memory was updated, or all the memories of the past were restored.

Currently.

He, Saitama, and Saiki Kusuo who temporarily turned into a baby for some reason, and the three of them are still squatting in an orphanage in an unknown world, living a boring life most of the time.

Isabella was really kind and generous in not driving away the three guys who were eating and drinking (and one who lived every day).

It can be said that almost all the scenes that take place in the outdoor space of the orphanage every day can be summed up in two sentences:

Saitama, who has become the king of kids, dragged twenty, ran all over the ground with the joyful children, and occasionally used too much force to create accidents that would definitely be exposed.

Afterwards, before being exposed, the person with superpowers will clean up the mess, and then suffers the poisonous tongue attack of the person with superpowers, and the cold ridicule of the third person who did not get involved.

That's right.

In the past, this process only ended when the psychic appeared on the stage, but now, the last step has been added without any trace.

Eric still claimed that he didn't like children, those thirteen or fourteen-year-old boys were hard enough, don't let him stare at younger kids.

However, given that he had returned to normal at this time, and his heart suddenly became clear, the situation was quite different.

Naturally, the silver-haired boy's attitude towards the little ghosts was no longer what it was before.

Not to mention suddenly becoming gentle and amiable, but he can finally stay under the same roof with the children, as long as the time does not exceed a whole day.

"Saitama is an idiot. Kusuo's idiot is not only stupid, he may also infect others with facial paralysis. From this point of view, isn't I the only normal person? Hmph, I still have vision."

Facing the request from the nun who did not know how to find it, the "only normal person" was a little surprised, but he did not refuse.

He felt he deserved it.

The children in the orphanage lived in a small area until they were adopted, and the only adult they could see was Isabella.

In the big family like brothers and sisters, Isabella acts as the "mother", making up for the most indispensable role in the growth of the children.

However, another important role-"Dad", under normal circumstances, does not have the opportunity to complete.

The arrival of the trio from another world had a great impact on the orphanage.

Only Saitama is the only adult male (in appearance) here, and when he comes, he just satisfies the children's desire for male elders.

Coupled with the fact that the man is very powerful and blessed with strong strength, the sense of admiration and longing suddenly became stronger!

But the problem soon came again.

Someone who has been single for more than [-] years without a girlfriend and even less likely to have raised a child-even if all aspects are quite suitable, but there is no lower limit for childishness, how can he play the role of a perfect elder!

It must be in consideration of this point, and keenly saw the reliable and mature truth of the teenager (some people: "Think too much, people are just looking for an excuse to coax you, okay?"), Isabella Only then did he take the initiative to ask Eric for help.

Coincidentally, Eric has always admired people with vision, and if the other party can match him again, his attitude will be relaxed a bit.

"Please, Eric, I'm going out for a while, and I'll be back in the afternoon. Can I trouble you to take care of these children for a while?"

"Oh? Leaving aside Saitama and Kid Saiki, come to find me alone? Hmph, for the sake of your discernment, it's okay to keep an eye on you for a while."

"That would be great~ When I come back, I will take Emma and the others to make a few more sweets for dinner, so please."

"Tsk, it's unnecessary—don't bring cream, it's greasy."

"Okay, no problem~"

That's it.

So easily, the strongest man in the world is very satisfied with the woman's behavior of being so sensible, so it is rare that he doesn't mind so much, and directly takes over the slightly troublesome situation.

In front of him, neither Saitama nor Saiki Kusuo could be considered "reliable". Young people who are still immature are still far away.

"Yes, the whole process of Eric being easily coaxed by Miss Isabella is the above-"

"shut up!"

Some people who don't need to appear can be ignored and left alone.

Although Eric, who was tempted (crossed out) by the sweets and made a fair deal, agreed, he did not forget to emphasize: "Don't throw me any kid under the age of ten."

Whoops!

In front of him was a bunch of kiddos between the ages of two and ten.

——That, sorry.

Isabella is sorry to say that because there are only three children above the age of ten, Emma and the others, and children under the age of ten need more care, so this is the only way to go.

"I won't take them around like Saitama, trouble! Don't come to me for things that need to waste time and energy."

Wow!

A whole bunch of messy things all piled up.

"Brother Sled is going to play with us! Have fun!"

"Hide and seek~ Do you still play hide and seek~ Don't play? Then what do you want to play? Is it okay to fly high!"

"I don't want to go out today, big brother, can you tell us a story? This is a storybook~"

Eric: "!"

"Playing hide and seek, it's boring. Telling stories? Am I looking for someone who will tell you stories?"

"Ah, the sleigh is so fierce, I cried and cried - woo woo woo woo woo!"

"...Hey, did you make a mistake?!"

It was inevitable that things backfired.

Trying to get the kids with the most energy to sleep through the afternoon is delusional, and it would be nice if they could just sit still a bit.

Regardless of his mood, in a word, Eric was forced to pay for the troublesome things he agreed to on the spur of the moment.

he.

I didn't want to play hide-and-seek, so I could only frown and lift a corner of the storybook with two fingers.

Probably because they thought the silver-haired boy's reluctance was very interesting, much more interesting than hide-and-seek. Most of the children gathered around to listen to his "storytelling", only a few did not come.

The boy's expression was indeed very interesting.

Mixed together various emotions such as disgust, entanglement, regret, irritability, etc., all integrated into the pair of golden eyes that made the children deeply scared at the beginning.

In fact, the lethality of those golden eyes is still unabated.

But, as long as you don't look directly at him, it's fine.

Spring has come, and in front of the deserted fireplace, a large group of people are sitting cross-legged together, all of them are full of energy.

There was a kid lying on top of his head, two hanging on his shoulders, three hanging from his arms, and a few falling down on his legs—under such difficult conditions, the silver-haired boy who recovered his expression said: "A long time ago..."

"What kind of boring and old-fashioned beginning is this, can you really read and listen to it!"

"what!"

Immediately there was an uproar in the audience.

"Children like this kind of story, you don't have too high expectations for them, really. Did you hear that, shhhhhh!"

Saitama said that if a friend tells a story, he should tell the story well, and his own evaluation can be collected.

"This sentence is really familiar. I seem to have said it several times... However, the storyteller has not officially started to dislike it. Such behavior is not advisable!"

Baby Kusuo's eyelids twitched, and he suddenly became vigilant, suspecting that the white magician who came to harass him from time to time was spying in the dark.

Eric: "When did you sneak in. Either disappear, or sit down and hurry up."

The two who took the opportunity to mix into the crowd to join in the fun (by the way, Saitama is so big can't stop it at all) were captured.

Although he was the one who was being clamored to tell the story, but with his friends standing by, the boy's heart would still be a little more balanced.

It doesn't matter if it's reliable or unreliable -- who cares so much.

After taking off the little ghost lying on top of his head, the silver-haired boy who felt a little more comfortable snorted as if unhappily, and then opened the storybook.

He continued the content that was interrupted just after he started, and continued to read:

"...a country battered by war and divided."

"In order to save the country from danger, the magician who can predict the future made a prophecy to the king: After many years, a son of the red dragon will appear in the world and complete the great cause of unifying the country—"

Well?

Just the beginning, the direction of this story, is it not too childish by accident?

But then, Eric glanced down, and what he saw at a glance was the picture below a paragraph of text.

The whole picture is in warm colors, probably the character of the "magician" mentioned at the beginning of the story, and it is painted softly.

This painting style, paired with white, looks like a piece of human-shaped cotton candy.

Needless to say.

This is the standard illustration for fairy tales, the style that little ghosts love.

Eric decides to take back that statement that might not be so childish in the follow-up.

There was a small voice of doubt, "Huh? Emma, ​​is this the story you chose?" from the crowd, but the voice disappeared quickly because they were not sure.

Eric frowned and turned another page.

The boy, who was not good at storytelling at all, read the words dryly side by side with the tone of a child who almost fell asleep after hearing it.

For the most part, this is indeed a fairy tale.

The protagonist is a girl who shed the blood of the king and the dragon, and was entrusted with the important task of restoring the country since she was born.

In order to protect her, the old king and the magician who made the prophecy sent the baby girl out of the palace, let her hide her name, and grew up as the adopted daughter of a minor nobleman.

As the girl grew up, a magician also came to her and taught her as a teacher.

Finally, one of the most critical turning points was reached.

The old king passed away, and only the brave who pulled out the sword in the stone are eligible to inherit the throne.

At that time, an unknown girl dressed in men's clothes came to the Sword of Destiny.

She knew her true identity.

She also knew her fate in advance at a certain moment.

without hesitation.

The girl stepped forward and drew out the holy sword that only she could hold.

At that moment, the legendary king who summoned the knights of the round table and saved the country from danger was born——

"Wow!!!"

"Can girls be kings too? It's amazing~"

"I want, too……"

"No, I can't think about it!"

All of a sudden, the whole audience was fried.

It's hard for the little ones not to fall asleep, but there's also a major reason why the story itself just happens to be the genre kids like.

The girl who became the king to save the country is a very novel protagonist of the story.

Emma couldn't help but fell into deep thought, wondering if the content of the story she chose was really this?It seems that something is not right...

The children chirped and discussed, the content was different, but they all agreed that the girl who became the king would save the country and end the war just like the magician Soso said before.

Yay - that's so handsome, so perfect!

"..."

Putting the heavy storybook together and putting it aside, Eric rested his chin on one hand, and was forced to finish reading the story, his expression was rather bored.

"This story is really interesting. It's a bit like the development of shoujo manga? Save the country and get happiness or something."

Saitama next to him was so emotional.

"No, don't you two sound familiar?" Immediately afterwards, the baby Kusuo asked.

Saitama and Eric looked up at the same time: "What?"

There's really no way this would happen.

Because these two people are people who don't like to read books and don't know much about certain cultures.

Baby Kusuo was probably speechless.

"The sword in the stone, the knights of the round table, these two symbols are almost obvious and written directly."

Two people: "What logo, is it famous?"

Baby Kusuo: "..."

He probably guessed who the "black hand behind the scenes" was.

By the way, he also guessed the real body of a certain magician who has been harassing him in his dreams, and the "story" behind him.

The Sword in the Stone, the Knights of the Round Table, and Britain—isn't it the legend of King Arthur!

The only contradiction is that King Arthur in ancient British legends is undoubtedly a man, but in the story here, King Arthur is a woman disguised as a man, but her real body is actually a girl.

Baby Kusuo suddenly realizes that he has learned a rather incredible historical truth.

Baby Kusuo also realized that he couldn't tell the truth until he figured out the magician's purpose, plus his relationship with a certain man.

Absolutely, there will be no future troubles.

For this reason, he can only cut off the topic abruptly, pretending that nothing happened:

"It's almost time, it's time to move on to the next step."

Two companions: "Huh?"

Baby Kusuo didn't talk to his stupid friends.

He just reminded the children who had almost forgotten the business, don't forget the celebration ceremony that was quietly prepared.

Everyone: "Oh!"

then.

"boom!"

The simple handmade fireworks exploded.

"Bangdang-"

All the well-prepared cakes and gifts came, plus the bear doll Isabella brought back from outside.

"Kony, today is your sixth birthday, happy birthday."

The woman stroked the little girl's head, smiling as gently as her eyes.

Coney was surrounded by surprises, and slowly changed from bewilderment at the beginning to great joy, and then to the touch of crying.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..."

She was really crying, and the tears were dripping down, but fortunately, she was crying with joy.

"Thank you mom, thank you everyone, Coney...so happy..."

"——Thank you Uncle Bald, Sage, and... Brother Sled!"

"Tsk."

"Big Brother Sled" said he didn't do anything, thank you for nothing.

The real thought in his heart is that he is really exhausted for agreeing to help delay the time, and it is a big loss!

So, in a fit of anger, he ate two extra cakes to vent his anger.

Oh, there is still so much cream, it's even more angry!Another piece!

……but.

Isabella went out this time not only to buy gifts for Coney.

She brought a piece of good or bad news that I don't know.

——Kony, who just turned six years old, was selected by an outside family and put forward for adoption.

——In about two days, she will leave the orphanage and live with her adoptive parents.