Editing Amaryllis in the Ice Country:Chapter 4 (section)

===Part 1===

An endless darkness swallows the entire village, and loneliness rule the place until dawn breaks.

There’s no distinction of day and night in this underground world where the light can’t shine. Despite this, the villagers decided that eight hours each day is to be designated as ‘night’, and during this time, everyone will switch to sleep mode, and save power. The lighting of the roof will be dimmed to the minimum, and one can’t see without adjusting the visual output.

It’s a week after the Prayer Festival.

—I’m finally done…

After issuing the ‘supplies’ for the day, I return to the village, and hurry home. Because of my duties as vice-chief, my house is right next to the senate hall.

And five minutes away from my house.

—Huh?

I find someone in the park at night. The hemispherical head seem familiar.

“Gappy?”

I ask, and a creaking sound can be heard. The shadow slowly turns towards me as the caterpillar legs let out a grinding sound.

“Ama…ry, llis?”

“What are you doing here late at night?”

“P-…”

The round lens visual installation he has seem harder to see than usual, probably because the surroundings are dark.

“P-p-pa-pa-park, is where, we play, rig-right?”

“Yes.”

“So-so-so, I-I came to, play.”

“So late at night…?”

I ask, and Gappy nods.

—Ah, I see.

I realize.

“Here’s here for Daisy, right?”

“Uu…”

Gappy remains speechless. It’s easy to read this child.

It has been a week since the Prayer Festival, but Gappy and Daisy have not made amends. Normally, they would be able to make amends in one night, but it has been a first time this lasted so long.

“Daisy really likes this park.”

“D-Daisy, really, loves the park.”

“She loves to ride on the swing.”

“D-Daisy’s good with the swing. She goes faster, higher than anyone, else.”

While talking about Daisy, Gappy continues to rattle on like usual.

I listen to his rambling for just a little more. We are the only two people in the park, and to any bystander, it might look like a moonlight date.

“…The flower medal.”

Gappy mutters,

“Eh…?”

“Daisy, wants, the flower medal.”

“Flower medal…the Festival?”

I take down a flower medal from my chest. This is the commemorative medal only the prize winners of the Festival can get. It’s made from the ice plants in the ‘REM forest’. The medal has the flowers that had bloomed a hundred years ago.

“Daisy, never won, the medal, once. Of the children, the only ones, who never won, are Daisy, and me…so I really, wanted the medal. I thought that this year, just this year.”

“I see…”

After the Prayer Festival last year, the only children who didn’t win a prize were Daisy and Gappy. Leaving aside Gappy, there was no way Daisy the sore loser would take this.

“I-I-I-I-I—”

Gappy starts to be exceptionally loud.

“I want to give this medal, to Daisy.”

He says adamantly, as though making an oath.

“As thanks, for playing, with, a broken, toy.”

“I see…”

I kneel down, and exchange looks with Gappy. The fog at night condenses, dampening his round lenses.

“But it’s late already, so head home now…okay?”

I pat his head, and he nods.

Something resembling a tear slides down the lens.