SBTSML

forty-three.

"...lius."

Why does it take so long for him to say something?

I couldn't catch the word that the boy was muttering to himself, so I came close to him and asked him again.

"Huh? What? I didn't hear you."

The boy hurriedly stepped back and said with his head down.

"E-Ephelius. My name."

"Ephelius? That's a pretty name."

I grinned and complimented him, and he looked up and answered.

"T-Thank you."

It seemed that Ephelius was very prickly during the day.

Every time I talked to him, I kept worrying because he was like a baby bird getting attacked.

Still, I found out what I was curious about, and I felt like I was completely relieved of a burden.

When I went to the temple before, I looked for the watery boy.

I didn't see him every time, so I thought he was just a kid who stopped by the temple like me, but he must be living here.

"But why are you so slow to say your name?"

I asked without further ado as I maintained a certain distance.

Then he blinked a couple of times and answered.

"It's... i-it's the first time anyone asked for my name..."

"What? No one's ever asked for your name?"

At my question, Ephelius nodded violently.

His eyes were so innocent that he didn't seem to be lying.

Are you an orphan in the temple?

Then it makes sense that he was dressed in a priests' uniform. Among the obligations of the temple is mercy.

Priests helped the poor and cared for orphans with donations from the temple.

The easiest clothing in the orphanage of such a temple are the priests' uniforms.

In particular, it was easy to distribute the priestly uniforms that Ephelius worn because they were cheap and could be purchased in bulk.

I thought I touched a sensitive part, so I was thinking about what to turn the subject to, and Ephelius said.

"I thought the fairy went away because I didn't see the fairy for a while."

"Evelyn."

"Oh, right. Miss Evelyn."

Ephelius quickly corrected himself. Then he murmured as if he were passing by.

"You hide that you're a fairy, too."

He's not listening, is he?

I put my hands on my waist and pointed out to Ephelius, who still treated me as a fairy.

"Me, I'm not a fairy. You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"Oh! No! I'm sorry. I can't say anything, but I'll keep it a secret."

"No, I mean... I'm a human. Not a fairy. There's no secret."

"Pardon?"

Ephelius exclaimed as if he had heard an unexpected sound.

He really thought I was a fairy. What do I do?

Am I destroying childhood innocence for no reason?