In search of a scenery I've yet to see. Prologue 3

There were various things written in the diary.

About the priest who came while I was gone, and spoke about his adventures with him. About Mio-nee-san— About Nii-san's childhood friends— And the pleasure of receiving a birthday gift from them. About the travel Mio-nee-san made to the imperial capital. About the time we played in the snow and made a snowman, and how it melted down quickly afterwards. About the food I cooked and how tasty it was. About the priest who came again, but since he was in the middle of his work, a subordinate came and took him back to the church. About the paints Mio-nee-san brought him back from the imperial capital as a gift. About how he was very pleased to be able to paint pictures. About the book I borrowed from the school about plants, and how he liked a flower in that book.

The happiness of everyday life was spelled out in the dairy.

I wonder how Nii-san felt as he wrote every one of these pages?

Although it's not really written here, I wonder if he wanted to see more of the outside world?

That time when the snow fell, the cold was like a poison to his body, but Nii-san said that no matter what, he wanted to take a look at the scenery outside. The adventures of the priest are written in great detail, showing the deep interest Nii-san had. It also seems that he spoke a lot with Mio-nee-san each time she came back from the imperial capital. Mio-nee-san went to the imperial capital often and he asked her for a landscape painting. I remember looking at the landscape painting and repeatedly ask 'Where is this from?'.

The days when I lived with Nii-san were indeed very relaxing.

Eventually, the dairy cuts off on a certain page.

The last entry's date is two days before he pa.s.sed away.

There are many things written on this day.

『Imperial calendar, Year 345, 8th month, 7th day, Day of Fire

Finally, the accessory I want to gift to Yunu is completed. Luca put the picture in a stone, so I'm sure it will last a long time. Next time, let's make another one for him.

I'm sure the day I will die is coming soon. I can no longer feel my feet. Those feet I never really got to use, but I wanted to treasure them for as long as I could… I wanted to go to the imperial capital, to the place Mio went.

Oh, I guess I could also take Yunu and Luca too. I'm sure it's more pleasant to travel with a large number of people. To go on an adventure, to various places, to travel around the world!

…Hehe, such a lovely year makes me feel like a child again. 』

The dairy ends here.

Did Nii-san want to go on a journey?

When I suddenly raised my head, the landscape painting brought by Mio-nee-san was caught in my sigh. Gra.s.s-covered plains, on a side there was a wheat field, rocky mountains, a marsh, snowy fields, the wilderness, and in addition to the houses in the forest, a wonderful castle.

Unlike me, Nii-san's whole world was only what he could see from this room and through the window, since he wasn't able to walk. This is just merely a painting of a scenery, so even if he wanted to go, it is impossible to go inside a place drawn in a painting.

—I wonder if I can go see this scenery in his stead.

I think that saying 'in his stead' is rather strange.

But I have no family left.

My mother seemed to have died after giving birth to me, and my father then became a man who never returned home since I was very little. And now, Nii-san, he was my last family member, but now he's also gone.

Soon, I will no longer be a child anymore. And when it comes to work, there is not family business to take over.

That being the case—