Those Who Know

After another dozen seconds of silence, Amber broke it once more. The Half-elf lowered her head, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper. "...So I don't need to keep searching for my biological parents anymore, do I, old man?"

"We only wanted you to live like a normal child, and normal children have parents—after realizing that you would soon completely forget your early memories, Salilendorf and I lied to you. We said we had found you in the forest and that your parents' whereabouts were unknown," Pittman said in a low voice, shaking his head slightly. "Sigh, perhaps we should have made that lie more thorough. Then you wouldn't have spent so many years worrying about your biological parents."

"You always knew the name 'Artificial Human No. 36'?"

"After Salilendorf died, I found scholars of Ancient Script and asked them to translate those letters..." Pittman sighed and spoke slowly. "But it was actually meaningless by then. After reading his notes, even if I couldn't understand those letters, I could guess your origins... That was why I once wanted to take this secret into the grave."

Amber pressed her lips together. "Good thing you didn't take it with you. Otherwise, even if I had to dig you back up, I'd still come looking for trouble."

Pittman spread his hands, looking helpless. "I wonder who you learned that temper from."

Amber's lips moved, but no sound came out. She merely lowered her head and looked at the yellowed, worn diary. After a long while, she muttered, "At least this is an answer..."

Gawain reached out and gently brushed the top of her head. "You okay?"

"I'm not crying."

"I never said you were..."

"...I'm okay," Amber said, shaking her head, though she still did not avoid Gawain's hand. "It's just