"Successful landing!"
Though she had landed while being carried, Alicia spun around like a child and cheered after leaving Gwen's arms.
"Ha..."
Seeing Alicia's adorable appearance, Gwen chuckled softly, his gaze growing gentler.
"Hmm?
You're not allowed to laugh at me~!"
Hearing Gwen's laughter, Alicia stepped lightly back in front of him and pressed a slender, jade-like finger against his lips:
"I'm only like this because being close to this place affected me a little."
As she spoke, Alicia lifted her fair chin, signaling for Gwen to look into the distance.
At that moment, they had not landed in the town, but in a forest. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves and fell upon the ground, illuminating a pink-haired little girl sleeping peacefully beneath the tallest ash tree, like a daughter of nature.
Though the little girl's face still retained some baby fat, it did not stop Gwen from connecting her to the girl beside him.
"Still, little Alicia was really cute."
Gwen held the slender finger resting against his lips, gently pinched it, and said softly.
"Hmm?"
Alicia quickly withdrew her finger and put on a fierce expression, making Gwen restrain his smile. Yet that adorably ferocious look only made the amusement in his eyes deepen.
Before long, a diligent gardener discovered the adorable child beneath the ash tree, brought her back to the frontier town called Vostok-51, and sent her to the orphanage beside the church.
The lively, adorable girl, who loved to smile and act spoiled, soon became beloved by the townspeople as well.
When the spring snow first melted, she stood at the church entrance and gave flowers she had picked herself to every passerby.
During the warm, sunny season, she weeded the orchard with the children from the orphanage, looking forward to that