Tears

[Hello? This is Toriel. I just wanted to ask, which do you prefer? Cinnamon or butterscotch?]

"Butterscotch," they answered in unison.

[Oh, I see. Thank you very much!]

They hung up, but before they had taken two steps, Toriel called again.

[Hello? This is Toriel. You don't dislike cinnamon, do you? I know which you prefer, but... you wouldn't pick it out if it were on your plate, would you?]

Linde and Frisk exchanged a glance, warmth welling up in their hearts.

"No, we wouldn't."

[Good, good, I understand. Oh, and thank you for your patience.]

The two continued solving puzzles. After dealing with a talking rock, they reached the next room.

Another Save Point appeared ahead. Frisk deftly saved their current progress, then sat down with Linde beside a table with cheese stuck to it to take a break.

"Say, Frisk, how did you fall down here, anyway?" Curiosity gleamed in Linde's eyes.

Asriel had asked that same question when Linde played the game in his previous life, but the protagonist had never answered.

Frisk scratched her head and said a little sheepishly, "Um... I heard that nobody who climbed Mount Ebott ever came back, so I wanted to take a look. Then I got lost (this account came from the first official trailer). Later, I accidentally tripped over a vine in a really dark cave, and that's how I fell down here."

"Huh? Didn't your mom and dad stop you? Don't they love you?"

Frisk slowly lowered her head in silence.

When Frisk didn't answer, Linde grew puzzled and called her name again. "Frisk?"

Frisk raised her head, her eyes a little dim, and said quietly, "I... my mom and dad died a long time ago. Now there's nobody in this world who loves me."

"Ah! Sorry! I didn't mean to."

They sat in silence for a while before Linde decided to talk it through with Frisk.

"Actually, I'm an orphan too, so I really understand how you feel."

Of course. A protagonist's parents were either both dead or both royalty, and Linde clearly wasn't that lucky. In his previous life, his parents had passed away early.

Frisk looked straight at Linde in surprise, only to find him gazing firmly into her eyes.

"Listen. Neither of us has parents, but that doesn't mean we have to go without love."

Then he gently patted her back, trying his best to offer comfort and encouragement.

"Think about it. Ever since we stepped into the Ruins, Toriel has shown us in all sorts of ways how much she cares about us and wants to protect us. She's done everything she can for us. We might not understand why she gives us so much, but when that call came, you must have felt how deeply she cared too, right? So we've never been without people who love us."

Frisk lowered her head. A mature child, she didn't let much of her emotion show.

Looking at this child, only ten years old yet almost as mature as an adult, Linde couldn't help letting out a long sigh inwardly.

He couldn't imagine what hardships and suffering this young girl must have endured to grow up so quickly.

Yet those unknown experiences were also what had shaped her indomitable character, making her the child with the strongest determination in the world.

"So you need to know that wherever you go, there will always be someone behind you, supporting you. And I'll be there behind you too. We'll... always support you."

"Honestly, you're not very good at comforting people. You keep jumping from one thing to another." Frisk smiled and looked up at Linde. "But I can feel how sincere you are when you say all that. Thank you."

Linde awkwardly rubbed his nose. He was about to say something when he saw that Frisk had already stood up, her expression as determined as ever.

"Sorry for holding us up." Frisk gave him an apologetic smile. "Let's keep going!"

She's so considerate... what would a ten-year-old have to go through to become this mature?

The question lingered in Linde's mind.

"Hey! What are you spacing out for? Let's go!"

"Oh, right. I'm coming." Linde shook his head, casting the thought aside, and entered the next room with Frisk-

"ZZZZZZZZZZ, ZZZZZZZZZZ (have they left?), ZZZZZZZZZZ"

A ghost lay across the path, loudly saying "Z" and pretending to be asleep.

Frisk tried poking the ghost with her stick-

The ghost sprang up, tears pouring out uncontrollably and flying toward the two in a barrage.

[Napstablook]

[Attack 10][Defense 10]

[This monster doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor...]

"Hey, Frisk, I think you're better suited to dealing with him. Give it a try, and remember to figure out what the monsters really need." With that, Linde retreated to the previous room.

He felt it was necessary to help Frisk develop the ability to handle monsters on her own. Yes, it definitely wasn't because he was lazy!

Frisk watched Napstablook nervously. "Figure out what the monsters really need..."

She heard the little ghost muttering to himself, saying sad, self-deprecating things.

So that means...

Frisk tried giving the little ghost an accepting smile. Napstablook paused, and he seemed to cry a little less.

It worked! Keep going!

Frisk told the little ghost a short joke. Linde was too far away to hear exactly what she said, but the joke seemed to cheer the little ghost up quite a bit.

The little ghost seemed much happier. He manipulated his tears, gathering them into a hat on top of his head.

"I call this one dapper blook. What do you think? Do you like it?"

"Oh! You look so elegant and gentlemanly now. Would you mind sharing more of your story with me? I'd be more than happy to 'explore' it with you."

In a moment of carelessness, Frisk triggered her passive skill, Flirt Master...

"Pffft! Hahahahahahaha!" Hearing what she said, Linde doubled over with laughter.

Frisk gave Linde a guilty glance, her face slightly flushed. He won't think I'm some kind of flirt, will he...?

Even the little ghost's pale cheeks took on a faint blush.

"Oh, I didn't expect you to be so... um... enthusiastic. You've been so nice to me, encouraging me and cheering me up... oh, I'm talking to myself again. I'll stop blocking your way. Have a nice trip."

With that, the little ghost floated away.

"Oh, darling, why don't you invite me to 'explore' with you? Hahahahahahaha!"

Laughing loudly, Linde patted Frisk on the shoulder and walked on ahead, laughing so hard that tears came to his eyes.

Frisk's face turned crimson, and she followed silently behind him without a word.