When he was younger, Rodri was the type to immediately act on his impulses.
He had a strong sense of justice and wouldn't stand by for anything he judged to be wrong.
A pure and honest boy. To put it more bluntly, a simple-minded idiot.
"Oh, Rodri. You look lively again today."
"Hey! How's everyone doing?"
Despite that kind of personality, he wasn't shunned by others. In fact, people found him endearing.
He was an idiot that people enjoyed being around.
At festivals, he worked harder than anyone else when it came to preparations.
When his little sister got sick, he nursed her without sleeping for three whole days and nights.
He was the first to rush out when animals attacked the fields.
Rodri was well known back in his hometown.
"I've decided. I just can't forgive those Sabbatian bastards…"
"Rodri…"
But it was perhaps that impulsive nature that brought about misfortune.
After hearing of the Sabbatian Army's misdeeds, Rodri decided to enlist in the military.
"I'm begging you, Brother Rod. Please reconsider."
"No. I'm going."
When his sister heard of this, she tried to stop him with tears welling up in her eyes.
Even as a child, she knew that going to war meant he might never come back.
"Don't worry. I'll earn us plenty of money."
"But the farm work will fall behind. We can't lose a strong pair of hands. And besides… besides…"
Rodri's sister was a quiet girl.
She rarely showed much emotion and would tease her brother with a laidback demeanor.
"If you leave… I'll be lonely."
Yet now, that same sister was clinging to the hem of Rodri's clothes, her eyes full of tears.
"…"
Even Rodri became hesitant. His sister's tears were enough to shake his resolve.
"Sorry."
In the end, he still enlisted.
For better or for worse, he was simple-minded.
He thought that if he just slept on it, his sister would accept it by the next day.
"…Idiot."
When the day came for him to leave home, his younger sister never once looked at his face.
"Brother Rod, you idiot!!!"
Her mood didn't improve, and she just glared at her older brother as he left.
Rodri had to leave without even a proper farewell.
"I didn't think she'd get that angry."
"Well, that's obvious."
That farewell became a deep wound in Rodri's heart.
He loved his sister so very much. To be cursed at by her without even a proper goodbye stung.
"Rodri, you don't understand a girl's heart."
"Grandma…"
Certainly, Rodri hadn't understood his sister's feelings. That was why things turned out this way.
"…Make sure you reconcile properly."
"I wonder if I can?"
"You can."
With that lingering regret in his heart, Rodri swore he would return home once the war was over.
"For that reason, you absolutely must come back alive."
Determined to come back alive, Rodri set off for Austin's capital, Winn, to become a soldier.
***
Even after joining the military, Rodri remained a bit of a problem child.
"Hey, Rodri. What's with that mouth of yours?!"
"Tsk."
Rodri had a habit of snapping at anyone he didn't like, regardless of who they were. This often led to trouble with senior soldiers.
"You'll never be popular with women if you keep that attitude up!"
"Ha! So what? I didn't come here to fight just to get popular!"
The truth was, he wasn't very good at dealing with people. It was the downside of having grown up in the narrow community of a small village.
"Come on, don't get so worked up. He's still young."
"Gray, but…"
"The young still have the privilege of being naive."
On top of that, Rodri had suffered the trauma of his very first squad being wiped out.
It wore down his spirit. He shut himself off and closed his heart.
"You should back off, too, Rodri. There's no point in exchanging insults with your comrades."
The one who helped the immature Rodri grow was a senior soldier who just so happened to be in the same platoon, Gray.
"What's with you, Senior Gray? You're acting all high and mighty."
"Oh, wow. Someone's in high spirits."
"Mourn the deaths of your comrades, but have the strength to move forward."
Those words from Gray touched Rodri's heart.
"Damn it… damn it…"
In the end, Gray sacrificed himself to allow Rodri and the others escape.
"I… don't want to have to be protected by someone else anymore!!"
Rodri grew through Gray's death.
Kind, warm, and brave. His existence left a deep mark on Rodri's immature heart.
"Senior Gray was cool."
Rodri aspired to become a man like him.
He began to ask himself: "What would Senior Gray do?" And he acted with that in mind.
"Senior Gray was cool. That's all."
He stopped turning away from his comrades and began to get along with them. And when he did, his naturally pleasant personality made him well-liked by both seniors and peers.
Among them, he grew especially close to a combat medic who was a year younger than him, Touri Noel.
***
"If you're interested, would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow?"
Finally, Rodri reached a turning point. He was about to have his first-ever date, and it was with his comrade, Touri.
"Hmm… well, that's fine. The theater, huh? So that's where we're going?"
"Yes, if it's open."
When his comrade asked him out, Rodri agreed without hesitation.
He thought, "Senior Gray would never turn down a date invitation."
The girl looked delighted when he accepted the invitation.
They were only going to see a play together. Why did it make her so happy?
"Hey, hey, you guys. A date in such a time of crisis? Look at you two lovebirds."
"Even if you call it a date, it's with Touri, so…"
Touri was a quiet girl who had a bit of an eccentric side. She loved doing little party tricks.
Even though she wasn't the type to talk endlessly with Rodri, they always exchanged greetings before going to sleep.
That was the kind of subtle distance between the two.
"Oh, are you dissatisfied?"
"No, well, um… I guess it's a date."
It wasn't like Rodri disliked Touri. It didn't really bother him when others teased him about the date.
It was just…
"No, it's just that Touri is… well, I have a younger sister who's surprisingly similar to her."
"Your sister?"
The way Touri spoke and the vibes she gave off reminded Rodri of his actual younger sister.
Because of this, his sister would come to mind whenever he talked to Touri.
"What did your sister call you, Rodri?"
"She used to call me 'Brother Rod.' She's a cute girl. Though, she can be prickly at times."
"I see. 'Hey, Brother Rod', is your sister like this?"
"Stop it. Seriously, stop it. You really resemble her."
Hearing that, Touri mischievously imitated his sister's tone. The gesture was so spot-on that it startled Rodri.
"Heh…"
Touri chuckled to herself, clearly pleased that her teasing had worked.
As for Rodri, it only stirred up the memory of his bitter parting with his sister.
***
"Then, shall we go shopping today to prepare for tomorrow's date?"
"Prepare? What exactly are we preparing for?"
Rodri and Touri certainly got along well.
Still, it wasn't a relationship with any hint of romance.
It was more like close friends of the same gender, or maybe closer to brother and sister.
"Well, that's obvious. We're getting practical items we can bring for the upcoming
long-term mission. I definitely want to get some spare clothes and rain gear."
Touri invited him casually, happily suggesting they shop together.
Were those eyes filled with friendship or affection? Rodri couldn't tell at all.
"So shopping together isn't part of the date?"
"Well, that's just a matter of wording. You don't need to think too deeply about it.
Wouldn't it be convenient to say it was a date when your comrades ask what you did on
your last day off?"
"Ah…"
Rodri couldn't understand his younger sister's feelings. Maybe that's why he also couldn't figure out what Touri was thinking.
At times, he wondered if she actually liked him. Just as often, her tone made him think she wasn't interested in romance in the slightest.
She would only smile awkwardly and look troubled when the topic came up in the platoon.
"By the way, Rodri. Have you ever been on a date with a woman?"
"…I guess there's no need to put on airs with you. No, I haven't.
He didn't know how to navigate relationships with women his age.
Until now, the only girl he'd really interacted with was his sister.
"I see. Make sure you gain some experience then."
Saying that, Touri offered her hand with a teasing smile. It was a clear invitation to hold hands.
For a moment, Rodri's heart skipped a beat.
"Hm. I've taken my sister out a few times, and it feels like it might be the same
atmosphere as that. Alright, whatever. Let's just make some fun memories while we can."
"Yes, that sounds great."
Touri gave a knowing smile. It was as if she could see right through his flustered reaction.
He almost felt like he was being led around by an older woman.
"♪~"
Whether she realized his turmoil or not, Touri hummed happily as they walked.
…Rodri couldn't understand her at all.
***
In the end, their shopping "date" had no romantic atmosphere to it at all. They simply bought what they needed, checked items off a list, and that was it.
They picked up the favorite drink of their late platoon leader, Garback.
They went to a clothing shop and bought heaps of clothing. It was all practical, nothing more.
"Can you drink this, Rodri?"
"I don't know. But it might be useful as a good luck charm, right? In an emergency, I can
throw out the contents to store piss in."
"That's true."
Even so, Touri remained cheerful. She was talking more than usual, smiling as she did.
Was it because she was enjoying this "date" with Rodri? Or was she simply happy to spend time out with a friend?
"…Hey, Shorty."
"Yes, Rodri?"
"Ah, no. It's nothing."
Rodri almost asked the question, but stopped himself. Touri just looked up at him curiously.
What was the point of asking her, "Do you like me?"
"Where should we go next?"
"Hmm, good question."
As he glanced at Touri's face, his sister's image overlapped again in his mind.
Though Rodri definitely liked Touri, it wasn't the same feelings one would feel towards their lover.
It was the twisted affection that came from cherishing her as a substitute for his younger sister.
He at least knew this much about himself.
***
"…Oh, that toy store is still open. Let's make that our last stop."
"Alright, sure."
If she really did have feelings for him, what would she think if she found out he only saw her as a replacement for his sister?
The thought left Rodri with a heavy heart.
"How about this one? My little brother would probably like it."
"Even though it's a toy, do you really want to send a gun? Isn't it a bad omen?"
"Well, I guess you're right."
Touri was happily browsing through the toys. She looked like an ordinary girl her age, which was unlike her usual reserved self.
"How about a doll for your sister?"
"A doll, huh? To be honest, I don't know anything about dolls."
Rodri didn't know what Touri was really thinking.
Sometimes it felt like she really did like him. Other times, it seemed like he was just a close friend to her.
"Then let me choose one for her."
"Oh, I'll leave it to you then."
Well, maybe that was fine. Why poke around and stir up trouble?
As long as she was happy, that was enough.
"What's wrong, Shorty?"
As he watched her, she suddenly picked up a fox doll and stared at it blankly.
"Do you like that one? Its face looks kind of creepy."
"Yes. This doll is probably not a popular item."
Her expression as she held the doll was strange. It was like that of someone who had unearthed a long-lost treasure.
"Then why are you picking it up?"
"This was always the leftover doll at the orphanage. This fox is a doll that I used to
practice my tricks."
She hugged the doll to her chest, looking on the verge of tears.
Touri Noel had grown up in Noel Orphanage.
The same orphanage that had been burned down by the Sabbatian Army just months ago.
That strange fox doll was a piece of her lost home.
"Hmm, I see… Hey, store owner, how much for that fox?"
"Huh, Rodri?"
"Will this be enough?"
"Pleasure doing business."
He had acted on impulse.
The sight of Touri hugging the fox, looking like she was about to cry, overlapped too much with the younger sister in his memories.
"Here you go, Shorty. Take it."
"Um, ah, but…"
"If it means that much to you, it'll make a great good luck charm. Having it will calm you
down, so take good care of it."
Before Touri could say anything, Rodri bought the doll. He shoved the doll into the shopping bag.
"…"
Touri just stared at the doll she'd been given with wide eyes.
Maybe he'd been too forceful. Rodri just wanted his comrade, the girl he cherished like a little sister, to smile.
"Thank you so much, Rodri."
As she hugged the fox doll, her face was wet with emotion, but smiling all the same.
"Don't worry about it. Senior Gray definitely would have done the same thing"
"…That's true."
Yes, this was fine. After all, Touri looked so happy.
It looked like…
"I'll take good care of it."
"Ah."
He'd treated her like his sister again. Touri seemed to love the gift.
Also, it looked as if her cheeks were faintly flushed—
Stop it. Those kinds of feelings are no good.
Rodri told himself he didn't see her that way.
After all, he was a man. Those types of urges sometimes came without warning on the battlefield.
If he ever found out that Touri truly liked him…
"Hey, Shorty?"
"What is it, Rodri?"
He was afraid he might take advantage of her feelings.
And he knew Touri had once been hurt before when a former comrade looked at her with lust.
"No, it's just…"
"Is it hard to say?"
Touri Noel was a precious comrade.
Not a substitute for his sister, but someone who had fought by his side. He never wanted to see her cry.
"Ah, Touri? Sorry, I've got something I need to do."
"Oh, I see. So, Rodri, you're going to…?
He couldn't stay with her any longer. What if she gathered her courage and confessed?
"No, it's just… Senior Gray would definitely do this too…"
Of course, Touri never had that kind of intention. But being inexperienced with women, Rodri thought it'd be safer to just leave.
"I guess you're a boy, after all…"
"I mean, it's a rare opportunity, so…"
As a result, Touri ended up with a rather unflattering misunderstanding about him.
Still, Rodri deliberately didn't deny it because he thought it'd be more convenient to let her think that.
"…"
At that moment, Touri Noel's sulking face looked exactly like the face his younger sister used to make whenever she got upset.