Leah: "Mom always makes delicious food for us, but you don't eat anything..."
Sachiko: "I told you before, we can't eat because of our illness."
Sachiko: "Good boy, let's go play with Yukikaze Maru first."
Leia: "Yukikaze Maru and Hime-chan went out, saying they were going to pick up wood to make a dummy!"
Leah: "But a wooden dummy is definitely not comfortable to hold... I still like to sleep with my mother!"
Leah: "Hey, mom, can I sleep with you tonight?"
Sachiko: "Yes! Yes. We will also tell you many adventure stories!"
Sachiko: "We are very powerful! We have experienced many dangers! We have even killed demons and giant dragons!"
Leah: "Yeah! Moms are amazing!!"
Leah: "And those sisters and brothers... so many of them are so amazing!"
Sachiko: "Lea will also be very powerful in the future, right?"
Sachiko: "When the dummy is made, I will teach you everything I have learned throughout my life!"
Sachiko: "You will succeed me in the future and become the most powerful Kuroba-ryu ninja master here!"
Leah: "Oh! That's great!!"
Leah: "I still have a lot to learn!"
Sachiko: "In a few days, your animal ear mother, miko mother, and Yoshiyuki mother will also start teaching you various things."
Sachiko: "But I still focus on studying our courses."
Leia: "Why~ Because ninjas are the most powerful?"
Sachiko: "No, it's because we have to practice our special skills from a young age."
Sachiko: "Lea, you have to study hard! We will be a good teacher!"
…
…
time flies.
Leah turned seven in a blink of an eye.
She noticed that Scarf's mother seemed to be in a very bad mood recently. She was always in a very low mood and completely lost her energy.
Everyone also asked Leah to spend more time with her. He also looked for various opportunities so that the two of them could be alone.
Leah tried every means to make Sachiko happy.
Scarf Mom always smiles because of her efforts.
But that smile was obviously fake, which made her feel sad.
Sachiko became increasingly depressed.
The mother who was full of energy every day and cheerful and optimistic about everything turned out to be like this, which made Leah worried and uneasy.
I asked Sachiko what was wrong, but she refused to tell.
"Did Leah do something wrong?"
"Is it because I don't work hard at learning ninjutsu?
"I...did I make my mother angry...I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Leah asked many questions.
Sachiko shook her head, hugged Leah, and said she was not wrong. Said Leah is a very good child.
"Then mom...why don't you smile...?"
"...Mom is smiling, look."
Sachiko smiled again.
...but that was a deceptive smile.
…
…
That day finally came.
Sachiko's mother, who rarely wears makeup on weekdays, rarely put on very delicate makeup and dressed herself up, making her look even more beautiful and lovely.
Leah was so happy to see her that she hugged her mother and asked her if there was anything good today.
Leah: "Hey! Mom, are you going to attend the party in the fairy tale book? The kind with many princesses!"
Sachiko: "No, our little cutie~ Mommy, I have to go on a long trip."
Leah: "I'm going too! We want to play together!"
Sachiko: "Humph~ Mom is not here to have fun? She has something big to do."
Leah: "That sounds so awesome!! Then... Then, shall I go with Mother Beast Ears to see you off?"
Sachiko: "No, it's very dangerous outside, and Leah is not old enough to go out and play!"
Sachiko: "Be good and wait at home."
Leah: "Oh... okay. I will be good..."
Leah: "...Hey, Mother Scarf, when will you come back?"
Sachiko: "It may take a long time. Don't miss me too much, okay?"
Leah: "No!! I want you to come back quickly! I have to see you every day!"
Sachiko: "Hey, we knew you would say that!"
Sachiko: "So we specially sewed a scarf for you? It's our favorite style!"
Sachiko: "Come, let's put it on for you! (Gently hugs Leah, squats down, and puts the scarf on for her)"
Leah: "Oh! So...so cute!"
Sachiko: "When you miss us, just look at the scarf, okay?"
Leah: "But I want to be with my mother more..."
Sachiko: "We will definitely come back, and we must listen to other mothers!"
Leah: "Yes!! I will!"
Leah: "Mom~ Have a nice trip!! When we come back, let's go fly a kite together!!"
Sachiko turned around and smiled at her, making an "ok" gesture.
Wu Nini, the mother of the animal ears, has been waiting by the car for a long time. She was unusually silent today, with her head lowered, and she didn't say anything until Sachiko walked into the car.
…
…
...Mom is lying.
She never came back.
…
…
How long has passed since I said goodbye to my scarf mother...?
Leah, who had been wearing the old scarf, finally understood why everyone was deliberately letting her stay with Sachiko during that time.
All four mothers passed away one after another.
But only Sachiko left her early.
Everyone not only hopes that Sachiko will teach Leah everything she knows while she still has the chance.
I hope I can leave more memories for her in that limited time.
The memory of when I was only a few years old has become very thin now.
...The figure of the petite white-haired ninja wearing a scarf also became blurry in her memory.
She couldn't remember much of what she did with Sachiko.
I can only vaguely recall some fragmented fragments.
But she still remembered the warmth in Sachiko's arms, and the hollow feeling that lingered in her heart forever after losing the love of her scarf mother.
Leah heard that Sachiko was afraid of being forgotten.
That would make her, who was about to lose her body and soul in the sacrifice, feel like she was truly dead.
...Not even a trace of its existence in this world was left.
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