Having bought lemonade and run up the road, Koutarou stopped as he entered the observation deck. He saw Theia and Elfaria hugging each other.
“A mother, huh...”
He had seen Elfaria and Theia together countless times but this was the first time he had ever seen Elfaria do something directly motherly.
“Master, you're here”
Noticing Koutarou standing still, Ruth walked up to him. She also felt like she shouldn't get in the way of Theia and Elfaria, and upon noticing Koutarou she purposefully walked towards him to distance herself from the mother and daughter.
“...”
However, despite Ruth being right next to him, Koutarou stood still doing nothing.
“Master?”
Confused, Ruth called out to him again, and this time he finally noticed her.
“Ah, Ruth-san”
”Is something the matter?”
“Well nothing is really the matter... I was just surprised over something so obvious, that Elle has become a mother”
Koutarou had a bitter smile on his face as he gave Ruth one of the bottles of lemonade. Ruth observed Koutarou's expression as she received the bottle. As she did, she couldn't imagine that he was just surprised.
“Master, you are longing for your lost mother, aren't you?”
“That's hard to answer as a man... but it'd be a lie if I said those feelings didn't exist”