Published: July 25, 2025
If only the clay tablets could be baked and preserved properly. Sigh.
I never thought they would explode.
If only we had a knife like Tulli’s, we could make wooden tablets.
After a small explosion in the hearth, clay tablet making was banned, and book production hit a dead end. While pondering the next method, Tulli turned seven.
Here, there is a custom of celebrating the seventh birthday grandly.
To be precise, it’s not the birthday but the birth season. Each season, a baptism ceremony is held at the temple, and all children who turn seven go to the temple to receive their baptism.
From then on, they can work as apprentices and are counted as members of the town.
Though religious ceremonies make me somewhat uneasy, if I think of it like Shichi-Go-San, a traditional celebration for children, I feel fine. It’s strange.
Children under seven are not allowed inside the temple, so Father and I won’t participate.
By the way, I’m excluded due to my age, but Father is forcibly absent. Unfortunately, Father has an unavoidable meeting on Tulli’s baptism day.
Moreover, this meeting was summoned by high-ranking nobles, and if he doesn’t attend, he might literally lose his head.
Scary!
Yet, Father grumbled from early morning, reluctant to go to work.
“I don’t want to go. It’s Tulli’s baptism! Why is there a pointless meeting on such an important day?”
Indeed, the baptism is important. Nobles have children too, so I thought they would be considerate about scheduling.
“Wait, do noble children not have baptism ceremonies?”
“I heard they don’t go to the temple but call a priest to the house. That’s why nobles don’t understand the feelings of commoners.”
Well, I just let his complaints wash over me since last night, thinking it’s fine if he can vent at home, but he’s persistent. The lament and annoyance of a dotingly overprotective father when a child’s sports day or Shichi-Go-San coincides with work must be universal.
I sighed as I carefully combed Tulli’s hair and parted it in the middle.
“Father, I’ll go with you, so please go to work. You can walk with Tulli partway. After all, only children enter the temple; adults wait in the temple square, right?”
If Father joined the procession partway and saw Tulli’s splendid appearance, maybe he’d feel better. I offered this, but Father kept grumbling.
“Waiting in the square is a father’s duty…”
“I think a father’s duty is to work and earn money.”
“Ugh!”
“If you hate going with me so much, then go by yourself.”
When I pushed him away like that, he looked at me with almost tearful, pleading eyes.
“…Alright, I’ll go with you. I’ll return immediately after the meeting. Tonight, we will definitely celebrate together.”
While I braided Tulli’s hair, she smiled gently at Father, careful not to move her head.
“Oh, Father. I know, I know. We’ll all celebrate together, right? I’m looking forward to it, so come home early.”
“Yeah.”
Seeing Father’s mood suddenly improve with that smile, I silently applauded in my heart: “As expected of Tulli. Our angel.”
That angel smiled and made one more request to me.
“Myne, watch over Father so he does his work properly.”
“Leave it to me! I’ll do my best so Tulli can attend the baptism without worry.”
“Hey, Myne!?”
Tulli laughed aloud at Father’s pitiful appearance.
Yeah, that’s a great smile.
Knowing how dearly she is loved, even if her father can’t come to the baptism, Tulli won’t feel lonely.
“Done. …Yeah, Tulli, you look adorable.”
“Thanks, Myne.”
After parting her hair in two, I braided both sides into a half-up style and finished with a hairpin.
It was made with winter lace flowers, matching the embroidery on her formal kimono. The hair ornament, like a small bouquet of colorful tiny flowers, suits Tulli’s cheerful and soft aura perfectly.
“Oh my, Tulli. You’ve been made beautiful.”
“Eh… Mother?”
Mother, who was going to accompany Tulli to the temple, also dressed up in her best outfit today. A simple ankle-length dress in pale blue looked cool.