CH 203

“…………”

“Wait, Ed!? What’s wrong!?”

Surprised, I covered my mouth and looked down, and Tia called out to me in a panic. However, I gestured for her to stop with my hand and addressed Harris, who was sitting in front of me.

“Excuse me, it seems the fatigue of the long journey has caught up with me… Even though I just said I would accompany you, could you let me rest for a little bit?”

“Ah, of course. It’s bad to push yourself too hard and get sick in a place like this. You should rest… By the way, I have a bit of preserved food—”

“No, that’s okay. We didn’t travel through this blizzard for nothing, we have secured our own water and food.”

“Is that so? Well, since you’re here, I suppose that’s the case… Understood. It’s getting late anyway, so I’ll also rest for today. We’ll depart tomorrow morning… no, noon. You guys should rest too.”

As he said this, Harris moved towards the corner of the room. The ceiling seems to be the only part of the room that’s sheltered, so it’s nice of him to consider that.

Taking advantage of his words, I sat down at the corner diagonally opposite from Harris. Immediately, Tia approached me, and began to speak while gently stacking her hand on top of mine.

“Are you okay, Ed? Do you want something to lay down on?”

“Haha, don’t worry about it. I’m just tired, so I’ll be fine if I rest a bit.”

To Tia, who was peering at my face with a worried expression, I responded with a small smile. Then, I playfully scratched Tia’s hand with my pinky, and she immediately understood my intentions and initiated our secret, [Missing Talk]

[What’s going on? Wait, did you pretend to be unwell because you wanted to have a private talk?]

[…Oh, well spotted, Tia. I can’t hide anything from—]

[Lies.]

Tia, with a teasing smile, gazed at me intensely. Her jade-green eyes captured my somber face, and she tightened her grip on my hand slightly.

[I think you wanted to talk to me privately, but that’s not the only reason, is it? If it’s something that I shouldn’t ask or it’s better not to tell, I won’t ask, but don’t hide anything from me at this point?]

[Ah… I’m in a tough spot.]

Scratching my head with my free left hand, I surrendered to my reliable partner’s persistence. I suppose it’s better to just talk it out rather than keep it to myself.

[Just a moment ago, I came up with a theory about this world.]

[Really? Then, as I thought, that man Harris is the Hero?]

[Yes, but… the Hero Harris I know was a fifteen-year-old boy.]

[…What do you mean? You’re not going to say that man looks like he’s fifteen, are you?]

“Pfft!”

Amused by Tia’s doubtful words, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Fortunately, Harris doesn’t seem to mind, but I glanced at Tia before continuing our conversation.

[Of course not! I think… I really think we might have arrived in this world about forty years later than we were supposed to.]

[Forty years!? That’s a huge time skip. So that means…]

[Yeah. This devastation is the price we pay for being late.]

When I was here the first time around, there wasn’t a blizzard in this world. Harris, who aspired to be a hero, was just like any other energetic boy, with the bravery and recklessness characteristic of young people. I travelled with Harris to the royal capital, where he would ultimately be recognized as a hero.

We continued to travel together after that, but once I secured my place as a member of the hero’s party, I started to slack off in my duties. Eventually, Harris expelled me from the party, and that’s how I left–

[But still, something doesn’t add up.]

[What doesn’t add up? What do you mean?]

[This blizzard…]

I already understand that my actions, or lack thereof, can change the course of the world. If anything, it’s only natural. If everything I did didn’t change the outcome, I probably would have lost my motivation and just idly passed the time. However, from that perspective, this world is strange. The difference between the first round and now is too great.

[From the time I came to this world to the time I was expelled, there was never a blizzard. But according to Harris-san’s story, the blizzard started around the time I was supposed to arrive. In other words, this blizzard is…retroactive. Or it’s possible that the blizzard started after I was expelled, but that doesn’t explain why we were thrown 40 years into the future this time around.]

[So, are you saying that this blizzard started and that’s why we couldn’t enter the world 40 years ago, as we were supposed to?]

[Probably. Based on our past experiences, it’s certain that we can change the flow of the world by interfering with the hero. If we’ve been thrown into the present, then it’s highly likely that the maximum interference we can do is to help Harris-san defeat the Demon King at this moment. In other words…once this blizzard had started, this world was beyond saving no matter what.]

[What…!?]

Onn Tia’s face, wide-eyed in surprise, both surprise and sadness were born. Of course. Even though we’ve saved numerous worlds overcoming various difficulties, if we’re told that the world we’re supposed to save is already at its end, anyone would want to make that face.

[Isn’t there something we can do?]

[There is. If the Demon King is the cause of this blizzard, if we defeat the Demon King this time, if there were to be a repetition in the future, there would no longer be a Demon King in this world. If that happens, there should be a peaceful future]

[…But, that’s for next time, isn’t it? What about this world where we are now?]

[I……… don’t know.]

To Tia’s words, which sounded like a desperate prayer, I closed my eyes and lowered my head to speak. Honestly, I don’t know what happens to the previous world when we repeat the same time. But if I can say one thing, it would be this.

[Still, I believe there is hope. After all, Tia, you’re here, aren’t you?]

Tia, who survived as the only one saved by her comrades, died with a sense of self-blame. By changing that fate, she is now in front of me.

What happened to the Tia who died that day? Where did her thoughts go? The world that repeats itself is nothing but my own subjective view, and there’s no way to measure it.

Still, there’s something certain. The warmth of our clasped hands is the only reality for me.

[Because Tia, you are here, I can believe in repeating time. Ending the tragedy here will surely lead to the future. So…]

[…Yes, that’s right. Let’s do our best together.]

Beside me, Tia sat down so that she could lean against me. As she tilted her head, Tia’s head rested on my shoulder.

“…snooze…”

“Haha, you’ve always been a quick sleeper, haven’t you?”

I said quietly to Tia, who started to breathe peacefully in her sleep almost immediately. Being able to fall asleep quickly is a good trait for an adventurer, but not many people have as easy a time falling asleep as she does.

“Goodnight, Tia.”

After stroking her soft hair gently, I closed my eyes to truly rest.

We probably can’t save everything. Even the things we can save might just be for my own satisfaction. Even so, I want to save. As long as this weight on my shoulder doesn’t disappear, I will never stop. Our enemy is the Demon King, who is more powerful than ever and has already destroyed the world. And undeniably, that is a fragment of my existence.

(I’ll do it… I’ll do everything I can.)

With that silent resolution in my heart, I let my consciousness fade away.