CH 43

When he woke up, Souya was lying beside a large tree. The soft sunlight. The sound of a babbling brook. The chirping of birds. A garden spreading out all around …… It was indeed a landscape that existed in his distant memory.

“You are awake. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. Rei.”

A woman with light blue hair and eyes of the same color that almost reached her waist, wearing a thin white cloth, stood beside the lying Souya.

The person, who reminds him of nostalgia, looked down at Souya lying beside the tree and spoke to him in a high-pitched voice.

“Hey …… It’s you. I was hoping to see your face. However, could you please stop calling me that? I’m calling myself Souya now.”

A certain local company, Section chief, Souya Rei.

That was his title in his present life.

“I’ve always wondered, why do you call yourself Souya? No one will know you’re Rei. It’s not like you who likes to be efficient.”

“…… That’s because this is my second time transferring to another world. Goddess Eris.”

When Souya briefly explained the reason, the goddess Eris tilted her head as if she didn’t understand at all. 

“Haaa~. It seems that you dare to want and have a hard time …… I don’t understand it.”

“There’s that kind of having fun too …… But if I’m here, does that mean I’ve used up all of my strength?”

“Yes. You are dead.”

Eris’ voice sounded happy. The reason for this is not hard to understand, but the way she said it made Souya a little unhappy.

“Don’t laugh …… As a reflection, the deadly poison was troublesome. Mia-kun did her best to deal with it with her sacred art, but she still doesn’t have the power to cure lethal poisoning in one go. I should have gotten a protection against deadly poison from you as well.”

The expression on Souya’s face as he lay there was filled with regret that because of his one mistake. If I could have avoided that black blade, I could have won without killing each other. 

“It’s a little hard to see how you’ll do in the future since you ended up killing each other with a little Silver Demon.  But I’ll give it 30 points for a good effort.”

“…… That’s easy for you to say. If you call it that, then I really don’t want to be a part of what you call a world crisis.”

Souya’s face clouded as he thought back to his earlier fight with the Silver Demon, and how much harder it would be in the future.

“I’m not very strong. I’ll leave the world’s crisis to someone else and live comfortably. Can’t I do that?”

“If you don’t want to return to your present world, that’s fine …… Rather, for me, it’s perfectly fine if you want to stay. But, I’m sure you’ll want to get involved if you find out about it ……”

Eris’ serious gaze. I wonder if something bad is happening in that world, something that Souya is involved with.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be a hero. You know what kind of position I wanted in this world, don’t you?”

“I do, but I never thought someone like you have become a coward, Rei …… Oh, by the way, don’t you dye your hair anymore? That Silver hair, it looked good on you.”

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“…… Once again, I am now calling myself Souya. Don’t expect me to act young like before.”

Souya felt uncomfortable as he vividly recalled the memory he wanted to seal up twenty years ago. Youthful indiscretion. If I could go back in time 20 years ago, I would have punched my younger self in the face.

“So, Souya. What do you have to say to me after twenty years? There is something, isn’t there?”

Goddess Eris asked Souya as if she was expecting something.

“…… Well, yes. First of all, your first letter is a bit roundabout and your handwriting is messy. The suit is a good one, but I would have preferred a different function for the glasses.”

“…… You’ve been so rude for a really long time. You demand everything, and then you say it like that. It’s not easy even for me to prepare high-class goods, you know?”

“I’m sorry about that …… Also, the Material Transfer Aport you taught me has been working great. Thank you.”

When Souya thanked her honestly, Eris’ expression relaxed. When she realized that I saw her, she turned away in a panic. 

“I want to ask you one thing …… Why did you save me that time, twenty years ago, with the Material Transfer Aport?”

“Huh, another sermon, huh. Telling me you wanted to die and that you never asked me to help you …… I’m sick of it.”

“No. That’s not it …… Why did you save me when I was originally destined to die without being reincarnated?”

Souya looked at her seriously, and Eris looked away. 

“…… Who knows. I wonder why ……I’ve been thinking about it ever since Rei disappeared. But there is no answer.”

The question and answer between Souya and Eris continued.

“Souya. Why did you choose to return to this world? If you didn’t have any regrets about this world, you should have lived in the world that you wanted. That’s what Rosalind would have wanted too.”

“…… This world has appliances and the Internet.”

“Don’t be silly.”

“Well …… I didn’t want you or her to see me grow old. Is that not enough?”

“With my help, you can become immortal …… Why don’t you want that? If you want, wish for it. Now.”

Eris looks at Souya anxiously, and her voice is expectant. But Souya shook his head.

“A desire for death. I can’t give that up.”

Souya remained in his fallen position, looking at Eris with vacant eyes, and stretched out his hands and laughed like a clown.

“I am a human being and you are a goddess. After all, we’re incompatible, aren’t we? …… What more is there to say?”

A decisive word of rejection escaped from Souya’s mouth. Then, Eris, who had been staring at me with a sad expression, suddenly covered her face with her hands. 

“…… You cry a lot, don’t you? Can you stay being a goddess like that ……? I was very worried that your boss would be angry with you on a regular basis, you know.”

Souya looked at the situation, sighed very largely, and finally raised his body. 

“I thought that after twenty years, you would be more or less reliable, but I guess not. I guess you’re still new at this anyway.”

“…… Yes. Because of you, my career is doomed. I will make sure you take responsibility for your actions. I won’t let you die.”

Souya thought about protesting against Eris’ resentful voice, but decided against it for now.

“For now, let me continue. With the Goddess’ Blessing.”

Goddess’ Blessing. It rejects death and revives the body completely. It was the most powerful benefit gift that Souya had received from the goddess Eris.

“I’m relieved to hear that you’re still willing to do this …… Game over is fine. That’s the kind of feeling you showed, after all.”

Eris looked a little relieved and approached Souya’s side.

“…… Will I see you again?”

“…… I can’t guarantee it, but maybe. I’m weak, so I might have to come back.”

Eris embraces the slightly transparent spirit body of Souya, who laughs to himself. After a few moments, Souya’s spirit body was enveloped in a dazzling golden light and transferred to the main body. 

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