Chapter 70 – The Truth

The hero started talking about the past.

The story did not start after organizing the past, so the story continued like water flowing, as if talking about one thing and then continuing to the story when another thing came to mind.

At first, I was scared and a little worried about whether I would be able to talk properly, but as we talked, I became so engrossed that I forgot my fear.

Most of the stories the hero told me were about me.

Since the story is too long to tell while passing by the haunted house anyway, the story naturally came to be short and concise, but only the important parts were told.

Before returning, he told me about various everyday stories and memorable incidents between me and Hero.

It was said that only the important part was said, but it seemed that the important part was not so important to say that there was a story to tell.

The way he smiled as he brought up the story showed that the hero missed the past that much.

In a story that at first glance seems like a mere memento far from important, I came to one truth.

The more I listened to the story, the more I heard more and more uncharacteristic behavior from Lumia.

Before I came back, I heard things I would not have done if I was Rumia.

It was strange.

If the original hero does not approach, Rumia will not fall in love with the hero.

It was like that in the game, but it was a reality that followed the setting of the game, so perhaps Rumia only moved to defeat the demon king.

It was only in her last half, right before she defeated the demon king, that after learning the truth, she accepted her colleagues as her colleagues and friends and sacrificed herself to save them, so it was certain.

But the more I listened, the more I realized that Rumia was very emotional, and looking at myself now, it was absolutely not a normal situation.

Above all..

“…”

At the end of the day, right before I sacrificed myself, I revealed the truth to the hero. At some point, after her haunted house ended, I came out and was shocked by the fact that I was frozen on the spot.

It is said that before meeting the demon king, I cried while revealing all the facts.

He said he was sorry that he couldn’t reveal it until now, and that he couldn’t find a way to defeat the demon king no matter how much he searched.

The hero knew that I was not Rumia.

I couldn’t imagine.

To think that I would have revealed myself to the hero…

If you think about it differently, you can see that the me in the past was also me, not Rumia.

In the end, I came to love the hero at the end…

I bowed my head.

“I wanted to tell you why I came back to the past.. Last time I vaguely said that I had returned to the past, but I didn’t tell the truth…”

“…”

“You told me that you would probably be tormented by the guilt of taking over the body of a girl who was living a good life… And despair at having to conceive my child instead of a girl named Rumia.”

Did I say that…?

The journey with the warrior must have been very long.

Now that we know the sure way to defeat the demon lord, we just play like this without going on a proper trip.

In fact, even this was an adventure that lasted for several months, so it wasn’t such a short time adventure.

In fact, it would be more correct to say that he is in the middle of knocking down his heart rather than playing.

I don’t know the exact reason, but they said that if I fall in love with a hero and embrace his child, the demon king will be subdued.

The future me will know how I will act because I am eventually me.

If it was me who couldn’t fall in love with the hero, I would have wanted to tell myself in the past.

There is no other way.

I mean give up.

And I also predicted that she would feel guilty for taking Rumia’s body because she pretends to be strong but has a weak heart.

Was I playing with myself after all?

“Actually… I thought this story would be told in the distant future.”

“…”

“I asked you to tell me then, because one day… If you… Mix with me, you will suffer for that reason.”

Do you even remember all of that?

If I were to say before I came back, it would have been a very long time ago.

Maybe it’s natural

If you couldn’t remember the past vividly, you wouldn’t have told me those things.

The hero remembers everything.

– Then you know too..? The fact that I am not Rumia…

After all, I wasn’t that Rumia from the game.

Can I really be loved by the hero, or can I use this child’s body as I please?

I was so anxious about it.

And I felt especially sorry for the hero who kept deceiving such facts.

I’m a completely different person on the inside… But am I really okay?

– Are you really okay?

At some point, the hero was making eye contact with me.

Walking down the street, the warrior sitting on a bench put me on top of his leg and hugged me.

– What..

“Just a little bit… Can it be like this?”

Didn’t do anything.

He just sat there hugging me. At first, I asked for an answer, “What are you doing?”, But the hero did not answer me.

…

…

The warrior who had been sitting still for a long time put his head back and met his eyes.

“Are you calm?”

Are you calming down?

If you suddenly hug someone and stay still for a while and then ask them if they’re okay, what should I answer?

Of course, it was warm and stable, so I felt better than before.

“You don’t have to fall into self-loathing that much.”

Saying so, the hero put a barrier around him.

Just before, there were countless people wandering around, but as soon as the barrier opened, all the people wandering around disappeared.

What is this… How did it happen?

Could the hero have opened a barrier?

He knew that the hero could use magic, but he never thought that he could use space-dividing magic in this way.

I looked around with a puzzled expression.

“It is the power of the holy sword.”

“The power of the holy sword..?”

“I brought you here to show you that you don’t need the guilt you have now.”

“I brought it.. Eh?”

I thought something was weird…

Why can I say

“Because this is an image world created with the power of the Holy Sword… I can speak. It’s the first time I’ve heard your voice.”

The warrior said that and smiled.

Ah.. That’s what it was.

This was not a barrier.

The image world is correct.

I knew it instinctively.

“But why are you here…”

“This is your imaginary world.”

To become a hero, facing yourself is essential.

Of course, it was natural to develop mental strength in order to open the power beyond the limit, that is, the power of the holy sword, to a higher power.

That’s why it’s one of the powers that the Holy Sword has.

“The power of the holy sword, and one of them is the power to create an image world.”

Yes, there was such a setting during the setup.

So, why did you write that to me now?

“Then why did you bring them here.. Uh..?”

What..

I froze at the familiar face on the ride.

When the warrior also looked in the direction I was looking at, he looked back at me with a firm expression for a moment.

“It’s exactly what you said… The fact that you’ll find out if you go to the world of images.”

“Uh..?”

“I’ll just go. It’s dangerous to stay here any longer.”

The hero said that it was dangerous to interfere with other people’s world of images, and his body began to slowly disappear.

“Warrior..?!”

“Sorry. I want to help more, but I can’t interfere here… See you later, Rumia.”

“No, so..!”

I panicked and tried to call the warrior, but he disappeared from here before I could call.

What the hell…

How did this happen..?

Why is there me… “Rumia” There?

I put on a dazed expression at the sight of a girl who was enjoying herself while wearing Rumia’s usual clothes, riding alone in a world where no one else existed.

Among the numerous rides in the amusement park, she, who had been enjoying riding the rides that seemed to be in a playground alone, looked at me, no, Rumia.

The moment I made eye contact with the girl, I knew instinctively.

This girl in front of me is the real Rumia.

The Rumia I knew was right… That truth.

“You..”

“…”

Me and her had been looking at each other for a long time.