Chapter 161
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The two meet and spend much time together.
Of course, their relationship isn’t perfect from the start.
One is a lonely young man carrying wounds in his heart, while the other is a red-haired girl who has never had friends before.
Both struggle with personal boundaries, and their awkwardness isn’t surprising.
However, despite maintaining some distance, they gradually move closer together, working through their awkwardness to find the right balance as they conduct research for the red-haired girl’s advancement.
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Then one day.
By this time, the two have grown much closer.
Their day and night research sessions tickle the young man’s curiosity.
「Maybe we could do this? Maybe we could try that?」
When he makes suggestions, the girl’s excitement peaks, her eyes sparkling as she throws herself at him in a hug.
The young man, flustered, thinks to himself that she’s right on target.
Whether training, studying, or researching, they’re always by each other’s side. It doesn’t take long for the young man to realize how essential she has become to him.
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When he opens the door to the room, he finds the red-haired girl lounging on the bed.
She puffs her cheeks and says 「You’re late,」 but when he arranges meat skewers and fruits from the street vendor on the table, she snaps her fingers and says 「Not bad!」
The young man reflects deeply.
When they first met, she had been somewhat stiff and tense, but now she shows him such relaxed expressions.
However, he worries that perhaps they’ve misjudged appropriate boundaries, as the girl seems to initiate an awful lot of physical contact.
The young man finds himself mentally chanting mysterious prayers to maintain his self-control.
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It is on another night.
「Hey, what kind of magic should we develop next?」
The red-haired girl asks from where she lies on the bed.
「Hmm, that’s just it. I’ve been thinking about that…」
「Don’t overthink it! Look, we’re the ultimate combo, right? We can recreate any kind of magic!」
The girl sits up and spreads her arms wide.
「Well, since the compression worked out well, next is—」
「Next is?」
The girl gulps at his teasing tone.
「Fusion magic—maybe?」
The red-haired girl always loves his wild, unimaginable ideas.
「Fusion magic is when two or more people combine different types of magic attributes and release them together.」
「That’s perfect for us!! Let’s do it right now!」
She jumps off the bed, eager to begin.
Seeing her childlike innocence, so different from her usual cool image, the young man feels his heart grow warm.
At this moment, he thinks of the red-haired girl as both a handful little sister and his best friend who perfectly understands him.
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「You know, I’m really happy lately,」
The girl mumbles, her face downcast.
She opens up her heart, as if speaking to herself.
About having no friends.
About how the time spent with the young man is the best thing ever.
And then—
About how she’s been working so hard just to prove wrong all those who had mocked her.
Looking at oneself and laying bare one’s feelings can sometimes be the scariest and most difficult thing to do.
Yet she reveals the darkest part of her heart that she least wants to touch. Then she quietly admits that she’s someone deserving of contempt.
To the girl who looks ready to cry, desperately seeking support, the young man wholeheartedly denies her self-deprecation.
「I’m the same.」
He says, baring his own heart. Then adds wisely,
「You’ve saved me too.」
The young man begins to cry.
Following her heart’s impulse, the girl hugs him tightly.
That’s the night they spend talking until dawn, clearly speaking about their pasts for the first time.
It’s also the day when the girl, who had been like a sister and best friend to the young man, becomes his one and only irreplaceable person.
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It was fun, every day was fun.
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Having created magic far surpassing advanced spells, and with a partner by her side.
The girl, who has grown much more confident, now shows bright expressions even in public. While walking through town together, some rude voices call out to them.
They are her former classmates from school.
Though they thoroughly mock the red-haired girl, she remains completely unfazed.
Seeing this, the young man feels 「She’s okay now」 and realizes one of his major worries has disappeared.
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His gaze is always warm, filled with affection.
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When the young man calls the red-haired girl 「Angie.」
Just that alone makes her heart feel warm.
When the red-haired girl calls the young man 「Ichiro.」
Just that alone makes her feel like she can do anything.
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Yes, Ichiro—
Ichiro, Ichiro, Ichiro, Ichiro—
He was my special person.
I named the many spells we created together 「The One (My World).」
As long as you were in my world, I didn’t need anything else.
I gave it that name, pouring in all my feelings, entrusting it with my wishes.
You were my light.
At least, that’s how it was supposed to be—
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The four return to town from the Light Dungeon.
Ichiro claims he’s healed his wounds with a potion. But the exhaustion from the deadly battle hasn’t fully lifted, and he can barely stand.
In front of him, the red-haired girl throws herself into the chest of the man calling himself a Hero, embracing him.
The girl looks up at the Hero, corners of her eyes turning down.
「Please take care of me, dear Hero!」
She says in an almost flirtatious voice.
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