The festivities that began during the day finally come to an end, and night has already fallen outside. We casually head toward the grasslands. By the time we reach our destination, our eyes have completely adjusted to the darkness.
「Look,」 she says.
Just like that day from before, the starry sky illuminates us. And once again, I think I see stars reflected in her eyes as she faces me.
「Ichiro, I love you so much.」
Sena says.
「I love you so much too, Sena.」
Sena is always like this. She approaches me with her bare heart, stripped of all pretense and artifice.
「Ichiro, I love you.」
She declares again. And so I too meet her heart with everything in mine.
「Yes, I love you too, Sena.」
Then Sena takes a step, jumps, and spreads her arms wide as she leaps at me. I catch her small frame and spin around and around. However, after about three turns, my feet get caught in the grass and I fall backward. Sena, now straddling me, starts giggling for some reason. Caught up in her laughter, I find myself laughing too, though I’m not sure why. These simple moments are joyful, these simple moments are precious. Both Sena and I share the same feelings.
「Looking back now, I can hardly believe that I—who used to live like a plant—now spend time among the bustle of people and even find it somewhat pleasant.」
Originally, she wouldn’t eat meals because she deemed them unnecessary, would complete her routines, and then would just sit still in the sun waiting for Sensei to return someday. Such days continued endlessly. A melancholic scene. That was how Sena spent her days when I first met her.
「Yeah. Both you and I have changed. And for the better.」
「I hope that’s true.」
Sometimes acknowledging one’s own changes can be frightening. Sena lets out a small 「oof」 as she climbs off my waist and sits down next to me as I continue lying on my back. When I stretch out my arm, she uses it as a pillow, and together we gaze at the stars.
「Ichiro,」
「What is it?」
「Those girls call me things like ‘Lady’ and ‘Boss.’」
She must mean Eris and Orphe.
「They say grandiose things like ‘Let us duel properly,’ and challenge me two-on-one head-on, then try to ambush me by concealing their presence… they’re such idiots.」
The muscle-head duo! What in the world are those two doing?!
「Every time, I make sure to pay them back about tenfold.」
Sena lets out a small laugh as if remembering something.
「Those two, you know, they’re idiots but they’re good idiots. They actually think things through properly, and above all, they’re genuine.」
「Yes… I can see that.」
Still using my arm as a pillow, Sena turns her body toward me.
「Thank you for helping me remember how to like people.」
Her words somehow make my chest tighten, and I find myself unable to respond properly.
「And thank you for teaching me how to love someone.」
Sena continues speaking.
「No, I’m the one who… without Sena… I wouldn’t be here anymore. If I had gone back to Japan, I think I would have lived my entire life until death unable to trust people.」
This is just a hypothetical. If I hadn’t met Sena, I would have surely used the Wish Orb that appeared in my pocket to reject this world and return to my original world early on.
「Sena, thank you for meeting me.」
To my words, she responds with 「You’re welcome」 and smiles somewhat awkwardly.
「Ichiro…」
「What is it?」
「You and I understand each other’s feelings completely. I know there isn’t even a hint of doubt about that.」
「Yeah.」
「That’s exactly why I’m hesitating.」
Whether to put these thoughts into words. I quietly wait for her decision.
「I vividly remember when you first came here. Having suffered deep wounds in your heart, you had little vitality and wore the face of the Living Dead. I never want to see you make that kind of face again. So—」
Sena grips my shoulder tightly. I feel in it a strong will to never let go. This is no longer just my imagination.
「The girls at the cabin all like you, don’t they? I can tell by watching.」
She whispers that she’s not sure if they’re aware of it themselves.
「I hate the humans of this world. I hate them so much I want to destroy everything—but, but you know, there are some things I just can’t bring myself to completely despise.」
Her two disciples, despite being beaten up again and again, somehow still look up to Sena.
「Just as I need you, you need me. Similarly, those deeply wounded girls might need you, and you might need those girls to remain yourself.」
「Sena…」
I didn’t know how to respond.
「People are complicated, and hearts are unpredictable.」
That’s what she had said when she encouraged me as I faced off against Ryūgūin. I agree completely. If only everything could be thought of in binary, ones and zeros.
「It’s unlike me to ramble on about such aimless things. But you know, I’ve really been struggling with this for a long time. I want all of you, Ichiro.」
「What are you saying? I’ll be with Sena until I die—」
She interrupts my words.
「No. That’s not what I mean…」
Sena shakes her head weakly.
「For your sake, and for those girls’ sake, I’ll turn a blind eye once again, just a little. So Ichiro, please listen to my request.」
「Request?」
That’s all I could manage to say in response to her words. She nods, saying 「Yes.」
「Before, I told you ‘Please give me the time until you return.’ But, I think I want to take back that wish.」
Sena, who is usually completely free of tension, is trembling.
「Ichiro, please. Stay by my side until the moment I disappear from this world.」
Sena’s eyes grow wet with tears. What I feel in that moment is pure impulse. I lift her up and cradle her against my chest. I hear my own heartbeat growing louder and louder.
「I understand. I promise. But you know, if possible, I’d want to disappear at the same moment you do.」
I desperately want her to understand my feelings. I’ve been struggling with the same thoughts.
「You know, in this world we have things like the Wish Orb. If we search, we’re bound to find all sorts of mysterious items and abilities. So let’s put aside all this talk about disappearing and vanishing for now, and just keep living together forever from here on. And then—」
This is just my fantasy, my pipe dream. But—oh, what the hell.
「I’m going to look for a way to travel between this world and Japan. Then, the two of us… no, the three of us including Sensei, I want you to come to Japan and meet my wonderful family.」
My grandpa and grandma would be so shocked they’d probably fall over. My quiet dad would probably try to hide his surprise and calmly ask, 「How did you two meet?」 Mom would make a huge fuss, saying 「My son brought home a girl!」 Hikaru, who loves subculture, would probably get excited about Sena and Sensei’s divine presence, comparing them to some anime character and squealing 「Wow, they’re just like [character name]!」
「Ichiro, I’m so glad I met you.」
Sena is seeing the same future as me.
「Me too. I’m so glad I met you, Sena.」
Important things should always be expressed to each other, as many times as needed.
「I’m looking forward to it, to living the future with you.」
Following my impulse, I support Sena’s waist, lift her up, and embrace her. She hugs me back. There’s something certain right here.
Though I’ve fallen into despair many times, I’m living here and now.
—I’m looking forward to it, to living the future with you.
Those were the words she said to me. Important words should always be expressed, as many times as needed. That’s why I want to convey these feelings.
「I can see a bright future living with you too, Sena. I want to be together forever and ever.」
Sena shows me her brightest smile yet.
「Ichiro, gladly.」
Overwhelmed with emotion, I can’t help but take her hand and stand up. Together we run through the grassland, imagining our future together, laughing with each other.
[The End]
If you enjoy it and wish to see more, please consider giving it a 5-star rating for the series on NU. Click Here.
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
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Chapter 259
○○○
The festivities that began during the day finally come to an end, and night has already fallen outside. We casually head toward the grasslands. By the time we reach our destination, our eyes have completely adjusted to the darkness.
「Look,」 she says.
Just like that day from before, the starry sky illuminates us.
And once again, I think I see stars reflected in her eyes as she faces me.
「Ichiro, I love you so much.」
Sena says.
「I love you so much too, Sena.」
Sena is always like this.
She approaches me with her bare heart, stripped of all pretense and artifice.
「Ichiro, I love you.」
She declares again.
And so I too meet her heart with everything in mine.
「Yes, I love you too, Sena.」
Then Sena takes a step, jumps, and spreads her arms wide as she leaps at me. I catch her small frame and spin around and around. However, after about three turns, my feet get caught in the grass and I fall backward.
Sena, now straddling me, starts giggling for some reason. Caught up in her laughter, I find myself laughing too, though I’m not sure why. These simple moments are joyful, these simple moments are precious.
Both Sena and I share the same feelings.
「Looking back now, I can hardly believe that I—who used to live like a plant—now spend time among the bustle of people and even find it somewhat pleasant.」
Originally, she wouldn’t eat meals because she deemed them unnecessary, would complete her routines, and then would just sit still in the sun waiting for Sensei to return someday. Such days continued endlessly. A melancholic scene. That was how Sena spent her days when I first met her.
「Yeah. Both you and I have changed. And for the better.」
「I hope that’s true.」
Sometimes acknowledging one’s own changes can be frightening.
Sena lets out a small 「oof」 as she climbs off my waist and sits down next to me as I continue lying on my back. When I stretch out my arm, she uses it as a pillow, and together we gaze at the stars.
「Ichiro,」
「What is it?」
「Those girls call me things like ‘Lady’ and ‘Boss.’」
She must mean Eris and Orphe.
「They say grandiose things like ‘Let us duel properly,’ and challenge me two-on-one head-on, then try to ambush me by concealing their presence… they’re such idiots.」
The muscle-head duo! What in the world are those two doing?!
「Every time, I make sure to pay them back about tenfold.」
Sena lets out a small laugh as if remembering something.
「Those two, you know, they’re idiots but they’re good idiots. They actually think things through properly, and above all, they’re genuine.」
「Yes… I can see that.」
Still using my arm as a pillow, Sena turns her body toward me.
「Thank you for helping me remember how to like people.」
Her words somehow make my chest tighten, and I find myself unable to respond properly.
「And thank you for teaching me how to love someone.」
Sena continues speaking.
「No, I’m the one who… without Sena… I wouldn’t be here anymore. If I had gone back to Japan, I think I would have lived my entire life until death unable to trust people.」
This is just a hypothetical.
If I hadn’t met Sena, I would have surely used the Wish Orb that appeared in my pocket to reject this world and return to my original world early on.
「Sena, thank you for meeting me.」
To my words, she responds with 「You’re welcome」 and smiles somewhat awkwardly.
「Ichiro…」
「What is it?」
「You and I understand each other’s feelings completely. I know there isn’t even a hint of doubt about that.」
「Yeah.」
「That’s exactly why I’m hesitating.」
Whether to put these thoughts into words.
I quietly wait for her decision.
「I vividly remember when you first came here. Having suffered deep wounds in your heart, you had little vitality and wore the face of the Living Dead. I never want to see you make that kind of face again. So—」
Sena grips my shoulder tightly.
I feel in it a strong will to never let go.
This is no longer just my imagination.
「The girls at the cabin all like you, don’t they? I can tell by watching.」
She whispers that she’s not sure if they’re aware of it themselves.
「I hate the humans of this world. I hate them so much I want to destroy everything—but, but you know, there are some things I just can’t bring myself to completely despise.」
Her two disciples, despite being beaten up again and again, somehow still look up to Sena.
「Just as I need you, you need me. Similarly, those deeply wounded girls might need you, and you might need those girls to remain yourself.」
「Sena…」
I didn’t know how to respond.
「People are complicated, and hearts are unpredictable.」
That’s what she had said when she encouraged me as I faced off against Ryūgūin. I agree completely. If only everything could be thought of in binary, ones and zeros.
「It’s unlike me to ramble on about such aimless things. But you know, I’ve really been struggling with this for a long time. I want all of you, Ichiro.」
「What are you saying? I’ll be with Sena until I die—」
She interrupts my words.
「No. That’s not what I mean…」
Sena shakes her head weakly.
「For your sake, and for those girls’ sake, I’ll turn a blind eye once again, just a little. So Ichiro, please listen to my request.」
「Request?」
That’s all I could manage to say in response to her words.
She nods, saying 「Yes.」
「Before, I told you ‘Please give me the time until you return.’ But, I think I want to take back that wish.」
Sena, who is usually completely free of tension, is trembling.
「Ichiro, please. Stay by my side until the moment I disappear from this world.」
Sena’s eyes grow wet with tears. What I feel in that moment is pure impulse.
I lift her up and cradle her against my chest.
I hear my own heartbeat growing louder and louder.
「I understand. I promise. But you know, if possible, I’d want to disappear at the same moment you do.」
I desperately want her to understand my feelings.
I’ve been struggling with the same thoughts.
「You know, in this world we have things like the Wish Orb. If we search, we’re bound to find all sorts of mysterious items and abilities. So let’s put aside all this talk about disappearing and vanishing for now, and just keep living together forever from here on. And then—」
This is just my fantasy, my pipe dream.
But—oh, what the hell.
「I’m going to look for a way to travel between this world and Japan. Then, the two of us… no, the three of us including Sensei, I want you to come to Japan and meet my wonderful family.」
My grandpa and grandma would be so shocked they’d probably fall over.
My quiet dad would probably try to hide his surprise and calmly ask, 「How did you two meet?」 Mom would make a huge fuss, saying 「My son brought home a girl!」
Hikaru, who loves subculture, would probably get excited about Sena and Sensei’s divine presence, comparing them to some anime character and squealing 「Wow, they’re just like [character name]!」
「Ichiro, I’m so glad I met you.」
Sena is seeing the same future as me.
「Me too. I’m so glad I met you, Sena.」
Important things should always be expressed to each other, as many times as needed.
「I’m looking forward to it, to living the future with you.」
Following my impulse, I support Sena’s waist, lift her up, and embrace her. She hugs me back. There’s something certain right here.
Though I’ve fallen into despair many times, I’m living here and now.
—I’m looking forward to it, to living the future with you.
Those were the words she said to me.
Important words should always be expressed, as many times as needed.
That’s why I want to convey these feelings.
「I can see a bright future living with you too, Sena. I want to be together forever and ever.」
Sena shows me her brightest smile yet.
「Ichiro, gladly.」
Overwhelmed with emotion, I can’t help but take her hand and stand up.
Together we run through the grassland, imagining our future together, laughing with each other.
[The End]
If you enjoy it and wish to see more, please consider giving it a 5-star rating for the series on NU. Click Here.
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
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