Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: When Does Tomorrow Come? (4)
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Today, from the morning on, Rafne's condition wasn't good.
It seemed like she had caught a cold, accompanied by a high fever and coughing.
So we decided to skip the academy for the day, and I stayed by her side nursing her while keeping an eye on her state.
After her fever broke and Rafne fell asleep, I stepped out briefly to the dormitory to grab some clothes and such.
There, I spotted Emily sitting under a tree.
"So, just overlook this one time. When today ends and today comes again, then I won't trouble Ken anymore...."
"......"
"Hic, Ke, Ken... Uuup, sob, I won't make things difficult for him anymore...."
And what followed was Emily's sudden confession.
And her explanation, which nagged at me for some reason.
'...When today ends, ...today again?'
It was certainly incomprehensible, but something in my memories clicked.
It was the random event that happens to Emily, the protagonist in the game.
One of the Demon King's army invasion events at the academy.
The ten-day time loop event.
"......What, ...did you say?"
To my question about how many times she'd died, Emily stopped crying and stared at me blankly.
How many times she'd died.
In the time loop event, this number was the most crucial part.
Because it signified her remaining lives.
It might just be my misunderstanding, but her words held enough possibility.
Even if it seemed strange, I had to confirm it clearly.
This was reality.
There were no save loads to restart after the tenth death.
"By any chance, if you die now, don't you start over from morning? How many times have you repeated it?"
"Ke, Ken... How do you..."
My guess seemed to be spot on.
Emily wore an expression of disbelief.
And once she grasped the meaning of my words, tears began streaming down her face again as she approached me.
Her tear-streaked face pressed against my shoulder, and she collapsed as if her strength had given out.
I supported her as we both lowered ourselves to the ground.
Emily finally managed to speak through her sobs.
"Ke, Keeen... I, I, hic, right now... Uuup, I'm right now..."
"I know. Calm down, Emily. I can help you."
"...Hic, uuup, Keeen..."
Then Emily buried her face in my chest and began to sob as if unleashing all the emotions she'd been holding back.
Having watched her loops in the game, I knew the kind of torment she must have endured.
This ten-day loop was an event steeped in horror elements, the most mentally shattering one among those Emily experiences in the game.
I lent her my chest until she calmed down from her crying.
"...The sixth time."
After calming, it was the death count Emily told me.
Six times meant there was still some leeway.
"Emily, calm down and listen carefully to what I say."
"Y-yeah."
Her tears had stopped, but with red-rimmed eyes, Emily nodded heavily.
"First, you have to die in this loop."
"...Wh-what?"
At the harsh reality, Emily looked flustered.
It was brutal, but unavoidable. She couldn't be saved in this loop.
But it was the reality she had to endure if she wanted to live.
Emily's shoulders trembled, tears welling up again.
"And when you wake up in the morning after dying, head straight to the academy."
"Uuup, sob, okay."
She looked agonized by the cruel truth, but Emily did her best to compose herself and listen.
I placed my hand on her shaking shoulder.
Now for the most important part.
"On the way to the academy, there'll be a student who drops and breaks something every morning."
"Y-yeah."
"You have to catch that student's item so it doesn't break."
There was only one way to clear this time loop event.
Observe the situations repeating each loop and win over the clear NPC among them.
The student who drops and breaks their item every morning was that NPC.
Without them, clearing the event was impossible.
After that, I explained why that student was needed and what to do after catching the item before it broke.
"B-but Ken... When the next morning comes, you won't remember..."
"Don't worry. Bring that student to me. Even if I don't remember, I'll help."
In the game, that student was an NPC who only appeared in this event.
If Emily suddenly brought them to me, there'd be only one meaning.
Emily nodded at my confident reply.
And then, tears streaming again, she opened her mouth.
"Thank you... Hic, thank you Ken... Thank you for helping me..."
"Yeah, I'll help however I can. No matter what happens, I'll take care of it. So relax."
With that, I stroked the head of the crying Emily.
Emily stared at me blankly at my touch.
Oh, crap... This habit from Rafne made my hand move naturally seeing Emily crying.
...Was that weird?
But she said she liked me, so... she probably didn't mind.
"Um, Ken."
"Yeah?"
Emily placed her hand over the one stroking her, then opened her mouth with a face on the verge of tears again.
"...I'm, ...scared of dying."
"......"
"...Scared of suffering."
Emily's hand gripping mine was trembling.
"...It's okay, Emily."
I knew what she had gone through.
No matter that it was for solving the incident, enduring that pain again was truly harsh.
I couldn't even imagine how great that fear was.
So, as someone who couldn't prevent this loop's death,
The best I could do for her.
"I'll die with you."
I couldn't let her avoid death.
That scissor-wielding maniac would hunt Emily down no matter what and deliver a painful death.
So at the very least, I could make sure she wasn't alone.
I couldn't share her pain.
But I could stay by her side.
I didn't know how much that would help, but it was the best I could do.
Meeting my resolute gaze, Emily lowered her head and thought for a moment.
Then she let go of my hand.
And placed both hands on my shoulders.
She lifted her head and met my eyes again.
The fear was gone from Emily's raised gaze; instead, there was a hint of shyness and desire.
"Ken... I have a request."
"Yeah, anything."
"......"
Hesitating, she glanced at me, then as if resolved, bit her lip and slowly opened her mouth.
"Wh-when I die this time... you won't remember anyway, right?"
"Right."
"Th-then."
Emily looked at me with eyes I'd never seen before.
Her face flushed, she leaned in carefully, as if entranced.
"...Kiss me."
"......Huh?"
Emily's bewildering request.
Her eyes were serious.
"I'm really scared of the pain and death, but... if you kiss me... I think I can endure it."
At the word kiss, my gaze went to Emily's lips.
Her red, glistening lips.
At that alluring sight, my heart suddenly pounded fiercely.
I felt heat rising to my face.
"Is that... no good?"
With no answer from me, Emily looked at me sadly and asked again.
i pondered briefly, then steeled himself and met her eyes.
"Got it. If that helps you feel at ease."
If a kiss from a guy like me could lessen Emily's agony of death even a little.
Then I'd do it as many times as needed.
And with my answer, we stood from our spots.
Standing face-to-face.
I slowly approached Emily, and she stepped back a little until she leaned against the tree behind her.
I carefully placed my hand on her cheek.
Her warm body heat transferred to me.
Emily’s cheeks flushed, her eyes moist.
Her entranced eyes looked straight at me.
"...This okay?"
"......"
She nodded in response to my question.
And I drew closer.
And pressed my lips to hers.
"......"
"......"
Our soft lips overlapped.
Through my hand on her shoulder, I felt her trembling transmit to me.
And slowly.
I pulled our lips apart.
My face flushed with embarrassment, and I couldn’t meet her gaze.
Emily said nothing.
I carefully lifted my head to look at her.
Emily stared blankly, then smiled faintly and spoke.
"Idiot, that was just a peck."
"...Wh-what?"
I panicked at her words.
At my reaction, Emily blushed, lowered her gaze, and spoke.
"...C-can I ask for one more thing?"
"What is it?"
Emily raised her lowered gaze with a cautious face.
"Tell me... you like me."
She seemed even more embarrassed than when asking for the kiss.
"Sorry, but... since it'll be like it never happened anyway... Th-then...!"
"I like you, Emily."
"......"
At my serious words, Emily’s face reddened as she bowed her head.
Then she lifted it again, looking into my eyes with moist ones.
"...O-one more time."
"I like you."
"...More."
"I like you, Emily."
"......I like you too, Ken."
With tears in her eyes, Emily told me.
Somehow sad, yet with a joyful small smile, Emily closed her eyes.
Her lips waited for me.
I closed my eyes too and leaned in, pressing our lips together.
“…Mmm.”
Emily placed her hands on my face, and slowly our lips parted as our tongues intertwined.
I felt her saliva, her tongue slowly entwining with mine.
My heart raced like it would burst, my body heating up.
Our lips grew wet with each other’s saliva, and Emily and I delved deeper into each other’s lips.
Her sweet fragrance stimulated my nose.
Soon, her hands on my face wrapped around my neck, and Emily pressed her body against mine.
Her soft body touched me, her hot body heat spread all over.
I placed my hands on her waist and pulled her into an embrace.
How much time passed like that.
A moment later.
Emily’s shoulders jerked.
Her body began to tremble.
It wasn’t trembling from excitement.
It was fear from her closely pressed body.
I sensed it.
Death was approaching.
I pulled my lips away and looked into her fearfully trembling eyes.
I wanted her to feel at ease.
Not to suffer.
With those sincere feelings, I looked into her eyes and spoke.
“…I like you, Emily. I’ll be with you the whole time.”
Did my sincerity reach her?
Her terrified eyes soon turned to excitement and warmth.
Emily nodded happily, tears in her eyes.
“……Yeah. I like you too.”
And we kissed again.
Sharing a sweet time like loving lovers.
And that sweet kiss.
Soon ended with the metallic taste of blood.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Emily opened her eyes and saw the familiar ceiling, sitting up.
Morning.
It had been a start filled only with pain lately.
But now was different.
Emily touched her lips with an entranced expression.
Her first kiss with the one she liked.
Recalling that sweet, intense time made the pain of death feel trivial.
'Right, the thing I have to do right away...'
Snapping to her senses, Emily hurriedly got ready.
And running her usual path to school, Emily looked around.
The scenery that had become all too familiar.
In the unchanging landscape of the past few days, she spotted the person she was looking for.
There was a short student struggling to carry a glass ornament.
"Whoa...!"
As always, the student's foot caught on a stone, losing balance.
Emily caught the glass ornament the student dropped ahead of time.
"Waaah!! Th-thank you! I-I almost broke my really important assignment!"
The student, who had tripped over the stone and sat on the ground, looked up at Emily and expressed endless gratitude.
At that sight, Emily let out a sigh of relief.
And smiled at the student.
"Good. Then you owe me one?"
"......Pardon?"
"I need you to help me out."
She began the plan to escape the loop.