Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Lost Connection (2)
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Rafne's memories.
Retrieving them has become my top priority right now.
Emily's and Mary's memories can wait until I've recovered Rafne's, then I'll tackle them step by step.
'The problem is how to recover those memories...'
To figure that out, I first need to consider why Rafne still has lingering memories.
Let me recap.
I changed the past.
Because I altered the past, related events vanished, and so did the memories tied to them.
But the emotions connected to those memories remain with Rafne.
That's where I formed a hypothesis.
It concerns the mechanism of changing the past.
Until now, I'd thought altering the past meant reconstructing everything from that point onward from scratch.
In other words, slicing out the existing timeline and pasting in a newly written history.
But if that were the case, Rafne's emotions and memories should have been completely erased.
Yet fragments of the pre-change history linger in her.
Maybe changing the past isn't about cutting and pasting—perhaps it's overwriting.
Not erasing the original history, but layering a new one right on top of it.
That would leave the original timeline buried beneath the new one.
And that's why traces of her pre-change emotions persist in Rafne.
Now the question is how to unearth those buried pre-change memories.
'But why do I still have my memories...?'
The thought hit me while pondering Rafne's memories.
Even my physical condition matches what it was after losing weight in the Tower of Tarros.
I only challenged the Tower of Tarros because of Rafne's prophecy, after all...
'My status window stats are the same too.'
My skill proficiencies and items are exactly as I remember them.
"Guess the only one to ask is this guy, after all."
I decided to consult the being who knew the relevant history best.
I gazed out the window.
I'm in my room in the boys' dormitory.
The sun has already set, and the moon hangs midway in the sky.
'It shouldn't be too noisy... right?'
A twinge of worry aside, I reached out my hand.
"Rapid Fabrication..."
Mana gathered at my fingertips, and countless categories and weapon blueprints flooded my mind.
"Tyrpione."
━Kiiiiing!
A burst of mana light, and in my outstretched hand gleamed a familiar antique longsword.
[...Umm... Huh? Where... Aaaah━!! Maaasteeer━!!]
Tyrpione in my grasp realized she'd been summoned and immediately extracted her spirit from the blade.
━Fwaaah!
"Waaahhh...!! You've called me back...!! I'm so haaappy━?!"
"Q-Quiet down! This is the dorm—sound carries to the next room!"
I hurriedly clamped her mouth shut. Her wide eyes bulged as she froze mid-leap into my arms, tears streaming.
She nodded meekly after hearing me out.
I cautiously released her.
But the instant I did—
"Maaasteeer━!!"
She flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"Ehehe, ehehehe. Sniff, haah, sniff, haah."
"Y-Yeah, I'm glad to see you too, so could you let go now?"
"Sob, you're so mean, Master. I've been waiting in that labyrinth all this time, just for you to call me."
Her sniffling voice near my shoulder tugged at my heartstrings for a moment.
After all, I was the one who'd tossed her into that labyrinth.
'Maybe let her cling a bit longer.'
She'd helped me a ton, so a little spoiling was fine.
A while later, after rubbing against me to her satisfaction, Tyrpione came to her senses and sat properly across from me.
"You mean our first meeting?"
"Yeah, do you remember when we first met?"
"Oh please, how could I forget that moment~? Hehe."
"Exactly. So you met me? At the bottom of Tarros."
"Of course! You came to my house, Master, and talked to me while I was just sitting there!"
"And when we parted?"
"Ugh! You callously tossed me away! ...Hehe, but that tough side of you was charming."
She twisted shyly, clutching her cheeks.
From her story, the history of our encounter matched my memories perfectly.
"What about... defeating the Ancient Dragon Tarros?"
"You summoned me and took it down in one hit!"
"Remember the people with me then?"
"People with you...?"
This was the key part.
In the altered history now, Rafne, Emily, and even Mary have no memory of conquering the tower with me.
Tyrpione stared blankly at me for a moment before exclaiming, "Ah!" as if it had dawned on her.
"There was definitely a black-haired swordsman helping you out! Right when that Ancient Dragon was about to breathe, he threw himself in and shielded you."
"...I see."
I'd pinpointed the discrepancy.
In this current history, it seems Siegfried and I conquered the tower alone.
'...Makes sense. Without helpers, opening the shortcut would be impossible.'
So in this world, Siegfried handled that monster rush by himself...?
Even if the reduced numbers lowered the difficulty, that's still insane skill.
"Thanks, Tyrpione. You really helped."
"Ufufu, I'd do anything for you, Master."
She slyly bared her shoulder.
Revealing a generous glimpse of cleavage...
"If you want, I can give you my first time right now..."
"Good work. Now rest up."
"Ah, waait?! M-Master?!"
I ignored her cry and stowed her in my subspace pocket.
Her noisy voice faded away.
As a spirit, she'd return to the labyrinth if she hated the pocket.
"Still... just Siegfried and me, huh..."
Hm?
Hold on. Isn't someone missing?
"...Where's Adrian?"
Come to think of it, I hadn't seen Adrian all day today.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day, I headed to the academy earlier than anyone else.
The reason? That damn prince.
'Why haven't I seen him...?'
Striking blond hair, handsome face, and the center of the class to boot.
If he entered the classroom, I'd notice him immediately.
For comparison, students I pass on the way to the academy whisper about me.
It's only been two days, so I'm getting used to it, but the stares are still burdensome.
Adrian takes those gazes in stride, so if he were in class, I'd know.
I arrived early, took my seat, and watched the incoming students.
"H-Hi, ...Ken."
"Huh? Oh, hi."
Students started trickling in.
"Y-You're early? Good morning."
"Oh? Yeah."
Oddly, as I stared at the back door, incoming students waved and greeted me one by one.
Then...
"Hi! Long time no see. Remember me?"
"Ken, how'd you lose the weight? Gym during break?"
"Whoa... Check out those arm muscles. What do you work out with?"
"Should've lost it sooner. You were cute before too, but... damn, you slayed it!"
"Uh, y-yeah, um, but..."
People started gathering around me.
'...This is nothing like before.'
Most of the girls chatting me up had never spoken to me before I slimmed down.
But today, they're especially approachy.
With each new arrival, the next one joined even more boldly.
Soon my view filled with students, blocking the back door.
'Can't see if Adrian comes in like this...'
This is awkward.
Sure, a fat guy vanishing and returning transformed naturally piques interest.
I get that.
But crowding like this is inconvenient all around.
Especially when I'm trying to spot someone...!
That was when.
"Hey~. What's up, guys?"
"Oh, Enzo. Hi."
Someone pushed through the girls surrounding me.
Orange hair and earrings—distinctive male student.
'...This guy.'
"Whoa, Ken. You look totally different— unrecognizable."
He slipped between the girls, spotted me, and waved with a friendly grin.
Definitely seeing him for the first time since possessing this body.
But I remember him.
Definitely...
'The guy who clashed with Adrian and dropped out of the academy.'
Got it.
Enzo Lotrix.
First year, first semester.
When [Academy of Epiris] started and introduced Adrian.
An extra character used to showcase Adrian's nature.
'...Obsessed with girls, loved the attention.'
Enzo wanted the girls' exclusive focus, but Adrian got in the way.
Since the girls flocked to Adrian instead.
So he stirred up some incident, got caught by Adrian and Emily, and was expelled.
A glimpse of the hidden prince Adrian's influence.
'His presence here means...'
Then the back door slid open.
━Rrrrk.
"Morning~."
"Oh, morning, Emily. Early today?"
Emily was shuffling in, sleepy-faced.
Spotting her, I jumped up, excused myself from the surrounding students and Enzo.
"Sorry, one sec! Got something to do. Haha."
I burst through the defensive line like crowd and dashed to Emily, who was setting her bag down.
"Emily!"
"Huh? ...O-Oh?!"
"Spare a moment!"
I grabbed her arm and hauled her out of the classroom.
Luckily, though startled, she followed without resistance.
I'd braced for her to yank away, but...
"Wh-What's this about...?"
I dragged her to the end of the hallway.
The west staircase, deserted in the morning.
Upon arrival, Emily flushed and averted her gaze, stolen glances turning to panic when our eyes met.
What's it about, indeed.
'It was an excuse to escape, honestly...'
Flustered, Emily caught my eye, and I impulsively pulled her along.
Pre-change, leaving class with close friend Emily would've been natural.
But now, she and I aren't close.
'Well, we talked plenty during the bullying phase.'
Sure, it was head-stomping reciprocity, but we conversed a fair bit.
Rubbing shoulders, kneading belly fat, nibbling ears, pinching arms.
...Not conversation?
"Uh, so, like..."
Since I dragged her here, I needed a decent excuse.
Saying "Just escaping the crowd!" would earn me a smug head-stomp.
Oh, right.
"Hey, Emily."
"Y-Yeah?"
Calling her name softly, she startled excessively, eyes wide on me.
Avoiding eye contact, face red.
"Ever heard the name... Adrian?"
What I wanted to know:
Adrian's whereabouts.
Pre-change, Adrian and Emily were tight—practically besties.
On that slim chance, I asked her about him.
Praying she at least knew the name.
But Emily tilted her head at my question.
"...Adrian? ...Sorry, first time hearing it."
Her answer turned my suspicion into certainty.
'Adrian's not at the academy.'
Why?
No need to ponder.
The history changed.
He'd infiltrated the academy in disguise because of Rafne from the start.
Targeting the child of prophecy the demon army sought—Rafne.
But with that prophecy erased...
Adrian had no reason to come.
'...But Emily's here too.'
Emily's the kingdom's prophesied child-bearer of the savior.
Does she not need Adrian's oversight?
Reality shifted again, stinging my chest.
We'd bonded on that trip, after all.
'...No. ...It's fine.'
I shook off the gloom.
Recalling my goal.
Restore Rafne's memories.
If possible, then Emily's, Mary's... and Adrian's too.
'Meeting him in the palace might be tricky, but...'
The hope eased my mind.
I smiled at blankly staring Emily.
"Thanks, that was exactly what I needed to know. Big help."
"R-Really?"
She smiled shyly, peeking up at me carefully.
Flushed cheeks, bashful expression.
Then she bit her lip, bowed her head as if steeling herself,
and looked up, opening her mouth.
"Um... Ken."
"Yeah?"
"Since we're alone... I wanna say..."
Twiddling index fingers, eyes darting.
"I, uh, thought a lot yesterday? About, y'know... how I, um... b-bul-bull... bullied you..."
Her eyes welled up as she stammered.
Face like she might cry any second.
But determined to speak, she pressed on.
"S-So, what I wanna say is... ...S-Sor."
"...Sor?"
"S-So..."
She hesitated, tears brimming as she gazed at me.
Seeing her, past events flashed by.
'Sorry for bullying you... really sorry.'
'Not asking forgiveness. What I did can't be undone with words.'
'But I had to say it. ...Sorry, Ken. Really, truly sorry.'
After clearing the ten-day time loop event, Emily's words to me.
Even then, guilt weighed on her.
And at the loop's end, she apologized sincerely.
'So that emotion lingers in Emily too...'
The regret and desire to atone remain.
But current Emily only recalls bullying me.
That's why she's mustering courage now.
To apologize again.
'You got this! Emily!'
I silently cheered her on, waiting for her to finish.
"S-Sor—!"
Just as resolute Emily teared up to confess—
"Her?"
A familiar voice came from behind me.
"Wh-...Huh?"
Startled mid-apology, Emily peered past my shoulder.
I turned too, following her gaze.
"She's the one you mentioned yesterday... the 'one you wanna take responsibility for'?"
There stood Rafne, glaring murderously at us both.