Just the Two of Us
In my life, I hadn't had much of a 'me'.
As the Hero, I was born, grew up as the Hero, fought as the Hero, and died as the Hero.
That had been the destiny of anyone who was a Hero before Olivia Reinhardt, and I had accepted it.
It was nothing but pain, and I had grown indifferent to it, yet I hadn't truly disliked it, so I wanted to end it all quickly. That was why I had fought battles and lived by throwing away my life rather than risking it.
Previously, Lois had seen me exactly as I was.
My fighting had never been about risking my life to protect people. It had been about wanting to die while protecting people by throwing away my life—a near-suicide hopeful.
It just so happened that I had talent, and no one around me had ever pointed it out.
Instead, the more I pushed myself, the more they praised me as 'Hero-like' and worshipped me, and no one ever told me I was walking the wrong path. They had simply become tools that blinded my eyes and ears.
In that way, I had grown a monstrous power that almost single-handedly defeated the Demon King, and I had realized that dying was never an easy thing no matter where I went.
Still, I had been supposed to keep fighting as a suicide hopeful, believing that someday a chance might come. But everything had fallen apart, and for the first time I could see not the Hero who was a suicide hopeful, but the woman behind the mask—Olivia Reinhardt.
*How awkward.*
It was awkward that I didn't need to die for the sake of others.
More than anything, the fact that I had a desire to live to this extent was awkward.
The life in which I had always run toward death had changed into running toward life, and it felt as though it was forcing me to do things I had never done before.
"Can I drink it?"
"Lois. ……It's lukewarm. Cold water is better."
"Due to the Holy Sword, I can somehow block the curse itself, but my body condition is still not great. I recommend avoiding cold water as much as possible."
"Got it."
I wasn't completely devoid of the sensation of my insides churning, but it wasn't to the point of unbearable.
Lois had said the power of the Holy Sword was suppressing the God of Death Poison, so it was better to view it not as poison but as a curse.
My limbs still twitched awkwardly, and exerting strength brought strain, but compared to the times when I could barely even use mana properly, it was fine.
At least, I hadn't felt pain when I breathed.
"It's still time until the due date, so it's not like I'm in a hurry."
"What?"
"Why didn't you keep going as an adventurer?"
"……It seems Livia doesn't know, but being expelled from a party as an adventurer is quite dishonorable."
"Huh."
"Moreover, the fact that I was expelled from the famous Hero party is only a minus factor for me. The fact that I was expelled from the Hero party is much more serious than the fact that I worked with the Hero party."
"Ha, but if the party didn't match well, then……."
"Let's withdraw ourselves. The meaning of 'withdrawing of my own volition' and 'being forced to withdraw' is different."
"……Sorry."
The past me really had no thoughts.
I had simply expelled her because she was a commoner, and not only that, but I had made Lois uncomfortable because of my own circumstances.
Perhaps at that point I had been nothing more than a lone wolf with too narrow a view to be called a Hero.
Thinking that the comrades including Alex had requested no conversation and immediately betrayed me was hasty behavior, perhaps my usual self had been that kind of image.
If it were me now, I would have trusted in the bad sense of being able to take responsibility and do cruel acts for the sake of justice.
It seemed like a lifetime of reflection on my past actions.
"No, well…… I don't plan to continue as an adventurer after that anyway, so it's fine. The Hero party was something the prince asked for."
"Thinking about it, you entered the Hero party thanks to Prince Felix's recommendation."
"Thanks to that, I entered through connections, and my first impression wasn't good."
"Sorry."
"Is apologizing the only thing you can do when I bring up past stories?"
"I did do that."
"If you admit it, there's nothing to say."
It was funny even for me to say it myself, but I was a monster.
No matter what I said, it seemed like the situation would come where I had to apologize.
"So, how did you meet Prince Felix?"
"When he was about to die, I just saved him. He wanted to invite me to the royal capital by highly evaluating me, but I wasn't particularly attractive."
"Then why did you join the Hero party?"
"A prince of a country bowed his head and asked. Even if I didn't want to, if I received that much, I had no choice. It wasn't doing bad things, and rather, it was an honor, and if I succeeded, my future life would be a path of blood, so."
In other words, Felix had wanted to put Lois in the Hero party no matter what?
My memory of Felix didn't give the impression that he was particularly capable, but my evaluation of him, which was now doubting 'people's eyes' because of betrayal, might not hold much meaning.
If it was about fighting, I couldn't say it was bad, but other evaluations I couldn't trust even myself.
Anyway, why did Felix go to such lengths to put Lois in the Hero party? Was there a reason he couldn't not put her in?
Or was it just a simple intuition?
"Did you want honor?"
"No, not particularly."
" Rather, because I could save people?"
" Rather than that…… because I would have money to live on for the rest of my life?"
"Surprisingly, a materialistic reason."
"Livia, I'm not some kind of adult just because I saved you. Money is important, right? Where else is there something as important as money for eating and living? The richness of the heart comes from money."
"Really?"
I didn't empathize well.
Unfortunately, as a Reinhardt family member, I grew up without lacking in money, even if I set aside the family environment.
But that didn't mean I grew up eating whatever I wanted.
My father managed my diet strictly, saying that as a Hero, I couldn't eat such lowly things.
So, I only ate 'good for the body' food, and honestly, I thought it wasn't bad to eat all kinds of food while traveling with the Hero party.
"Livia."
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you a question too?"
"Sure. Want me to tell you my three sizes? Ask."
"……."
"Just kidding. So, what's the question?"
Even if I really asked, I had thought to answer.
But do men hate such cheap jokes?
I remembered Lilith saying that an active woman gets a good man. Well, that guy was also sick and locked in the room, so he probably never tried romance.
"After recovering my body, what will you do?"
"……What do you mean?"
"You were betrayed, and as a result, you found a way to live, but that's all hindsight, and in the process, you endured ruthless betrayal, which couldn't be seen as a rational process."
"……."
"You are a clear victim of that betrayal, and you have the right to hold them accountable. ……If I say this much, a smart person like Livia would understand, I believe."
Lois asked me.
If my body recovers, do I plan to seek revenge on Alex, Velita, and Rayna who betrayed me?
If I were the past me, I might not have said anything about revenge, saying 'as a Hero'.
Instead of ambiguous answer, I would have clearly said 'I won't seek revenge'. But now, looking at the blue sky, I was thinking blankly.
"I see."
"……."
Lois seemed to be waiting for my answer.
Lying is easy.
Hiding the truth is even easier.
But I didn't want to do that.
I didn't want to hide my heart from you who returned Olivia to me.
Even if you were hiding something from me, it would be okay because I didn't have the value to you yet, or because I wasn't that precious to you.
But I didn't want to hide anything from you.
I didn't want to lie as much as possible.
You might think it's nothing, but every action you did for me was salvation to me. Saving my life, giving me the curse, it was all good no matter what.
The name Olivia Reinhardt that was given to me in my hand was the first time I was given something.
"I don't know."
So, I decided to answer honestly.
"I don't know, do I."
"First, I want to know the reason."
"The reason I betrayed you and made you like this? No matter what reason, it probably won't be a reason I can accept."
"That's right, like 'I have to die for the world to be saved' or something…… If it's a reason like that, I might be able to accept it?"
"If the world that can be saved only by your death is a wrong world."
"……Are you teasing me?"
"What?"
"Teasing while breathing is troublesome."
"What?"
Did you not notice?
I was seriously teasing.
Why had I never had a relationship with a woman until now? Maybe I thought only I had no connection, and there were quite a few women chasing after me around me.
"Anyway, I'll find out when I meet them. ……When I meet them, will I get excited like a paladin and want to kill them? Or will I be calm?"
"I don't know?"
"Yeah, it's awkward that I have to seek revenge or get angry about what I went through."
"I see."
"Hey, Lois."
"Yes."
"If I meet them."
I looked up at Lois and said.
"Stay by my side."
"……."
It was a bit scary.
What would I do when I meet the people who killed me as the Hero?
It wasn't that dying was scary.
Proudly, even if all three attacked me, I had the confidence to win, and even in my current body condition, I wouldn't just fall.
What was scary was that I didn't know if I would react to them as Olivia or as the Hero when I faced them.
But if you were by my side, I think I could feel at ease.
"Well, it's not difficult."
"As expected of Lois. I hope that kindness turns into goodwill."
"Is hiding your heart a little bad?"
"Why?"
"……."
It's good, why hide?
Rather, if I do that, I might lose the chance to continue?
"No, it's fine."
"It's boring, really."
"Ouch, this is what youth is like."
As we were talking, someone appeared.
I stood up from my seat and bowed my head.
"Madame Florence."
"It's okay, you don't have to be so formal. ……Well, it's almost time to depart. Actually, thinking about your performance, we should have a grand party, but……."
I smiled and said.
"Please use that money to restore the village. Rather, please let the Hero go without helping with the village restoration."
This person too, and the soldier who saved me.
I realized that people are beings worthy of respect who can prioritize goodwill.
Everyone values their own life, treats their own things well, and doesn't want to suffer losses.
……I know that this is also wrong, and that it's also one reality.
But even so, the sight of someone trying to protect something by risking their life, even if they suffer loss, was beautifully shining to the point where I couldn't look away.
"……."
Madame Florence stared at me for a moment and said.
"Gossip is not something to be believed, you are a good child."
"No matter what gossip, it probably wasn't wrong…… wasn't it."
"Haha, no need to force it."
"……."
Polite speech wasn't familiar yet.
"Lois."
"Yes."
"Take care of yourself, if you come back alone, you'll know what a long time it's been."
Lois smiled.
"Please be careful."
"Hey, over there!"
"Yeah."
I looked at Madame Florence.
Madame Florence looked at me with a kind face, and that gaze was somehow embarrassing.
It might have been similar to a parent's gaze at a child, but since I had never received such a gaze from parents, I couldn't be sure.
"I'll definitely return with Lois, yo. ……In many ways, thank you."
"Understood, I'll be waiting."
"Then let's go. ……Madame Florence, I'll see you again later."
"I hope you become my granddaughter."
"……."
"……!"
Lois looked at Madame Florence with an incredulous expression, and I opened my only eye wide.
I had countless fantasies flash through my mind, and even fantasies that I shouldn't show to good children passed by.
Turning my head to Lois, I said.
"When I come back, it would be good if there are two people instead of three!"
"No, there won't."
Immediate answer.
It seemed like my favorability was still insufficient.