Chapter 169: Memory(2)
Chapter 169: Memory(2)
Lina and Kerry ate, a table between them.
It wasn't a particularly joyful or boisterous meal.
But just eating together like this made them feel a little closer.
'Once we're back outside, I should make a point of eating with her like this more often.'
He felt like he’d known Lina for quite some time, yet he had seen so many new sides of her today alone.
Lina had made a joke and even eaten the broccoli she hated.
She seemed much more at ease than she ever was with the real Kerry.
Perhaps she had been closer to the Ruler of Mana than she was to him.
These new facets of Lina were simply fascinating.
"Hero."
"?"
"You've got something on your mouth."
"!"
Lina, surprised, tried to wipe her mouth, but she wasn't getting it.
Without much thought, Kerry took out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her mouth for her.
"I-I'll get it."
"Just stay still. I'll get it for you. Don't make such a fuss over a little smudge."
"..."
Perhaps stung by the word "fuss," Lina quieted down. Kerry dabbed at her lips with the handkerchief.
He could feel the texture of her pretty, cherry-like lips. Her porcelain skin also caught his eye.
In reality, he had never even thought of touching Lina's face. She was always such an iron wall.
But perhaps because this wasn't reality, he could be a little more forward.
Kerry wiped her lips clean.
"There, all clean."
"..."
The ever-polite Lina seemed to have forgotten her thanks, frozen with nothing but a blush on her face.
Just as an awkward silence was about to fall, the sound of flapping wings suddenly came from the window.
Flap, flap, flap!
It was a crow. It was rare for a crow to come to the window, but not entirely strange.
But the way it settled on the windowsill, tilting its head in that uniquely avian way, felt unsettling.
Just as Kerry was wondering what was going on, the crow began to speak.
"My love. So this is where you were."
The crow spoke with a woman's voice. Shit. That really startled me. What the hell is this now?
He glanced at Lina and saw a rare, intensely hostile expression on her face.
"The Black Witch..."
So the owner of this voice was the Black Witch.
"Hero. So you were here as well. Surely you haven't seduced my love with that filthy body of yours?"
"What... How dare you say something so insolent!"
Lina shot up from her seat.
Her hostility was anything but ordinary.
The Black Witch's words were provocative, but normally, Lina wouldn't have gotten so worked up.
'Is it because she's facing her rival, the Black Witch?'
The crow cawed, as if mocking Lina.
"Stop it, Hero. You know full well this crow is merely one of my messengers."
Lina's hand, which had been about to draw her sword, fell back to her side.
"More importantly, my love. Why are you associating with the likes of the Hero? You promised me you wouldn't."
When did I ever make a promise like that?
Since I couldn't remember, I couldn't refute it.
Looking hurt by the claim that he'd promised not to see her, Lina gazed at Kerry sorrowfully.
"Why are you silent, my love? Why do you look at me with such unfamiliar eyes?"
"..."
Well, I'm looking at you with unfamiliar eyes because you're a complete stranger. Just as Kerry was about to say something, the crow spread its wings wide and spoke in a shocked voice.
“Could it be, could it be! Has that vile and wretched Hero done something to my love? Out of jealousy that I alone possess your heart? What a cruel and tragic turn of events!”
What kind of crazy talk is that?
Lina, equally dumbfounded, shouted.
"I have done nothing of the sort! Black Witch, you are always like this!"
"Impossible! If the Hero hasn't plotted something, there is no reason my love wouldn't even answer me!"
The Black Witch seemed to completely ignore Lina's words. Kerry opened his mouth.
"...I am fine."
"Ah, you finally speak... But there is still no guarantee the Hero hasn't done something wicked, like brainwashing you. I must come and see for myself."
"Black Witch! If you continue to insult me, I will not stand for it."
"..."
What a complete mess.
Perhaps because of Lina arguing with a crow, people were starting to stare.
Lina seemed to notice and finally lowered her voice.
"I am coming now, so please bear with it a little longer. My love. My other half."
The situation felt like it was about to get incredibly chaotic if the Black Witch showed up.
He had to convince her not to come.
Kerry mimicked the Black Witch's historical drama-like tone and said,
"My love, do not worry. I am quite alright. There is no need for you to come here."
"Are you truly alright? With you and that vile Hero together... I simply cannot calm my heart."
What on earth was I doing between these two women in my past life?
“Black Witch. I believe I said I would not stand for your insults.”
“Shut that mouth, Hero. If not for my other half's request, I would have killed you and all the other insignificant humans on this continent.”
“...”
“Even now, that is all I wish to do. If that were to happen, my love and I could be together forever. What do you say? Would you like to test my sincerity?”
Lina trembled, her face filled with indignation.
She couldn't properly refute the Black Witch's words, as if they weren't entirely untrue.
'The Black Witch is holding back because I asked her to?'
The Great War he had seen in Lina's dream. Did that mean the terrible war hadn't happened yet?
It seemed this time period was before the Great War.
But there was something strange.
'She says she's preventing a war at my request... so why did the war happen in reality?'
Did the Black Witch finally lose her patience, ignore my request, and start the war?
Whatever the case, it wasn't something he could figure out right now.
Lina, her pride wounded, stood up from her seat.
"...I will take my leave first, Ruler of Mana. Enjoy the time with your lover."
“...”
Lina was sulking. But it was an awkward time to run after her.
The crow was still cawing beside him.
The crow spoke.
"Isn't she impudent? She doesn't even have the skill to fulfill her duty as the Hero. To think she dares to speak so informally, when she was only able to act as a hero thanks to you."
“...”
"My love, you are too kind for your own good. In any case, now that the Hero is gone, I shall take my leave as well. My love... I'm lonely. Please come home soon."
Kerry answered, feeling a bit drained.
"I will, my love..."
"Smooch."
The crow made a kissing sound with its beak and flew away.
What kind of woman is she? He understood that the Ruler of Mana and the Black Witch were lovers, but without any memories, it was impossible to feel it.
More than that, he felt sorry for Lina. It was the first time he'd seen her sulk, too.
'Should I go after Lina?'
His purpose here was related to Lina anyway. Kerry stepped out of the dining hall. Lina was nowhere to be seen, having already disappeared.
Just then, a point of light flew before Kerry's eyes.
It looked like a firefly, but seeing it shine so brightly in broad daylight, it was clearly no ordinary insect.
"Oh. Did the Saintess send this?"
She did it on her own, without me even asking. Pretty impressive for the Saintess.
I'll have to praise her when I get back outside.
The light began to fly off somewhere.
It might be trying to show me where Lina is.
Kerry ran, following the light. She had gotten quite far in such a short time.
As he ran, a lake came into view.
The sight of the green bushes and the lake sparkling in the sunlight was beautiful. The scenery, at least, is nice.
The light flew over and began circling a large tree.
Is Lina at that tree?
'Where is she?'
As he got closer and went around the tree, he finally saw her. Lina was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest.
Kerry sat down next to her.
Lina seemed to have known he was there.
"...Why did you follow me? Your lover does not approve of you seeing me."
Sounds like I'm sneaking out to have an affair. I don't even know what this Black Witch looks like.
"You stormed off like that. How could I just let you go?"
"..."
Lina stared at the lake without a word.
What was she thinking? The lake was reflected in Lina's lovely eyes, making them sparkle.
A gentle breeze blew. The bushes swayed back and forth in the wind.
The atmosphere was quite nice.
He sometimes felt that if there was one good thing about this other world, it was the beautiful natural scenery.
Lina and Kerry sat in the field. They watched the lake, neither saying a word.
They were just looking at the view, but the lake was so beautiful that it wasn't boring at all.
About thirty minutes passed. Finally, Lina spoke.
"You asked me before, didn't you? How I feel about you? I'd like to ask you the same. You... how do you feel about me?"
"..."
Lina tore her gaze from the lake and looked at Kerry. Her eyes held a multitude of emotions.
At times, they seemed filled with the love one would show a cherished partner; at others, they looked like a gaze steeped in longing.
'Lina's feelings are deeper than I thought.'
Lina wanted confirmation.
She wanted to know how the man she loved felt about her.
Kerry could feel the desperation in her heart so keenly that he couldn't bring himself to speak carelessly.
Even though he was the Ruler of Mana, Kerry didn't have the memories from before the regression.
Whatever he said now wouldn't be the Ruler of Mana's answer, but Kerry's.
"I'll leave what I think of the Hero to your imagination."
"...I suppose that is an answer worthy of you."
Lina looked back at the lake.
He could clearly see her blonde hair fluttering in the wind.
Her expression was quite relaxed.
Lina didn't seem to be suffering under the same pressure as she did on the outside.
She casually made jokes and ate her meals.
She even enjoyed the view of the lake for no particular reason, just like now.
For the Lina who had been crushed by the weight of salvation since her regression, such things were unimaginable.
To be honest... Lina seemed happier here.
Now I finally understood why that Idol Worshipper spouted that bullshit about Lina not wanting to leave.
But he couldn't leave Lina here.
The Lina he knew would surely not cling to a fake world.
'It's time to wake Lina up.'
There were mountains of things he was curious about, like the Black Witch and the whereabouts of their other companions.
But if he dragged this out too long, something irreversible might happen.
Kerry looked at Lina and spoke.
"Hero. No. Lady Lina."
"Calling me by my name like that again... You're acting very strange today."
Lina, still oblivious, merely blushed at having her name called.
"Do you like it here?"
"You mean, do I like the lake? Of course. It's not a bad view..."
"I'm not talking about the lake. I'm asking if you like this world."
"What do you mean..."
It hadn't even been half a day, but he'd felt it while spending time with Lina here. The people in this place were all unfailingly kind.
There was no one with malicious intent, no one who didn't know courtesy.
Everyone treated others with a good heart, even if they were complete strangers.
It was, in every sense, the ideal world Lina desired.
But this was just a fake. A world born from Lina's wishes.
If she gave in to this, the real Lina...
"I will say it again, Lady Lina. It is time to open your eyes. The others are waiting for you to wake up."
Memories flashed through Lina's mind like photographs. The times she had spent traveling with her companions.
For the current Lina, these were impossible memories. She clutched her head as if in pain.
"...You're... not the Ruler of Mana. You... you... who... who in the world are you?"
In Lina's eyes, she saw the face of the Ruler of Mana.
It was a face where even the scar near his eye felt like a part of his rugged charm.
As Lina stared at that face, her eyes began to tremble violently.