Afterword Thank you so very much for reading this work. I started writing this on a whim, based on an idea that came to me, and I was delighted that far more people read it than I had anticipated. I also received many comments, which encouraged me to post daily. I was able to weave … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 53
Chapter 52: Eternal Vows In the anteroom of the church, Hayato lightly adjusted the sleeves of his white tuxedo. The simple yet elegant design suited his well-built physique perfectly. Soft light filtering through the window bestowed a sacred atmosphere upon the room. “It’s almost time.” A hint of nervousness tinged his softly spoken words. Even … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 52
Episode 51: A Normal Date Morning light streamed through the window on a holiday morning. The two of them had finished breakfast and were getting ready to go out. Several weeks had passed since they started living together, and their daily rhythms, active even on holidays from morning, were perfectly in sync. “Are you ready?” … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 51
Chapter 50: Returning to My Hometown Taking advantage of Riri’s long vacation, Hayato took her on a trip back to his hometown in Kyushu. As he gazed at the scenery flowing past the Shinkansen window, Hayato thought. “It’s really been a long time since I last went home.” He hadn’t returned home even after coming … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 50
Chapter 49: Announcement and Greetings The next day, Hayato and Riri visited the IVE office together. They wanted to let their companions know they were dating. The first person they saw was Josuke. He was in front of his computer, looking at a spreadsheet filled with numbers. Data was neatly arranged on the screen, and … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 49
Chapter 48: University Entrance Exam Success One day in March, as the snowmelt season arrived, Hayato’s smartphone rang. “Hayato! I passed! I got in!” Riri’s cheerful voice burst into his ears. Hayato instinctively stood up. He knew it was the day she would find out her exam results, and for the past few days, he … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 48
Episode 47: Hayato’s Streaming Activities Snow danced outside the window. Hayato was at his apartment, preparing for his stream, feeling the changing of the seasons. Several months had passed since Riri had released the game she developed. In that time, their streaming activities had entered a new stage. Their viewership had doubled, media attention had … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 47
Chapter 46: Great Acclaim and the Next Goal That evening, Hayato visited the IVE office. Several days had passed since the game’s release, and he was scheduled to receive a detailed explanation of the public’s reaction. In the meeting room, stacks of magazines, newspaper clippings, and printed-out web articles were lined up. Riri was already … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 46
Chapter 45: The Day the Memories of Another World Take Form “How were the server load test results?” When Tsuyoshi asked, the leader of the tech team nodded with a confident expression. The elite IT engineers dispatched from the Tetsumura Group had been working on preparations for the game’s release for several days. “No problems. … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 45
Episode 44: Back from Vacation Hayato went to work for the first time in a while. On a morning a few days after returning from his cruise, he headed to the familiar office of the security company. The air of the clean yet simple office, a world apart from the luxury cruise ship he’d been … The Devoted Life of the Returning Hero – Chapter 44