Episode 43
The long summer vacation ended, and classes, which I wasn’t exactly eagerly awaiting, resumed.
It’s been two and a half months since I last came to school, but the academy hasn’t changed much. As far as I could tell from the dorm, there were no major construction projects.
This doesn’t exactly scream that our defense and alert systems are rock solid. I wonder how they gave the go-ahead in this state.
Then again, maybe the cause was identified and dealt with.
If the cause was that red jewel or the Harem Bastard who broke its seal, then with both of them gone from the academy, there’s nothing to worry about. Is that it?
“Good morning, Geld-kun!”
“Oh…”
“Huh? You seem down?”
“Ah… Just vacation blues, I guess.”
While preparing for the next Loop, I was secretly hoping this one would be the end. I figured I’d done what I needed to do, so the protagonist could handle the rest.
Statistically speaking, with a bit of wishful thinking, I thought there was a 70% chance the game would be cleared and the Loop would end.
But that dropped to 40% when I learned Millie was left behind, and then to 20% when I realized her Affection might not be high enough.
This is just a hunch with no real basis, but I’m now about 80% sure this Loop will end in failure.
“It was two and a half months, after all. But we have to switch gears starting today.”
“Ugh…”
Millie is trying to bring me, a zombie collapsed on my desk and groaning, back to life with her Holy Healing Aura. If it were the old me, I’d be a super energetic tough guy the moment she spoke to me, but now, Millie’s presence is the hardest thing of all.
People are destined to live by repeating meetings and partings, so while parting itself is sad, I can somehow accept and swallow it. But unlike the Swordsmanship Club members, I’m bound to meet Millie again in the next Loop. A Millie who doesn’t know me and doesn’t feel anything for me.
“Nuaah…”
“You’re in bad shape.”
Especially when I think about locking her in that Basement, I get depressed.
If we’re friends like this time, she’ll cry from the shock of being betrayed. But having a stranger kidnap and confine her would be terrible too. How much fear would she feel then? I should start looking for a way to keep her asleep for two hours.
“Hmm, then let’s see… Number seven, Geld.”
“Um, let’s see… Probably five.”
“Five?”
“Yeah, five… No, maybe six.”
“…Then how about number eight, Sanimura?”
“Yes, the circulation theory.”
“Right, the circulation theory. So, with this theory…”
“…………”
“Uoooh! Come forth, magic in some form! A bird, a dragon, anything!”
“Geld-kun, you need to imagine it more specifically! You’re being too vague!”
“Specific? Um, okay… Um… Ah… Guwaaaah!”
“Geld-kun!?”
Even though I think it’s hopeless, the possibility isn’t zero yet. Believing that, I study hard and wait for the moment.
I tried to distance myself from Millie, but it’s no use when she keeps approaching me. Once I saw the sad look on her face when I acted like a cool, aloof guy, I had no choice but to continue our friendship while preparing for a reset.
In the fall of the second year, when Millie and I were attacked by a fairly strong Monster while visiting the Southern Forest, I was hoping the story would finally move, but nothing happened after that.
By the time I entered the third year, the route where Millie joins the party midway was hopeless, and the only hope was that they could defeat the Final Boss even with one party member missing.
“Geld-kun…”
“…………”
The Royal Capital is being attacked by a horde of Monsters. The thick walls are holding them back for now, but they won’t last long.
I can’t see the Monsters, but I can tell that a fierce battle is taking place beyond the walls.
“I guess it was no good… Those guys, they failed.”
“Those guys? You mean Haruto-kun and the others?”
“Yeah, yeah. Looks like they couldn’t save the world.”
“I see…”
In fact, this time it’s worse than saving it. Until now, the Royal Capital had never been attacked. The offensive is more than a week earlier.
“Hey, Geld-kun.”
“Hmm?”
“Did you know this would happen?”
“…Well, yeah. I’ve seen it many times.”
I’m looking out from my dorm room. I’ve been advised to vacate this room since graduating, but I ignored it because I’m resetting soon anyway. I wanted to end things in this room that I’ve grown attached to.
“Seen it?”
“Hmm… Well, it’s probably fine since it’s ending today. Actually, I’ve been repeating the last three years over and over.”
“…I see, so that’s why.”
“You’re accepting it pretty easily.”
“Geld-kun, you’ve seemed like you’ve been having a hard time for the past year or so. And you’ve been avoiding me lately, right?”
“Well, yeah.”
“And you’re way too strong to be the same age as me. And when I asked you about what to do after I graduate, you were super vague.”
“Because it’s pointless anyway.”
“And you didn’t react much when you heard Waslein was in trouble. And you ran away when I tried to confess.”
That’s right, that’s right. Millie has been giving off that vibe lately, and whenever I tried to have a serious conversation or when the mood was right, I’d run away with my tail between my legs. She said it so casually, but I guess that’s how it was.
“No, it’s pretty tough. Going along with it when it’s going to be reset anyway. The sense of loss when I go back three years.”
“…Hey, is that me? Have you ever dated me?”
“Eh, ah, well… Um, you know.”
“It’s someone else. Hmph.”
“No, this is the first time I’ve met Millie.”
“Hmph. Hmph?”
Millie is pouting with her lips pursed. It’s incredibly cute.
“That’s right. I can’t apologize to the next Millie, so I’ll apologize to the current Millie. About that kidnapping to the Basement.”
“Ah, you’re doing it again.”
“Yeah, yeah. Next time, I’m going to do some kind of ritual. If I draw a Magic Circle and chant some gibberish, I can probably fool her for about two hours.”
“Eh, what’s that? …Wait, so you’re not going to teach me anything next time?”
“Yeah. I don’t think we’ll even talk next time. I won’t even be a failure in the practical training.”
“I see…”
I made Millie cry again after a long time. But I don’t think hugging her is the right thing to do right now.
“I’m still… Half-believing, half-doubting. Even if you say you’re going back three years, there’s no way that could happen.”
“Well, that’s the normal way to think.”
“But your eyes… They’re already saying goodbye. That you’re not going to be involved with me anymore.”
“Probably because if I don’t, Millie will be left alone again. I guess I had to go with those guys after all.”
In the end, that was the turning point. It was a mistake for me to steal Millie’s Affection from the protagonist.
“Geld-kun. Thank you for protecting me all this time. Thank you for being so kind to me.”
“O-oh… What’s wrong, suddenly getting serious?”
“I have to say it now that it’s the end. Even if you don’t go back three years, it feels like you’re going to disappear.”
As she says that, Millie looks straight at me with eyes that show a strong determination, even as she sheds tears.
She puts her hands behind my neck and pulls my face closer.
“I’ve always liked you. I loved you. Geld-kun’s…”