Episode 04: A Girl’s Visit
My physical condition had perfectly recovered, but a new problem had come to light. In the dim room, I charged my smartphone, which had been left with a dead battery for a long time, and turned it on for the first time in ages. Along with the startup sound, the notification chimes of incoming calls and emails, arriving one after another, tore through the silence.
“Uwah.”
Looking at the screen, dozens of missed calls from my company and messages from them expressing concern had piled up. A final notice email had also arrived, stating, “Due to your continued unauthorized absence, your employment will be terminated in accordance with Article X of the company’s employment regulations.” It also mentioned that documents with further details had been sent and that I should check them.
“This must be it.”
I checked the pile of uninspected deliveries at the entrance. From a brown envelope that had apparently arrived at some point, I took out the contents. As expected, it was a notice of dismissal.
“Well, I guess so.”
The wording was businesslike and cold; my ten-year-long battle in another world hadn’t been taken into consideration at all. Of course, it wouldn’t be. No one knew about such things, after all.
“Haaah.”
I’d acted too late. A sigh escaped me. Only now, far too late, did I realize there were many ways I could have dealt with this before it came to this.
If I’d thought about it properly, maybe I should have called an ambulance. Gotten checked by a doctor. If I’d done that, I might have been able to explain that I couldn’t come to work due to poor health. It’s only now that I’ve calmed down that I can think of these things.
My fatal mistake was assuming I just needed to rest quietly until I recovered, without seeking help from anyone. I should have asked for help.
A whole month of unauthorized absence. I had no choice but to accept that dismissal was the natural consequence.
I think if I had at least contacted someone before resting my body, things might have turned out differently. But the shock of returning from another world was too great, and I was too confused to grasp my current situation. The memories of my companions who fell in the final battle against the Demon King, and of saving the world, were too vivid.
I don’t think I can even tell my family about this. If I did, they’d surely think I’d lost my mind.
As I scrolled down the smartphone screen, an even heavier reality awaited. A mountain of unread messages from my girlfriend. The last email contained definitive words.
“I see. That’s right.”
I sank deep onto the floor. Come to think of it, I remembered her, my girlfriend. During my ten years in the other world, my romantic feelings for her had faded. Certainly, in the beginning, the desire to see her was one of the major reasons I wished to return to my original world.
But now, even that feeling had weathered away. It had become rare for me to even think of her. Ten years had done that. Checking my call history and emails, I had become like a stranger who only then remembered her existence.
The old me probably loved her with all my heart. Those feelings, too, have now faded. Truly, so many things have changed.
The last email contained words of parting. Apparently, she found out I had been fired from my company and became anxious about continuing our relationship with marriage in mind. Honestly, I could understand her feelings.
I felt truly sorry for making her anxious. And I felt it was no longer possible to continue the relationship. I considered meeting her to talk in person, but that would probably just cause her more pain. I myself had no desire left to repair the relationship.
I typed a short reply.
“I’m sorry. I understand about the breakup. Thank you for everything. Goodbye.”
My finger hesitated slightly before pressing the send button. But, believing this was the best choice, I tapped the screen. After that, no reply came from her. Perhaps she had already deleted my contact information. The chances of connecting with her again were probably infinitesimally small.
Although I had returned to my original world, I had lost my job and my girlfriend all at once. Staring at the sunlight streaming through the window, I thought about my path forward. Checking my bankbook balance, I had a small amount of savings. Factoring in rent and living expenses, it seemed I could survive for a few more months. I had to find a new job by then.
The situation was probably bad. But strangely, my heart was calm. Being able to return to this peaceful modern society felt more valuable than anything. In this world, if you wanted to live, there were countless ways. Compared to the battles in the other world, any hardship seemed trivial.
Knock, knock—
While I was contemplating my future, the sound of a knock, announcing a sudden visitor, echoed through the quiet room. Who could it be? No one should be visiting me. Thinking this, I stood up.
“Yes! I’m opening it now.”
When I opened the door, a single girl stood there. Her golden hair shone in the sunlight, and her azure eyes stared straight at me. From her uniform, she looked like a high school girl. Her face was unfamiliar. No, wait. Unfamiliar? Really?
The girl, with an expression full of conviction as if looking at a long-lost acquaintance, quietly spun her words.
“You are Lord Hayato, aren’t you?”
I almost stumbled backward. I didn’t know her. I answered in a voice that couldn’t hide my confusion.
“Eh? Ah, yes. That’s right. But who are you?”
“I am Lilia.”
“Wha-what? Lilia, you say…?”
With that one word, my world wavered. Lilia—that name belonged to a precious companion I had fought alongside in the other world, the Female Sage. But she had lost her life in a tragic battle. The sight of her final moments, met with a smile, still vividly resurfaced in my mind.
A girl claiming the name of someone who shouldn’t exist in this modern world. For a fallen comrade to be resurrected was impossible. But the gaze of the girl before me held the same inner strength and kindness as back then. And that golden hair, and those clear azure eyes. She resembled her so much.
My thoughts were caught in a vortex of confusion. Could it be that I was seeing an illusion? Wasn’t this a fantasy born from my own convenient desires, something I wished to see? I couldn’t believe the scene I was witnessing now.
“Finally… Finally, I’ve found you, Lord Hayato!”
“Uoh?!”
The girl calling herself Lilia threw her arms around me, tears streaming down her face. A real entity, not an illusion or anything of the sort. Her embrace seemed to be filled with a desperate resolve, as if determined never to let go of someone precious again.
I couldn’t hide my bewilderment. But the earnest emotion dwelling in her tear-streaked face was undeniably real. I found myself gently hugging her small body back. Inside my head, many questions still swirled. Just what in the world was happening—?
“Why are you… Lilia, in that battle…”
As I struggled to choose my words, the girl, still hugging me, wiped her tears with her sleeve and nodded slightly.
“It will be a long story. If it’s alright with you, Lord Hayato, I will tell you everything, so please listen. Please remember us.”
Us— Her words made my heart pound. Not just Lilia, but perhaps the other companions too?
Just what in the world was happening?