“Hmph? Geld-kun isn’t going?”
“Ah, yeah. Well, the Oracle, you know. It said the travel party will keep growing, but he’s the only guy who’ll be there the whole time.”
“Hmph.”
Millie narrowed her eyes and pouted, completely sulking. This is bad.
“No, I’d help if I could. But the Oracle, you know?”
“……”
Sticking to the Oracle might not work. Millie turned away and stopped replying altogether.
I guess it’s understandable that Millie would be upset, forcing a tough journey on others while I do nothing myself.
But I can’t join just to appease Millie. If I really run out of options, I might try forcing my way in, but it’s not time to break the original story that much yet.
“Millie, please. You absolutely have to go. Okay?”
At this point, all I can do is beg. I grabbed Millie’s shoulders, which were turned away, and forcibly turned her body towards me.
“Hey, is it really impossible?”
“…How long will that journey take?”
Oh, she’s still not facing me, but this is a sign of thawing. But the duration… of course, I have no idea. I have to answer vaguely.
“Who knows? Three years is the limit, but who knows? If things go well, it might end in a year or two.”
“So, if things don’t go well, three years?”
“Well, yeah, that’s how it’ll be.”
“Then I don’t want to.”
Oof. The face that was starting to turn towards me turned away again. More importantly, what’s with this selfish attitude? It’s so unlike Millie.
“If you try your best somehow…”
“I finally got to see you again… I don’t want to not see Geld-kun for three years.”
“Huh—”
I was speechless at Millie’s cuteness, but now that she mentions it, I might have been too focused on ending the painful Loop. Millie finally regained her memories and we reunited, but why am I rushing to separate us again…? Right, how about we abandon this Loop and build a log cabin by some lake and spend three years together? No, building a log cabin would be a waste of time. It’d be better to rent a room in the Royal Capital for three years and spend our time intimately—
“—Just kidding, sorry? I was being selfish.”
“Huh? Ah, no.”
“I’m the only one who can go, right? Then, I’ll do my best.”
“I-is that so? Well, if it’s too hard, you don’t have to.”
The cute, selfish Millie disappeared, and the usual cute Millie returned. I almost don’t want her to go now… but stopping her when she’s finally motivated… no, but…
“No, I’m fine. Ah, but… until we leave, if possible, I, I want to…”
The reason I want to end the Loop in the first place is because it’s painful to repeat it alone when no one remembers. If Millie keeps her memories and stays with me, I don’t mind repeating it any number of times… but there’s also the possibility that Millie’s memory carryover is a one-time thing… no, if her memories disappear, then I’ll just readjust her Affection again…
“Ah, and… this is also if possible, but… if you could… come see me… along the way… that would make me happy, maybe.”
“Huh? Eh? Along the way?”
“Y-yeah. I don’t know where you’re going on your journey, so really… if possible, that is.”
Millie’s cheeks were flushed as she made a cute request while fidgeting. I want to tell her that we should meet every day instead of going on a journey, but since she’s finally motivated, I’ll reluctantly take her up on her offer.
“Okay. In that case, the journey will eventually head north, so I’ll set up a base in some town in the north and operate from there.”
The most reliable way would be to stalk the Harem Party on their journey and contact Millie at the right time, but I can’t be bothered to do that. It’ll be easier and more natural if I go ahead and wait for Millie to come to me someday.
“Really!? Then… yeah. I’ll do my best!”
“O-oh. I see…”
It’s amazing that she can do her best with just that. She probably doesn’t know what she’s going to do or where she’s going on this journey to save the world. Probably, like in an RPG, she’ll repeat errand events in various places and finally defeat some Final Boss in the dark continent in the north.
However, since accompanying the journey is the way it was in the original story, maybe it was strange that I didn’t go last time. Originally, she’s a brave and kind girl who works hard to save the world.
After the story was settled with Millie reluctantly joining the journey to save the world, we concluded that we should safely follow the same flow as last time until the kidnapping incident. Originally, we could carry it out any time after mid-April, when the Red-haired Ponytail joins the Harem Party, but both sides agreed to postpone the departure as much as possible.
And so, Saturday at the end of May arrived. The day to put an end to my rotten student life had come.
Just like before, I waited for my prey near the Girls’ Dorm from early in the morning. Last time, I waited leisurely without any particular nervousness, but this time, it’s an easy mission with the kidnapping target fully cooperating. Since we had arranged a time, I arrived more than enough time in advance and waited in front of the Girls’ Dorm, yawning without hiding in the bushes like last time.
“Ugh… sleepy…”
“That’s why you shouldn’t stay up late… huh?”
“Huh? W-what’s this guy?”
When they came out of the dorm early in the morning when there was no one around, they saw a suspicious man sitting on the ground in front of them. Naturally, the two of them were wary of me. This time, I haven’t contacted these two, so I’m just a suspicious stranger.
The names were… Millie told me yesterday… the Blonde Twin-tails is Melissa, and the Red-haired Ponytail is Shizura, right?
“Ah, you don’t have to be wary. I only have business with the girl behind you.”
I slowly stood up and approached. The two of them became even more wary, but unfortunately, they were full of openings.
“Huh? What business do you have with Millie at this hour?”
“What business, you say… well, for now, sleep.”
Last time, I forcibly put them to sleep with a gut punch, but this time, I decided to use Sleeping Powder on them at Millie’s request. It would be confusing to suddenly throw powder at them out of the blue, so I declared that I was after Millie before committing the crime.
“Huh? —Wh-what is th-this… Millie… run…”
“Guh, I m-messed up…”
Millie and I supported the two who collapsed after inhaling the powder and gently laid them down.
“Well, Millie.”
“Yeah. I’m kind of excited.”
“I-is that so?”
Millie seemed to be a little excited about this situation, so I put a bag over her head and carried her in my arms.
“Whoa, whoa. What, whoa whoa.”
“Ah, be quiet for now.”
Millie was giggling in the bag, perhaps finding the situation of being carried around while unable to see her surroundings amusing like an attraction. This kidnapping has no sense of tension at all.