Episode 180: Before and Now
It was an unrewarding life.
My old man was an alcoholic, and domestic violence was a daily occurrence.
What healed my heart in such a state was the only game my old man bought for me when he was still somewhat decent: “Legend of the Magic Sword.”
I had cleared the game many times already, but I never got tired of playing it.
Thinking back now, maybe I was just searching for a fragment of my old man from when he was still decent.
Eventually, my parents divorced, and I was taken in by my mother.
Let’s do our best from now on.
It was around that time I was bullied.
My damn old man had caused a ton of trouble in the neighborhood, you see. So, it seemed his son, me, was someone they thought it was okay to bully.
What comforted my desolate heart was, as expected, “Legend of the Magic Sword.”
Only while I was playing the game could I forget all the unpleasant things.
However, my mother wasn’t happy about that.
Every time I played the game, my mother would have a hysterical fit and leave the house.
I didn’t understand it back then, but because my old man was the one who bought me the game, she must have misunderstood and thought I still adored that damn old man.
I gradually grew distant from my mother, but what comforted me from that stress was, again, the game.
I became even more engrossed in “Legend of the Magic Sword” than before.
I had played “Legend of the Magic Sword” so much that I could say I knew everything about the game. There probably wasn’t anyone who had mastered “Legend of the Magic Sword” as much as I had.
Maxing out my playtime was a given. Collecting all achievements and items was something I did long ago. Even on Lunatic difficulty, which was above Max difficulty, I could clear it with ease.
After starting work with just a middle school diploma, even when I had a little more freedom with money, I continued to play “Legend of the Magic Sword.”
Alternatively, it’s possible I was unconsciously seeking my family from when they were still functional.
“Legend of the Magic Sword” wasn’t just a game to me; it might have been a symbol of the time when my family was doing well.
Looked down upon by society, unable to get a decent job, with a low salary—that was my position as a middle school graduate.
Even if it was a sweatshop, I was grateful just to be able to work.
No matter how hard I worked, life didn’t get any easier; instead, I was steadily heading towards poverty.
In my bland, dry life, only when I played “Legend of the Magic Sword” on an already outdated game console did I feel like I regained my humanity.
But I ended up completely stuck in life.
My water was cut off, my gas was cut off, and even my electricity was cut off.
Unable to play games, I became like a living corpse, couldn’t work properly, and was finally kicked out of my apartment.
And so, I ended up on the rooftop of the building of the sweatshop I used to work at.
All I held in my hand was the “Legend of the Magic Sword” game software.
I tightly gripped the “Legend of the Magic Sword” game software and took a step into the air.
With the sensation of cutting through the wind and a damp thud, I realized that a life had ended.
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“Huh…?”
When I came to, I was looking up at an unfamiliar black ceiling. An unfamiliar ceiling.
Am I alive? Do I still… still have to live?
But my body felt strangely warm. A comforting warmth and a nostalgic weight.
Weight?
What was on top of me was—
“Onii-sama, are you alright?”
Delicate, platinum-like hair. Beneath it, crimson eyes looked at me worriedly.
“Cornelia? Ugh!?”
“Onii-sama!?”
Suddenly struck by a headache, I remembered everything up to now.
That’s right. I… I was reincarnated as Dietfried Baumgarten, one of the lackeys of Klemens, an early-game jobber…
“Ah, I see…”
Right now, we’re taking our final rest before defeating the Evil God, the final boss. Looking around, I could see Lily, Claudia, and Eleonore sleeping.
It seemed Cornelia had been keeping watch without sleeping.
“Onii-sama, are you alright? You were groaning in your sleep…”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just had a bit of a nightmare…”
It felt like I had relived a condensed version of my past life. Seriously, what a terrible feeling.
Was it because I’ve been searching my past life’s memories lately, trying to recall game information?
I had a bad dream.
“Ria was on the last watch, right? What time is it now?”
“It’s almost time to wake everyone up, but…”
“Then, maybe I’ll stay awake too.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine. I had a bad dream, but I’m not tired anymore.”
“I see… Don’t push yourself, okay?”
“Yeah.”
Even though our conversation had ended, Cornelia didn’t try to get off me.
“Ria?”
“Onii-sama… We can win, right…?”
Cornelia’s beautiful crimson eyes wavered with anxiety.
I took my arms out from under the thin blanket, gently hugged Cornelia, and patted and stroked her back.
“It’s okay. We can win. Let’s defeat the Evil God and hurry back to Baumgarten. I’m sure everyone will praise us.”
“Mm-hmm…”
As I stroked Cornelia’s small back, she had fallen asleep and was breathing softly before I knew it.
“Can’t be helped. Guess I’ll keep watch for the remaining time.”