Chapter Index





    The Great Sword is not the Main Body!






    Chapter 25 – The Village of Roholon (8)

    I was addicted to games.

    I delved into the game to forget about reality.

    In the game, I was happy.

    Meeting many people, growing, laughing, crying. In the end, I saved the world.

    No matter how I created the character. No matter what weapon I used. No matter which route I took. No matter what life I lived. No matter what trials I faced.

    Even if my body carried the same disability.

    I didn’t break—I saved the world. I reached the ending where every NPC survived.

    But one person. The priestess wasn’t part of that world.

    The priestess, who could only save the world by dying, sacrificed herself, claiming she was happy. That she was glad to save the world with her life.

    But if you die like that.

    What about the people left behind?

    The people who remember every moment they shared with you?

    The people who stood with you during those happy times?

    The people you made promises about the future with?

    What about the people who can’t forget? Who are trapped in a living hell because they can’t move on?

    How are they supposed to live?

    I wanted to know the answer. I chased after a question I would never get an answer to.

    Because I couldn’t know.

    The priestess was just a game character. A character who lived as they were programmed to.

    There was no one in this world who could give me that answer.

    After that. I stopped looking at the story.

    I couldn’t bear to watch anymore.

    I didn’t want to see more sacrifices. I didn’t want to recall those memories. I didn’t want to remember my parents, who saved me by giving up their lives.

    ***

    That’s why.

    I have to save Rubia.

    No matter what it takes.

    No matter the process I have to go through.

    As long as she’s alive.

    Nothing else matters.

    Before my sense of self disappears.

    Before I lose my identity. Before I become just a character in the game.

    I have to raise her affection toward me.

    ***

    “Noah.”

    Rubia’s trembling voice reached my ears.

    I relaxed, closed my eyes, and answered.

    “Yes?”

    “Um… so… what did you say about me just now?”

    “What do you mean?”

    “You said… something about how my face looks.”

    “Oh, I said you’re pretty.”

    Rubia let out a soft sigh and lightly tapped the bed.

    “Ah… can you really tell what someone looks like just by feeling?”

    “Well, more or less, yeah.”

    “So… can I ask what I look like?”

    Rubia’s voice was suddenly laced with shyness.

    I guess it would be kind of embarrassing for her to hear me describe her appearance, especially since I just called her pretty.

    If it were me, I might explode from embarrassment…

    “Okay. Let’s see…”

    I reached out toward Rubia, recalling the image of her from the game’s monitor.

    My hand first landed on her collarbone.

    “Eek… that tickles, Noah.”

    I moved slowly, careful not to accidentally poke her in the eye. My hand gently traced the line of her shoulder, then her neck, and finally her face.

    “Well, Rubia… You have really nice skin. It’s soft and smooth. Your forehead is round… very cute.”

    I moved my fingers over her face.

    “Your eyes… wow, your eyelashes are so long. Your eyes may seem a bit fierce at first, but they’re kind too. And they’re really big.”

    My fingers traveled down her nose.

    “Your nose is slim and… pretty high. And your ears…”

    I reached down to her ear.

    “Your earlobes are… soft and squishy, hehe. Your ears are fun to touch. They’re cute… wait, are you running a fever? Your ears feel really hot.”

    “Noah…”

    Before I could move my hand down to her lips, Rubia grabbed it, stopping me.

    “Yes?”

    “I, um… I need to go to the bathroom.”

    Rubia quickly got up and dashed to the bathroom, her footsteps loud and hurried.

    Was it that urgent?

    I guess ever since my body changed, it’s been harder to hold it in sometimes…

    I understood and nodded to myself, waiting patiently.

    Without my greatsword, I hadn’t realized how empty it felt… But with Rubia gone, and… well, my pants missing too… I suddenly felt very exposed.

    “Ru… Rubia, when are you coming back?”

    The uneasy feeling grew, and I called out to her in a slightly louder voice.

    “Ah… ahem, I’m coming out now.”

    The door creaked open, and Rubia walked out of the bathroom.

    Then she strode over to me.

    “Noah.”

    “Yes?”

    I turned toward her voice.

    “Yah!”

    “Eek! Wh-what?!”

    Water droplets sprayed onto my face.

    “Hehe, it’s water. Cold, huh?”

    “Ugh… why’d you do that?! Go dry off!”

    I wiped the water from my face, grumbling.

    “I just felt like you were being a little too cheeky, so… hehe.”

    Rubia giggled mischievously and suddenly lunged at me.

    “Ugh-! W-wait!”

    She started rubbing her wet hands all over my face.

    “I’m not letting go until I’ve wiped off all the water from my hands.”

    After rubbing my face for a while, she leaned in even closer.

    “R-Rubia! Did you wash your face?! It’s so cold!”

    Her face, still wet, pressed against mine.

    Ugh… I’ve had enough!

    I won’t hold back anymore!

    I’m wiping all this water off on Rubia’s clothes!

    “You… come here!”

    I reached up, grabbing for her.

    My hands landed on something soft… and squishy…

    “Why is it so soft…? Rubia, you’re not wearing any underclothes—”

    “Oh my, oh my?”

    “W-wait, no… I’m sorry…!”

    I quickly pulled my hands back and lowered my head.

    But this isn’t fair…

    Rubia started it first!

    It’s not my fault that… well, hers are just too… uh… big!

    It’s unfair!

    “Noah, you can’t just go around grabbing my chest like that. You need permission first.”

    “I-I didn’t grab it… and what do you mean permission… I-I’m sorry.”

    I could hear Rubia’s breathing getting closer.

    “So… how was it?”

    “H-huh?”

    Her voice, which had been in front of me, was now right by my ear.

    “Just like how you described my face earlier, can’t you describe what you felt?”

    “W-what?! Have you gone mad?! Why would you ask—”

    I jerked back, but Rubia followed me.

    “Mad? I’m just curious. No one’s ever told me what it’s like. No one’s ever touched me there.”

    She’s crazy.

    Definitely crazy…

    Were you always like this?!

    “You’re teasing me, aren’t you? Stop teasing!”

    “I’m not teasing… just, hold still, Noah.”

    “No, I won’t!”

    “If you keep backing up, you’re going to fa—”

    I kept moving backward, feeling my way along the bed.

    And then…

    “Huh…?”

    Suddenly, there was nothing supporting my hand, and my body tilted backward.

    Time seemed to slow down.

    I was falling off the edge of the bed.

    This is going to hurt… definitely going to hurt.

    I hope I crack my head… That way, at least Rubia can heal me, and I won’t have to worry about repair costs for the floor…

    As all these random thoughts swirled in my head, just as my hair brushed the floor…

    “Ugh… I told you to stop moving. Why don’t you ever listen?”

    Rubia’s hand caught my back.

    “Wow… nice save, Rubia!”

    But her arm started trembling.

    “Hurry and get up… My arm’s killing me.”

    “O-oh! Right away!”

    I quickly tensed my abs and scrambled back onto the bed.

    “Phew… That scared me… Be careful, Noah. Even though I can heal you, pain is still pain, right?”

    “Y-yeah…”

    “No, this won’t do.”

    The bed started creaking as Rubia moved again.

    I think she’s coming closer…!

    “Stay still. I’m not going to make you do anything weird.”

    Sensing that I might try to run again, Rubia made sure to stop me with her words.

    She slowly, step by step, crawled closer and then wrapped her arms around me from behind.

    “R-Rubia…?”

    “If I hold you like this, you won’t be able to run away. And you won’t fall off the bed either.”

    Her closeness reminded me of that earlier sensation, and I squirmed uncomfortably.

    “Y-yeah, but… Rubia! I’m craving some jelly! Could you get me some jelly?”

    “No.”

    Her refusal was flat and final.

    “Oh… um… Then, uh… I need to go to the bathroom!”

    “I’ll go with you.”

    “W-what?!”

    She’s crazy. Absolutely crazy!

    Why is she acting like this?!

    “You don’t have your greatsword, so it’s hard for you to go alone, right?”

    “N-no, it’s fine…”

    “It’s not fine. What if you trip and fall?”

    Rubia started lifting me up.

    “N-no, wait a second.”

    “Why? Were you lying?”

    Her cold voice jabbed at my conscience.

    W-what do I do…?

    The right thing is to admit I was lying and accept whatever punishment comes my way.

    But… going to the bathroom with her? Absolutely not. That’s just… no.

    “Uh, well… yeah… I was lying…”

    “Noah, are you trying to play games with me?”

    “Huh? N-no! That’s not it…”

    “You’re the one who hugged me first, but now you’re saying you don’t want it? Is it so awful being close to me?”

    “It’s not awful… It’s just embarrassing…”

    “We’re both girls, Noah. Why are you embarrassed? And besides, aren’t we ‘really close friends’ who share secrets?”

    Close friends…

    Really close friends who share secrets…

    But guys don’t do this… right?

    “D-do girls usually… do this kind of thing? I wouldn’t know… I don’t have any friends.”

    There was a brief pause before Rubia spoke calmly.

    “Of course they do.”

    “R-really?”

    “Yes. There’s nothing strange about it, so you can relax. Friends do this all the time.”

    “I-I guess so…?”

    Rubia’s hand began stroking my hair.

    “See? Good choice. I’ll teach you how to be closer with friends. Slowly.”

    Her voice was soft, almost like she was speaking to a helpless animal.

    “I’ll even feed you some jelly.”

    “Wait… You have jelly? I thought it was on the table?”

    “I put it in my pocket earlier.”

    “W-whoa… then why didn’t you…”

    “I forgot.”

    “O-oh, I see.”

    This wasn’t her plan from the start, was it?

    “Now, say ‘ah.’”

    “Ahhh—”

    Like a baby bird waiting for food, I opened my mouth, and Rubia slipped her fingers in a bit too far.

    “Oops, I pushed it in too deep.”

    Her finger felt just like the jelly.

    “Schlurp— Ah, it’s peach-flavored.”

    It tasted like peach…


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