The Person Named You

Until now, I’d always thought that Luna was the only one with the talent to unconsciously steal my gaze. Whether I was reading a book or doing something else, I often found myself blankly staring at Luna across from me. I couldn’t help but think that way.

But I ended up having my gaze stolen by the girl in front of me, not Luna. A strange girl I’d never seen before. To describe her, the expression ‘cat-like’ would be appropriate. I was afraid of being rejected, but she had an irresistible charm.

A height that was slightly shorter than me, but tall for a woman, and black eyes that resembled obsidian. Beautiful features. Long, flowing black hair that reached her back, and a transparent, snow-white skin that showed her veins. She was a girl who exuded a strange aura, as if she turned the world around her, except for herself, into a monotonous black and white.

And for some reason, that girl was looking at me, whom she was meeting for the first time, with tearful eyes. Like a sinner who had committed an unforgivable crime.

The girl, meeting my gaze, bit her lip for a moment, composed herself, and carefully placed her hand on my shoulder. I realized that the magic binding my body had disappeared. When I tried to move my arm, the girl took her hand off my shoulder and took a step closer. Because of that, a sweet strawberry scent stimulated the tip of my nose.

,It’s been a while… Ross.”

The girl’s voice, calling my name, was wet with tears. So, I couldn’t help but tilt my head.

,…Who are you?”

I wasn’t a sociable person, so I didn’t have many acquaintances. I also didn’t make the bothersome effort to build friendships with many people. So, remembering the few people I knew was very easy for me. Especially someone who gave such a strong first impression that they unconsciously stole my gaze, like the girl in front of me, I wouldn’t be able to forget even if I wanted to.

So, it’s strange. I’m sure I’m seeing this girl for the first time, but how is it that this girl is calling my name so earnestly, with a gaze that suggests she knows me?

,Don’t you remember…? I’m Eli. We lived in the same village… Eli, your childhood friend.”

At the girl’s answer, who identified herself as Eli, I frowned without realizing it. A childhood friend for the lonely loner Ross; it was an incompatible combination. I glanced at Eli’s face again and said in a confident voice.

,I’m sorry, but I think there’s some misunderstanding. I’ve never had a childhood friend.”

After finishing my sentence, I had this thought. Could it be that the Ross in this world had a childhood friend named Eli? Whatever it was, it was something that had nothing to do with me.

Eli stared at me silently. Was she doubting my words? But there was nothing I could do. There was no way for me to know what kind of relationships the Ross in this world had built.

Finally, Eli broke the silence and took out a staff from her bosom. A black staff that resembled her obsidian-like eyes.

,…Can I check your condition for a moment? I promise I won’t do anything else.”

Eli is a magician with tremendous skill. I hadn’t even noticed that the spell was being created until the huge magic was activated. If she wanted to, it would have been easy for her to secretly use magic on me. Without realizing it, I might have blurted out my secrets and even my dark tastes.

But the fact that she released the restraints and carefully asked me for permission meant that she wasn’t my enemy. If she could be an ally, there was no need to turn her into an enemy. I already have many enemies in this world. If I received Eli’s help, I might be able to safely return to my original world.

I asked, playfully putting my hand on the button of my shirt.

,I don’t have to take off my pants too, do I?”

It was an attempt to lighten the mood on my part, but somehow I felt that Eli was very embarrassed. I thought I saw a faint blush on her cheeks.

Since she took out her staff, it was obvious that she was going to use magic on me without thinking too deeply about it. So, I was joking – trying to lighten the mood by making myself look stupid – with the calculation that a sighing rebuke would come back saying that I didn’t need to take them off… but somehow Eli was looking at my hand, which was touching the button, with expectant eyes, while muttering to herself. I was so embarrassed by the unexpected reaction that I couldn’t help but freeze.

Eli, who came to her senses late, cleared her throat, *ehem*.

,…You don’t necessarily have to take them off.”

,Ah, okay…”

The atmosphere became even more awkward. Silence flowed as we both tried not to be conscious of it. When Eli waved her staff without a word, countless small magical powers emitting a blue light, as if a shower had been turned on, flowed from the end of the staff and touched my body, being absorbed.

Eli’s magic wasn’t a very pleasant feeling. It was similar to the strange sensation I felt when I sprained my ankle and received low-frequency treatment. It was because my magic power, scattered throughout my body, reacted arbitrarily to Eli’s invading magic power, as if something was forcibly reacting to my muscles.

About 30 seconds passed, and Eli carefully placed her hand on my head. After a while, I felt a cool sensation on the top of my head.

,…Found it.”

Along with Eli’s small murmur, I felt a pain as if a long needle had been inserted into my head for a moment. I hunched my shoulders at the pain that felt like something sharp was scraping through my brain, and I couldn’t help but lose consciousness at the memories that flooded my head like an explosion.

***

At the same time as the sensation that had felt distant found its place in an instant, I opened my eyes. As if she had been waiting for me to wake up, I couldn’t help but give a bitter smile at the sight of Eli looking down at me and meeting my gaze. The strawberry scent made me nauseous.

,How did you do it?”

Eli smiled faintly at my question.

,I suppressed the magic engraved in your brain with my magic. It’ll be okay as long as my magic is maintained.”

With those words, Eli gently stroked my head, which she had placed on her lap. I got up, sat on the sofa, ruffled my bangs, and turned to Eli. There was something I realized after my memories came back. Eli’s hair had grown longer, and her atmosphere had changed.

It seemed like the Eli in front of me was the Eli from a few years later. Instead of giving the ridiculous explanation that I came from another world, I wondered if there was a way to confirm how different the flow of time was, and one method came to mind. I could follow the words Eli had first said to me.

,It’s been a while, Eli.”

I added with a smile.

,How much time has passed?”

According to Lycan, the Ross in this world also sold his soul to the Demon King and died at Roel’s hands. That was in the first semester of the first year, so I would be able to naturally estimate the time with Eli’s answer.

Eli bit her lip and hesitated for a moment before speaking.

,About 3 years…”

If it’s been 3 years, then Eli would be a 4th grader. If that’s the case, then in terms of the flow, it’s when she becomes the youngest Archmage and the Master of the Black Magic Tower, which integrates all elemental magic.

,…I see.”

Suddenly, my gaze turned to Eli’s hand. A ring on her ring finger caught my eye. As if she noticed my gaze, Eli covered the ring with her other hand. I only smiled faintly at Eli’s appearance, who was appealing with her whole body that she was embarrassed and didn’t know what to do. It’s understandable that she’s embarrassed. It would be a complicated problem for Eli to explain to me.

,Ross, this is…”

How should she explain that her childhood friend, who had a crush on her, died, and that she was dating her childhood friend’s older brother… I shook my head slightly at Eli’s appearance, who couldn’t get a grasp. At that sight, Eli bit her lip and lowered her head deeply. Tears fell without a sound, dripping onto the sofa and her thighs.

I looked at Eli like that and thought for a moment. And I made up my mind and opened my mouth before the misunderstanding deepened.

,Eli, I didn’t resurrect from the dead.”

Eli flinched and looked up at me. At the look in her eyes that seemed to say she couldn’t believe my words, I sighed. It was time to give the ridiculous explanation I had given up on a little while ago.

,I came from a different world than this one. So, from the world 3 years ago.”

,…Liar.”

,I’m not lying. In the first place, why would I tell such a lie? It would be easier to take advantage of your guilt by deceiving you that I had resurrected.”

I didn’t miss the fact that Eli’s shoulders trembled at my words. It seemed like I was right. But I have no intention of deceiving or taking advantage of Eli. Even if it’s a different world, I hoped that such things would no longer interfere in our relationship.

The current Eli is the strongest magician in the world. And she was Eli who realized her mistakes after losing Ross. If I explained my situation, I believed that she would help me return to my original world.

So, I explained. I explained everything from how I was able to cross over to another world to the events before I crossed over to this world. At first, Eli listened to my words with an expression that she couldn’t believe, but when I showed her the Spear of Shadows, the Spear of Destruction, and Patulga’s Grimoire, she finally believed my words.

,Can you give me some time to think…?”

I nodded at Eli’s earnest request. Eli closed her eyes for a moment to organize her thoughts and gently opened her eyes and looked at me. When I met her gaze without avoiding it, Eli asked in a small voice.

,Why is there Oblivion Magic in your head?”

Was that what she was curious about? At the sudden question, I sighed and explained. I explained what happened between us, unlike in this world, and Eli couldn’t help but shed tears in the end at the words that I had cast the magic myself to deliberately forget about you.

,…You should have just revealed the truth to everyone. So I could know exactly how bad of a bitch I was, to the point that Roel *oppa* would be disgusted.”

Eli leaned towards me and grabbed my arm. She repeatedly apologized with a face full of guilt.

,Why did you cast the magic on yourself instead of me? I’m the one who did everything wrong. It wouldn’t be enough to curse, hit, and kill me, who used you and ruined you, even after a long time. Why…?”

I felt a strange emotion for the first time at Eli’s appearance, who couldn’t understand my choice. I felt a strange feeling as if that emotion was squeezing my heart.

,I could have returned the pain I experienced to you as it was. But…”

Somehow, my head doesn’t seem to be functioning properly. No thoughts came to mind. Only pure emotions flowed out of my mouth as words.

,How could I do that.”

I looked straight at her tearful gaze, looking into my eyes, and said as if it were natural.

,Because it’s you.”