Empty Seat
by Afuhfuihgs
The purpose of my coming to this world was achieved in a direction different from what I had thought. It’s been a while since the runic letters on my wrist turned green. If I use the coordinates that Ross of Avarice put in my head right now to return, I will be able to resolve the questions about Roel.
But I couldn’t possibly turn away from Roel, who was sending me desperate glances asking for my help. I know it’s a futile effort. But I wanted to help my protagonist, whom I had yearned for and longed for, even if it was a useless endeavor. I sighed deeply and turned to Estelle, saying,
“I’m going to explain in more detail what I said earlier.”
Quick-witted Estelle understood what I meant, got up from her seat, grabbed paper and pen, and finished preparing to write down my explanation. I don’t know why, but I made eye contact with Roel and gave a faint smile. I guess it’s because the inner intimacy I had lost was revived.
I looked at the setting book and slowly and carefully explained what would happen in the future. Roel, who was listening with eyes as calm as a lake, asked questions from time to time, showing a focused appearance. Whether she has tremendous ability in paperwork, Estelle wrote down what I said on paper at the same time as I opened my mouth.
Only silence remained in the room after all the explanations were finished. Estelle was checking if there were any errors in the documents she had transcribed, and Roel was quietly organizing his thoughts. While explaining, I combined the thoughts that came to mind and the information I predicted about how the flow of this world would flow in the future.
And using that, I thought about how I, as the author, could change the predetermined ending of destruction into a plausible happy ending, and told Roel my organized thoughts.
Roel, who listened to my words quietly, was greatly pleased like a hero who had heard the advice of a sage. I could feel that Roel was sincerely grateful to me. It felt strangely unfamiliar and strange, so I scratched the back of my head.
This may be an act close to deception, giving false hope. This place was a world trapped in the endless cycle of eternal recurrence. But Roel will not give up. Even though he knows that my advice is false hope, he will never give up.
I hated Roel’s setting of conveying sincerity for this reason. Because he arbitrarily infects others with that sincerity. Even I, born from lies, can’t help but react sincerely to Roel’s sincerity that he will not give up even in the face of any desperate trials.
I did everything I could. I did what I knew and what came to mind as the best thing to do, so there was nothing to regret later. I turned my head and looked at Estelle.
“To save the world, Roel will desperately need Modiste’s help.”
Estelle, who was staring at me blankly, lowered her gaze and looked at the paper containing information about the future. Estelle, who raised her gaze and looked at me again, nodded vigorously, took off her mask, and turned to Roel.
Roel, who confirmed Estelle’s bare face, opened his mouth with a bewildered expression.
“You’re… Estelle? I even ate with Rosalyn a few times.”
Estelle smiled pleasantly at Roel’s reaction and bowed her head slightly.
“That’s right, Rosalyn’s best friend and the world’s best information guild. I’m also the guild leader of Modiste. I was trying to hide my identity until the end… but I can’t save my cards in this situation. I will spare no support for you, the only hope to save the world.”
When Estelle said that, Roel, who erased the embarrassment from his face, smiled sincerely.
“Thank you for believing in me. I will definitely repay that trust.”
When Roel reached out his hand, Estelle smiled and grabbed it. My eye for talent was not wrong. A tsundere loli position in a harem was a kind of cliché. It’s a shame it was discarded, but seeing them together like this, they looked so good together.
Estelle said to Roel with eyes full of gratitude.
“I’ve known for a long time that you are someone I can trust since you saved Danger. It’s late to say thank you… but thank you so much.”
Roel saved Danger’s life? No wonder Danger’s atmosphere, who was guiding Roel, was different from mine because Roel was the benefactor who saved his life.
I stood up from my seat, looking at the two people shaking hands over the table. Feeling the gazes of the two people holding hands gathering on my face, I shrugged my shoulders.
“Now that I’m done, I have to leave.”
“You’re leaving already? At least have one last meal together….”
Seeing Roel’s appearance as if he didn’t want to part with his younger brother whom he had met after a long time, I lied without hesitation.
“Going to another world is magic with tremendous risks. The longer you stay in another world, the greater the risk. I’ve already spent more time in this world than planned. I can’t do it anymore.”
I was a little sad, but I didn’t want to be stuck here anymore. I didn’t think I would get any useful information, and even if my internal evaluation of Roel went up, it wasn’t enough to have a meal together. Above all, the urge to meet Ross of Avarice and resolve my questions was great.
Roel, who looked very disappointed, sighed and said.
“Then I can’t help it… but thank you so much anyway. Even though you know how bad I am, you helped me like this.”
Estelle chimed in at Roel’s self-reproachful words.
“It’s such a big help that I don’t know how to repay you… Thank you so much.”
I nodded perfunctorily without answering and created a passage to the outskirts of the outer universe where Ross of Avarice is. Roel and Estelle, who were watching me create the passage from behind, exclaimed in admiration at the appearance of the created passage.
Feeling a sense of pride for no reason, I smiled and gave my last greeting over my shoulder.
“Then, take care-“
“Wait―――!!!”
A high-pitched sound like a scream was heard. Danger, who burst into the room, ran towards me as if he was going to do a body slam, and suddenly pulled my arm into his body.
“Da, Danger, what are you doing? Let go of this quickly.”
“No―――!!!”
Estelle, with a flustered face, hurriedly tried to pull Danger away from me, as if he wouldn’t let go. Despite Estelle’s restraint, who he followed like family, Danger shook his head and expressed his will not to let go of his arm.
“I have a favor, a favor to ask!”
At Danger’s desperate voice, Estelle sighed deeply and gave up trying to separate Danger. I sighed and looked down at the headstrong Danger.
“No matter what favor you ask… there’s nothing I can do for you.”
“I heard everything outside. You’re going back to another world a few years ago!”
Just because you wear a cat mask on your face doesn’t mean you’re allowed to steal other people’s words. Even if I put strength in my arm, it seemed impossible to remove it without using force because he was holding it tightly in his arms.
As I was scratching my cheek with my other hand, looking troubled, Danger said in a tearful voice.
“My sister… save my sister in your world from dying. Please.”
“Sister…?”
That unfamiliar word causes a strange sensation and makes my heart beat. Suddenly, my head feels clear. I even feel self-reproachful for not noticing the biggest sense of incongruity until now.
Why didn’t I notice Ember’s absence? Even when I first visited Modiste, and when I visited Modiste in another world… the appearance was different, but it was Ember who greeted me.
The person who greeted the guests next to Estelle was always Ember, not Danger. But in this world, Danger is next to Estelle, not Ember. Even if Danger did something rude to me, a guest, no one came forward to scold or stop him.
I know that if Ember was in Modiste, she wouldn’t have let Danger act like that. That means that Ember no longer exists in this world.
“You don’t mean….”
I said it as if I was doubting, but in fact, I was already sure of Danger’s identity. There is only one person in Modiste who can be called sister. I carefully lowered my hand and brought it close to Danger’s mask. Danger did not avoid that slow hand and looked straight at me.
I lifted the mask and looked at Danger’s face. Danger looking at me with a tearful face. No, I smiled at Amy.
“I see. So it’s you… You’ve grown up beautifully, Amy.”
Amy’s big eyes, filled with tears, widened even more. She seems surprised that I know her name. Estelle, who was watching from the side, seemed to be the same, and asked me with a flustered face.
“Danger. No, did you know Amy?”
Of course I know. She has grown so much in a few years and her atmosphere has changed, so I couldn’t recognize her… but Amy’s face still had the same loveliness.
“I know. In my world, I rescued Amy from Ludwig much earlier. She is now living happily with Ember in Modiste.”
At my words, Amy, who was holding my arm with her whole body, flinched. As I gently stroked Amy’s back, who started crying, I asked Estelle.
“Why did Amy’s name become Danger?”
Estelle smiled bitterly at my question.
“Ember died in Ludwig trying to save Amy, and Amy gave herself that new name.”
A small, watery voice was heard from under my gaze, as if adding to it.
“Because I wanted to be a dangerous existence to the bad guys….”
So that’s how it went. I understand now. Danger, who saved Luna, must be Amy from another world. Ross of that world must have sent Amy to my world to protect Luna of my world in some way.
I looked at Amy, who was shedding tears. The cute girl who was shy with me. The lovely girl who would give a pretty beaming smile when given chocolate and candy. The tragedy that happened to Ember made Amy into Danger.
Suddenly, the conversation I had with Amy came to mind. Amy, who said she would study hard because she wanted to wear a pretty school uniform like Estelle-unni. Perhaps the reason Danger was wearing a Transcendence uniform when she saved Luna was because of her regret for not being able to attend the academy in the destroyed world.
I know that the Amy in front of me is not the one who saved Luna. But Danger was definitely my benefactor. If I don’t know which world’s Amy she is, I just have to be nice to Amy in every world.
I gently stroked Amy’s hair and said in a low voice.
“I can’t grant your wish.”
Amy’s tearful eyes are filled with tears that fall in drops. I looked at it and whispered with a soft smile.
“Amy in my world is already happy with her sister. So you don’t have to worry about you and your sister in another world.”
Did the clumsy comfort work? I could feel the arm that was holding me loosening. I pulled out my arm and hugged Amy tightly. As if to soothe Amy with my warmth.
“So you have to be happy here too.”
Amy sobbed in my arms. As I quietly patted Amy’s back, I shot a look at Roel, who was looking at me with soundless applause as if he was proud.
Amy, who looked up at me from my arms with a tearful face, swallowed her sobs for a long time and said with difficulty.
“Tha, thank you. And… I’m sorry. For being such a jerk all this time.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at Amy’s apology. I stroked Amy’s hair and then yielded Amy to Estelle, who had come next to her. I straightened my clothes, which were messed up with tears, snot, and wrinkles, and made eye contact with the three people who were looking at me one by one.
Estelle and Amy’s eyes full of gratitude. And Roel’s expression, who was so moved that he looked like he was about to shed tears like Amy, gave me a sense of déjà vu, so I raised the corners of my lips. Then Roel asked with a playful smile.
“As a last request, how about a warm hug with hyung-nim….”
“Get lost.”
I smiled brightly at everyone with a laugh and turned my body towards the passage.
Say goodbye briefly, say hello again for a long time.
Thinking of that, I walked towards the passage without saying a word.
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