episode_0007

*****

“… … .”

“Senior? Are you okay?”

“Huh!? What what, what!?”

“I guess you’re not there yet. Ugh. Come here first, I’ll dry your hair.”

After a shower that seemed to test my limits in many ways. I went to the living room after just wiping off the moisture from my half-oversaturated head, but was immediately caught by Sia and dragged back to the bathroom.

Sia said, it is absolutely impossible to just wipe things off like this.

Normally, I would have resisted because it was annoying, but I couldn’t afford to do that right now. Just by looking at the mirror in front of me, I feel like the feeling of taking a shower comes back to me.

Something was amazing… It was soft and smooth… It didn’t get caught in my hands when I washed it…

It may be an emergency situation, but this is the first time I have seen a woman’s intact naked body in everyday life. My head felt like it was going to explode from overload due to the overwhelming sense of reality and texture that was different from pictures or videos.

…let’s postpone looking at it in detail until later. Of course, this is just to get used to my current body, there is no other intention.

“─ So properly… , senior? Are you listening?”

“Huh? Ugh! of course. That’s the thing, that’s it. Yes.”

“You didn’t listen at all. …but it’s okay. Your senior will also be complicated in many ways. Having a body that is completely different from your previous self…”

“That’s roughly how it feels. Yes, that’s right.”

Sorry, I was just thinking about being naked.

Of course, before going to sleep, I thought about various things about the future. The impact of the shower was so great that it all flew away.

I’m glad Sia was mistaken because if it was discovered that she was obsessed with a girl’s body, she would definitely be ridiculed.

“Don’t worry, I just need to take care of you this time, just like you took care of me in the past. As a woman, I am a senior, so I will tell you many things.”

“…Okay, thank you.”

It may take time, but I definitely plan to return to being a man. So, aside from getting used to it, I don’t want to learn how to live as a woman.

However, there are probably some areas that need help, like the underwear I just mentioned. Feeling a little nervous, I nodded to Sia’s words.

“This is my first advice as a senior, senior. A girl’s hair is life. Remember this carefully. It is better to take enough time like now, blow the fan gently from a distance, or use cold air to dry it like this. There… .”

After that, Sia’s lecture continued while I was drying my hair. Things like you should never use strong hot air, drying your hair is a must, whether you rinsed it properly, etc.

This was too high a level for me, who was exhausted from just taking a shower.

“Why is it so complicated? Can’t I just squeeze out the water and shake it off with a towel?”

“Absolutely not! Then your hair will get damaged. It’s been so long since you’ve become so pretty, wouldn’t it be better to take good care of it?”

“What happens if your hair gets damaged?”

“The hair becomes split, dull, matted, and difficult to organize.”

“… … ???”

So why on earth is that a problem?

No, well, women are usually very concerned about how they appear. Men are also very conscious of it, but putting effort into it is understandable.

However, I have no intention of appearing more attractive to others than necessary. As long as it can provide a moderate sense of cleanliness, that is enough. Is there really a need to worry about such complicated things?

“Now, look. How pretty is it when it dries so well?”

You may or may not know how I feel, which is already full of annoyances. After struggling for a while, Sia pointed to the mirror as if to say hello.

There, a blonde girl who looked neater than before was facing me with a sullen expression. It’s definitely pretty, though. If you ask me if there is a noticeable change, my facial expression is the answer.

“It’s pretty, right? Cute, right? ‘Wow, was I this cute…? ?’ Aren’t the same thoughts creeping up inside you?”

“No, not at all. Rather, it has the opposite effect. How do you do this annoying thing every day? Once every three days… no. I guess I could just cut my hair off.”

“Absolutely not!”

Sia was absolutely against it, but my decision was already clear. No matter what happens, cut your hair short in the near future. I was already half fed up with the amount of shampoo needed to wash my hair.

Also, since I have small breasts, I think that would make me look quite manly.

“Hehe, it looks like I have a little sister.”

“Who is your sister? I’m a few years older than you.”

“It’s good, because it feels like I’m pretending to be an adult.”

Sia, who had been clinging to me begging me not to cut it because it was a waste, clung to me and started stroking my hair. I’m not pretending to be an adult, I’m really an adult. Who on earth is treating whom like a child?

Also, he suddenly offered to touch my head. Somehow, I feel like Sia’s sense of distance has greatly diminished.

Sia, if you have to ask, is a cat. Regardless of our friendship, I am not the type to approach you quickly like this. …It shouldn’t have been.

Of course, I just didn’t notice, and it’s possible that Sia has been wanting this kind of skinship for a long time. It is also possible to interpret that since my original self was a muscular macho and could not cling to her, now that I am a girl, I am showing my affection for her.

However, the scene in the living room suggested a simpler answer.

“Wow, I knew this would happen.”

A pile of empty beer cans piled up in front of the sofa. It was more than twice as large as it was when I came out to look for underwear just now.

He’s just drunk, this guy.

Just a beer? You may think so, but that is a specially processed liquor sold for awakened people, the so-called ‘hero drink’.

Even people who drink spirits like water can drink just one can. It is such a dangerous item that an ordinary person could easily be blown away if he or she makes a mistake.

In fact, it is safe to say that it is a poison that only looks and tastes like beer. Sia casually sat down on the sofa and picked up another can. As expected, the S-class hero, half jokingly and half seriously, gulps down the alcohol that is said to make even monsters drunk.

“Why did you drink so much? .”

“Well? I thought I should just drink until my senior comes out.”

And it seems that I was the cause of this tragedy. …Have I been in there for that long? Even though I felt awkward every time I washed it.

Actually, considering Sia’s age, there wasn’t really a problem. I was just a little shocked by the difference from the ‘Sia I knew’. I wasn’t this kind of kid, but I feel the same way.

There…

“Senior, drink some too~.”

“Wait a minute, hey! Don’t push in! If I drink that now, I’ll really die!”

…Sia This guy’s drinking habits have gotten really bad.

Sia, who had one more drink, completely lost her sense of distance from skinship. Considering that I was talking about my little sister just now, it makes sense. It’s very difficult for me, who has to deal with it with a sober mind.

“Chet. You’re not going to drink it?”

“For now. We’ll drink it next time, so let’s put that down for now. And stay away.”

“Next time?”

“Okay, next time. And then get away.”

First, I answered in a quick tone to regain the distance, and Sia’s expression crumpled slightly. Ugh. Did I get caught for giving a rough answer?

As for the result, that wasn’t the case. However, it was just a statement that stung a little more to me. Sia’s voice as she continued was slightly subdued.

“You said you’d see you next time, but you didn’t see me.”

“… … .”

“Liar. I heard it was a fuss. It wasn’t a fuss at all. I worked hard, ran, and called in reinforcements… .”

“… … ”

” That’s right, but the senior has turned into a cold corpse and is in a state of disrepair… . Next to it is a large dead dragon… . The medical team is talking about your senior’s heart not beating and things like that… . Have you ever thought about how I felt at that time?”

“That’s….”

Can not help it. I could barely swallow the next word.

It was something I did because it was necessary. The reason I was able to subdue the Calamity Dragon by myself was because the spirit had not yet settled down. If I had stepped down, a catastrophe could have occurred that would embroil the entire metropolitan area.

But Sia already knows that. He is the only one who has escaped to a safe place and cannot do anything while his precious family is dying. I brought that living hell to Sia.

Even so, I couldn’t apologize. Even if I could turn back time, I would have made the same choice. It would be better to simply accept resentment rather than make a superficial apology.

“Senior is always… . Because only other people are in my head. Because he only thinks about saving those people. So all I can think about is being praised and receiving attention. You don’t even try to see the people around you, right?”

“Ugh, well… it’s true…”

“There is no reason for a senior to do something like that. All you have to do is make it stronger… .”

Kuuk. Sia, who was clinging to me, snuggled further into my arms. It’s okay to just leave it alone, but I don’t have anything to say. I patted Sia’s back gently.

…I feel sorry for Sia, but honestly, I’m kind of happy. Although it felt somewhat sudden, perhaps because I was drunk or because of the 7 year gap in time. Because they are showing such anger and sadness over my death.

I think I’m disloyal, but what can you do with a guy like me who has this kind of personality?

“Bad guy… . Always leaving all the paperwork to me… . He didn’t even think about cleaning up his remarks… . I’m so busy saving people… . I can’t ignore even the slightest request for help… . He doesn’t even take care of his surroundings… .”

“Sia? Well, why don’t you just say one thing, either a curse or a compliment?”

“It’s all swear words!”

Well, I see. It seems like there was more accumulated than expected. …No, it might actually be natural.

Originally, my sidekick position was subject to intense changes. The cause is simple. Because I was very bad at most things other than combat.

As I was called the Four Heroes, most of the battles I went to were fierce battlefields. No matter how good of a supporter I was, it was difficult for me to do everything and participate in the operation. However, having two supporters had issues with fairness and lack of manpower.

Sia was a good match for me in that regard. Due to his abilities, he was able to support me without having to come directly to the battlefield, and he was fully capable of taking care of my opponents. But there is no way that he will like me just because I am compatible with him.

In the end, I was holding a lot of things inside like this.

Still, I’m glad that I somehow came back alive and was able to hear what she was thinking in this way. I hope you feel a little lighter after talking to me.

“Just now, yes!? I told you it was what I was wearing, so pay attention!”

… It seems like it’s becoming more and more forced rather than true.

“You’re talking about underwear, right? Um… I’m sorry, even if the appearance has changed, it’s still a bit different if an old man like me wears it. I’ll wash it well and return it to you tomorrow—”

“Not like that!”

I can’t even imagine what to do if it’s not like that. Well, it’s common for drunk people to speak gibberish.

Let’s accept as much as we can and let go of what we can’t.

“If I hadn’t done that back then, I would have done better…!”

“Please… . … Even if I did… , … how… , … I appealed… . … If I die… .”

“…Senior….”

After that, I listened to Sia talk about various incomprehensible things for nearly two hours. Before I knew it, Sia had buried her face in my arms and was quietly breathing.

At this point, you’ve probably had enough to drink. Since it’s inside the house anyway, let me carry him and put him down. Fortunately, Sia is not very overweight and I was able to move it somehow.

… Ugh, it’s still a bit heavy. It would have been an easy task if only I had my awesome muscles. I’m already starting to miss my original body.

Should I start strength training tomorrow?

“Guuu… .”

Oh, please.

*****