LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 52
After leaving the headmaster’s office, I returned to the inn with Mea.
As for Cynthia? I had sent her back to the royal castle a while ago. I had asked the headmaster to arrange for her return.
Now, Mea and I were alone.
However, the atmosphere inside the room was eerily quiet, unlike anything we had experienced before. The reason was obvious.
Mea hadn’t said a word since we returned to the inn.
Had I done something to upset her during our journey back?
“…Jin-sama.”
“What’s wro—!”
As I was sitting on the bed, trying to figure out what was wrong, Mea called my name. However, before I could turn towards her voice, she suddenly climbed onto my lap, causing me to let out an unexpected yelp.
“M-Mea!? Wh-why are you on my lap!?”
Oh no, oh no, oh no! This unexpected physical contact from Mea had caught me off guard!
Mea was straddling my lap, facing me directly, which meant that her beautiful face was right in front of me. Her mesmerizing emerald eyes drew my gaze, and I saw my own flushed face reflected in them, redder than it had ever been before.
“W-What’s going on, Mea? Seriously, what’s wrong?”
With Mea looking at me so intensely, I… Wait, even her intense look is cute!? No, no, focus!
While I was inwardly panicking, I felt Mea gently place her hand on my cheek and softly stroke it. Then, her slightly moist and lustrous lips moved slowly as she spoke.
“…Did you defeat the man who called himself Brain this time, Jin-sama?”
“Y-Yeah… I couldn’t let him harm you or anyo—”
“Why?! Why do you always try to handle everything by yourself? Am I not dependable enough for you?!”
As I tried to respond, Mea abruptly interrupted me, baring her emotions and shouting at me. Her eyes were teary, her brows furrowed with a hint of sadness, and she was biting her lip, a stark contrast to her usual emotionless expression. I was completely taken aback by this side of her; I had never seen such an expression, not even in the game.
“N-No, it’s not like that…”
“Then why won’t you rely on me?! I may not boast about it, but I should be one of the strongest in this world! I won’t lose to the current you! So why…”
“…”
Her cold, petite hand resting on my cheek trembled noticeably.
“Rely on me, please…”
“Mea…”
Tears welled up in Mea’s beautiful eyes, and a drop rolled down onto my cheek.
“I’m, as you can see, an elf… Elves are long-lived, and I’ve already lived for over 100 years.”
Yeah, I know.
“I was called a prodigy in the Elven village. But I never grew proud of that, always working hard… or so I thought. But I was wrong.”
“…”
Mea’s past… I realized I’d never heard about it before.
“About 35 years ago… a man came to our village.”
“…A man…”
My chest suddenly tightened, but when I saw Mea’s sorrowful expression, I couldn’t interrupt.
“That man was strong… Strong enough to defeat me, who was considered one of the top five in the village, with ease.”
“S-So, he was that strong…?”
“Yes, he was as strong as you are now.”
He seemed like a real monster… But my chest hurt so much… I wanted to ask more, but I was too afraid.
“He was on a journey of training. It seemed like his family didn’t approve of his use of magic, so he ended up staying in my village. The man taught us a unique way of using magic, something distinctively human.”
“Did you have feelings for him, Mea…?”
Her voice quivered, and I could tell that she was holding back tears. “I’m not sure… He was my Master, and I felt grateful. Maybe I was curious, but looking back, I can say for certain that I didn’t see him as a romantic interest.”
Her response was a relief. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest.
“He helped me and my village a lot. But… before I could properly express my gratitude, he disappeared.”
“Disappeared…?”
“Yes. Ten years after he started staying in the village, he vanished suddenly. We searched for him with all the elves, but we couldn’t find a trace of him.” Mea’s expression turned sorrowful once again.
“I set out on a journey to find him and express my gratitude. Although everyone in the village opposed it, I felt like I was being exiled in a way and left the village.”
I had known from the setting that she was exiled, but I never imagined it was because of her Master. Still, knowing her sense of duty, it made perfect sense.
“The outside world was vast. I traveled to different places and met various people. Among them was Lord Aldo. But… in the end, I couldn’t find him on my own.”
“On your own…?”
“Yes. Because of my reputation as an adventurer, I received a letter from a certain noble.”
“The Divinesword family…”
“That’s correct.”
I began to understand where this was leading.
“The letter was from him. I went to the address without hesitation. This time, I wanted to convey ten years of gratitude to him.”
The mysteries that had haunted me for so long were unraveling before my eyes.
“He was there… with an unfamiliar woman, looking happy.” “Ah… those people are surely…”
“…my father and mother.”
“Yes. Geo Divinesword and Aisha-san. And…”
Mia’s gaze locked onto me.
“…Jin-sama. The three of you lived as commoners in a corner of the Divinesword territory. But when I arrived, Aisha-san and Geo-sama were afflicted with an incurable poison. That’s when Geo-sama asked me for a favor.”
“…to protect me?”
“Hehe… Jin-sama, you’re quite sharp. That’s right. And so, in the dead of night, I sneaked into the Divinesword household and rewrote the memories of all the people. Jin Divinesword became the son of the duke and the duchess.”
Ah, I see.
So that’s why I didn’t have the same talent for the sword as those people.
Just like Geo Divinesword.
“After I entrusted Jin-sama to them, in the morning, I returned to find the two of them peacefully holding hands, having passed away in their sleep.”
“…”
“At that time, I cried. For the first time, I spoke words of resentment. I asked, ‘Why did you die without listening to me?’ But even if I did that… he, my master, wouldn’t come back. I stopped my journey and decided to protect you in his place.”
“…”
“At that time, I thought of you as my own child.”
Child… Certainly, from Mea’s perspective, I must still seem like a child…
So, will my feelings never be able to reach her…?
In that moment, my vision blurred and faded.
No, to begin with, I couldn’t even meet her. So, just being able to interact like this and share the same space might be enough.
While I thought that, my heart ached as if countless thorns were piercing it. Unconsciously, I lowered my head.
“However, that belief changed when you were five years old.”
The moment I heard those words, the world seemed to change its colors. I couldn’t help but lift my head.
“Jin-sama, you underwent a sudden transformation. At first, I thought you had a change of heart, but…”
Mea looked into my face.
Wha-what…?
Could it be…?
“We’ve been together for a long time, but this is the first time we’re speaking to each other clearly, isn’t it, the other Jin-sama?”
“Were you… aware?”
I hadn’t exactly made an effort to hide it, but I never expected to be found out.
What should I do…?
I panicked visibly, attempting to turn my face away, but then…
“Do not run away.”
“Huh!?”
My attempt to evade was thwarted by a hand on my cheek, forcing me to look at Mea. Her expression was deadly serious.
“There is something I have wanted to tell you for a long time. You have protected me countless times. You have brought me so much joy. Despite my usually calm demeanor, you have taught me a wealth of emotions.”
Mea’s eyes sparkled in the dimly lit room, illuminated only by the moonlight.
“You loved me, and you protected me with all your heart. Your actions were incredibly cool and dependable, unlike anything I had ever seen. I felt happy. My heart skipped a beat. My body warmed up. It was at that moment that I became aware of my feelings. Simultaneously, I realized that I didn’t want to be protected alone; I wanted to protect you in return, right by your side.
—Jin-sama—no, what is your name?”
Blushing and with affectionate certainty shining in her eyes, she asked.
My name, which I hadn’t been able to remember since arriving in this world, suddenly—naturally—came to mind.
“My name is… Jin… Ichizujin.”
“Jin… The same name… Jin… Jin—!”
Mea called my name, tears overflowing from her eyes, and she wore a radiant smile unlike any I had seen before.
Just like a beautiful full moon in the night sky.
—
Their distance closed in.
They both placed their hands on each other’s cheeks, and in unison, they whispered softly yet affectionately.
“Jin, I love you.”
“Mea, I love you.”
Guided by their entwined gazes, they gently brought their lips together.
Their passionate breaths tickled their cheeks.
They could hear nothing else—neither the voices of people outside nor the creaking of the room’s wooden floor, not even the beating of their own hearts.
We were separating ourselves from the world. Inviting each other into our own world.
We kissed again and again. To confirm each other’s presence, never wanting to be apart again.
But that alone was not enough… It only fueled our desire for more, driven by our insecurities.
Together, we slowly collapsed, exploring each other’s bodies.
“-Maa-!” “-Mmm… Mmm…”
Maa nodded softly, And then she wrapped her arms around my neck―――”
“-Come… Jin…”
That day, we became one.
I will never forget that smile.
—
This chapter marks the end of volume 3.