–World transfer complete.
“Ho!”
I landed in the new world as usual and immediately checked my surroundings. It was noon, and there was no sign of anyone but us on the open plain.
“What is that!?”
Tia put my inner surprise straight into words. What was in sight was an extremely large town, and beyond the towering chalk walls stood a huge statue of a man soaring to the heavens.
“A big stone statue? How did they carve something that big?”
“Ah, they say it was a miraculous work of God.”
“God?”
“That’s right. In response to the prayers of believers, God sent down stone pillars from the heavens and carved them into the shape of himself by a rain of thunder. Therefore, there is only that one statue of God in this world, and the place where it stands is the Holy Land, and the place that surrounds it is revered as the Holy City. … was it? Of course, it’s a myth, so I don’t know if it’s true or not.”
“I see. But you remembered right away this time, didn’t you?”
“I guess it’s because it’s just that distinctive.”
A 300-meter tall statue of a man … or rather a god, with a rich beard, dressed in some kind of fluttery clothes, holding a book in his left hand and a thunderbolt in his right hand. There was only one world in my memory that had such a thing.
This is the 086th world… I see that person’s world.
“Hey Ed. If you remember, can I ask you about this world? Or do you feel like it’s better if I don’t know this time either?”
“No, it shouldn’t be like that in particular. It’s quite a distance to the town, so we’ll talk while walking.”
As I stepped out to lead Tia, I slowly told her about this world.
“Well… first of all, we’re heading to the Holy City of Arlene, the largest religion in the world. And we’ll meet the Saint there.”
“A saint? Not the Hero?”
“It’s a difference in terminology. We may call her a hero, but in this world she is called a saint. Well, that’s all there is to it, so if we just join the saint’s party and go with them on their journey to defeat the Demon Lord, we’ll be fine.”
“Hee, it’s easy to understand this time. Then I can play an active part!”
“Haha, I’m counting on you.”
In fact, there aws nothing difficult this time. In fact, the first time around, I also sold myself as a scout who could play vanguard and was recognized for my abilities in a very ordinary way and was able to join the saint’s party, not the hero …. I was able to do so, but …
“? Ed, what’s wrong?”
Tia looked into my face from the side as my expression clouded as I recalled the past. The innocent look on her face made my chest darken with self-loathing even more.
“Ah, no. Just Tthe way I was banished back then. ……”
Seeing and talking to my mentor again made me realize exactly how badly I’d done things. Seeing and talking to my master again made me realize exactly how badly I’ve done things. But if I have to do the same thing, I can’t afford not to explain it to Tia.
Showing competence to make people trust you and hiding competence to make them lose trust in you. As I talked about this self-serving exchange with self-mockery, Tia, who had finished listening to everything, began to think with a difficult look on her face.
“What’s the matter, Tia? Did anything bother you other than the fact that I’m a helpless piece of shit?”
“Don’t say that! No, there’s something I don’t understand.”
“What?”
“You know. If it’s absolutely necessary to be ‘banished’, Ed’s way of doing things… I wouldn’t say it’s good, but I think it can’t be helped. But at least as long as I’ve been touring the world with you, we didn’t have to be banished so harshly, right? I mean, it was just a normal goodbye, right?”
“……………………… ………………… eh?”
Tia’s words made my mind go blank. It’s not right, it’s not right. No, it can’t be. …. that?
In the first round, it was always a cold stare directed at me as I left the world. Throwing out the incompetent, kicking out the useless. I received apologetic looks, sympathy and pity, but none of the Heroes “banished” me with a smile.
But what about the second time around? With the exception of the very first world, Alexis’ world, didn’t everyone after that send me off with a smile on their faces? Waffle kicked me out? Dumped out by Rebecca? By Miguel, by Toby, and by my Master….!?
“GRGHHHHHH!???!!?”
“ED!?”
Suddenly, an excruciating headache hit me. Ouch, ouch! The pain was so intense that I thought my head was physically cracking, and I collapsed on the spot, sprawling on the ground.
“ED! ED! What should I do, medicine…but there’s no injury…!?”
It hurts, it hurts. No, don’t think any more. Let go of your thoughts, cast off your doubts! Don’t think, don’t think! Forget, and don’t forget. What’s in front of me is always–
*******
“…………………… Tia?”
“Ed! Ed!”
From the other side of my hazy consciousness, my will catched up with me. I looked up vaguely and saw Tia’s face, her jade green eyes filled with tears.
“Oi oi, what are you crying for?”
I lifted my languid arms and reached for Tia’s cheek. I wiped the tears away with my thumb, and Tia hugged my head tightly.
“W-Wha!?”
“What you ask! You suddenly screamed and passed out!? D-Did you know how worried I was…..”
“Ah…I’m sorry”
Given my current position, it seemed that I was lying on my back with my head being held by her. I put strength into my back muscles to support myself, and I extended my hand, which had been touching Tia’s cheek a little more, and gently stroked her head.
Then, after Tia had calmed down and released my head from her arms, I stood up on my own.
“Hey, Ed!? Standing up suddenly like that――”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s really nothing. I mean, what was it?”
“That’s my line, isn’t it! Hey, are you sure you’re okay? Aren’t you pushing yourself?”
“I’m fine. Look, this way!”
When I moved my body, my rewound 20-year-old body moved very smoothly. Well, it’s great to be young, isn’t it? No, physically, I’ll always be the same age I am now.
“I mean, Right! Hey Tia, how long have I been asleep?”
“Huh!? Let’s see, … maybe not more than ten minutes. ….”
“I see. That’s no problem at all. However, if we take too long, the saint will go on a trip, so let’s go to the town soon.”
“Okay, but…… you’re sure you’re okay with it?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Tia looked straight at me, and I looked straight back at her and nodded with a smile. In fact, my head felt clear, and I didn’t feel sick. If I had to say, the unexplained headache itself was a cause for concern, but since I don’t know the cause, there’s nothing I can do about it.
“Well, Okay., Even if it’s not alright, the townspeople will be able to deal with it… all right, let’s go.”
“Ye!”
I cheerfully replied to Tia, who was still looking slightly doubtful, and we proceeded on our way to the Holy City. Well, this time I thought we were off to a smooth start—
“Stay here and be quiet!”
“…………How did this happen?”
In the dark, cold iron bars, I was left with a headache of a different kind.
(T/N: Happy New Year Folks)