Chapter 28: From whenever, always
I, Ralph Redford, have memories from my past lives.
Humans who inherit memories like this are called “reincarnators,” and it’s quite rare. But among them, I would be considered a special case.
Since my first birth until now, I have constantly experienced life and death, and more than 500 years have already passed.
In my first life, I was born as the third son of a poor farming family in a rural village. Even my parents had no interest in me, and I spent my days being oppressed by my brothers who were always irritated by something.
Even in such a difficult environment, I always felt like my world was shining thanks to her.
“I’m sorry, Erica-san. I got injured again.”
“Huh, are you okay? Show me.”
As usual, I visited Erica-san’s house and showed her the marks from being beaten by my brothers. She had a teary expression and gently stroked my head, saying, “That must have hurt.”
“It hurts, I hope it flies away.”
Then she placed her hand on the spot where I was hit, and I was enveloped in a pleasant light and warmth, and the wound disappeared in an instant.
Since I was a child, whenever I got injured, she would always heal me like this.
I always thought it was her gentle and warm magic.
“Alright, you’re all better now.”
“Thank you, Erica-san, as always.”
“No, if you get injured again, just let me know anytime. And Royk, don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”
With her gem-like eyes softly narrowed, she smiled like a flower. I loved her. I was happier just because she existed, more than anything else.
“It’s almost Erica-san’s birthday.”
“Wow, you remembered?”
“Yes, of course.”
Using the excuse of thanking her for treating me, I offered to help her with her work, and Erica-san smiled in a troubled manner.
“I’m already turning 20, I’m a late bloomer.”
“That’s not true.”
My friend, five years older than me, was already at a marriageable age. But in this rural village, there were a certain number of people who held prejudice against her unusual magic, so it seemed that she still hadn’t found a partner.
“Erica-san is wonderful, there’s no one who can match her.”
“Hehe, Royk, you’re so kind.”
But I will also reach the age to get married next year. I know that she doesn’t see me as a man yet. I planned to express my feelings to her on her birthday and ask her to wait for me a little longer if Erica-san was okay with it.
I wonder how she would react if I told her I loved her.
It was a bit scary, but I was also happy that I could finally convey the feelings I had kept in my heart for so long.
“. . .I wonder if Erica-san will be happy.”
And on her 20th birthday, I called her out to the nearby forest.
In the flower field she loved, I planned to give her a hair accessory of the same color as her eyes as a present and confess my feelings.
While waiting, feeling the pounding of my heart like a bell tolling, I suddenly heard the rustling sound of leaves from behind.
“Erica. . .”
Thinking that she had arrived, I turned around and was speechless. From my trembling palm, the hair accessory slipped and fell.
Something that resembled the end of the world was there.
Although I had seen monsters a few times in the past, this was completely different, more terrifying and ominous.
“. . .!”
It approached me while uttering pained screams. It looked as if it was about to collapse any moment now. What on earth could it be? My knees trembled, and eventually, I collapsed on the spot, unable to stand.
Instinctively, I realized that there was no way to escape. It was when it came right in front of me that I thought it was all over.
Instead of pain, a splash of red liquid came pouring down.
It wasn’t mine, it was someone else’s blood. As I lifted my head, I could see blood overflowing once again from the well-shaped, peach-colored mouth.
“. . .Erica-san?”
Why, how, Erica-san, like this. . .
“Ugh, ugh, sorry. . .”
She stood as if protecting me, and her body was being devoured by it. I could hear unfamiliar sounds like squelching and squishing.
When I regained my senses, it was already too late. The black entity, after taking on a clearer form than before, disappeared in an instant.
I hurriedly held her collapsing body and once again, I lost my words. The desire to quickly bring her back to the village for treatment vanished in an instant.
There was a gaping hole in her chest. And yet, she was still alive.
“Erica, I’m-I’m sorry!.”
I had never cursed my own foolishness as much as I did then. After being protected by my beloved Erica-san at the cost of her life, I couldn’t do anything.
With her trembling hand stained in deep red, she gently stroked my head.
“It’s my. . .my fault, everything is. I’m sorry. . ..”
“Hey, Royk. . .in life, it’s better to be a little selfish and live for yourself.”
“I-I. . .You. . .”
“Royk. . .you’ve always endured so much. . .from now on, you go to a place you like, do things you like. . .”
Even in such a moment, she worried about me.
And she smiled softly, slowly closing her eyes. I would never see her beautiful jade-like eyes reflecting me again.
❂❂❂❂❂❂
— How much time has passed since then?
After burying Erica-san, I became an adventurer and left the village, relentlessly defeating monsters as if I were mad. Perhaps it was an act of redemption.
It was because I was weak that she died. If I didn’t constantly blame myself like that, I felt like my mind would go crazy.
One day, I received a request to subjugate monsters that occasionally descended upon a nearby village and devoured people in a ruin.
However, there were more monsters lurking than I had imagined, and by the time I defeated them all, my body had reached its limit. I immediately realized that I would soon die. In the depths of the ruin, I collapsed.
Even someone like me, did I manage to protect something? I thought about such things, and then I noticed that something had fallen.
It was a beautiful green stone. With my last bit of strength, I reached out and grasped it, as it resembled her eyes.
I want to meet Erica-san. . .
If there is such a thing as a god, please let me meet her again. If that happens, this time I will protect her. With such a foolish wish in my heart, I closed my eyes.
And so, my foolish life was supposed to end.
“Well, what a cute child.”
“Doesn’t he resemble you?”
But the next moment, in the blurry world, I heard the voices of a man and a woman conversing happily.
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