I Possessed the Villain’s Childhood Friend – Chapter 76

When I opened my eyes, the surroundings were draped in pure white curtains.

The outfit I was wearing was also a pristine white patient gown.

And I could feel a warm heat in my hand.

“…Reina.”

As I slightly turned my gaze, I saw Reina sitting in a chair, holding my right hand, nodding off.

I quietly stretched so as not to wake Reina, and I heard a creaking sound from my joints.

Fortunately, there was no pain.

“I won.”

My memory was intact.

In stories like this, it’s common to lose memory in situations like these.

But then again, it wouldn’t make sense for someone who has possessed a web novel to experience something like that.

“Um…”

Naturally, all my wounds had already healed.

“Reina.”

“Uh, yes?”

At my call, Reina startled awake, blinking her eyes wide and lifting her head.

She naturally let go of my hand.

That’s a bit unfortunate.

Did I wake her up for nothing?

“I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been dozing off.”

“It’s okay. All your wounds have healed, and if you’re tired, it’s understandable.”

With her hands neatly placed on her knees, Reina strangely couldn’t meet my eyes.

I felt curious about that, but I thought there was no need to voice it.

“What time is it?”

The entire area was surrounded by curtains, so I couldn’t guess the time.

But it couldn’t be much past 8:30, could it?

“I checked the clock before dozing off, and it was 11 o’clock.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

Perhaps to prove her words, Reina quietly pulled back the curtain behind her.

The deep night sky came into view, and the clock hanging by the window read 11:20.

The duel began at 6:30.

If it took about an hour, then I had been lying here for nearly four hours.

And Reina had been waiting for me to wake up for those four hours.

I felt a bit guilty.

I wasn’t that severely injured, anyway.

It’s not like I could get badly hurt due to the barrier.

“What about His Highness?”

“He returned to the dormitory right after receiving treatment. He said he had a lot to do and asked me to take care of you.”

That’s strange.

I clearly won, so why did I lose consciousness alone?

I think it was the same at the Heros Martial Arts Tournament.

“The doctor said it seems like you collapsed from mental exhaustion rather than from your injuries.”

I had doubts about that fact, but I quietly nodded at Reina’s explanation.

Well, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t exhausted.

I barely slept last night because of the duel.

Speaking of which, she immediately picked up on my doubts and answered them.

Did I show that much on my face?

“Oh, right. I’m not sure what it means, but His Highness asked me to tell you later about what he wants.”

“Okay.”

Now that I think about it, since I won the duel, I can ask for what I want.

What do I want, though?

Honestly, I haven’t decided anything immediately.

I only half-jokingly said it.

“Oh, what happened with the engagement?”

I realized I had forgotten the most important thing.

I was told that if I win this duel, the engagement would become null and void.

However, it seemed Leon was already moving under the premise of the engagement.

Even if I won, it didn’t seem like it would be canceled.

Reina had also mentioned that she wished for the engagement to be broken.

At my question, Reina smiled awkwardly, as if she were in a tricky position.

“The engagement will probably proceed. To be honest, it’s like it’s already been finalized.”

“…I see.”

In fact, I still didn’t quite feel it.

It was Reina who suggested breaking off the engagement first.

…But then, why did Reina want to break the engagement?

As I rummaged through my memory, the only thing I remember hearing from Leon was that Reina was the one who proposed breaking it off first.

Reina didn’t need me to promise to make her happy.

She didn’t need to hear me say that I liked her as a woman.

I thought without any backup plan.

What would happen if that was some absurd misjudgment?

I felt that this needed to be fully addressed.

“Reina.”

“Yeah?”

“His Highness told me that you were the one who was going to propose breaking off the engagement first.”

“That’s right.”

Reina nodded quietly in agreement.

“Can I ask why?”

Reina’s face instantly turned red at my question.

I wanted to ask if she felt the same way as I did, but I decided to wait quietly.

However, Reina’s answer was unexpected.

“I wanted to ask you something too.”

The Reina, who had been avoiding my gaze until now, finally looked up to meet my eyes.

Her face was still flushed.

Of course, I asked the question first, but it probably didn’t matter.

“Aike, why did you accept this duel? No matter how much you said you wanted to be my knight, it was still just a promise. You could have easily refused.”

“You’re right.”

“Yet you accepted the duel. And this isn’t all. You always act for my sake. I can’t do anything for you. So why do you go so far for me?”

Though her face was beet red, Reina’s voice was still calm as usual.

“Because I wanted you to be happy.”

“Why?”

Reina didn’t seem satisfied with my answer.

So she started to ponder.

“Hmm.”

Now that I think about it, it’s pretty funny how ‘she heals the wounded world’ is a web novel.

The villains of the original story, the organization Avatarara, sought to destroy the Astria Empire.

The members of Avatarara were awful criminals.

But they never regretted it even when they fell.

On the contrary, they cursed Sofia and Leon, claiming Avatarara was right, and died while wishing their remaining members hope in their own way.

Even the boss of Avatarara was the same in the last episode.

He fights on, saying he won’t give up for the fallen members, and is pushed to the brink of killing Leon and Sofia.

Isn’t that strange?

They sought to destroy the empire, committed countless murders, and accumulated horrific sins.

Yet they maintained a bond among their members until the end.

There were even readers cheering for Avatarara in that regard.

But what about Reina?

She was only jealous because her beloved fiancé seemed to be falling for another woman.

Readers said Reina tormented Sofia, but recalling the narrative, most of it was just simple jabs or advice.

She never killed anyone nor committed horrendous sins.

Yet Reina was shunned by everyone, and in her loneliness, met a cruel end with a beheading.

Among readers, there wasn’t any sympathy or pity for Reina, at least none that I knew of.

Some even praised her death as the best scene in the work.

Why?

Clearly, the obvious villain was Avatarara, so why did Reina, who died the loneliest in the original story, receive hatred?

Why did Reina have to be a target of malice both inside and outside the work?

I loved ‘she heals the wounded world’ as a web novel, but I was completely dissatisfied with Reina’s treatment.

To put it simply, I just hated it.

So after possessing this world, I decided to create a world where Reina could be happy.

And the more I got to know her, the stronger that resolve became.

Reina was not a villain who should have to face ruin in her loneliness.

She deserved happiness.

If it was destiny for someone who did her best in everything, who never turned a blind eye to her mistakes, to meet such a horrifying end,

Then I could proudly say it was wrong.

“I just wanted you to be happy.”

“Why?”

It was like a repetitive loop of conversation.

The reason was simple.

Because I was ashamed to say it.

I could say that boldly when facing Leon in the duel.

But wasn’t that because of those endorphins or something like that?

“Is it because we are childhood friends?”

“No.”

But I had to say it.

What’s so difficult about saying something I’ve already said once, even if I say it twice?

“I want to be a knight?”

“No.”

The truth.

I’ll say it confidently now.

“So why then?”

Look into Reina’s eyes.

No matter how clueless I am, I know she’s expecting something right now.

Knowing the answer to that response, why am I hesitating so much?

My head felt like it was about to burst from the heat.

And the answer I finally blurted out was,

“…Think whatever you like.”

It was such a trashy answer.

A fool.

Even if I say that, I have no rebuttal.

But it couldn’t be helped.

I was even too embarrassed to look at Reina’s face right now.

“Hmph.”

I felt Reina’s cold gaze from behind my head.

As I discreetly turned my gaze, I saw Reina with a face that was frighteningly expressionless.

“Alright. Then I’ll ask one more thing.”

Reina sighed and continued.

“Do you like me?”

“…I don’t dislike you.”

Really, what a fool.

I could have just said it honestly.

What on earth is making me so ashamed that I can only say it like this?

It feels like a deep regret that I’ve never built proper relationships in my past life.

Of course, I didn’t build them, and I knew it was a ridiculous excuse.

“Idiot.”

Yes, I’m a real fool when I can’t even properly talk to the person involved.

“At times like this, it’s just fine to nod along.”

“….”

“Aike.”

At Reina’s call, I turned my gaze back to her.

Reina held my right hand again, smiling brightly.

“I really like you.”

And I quietly nodded, just as she had said.

What kind of expression am I making right now?

One thing was for sure: I was definitely blushing bright red.

“You’ll tell me directly later, right?”

“…If I remember.”

Reina’s wry smile at my answer didn’t need any clarification.

★

The story isn’t over.

Avatarara is still intact, waiting for the chance to destroy the empire.

And I was already at the center of the story.

Honestly, even now, after quite a long time has passed, I feel scared and want to run away.

The day I killed a person for the first time in Heros.

The feeling of that moment still occasionally resurfaces.

And to save Anna, I killed assassins, and I took down the Black Wolf.

The sensation of slicing through a person’s flesh.

Swinging a sword to kill someone, rather than for a duel, seems something I could never get used to.

But I already know Avatarara’s purpose.

As long as Avatarara exists, Reina can’t be happy.

No, no one can be happy.

They are clearly evil.

Knowing that, I couldn’t run away.

I’ve dreamed of turning my back on everything and persuading Reina for the two of us to escape, but

It’s far too late to achieve such dreams.

Over the course of four years, many valuable bonds formed, in addition to Reina.

If I were to lose just one of them in exchange for changing the future,

If Sofia and Leon fail to destroy Avatarara because of it,

I would likely regret that for the rest of my life.

Of course, I know there is no perfect victory.

Someone will definitely die somewhere I can’t see.

But if I don’t run and fight, surely someone will be able to survive.

So, I pick up the sword again today.

Even as I dream nightmares and recall that horrific sensation, I swing my sword.

To save you.

To save everyone I can.

So that I won’t have regrets.

And just like that, another half-year passed.