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“Have you heard of the Possessor?”

I couldn’t help but notice a ripple in her azure lake-like eyes at the mention of that single word, as her pupils trembled slightly.

Ever since my powers had spread through the world, discussions about the origin of my abilities haunted my ears more and more, making me ponder.

Having made such a grand entrance, should I inform Shione about my identity or let it slide quietly?

Ultimately, I found myself leaning towards letting her know the truth.

“At first, I wasn’t too keen on it.”

If a slave were to claim they were a Possessor from another world, proclaiming that this world would soon face destruction, they would only be treated as a lunatic. It was clear that no one would believe them. When I first taught Shione archery, I shied away from answering her queries.

“Then…”

The reason behind my hesitation remained ambiguous. Was it because I worried my words would be dismissed as nonsense, or was it a lack of faith in Shione? Perhaps it stemmed from a desire to avoid unnecessary variables by withholding the truth.

Or maybe… I habitually avoided the answer, thinking I would reveal it when the time was right.

It was all so unclear. A web of complex thoughts faded away. Defining it seemed like a challenge.

“And now is the time.”

I sensed that this was the moment to reveal my identity to Shione.

“If you’re talking about a Possessor…”

Shione murmured the word that had escaped my mouth.

Her trailing words seemed to indicate that the concept was something foreign, making it difficult for her to grasp.

At this rate, it seemed like I would have to explain what a Possessor was, so I opened my mouth.

“A Possessor is—”

“Yes, a Possessor, it was you.”

Surprisingly, Shione appeared familiar with the concept of a Possessor.

Her expression was one of admiration, reminiscent of a child in a fairytale encountering their hero.

“Do you know about Possessors?”

“…Yes. There are a few in the storybooks.”

Shione pointed to the bookshelves in her room.

“They often appeared in the novels I read alone every day.”

“Ah.”

Well, it was true that Shione had isolated herself in her room before I arrived.

Perhaps in her attempt to kill time while sleeping and munching on snacks, she ended up reading a considerable number of novels in search of simple amusement.

I had even checked the titles on the shelf when I cleaned her room.

Her bookshelf was filled with several dictionaries about flowers and their meanings, along with novels with extravagant titles. It was clear the contents were written purely for entertainment rather than for knowledge accumulation.

People are the same everywhere, apparently. Seeing her accept the concept of a Possessor more easily than expected made me realize that people in this world also casually used terms like possession and reincarnation.

As I nodded in agreement with her words, Shione gave a faint smile.

“So you mean…”

Shione’s bright expression slowly began to calm.

She had withdrawn her cheerful smile and was now scrutinizing me with caution.

“You mean to say you’re some kind of hero who has taken over that body.”

Shione had adopted a stiff tone, her previous gentle demeanor replaced with tension.

She was seeking my answer.

“Hero… I suppose it could be viewed that way.”

Hunters are expected to display heroic qualities to conquer dungeons, remnants of a fallen world.

Depending on the type of dungeon, they might even have to act like real heroes, so while the word might sound childish, it wasn’t entirely disconnected from my truth.

I flinched slightly.

Upon my subtle affirmation, Shione trembled a bit.

“Do you know when that happened?”

“When what happened?”

“When you took over that body. When you started getting involved with me.”

Shione was worried.

I could see clearly what she was thinking.

That’s why, without hesitation, I reached out to stroke her hair as I tried to answer, but—

Thud.

Shione’s tiny hand momentarily blocked my advance.

She looked quite confused.

I gently held her hand and said, “Why are you so worried? Have you ever felt even a hint of discomfort while being with me?”

She contemplated for a moment before shaking her head.

“…No.”

“Of course not. The first time I entered this body was just days before I was sold to Lady Ainel, locked behind iron bars.”

“So—”

“All this time, it has been just me with you, so there’s no need for concern.”

I reached out again to pet her head, and Shione gazed up at me, slowly.

“…Really?”

“Really.”

“Seriously?”

“If you don’t believe me… it wouldn’t be a bad idea to verify it with magic. Would you like to try?”

Even so, this skeptic still harbored doubts about my words.

Well, I couldn’t say I was surprised by her reaction, so I continued speaking slowly.

“I’m the man who warned Shione that that chubby girl wouldn’t be a bother like the other servants, and I also taught her archery.”

“……”

I was also the one who clicked my tongue at the sharp temper of that chubby noble girl, and it was me who helped her survive, even while forcing her to wield a bow.

“It was me who climbed into the carriage and chatted about trivial matters, and I have been the one who sacrificed even my left arm to protect Shione. I wonder if you actually know how much it hurt back then…”

“That, that’s…”

As we journeyed together, I took on most of the chores while camping and preparing simple meals for her.

I was also the one who fought off the Arachne that had attacked us, risking it all to save Shione from death. That feeling of its mandibles piercing through my left arm was something I wouldn’t forget. The sensation of my bone being crushed was far from pleasant.

“There’s even more. At the banquet, when I mistakenly drank a lot of wine, it was me who got attacked by Shione.”

“Wait, hold on…!”

“While saying, ‘Please only look at me,’ it was Shione who embraced Ray tightly.”

“Ray…!”

Shione suddenly felt embarrassed at my words and shot up from her seat.

Her face had turned bright red. Even though her prowess may have increased, she still lacked the mental fortitude to handle her own black history.

I smirked at her response.

“You…”

It was clear she had the intent to hit me. The last time she struck me was way more painful than I had imagined… I couldn’t just take it lying down.

I stepped back and said, “The Ray that Shione loves so much is me.”

Shione stared at me intently.

“Aren’t you the Ray that loves someone like Shione…? Don’t you believe that even after saying this much?”

Shione’s steps, which had been advancing towards me, suddenly halted.

She stared at me, her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted, clearly surprised.

Maybe she would come to her senses eventually. I stayed quietly watching her.

Shione froze, almost like a statue, not reacting but merely entranced by my face.

“…Shione? Why the sudden silence?”

“…It’s just the first time.”

“What?”

“This is the first time someone has directly told me they like me.”

After saying that, Shione walked over and hugged me.

As she quietly embraced me, glancing down at her head, I noticed the strength in her grip.

“Hmm….”

For a moment, it seemed she had no intention of letting go.

Then, she glanced up at me.

“All the things you said earlier are true, right…?”

“…Of course, and you could check it with magic if you wanted.”

“If that’s the case—”

“……?”

She suddenly grabbed my collar, pulling me down forcefully.

Perhaps due to her nervousness causing a lack of control, she clamped my collar with an unexpected amount of strength, making my upper body bend helplessly.

This foolish Shione had just smashed her lips against mine.

An unexpectedly romantic moment turned into a painful experience with her teeth clashing against mine.

“Ow…….”

I rubbed my lips and shot Shione a glare.

“That hurt.”

Shione stared at me with trembling eyes before shouting, “I-I’m sorry…! Let’s do it again!”

…If we do it again, I might lose both my front teeth.

I quickly placed my hand on the back of her head, yanking her toward me before she could reach for my collar again.

“Ugh….”

“……”

The flavor of kissing Shione was far too strong a taste of iron from blood.

*

Shione and I sat across from each other at the table again, just like the first time, sharing more conversation for a while.

Eventually, Shione’s earlier confusion settled, and we managed to communicate better.

“Do you believe me now? That Ray, the one you’ve been talking to, is all me.”

Shione gazed at me for a moment before nodding gently.

“Then let’s move on to the next topic.”

“The next topic?”

“About me. I’ve only recounted the moment I entered this body so far. You haven’t heard my story, have you?”

I smiled gently at Shione, whose eyes were sparkling with curiosity.

“You can ask me anything.”

 

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