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“Want to walk a little…?”

Saying this, Stella stepped out of the dormitory with me in front of her.

As I slowed my pace to match hers, she suddenly made a request.

“I’m sorry, I just want to walk like this for now.”

It seemed like she was oddly avoiding showing her face to me, but I didn’t push it. Maybe she wasn’t feeling well today?

We wandered down the street, almost as if being drawn along, having left the dormitory.

Every now and then, she would glance back and smile at me, checking if I was still following.

“Hey? What’s up?”

“…Nothing.”

Why was she making such a face? Nothing seemed particularly different from the last time I saw her. Was she in pain during the brief moment we hadn’t seen each other? She was desperately trying to hide that expression.

‘A false smile.’

If it were anyone else, I might not have noticed, but my eyes could see right through that.

‘Not that I can do anything about it, though.’

Wanting to hide it meant she didn’t want to show me that side of her. Maybe she called me today because she was too overwhelmed and wanted to lean on me.

“Stella.”

“Yes?”

“I have a place I want to show you.”

At the very least, it’s my role to help her mood improve.

*

The place Nova brought me to was a tall tower that concealed the sky painted with the sunset.

“Isn’t the view nice here?”

The tall clock tower and the pleasant street dyed by the dusk revealed themselves starkly before our eyes.

“…Yeah, it is.”

It felt like he was showing off the beauty of the city, asking if I thought it was wonderful. Looking at it like this, it yet seemed like some medieval fantasy, despite the Eastern-style food, the cinema, and even the game center.

When I first came to the Empire, it felt like I was in an era where only weaving machines were being developed, and now they were developing firearms too.

No matter how many worlds there are, this one seems to be spinning just as it likes.

“Really… it’s a beautiful world.”

“…You call this a normal world?”

But isn’t it true that appreciating such scenery requires some level of tranquility in one’s heart?

‘Would you have been happy if I hadn’t existed?’

A small village on the northern outskirts—

Yeah, if I hadn’t entangled myself with a bloody person like me, living there—

I wouldn’t have faced a life-or-death situation from a horde of monsters, nor would a giant hole be in my body.

I would just be helping a bit with farming and might get hurt at most, that would be the limit of the hardships he could consider acceptable.

“Nova,”

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t you ask me?”

“What about?”

“About why I left your family without a word.”

“…What’s the point of asking now…?”

“You didn’t have any contact for seven years, did you? You already knew I was called the Star of the Magic Tower.”

“That story can wait… You?”

Suddenly, Nova’s expression darkened sharply.

“You… that hand…”

Oh, I did it again.

The bandage wrapped around my hand had been stained a deep red and was spreading.

It seemed like it hadn’t been properly bandaged in my haste.

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

No… do I even have the right to say such a thing? This wound is…

“You think I can just not care? Blood is coming out like this…”

Don’t do this. Don’t fuss over me. I don’t… deserve it.

I’m not like you. I’m not a person worthy of your concern…

“This kind of wound doesn’t hurt at all. I’m used to it, so it’s fine.”

With this level of bleeding, if I couldn’t stop it… I really would—

“I’m sorry… really… I’m sorry…”

How shameful to make the person you tried to kill worry about you.

How disgusting is that?

“You… what on earth have you been doing? First, let’s get you treated by a priest…”

“They won’t do anything useful. Priests can’t treat someone like me, a criminal from the start.”

Priests are those who hold up righteousness above all.

It’s not something you can ask of them to embrace a sinner.

“…A criminal, you say.”

“Well, this is hard to say, but I’m actually a really bad person?”

You wouldn’t know what kind of things I’ve done.

“I’ve killed people, a lot.”

I’m not the saint they speak of.

I’m just a sinner who has taken countless innocent lives.

“So… I am… I am…”

As I choked on my words, unable to speak any longer—

Nova silently hugged me. Ah, that fluffy feeling again.

When I looked up, he was staring at me with a bright smile.

“Why don’t you ask me anything?”

Holding my blood-stained hand, Nova whispered to me.

“Your hands, they feel really rough.”

I felt the warmth of his touch.

His hands, though rough with calluses, were very reassuring.

“You must’ve gone through a lot. You’ve seen a world I don’t know.”

“…Nothing at all.”

Just why…

“Why is it that you don’t ask anything?”

Why do you care so much about someone like me?

“Do you want to say something?”

Yet you turn it back around at me.

I couldn’t understand the act of asking what my feelings were towards that.

“I am…”

“…If you don’t want to say it, I won’t ask.”

He only asked that, holding onto my hand and embracing me tightly in silence.

That warmth was so comforting, stable.

“Just holding hands like this is enough for me.”

Yeah, that’s enough.

“That’ll suffice; there will be plenty of time to get to know each other later.”

He kept looking into my eyes, still holding my hand.

“If you find out… you might be disappointed.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I’m not as good as you think, and… I’ve done many bad things too.”

“I’m not a saint either; I don’t care about that.”

“Still… ugh!”

But as if to say he wouldn’t listen to my words any longer, Nova covered my mouth with his hand.

“Ugh… seriously loud! Yeah, you’re not that nice, and you hit me and tease me all the time; you’re a troublemaker and you can’t cook to save your life, either!”

“Th-that’s not true!”

“But still.”

With those late words, I began to feel a gradual strength in his grip on my hand, layering his other hand over it.

“But still… I like you, Stella.”

“…What?”

Did I… hear that wrong? He… likes me?

For a moment, I thought I was mistaken, but Nova confirmed it.

“I like you.”

“…!?!?”

“I like you so much that I’m crazy about you.”

“Why… all of a sudden…?”

“I love your beautiful purple hair, and your gemstone-like eyes, whether they’re violet or blue.”

“W-wait a minute…”

“I even love your voice, which is mesmerizing to hear, your long limbs, and your fair skin, your height difference—everything about you is so ideal, it makes my heart race and I can’t stop it; it’s really dangerous.”

“Uh… uh…”

“I love that you look a bit shabby, how you tackle everything with enthusiasm, and how you bravely step forward for everyone is commendable.”

“J-just stop…”

My face felt like it would burst. Please, stop! Are you trying to embarrass me?

“Even if it’s a little selfish to put yourself last, I want to take care of you more. I want to continue seeing every expression of yours, right next to you.”

“…”

“I like you.”

I feel the same way, not just as a childhood friend but as someone of the opposite gender—

I never anticipated that as someone who was a man in my past life, I would come to think like this.

But still… even if I like him, is it right to accept his feelings…?

I can feel it. The trembling I sense from him.

He’s frightened, too. The relationship we’ve built up over time—

The precious bond that we’ve nurtured, he confessed, prepared to risk it all…

What should I say to him?

“Nova.”

What can I say that’s best for him?

“…”

“Before I respond to your confession, I have one to make.”

With Nova still holding my hand, he gazed deeply into my eyes.

“If, after hearing me out completely, your heart doesn’t change… then I’ll accept your feelings.”

I shouldn’t have done this, spilling my secrets to someone else anyway—

“I’ll listen, as much as you want.”

But just once more, I want to believe, even if you’re the pawn of a God—

“Before that, Nova, my answer…”

I gripped his sides and pulled downward.

Realizing the meaning of my action, Nova closed his eyes, as did I.

Something pressed against my lips, and for a moment, our time flowed gently.

‘I like you too.’

Whether you’re anything, I’m crazy about you.

 

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