If You Were Given One Last Day, What Would You Do?
You could indulge in all the foods you’ve ever wanted, spend time with your family, or even confess your feelings to someone you love.
The Demon King’s subjugation force has been formed.
Tomorrow, the entire army will begin assembling, and soon after, we will march straight into demon territory.
So, perhaps today is my last day.
To be precise, it’s the last day I can spend leisurely.
And what I choose to do today is reflect.
A second life, given by chance.
Today, I plan to spend my time looking back on everything that has happened since I arrived in this world.
“Did you sleep well?”
Maria whispered in my ear.
Once again, she had climbed into my bed, acting as if she had forgotten her duties, as if she were my wife, snug under the blanket.
“Let’s eat.”
“Shall I bring the food?”
“It’s better to eat at the dining hall.”
I changed my clothes and headed to the dining hall with Maria.
There, I enjoyed a light breakfast and coffee while basking in the sunlight streaming through the windows.
The weather is particularly nice today.
Maria spoke up.
“If you called for us, you could resolve this matter so much more easily. Everyone is eager to help you.”
“You all have your own tasks to handle. Just focus on that.”
“That’s a shame.”
I closed my eyes, savoring the aroma of the coffee and the warmth of the sunlight.
So much has happened since I arrived here.
At first, I thought I was in the afterlife.
Then, as time passed, I realized I had somehow entered the world of a novel I had read.
That revelation brought a storm of emotions.
I don’t know if this was a second chance granted to me or a punishment from the gods, but either way, I did everything I could to survive.
I gathered hidden pieces, trained myself, and overcame countless dangerous situations.
And then, I met young Kalian.
When we first met, he was already suffering from a fear of women.
Despite that, he quickly grew attached to me, as if I were his older brother—though that was by my own design.
To ensure he wouldn’t die or get hurt, I put him through intense training, even forcing him into extreme situations.
Yet, he endured it all.
He followed my lead, determined and unwavering.
As I watched him, I kept thinking: “You need to grow strong to save the world.”
Or “You will suffer in my place.”
But recently, I’ve come to realize something.
I didn’t push Kalian so hard because I hoped he would prevent the world’s destruction.
I simply liked him.
No matter the hardship, he would rise again, even through tears.
I wanted him to succeed.
“Haha…”
Lost in my reflection, I let out a quiet laugh.
How foolish of me to only now realize something so simple.
Even in my second life, I’m still this slow.
But at least I have this rare moment to reflect.
I should take a little more time to think about myself.
Crash!
“Huh?”
Suddenly, someone shattered a window and leaped into the dining hall.
It was Elia.
Moments later, another window broke as Evelyn, Lumia, and Serena appeared.
Crash! Smash!
Evelyn and Lumia, trained knights, broke through with practiced skill, while Serena struggled, clinging to a rope as she climbed in awkwardly.
“Have you been well, Wade?”
“Why are you here?”
“We came to hang out. Starting tomorrow, you won’t have any time for leisurely dates, right? So, we all came to spend time with you today.”
Elia grinned.
If that was their plan, they should have just knocked.
At Least Break Only One Window
Since my house wasn’t as large as Evelyn’s or Elia’s mansions, I took the four of them outside.
My family home, Silverain, was a minor noble house in the countryside, meaning there weren’t any grand cities nearby.
No theaters, no luxurious restaurants, no bustling markets filled with goods from around the world.
The most exciting activity available was watching dog fights.
The closest thing to quality entertainment was a street circus.
Evelyn, watching the circus, tilted her head.
“Is this really all there is to do?”
“Yes. This is the most popular performance here.”
“For something so popular, it seems rather… low in quality. I do not mean to insult your territory, just that there is a lack of entertainment.”
“I understand. That’s why I rarely go outside.”
We stood still, watching the circus acts.
Strongmen hammering their bodies with mallets, plate spinning, unicycling, fire performances, tightrope walking—each act performed with earnest effort.
Yet, for the four who were accustomed to superhuman feats and magic, none of it was particularly impressive.
Just as the atmosphere began to dull, Evelyn stepped forward.
“It seems I would be better off performing myself.”
“Huh?”
“I shall try this ‘circus’ myself.”
She approached the circus troupe and offered to join the performance.
The performers, seeing an opportunity to attract more attention, eagerly accepted.
Even if she didn’t do anything special, just having her there would be great for publicity.
But they hadn’t considered one simple fact—skills honed over years lose their shine in the face of overwhelming strength.
Crunch.
“Waaaaah?!”
The audience erupted in cheers as Evelyn casually crushed a metal hammer in one hand.
Following her insane feat of strength, Lumia and Elia jumped into the performance as well.
Lumia balanced on the tightrope while riding a unicycle, spinning plates all the while—and even performed a backflip mid-act.
Elia conjured dozens of floating flames, controlling them alongside enchanted dolls, creating a mesmerizing show.
The countryside folk, used to simple performances, were completely enthralled, eagerly handing over their coins as payment for the spectacle.
Serena walked around with a pouch, efficiently collecting all the money.
And so, the quiet Silverain Barony had one of its liveliest days in recent memory, thanks to the visiting performers.
After a day of fun, we returned to the Silverain estate for dinner.
Since there were no fancy restaurants around, dining at home was the best option.
Once the table was set, as always, the battle to serve me food began.
“Wade, try this conch.”
“No, have some of this leg meat first.”
“You’re both mistaken. Wade’s favorite is crab.”
Not only did they pile food onto my plate, but they even scooped portions onto spoons and forks, bringing them directly to my mouth.
The clashing of utensils in their struggle for dominance resembled the duels of knights.
Meanwhile, Serena, having no interest in the competition, simply enjoyed her meal, laughing, “Nyahaha!”
Don’t just laugh—help me! Every time I opened my mouth, all three of them stuffed food into it at once, making it impossible to eat properly.
Thankfully, after an intense knife duel over serving rights, the three finally called a temporary truce to catch their breath.
“This is the last peaceful meal we’ll have, isn’t it?”
“That’s… true. I almost wasted this precious moment without realizing. How shameful.”
At my words, Evelyn and the others grew quiet.
Since all four of them knew about my final plan, this gathering felt fitting as a last supper.
“No… I don’t want this.”
Lumia, who had been picking at her food, lowered her head and muttered.
“I don’t want this. I don’t want to send Wade away like this.”
“Lumia…”
“After everything… It can’t just end like this. It’s too sad. Everyone’s pretending to be fine, but deep down, we all feel the same way, don’t we?”
She looked at the others.
Her eyes were red, filled with unshed tears.
Elia gave a bitter smile.
“That much is true.”
“Then let’s cancel the plan. It doesn’t have to be this way. The Empire has united. There must be another way.”
“We understand how you feel. But this has already been decided.”
“So you’re fine with Wade disappearing?”
Lumia looked at Elia with a mix of anger and desperation, but Elia remained silent.
Evelyn reached out and gently rubbed Lumia’s back.
“Lumia, we don’t want Wade to disappear either. But is there any other way? This is something Wade decided himself.”
“Don’t worry too much. If things go well—if only they go well—Wade will return to us.”
At Evelyn’s words of comfort, Lumia swallowed her tears.
We finished our meal in silence.
Left alone, I stood in the garden and looked up at the night sky.
When it was time to part, Lumia clung to me, sobbing once more, but the other three gently took her with them as they made their way back to the capital.
Or at least, they were supposed to have left.
“A familiar sight, isn’t it?”
“You’re still here?”
Evelyn stepped out from one side of the garden.
She naturally stood beside me, gazing at the moon just as I was.
“We’ve looked at the moon together like this before, back in my territory. That time when you saved me. Do you remember?”
“You told me you preferred the moon over the sun.”
“I did. But that wasn’t all I said. I… also confessed my feelings for you. And even after all this time, those feelings haven’t changed.”
She grabbed the edge of my sleeve.
“No, they’ve only grown stronger.”
“Evelyn…”
“I know. I know how many women are around you. I know why you don’t accept anyone’s feelings, including mine. But even so… I still like you. Just looking at you like this is enough.”
“I believe that no matter what crisis comes your way, you will survive. But still, there’s a part of me that worries. A part of me that fears I may never see you again.”
She took a step closer to me.
“Thinking that this might really be the last time… I couldn’t bear it. So even though I knew it was rude, I snuck in like a thief. Can you forgive me?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you. Alright… I should go now. I’ve conveyed my feelings once more, I’ve filled my eyes with you… This is enough.”
Evelyn gave a bitter smile and turned away.
I grabbed her shoulder and made her face me again.
“Evelyn.”
“W-Wade?”
“I have one last thing to say.”
“W-what is it?!”
As she flustered, I slowly leaned in closer to her.
Her body flinched, but soon, she closed her eyes.
Gently, softly, I moved toward her ear and whispered:
“They’re all watching.”
“…Huh?”
Evelyn, who had puckered her lips in anticipation, opened her eyes wide and quickly turned toward the bushes.
At that moment, Elia, Lumia, and Serena jumped out from their hiding spot, having held their breaths all this time.
Lumia, with leaves stuck in her hair and clothes, rushed toward Evelyn and shouted,
“I knew it! Foul play! Foooooul!!”
“W-why are you all here?!”
“We thought something like this might happen, so we came back. And just as expected! You were planning to cheat and cut ahead of us, weren’t you?!”
At Lumia’s accusation, Evelyn floundered.
Elia chimed in,
“Trying to send us away and then leisurely secure victory for yourself? It won’t be that easy, Evelyn. We all deserve a fair competition.”
“Competition? I was just…”
“No need to make excuses. You’ve finished what you came for, so could the rest of you leave now? I have something to discuss with Wade privately.”
Evelyn, caught off guard by the unexpected intruders, raised her voice.
“You brats! What are you even talking about?! You make it sound like I was up to something suspicious! And cutting in line? If we’re talking about who has the most priority here, it’s obviously me! I met him first!”
“And so what?! That doesn’t matter!”
“That’s right. Order of meeting isn’t important.”
“A love square is fun, nyahaha!”
The once-quiet garden turned lively and chaotic in an instant.
I let out a low chuckle and thought to myself:
“Just go home already.”