Chapter 41: Long Time No See

“I’m really sorry……”

Noona sincerely apologized to me. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, so she must have been a little embarrassed.  

Watching her leaning on my shoulder as she slept, I found myself eventually arriving in her neighborhood…..the neighborhood where we used to live together. 

Now, it’s the same area where I work with her.  

The apartment construction was still ongoing. No one knew exactly how much longer it would take. 

The sign at the entrance of the construction site said it would be completed in about three years, but who could say for sure, depending on the contractor or the city’s funding situation?  

Honestly, the route from the wedding venue to my apartment didn’t even pass through this neighborhood. 

Noona, who at least knew which subway station I would get off at even if she didn’t know my exact address, seemed to feel guilty for making me come all the way here because I hadn’t woken her up.  

We started out together because it felt nice to leave together, but the return trip was another story.  

“No, it’s fine.”  

It really was fine.  

To be honest, I even felt a little disappointed that the bus arrived too quickly. It seemed like we had been on it for about twenty minutes, but I still wished it had taken longer.  

Her warmth lingered on my shoulder. The sound of her breathing near my ear was soft and pleasant.  

My shoulder wasn’t sore or anything. This body was much sturdier than that of an average person.  

“But… your house is far from here……”  

“I can take the subway and enjoy a leisurely ride. There’s an overground section along the way where I can enjoy the view. Honestly, I’m just glad I got to spend a little more time with you.”  

I slightly bowed my head to her.  

“Thank you for the meal today. I really appreciate it.”  

And, thank you for letting me reconnect with the people who are important to me.  

I couldn’t say those words out loud, but in my heart, I was deeply grateful. Because of her, I was able to reunite with the people I cherished.  

I didn’t have much of a proper conversation with them. I exchanged a few words with Yuri noona, but to her, I was a stranger she’d only just met. 

I also managed to speak with Mom a little, but I didn’t gain much more than that from our conversation.  

Still, the feeling of gradually reconnecting with people was wonderful.  

“Oh, no…… Honestly, you just came along on a whim…  

At first, she stammered like that, but when she saw my expression, she smiled softly.  

“Well… as long as you enjoyed it, that’s all that matters. If you’re happy, then that’s enough.”  

For a brief moment, we looked at each other without saying a word.  

“Well, I’ll get going now.”  

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”  

That brief silence didn’t feel awkward at all. Even at work, we often fell silent like that. When there were no customers, we couldn’t always keep chatting. 

Sometimes, we’d just get lost in our own thoughts, read a book, or quietly listen to the jazz playing in the shop.  

That’s how it was when I was with her. 

Because we spent so much time together, after exhausting all the little things to talk about….what happened at school that day, or some drama we saw on TV….there wasn’t much left to say.  

Then we would just walk side by side… or sit down somewhere to rest. There was no need to force conversation. Just having her beside me made me feel like I wasn’t alone.  

Sometimes, our eyes would meet, and we’d smile.  

Like now.  

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”  

The comfort in those words felt like a gentle tug, as if calling me back. It made me inexplicably happy.  

Even as I walked away, I kept turning around to look at her. She was waving at me with small motions. Each time, I waved back at her as well.  

Until I turned the corner and she was completely out of sight.  

*

When I was heading back home, the sky was tinged with a soft pink. Not long ago, at this hour, the sun would still be high in the sky, but it seemed like the days were getting shorter.  

Still lost in the lingering emotions from earlier in the day, I stepped off the subway. Without any need to rush, I walked slowly—until I suddenly stopped in my tracks.  

“………”  

Something felt strange.  

No, it wasn’t just strange…  

I felt something I wasn’t supposed to feel in this world.  

Not something I could outright call bad, but…  

“Ah.”  

Yes.  

This sensation—I hadn’t felt it for nearly a month. Maybe because it had been so long, it hit me much harder than usual.  

“This is…”  

This is magic power.  

And not just any magic power, but a power so intense it couldn’t be ignored. No, it wasn’t just magic power. Divine power. Yes, I could feel divine power as well.  

The source wasn’t far, but it wasn’t exactly close either.  

In other words, it was about the distance from here to my home.  

My heart started pounding. My head felt like it was heating up.  

Just like it did on the battlefield.  

What could one do with this much magic power?  

My thoughts raced. With magic power this strong, one could quite literally do anything. At the very least, it was more than enough to destroy something. 

I had experienced demon sorcerer legions bombarding with magic and seen allied mage legions summon torrents of water to wipe out entire enemy camps.  

In that other world, we could at least counter magic with magic. Divine power from priests could also serve as a defense, or we could rely on pre-prepared barriers.  

But in this world, there were no such countermeasures.  

Maybe after years of struggle, we might come up with something. But right now—  

Cold sweat trickled down my forehead.  

“No.”  

I started running, one hand buried in the bag slung over my arm.  

*

Where is it?  Where did the storm of magic blow from? 

The sensation of magic had only lasted for a moment. 

No matter how strong the magic was, it was impossible to pinpoint its exact location if it was so fleeting. Unless someone like Dana or Arna was here.  

The passersby seemed carefree. It was close to the end of the workday, and people were beginning to trickle out of the surrounding buildings.  

If there were a demonic beast—  

But even if I tried to evacuate the people here, would they even listen to me?  

“……”  

All I had was a folding knife with a blade barely 5 cm long. Even if I tried to attack a demonic beast with it, I wouldn’t be able to leave a scratch.  

And I didn’t have a holy sword. In this world, I couldn’t wield divine power—it was as good as nonexistent.  

If I gave everything I had, could I at least buy enough time for people to escape?  

“……”  

Suddenly, my legs stiffened, and I nearly fell forward. Barely regaining my balance, I realized with shock—  

I was afraid.  

Was it because I didn’t have a holy sword to face the demonic beast? Or was it the fear of dying in this situation?  

No, that wasn’t it.  

What came to mind was the face of my older sister, who had smiled at me just an hour ago.  

If I lost this newfound chance again—  

Would I never be able to see my sister or my mom again?  

I had just managed to speak to her. I had just begun to rebuild the connection.  

My running legs began to slow.  

The people around me were still carefree. There were no loud noises or screams.  

And yet—  

Just imagining that such sounds might erupt at any moment was terrifying.  

I looked down at my hands.  

They were trembling uncontrollably.  

“…….”  

Ah, that’s right.  

I finally remembered why I had been so restless and sleepless last night.  

I was finally standing at the starting line. I was finally about to see my mom again, finally able to talk to Yuri.  

But I was afraid that, out of nowhere, everything might go wrong, and I might lose all these chances again.  

That was the fear I felt.  

Because I’d already lost everything once before.  

And this was a chance I had barely regained.  

“…….”  

I clenched my trembling fists tightly.  

I gritted my teeth.  

But now—  

Now was the same as back then.  

I was the only one who could stand against it. Among the people in this world, I was the only one who could use divine power, no matter how faint, to connect with the goddess.  

The magic had flowed for just a moment. If that was the case, didn’t that mean I could use divine power as well?  

…So, right now—  

If I made the wrong choice, it would be a colossal mistake.  

As I steeled my resolve, a voice echoed in my mind.  

My mouth fell open.  

My legs nearly gave out, and I almost collapsed to the ground.  

Why is it that every single one of you who crosses over to this world thinks the same way?

If you’ve been given an opportunity, just seize it and live happily. I even begged for it on your behalf. But no, your thoughts are always this infuriating. Seriously. If I summon one more hero, my conscience will stab my heart, and I’ll die again.  

“……”  

Unable to say anything, I just gaped.  

The goddess continued speaking to me.  

There’s no time, so I’ll skip the complaints and get to the point.  

Then, with a heavy sigh in my mind, the goddess said:  

People will come to meet you. I ended up being persuaded. They’ll explain the situation to you. 

Convincing you is their job.  

With that advice  she added  Oh, and put away the blade.

You might hurt yourself.