#372
Familiar Cliché
My head hurts.
It’s a familiar headache now.
My body feels heavy, like wet cotton.
Wait, did I just say my body feels heavy?
‘Why… am I feeling conscious and having sensations?’
Consciousness and sensation.
These are things only the living can experience.
Dead people feel nothing.
And I…
‘I should have died after being hit head-on by the attack from Messiah that exposed my secret…’
Messiah’s attack was powerful enough to be a finishing move.
At that time, I had lost my backup and was in a situation where power nullification was in effect, leaving me with an ordinary person’s body.
There’s no way I could survive an attack from Messiah in that state.
Even if I had somehow survived, I would have frozen to death in the absolute-zero space.
But why?
‘Am I… alive?’
With that question, I opened my eyes.
The scenery before me was darkness.
An endless abyss filled only with black, with no ceiling, no walls, and no ground.
And there I stood.
I examined my body.
I was wearing ordinary clothes, nothing like Durandal or my full armor.
Not the Shuo Hero Academy uniform, but normal clothes from my original world.
“Is this the afterlife?”
If it were reality, hell, in this damn light novel world, souls actually existed.
Even Diego Morales, who was already dead, was a soul manipulator.
Though an afterlife wasn’t mentioned, it probably does exist.
So, am I in the afterlife?
Or is this the borderline between life and death, between this world and the next, like in a near-death experience?
As I pondered the nature of this space, no conclusion came to me.
No transcendent beings like deities, Yama, or grim reapers showed up to answer my questions.
“I really thought someone would say something like, ‘Hello, I’m God.’”
I made a joke to lighten the mood.
So what is the nature of this space? Why am I here?
Just then, while I was endlessly ruminating…
[──Get up now! Kim!]
A familiar voice echoed throughout the black space.
It vibrated against my skin.
Whose voice is this?
“Kurosawa Yuji?”
The first voice I hear after regaining my senses in this mysterious space is a man’s voice.
That’s kind of unsettling.
Just as I thought that, the voice continued.
[No, Deok-Sung! You promised me you’d officiate my wedding with Kusunagi after this fight!]
With lines like something from a climactic battle in a Japanese light novel, anime, or manga, Kurosawa Yuji appeared in the black space.
Black hair, black eyes.
He looked distinctly handsome, like a typical protagonist from a Japanese light novel adaptation, gazing at me.
Radiating white light from his whole being as if he were an illusion, he illuminated the dark space a little bit.
I reached out to touch Kurosawa Yuji.
It felt like touching a ghost; my hand passed right through him.
I thought it would be an illusion.
He shouted at me with a serious voice, or rather, directed it at this space.
[Everyone who hears my voice! Support Kim Deok-Sung, the true savior of this world! Lend him your strength!]
The true savior?
Lend him strength?
What the hell…
What the…
No way, right?
Just when I was reminded of a familiar cliché.
[──I don’t care who you are! I’m not interested in your original fate either!]
She appeared right next to Kurosawa Yuji.
A beautiful French girl with sparkling platinum hair and sea-blue eyes.
The platinum knight princess, Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte, placed her hand on her chest.
[No matter who you are or what your past is── I, Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte, swore to you back then that I would forever be your devoted maid! I──love you…]
Olivia blushed and turned her head away.
The illusion of her trembled as she looked at me with quivering voice and screamed.
[So don’t listen to anything that man says, don’t stay collapsed here, and get up right now! If you are the master of the noble knight princess Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte from France, you must never lose! You idiot! Fool! Sea cucumber! Sea squirt! Anemone!!]
Olivia’s words made my hands shake.
She says it doesn’t matter?
Even if I’m a reincarnator, someone who took over another’s body and future.
It still doesn’t matter?
Really?
Just when my head was spinning in confusion.
With Olivia’s shout, another girl appeared next to her.
A girl with a navy ponytail and impressive curves.
It was Shinozaki Rin.
Rin lowered her head and placed her hand on her chest.
[Deok-Sung. I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you as your perfect wife… ]
She spoke with a slight quiver in her voice.
[Until I met you, I lived as a tool of the Shinozaki clan. Back then, I caused you trouble. I will always, no, for my entire life, feel sorry for that.]
Shinozaki Rin brought her hands together over her heart.
[But thanks to you, Deok-Sung, I gained family and freedom. You liberated me. I… I have come to develop feelings for you that are utterly presumptuous.]
Shinozaki Rin’s face turned red.
She smiled.
Then, with the same maternal smile she showed on the deserted island, she spoke to me.
[I don’t care about my original fate. The one who saved me is none other than you, Deok-Sung. I’ve decided to marry you and become… Kim Rin. So don’t worry about it. No matter who you are, I will forever be your perfect wife.]
Rin shyly stepped back with a smile.
Even in this situation, it’s about Kim Rin.
I don’t even need to change my last name.
Just when I was clicking my tongue.
[Master! The galactic number one beauty, Eri-ring, has arrived☆ Yip!]
With a loud voice, Eri appeared next to Rin.
With impressive orange twin tails, she smiled at me, surpassing all heroines as the town’s top beauty.
She touched the collar around her neck with her right hand.
[This is a token of love that connects Master and Eri-ring. It’s the most precious treasure to me, filled with the warmth of Master.]
Eri blushed and shivered slightly.
Can we take that off?
[…Eri-ring, in the beginning, I caused trouble for Master… But thanks to Master’s kindness, I was able to avoid expulsion. The one who saved me and firmly corrected my wrongdoings is Master. That day, I decided to give both my body and heart to Master! My heart only reacts to Master!]
Eri clenched her fists.
Kind, huh.
I don’t know how she came to that conclusion, but I didn’t save Eri with good intentions.
She’s just unnecessarily concerning me.
[So don’t listen to that ugly man. Master is forever Eri-ring’s Master! Go, Master! The galactic number one beauty Eri-ring is here! Yip!]
Just as Eri shouted “yip,” a holographic image of a purple-haired girl appeared right next to her.
It was Hoshino Kasumi-senpai.
[Junior. Hello… It’s Hoshino-senpai. It’s been a while since I saw you like this, so I’m a bit nervous… D-Don’t I feel older? Hehehe… I’m sorry!]
I haven’t seen you in a while, so I’m a bit nervous… Am I not acting my age? Huh… Sorry!
Hoshino Kasumi hid her blushing face behind her hands and lowered her head.
Back when I first met Junior, he told me I wasn’t ugly… I think I fell for that kind Junior when he promised to save me. Ugh, me falling for a bad boy like Junior…
Kasumi shook her head.
I don’t get why everyone throws around the word “kind.”
And Junior really did save me… Of course, it could be because he’s a reincarnator and knows the future and might have saved me to use me…
Kasumi smiled brightly.
The light flickering near her body glowed even brighter.
But he did save me, and if it were anyone else, it might be different, but if it’s Junior, I’m okay with being used. And I don’t believe what Messiah said… Junior is neither a usurper nor a deceiver. He is definitely a bad boy, but… he’s a kind prince to everyone. So I’ll be waiting. My very own prince. Hehe.
Kasumi laughed.
A prince, huh?
If the real Black Prince had heard that, he’d definitely chuckle and tease me.
Hey partner, how does it feel to be a prince?
“Not even close…”
But the Black Prince was nowhere to be found.
I felt empty for no reason.
Where the heck did that guy go?
Just then, as I was searching for the Black Prince…
“My lord! I’m here!”
A green-haired, short-haired beautiful girl appeared right next to Eri.
It was Kamiya Makoto.
“My lord, I’m sorry. I swore to be your sword and protect you, but… I couldn’t fight properly. I couldn’t protect you.”
She spoke shyly, placing her hand over her large chest and biting her lip.
“So I have no reason to face you. But… if my support can help you stand up again, then I can cheer for you as much as you want. I might not be good with words, but… you’re the one who saved me like everyone else. You said you’d take responsibility even for someone as unattractive as me… You were the one who gave courage to someone like me who always lacked confidence and self-esteemed!”
Makoto blushed.
“So… I will follow you. I am your eternal sword! No matter what anyone else says, I will stay by your side until the very end, whoever you may be! You can use me! A sword is just a tool, that’s what it’s for! So get up! My lord!”
With that, Makoto stepped out from beside Eri and shouted at me, her face red as she bowed her head.
Then…
With a spark, a slender, model-like silver-haired girl appeared.
It was Saionji Aris, my favorite character before reincarnation and the student council president.
“Oh, it’s been a while, Kim Deok-Sung. I’m a bit embarrassed; I’ve never sent a support message like this…”
Aris’s face turned red.
She placed her hand over her chest.
“But I have to say this! Kim Deok-Seoi! Didn’t you tell me back then? After I was devastated by my secrets being revealed… You came to me on the rooftop… and told me the world isn’t so harsh, that everyone will accept me, and that you would take responsibility!”
A dialect slipped from Aris’s mouth.
Her face flushed as she spoke.
“I want to return that to you, Kim Deok-Seoi. This world, I, and everyone here aren’t as harsh as you think. No matter who you are, you’re just Kim Deok-Seoi to us. Or rather, I will take responsibility for you, so please…”
Aris’s cheeks trembled.
She avoided my gaze and spoke in a low voice.
“Please wake up. Kim Deok-Sung.”
With that, Aris’s words came to an end.
Her hands shook slightly.
To wake up, I need to know how to.
I want to come to my senses.
I feel like I’m starting to get what this space is all about.
But no way, do I have to watch all of this to wake up?
“Hey, Kim Deok-Sung! It’s me, your charming girl, Evangelin!”
Just when I was having those thoughts.
Evangelin appeared from the other side, her lush pink twin-tails waving as she smiled.
“Ever since you defeated the wicked, dancing William, I’ve had a crush on you! And… during the school trip, I confirmed my feelings again. No matter who you are, even if I go back to the past or get reborn, I’ll always adore you, Kim Deok-Sung!”
Evangelin said with a serious tone.
She laughed.
“So, Kim Deok-Sung, don’t worry and rise! I will be by your side as your shield, no matter how long it takes…”
Evangelin giggled.
Her speech was still cutesy, but the content was serious.
Just then, my mood got a bit fuzzy with her words.
“Ahem. Human! Bow down! Your beloved has arrived! Welcome the Holy Maiden of Scarlet Flame!”
Beside Evangelin, there appeared Beatrice, a blonde girl with an eye patch.
She looked at me with a flushed face and said, “Human! It matters not who you are; to me, humans are all just lowly creatures… Of course, that doesn’t mean I think you’re lowly.”
Beatrice turned red, shaking her head.
“I-I’m sorry! I just… Thank you. For freeing me. Without you, I might have ended up just being used by Diego and dying right here… Only because it was you that could do this…”
Beatrice muttered in a tiny voice.
Is that really what they all think?
“Ahem! So hurry up and guard your Scarlet Flame Maiden! This is an order!”
Beatrice returned to her character with a flushed face and cleared her throat again.
“Hey, Deok-Sung! Hehehe! You’re totally a fool for suddenly asking for support! I mean, what am I supposed to say? Waaaaah!”
Boom!
With a firework-like effect, Haru appeared.
She covered her mouth with her hand.
Haru’s black two-tone side ponytail swayed as the tips turned red.
“Anyway, the fact that I already know is just so funny that Messiah has to point it out. Totally unfunny! Of course, I feel a bit unpleasant about my and Deok-Sung’s little secret being exposed… but still, other girls will accept all of you just like me. Hehehe.”
Haru put her hands on her hips and smiled.
“That’s because, even if I don’t want to admit it, other girls love you just as much as I do! And I can guarantee that as someone who knows the original story.”
The smile faded from Haru’s face as she looked at me seriously.
Her eyes shimmered red.
“I can assure you, Deok-Sung, you did way better than the original version of Yuji! The future you created and the fate you changed are undoubtedly better, and I can confidently say multiple times that the ending you constructed is a happier ending than the original! You, Deok-Sung, are the real protagonist of this world!”
A single tear rolled down Haru’s left cheek.
“So come back, Deok-Sung! Your super cute JK gal bride, Haru, is waiting so desperately! You need to come back super quickly, got it? Hehehe.”
Haru wiped her tear with her sleeve and chuckled.
After hearing her words, I was left dazed.
The future I created is really a better future?
The ending I designed, the fate I changed is truly better?
Is that really… so?
As I pondered on this,
“Ahem, little one. I have arrived.”
Alongside Haru, a familiar voice came from a white-haired, red-eyed gothic girl.
It was Seira.
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