The loud chirp chirp of the cicadas is killing my focus on the movie.
“Aah, damn. It’s already hot as hell, and now this is annoying.”
Finally, I got up from my seat and closed the window.
“Don’t be so harsh. They have to make a living too.”
My dad, watching the movie with me, said with a grin.
“Isn’t it like they’re glued to the window? It’s way too loud…”
“You have to understand. Those guys have lived underground for seven years. How exciting must it be for them?”
“That’s true, but…”
My dad, who had been quietly watching TV, suddenly turned his head toward me.
“Did you know that all the ones making that noise are males?”
“Of course. They do it to attract females.”
“Exactly. And they usually live for only about two weeks.”
“I know that too.”
“Think about it, Noah. For those little guys, seven years is like a lifetime. For us, it’s like being cooped up for almost 80 years without doing anything.”
“Oh… that sounds great!”
Thud
“Ow! Why’d you hit me?!”
His strong thwack hit me right on the forehead.
“Great my foot! You wouldn’t even be able to play your favorite games!”
“Um… that does sound awful.”
“Anyway, cicadas dedicate their whole lives just to achieve one goal.”
“Isn’t that just how they were born?”
“Ha, you little… Where’d you get that attitude… tsk. Just listen, will you?”
With that, my dad smiled bitterly and ruffled my hair.
“Let’s start over. Anyway, cicadas endure and wait their whole lives to reach their dream.”
His hand stopped ruffling my hair.
“After countless years of waiting, they come out into a very dangerous world to unveil their dreams.”
Dad stood up.
“How terrifying must that be? Just look down from under a tree, and it’s crawling with people. But still, they come out.”
He walked slowly to the window.
“Because what’s scarier than a world that could easily kill you is not achieving the dream you’ve devoted your life to.”
He reached for the window I closed.
“And they cry out, announcing their existence to the world until their throats are torn apart.”
The window began to open slowly.
“Then they finally meet the female they longed for their whole life and lay their eggs.”
The cicadas’ sound started to resonate from the half-open window.
“And then, they die in two weeks without ever meeting their young.”
The sound filled the living room.
“And right now, the noisy little guy outside… is nearing death. It’s struggling with all its might right before it dies.”
The crying sound, which had just felt annoying a moment ago, now felt a bit… devastating.
“Ugh… How about that? When you listen like this, it’s kind of romantic, don’t you think?”
Seeing my dad’s smile, I hesitantly spoke up.
“If they live like that… would they be happy?”
Is that really a meaningful life?
“Well, the ones who don’t meet their mate will probably be unhappy. But they wouldn’t have regrets.”
“What about cicadas that have achieved their dreams?”
At my question, Dad momentarily sealed his lips.
“…I don’t know. But, from what I think, those guys probably—”
At that moment, a plane flew over the villa.
In the end, I didn’t get to hear my dad’s answer.
But I saw his expression clearly.
A distant smile.
Eyes filled with firm resolve.
A steady gaze directed at me.
*
I felt a warm sensation enveloping my body.
Something… familiar, like a cushiony feeling.
That said, my whole body was sore.
I felt like I was about to break… I seriously thought I was going to die… Ugh…
As I was wrestling with my own painful thoughts,
“Heinzel…!”
Rubia’s despairing voice reached my ears.
What’s going on?
Why is Heinzel here?
What’s happening?
I squirmed and tugged at Rubia’s clothing.
“R-Rubia…?”
“Ah, Noah…! W-What should we do… What should we do…?”
Then, droplets of water started to fall on my face.
Ugh…?
Why is she suddenly like this…?
“What… what’s wrong…? Is something happening…?”
Rubia hugged me tighter.
Aagh!! It hurts!
It hurts even more with just a gust of wind!!! If you hug me like that, I’ll die!!
“R-Rubia…! It hurts… It hurts. I’m dying!”
As I cried out painfully, Rubia loosened her grip.
Yet, she was still sobbing.
Ugh, why though?
“W-Mushin—!”
My broken voice let out an odd squeak.
I cleared my throat slowly.
“Ahem, um… What’s going on?”
After catching her breath for a moment, Rubia slowly opened her mouth.
“C-Carpen… Carpen has woken up…”
Wha…?
“Rubia, didn’t you use that smell-blocking thing back then?! I told you to—”
“No, I did use it. I’m sure I did… but I don’t know. The barrier was definitely set up, but… why… why are my legs… ugh…”
“Ah, no… wait. Just calm down…”
I moved my creaking body and slipped out of Rubia’s embrace.
And my hand went to my waist, searching for the Great Sword.
The Great Sword…
Where did it go?
No matter how much I searched around, the Great Sword wasn’t there.
“Rubia… haven’t you seen my Great Sword?”
“Huh…?”
“My Great Sword…”
I tried to describe its shape with my hands.
“It looks like this… the one I carry all the time…!”
Why are you acting like you don’t know?
“What do you mean, Noah?”
“No! Rubia, what kind of nonsense are you talking about! My Great Sword! The one I fought against those many monsters with…”
So many monsters…?
Fought against?
Who?
“Listen, Noah… um, um… Heinzel’s arm got cut off. And… and Luci is fighting alone now… it would be best if you hurry, but… leaving Noah alone without a Great Sword…”
Rubia’s words didn’t quite sink in.
“My memory is all mixed up again.”
What is this memory about?
Whose memory is it?
What is going on?
What is this?
What the hell? Why? Who’s memory? Mine? Who am I? What is going on? Who’s who? Albora? Forest? Black Bear? Who? Me? Aileen? Rubia? Shaman? Client? Who? Rubia? Shaman? Black Sun? What is it? Game. The side quest I did. Rubia’s. Aileen? Rubia? Rubia? Rubia? Shaman.
Save Rubia. Who am I even? You. Me. Noah. Shin Noah. Male. Female. Woman. Short Woman. Blind. My eyes are… I can see? I can’t see.
Save Rubia. The Great Sword. Do I need it? Even without it, can I see? No, I can’t see. The Great Sword. Do I need it? Yes, I need it. Where is this? Loholan? Before that… Ruins? Havlon?
Save Rubia. No, ruins. What about Albora? Save Rubia. Albora. Hermila. Nice? Blacksmith. I killed it while playing in the ruins. And the barrier? I did it? No, that’s not me.
Save Rubia. Then who am I? You. Right? No. It’s me. It shouldn’t be. I broke the barrier. Met Luci. Heinzel. Met the main NPCs. I was lucky. Save Rubia.
I’m relieved. I can access the main story. I can’t see… so I can’t find it. But I found the shaman. Good job? Save Rubia. Yes. I’ll praise you. Thank you. Then came to Loholan. The rampaging horned beast? Ah, that’s why so many monsters were there. But I caught them? I did catch them. It’s me. Then the Great Sword was there. And after that…? Save Rubia.
I don’t know. You don’t know? I don’t know. Really? I don’t know. You don’t? Me too.
Save Rubia.
“NOAH! NOAH!”
“Y-Yes?”
“Why are you suddenly acting like this…?”
“W-What do you mean?”
Rubia’s trembling hands brushed against my eyes.
“Why… why are there tears all of a sudden…?”
“Me?”
“Noah…?”
Rubia’s voice trembled.
“Y-Yes?”
“…Noah… you’re really Noah…?”
I feel myself sinking deeper.
“Is that really you, Noah?”
I raised my lips.
Should I?
What did Noah do?
Ah. I’m so confused.
“Why… why… sniff… why is Noah like this too… sniff… please don’t… please…”
Rubia’s arms wrapped around me.
And droplets began to fall, wetting my shoulders.
A warm sensation filled my body.
Rubia’s divine power enveloped me.
Familiar.
Yearning.
A touch.
Patting my head.
Slowly.
Slowly.
It calms my mind completely.
Rubia’s divine power.
Gently.
Wraps around my memories.
Untangles the complicated mess of memories.
Organizes the filthy entanglements of the past.
Calms the heightened emotions.
Brings me back to sanity.
Grabs the me that wanted to die.
Following instinct.
I opened my eyes.
And silently recited the sentence shining before me.
[The target is a character in the game.]
[The target is a character in the game.]
[The target is a character in the game.]
[The target is a character in the game.]
My head cleared.
An uneasy feeling woke me up.
“R-Rubia…”
I raised my arm and patted Rubia’s back.
“Rubia…”
“Noah…? Is that really you?”
“Yes… it is… Rubia, first… can you explain the situation?”
I slowly pushed Rubia away.
Her trembling shoulders stirred my emotions.
“Y-You’re really Noah…?”
“Uh… yes.”
Rubia held my cheeks tightly with her hands.
“Is it really… really you, Noah…?”
“Yes, yes…”
I eagerly nodded my head.
Finally, she released her hands.
“Rubia, it’s okay. Just calm down and tell me.”
“Okay… Yes. After Noah collapsed earlier—”
Though I couldn’t see in front of me, and I felt nothing,
I could feel my body trembling violently.
A suffocating killing intent was entwining around me.
From far away, the sound of tearing.
Luci’s desperate roar gave me a clue about what was happening.
But still, calming Rubia was my first priority.
I trusted Luci and Heinzel.
They’re not the type to easily fall.
Soon, Rubia regained her breath and began to explain clearly.
Outside the village, Luci and Heinzel were facing off against Carpen, and the villagers were planning to evacuate…
And even to Ursphere…?
That’s impossible.
They’ll all die for sure.
They won’t even be able to step foot at the entrance of the Karahan Mountain Range.
And as for Carpen…
I can’t feel his presence yet.
I can’t see him.
I don’t know what he’s really like.
The first goblin I hunted.
The gnolls, orcs, and black bears.
And all the other monsters.
They were all different from the game.
They weren’t just low-level mobs.
Every single attack from those monsters threatened life.
One wrong hit could mean death.
Just regular mobs?
Then what about Carpen…?
It has to be on a different scale…
But…
This must be done.
I can do it.
I’ve done it many times.
I’ve overcome countless monsters.
Don’t be a coward.
Rubia is behind you.
Luci and Heinzel are here.
We can definitely do this.
We can do it.
“Rubia… do you have any of my Great Sword left…?”
“No… I can’t find anything. All that’s left are broken swords…”
I wonder if the senses would activate even with a broken sword.
For now, I urgently need…
“Can you bring me even a broken one?”
“…Noah, are you trying to go there?”
I nodded.
“I understand.”
I heard Rubia’s voice rising as she began to stand up.
I quietly sat down and absorbed the sounds of the village.
I thought Carpen would be confused after waking up, but surprisingly it was hopeful.
And from afar,
I heard the sound of clump clump racing toward me.
“Heek, hek… Huh, am I too late?!”
“Hephaestus?!”
It was Hephaestus.
“Heh… I came to deliver this! I thought you might need it… I worked hard on it since last night… I know I’m a bit late, but… please take it.”
I felt a cold sensation touch my hand.
The familiar feeling of leather.
The grip of a sword.
The weight.
“I made it with relatively expensive… really expensive materials! It’s as similar as possible to the Great Sword you used!”
I reached out and grabbed the hilt.
With a pleasant pain, the scenery of the village began to materialize before me.
I pictured Hephaestus smiling brightly.
Smiling?
Huh?
Why can’t I see the expression?
“What do you think of the weight?”
Hephaestus’s face was full of questions.
Oh my…
I can’t see your face, but I can tell the emotion.
The expression is coming through.
“It’s… good.”
I nodded vaguely.
What the heck?
What is this?
Did I level up?
Looking around, I imagined the villagers’ expressions.
And then,
From a distance,
I saw a distorted expression on Rubia’s face, gasping for breath.
“Ah, Shaman! How have you been?!”
Hephaestus bowed deeply in greeting.
Rubia, upon seeing this, looked flustered.
Flustered! Just look at that flustered expression!
What? Why are you here?
This is unbelievable!!!
“H-Hephaestus, how did you get here…?”
“Oh, um… while making the weapon, I ended up taking too long.”
I raised the Great Sword I received from Hephaestus towards Rubia.
“You mean you’ve been making that for us until now?”
“Yes! Earlier… when the monsters started gathering… I thought ten lousy Great Swords wouldn’t be enough. So I gathered whatever resources I could find. When my master arrives, I might get scolded… but! If we’re dead, what’s the point of it? So I made it… So please, could you… plead with the shaman…?”
Having mustered courage,
Then recoiling back in fear,
Hephaestus, leaning on the power of the shaman, wilted a little.
Again, Rubia’s expression crinkled.
That’s a tearful face.
Rubia is crying!
“Yes. I’ll do my best… I’ll say something, so please don’t worry too much. And… really, thank you very much.”
After finishing her words, Rubia pulled my hand.
“Hephaestus, first there’s no time, how about saving the rest of the story for after everything is over?”
“Y-Yes! Let’s hurry!”
“Thank you for your understanding. Noah, let’s go.”
Rubia naturally took my hand and headed south.
But…
Something feels off…?
“R-Rubia?”
“What?”
“Why are you going along?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Ah, no… it’s dangerous!”
“I know! Noah, there’s no time. Let’s hurry.”
“Ugh…? If Rubia goes, then…”
“Then Noah can go too?”
Rubia turned her angry face towards me.
“Ugh… no… I’m strong…”
Thwack
Rubia’s slap hit my forehead.
“I’m strong too. Now stop wasting time and let’s go. I’ll definitely be with you wherever you go. I’ll definitely be by your side. Don’t refuse.”
With that, Rubia rushed on with determination in her hand.
So I had no choice but to nod my head.
And I followed her.
*
The closer we got to Carpen, the more my body trembled.
My legs felt heavy.
Cold sweat began to flow.
A sticky killing intent pressed down on my body.
“Haah… huff- ha…”
Rubia seemed to be catching her breath, just like me.
“Rubia… if it’s too hard—”
“Shut up.”
“Yess…”
Rubia seemed a bit off.
The cries of Heinzel and Luci started to reach my ears.
I slightly widened my awareness.
The situation… was a mess.
As Rubia said, Heinzel had lost his right arm, and his whole body was twisted with pain.
But he was still fighting.
Luci, too, was covered in serious wounds.
The injuries were so severe he could die from blood loss any second now.
And as for Carpen…
He was channeling blood aura within.
He was entering phase two.
There’s no time.
Luci and Heinzel don’t know Carpen.
Even if they knew, they’d only be familiar with the weak phase one Carpen.
That’s why time was of the essence.
If it continues like this…
They would both die at once.
“Rubia, let’s move a bit quicker.”
Overtaking Rubia who was leading the way, I quickened my pace.
Just then, when Luci’s breath became audible,
With a horrifying tear crack,
Luci and Heinzel were flung away, crashing to the ground.
Blood gushed out from their bodies.
Luci’s remaining eye popped out.
Heinzel’s remaining left arm was torn off.
“Rubia! Hurry!”
Letting go of Rubia’s hand, I dashed forward.
I had to draw Carpen’s attention.
And then,
I had to let Heinzel and Luci know I was there.
It would be cruel for them, but…
I had to inform them I was here so they could rise up and fight.
Dragging the Great Sword along, I approached them.
Moving closer to Carpen.
And using my usual voice,
To comfort them, just like they usually did, I casually tossed out a light joke.
“Well, well, we have a minimum of a four-person party… I guess you guys are just stingy. Didn’t wanna buy dinner or what?”
Then, glaring at Carpen,
I gripped the hilt tightly.
