Chapter 9

"Ugh..."

"Have you awakened, Miss Rizette?"

Slowly opening her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar white ceiling. Next to her was a young woman who looked like a maid.

Startled, she hurriedly sat up and noticed that she was wearing a soft negligee. The room, predominantly white, clearly belonged to a noble lady.

"Um, where am I...?"

"I will fetch Master Ralph immediately."

The maid said this without answering her question and quickly left the room.

Hearing the name Ralph, I remembered that I had encountered a monster in the forest and he had saved me, after which I had lost consciousness.

"I'm glad... I'm alive."

She opened and closed her hands, feeling grateful from the bottom of her heart for being alive.

Then, as if replacing the maid, Ralph rushed into the room.

"Miss Rizette, you've awakened...!"

"Yeah, you saved me, right? Thank you."

"No, it was my duty."

He sat on the chair next to the bed and gently took my hand. His large, warm hand caressed my fingertips as if confirming my existence, making me feel uneasy.

His smile, looking straight at me, was so bright that it hurt my sleepy eyes. As always, he was dazzling.

"Where are we?"

"This is my house in the capital. I was worried about you, Miss Rizette, so I brought you here and had you examined by a doctor."

"That's what happened... I'm sorry for the trouble."

"Trouble? Not at all. I would be honored if you would stay here forever."

"Um...?"

Feeling a strange sense of reassurance from his usual self, I looked around again. Everything in the room was of the highest quality. It seemed that he had been taken in by a very wealthy noble family.

Moreover, this room didn't feel like a guest room. It felt as if it had been carefully prepared for someone. It was definitely not a place for someone like me to use.

"Ralph lives in such a nice house, huh?"

"Yes, it's a侯爵家 (marquess's house)."

"Really, a侯爵家 (marquess's house)?"

"Yes."

Despite his beautiful smile, I was beginning to feel confused. I really wanted to ask him to wait. What kind of country bumpkin's youngest son was he? Feeling dizzy, I heard Ralph continue.

"Let me introduce myself again. My name is Ralph Redford, and I am the hero of this country."

I, of course, knew the name of the Redford Marquess family. But what did he just say?

"Hero... the hero?"

"Yes, I believe I am that hero."

Ralph said this as if it were no big deal. The existence of the hero had reached even the remote village where I lived. He had defeated the demon king with his companions and become a national hero.

The idea that this was the same Ralph who visited me every day to help with farm work was hard to believe.

But his strength and the fact that he, an orphan, had been adopted into the marquess's family made sense.

"That's... really impressive."

"Thank you."

I couldn't hide my surprise, and such a ridiculous comment was all I could manage. He must have felt that it was a miracle for someone like me to be having this conversation with him.

At the same time, I remembered how I had made him do farm work and treated him so poorly, knowing he was the son of a marquess and a hero.

"Um, Master Ralph, I'm really sorry."

"Miss Rizette?"

"Making a hero do farm work and chores..."

"Why are you apologizing? I asked you to do it, and I insisted. Besides, you said you disliked nobles, so I couldn't bring myself to tell you I was from the marquess's family... I'm sorry."

Anyway, he said, he wanted me to treat him as usual, but that was too difficult a request.

Ralph suggested that we have a meal together if I was feeling well, but I couldn't stay in the marquess's house forever. It was too out of place.

Moreover, he had saved my life. Ralph had done more than just repay a favor.

I realized that we lived in different worlds and decided that this should really be the end. But then...

"I should go... Ah!"

I was about to say thank you and leave when I remembered the monsters appearing in the sanctuary, and I broke out in a cold sweat.

That place might no longer be safe. My vision began to darken again.

"Do you know why monsters are appearing in the sanctuary...?"

"I don't know the exact reason, but I heard that the sanctuary's blessing has weakened considerably."

"What?"

The sanctuary's blessing has weakened?

I had intended to live there for the rest of my life. I never imagined something like this would happen.

"...What... What should I do?"

Four months until my 20th birthday. This is too much of a crisis.

As I panicked, thinking I might be eaten again in this life, Ralph gripped my hand tightly and looked at me straight in the eye.

"Miss Rizette, will you tell me everything?"

"Huh?"

"I noticed that you had some troubles. It must be related to living in that place, right? I am on your side. I will do anything for you."

"Um..."

I didn't want to involve anyone else, but hearing this in such a situation made me want to cling to him.

When he looked at me with his amethyst-like eyes and said, "Please," I reached my limit.

"It's a really unbelievable story, and I don't expect you to believe it."

"I believe everything. I will not doubt you, Miss Rizette."

More than anything, even though we had only known each other for about a month, I thought Ralph might believe me.

"...This is my fourth life."

And I began to tell him everything.