Chapter 1

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"Oh, this is it, I'm going to die."

Young me realized this. At the same time, I "remembered."

"Oh, I've seen this event before."

The sharp fangs of the monster looming before me. The voice of a young boy, piercing my eardrums.

"Raura—!"

That was my name. And at the same time, it was the name of the losing heroine in the role-playing game I played in my previous life.

***

So, there I was, facing the immediate danger of death right from the start. However, knowing from my previous life's memories that I wouldn't die, I decided to calm down and introduce myself. My name is Raura. Raura Ampere. I come from a small, isolated village called Eme.

Currently, "Raura" is 8 years old. However, "I" am mentally around 20 years old. To explain, it's simple: I have recovered my memories from my previous life. And it happened just now.

In my previous life, I was an ordinary student who met an untimely and unfortunate end. I was born, raised, and died in Japan.

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In that short life, I had met a girl named Raura. The place where I met her was in front of the TV. Through the screen. Yes, Raura was a character in the role-playing game I played in my previous life.

The game's name was "Last Brave." It was a straightforward, classic RPG where the protagonist, who awakens to the power of a hero, defeats the demon king. It was so mainstream that it even received criticism for being too cliché. However, I became engrossed in "Last Brave," with its earnest and passionate storylines unfolding one after another.

The protagonist, who grows despite his doubts. The young man who becomes his one and only best friend during the journey. The mature man who guides the protagonist. The genius magic girl with a small body but immense magical power. The treasure hunter girl who serves as the party's mood maker. And the ancient girl who meets the protagonist in a fateful encounter.

Each character was charming, and each had their own drama. This was true not only for the party members but also for the supporting characters.

A straightforward and predictable story, yet one that was undeniably mainstream. Charming characters. A simple and easy-to-understand battle system. Grand music that colored the story. All these elements complemented each other, making it a work worthy of being called a masterpiece. This was not just my personal evaluation; I believe it was generally well-received by the public.

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However, most of the players who praised the game had one complaint: the treatment of a certain character.

That character was Raura. Raura Ampere. Yes, the me of this life.

Raura, in short, was the protagonist's childhood friend. Born in the same village, they grew up together, and Raura saw the protagonist off as he left the village to become a hero. She was the quintessential childhood friend character.

However, she was more than just a childhood friend.

The night before the protagonist left the village, Raura confessed to him. She tearfully told him, "I'll be waiting for your return." The protagonist didn't give a clear answer to her feelings—Raura herself said she didn't need a response—but he didn't reject her either. I think he had a somewhat indifferent attitude.

Hearing this, many might feel that Raura was depicted similarly to a heroine. In fact, when I played "Last Brave," I thought Raura was the heroine until the mid-point of the game.

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To cut to the conclusion, Raura was not the heroine.

The heroine was the ancient girl the protagonist met during his journey.

Raura did confess, and the protagonist didn't reject her feelings. However, after meeting the ancient girl, Raura's existence seemed to be erased from the world.

The protagonist and the ancient girl gradually grew closer. The mysteries and darkness of the world were gradually revealed. The ancient girl was closely involved with these, and the protagonist and his party were drawn into various events to protect her.

The girl was kidnapped. The protagonist saved her. The girl was brainwashed and became an enemy. The protagonist desperately called out to her to break the brainwashing. The demon king finally awakened. In the midst of despair, the protagonist and the girl held hands. The feelings that blossomed between them eventually became the light that illuminated the world.

It was a classic, mainstream RPG. Players empathized with the protagonist, who blazed a trail as a hero, and felt a sense of camaraderie with the companions who saved the world alongside him. They also developed affection for the ancient girl, the heroine, who shared the protagonist's feelings.

After meeting the heroine, the game's plot unfolded in a series of intense events. Players were on the edge of their seats, working to save the world. They found hope in the protagonist and the heroine, who shared their feelings in the midst of despair.

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That's why they forget. They forget the existence of the childhood friend who appeared and disappeared within the first hour of the game.

I, too, had forgotten. In the midst of the satisfying ending, I was suddenly reminded of her existence. Why? Because Raura's illustration appeared during the credits.

What happened to that childhood friend?

Once this question came to mind, it was all over. More questions followed.

Didn't she confess?

Is she still waiting for the protagonist in the village?

But the protagonist and the heroine are in love, right?

What will the protagonist do?

What did the developers want to do with this character?

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Many players had similar questions, and discussions took place online. However, the conclusion was the same.

The heroine was the ancient girl.

The protagonist and the ancient girl ended up together.

Raura was heartbroken.

However, most players also acknowledged that the protagonist's attitude when Raura confessed wasn't entirely indifferent. Some criticized this as suggestive, and others criticized the protagonist for not hesitating to get close to other girls while leaving Raura waiting. More than that, there were many complaints about how the developers treated Raura and many expressions of sympathy for her.

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Still, the players' conclusion never wavered.

The heroine was the ancient girl. Raura was heartbroken—she was, in other words, the losing heroine.

I agreed with this opinion and felt sympathy for Raura. Growing up together since childhood and being treated as a half-official couple in the village, only to have the person you've been waiting for return with their soulmate by their side—how would that feel?

That's too much. Besides, the hero's power, which the protagonist possesses—

Awakened when he tried to save Raura from a monster attack as a child.

***

"Raura!"

I managed to pry open my heavy eyelids to see my childhood friend—future hero—looking down at me. His blue eyes were filled with tears.

Oh, future hero, to cry over something like this is pitiful! —But then again, it's only natural given that his childhood friend was about to be eaten by a monster.

"Rukash...?"

I uttered the name of my childhood friend, whom I had called without a second thought until yesterday. The future hero's name is Rukash. Rukash Kamir. Raura—me—called him Rukash, a nickname.

The golden emblem floating in his left eye, which was directed straight at me, is the mark of a hero. It is the power that awakens to save the world, which he used to save his childhood friend who was lost in the forest and attacked by a monster.

"Raura, you're awake! I'll go get the doctor!"

My current mother, who seemed to be in a state of shock, said this and left the room. I was so preoccupied with recalling my previous life's memories that I couldn't fully grasp the current situation, but from the familiar ceiling, I could tell this was my home. Rukash must have carried me here after using his awakened hero's power to defeat the monster.

The hero's awakening event, which I just experienced, was a flashback event that occurred in the early to mid-part of the game's story. At the time, I, who still thought Raura was the heroine, thought, "The hero awakens to protect the heroine, how cliché."

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The childhood friend who awakened the hero's power due to me would, a few years later, drift away from me.

I don't know how I ended up reincarnated into the world of the role-playing game I played in my previous life, but it's too late to do anything about it now. Rather, knowing in detail what will happen in the future is like starting a game with all the knowledge of a New Game Plus.

Yes, the fact that I'm a losing heroine is insignificant. The premise is that I, in this life, don't fall in love with the protagonist—Rukash. I could marry another boy from the village. Or, I could leave this small, isolated village. I could study hard, improve myself, and find a job in the capital. I'm sure I could lead a much more fulfilling life than spending my whole life in this small village. If I'm in the capital, I could still get information about Rukash even if he leaves on his journey.

"Raura"

As an 8-year-old girl, I was thinking realistically—after all, my mind is that of a 20-something. The future hero called out to me. When I turned my gaze to him, I met his blue eyes, which were filled with a strong light.

The memories of my previous life's "me" were somewhat interfering, but Rukash was still my childhood friend, with whom I had spent nearly 8 years. The 8 years I spent as Raura are an unshakable fact and reality, regardless of my previous life's memories.

Rukash was kind. He was often teased by the other boys in the village for being timid and weak, but he was a very good boy who cared for others.

As befitting a future hero, he had a very handsome face. At this age, he has a gender-neutral, cute appearance, but I know that as he grows older, he will lose his childishness and become a handsome young man by the time he leaves the village. His golden hair, which is silky and smooth, is a perfect match for the description "silk-like hair." I often thought, "The protagonist's hair is so smooth," during the game's cutscenes.

Rukash tightly gripped my hand, which was still struggling with the memories of my previous life. Then,

"I'll protect you, Raura."

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Oh, how pitiful. In the game, the cutscene ended when Rukash's power awakened. So, as a player, I didn't know what happened next—what was happening now. I didn't know that Raura would receive such a serious declaration.

My heart, which was beating wildly, must be Raura's, not mine. But I understood Raura's—no, my—feelings all too well.

A strong resolve appeared on his face, which I had never seen before. His blue eyes, which were fixed on me, had a golden emblem floating in them. He said he would protect me with a tone that left no room for doubt.

Oh, if I hadn't remembered my previous life's memories, I would surely be in love with Rukash right now.

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But no, I won't fall in love with someone I know will break my heart. I will soon change my job from "the hero's childhood friend