Chapter 12

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It was our final day in the capital. We were scheduled to return to Eme's village by the afternoon carriage.

Arnold hasn't returned to the inn since then. It seems he has already been given a room in the royal castle. After that, Mercedes went to the castle and told us about it this morning.

According to the setting of "Last Brave," Arnold's parents—Elvira's parents—live in an elf village deep in a forest. Although racial discrimination against elves doesn't exist in this world, it's difficult for different races with different lifespans to marry and coexist. Therefore, elves have created elf villages in various places, and many of them live in these communities.

What I'm trying to say is—did Arnold report to his parents and sister, Elvira? Even though he has been away from home for training, becoming a royal apprentice alchemist shouldn't change his environment much. But didn't he want to meet them before living in the castle?

"Raura!"

"Lucas, wait up!"

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Putting Arnold aside, I was finally able to tour the capital, being led by Lucas.

"About this shop... Raura, don't you like this kind of thing?"

The shop Lucas mentioned yesterday as "the kind of shop I would like" turned out to be a cute gift shop. The exterior was very fancy.

—Was there such a shop in "Last Brave"?

The question that briefly crossed my mind was quickly dismissed.

While it might lead to meta-thinking, in the nature of "Last Brave," only weapon shops, armor shops, and item shops are necessary for the "protagonist." In the game, that's fine, but now that I'm living in reality, there should be a demand for other types of shops.

Indeed, the juice bar I treated Arnold to yesterday didn't exist in "Last Brave." However, unlike the vanished fountain square in Sittenhelm, it seemed like a natural change.

Lucas led me into the gift shop, and the store was filled with pastel colors, making me feel like a kid again.

There were many girls of my age and some older girls in the store. Some boys were also there, presumably with their girlfriends.

"Wow, so cute! I might buy this as a souvenir..."

I murmured, looking at the small teddy bears displayed on a shelf near the entrance. Eme's village doesn't have such fancy stuffed animals, so if I bring one back, Petra and the others will surely be happy.

Lucas smiled contentedly as he watched me get excited, looking from one item to another.

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I lost track of time, drowning in this fancy space. The vibrant "colors" and "cuteness" that I couldn't see in Eme's village.

Even though I've lived for over 30 years, including my previous life, I still get excited by such things. Maybe I'm still just a girl.

After touring the store, I consulted my wallet and bought some souvenirs. During this time, Lucas followed me but didn't go to the register.

After I finished paying, I found Lucas standing in front of a display case not far from the register and ran over to him.

"Want to have some juice after this? I found a nice place yesterday..."

I suggested, remembering the juice bar where Arnold treated me yesterday, as my throat was dry.

To my surprise, Lucas nodded enthusiastically but then said,

"Ah, sure. I'm going to buy some souvenirs for my mom, so can you wait outside for a bit?"

He smiled while hiding something behind his back.

It was clear he was hiding something, but I didn't press him and did as he asked. As I opened the door, I glanced back and saw Lucas hurriedly running to the register.

He must have bought something, but why hide it from me?

I sat on a bench outside, feeling a bit puzzled, and started observing the people passing by.

A well-dressed lady. A girl selling bread. A loving couple. A young man in armor. A man with a sword at his waist—there seemed to be an unusually high number of warriors and adventurers.

Are there more monsters now?

I haven't heard any such news yet. However, Lucas is leaving in just four years and a few months. "That time" is approaching much faster than I thought.

Lucas will be fine.

I "know" this, but still...

"Sorry, did you wait?"

Lucas's voice caught me off guard, as I had been looking down. I looked up, and his golden hair shimmered in the sunlight.

I smiled back at his smiling face.

"No, it's okay. It's just over there, let's go."

---

"Raura, here."

Just as I was about to take a sip of the apple juice I had bought, a bracelet was presented to me with a tinkling sound.

Of course, it was Lucas who offered it. The bracelet in front of me was very simple in design, more beautiful than cute.

"...A bracelet?"

"I bought it at the shop earlier. It's a matching one."

Lucas smiled and showed me his right wrist, where the same bracelet was shining.

I took the bracelet from Lucas and held it up to the sunlight. The gold sparkled, and the small rubies embedded in it added a nice touch. It wasn't an expensive item, but it wasn't cheap either.

"Thank you. But why?"

I asked.

It wasn't my birthday today, and I couldn't think of any reason to receive a gift.

"...I asked Mercedes a lot of questions about the royal alchemist while she was showing me around the city."

A hint of sadness crept into his eyes.

"I knew you were working hard, and I knew being a royal alchemist was a great job, but as I listened, it felt like you were going far away."

Lucas spoke softly, revealing his inner thoughts.

I had a vague sense that he would feel sad about our separation in the future, but this trip might have made him feel it more acutely. His voice grew smaller, and I regretted leaving him with Mercedes all this time.

Since he came with me, I should have made more time for him.

"When you turn 14, you'll leave the village and live here, right? I thought you might forget someone like me."

"That's not true—!"

I had been listening quietly, but I stood up to protest at his hurtful words. Lucas smiled to calm me down and shrugged, saying, "I'm just being pessimistic."

"Of course, I don't think you'll forget me. I'm just being anxious for no reason..."

That's impossible. We're childhood friends.

The words that came to mind, however, I swallowed, thinking they wouldn't be enough to dispel Lucas's anxiety. The best thing I could do for him right now was to accept the bracelet with a smile.

—Did the Raura in "Last Brave" also feel a similar anxiety? Did she worry about her childhood friend leaving the village to fight, about the future of this world, and about her fading from his memory, waiting alone in Eme's village?

Thinking about the Raura in "Last Brave," my heart ached. I could only hope she found happiness after the ending.

"Whenever you see this bracelet, I hope you'll think of me."

"Thank you. I'll wear it as a charm."

I replied and immediately put the bracelet on my wrist. Lucas smiled, looking at me as if he were seeing something bright. It was a smile of genuine happiness.

This bracelet, blessed by the hero, will be my charm. It will surely help me.

"Let's go back."

To Eme's village.

Lucas nodded at my words, stood up, and we naturally held hands as we walked.

—Our matching bracelets shone on our wrists.