Chapter 24

"Good morning, Laura."

As I opened my eyes, dazzled by the sunlight streaming in through the window, there stood my childhood friend.

"Ruka...?"

"Sorry, did I wake you up? When I came to see you, your aunt said you were still sleeping and that I could wait in your room."

Ruka looked apologetic, yet there was a hint of joy in his eyes. My consciousness gradually awoke as I looked at him. Last night, after enjoying a family dinner, I had fallen asleep immediately. The fatigue from the long carriage ride must have caught up with me.

I sat up and glanced out the window over Ruka's shoulder. The sun was already high in the sky.

"Is it already noon?"

In response to my question, Ruka smiled ambiguously. It seemed I was right. Perhaps feeling at ease back home, I had slept in more than usual. I told Ruka to wait outside while I hurriedly got dressed. When I opened the closet, familiar clothes greeted me. Although they seemed less vibrant and made of inferior materials compared to the clothes I had bought in the capital, they gave me a sense of nostalgia and a warm, comforting feeling.

I picked up a dress I often wore and slipped it on. Worried it might be cold, I put on a rough cardigan over it. I quickly combed my hair with my hand and opened the door.

"Father, Mother, good morning!"

"Oh, Laura, you slept well," my mother said, chuckling. She was handing a basket to Ruka. I tilted my head, wondering what it was, and sat down on a chair in the living room. My father, who had been tinkering with a fishing rod, looked up and saw me.

"You must have been tired. Did you rest well?"

"Yeah, I did," I replied with a smile, and my father grinned, showing his teeth.

Feeling well-rested, I was quite alert. Even when I was in the capital, I would finish my training in the afternoon and get a good night's sleep, but—

"Let's go, Laura. Uncle, Aunt, we're off!"

Suddenly, Ruka grabbed my hand tightly and led me outside. I heard my parents say, "Have a good day," in unison from behind.

"Go, go where?"

I asked, looking over my shoulder. The back of Ruka, which seemed a bit larger than I remembered, turned to face me. He lifted the basket he was holding in his other hand, the one not holding mine, and smiled, showing his teeth. It was a rare, lively smile for Ruka.

"Picnic!"

***

We arrived at a small flower field at the edge of the village. Beyond the nearby forest, a grassy plain with a good view spread out. While it would have been ideal for a picnic, we decided on a location within the range of the magic that protected the village, considering the possibility of monster attacks.

We spread out a cloth to sit on. The basket Ruka had received from my mother contained familiar sandwiches made by my mother. We started eating, which was a bit late for breakfast but a bit early for lunch. As I took a big bite of the bread, Ruka spoke.

"Welcome back, Laura."

I blinked a few times before responding.

"What's with the suddenness?"

"I thought I hadn't properly said it yet."

Ruka's blue eyes gazed at me, as if peering into my soul. Feeling a bit touched by my childhood friend, my cheeks naturally relaxed.

"Thanks, Ruka."

"Welcome back." "I'm home." Just those simple exchanges made my heart warm. Being welcomed back like this felt very comforting.

"How's your alchemy studies going?"

"Pretty well. I'm learning a lot of things."

"Is it fun?"

"Yeah."

I nodded enthusiastically, but the expression in front of me visibly drooped. This reaction might mean—

"Are you lonely?"

Ruka's eyes darted around for a moment, but he soon met my gaze with a smile, though his brows were furrowed.

"A little, I guess. It's embarrassing to admit."

His tone and expression suggested he was ashamed of his feelings. To me, Ruka was "cute," but he was a boy over 14. Perhaps he had a sense of pride as a boy, or maybe he felt embarrassed to show his vulnerable side to a girl. As I looked at his well-defined profile with a fond smile, Ruka's lips curled up, though it seemed a bit forced.

"But, Laura, you're my pride as a childhood friend."

My pride as a childhood friend. Those words made me feel a bit itchy. I couldn't help but shrug and smile wryly at his pure gaze.

"You're my pride as a childhood friend too, Ruka."

Even without considering his role as the future hero, Ruka was my pride as a childhood friend. When "I" first woke up, I cursed this relationship, but now I often find myself grateful for being the hero's childhood friend. I laugh at my own pragmatic nature, but seeing Ruka blushing and lowering his brows, I feel it deeply.

Ruka is kind, hardworking, and cute—my pride as a childhood friend. Knowing the harsh future he will face, this feeling grows stronger every day. Looking at his gentle profile, I think that saving Elvira from her illness will be the best thing I can do for my pride as a childhood friend.

"So, we're both each other's pride as childhood friends."

Ruka squinted, as if looking at something bright, and smiled, the way he does when he's truly happy.

"Let's always be childhood friends."

I blinked a few times at Ruka's words.

"Always be childhood friends."

It's a strange thing to say, really. Childhood friends aren't like lovers, who become so by choice. We were born in the same village and are still next to each other even after turning 14. This fact alone is enough to prove we are childhood friends, even if we become distant in the future. But I understood what Ruka meant.

Let's always be the kind of friends who can share smiles like this.

That must be the wish embedded in Ruka's words.

"Always, I'll be Ruka's childhood friend."

Ruka nodded vigorously in response.

The environment around Ruka will gradually change, and in a few years, it will change dramatically. Ruka will become the hero who saves the world, and I will become a mere alchemist. I don't know what the world will be like after it's saved—after the "Last Brave" is cleared. Even without knowing, I can't imagine sitting in a small flower field, sharing a peaceful moment with the hero who saved the world.

—No, to begin with, the Laura and Ruka from the world I saved might not have been able to maintain a relationship where they could laugh together after the game was cleared. It's more likely that they became distant.

Putting aside the reasons for that, I want to achieve the ending that the Laura and Ruka from "Last Brave" didn't. Reflecting on it, this is already happening, but it was my main goal.

We intertwined our pinkies, making the promise solid.

No matter how much the environment around us changes, no matter what "unknown" comes to my world—I will always be the hero's childhood friend.