Chapter 25

On that day, the people of Eme village gathered to see me off as I returned to the capital. I could only stay for a little over a day, but I was glad to have been able to come home. It was reassuring to see everyone in person rather than just through letters, and most importantly, I could put my parents' minds at ease.

"Petra, Radmila, Yuria, see you again! I'll write to you."

I said my goodbyes with a smile to the three girls of Eme village. Yuria stepped forward as if representing the three and replied.

"I'm looking forward to it. Good luck, Laura."

We exchanged smiles and a light handshake. Then, Petra secretly handed me a letter from the side. I looked at it curiously, and Petra pressed it into my hands.

"Hey, Laura, this... read it when you're alone."

"Oh, ah, yeah. Thank you."

The fact that she wrote it in a letter and insisted I read it alone suggested that it contained something she didn't want others to know. I clutched the letter to my chest, moved by Petra's words. I smiled at the three girls again and turned around. There, my master, who had come to see me off, was waiting.

"Master, I'll come back. Please visit us too, you'll be welcome."

"Oh, well, maybe someday."

It was a somewhat lukewarm response. My master, who used to be a famous royal alchemist, must have had familiar faces in the capital. It wouldn't be surprising if he had a few disciples there. Sensing his reluctance, I tilted my head, and my master handed me a thick book. I reflexively took it, but it was too heavy to hold with one hand.

"I brought this to give you."

"What is it?"

I lightly tapped the slightly dirty cover. The title on the cover read, "Legends and Traditions of the World."

"This book contains legends and traditions from all over the world. I kept it for entertainment, but it might be useful. Most of it probably isn't real, though."

Hearing my master's words, I opened the book with wide eyes. The pages were filled with very small text. It would be difficult to read, but it seemed to contain a vast amount of information. My master must have searched for this after I asked about the self-destruct disease. The dusty cover suggested he had dug it out from the back of a bookshelf. I hugged the book to my chest. I was fortunate to have such a good master.

If my master hadn't lived near Eme village, or if he hadn't taken me in as a disciple when I suddenly visited, I wouldn't be who I am today. I thought I should thank my master again. It would be a way to show my gratitude, not just to my parents but to my master as well.

As I quietly savored my emotions, Lukas approached me. His expression openly showed his sadness.

"Laura."

"Lukas, I'll be back soon."

"I'm looking forward to it. ...Take care."

With that, Lukas handed me something. I immediately recognized what it was, but it was so unexpected that I froze.

"This is from the weapon shop owner for Laura. It's just a small dagger, so it's more for reassurance than anything."

It was a copper dagger, the kind sold in the village weapon shop. As a beginner's weapon, I remembered that the copper dagger in "Last Brave" had very low attack power. Even for self-defense, it might not be enough to defeat a single slime, given my lack of strength. As Lukas said, it was just for reassurance. But—

"...No, thank you."

The weight of the dagger in my palm felt like a symbol of the impending disaster. It made me naturally more alert. I took it and hugged it to my chest. With the letter, the book, and the dagger, my luggage had increased significantly. The two items other than the letter were quite heavy.

"Mom, Dad, see you again."

I turned to my parents for the last time. They looked at me with complex expressions, not smiling, but clearly worried about their daughter. I was grateful that they couldn't stop me. They respected my decision, even though they were worried. I knew I had to repay their concern, but I had to go.

We exchanged a final embrace, and I quickly got into the carriage, cutting off the feeling of being pulled back. If I missed this, there would be no carriage leaving Eme village for the rest of the day. As the carriage started moving, I turned back one last time.

"I'll be back soon!"

The people of Eme village waved back at me. I kept waving until they became tiny dots in the distance, bidding them farewell.

As I moved further away from Eme village and their figures disappeared, I sighed. The long carriage ride was about to begin. While the carriage swayed, I remembered the letter from Petra and opened it. It was very simple.

---

Please forgive me for suddenly saying this.

I like Lukas.

---

The first line was an introduction. The second line was—

I like Lukas.

It was the main point, something I hadn't expected. The moment my eyes caught the words, my mind went blank.

—Petra likes Lukas?

I tried to recall "my" memories. Was there such a setting? Petra was one of the village NPCs, but there was no description of her liking Lukas—there was hardly any description of Petra at all. She even had lines supporting the "hero's childhood friend's" romance—

"The hero's... childhood friend?"

Then it hit me.

Childhood friend.

There's no clear definition of who can be called a childhood friend. If you've known someone since you were young, you can call them a childhood friend, I think.

Lukas and I, Laura, are undoubtedly the perfect childhood friends. We were born in the same village and spent our time together since we were young. We were confident that we were the best to each other in the village. However—

Could Petra also be considered the "hero's childhood friend"?

She was from the same village as Lukas, and they were close in age. They might not have talked much alone, but they weren't on bad terms. They must have built a friendly relationship.

—Could this be considered a "childhood friend" relationship?

...

Could Petra be taking on the role of "Last Brave's" Laura...?

I don't know when or in what situation Petra started to like Lukas. But if she continued to like him, it's entirely possible that a few years later, she would confess to Lukas as he set off on his journey, saying, "I'll wait for you."

I, on the other hand, am moving away from the "hero's childhood friend" role in "Last Brave" both in terms of my environment and my own mindset. If I continue on this path, a few years later, there won't be a childhood friend to confess to the hero or wait for him sadly in the village—so I thought.

But Petra is fulfilling the conditions to become the "hero's childhood friend" in my place.

The mission of the "hero's childhood friend" that I carried is shifting to Petra—

I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart with several deep breaths.

Yes, it's possible that the game's Petra had a crush on Lukas. This setting might have been deemed unnecessary for the story and kept as a hidden background detail.

To put it bluntly, the game's Petra is an NPC. Most players probably don't even remember her name. The staff would likely focus on other parts rather than describe her one-sided love.

Yes, it's too early to conclude that Petra is taking my place.

I regained my composure and looked back at the letter in my hand. The last line expressed that she felt bad keeping it from me and that she wouldn't ask for my support.

Petra must have agonized over this letter. I understand that. I want to support my friend's love, but—

—Even if we set aside the question of whether Petra is taking my place, she will almost certainly end up heartbroken in the future.

I sighed.

Oh, God. Must this world inevitably have a pitiful "hero's childhood friend"?

I was at a loss as to what to do. But I already knew there was nothing I could do.

I could only watch. I shouldn't meddle and disrupt Petra's feelings. Telling her to give up because she will definitely be rejected in the future would be inappropriate.

The faces of Petra and the Laura who is not "me" flashed in my mind.

—If a pitiful "hero's childhood friend" must be born in this world, I hope that the childhood friend will find happiness afterward.

That was all I could wish for.