Chapter 7

"Having seen Mercedes' lively face, I think I'll return tomorrow."

Those were the words of my master this morning. It seems he never intended to stay for long. He must have been satisfied after seeing Mercedes' lively face.

Hearing those words, I panicked. I had to talk to Arnold today.

Because I had trouble falling asleep last night, I spent the time thinking of a lie to get information about Elvira. I came up with a lie about how I was going to have a sibling soon but couldn't really grasp the reality of it, and that I wanted to hear stories from people who had siblings.

I had thought of the lie, but I wasn't mentally prepared yet. However, I didn't have time anymore. I had to make up my mind.

I wondered how to get Arnold to talk, and it would be reassuring if Mercedes was there too. While imagining the ideal situation in my head, I couldn't come up with a good plan and was struggling.

"Laura, would you like to go to the herb garden with me and Arnold?"

I received an unexpected offer from Mercedes. I nodded enthusiastically and we headed to the herb garden together. Since then, I've been looking for an opportunity to talk to Arnold, but I couldn't quite take that final step.

However, I encouraged myself, thinking I couldn't go back without doing it, and approached Arnold.

"Arnold... sir"

I mustered up the courage to call out to him. After a long pause, he finally responded.

"...What is it?"

From his words the other day and what Mercedes told me that night, I suspect Arnold sees me as a rival. It might be a bit of an overestimation, but he must have some interest or feelings towards me, even if it's not visible in his expression.

My throat was dry from nervousness, and my voice came out a bit hoarse.

"Arnold, do you have any sisters?"

I wondered what expression he had on his face after hearing my question. I couldn't see his face, so I kept my eyes fixed on the herbs in front of me and continued.

"I might have a sibling soon. But I don't know how to interact with a younger brother or sister... I've been asking various people what it's like to have siblings..."

"You don't have to answer."

The lie I had thought of all night to naturally get information about Elvira was dismissed without a second thought. Silence fell between us, and I didn't have the courage to speak again.

"Arnold has a cute little sister, you know."

"Master!?"

The awkward silence was broken not by me or Arnold, but by Mercedes. Arnold was surprised by her sudden appearance, and so was I. But more than that, my heart leaped at her words.

Arnold has a sister.

"It's not right to ignore someone who has taken the time to talk to you. He's just shy."

"Wh-what!?"

"I said he was unfriendly because of his pride, but he's just shy. It's a bit embarrassing, but he's happy when someone talks to him."

"Master!"

Mercedes, who had seemed like a saint, was now grinning mischievously, teasing her young disciple. Arnold, who had always been poker-faced and beautiful, was blushing with his eyebrows and the corners of his eyes sharply raised.

—Both of them seemed very different from their usual selves. This must be their true nature.

Mercedes, still grinning, pushed Arnold's back, bringing us closer together.

"Come on, talk properly. Arnold has a much younger sister, right?"

"...Yes. She's almost five."

—A sister who is almost five years old.

I desperately tried to recall my memories. The future hero will leave the village just before his 17th birthday. Lukas is currently 9 years old, so it will be about 8 years from now. Arnold's sister is currently 4 years old. By the time Lukas leaves, she will be 12 years old.

Elvira was a genius girl, the youngest member of the party. I don't remember her exact age, but from her appearance, she must be around 12 years old.

"What's her name?"

I asked, my voice trembling. After a moment's hesitation, Arnold's mouth moved.

The movement of his lips overlapped with the hero in my memory.

"Elvira"

Everything stopped.

—Elvira. Elvira Roco.

A companion in "Last Brave," a small body with immense magical power, a genius girl. The boy in front of me, who has her as a sister, is—according to rumors, the brother of Elvira, a character cut from the game due to capacity issues.

Is he really a scrapped character from "Last Brave"? —No, it's too early to draw that conclusion.

Indeed, whether the rumors are true or not, it's certain that he didn't appear in the game. However, there's a possibility that he existed in the background but wasn't mentioned. He might have been living somewhere in the world I traveled through as the hero.

I put those thoughts aside and continued the conversation.

"That's a cute name. Are you close?"

"...Yeah..."

Arnold looked down, hiding his red face. He looked like a typical boy and was quite cute, but I wasn't in the mood to notice.

"You must really dote on her, right? You boasted to me about her magical talent."

"Hey, hey!"

Her magical talent. That information was the final piece of the puzzle.

It's certain, Arnold Roco's sister is Elvira Roco.

Knowing this, I didn't know what to do. The fog in my heart had cleared a little, but more questions arose.

Is Arnold Roco a scrapped character from "Last Brave"? Is he just a background character who wasn't mentioned in the game? Is the world I live in the same as the "Last Brave" world I know? Can I influence the future of this world by interacting with him? Is it even right for me to deviate from my role as the hero's childhood friend?

My head was in chaos from the unexpected events of the past few days. I thought and thought and thought—then I gave up.

Thinking won't solve the problem. It's just a waste of time. I will follow the path I believe in and choose. This is my life. Laura's life is a one-time thing.

I decided to stop relying on my memories. The past is the past, and the present is the present. Even if there are some differences, it's not surprising. This is not a world of data created by human hands—a game world. The future can be changed by human will.

I am here to change my future.

"What are you babbling about!"

"Oh, what's wrong with telling the truth?"

I watched the two of them arguing with a calm heart. My thoughts were organized, and I no longer had any doubts—so I wanted to believe.

The two of them suddenly noticed my gaze. Mercedes opened her eyes wide, as if realizing something, and then smiled with compassion.

"Hehe, I'm sorry. I got a bit carried away."

"Your mask is slipping, Master."

From Arnold's words, it seemed that the real Mercedes might have been the one from earlier. The beautiful and compassionate Mercedes was an object of admiration, but the more approachable and sisterly Mercedes seemed easier to talk to.

I thought this as I watched Mercedes, who was covering her mouth and laughing. Of course, I couldn't say such things, so I smiled back at her apologetic smile.

An awkward silence. To escape the atmosphere, Mercedes said, "I'll leave the two of you to it..." like a matchmaker.

As she was about to leave, I called out to her.

"Um, um! Has this herb garden been here for a long time?"

I had decided not to care, but I still couldn't help but wonder if it was a sign of my weak will.

Mercedes turned around and answered with a puzzled expression.

"Huh? Yes, it's been here since before I was born."

Elves are long-lived. It's possible that she is much older than she looks. So, "before I was born" might be much earlier than I thought.

While I couldn't pinpoint the exact time, it was clear that this herb garden wasn't created in the past few years.

I already knew that the Sittenheim I live in now doesn't have a fountain square, unlike the Sittenheim in "Last Brave."

As I organized my thoughts, I noticed Mercedes looking at me curiously. Her expression seemed to be asking what had suddenly come over me.

I hurriedly continued.

"That's amazing, to have such a large herb garden in the middle of the city..."

"Yes, it is. But it also requires a lot of maintenance."

Mercedes smiled wryly and finally left us. Now, it was just the two of us.

I didn't want to stand there in silence, picking herbs, so I decided to leave quietly. Just as I was about to stand up,

"...I hope she's born healthy."

Arnold muttered, almost to himself.

I froze in my half-standing position. I didn't expect him to say something like that.

However, I don't actually have a sibling on the way. I had forgotten about the lie I told to achieve my goal—finding out about Elvira. Perhaps Arnold had been looking for an opportunity to say those words all along.

I instinctively thought he was a good brother. Mercedes had said he doted on his sister, and I didn't doubt her words. But Arnold's words confirmed it for me.

Arnold looked up at me, perhaps wondering why I was frozen. Our eyes met, and I found myself smiling naturally.

I felt guilty for lying, but at the same time, I was happy to hear his words. The fact that the future savior of this world, Elvira, has a kind brother made me happy.

"Thank you."

—I thought that if I continued on this path, I would likely become more involved with Arnold. Even if that happens, I might be able to handle it.