Chapter 8

"Follow your heart. I'll support Laura's dream."

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As soon as I returned from Sittenheim, I confessed to my parents that I was aiming to become a royal alchemist. My parents looked a bit sad, but they didn't oppose me; instead, they encouraged me. Leaving home at 14 might make me a filial delinquent in my parents' eyes. In this village, getting married, having children, and living with aging parents is considered the greatest filial piety. However—

Since they encouraged me, I decided to put my heart into it and seriously aim to become a royal alchemist. First, I need to pass the examination to become an apprentice royal alchemist.

One day after confessing to my parents, I left home to ask my master to contact Mercedes-san and accept her invitation to accompany Arnold to the examination. As I stepped out of the house—

"Laura!"

"Rukas"

As soon as I left the house, Rukas ran over from somewhere. I thought he would accompany me to my master's house, but his expression was clearly different from the usual Rukas, and I tilted my head in confusion. His expression was stern, and I could see a hint of anxiety.

What's wrong? Before I could ask, Rukas spoke first.

"Is it true that you're leaving this village?"

For a moment, I stopped breathing.

I hadn't told Rukas yet, so how did he know?

"... Who told you?"

"It's true."

The words that slipped out in a panic inadvertently confirmed Rukas's statement. I realized my mistake too late.

I had only told my parents and my master about my goal to become a royal alchemist. Rukas and my master weren't that close, so the person who told Rukas should have been obvious. However, in my surprise and panic, the words slipped out before I could think.

"Did you hear it from my parents? I told them not to say anything..."

"Did you plan to keep it from me?"

Hearing Rukas's unusually low voice, I looked up in shock. My childhood friend looked very sad, and his eyes were filled with strong anger.

He seemed more anxious than I thought. I made one mistake after another. I had planned to tell Rukas soon, but I was caught off guard and panicked.

I hurried to explain.

"No, Rukas. It's not decided yet. I'll tell you properly once it's decided."

Even as the words left my mouth, they sounded like a lie.

If they sounded that way to me, they must have sounded even more like a lie to Rukas.

"... It's a lie. When you turn 14, you'll leave this village. Your mother told me to be nice to you until that day."

"That's a misunderstanding! It's not decided yet. I can't become a royal alchemist unless I pass the exam..."

It wasn't a lie. It wasn't decided yet. Leaving the village at 14 wasn't certain. However—

I knew that no matter what I said or how I explained it, it would sound like an excuse to Rukas. I felt that every word I said would hurt him, so I fell silent.

I had planned to tell Rukas eventually. That was the truth. However, he might oppose me or question why. I found it—troublesome.

I couldn't say that my need to leave the village was Rukas's fault. I had never thought that.

I delayed telling Rukas. I had considered telling him at the same time as my parents but decided against it. That was a fact.

I couldn't say anything to the bowed Rukas. I felt despair at how I had treated my dear childhood friend carelessly without realizing it.

"I'll go to the capital too."

The bowed Rukas muttered.

"Huh..."

Rukas's words clearly reached my ears, but I couldn't understand their meaning for a moment.

—I'll go to the capital too?

What did he mean? My unusually calm self deduced the meaning: Rukas was saying he would go to the capital with me.

"I'll go to the capital and join the knights. This power will surely be useful."

His tone was resolute, without any hesitation.

Rukas looked up. I thought I saw his golden emblem in his left eye reflect the light.

—I have to stop him at all costs.

In the midst of my confusion, that was the only thing I understood.

Rukas needs to stay in this village. The future hero will set out from this village. Even if the place changes, there's a good chance Rukas's hero power will be discovered. However, in the near future, the power of monsters will grow stronger. The village will be attacked several times, and Rukas will repel the monsters with his hero power, as mentioned in the villagers' opening lines.

This is selfish of me. I want to become an alchemist and leave the village, but I want Rukas to stay and protect everyone. However, I didn't want to change Rukas's environment as much as possible.

Rukas will set out from this village, meet an ancient girl, and save the world.

If Rukas's environment changes drastically and the gears go awry—this world might fall into the hands of the demon king.

"Rukas, please stay in the village."

"Why? You're going to the capital, right? Then I'll go too."

His voice was irritated, and he spoke quickly. He grabbed my wrist and leaned in.

"That's not okay!"

In my panic, I raised my voice. The next moment, I saw the shadow in his blue eyes and realized I had said something terrible to Rukas again, feeling disappointed in myself for the umpteenth time.

I have the memories of my past life. So what? I know the future of this world. So what? I'm just a fool who can't even understand the feelings of a childhood friend I've spent nine years with.

"... Laura, do you hate me?"

The determined look from earlier was gone. Rukas looked at me with eyes like a discarded puppy.

I was speechless. No, I don't. Even if I said that, I didn't think my words would reach Rukas.

"Since that day, you've been avoiding me. You play with Petra and the others, visit Obaa every day... Recently, you don't even look at me when we talk."

"That's not true..."

You don't even look at me.

I was shocked by the words that came out of Rukas's mouth.

I had no intention of doing that. But since Rukas said it, it must have been something I did without realizing it.

To avoid becoming a losing heroine and change the future, I had set my goal to change from the role of the hero's childhood friend. I had tried to keep my distance from Rukas. But at some point—I had been coldly pushing Rukas away.

"You hate me, Laura! You hate me because of what happened that day? ... Are you afraid of this power?"

His eyes were pleading.

Are you afraid of this power?—I had never thought that. This power is the hero's power that will save this world in the future. And most importantly, it's the power that protected me.

But the fact that Rukas said it means he might have thought that. Rukas himself might have been afraid of the hero's power.

—If I were the old me, would I have noticed that?

Driven by self-reproach, I couldn't say anything. Taking my silence as an affirmation, Rukas let go of my wrist and ran away. Instinctively, I followed the warmth that was leaving.

"Rukas!"

I didn't mean to hurt Rukas, my childhood friend.

I need to talk properly. I need to hold his hand, which had let go.

"Rukas, please, wait!"

I chased after him desperately, but I couldn't catch up with a boy's legs. My breath was short, and Rukas's back was getting farther away. My feet tangled. But I couldn't stop—

"Kyaa!"

I finally stumbled and fell forward.

The cry made Rukas's back stop. After a moment, he turned around and ran back to me.

"Laura!"

His voice, and the hand he extended in front of me, made my vision blur with shame.

I had scraped my knee badly. It hurt. But I couldn't care about that now.

I took his hand. I wouldn't let go, gripping it as tightly as I could.

When I looked up, our eyes met, and Rukas's eyes, with the golden emblem, shone.

I had been needlessly afraid of "this." I had been so afraid of the shadow of the future hero that I hadn't seen Rukas, my childhood friend, standing right in front of me.

"Rukas, I'm sorry. You're right, I was afraid of your eyes..."

I pulled myself up, feeling the warmth of his hand. I sat on the ground, and Rukas squatted to meet my eye level.

I reached out to his left eye. Rukas closed his eyes. I touched the golden emblem on his eyelid. —It was warm. Rukas's warmth spread through my fingers to my whole body.

I had never been afraid of Rukas's power. But I had been afraid of the emblem in his eyes.

"But, Rukas's power protected me."

Yes, Rukas's hero power awakened to protect me. Even if he will leave me in the future, the fact that he saved my life remains unchanged.

Yes, that's right. There was no need to push Rukas away so coldly. I just needed to not have feelings for him.

No matter how kind and protective he was, I knew the future where Rukas would meet his destined person. I had said I wouldn't fall in love knowing it would end in heartbreak. I should have treated Rukas as a childhood friend as before.

Because I was foolish, stubborn, and afraid, I had hurt my dear childhood friend.

"I'm sorry for being afraid. Your power isn't just for me; it protects everyone... It's a very kind power."

Rukas slowly opened his eyes. They were filled with kindness, the color of Rukas.

The golden emblem in his left eye. It's a symbol of the hero's power that will save this world, not a symbol of leaving me in the future.

I should have known that.

"I don't hate you, Rukas. You're my dear childhood friend."

I looked him straight in the eye and smiled, saying so.

Did he believe my words? The tension in Rukas's body eased, but the hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes didn't completely disappear.

"Then, I'll go to the capital too..."

"... That's not okay."

"Why!"

As Rukas raised his voice again, I gripped his hand tightly to calm him down.

"... Can you promise not to tell anyone?"

I asked in a low voice. Rukas looked confused but nodded firmly.

—I intended to tell Rukas a little about the future. I didn't know if it was the best choice, but I couldn't lie to him anymore.

"In the near future, the power of monsters will grow... That's why I want Rukas, who has strong power, to protect this village and everyone."

It might sound unbelievable, but there was no hint of doubt in Rukas's eyes.

If I look him straight in the eye and speak sincerely, Rukas can tell whether I'm lying or telling the truth. —We are childhood friends.

Perhaps he just felt sad about being separated from me. I smiled with a hint of a wry smile and continued.

"I haven't decided if I'll go to the capital yet, but if I do, I'll come back regularly. And Rukas, you can visit too if you want."

A brief silence. His blue eyes looked slightly resentful.

"I'll definitely visit."

"Okay."

With a big nod, Rukas's face finally relaxed. He smiled happily. Seeing his smile, I smiled even more.

Reflecting on it, it had been a long time since Rukas and I had laughed together like this. For no particular reason, we burst into laughter.

—We are childhood friends.

I had sometimes felt resentful about this attribute. But more than that, having someone who understands me better than anyone else is a great blessing.

I am the hero's childhood friend.

My goal of leaving the village to become an alchemist hasn't changed. But I decided to continue carrying the role of the hero's childhood friend.

I will aim to be the hero's childhood friend and a royal alchemist.

Who said I can only have one job? No one has decided that, and no one has forced me to. I just jumped to conclusions, thinking I had to leave the role of the hero's childhood friend to avoid being a losing heroine.

What's wrong with being the hero's childhood friend? Not all childhood friends end up heartbroken or become losing heroines.

Why didn't I realize such a simple thing? What kind of 20-year-old mental age is this? I'm such an idiot.

—Reaffirming my goal.

I will become the hero's childhood friend and a royal alchemist!

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Chapter 1 is now complete. I'll take a break from updates for a while after this.