Under the night sky, on a sidewalk illuminated only by streetlamps, the woman dragged her tired body while holding her purse. She had made an effort to dress up earlier when leaving the house, but now she felt like she was an inconvenience. She wished she could go back home, sit on the cold floor, and enjoy a cold beer from the fridge. It was okay to be called a homebody; she could give up on trying to be popular. With this in mind, the woman continued walking home.

"Oh, it's late. Just getting home at this time?" someone in the shadows not far away leaned against the wall and greeted her.

What was this person’s deal, trying to seem so familiar with her? And with his arms crossed, was he trying to impress her with his height and good looks? She shouldn't be rude; what if it was someone she knew? But did she know anyone that tall? As a university student, she pondered this while hesitantly slowing down her pace.

However, the man was on her regular path home, and it would take too much time to find another way. "Who are you? Sorry, I can't see you clearly because you're standing in the shadow."

"You're so cold. But I guess it's normal to forget the appearance of someone you haven't seen in four years."

The person in the shadows smiled, put his hands down from his chest, and slowly walked out of the shadows. He had the same hairstyle as before, and his eyes, which looked scary if he didn't smile, were similar to his sisters'. He always had a faint smile on his lips.

The female university student was shocked, standing straight. She accidentally dropped her purse onto the ground. She strode towards the man and hugged him tightly, almost like a headbutt to his chest.

"Are you stupid? It's not that I forgot you; you've grown up so much!" It was a story that happened a long time ago, about a boy and a girl.

"Is there really such a place?"

"Of course, I really want to see it with my own eyes."

The boy had a dream of experiencing sights unseen by those before him; he wanted to explore. "Did you go out with that female student yesterday?"

"Ah, she said she wanted to see the cave we discovered before."

The dream was like a flame, burning away the boy's humanity and turning him into a traveler who only looked forward to the distance. "Who was that before?"

"It's not her; it's my boyfriend."

The girl who had always followed him couldn't find what she wanted from him. "Later, I went there with my boyfriend."

"Isn't that good?"

And the girl didn't notice the boy's adventurous spirit gradually wither away, dying alongside the admired adventurer who died. "Where are you looking? Listen to me."

"..."

When she turned her head back around, she only saw the boy lying dead on the street. And now, four years later, it was their last meeting.

"Do you know how unwilling I am?"

"Do you know how much I regret it?"

"Do you know how much I want to see you again?" Though she didn't say it out loud, she held the person in front of her tightly. Thoughts that she hadn't contemplated for a long time surged from the depths of her heart, words that couldn't be said even in front of a grave. She just held on tight to the person in front of her, even if it was just an illusion.

"I told you to calm down, didn't I?"

The female university student was now sitting on a bench in the park, and the tall man next to her spoke while handing her a canned coffee.

"You met someone who died four years ago...how am I supposed to stay calm?"

After hearing his question, the female university student blushed and received the canned coffee, but couldn't open it properly due to her short nails.

"Give it to me, I'll open it."

Like a hamster that didn't know how to open a walnut, he naturally took the canned coffee from her hand, opened it effortlessly, and handed it back to her.

"Thank you."

She said thanks honestly, and the man smiled and drank his own canned coffee.After drinking about half of the can of coffee, the young man exhaled heavily and leaned his back against the bench. "Coffee tastes better in a can," he said.

"So, you didn't die? Or did you come back to life?" The college girl saw this as a good opportunity to ask, slightly lowering her head with concern.

"Well, I did die. You saw it, my body was cut in half. You were standing next to me, remember? Did you get any blood on you?"

"Don't be so graphic... it's still terrifying to think about," she replied.

"I didn't come back to life, but maybe something like a prolonged battle," he said.

"A prolonged battle?"

"Well, that's not important. Let me tell you..." The young man smiled and began to excitedly recount his adventures and the sights he had seen on the road called Valola.

The more he talked about these strange tales, the more certain the college girl became that he was the same boy she once knew. Though his height had grown, and his face looked more mature, his enthusiasm for adventure was just as present as it had always been - even more so, in fact.

Feeling happy for him, she thought that perhaps she could retry a dream she had long given up on in some other place. However, she also felt a sense of unease and restlessness.

"By the way, why did you come back home at this hour? What were you doing?" she asked.

"Ah, fraternity party?" he replied with a question.

"Why are you answering me with a question...?" she asked back, once again interrupted from her thoughts.

Suddenly, he turned the conversation toward her, asking what she had been doing at the party. The college girl stuttered and confessed what she had been doing.

"Huh, so you didn't stay overnight?" he asked with a laugh.

"Was I not good enough for someone to hit on me? Hey, you need to work harder too, at least back in school you were popular," she scoffed.

"Who cares?" The young man put his hand on her shoulder, signaling a deeper connection. "As for me, everything is going great. I have a house over there, friends I can trust with my life, and even some enemies."

"Why is having enemies something to be happy about...?" She attempted to change the subject, but noticed his expression, causing her to feel a mix of emotions and look down.

"As for me, things aren't going well. Afterwards, I broke up with my boyfriend."

"Oh, I don't remember the details about him. Was he a junior or senior?" he asked.

"He was a senior... I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Back then, I used to talk to you all the time about being with him, without properly considering your feelings..."

"It's fine, I don't care. I was just surprised when I first found out you were dating him," the young man replied, looking up and remembering how he had seen the girl riding on the back of his friend's motorcycle.

What had he thought back then? He couldn't remember. Had he immediately let the thought go, or had he lost part of his memories due to his death?

"I see... well, that's good to know." Though she said those words, she was filled with complicated emotions, feeling unsatisfied.

"Why did you appear in front of me? I'm not even sure if this is a dream or not," she asked.

"Of course, it's not a dream."

The young man put his hand on her head and said with a smile, "I just wanted to tell you that I did die, but I'm doing really well in another world. I've met friends who I can have adventures with, and I'm even married."

"His wife is really strange. I can't tell you the details, but the mere thought of her gives me stomachache. Despite that, they are a loving couple.""There is a fighter with a big appetite, healthy and energetic, and of course, very cute. Just looking at him can make people excited."

"I'm also adventuring with a mechanic. At first, he seemed quite gloomy, but he became an adventurer to search for his childhood sweetheart."

"Gait is really interesting. I'm not sure if he's a berserker or what, but he's really strong. He can easily wield such a large battle axe."

"Although Miss Nancy is a noble lady and a paladin, she's surprisingly a fujoshi, and not just a delusional one. She's an enthusiastic action type, who has a history of locking two thirsty men in a small black room."

"Although Miss Aige seems a bit lewd, she's actually a lovely person. At first, I thought we couldn't get along, but looking back now, the days with her were actually quite happy."

"Ashlie is a bit special, I don't know if she likes being a maid or what, but now she's a maid chief--"

"Enough."

"Oh, and I haven't introduced the rabbits yet. They're really interesting creatures. Have you seen a rabbit that's as big as a person? They can even use weapons and equipment when they stand up."

"Enough."

"Suanna is a rabbit who likes wearing plate armor and holding a flail and a large shield. She has a curious personality and likes to whip other rabbits."

"Enough."

"As for Wainces, she's basically a mage rabbit. I don't know why she's in female attire, and she likes human hands. When I see her rubbing against my hand, I can’t help but wonder if it's like Yoshikage Kira from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure."

"Enough!!"

The female college student's eyes were filled with tears, and she punched the young man who wouldn't stop talking in the chest.

"Why are you telling me this? Do you want to tell me that you're doing well now? So, do past events not matter? I don't want things to be easier for myself. Is it not okay for me to self-destruct like this?"

"That's not okay."

First, the wrist that hit his chest was caught, then the young man pulled her into his arms.

The female college student's tear ducts finally couldn't bear it, and she burst into tears again.

"No matter if you stopped me at the time or not, I would have done the same thing, so... don't worry too much."

The young man didn't say anything further, and the two fell into silence for a while.

"Well, that's about it."

As if he wanted to dispel the awkward atmosphere just now, the young man stood up.

"I'll be back in a bit."

He lowered his body, knelt on one knee and placed his hand on the ground.

"【Spell Strengthening·Accelerate】!"

The young man disappeared from his original position, a strong gust of wind whirling up in his wake.