Chapter 5: Sleeping Together
1158 Words
The night of the day I hunted the Baby Boar. I was lying down in my bed. Then Leeds came close and sat right next to me.
"Zest... hey... can I sleep with you too?"
"Hmm? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
"I think it would be warmer if we sleep together. Is that not okay?"
"No, I don't mind."
"Then I'll come next to you."
Leeds lay down right beside me and hugged me.
"Hehe."
She looks happy. I have thought this since we first met, but this child seems very attached to me. She sat next to me at meals too, and she was waiting in front of the orphanage when I came back from the forest. She must have been living together with me in this orphanage all this time.
That aside, let me think about what to do from now on. There is no mistake that this world is the game world I know. It is not a VR experience, it is a real world.
But how did I get here? The clue is the game's reincarnation system. Because I used the reincarnation system, I ended up reincarnating into a real other world.
Why did this happen? I
don't remember doing anything special. So maybe it is a system bug or something. Or maybe it is a god playing a trick? I won't figure it out even if I think about it.
There are too few clues. For now, I need to look for a way to return to my original world. Since I could reincarnate and come here... hmm...
...
Ah, that's right. Why not just reincarnate again? That's right. I came to this other world because I used the reincarnation system.
So if I use the reincarnation system in this world, can I go back to my original world? It is possible. Very possible. In fact, that is the only option.
Alright. My goal is set. But to use the reincarnation system, I have to reach the max level. As I am now, no matter how hard I try, it is impossible.
So first, I will raise my level. To raise my level, the only way is to hunt monsters as an adventurer To become an adventurer,
I first have to leave this orphanage. So I will leave here soon. And then I will become an adventurer. Should I just leave tomorrow? They say haste makes waste. But I'll do it anyway. Alright. Then I will start from tomorrow.
"Hey, Zest."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"..."
"...?"
What is it? She looks down.
"What's wrong?"
"Zest, what are you going to do after you leave the orphanage?"
"Huh?"
Wait... Did I tell her I was leaving here? No, no. I only decided that just now. There is no way Leeds would know. Can she read minds? That's ridiculous...
"Why are you asking me that?"
"Because... you are going to leave soon anyway..."
"Why do you think that?"
"Huh? Did you forget?"
"?"
What is this? Is there something I don't know?
"You will turn thirteen soon, right?"
"Well, I suppose so."
"Isn't there a rule that you have to leave when you turn thirteen!"
"...?"
I don't get it. I don't understand what she means. A rule about leaving at thirteen? What is she talking about?
...
Ah, wait...
"Is that a rule of this orphanage?"
"Yes. Did you forget?"
"Ah, no... that's right. Yeah. That was the rule."
I see. So that's it. In this orphanage, there is a rule that you leave once you grow up to a certain age. That makes sense. It is natural to have such a rule.
There are other children besides us in the orphanage, and they can't take care of too many people. Besides, new children will probably come,
so the number keeps increasing. So they made a rule that those who turn thirteen have to leave.
That works out perfectly. I was going to become an adventurer anyway.
This saves me the trouble of thinking of an excuse to leave the orphanage. So I might as well graduate neatly at thirteen.
"That's right. I will be gone soon."
"..."
"Once I leave here, I think I will become an adventurer. I have various things I want to do."
"But isn't being an adventurer dangerous?"
"Well, I can't help it. It was fate to end up like this eventually. Whatever happens,
I have the knowledge, and more than anything, I can use the equipment and items I collected in the game. I will enjoy it like I'm playing a second playthrough.
"Hey."
"What?"
"I want you to take me with you too."
"Huh?"
"I will be an adventurer too. So let's go together."
This is unexpected. I was planning to go alone. I never thought she would want to come along.
"Isn't it dangerous? Why do you want to come with me?"
"..."
"Leeds?"
"I don't want to."
"What?"
"I don't want to be apart from you."
"..."
So that's it.
"You are always kind to me, and you are the most reliable."
"..."
"Even someone like me, you treated me kindly. You cared about me more than anyone else."
"..."
"So let's stay together from now on. I don't want to be apart." Her eyes grew slightly teary.
"Don't go anywhere."
"Let me ask you one thing."
"Hey, it's okay, right? I can come with you, right?"
"You can still stay here, can't you? You don't need to leave."
"..."
"Answer me."
She was silent for a while, then began to speak quietly. "It seems I can stay for another year or two."
"Then you don't have to force yourself to come along. You can stay here until it's time."
"But..."
"You said it yourself earlier. Being an adventurer is dangerous. It wouldn't be strange to lose your life at any time. There is no need for you to become an adventurer too."
"..."
I faced Leeds and gently stroked her head.
"Don't worry. It's not like we will never see each other again. We will meet again someday."
"..."
"So I will go alone. You should stay here. Got it?"
"Yes."
I intend to know this world well, but there are differences in places. This orphanage is one of them. There shouldn't have been an
orphanage in the game. But here it exists. As long as there are uncertain elements like this, anything could happen from now on. I am not confident I can protect her until then. Besides, I have various things I want to investigate.
I can't drag her around everywhere on my whim. So Leeds should stay.
"By the way, about how many more days can I stay here?"
"I think about ten days."
"I see. Then I will stay with you until then. So don't cry."
"Okay."
Leeds hugged me tightly.
After that, she held onto me without letting go, and we fell asleep like that.
- Writer
