Volume 10 - Chapter 1 – Part 5 (2/2)

Disappointing the person who loved her was terrifying

But all she could leave hiht to be with hiirl with just a little tiht

“But I don’t want to leave him…”

Even if her mind understood, she couldn’t accept it

Marino’s reason and emotions co!”

shi+n’s voice reached her

Hearing the voice of her beloved, Marinodinner, there was not much to do

For entertainment and ways to kill tiaauishablethe infore bulletin board

Just as shi+n finished browsing the bulletin board he always checked, Marino entered his room

There were many other rooms and plenty of beds available Despite that, the tould soe for Marino to come in

“…Marino?”

However, shi+n noticed that there was so unusual about her

Marino, now in paja pillow and hugged it tightly

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

“No, I’ off with those words He iined that what had happened on their way back frooing to bed soon, ill you do?”

“I will too We have to work hard…tohtly forced smile, Marino slipped under the covers When shi+n lay next to her, she tiripped his are for her to cuddle like this But this time she seemed tense, unnatural

“Can we…talk a little?”

Marino spoke while pressing her face against shi+n’s ar very important shi+n quietly consented

“…shi+n, do you think you want to go back to reality soon?”

“Well, yeah…I think that I want to go back But, though I know it feels wrong to say, I also think that my current lifestyle is pretty fun We don’t knoe are in the real world, and…Ifor you to tell me But in the real world I couldn’t sleep with you So while deep down, I feel that I want to go back, a part of me also enjoys this life”

shi+n could feel like this because his level and stats weren’t reset, and because of the items and equipment he had retained

“…yeah”

Marino trembled a little to shi+n’s answer

“Life for , work, prepare dinner You return and I welco your warives htened It felt like she would not let go anymore

“Hey, Mari—-”

“Listen to me, shi+n”

Marino stopped shi+n mid-sentence and raised her head

She had probably been crying as there were traces of tears It silenced shi+n

“My real na their whole tiether, Marino had rarely talked about her real life circumstances

She didn’t have to say that she didn’t want to talk about it for shi+n to understand He knew her well enough to

That is why he felt he had to ask, after Marino suddenly revealed such information

“…is it okay for me to know?”

“Yes I want shi+n to remember”

“I see Then I’d also like you to remember my real name I’m Kiritani shi+nya, a 21-year-old university student…”

shi+n also revealed his real na tie too, but when the death ga or so”

“…yes, I’d love to”

Marino was now se with her today

shi+n had h gested that they would never meet in real life, that their relationshi+p was limited to this world

“Marino…no, Rino Can you tell ?”

“The real me…is sick The doctor said that it’s a disease with no known cause or treatment”

Marino explained that the reason why her tiame was limited and she never spoke about real life was because of this She did not knohen her condition would worsen, so she thought it would not be good to get too close to other people

“Why did you get closer to me, then? I know this is just a virtual world, but you did tell me a lot about yourself”

“Yeah…I wonder why?”

Her voice felt calm now Even if her words were in question form, she seemed to know the answer already

“I can say this now, but…at first, I had no intention of getting too involved There was no way I could get a boyfriend in real life, so I wanted to try what it felt like being in a relationshi+p, even if virtually You’re the first one that approached me in this world, so I chose you That was the only reason, really”

There was no real reason So said Marino, but her sighsto convince herself

“Yes, that was the only reason, and yet…”

The words expressed her feelings of surrender towards what had happened against her will

“Talking, adventuring, winning and losing with you…before I realized it, I was always thinking about you I didn’t realize that I was falling in love, until a nurse pointed it out I have never even met you in the real world, and yet…”

Marino said that she really didn’t understand

“The me in the real world could die at any moment I sometimes wondered ould happen to the ood would it be if time just continued on like this?”

“That’s…”

“It won’t If I die in the real world, the me here will just disappear I know it Despite that…I can’t help hoping My attacho back, is very weak”

“…”

shi+n did not say anything He had plenty of reasons to want to return to the real world

But he could understand Marino’s feelings shi+n also found the current world pleasant to be in after all

“I’m sorry I just wanted to tell you that I’uess I’ll go sleep in the next rooht”

Maybe she felt bad towards the now silent shi+n Marino got out of the bed and headed towards the door

But he would not let her go

“Aah!”

shi+n firrabbed her thin arms and pulled her towards him He pulled her rather abruptly, so Marino’s body fell towards hi her in his arms

“Er, ehm…”

Marino was confused by the sudden development She didn’t understand what shi+n’s actions meant

“I’ll come to you”

“Eh?”

“Even in the real world, I’ll stay with you, Rino”

In the original world, shi+n was just a university student He couldn’t cure Marino’s disease

There was but one thing he could do: to be by her side

Not out of compassion Not out of pity

He wanted to be with her Even if there was little tiether

Nothingless

“I’ll be with you, until the end”

“……”

shi+n didn’t kno Marino would react to his words

Logical or not, those were shi+n’s real feelings

“But I’m…a real burden of a woman, you know? I’irls I get jealous right away I also don’t haveto die, leaving nothing but s? You’ll just waste ti to shi+n’s declaration, Marino nervously listed off all of her faults

Despite her words, however, her arainst his chest Moveo shi+n responded by gently patting her head

“Hey, should I believe your words or your actions?”

“…You know it already Dummy”

Marino raised her head a little and replied while glaring at shi+n The room was barely lit, but shi+n did not fail to notice Marino’s flushed cheeks

“If you don’t say it, I can’t be sure though, hmm…”

“You…tease And I was so decided and all”

Still glaring, Marino went silent for a few seconds, then whispered

“I don’t want to be separated from you Not in this virtual world, nor in the real one”

“Yes, I promise Even if this world ends, I will coether in the same bed

Wrapped in a peaceful sense of happiness