Chapter 32 - This is my world (2/2)

It’s almost as if I’ve forgotten something important…… I keep having this strange sensation. But even so…… No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t remember anything.

And so, the days continued like this, until lunch break one day. I was eating lunch together with A-chan like usual.

“How’s your progress with ‘Fortune Lover?’”

“Right now, I’m in the midst of capturing the evil sadistic Prince Jared.”

When I answered her, for some reason, A-chan made a troubled face.

For some reason, A-chan feels a little different from usual today. I can’t pinpoint anything specific that seems off, but for some reason she felt more mature than usual today.

“How’s school, is it fun?”

“……Eh, ah…… Mmm.”

Once again, the question that A-chan asked, was a bit strange for some reason. I replied, and stared at A-chan who was different from usual for some reason.

That’s, A-chan’s face like it always is, the face that I’ve always seen since middle school…… Or it was supposed to be……

“………EH!?”

Involuntarily, I let out a sound of surprise.

What is this, for a moment, I saw a beautiful girl with white hair and red eyes instead of A-chan there.

Such a thing…… It’s so unbelievable that I rubbed my eyes over and over again, and I looked at my friend’s face again. Then, I saw the face that I had always seen.

I wonder what’s going on today…… Was it just my imagination……

Staring at my friend like this while frozen solid, a very mature smile appeared on A-chan’s face.

“I’m having a lot of fun. Having met you, and being able to spend time with you like this again. But…… This isn’t supposed to be your world.”

“……?”

This isn’t my world? What on earth is A-chan talking about?

“You already have a world of your own. And, there’s a lot of people waiting for you there.”

“……A-chan…… Exactly what do you mean?”

At the confused me, A-chan gently smiled.

“Hey, listen, everyone is calling out for you.”

“……Eh……?”

Right after A-chan said so, I suddenly heard voices.

“Katarina, please wake up! I can’t even think about a life without you anymore!”

“Wake up, nee-san! You promised that you’d always be with me forever!”

“Katarina-sama! Please wake up! I won’t be able to keep working hard if you’re not there!”

“Get up! How long are you planning to sleep there! You stupid girl!”

“……Katarina, open your eyes, please.”

“……I’m begging you. Katarina-sama, please open your eyes.”

There are all such nostalgic voices…… Voices that I had been hearing for forever.

As if some sort of fog was obstructing my memories, I had strongly felt like something was wrong. The fog that had kept blocking my memories was disappearing.

Nostalgic voices…… My stepbrother and friends…… All the people important to me…… Why is that I could have forgotten such important people to me.

The fog completely disappeared, and my memory became clear. And before I realized it, I remembered everything.

It’s just as A-chan said. With my slightly nagging but a very gentle family and my otaku best friend, and my favorite otome game, this world is very comfortable. However…… This isn’t my world anymore.

I have a new world now. A new family and friends…… There’s so many people important to me in the new world as well.

And, everyone is waiting for me there.

“I have to return to my world now. There’s a lot of people important to me waiting for me there” is what I strongly thought. Then, I heard some sort of strange popping sound in the classroom.

When I looked around me in surprise, without realizing it, all the other classmates that should have been there had disappeared.

There was only me and A-chan in the classroom. The floor was beginning to crumble and fall apart. Then, I saw a bright light in its place.

Ahh, I understand now that if I jump down here I’ll be able to return to my original world.

“Ah, that’s right! A-chan! When I return to my world I have to go help Maria! Since it’s A-chan, do you happen to know where Maria is? Tell me!”

Since she’s beaten the entire game, she should know everything.

“I know. Maria’s inside the school still. There’s a hidden room in the school. It’s -”

A-chan told me the location in detail. As she was telling me so, the floor was falling apart more and more, and I was going to be sucked into the light.

There’s no more time…… If only I had remembered sooner, there’s still so much more that I wanted to talk about.

“Ahh, one more thing. Why did the student council president……”

Why did he look so pained and about to cry that time when I asked him that question. Finally, the floor around my feet was beginning to crumble as well. Along with the crumbling floor, I was about to be sucked into the light.

A-chan was looking at me with very gentle eyes.

“Since it’s you, everything will definitely be alright. Just like how you saved us, you’ll save the president as well. His real name is -”

“Eh? Saving? Real name?”

Being confused at hearing things I didn’t understand, I asked her back, but my body had already been sucked into the light.

I could barely see A-chan’s face anymore. This must be my farewell with A-chan. My best friend that’s always been with me since middle school. It’s all thanks to her that I was able to become a high school student without a problem. She’s helped me so, so, much. And yet…… Because of the sudden accident - I wasn’t even able to tell her farewell or thank you. This is my last chance.

“A, A-chan. I’m really happy to have met you again after so long! Farewell, and thank you for everything up to now!”

I shouted at A-chan who I couldn’t see anymore with all my might, I wonder if it reached her.

“I’m also really happy. Right now, I’m by your side again as Sophia. Farewell, and thank you, my important best friend.”

A-chan’s last words didn’t reach me.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Sophia crying a river of tears before me.

And, behind her, Jared, Keith, Mary, Alan, and Nico were there as well. The people most important to me. Ahh, I’ve returned to my world.

Sophia hugged me when I woke up, and cried even harder. Mary who was always so calm was completely in tears as well, and also hugged me. Everyone else was looking at me with relieved expressions.

I understood very well how worried everyone had been about me.

This is my world. This world with all the people important to me. That’s why - I want to protect this world and these people.

I definitely won’t allow you to make such a terrible bad end!