Chapter 352: You Are More Important Than Many
Outside the window, the rain poured relentlessly. Satella curled up on her bed, lost in sweet dreams, while Roy sat on the rickety chair beside her, holding her gradually warming hand. From time to time, he adjusted the covers for her, brushed aside the strands of hair from her forehead, and gazed at her serene, beautiful face.
"Is this the important figure of this world?"
From the darkness behind Roy, Aiwass emerged. Though her body emitted a faint glow, the light did not spread, instead swirling around her form, making her appear as nothing more than an eerie silhouette in the blackness.
"'The Witch of Envy'—Satella. She is undoubtedly the most important figure in this world, bar none."
Roy's fingers lightly traced the back of Satella's hand, his fingertips savoring the softness of her skin.
Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World—one could say that the entire story of this work stemmed from the existence of the "Witch of Envy."
"Her power indeed touches upon the fundamental essence of this world, and it is also related to 'time.' Studying her abilities will greatly aid the 'spell' you seek to complete."
Aiwass observed Satella carefully before finally arriving at her conclusion.
"I don't need you to tell me that. But back in the 'real world,' didn't you study those works? Why do I still have to explain things to you now that we're here?"
"Words convey very little. Only by personally stepping into that world can one truly grasp what cannot be expressed through text. You even wanted me to read that book called A Certain Magical Index, but I refuse. The 'Aiwass' that appears in it is not me—it is merely one possible manifestation of an existence named 'Aiwass,' with no real relevance to me."
"...Besides, reading such things would only lead you to preconceptions, making you mistake the characters written in words for yourself. At that point, would you still be you? Or would you have already become a character from the book?"
Aiwass remained steadfast in her principles, refusing to engage with so-called concrete stories. And her words carried a profound weight of thought and philosophy.
When you see your own future in a book and attempt to change it, it means you've already accepted that version of yourself in the book as your inevitable future. At that point, haven't you already lost yourself and become a character from that book?
Roy pondered this and found it to be an unfathomable metaphysical question. Unable to answer, he chose to remain silent.
"Only by experiencing the unknown do I find my greatest joy. Move forward, Roy. Let me see how far you can go."
As Aiwass spoke, his figure gradually faded away.
Outside the window, the rain continued to fall, lasting the entire night.
...
"Aww..."
At dawn, the heavy rain finally ceased, and a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds.
Bathed in this pleasant sunlight, Satella let out a soft, animal-like whimper. She stretched lazily, rubbing her large amethyst eyes as she sat up in bed.
Satella had slept unusually well last night. Normally, rainy nights would leave her restless—the pitch-black darkness, the relentless patter of water, and the howling wind always filled her with fear, loneliness, and isolation.
Yet despite yesterday's torrential downpour, she had fallen asleep—a rare, deep slumber, even accompanied by pleasant dreams. It was nothing short of miraculous.
"Huh?"
Something slid off her body. Satella blinked in surprise before realizing it was a lightweight yet incredibly warm robe, resembling clerical vestments. The robe was a vivid red, and it had shielded her from the cold winds all night, wrapping her in a warmth akin to home.
She remembered this robe clearly—it belonged to Lord Roy. It carried a faint, pleasant scent, unlike the foul stench of the men from the slums. To Satella, the fragrance was reminiscent of flowers.
Her right hand clutched the garment, its smooth texture unlike anything she had ever felt. A thought crossed her mind—perhaps nobles wore such soft, comfortable clothing every day. How fortunate they must be.
As Satella's mind wandered, a sudden realization struck her. The Witch of Envy gasped in alarm and frantically began inspecting the robe.
Only then did she notice her left hand was still being held. Following her slender, snow-white arm, she saw her fingers still nestled in another's palm.
The memory of waking in the middle of the night flooded back, and Satella's fair cheeks immediately flushed crimson.
"Jumping at shadows—what's on your mind?"
Roy released her hand, amused by the half-elf girl's odd behavior.
"I... I was afraid I might have dirtied your robe, Lord Roy. I wanted to wash it for you. Please don't worry—I'll be very gentle. I won't damage it."
Satella waved her hands nervously before adding, "...Last night was so cold, yet you gave your robe to someone like me. I hope you didn't fall ill."
The Witch of Envy was deeply moved, her heart swelling with an indescribable emotion that weighed heavily on her chest, nearly bringing her to tears.
No one has ever been this kind to me before...
She stared blankly, lost in thought.
"For a mage, maintaining body temperature is just a minor spell. As for that robe, don't worry about it—it's ceremonial attire after all, imbued with magic traces and not easily soiled."
Roy waved his hand dismissively.
Though he made it sound simple, any mage from the Campione world or the Moonlit World would likely respond with a bitter smile.
Maintaining body temperature wasn't a difficult spell, but orthodox mages typically only studied specific magical systems relevant to their research. They wouldn't bother learning miscellaneous spells, much less use magic as casually as Roy did in daily life. Of course, the main reason was that magic wasn't so easily mastered—even many Campiones in their world were practically inept in the field of magecraft.
"Magic really is convenient," Satella murmured enviously once more.
Only then did she notice that the clothes Roy wore under his robe were rather unusual—a modern white shirt and trousers, a style that didn't exist in this world.
But Satella didn't press further, simply assuming it was how nobles dressed.
"Also, Satella, don't belittle yourself. Stop saying things like 'someone like me.' To me, you're important—far more important than most people."
Roy gazed intently into Satella's amethyst eyes, speaking each word deliberately.
The Witch of Envy felt her breath catch, her heartbeat suddenly racing so fast she forgot how to breathe.
Just as her body burned like boiling water, a commotion erupted outside the cabin.