When I heard that Rei had died, at first I thought it was a dream or some kind of mistake.
There was no way Rei could die. I told myself that when I woke up, everything would go back to normal, like always.
So even when the grand nationwide funeral for Rei was held, I didn't shed a single tear.
I simply watched from the sidelines as the people cried, as the townsfolk mourned the loss of their hero.
It didn't feel real. I couldn't accept it. I didn't *want* to accept that Rei was gone.
But no matter how many times I woke up or went back to sleep, the reality that Rei was no longer there never changed… and no matter how much time passed, Rei never appeared in front of me again.
Whenever I thought of Rei, an unbearable pain squeezed my chest, as though a huge hole had opened inside my heart—like something irreplaceably important had been ripped away.
I didn't understand why it hurt so much. I didn't know why my heart felt so broken that I wanted to scream.
Still, I simply kept living in my room—sleeping, waking, refusing to eat—escaping from reality into dreams, desperately longing for the days when I would open my eyes and find Rei there.
"Eve-chan… Sensei is already gone… So please, stop this now… You have to eat properly…"
Tiz looked at me with deep worry as my body grew thinner day by day.
"That's not true. Rei is alive. I'm sure tomorrow… he'll come back again…"
"Everyone's worried about you… I couldn't believe it either at first… But we have no choice but to accept it, right? I really don't want to, but—"
"There's no need to accept anything. Rei isn't… dead."
He's not dead. No matter what anyone says, Rei is still alive. He *has* to be.
"I know you 'liked' Rei, Eve-chan. But… he's not here anymore. So—"
"...? 'Liked'...?"
Something about Tiz's words caught me off guard.
What… is she saying?
Does she think I *liked* Rei? How could she possibly know—
"Eh… didn't you? You were always watching him with your eyes, and you said your heart beat faster when you were with him… so I thought you'd realized it a long time ago…"
"N-no such thing—"
I tried to deny it.
…But for some reason, the words wouldn't come out.
My mind flashed back to everything I had done up until now.
—The way my heart pounded loudly whenever we were together, the way I got embarrassed and blushed when he looked at my face.
—The disappointment I felt when training was canceled because of my cold.
—The desperate feeling of wanting this man to call me cute, no matter what it took.
—The warmth in my chest when I was near him, the way I couldn't help smiling at his childish moments.
—The way I studied so hard just so I could talk to Rei about the magical tools he loved.
I had been doing all of those things so naturally, so casually… without ever realizing what they meant.
That's right… that was it.
I… loved Rei…
「...ah」
A single drop of water fell to the floor.
Tears were spilling from my eyes.
I knew about love from stories, from books.
I knew the feelings a princess could have for a hero.
But I never knew what it actually *felt* like.
I had never fallen in love with anyone myself… so I never noticed. I *couldn't* notice.
"Why...!"
After becoming a slave and giving up everything, I thought my tears had dried up forever—yet now they wouldn't stop, no matter how much I wiped them away.
I hadn't even cried at Rei's funeral… and yet here they were, pouring out.
"Uhh… ahh…"
Tiz gently pulled me into her arms as I sobbed.
Feeling the warmth of her body, my fleeing heart finally began to face the cruel truth:
The person I loved was no longer here.
This was not a dream.
By the time I realized it… it was already too late. Far too late.
Rei was gone.
He no longer trained with me.
He no longer talked to me excitedly about magical tools.
He no longer teased me in that casual, indifferent way of his.
"You once told me, 'Don't rely on me.' I was really hurt back then… but now, after everything that's happened, I understand. Maybe you said that so we wouldn't become too dependent on you. Maybe the reason you were always so cold toward us was so we could learn to stand on our own." Eve said, recalling his words.
Tiz spoke softly while holding me in hier comforting embrace.
My heart was overflowing with hopeless sadness and pain. Knowing I could never get him back, I cried and cried until there were no tears left.
"—Rei… today was the entrance ceremony for the Magic Academy. First, we took the magical power assessment… and I came in first in my year. And it's all thanks to you, Rei."
—A year had passed since Rei fell into eternal sleep.
In front of the large, ornate tomb at the center of town, adorned with colorful flowers, I whispered quietly, so no one else could hear.
The name carved into the gravestone read: **Hero Rei**.
Since Rei was laid to rest, many things in the country had changed.
The greatest change was the establishment of educational institutions within Magikosmaia that anyone could attend, and the government's new policies to create jobs and guarantee everyone at least the minimum income needed to live.
Because of this, people from slums and poverty could finally access education freely, which in turn boosted the economy.
At first there was strong opposition, mostly from wealthy nobles, but the majority of the people supported it, so the law was passed despite the resistance.
All of it was done to honor the wishes of Rei—who had saved the country—and to rebuild the people's trust in the nation.
Because… after Rei's death, various truths came to light.
It was revealed that the long-troubling "Bandit Incidents" throughout the country had actually been Rei's doing.
If that were all, he would have been remembered as nothing more than a criminal.
But it turned out that every noble Rei killed had committed cruel crimes or evil deeds. They had ties to slave traders dealing in illegal "slaves"—a serious crime in Magikosmaia. Those slave traders were later found dead as well.
Furthermore, Rei had provided homes for all the illegal slaves the nobles had purchased, and had secretly supported and helped the neglected slum dwellers become independent.
In other words, Rei hadn't just saved *us*—he had saved many others too.
That was why he would sometimes disappear for days at a time.
The personal wealth of the slain nobles had been distributed to countless impoverished citizens struggling to survive every day.
Rei's Robin-Hood-like actions deeply moved the people.
Books and fictional stories about Hero Rei were published in huge numbers, and even after his death, countless fan clubs were formed.
The citizens—who had long harbored distrust toward the nobility and the government for failing to properly handle repeated abductions of commoners—finally saw their pent-up frustration explode.
Mass demonstrations erupted.
As a result, policies to eliminate poverty gaps were enacted: free-access educational institutions and support systems for those in need.
…All of this was thanks to Rei.
"Oh, right… the 'Hero's Birthday Festival' is coming up soon. It's a festival to honor Rei… and everyone dresses up with red hair just like his."
The Hero's Birthday Festival is an annual event held to celebrate the day Hero Rei saved the country.
This year is the first one, so the whole town is putting their heart into the preparations.
"And… look at this."
I pulled out a rectangular ticket—pair tickets for a special exhibition held during the festival.
"…Tickets for the Ancient Artifact Exhibition. It was super competitive, but… I actually won them. Pretty amazing, right?"
I proudly spread open the pair tickets for the "Ancient Artifact Show" hosted by the Durkis family—a noble house that owns countless ancient relics and magical tools, and possesses knowledge about contracts with the Water Spirit.
"But… this year, I can't go. Because… he still hasn't been found at all…"
I lowered my gaze to the ground, faced with the unchanging reality.
One year ago… I thought I would never see Rei again.
That I would never be able to tell him how I felt.
But—after crying my eyes out until no more tears would come… I suddenly remembered something.
Something Rei had mentioned to me once, just in passing.
—The **Blessing of the World Tree – Yggdrasil Seibre**
A legendary recovery magic from fairy tales, so dubious that no one even knows if it truly exists.
A miracle that can unconditionally revive the dead.
No one knows the required mana amount or the method to learn the **Blessing of the World Tree**.
Only the name and the rumored effect have been passed down.
…But after searching countless documents, I found a single documented case.
An ancient record stating that, long ago, a saintess used it to revive a certain hero who had defeated the Demon King.
If that's true—then there's still a chance.
I might be able to see Rei again.
…I've regretted it endlessly ever since.
Why did I run straight to him back then?
My weak recovery magic couldn't have healed him anyway.
Why didn't I leave it to the white mages instead of rushing in?
I know it's pointless to think about it now.
It's just a "what if" that will never happen.
But… I couldn't stop thinking about it.
If I hadn't run to him… maybe he wouldn't have died.
Everyone was kind to me when I blamed myself.
They told me it wasn't my fault, that I wasn't to blame.
But… I saw it with my own eyes—the black magical power pouring out of my body and being absorbed by the dragon.
To me, there was only one conclusion:
Rei died because of me.
On top of that, ever since then, my blessing power has weakened.
Now I can only heal small cuts and scratches… and in exchange, I can only inflict disasters of equal scale.
That fact was something I had longed for.
I could finally stop hurting people.
It should have made me happy.
It *should* have… but my heart remained heavy, and I couldn't feel any joy.
"So… next year, then. It might be impossible, but… it's okay. Someday, somehow—I will definitely—"
Rei once told me:
"Just heal as much as you hurt."
Rei died because of me.
I hurt Rei.
…If that's the case—then I—
"——I will bring you back to life."
I know how reckless it is.
It might take years, decades.
Searching for a dubious, possibly nonexistent legend like this might be completely insane.
But… even so, this is all I have left.
If I want to see Rei again, this is my only hope.
…So no matter how much time it takes, no matter what I have to sacrifice—I will find it.
I *will* find it.
"So… wait for me."
I stared straight at the tomb where my precious person sleeps, and whispered softly.
You gave meaning to the life of someone who had nothing—no reason to live.
You gave me the name Eve.
You turned a demon like me back into a human.
You saved me.
You were blunt, selfish, rude… always acting cold and indifferent…
But whenever I was in trouble, you reached out.
You always quietly watched over me from behind.
There really was kindness in you.
"So… I'll come again. Next year, I hope we can go together."
With that, I turned and walked away without looking back.
Because of my foolishness and immaturity, I let you die.
…Then I will use the method you taught me to bring you back to life.
There are so many things I want to do, so many things I want to tell you.
I want to talk about magical tools with you.
I want you to see me dressed up as best I can and call me cute.
And… though I still can't say it out loud yet, when we meet again someday—I want to tell you how I feel.
It's okay if you hate me.
It's okay if you reject me.
As long as I can speak to you, and as long as you can be happy—that's enough for me.
Even if you already have someone you love… even if it's not me…
Honestly, I'd hate it, but I'll accept it.
I might not be able to give up right away.
I might end up aggressively trying to win your heart anyway.
So… when that day comes and we meet again, these feelings of mine—
I'll tell you everything.