“Mission successful” I said casually as I traveled back to the present time. Rumel looked rather shocked to see me for some reason… Was it perhaps because I abruptly disappeared? That sounds like a reasonable explanation for certain.

Anyway let’s give her the medal and get this done and over with. Handing the medal over while she still processes what has just happened.

“T-That was… Ahem” She was about to say something but just ended up not saying any. She looks down at the medal and inspects it quite closely, will she be certain of its authenticity? Or do I have to do more to prove it to her?

“So? Is it exactly as you expect?” I asked. She might still be skeptical after this but hopefully this will be the end of it so we can move on.

“Y-Yeah… I can’t believe it… And what was that just now?” She said voicing her disbelief clear as day. Now the next issue is if the theory is in fact in effect.

“Let me ask you something. How come the relic is lost in the first place? Any ideas outside of it simply vanishing?” I asked. Let’s see if my assumption is correct, and what should I say if it is indeed true.

“I don’t quite remember. I believe there was an attack on the castle and it got lost in the chaos” She answered making it rather clear she doesn’t know the full story. I see, that is in fact what has happened… Now how important is this relic to her specifically?

“I see… What is this medal anyway? I can tell from first glance that it has mana in it, but not really any other function” I asked to perhaps learn more about herself while she answered.

“It’s a family heirloom that grants large mana supply, way more than normal people should be able to hold. I don’t know anything else specific outside of that, and it doesn’t seem to run out easily either” She replied. So it really is just a glorified mana battery. Such an item isn’t that uncommon considering things like mana potions existing if a bit rarer than most, but a reusable artifact that does something similar is very much not common.

“Hmm… I see… Well you have it in your possession now after you’re confident it is gone forever. Now the real question is if you believe my claim” I railed the topic to the very reason why I even went out of my way to get it in the first place.

“Well… you did just disappear from reality entirely, it’s hard to dispute that much” She answered, still sounding rather overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of the topic at hand, at least she saw some justification in believing it even if that blip from reality could be due to instant transportation instead, which while needed in going back to the past without any problem it certainly doesn’t work that way in reverse.

“It is hard to deny that I can travel through time when I can do something like that is it? Understandable. Glad we can put this behind us finally” I replied feeling relieved to hear she’s so easily convinced. Let’s not mention how she’s the one who orchestrated the relic’s theft and moved on.

“Yeah, honestly I was doubtful. It sounds so… impossible” She said in response. She’s not at fault for thinking that, it does sound impossible. 

“There’s no need to be bummed over that, any normal person would’ve done the same” I said to cheer her up. Like who could believe such a thing easily? No one.

Now that this whole time travel thing that I didn’t even plan on mentioning is out of the way… Wait, what was I planning on talking about again? I think it was… Yeah… That thing I did.

“Something’s up?” Rumel asked no doubt seeing my slightly distressed face.

“Well… There indeed is. A confession so to say” I replied keeping my cool. It’s really shameful that I more or less repeat history, I would like to say it loud and clear to someone at least.

“Confession…” She repeated the word, no doubt noticing the sinister clue behind it. Certainly not a word one uses to describe conveying a rather mild case.

“I… I have an anger issue when it comes to backstabbing and betrayal to put it lightly. I lashed out a bit, that was my bad. There was a lot of fire and ashes” I said without saying out loud what I did. She looks understandably concerned at what I said, no doubt managing to figure out it happened not too long ago.

“Fire and ashes…” She repeated those words, as they are the only clue as to what I did. Hatred and anger is often presented by fire, and that’s what I usually lashed out when it comes to those two emotions. It’s something I impulsively cast when I feel really heated.

“Well I could tell you what I did… It’s not that pretty” I said bluntly. It’s not exactly something one would consider a justified response. She doesn’t look all too happy with even having to consider choosing to either learn or not learn the truth. She clearly doesn’t want to make a choice that will affect others, especially since she seems to become fond of me so quickly.

“I…” She hesitantly began saying her answer while looking at me with concern. Rather strange how it’s not that of disgust or disapproval, is she just too considerate or what?

“Say it. It’s for your own sake as much as mine” I said, encouraging her. 

The darkness already encroached the land, the sun disappeared from the sky and left us in the dark with nothing but the stars to keep it bright. I light the area up quickly with a small ball of light. I want us to see face to face without any darkness to conceal us.

“I would… I want to know. I want to know everything that has been done” She finally answered. She tries to sound firm but failed at times, clearly afraid of something. I have to steel myself and say it out loud. With my friends they were all too afraid of what I could’ve possibly done and never dared to press further, she is unlike them in that regard. Having someone pressing on your issue shows them their convictions to care for you, it perhaps can be dangerous and unhealthy, but I do think we all need at least one person like that.

“Alright then… Unfortunately I think you need some context for this as well” I said that considering the build up up to that point. I couldn’t possibly not bring those points up. It’ll be a long explanation but a needed one.

“Very well… Tell me everything” She replied giving me a go ahead. It’ll be quite a story and not exactly not connected to what we were talking about earlier with the whole other worlds business. 

“Alright then. First you must know why I’m here in the first place. Remember how I mentioned the Demon Lord?” Before I said any further I asked something of her first. If she remembers then explaining will to much more smoothly.

“Yeah. Sounds like trouble, what of it?” She answered without any hesitation and clearly not picking up on anything.

“When I said my friends and I are being rudely summoned to deal with the mess… No doubt you now know the full context of that” I said and present her with another thing to pieces together. She took some time to ponder on the topic and immediately her eyes widened.

“Y-You mean literally summoned? Along with your friends?” She asked, sounding her concern for us. She probably began realizing how troublesome and dangerous the situation might be for me to lash out that badly.

“Remember anything else about my homeland in particular?” I presented another question. She took a while but it showed on her face that she figured something out.

“Aren’t people in your world… Rather unfamiliar with magic?” She asked just to be certain. 

“Indeed, even fighting in general for that matter. It’s not safe for them to be here, and the summoning ritual doesn’t exactly pick the best choices for subjugating someone who has been a problem for forever” I answered. It is extremely risky to just use summoning because of this. People who got someone with experience in fighting and hunting like me are lucky, when really the chance of getting someone with combat experience isn’t that great, as seen with the nine out of ten people summoned here who have never fought even a single battle in their life before, or at least not a serious one.

“That’s terrible! Doesn’t that mean you have to take care of them all?” She asked, sounding her concern again. She’s like an overprotective big sister or something I must say. Not that I mind, I feel like everyone that I’ve dealt with always has less mental age than me, it’s equal at most. That sounds harsh but it’s true unfortunately, especially with that nut job of a woman, her mentality is more monstrous than her look. Why must someone so dangerous have such a dangerous asset... Let’s just get back on topic.

“Yeah. Thankfully they’re deep in the capital so theoretically they should be safe… That is of course not accounting for people native to this world trying to exploit them or giving them threats” I answered still feeling a bit of rage deep in me… They are much more arrogant than the first one I have to deal with that’s for certain.

“That’s… is that why you did what you did?” She asked, trying to not be too blunt about it. Well she doesn’t have to since I’ll just spill it all out anyway!

“Yep! They dared trying to set up a cannon that will target their living quarters. I stumbled upon them finishing it and I! I burned them all into ashes is what I did! They dared to go against me after daring to summon me! They deserve that retribution I’m telling you!” I’m getting more agitated thinking about it. They have the gall to do something so wrong and ungrateful… They really think I’ll let them just set things up and put me at their mercy, how audacious of them to think I’ll let that. I’m tempted to just destroy the whole castle if I can help it.

“Calm down calm down!” She got close to me and began saying that. She really does have the feeling of a caretaker alright.

“Sorry… Guess I went on a bit of a tantrum there” I replied, calming down a bit just like she said. Taking a deep breath… I do need that, both venting my frustration and her comfort… It’s nice being on a receiving end sometimes.

“No need for that… I mean what you did was hor-... It’s not the best choice you could make, but I’m not the best person to say that that’s for sure” She went on a more self-deprecating tone again, when it should’ve all been aimed at me.

“You don’t have to be hard on yourself. None of this is your fault anyway” I said while sighing… She really has been a great company, and it would’ve been a shame to leave her soon… Wait… Hmm… Now that she knows about the other worlds business couldn’t I… It’s tempting but would everyone agree to it? I did make them all promise to be tolerant and open to newcomers considering the scandal but… No, it should be based on her much she’s willing to go as well. I need to ask her before anything else.

“S-Sorry… Well it’s not like I haven’t been terrible before… Perhaps not similar to what you did but… I still feel terrible about it” She said as if confessing something herself. What could possibly be the case here? I doubt it’s as bad as me considering her behavior but… What could possibly make her so sorrowful?

“What happened? I share with you my problem… I mean you don’t have to say it, but you can if you want to since you listen to mine” I said to her, trying to not sound like I’m egging her on. 

“I…” She is unable to continue as she tries to say what she has done. I guess the weight is too much for her to say?

“Look… I’m far worse than you that much I’m confident of. I don’t think what you did could possibly be worse than what I did” I said trying to lift some weight off her and onto me who already have a lot already. 

“Well… At least what you did was for the good of your friends… I hurt who I cared for” She said, sounding even worse than usual… I messed up. I didn’t expect that for an answer.

“You… Hmm… Well why did you hurt them? Surely you have a reason for it, no matter how bad it is” I try to recover from that by asking her and letting her ponder on it, perhaps even just spitting it out for me to hear.

“It’s just a reason I’m too… I’m too weak, and I’m too much of a monster. I can’t protect her with how I am now… I can’t protect both her and I…” She began telling bits and pieces of her mistake. I can tell a bit as to what it is about. With her becoming whatever she is now-something she hasn’t elaborate on at all-and her apparent weakness that means she can’t protect this person she cared for, a girl from her pronoun usage.

“No one is invincible. I think that’s what you need to know” I said, trying to cheer her up after she comforted me. She doesn’t respond to that but at least she seems to take a bit of solace in it. What else could I say? I need more details from her if I am to say anything further but will she even do that?

“Look. Rumel. Like I said. Nobody is invincible. No one is perfect. No one always comes out on top without struggling, nor does anyone with good intentions always make good choices. Perhaps what you did was a cowardly move, but it’s a mistake that I believe you could remedy… At least I believe that should be the case” I said trying my best to coerce her. This is the final barrier keeping me from all the truth she has been keeping from me. 

“I… You’re right but… It’s so hard to look at that event and… I don’t want to do something like that ever again… I can’t bear it” She replied trying to agree with me but her guilt and pain clearly clouded her… What else could I say now? What exactly can I say in this situation? Something… something to comfort her… maybe something that happened that could be said? Something I could compare?

“Rumel… This morning there is this girl I have encountered and known for a while… She has always been a bit harsh and cold, cute yet keeping a cool facade… but when I began doing something that reminded her of her pain, she broke down, and did so hard… I can’t stand that. She hides all the suffering away with a mask, one that will hurt her when it breaks. I don’t want to see you like that as well, it’s too much for me… If you keep them all to yourself” I said trying to convince her to finally say something.

...Silence… She looks lost in thought and I continued to observe her… seeing if she will change, if she will reconsider… I hope she does. It’ll be the best for her if she did.

“I… I really tried to not think about it… With how much suffering it gave me… Yet here you are trying your best to let it all out… I’m always so afraid of thinking about it again. I always shield myself from that moment… I guess I have to face it now… with you here” She more or less admitted how much she’s trying to avoid the problem and being a coward for it. 

“Say it out… Let me hear it all” I said, encouraging her to go through with it. She heard mine, let me hear hers. Let me repay her.

“I… I was being… I was being careless, and I was critically injured and basically unable to fight anymore. My sister is left to fend for us, and I… I was being reckless trying to find a way to recover myself and making a shady deal. I got more than I asked for and that is how I came to be as you see now. I… have to leave my sister behind as I got hunted down… I left her alone… I don’t know what became of her… I’m afraid of how well she’s doing. I try to be of use to her but I just ended up making things worse… I’m a horrible elder sister” She finally confessed. Saying the full story for me to hear. It’s tragic but it has already come to pass, all that is left is to remedy it. I don’t think there is much else to say. I don’t know if I can find her younger sister to make amends, just like I can’t find Floria’s older sister to… 

…Wait… Wait hold on… Huh? What is exactly… No way… 

“Huh? Reiza? Are you… alright?” Did it start to show on my face? Everything clicked at once and I can’t comprehend it that quickly. This is all like some sort of crazy joke… it is all too… Damn I can’t avoid the connection even if I wanted to.

“I’m alright! There’s just something I am curious about is all” Now that it has come to this point there’s no avoiding it. I have to confront it and say it. I have to continue my goal, my goal of remedying everything these girls have to go through.

“W-What is it?” She asked, still clearly concerned and not realizing what I have… Does she have even the slightest clue as to how her sister is doing and vice versa?

“Okay… I’ll just say it out loud and bluntly, perhaps even encroaching on your life perhaps a bit much… but… what is your sister’s name?” I muster up the courage to ask her. I asked, and made it clear, her sister is what will either confirm my suspicion or make me look like a fool. This is it, if what I think of is correct I could perhaps truly save them.

“My sister’s name? Her name is…” She began saying it completely clueless of what is in my mind, of all the clues that I have.

“...Floria” She said with clear certainty. The name I am familiar with. The name that connects the two without a doubt.