Chapter 122

“Huh?”

Just a moment ago, the girl’s torrent of words came to an abrupt stop.

Looking utterly confused, as if she couldn’t comprehend what I had said, all she could do was ask again with a vacant expression on her face.

“What I mean is, would you consider becoming the Hero’s companion?”

“Huh?”

The girl kept repeating the same dazed response like a broken record. Her voice carried a clear sense of bewilderment.

Hmm. I thought she’d already realized that the Hero felt some level of affection for her after spending time together. Hmm…

Ah! That’s right! The Hero lost his memories when he was resurrected! I completely forgot about that!

“Sister.”

The Hero placed a hand on my shoulder while looking at the girl, as if silently telling me not to say anything rash.

Well… how could I tell her that she and the Hero actually had a pretty good vibe going on before? They might have even been destined to be together! She wouldn’t believe me without her memories.

But how can I connect these two without bringing up those lost memories?

It shouldn’t hurt to remind her of what happened before, right?

And how else am I supposed to reunite the Hero with this girl?

So…

“Leave it to me.”

“But…”

“It’s necessary.”

If I don’t explain things now, there’ll be trouble later when they figure out what really happened.

Despite seeming somewhat dissatisfied, the Hero sighed softly and nodded reluctantly.

“Understood. Let it be as you wish.”

After letting out a small sigh, he gave a slight nod.

“Um, you two? What exactly are you talking about?”

“It’s nothing much. Just a story about how you lost some memories when you were resurrected.”

Upon hearing my explanation, the girl paused for a moment, then lightly slapped her palm against her hand as if recalling something. “Oh, right! That did happen!”

“But why bring it up now?” she asked curiously.

“It’s because among the memories you lost… there were also ones involving the Hero.”

“Huh? The Hero?”

“Yes.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Me and the Hero??”

“That’s correct.”

I replied with a hint of irritation in my tone. Seriously, why keep asking if you know the answer already? I understand it’s hard for you to believe, but it’s true!

“But… how could I possibly have forgotten something like that? My memories clearly start from when the Hero awakened me… ugh…”

“The effects of resurrection must have blurred them. Don’t strain yourself trying to remember. Anyway, let me summarize briefly.”

I slowly recounted the events between the Hero and the girl.

How the Hero, having run away from home, ended up in this village and spent some time living here.

During this period, the Hero recovered from the harsh training he endured as part of his hero duties, thanks to the warm welcome provided by the villagers, especially this girl.

Between them, a subtle connection began to form—

“Wait, Sister, why do you know so many details about this?!”

“Eh, well, um…”

“You don’t mean… you were watching the whole time, were you?!”

I averted my gaze slightly.

“If I hadn’t been keeping an eye on things, how could I have saved the villagers in time? Besides, since the Hero took the Sword of the Hero and ran off, it wasn’t hard to track him down!”

Honestly, if he was going to sneak away, he should’ve left quietly instead of dragging the sword along! Though even without it, I’d still have found him eventually!

“Anyway, let’s move past this. Didn’t my vigilance end up helping everyone?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Exactly. So let’s just consider this necessary and move on.”

The Hero still looked unhappy, but deep down, I knew he appreciated my concern—even if he didn’t want to admit it.

After all, my help really did make a difference!

“That’s… certainly true. Since I benefited from your help, I’ll let it slide for now.”

Great! Problem solved! Sure, the Hero may still hold a grudge, but it won’t change anything anyway—it’s a matter of conscience!

By the time we reached an agreement…

“Wow….”

The girl stared at both me and the Hero with sparkling eyes, seemingly awestruck.

“Could it really be true? Me and the Hero?”

“Yes. To be precise, there was definitely a certain chemistry between you two.”

Besides, among the few women the Hero has ever shown interest in, you’re one of the rare exceptions. Most women who approach him only care about his heroic abilities.

Of course, I’m the exception here.

“But, wait… what about the Dragon Priestess? How could I possibly…”

Hmm… Could it be that the Hero’s lack of romantic luck is somehow tied to me being around too much? Was I unintentionally overshadowing things?

Not sure, but it seems likely!

“When this fellow came to the village, he was hiding his identity. Living in this countryside place turned out to be quite enjoyable for him despite his rigorous training.”

In fact, during his stay here, the Hero always seemed unusually cheerful. He had immense strength, capable of cutting down giant trees effortlessly, hunted monsters with incredible agility, and helped improve the village’s food supply significantly.

“Anyway, since you were the closest person to the Hero back then, you’re the most suitable candidate. Even though you don’t remember now.”

If only your memories hadn’t faded… things might’ve gone smoother.

“I… I and the Hero, the one I admire so much…?”

“Still, I have one question.”

“Yes?”

I turned to the girl and asked.

“Why haven’t you gotten married yet? You’re not exactly young anymore.”

At this, even the Hero nodded slightly in agreement. In this era—or even on Earth—you’d already be considered a late bloomer. Though physically, you look younger.

“Well, I… uh… I don’t really know why,” the girl admitted, tilting her head in confusion.

“I’ve received plenty of introductions over the years, but every time I meet someone, I just get this feeling like… they’re not the right person.”

Hmm?

“None of them had any glaring issues, but something about each of them just felt off. It’s hard to explain clearly.”

Hmm? Not the right person?

Perhaps some faint memory remains buried within her soul? Maybe traces of her connection to the Hero linger despite losing her explicit memories.

Though I confirmed that all her memories were erased during the resurrection process.

Maybe the Hero’s presence is etched into her very soul? Like a spiritual bond or something?

While I don’t fully grasp the intricacies of souls, it’s plausible.

“In any case, it’s fortunate that neither you nor the Hero have married yet. Your ages are similar, and physically, while the Hero looks a bit older on the outside, his body is incredibly healthy. Hmm.”

Isn’t this match made perfectly? It feels almost predestined!

“If you’re open to it, would you consider dating the Hero?”

“Me… with the Hero… the Hero I’ve admired all this time…?”

Before she could finish her sentence…

KLANG!

She fell backward like a tree chopped by an axe.

“Ah… so she was overwhelmed with joy?”

Her eyes spun around as if her brain couldn’t process the situation fast enough.

Classic comedic anime-style reaction.

“We’ll need to wait until she wakes up for her answer.”

Let’s check first if she’s hurt.

“How could anyone accept such a sudden proposal?”

“You still don’t recognize your own worth.”

I glanced at the Hero disapprovingly.

Imagine if your idol or movie star suddenly appeared and asked you out—this kind of reaction isn’t unusual at all!

“So, what do you think of her?”

As I treated the bump on the back of her head, I turned to the Hero.

“Huh?”

“Building a family requires mutual feelings. Both her feelings toward you and your feelings toward her matter equally. So, what do you think?”

While I can guess his thoughts to some extent…

He wouldn’t have cried so desperately after her death otherwise, right? Despite how awkward it was seeing a grown man sobbing.

“I…”

The Hero hesitated before speaking softly.

“I don’t dislike the idea… but… am I really fit for this? All I know is how to wield a sword and fight. Can someone like me really build a family? Have children?”

“Why not? Do you think all parents in this world were born knowing how to parent? Everyone learns through trial and error. Just like how you trained to become a Hero, you can learn step by step how to be a spouse and parent. So don’t worry about it.”

At my words, the Hero gave a small nod.

“I lack confidence, but I’ll give it a try.”

“Hmm. That’s enough.”

In an age where marriages are often arranged merely to increase labor, their mutual affection makes them a truly ideal pair.

Thus…

“Let’s stay here for a while.”

The late bloomer’s youthful endeavor begins here.

Watching from the sidelines will surely be the best entertainment!