The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

The next day.

I had gone to the east exit to see off Rifreya.

The city she is from is apparently at a distance that would take 5 days on foot.

It is the holy grounds where the Light Great Church is in, so the main road is maintained, and there’s apparently a number of inn towns on the way, so there’s no need to camp outdoors.

When I asked if she won’t be using a carriage, she said that they are expensive, so she wants to save it.

Well, Rifreya has raised her Tier in the dungeon, so it probably won’t even be a problem for her to move for a bit.

“…Then…this will be farewell, Hikaru.” (Rifreya)

Rifreya with her usual explorer equipment was beautiful as always.

She can definitely become a templar.

There’s no need for her to continue a job like an explorer that is always by the side of death.

“Rifreya, I…have not prepared anything at a time like this. I only have something like this. Please accept it.” (Hikaru)

“A flower…?” (Rifreya)

“Yeah. It is an unwilting flower, so you can apparently use it as a decoration forever.” (Hikaru)

“Fufu, you giving a flower. It really doesn’t suit you.” (Rifreya)

“Don’t say that.” (Hikaru)

It is the shining flower that I had gotten in the forest and had left inside my Shadow Bag.

It is a flower that shines softly even at night, so it could serve as illumination.

That lovely shining sight resembles Rifreya in a way.

Her holding a flower really looks so picturesque, it suits her.

“It is really…cute… But isn’t an unwilting flower something incredibly valuable?” (Rifreya)

“Who knows. It is something I picked from the forest.” (Hikaru)

This flower is apparently a super rare material, and thanks to me picking it, I got 3 Points. I managed to get out of the forest as a result.

In that sense, this flower saved my life.

Now that my lifestyle has stabilized, I was thinking that it would be fine to just keep it on my person the whole time, but it wouldn’t be bad to give it to Rifreya as a parting gift. If I were to have it, it would just serve as fertilizer for my bag.

“Sorry that it wasn’t that big of a thing. Ah, also, it apparently is used to make a medicine for a disease of some sort. I don’t think it has anything to do with the disease of your little sister though.” (Hikaru)

“What disease does it work on?” (Rifreya)

“What was it?” (Hikaru)

It was pretty far back when I made an Item Appraisal on it.

I opened the Status Board and pulled out the appraisal history.

[Mallow Moon Silver Flower: A two flowered plant that only appears in full moon nights deep in a forest. It shines on its own in the darkness, but because it appears in localized purified areas of Spirit Energy, finding one is incredibly difficult. It doesn’t wilt even when taken out from the ground, and it is bought at a high price by superstitious people as the symbol of immortality. It has the effect of stabilizing disarrayed Spirit Energy, and you can concoct medicine for spirit bone connection paralysis with the roots. A super rare material.]

“…It apparently works for spirit bone connection paralysis. I don’t know much about the diseases of this world, but is it a common disease?” (Hikaru)

“Spirit bone connection paralysis…? Sorry, I haven’t heard of it. The disease of my little sister is called chaotic magic disease which is a disease that’s seen occasionally. It isn’t something that kills, but there’s apparently no way to cure it other than to do medical treatments steadily.” (Rifreya)

“I see…” (Hikaru)

Even I don’t think that there’s such a convenient story like ‘the flower I picked coincidentally works for her medical treatment’.

That’s why this was simply confirmation.

“Well, if you have the connection, you can also sell it. I don’t know how much it goes for in the market, but it is apparently a flower you can sell for pretty high.” (Hikaru)

“Eeh? There’s no way I would sell something you have given me, Hikaru.” (Rifreya)

“No, well, there’s no real need to treasure it that much.” (Hikaru)

Her memories with me will probably just be a hindrance in the life she will be leading from now on.

With us being apart, I am sure her feelings will also thin out. In order for that flower to not become a lock for those feelings, she should just sell it as soon as possible and use it for the treatment expenses of her little sister.

In that sense, maybe I should have given her food or degradable stuff.

…Well, too late for that.

“A-Also, this. It is medicine, but this one might work. I swear it is nothing weird, so please have your little sister drink it.” (Hikaru)

I give Rifreya a bottle with something inside.

“This one is medicine, huh. Fufu…it is something that you gave me, so it really might just work.” (Rifreya)

“Well, I don’t know if it will just serve to ease worries though.” (Hikaru)

“No, I am thankful…for your sentiment.” (Rifreya)

“It is nothing big, but it is something from my homeland…from my world, so please keep it a secret where you got it. Just in case.” (Hikaru)

I am not sure whether this medicine will actually work or not. There’s no 100% until actually seeing it yourself. I don’t want to give her strange hopes.

However, the High Heal Scroll worked on Rifreya, and the potion showed no issues either.

Then, this so-called Panacea…should show some hope.

This [Panacea] that’s said to cure any diseases is on the same level as the High Heal Scroll; costing 3 Points.

This morning, God gave us 1 Point with a stupidly written reason like >. On top of that, I had 30 Crystals accumulated, so I exchanged them and managed to barely buy it.

With this, my Points and even my Crystals at hand are zero, but I have no regrets.

My only worry is whether they will investigate the origins of the medicine, but I am sure Rifreya will keep it a secret.

“…Then, I will…be going now.” (Rifreya)

“Yeah, may you be in good health.” (Hikaru)

“Hikaru too… Once I pass the exam, I will come see you. Definitely don’t die, okay?” (Rifreya)

“I won’t die. I won’t.” (Hikaru)

“Hikaru…” (Rifreya)

Rifreya hesitantly took my hand and was unwilling to part.

I don’t know when this ‘when the exam is over’ will happen, but she will most likely already be walking the path of a Templar by then.

Tears were close to falling from Rifreya’s watery eyes, but as if shaking them away, she looked straight to the front.

“Then…I will be going!” (Rifreya)

“Have a safe journey.” (Hikaru)

The back figure of hers slowly growing further away.

She would stop in place every now and then, would hesitate about something, and then resume walking. I burned that sight of hers into my mind.

I don’t know if she will be coming to see me again.

I don’t even know if I will be staying in this city the whole time.

Whichever the case, it is not like something has ended and something has begun here.

I will be living in this world.

No matter if I am exposed to those spiteful gazes, the me here right now is my reality.

I stood there until I couldn’t see Rifreya anymore.

I probably won’t be having a woman burning so much in love for me in my whole life anymore.

At that moment…

I am glad I saved Rifreya when she was being attacked by the Mantis.

Even if my remaining life is a losing match, saving her has created some worth in me coming to this world.

I also managed to…taste love.

Evening covered the surroundings in red, and I turned around.

The entrance prohibition to the dungeon is still going on for a while.

I have some savings, so it might be a good idea to leave the inn and rent an apartment somewhere.

Life still continues on after all.