She Remembers Me (5)

TL/ED: Lolz

Erina's wish was simple but more earnest than anyone else's.

Living a lifetime, gazing only at her master.

With a single-minded determination, Erina committed countless evil deeds without remorse until now.

But the moment she heard the words of the goddess, she realized her own feelings.

She only wanted to remain the sole existence for her master.

However, it was nothing but a hope that could never come true.

Her Master had already left and there was no way he would return.

She was left alone in a world that had been destroyed and could not survive.

In such a situation, what should she do?

She couldn't find an answer.

But she could find a clue in the words of the goddess.

System. The power that maintains the world.

'If only I have that...'

There was surely a possibility.

There was still a way to undo the mistakes of the past.

"Manage that...?"

"Yes. It's an ability only I possess."

Erina felt cold in her complicated mind as she looked at the triumphant appearance of the goddess.

'Maybe I can go back.'

With that thought, Erina rose from the ground.

The goddess realized that something was about to happen.

"Now, do as you wish. Even if you kill me,"

"Shut up..."

"Oof…?!"

Erina kicked the goddess aside.

broke her arm He trampled on her legs.

She broke her arm, stomped on her leg, kicked her abdomen, and punched her face.

"Shut up...Shut up...!"

She assaulted her without hesitation and broke her down horribly.

She began to vent her anger by attacking the goddess.

But Erina didn't kill her.

When the goddess was on the verge of death, Erina forced a potion down her throat.

When the wounds began to heal, she resumed the torture.

And so, a day passed, then two.

The goddess was restrained to the edge of her throne.

The goddess was bound at the edge of the throne with massive iron chains.

Screams echoed all day long.

Erina's indiscriminate violence left the goddess without even tears.

"Listen carefully."

"..."

The goddess remained silent. No, she couldn't speak.

The unbearable pain kept her from uttering a word.

"That 'System' can be manipulated... right?"

"...!"

"Manipulate the system to restore the world to its original state."

"You mustn't...!"

Another round of punches followed. Three days, four days, two weeks passed.

The torture continued. There was no unharmed part of the goddess's body.

Her blood-soaked body hung from the throne.

The goddess was alive. Or, to be precise, half-dead.

Her eyes lost focus as she stared blankly at Erina.

Erina punched and kicked her.

Now, there was no reaction at all.

Then, without hesitation, Erina stabbed her eye.

"...!!"

A horrifying scream echoed through the temple.

The goddess writhed in pain, collapsing to the floor.

"Listen carefully."

Erina grabbed her by the hair.

She slapped her disheveled face.

"You know it too. This is meaningless as it is."

The goddess stared ahead with a hazy gaze.

Erina's eyes were relentlessly cold.

"But if you use that System."

"That's..."

"I can meet my master again."

"..."

"We might be able to turn back the world."

Erina turned her head to look at the green gem.

A heart filled only with madness could no longer be called human.

It was like a monster, nothing less.

"You're no different, are you?"

"..."

"Don't you want to undo everything?"

The goddess couldn't say anything.

Whether her brain was paralyzed by the horrifying pain or she was ignoring Erina's persuasion.

Or maybe she, too, was in agreement.

She couldn't know for sure.

"We're going back. And bringing that person here."

"I..."

Bringing that person here.

The goddess found her heart sinking unknowingly.

Manipulating the System was forbidden.

It was an action against the reason for her existence.

'Is it possible? Is it impossible? But it might be possible.'

She knew how to turn the world back.

By using a process called 'Rewind', she could reverse time.

Bringing her master into this world. It might be possible.

Manipulating the system without her master's permission was strictly forbidden.

But the master had already left their side.

And the only one who could manipulate the system was the goddess.

"What do you plan to do by dragging him here...?"

In response to the goddess's question, Erina answered promptly.

"Hero."

"Hero...?"

"I plan to turn Master into a Hero."

Erina's words were as follows:

After bringing her master into this new world, she would help defeat the Demon King and turn her Master into the Hero of the world.

"Even so, can you deceive that person...?"

"Isn't that what you wanted? Not someone like me, but Master becoming a Hero."

The goddess began to waver at Erina's words.

In any case, there was only a future worse than death left as it was.

But not only did she have to forcibly bring that person here, but she also had to lie.

The goddess couldn't open her mouth recklessly.

"Fine. Then."

As Erina rose, the goddess's body trembled.

But she obediently stepped back.

"I understand what you're worried about. So, I'll make a promise."

"What...?"

"I'll release your restraints and heal your wounds."

"..."

"And I'll give you this world."

"Are you serious...?"

"Yeah. If it means I can have him by my side, I don't care about a world like this."

The proposal was too sweet for the goddess, whose body and mind were already captivated.

Although she knew it was a forbidden poisoned apple, the goddess couldn't resist the temptation.

In the end, she nodded.

***

"She deceived me..."

The goddess still hung on the throne.

She had become a battered, blood-soaked mess, unable to do anything.

"Erina betrayed you...?"

At my words, the goddess let out a laugh.

Her laugh, coming from a half-dead person, was truly grotesque.

"She committed another massacre in Heaven as soon as the world was restored."

I couldn't believe the goddess's words.

Erina committing such an act. It didn't make sense logically.

But could I call the scene I was witnessing now a lie?

"She lied to me... a monster that shouldn't be trusted...!"

The goddess's desperate screams were not lies.

If that was true, was Erina really deceiving me?

The goddess looked at me with her shaky breath.

Her earnest heart conveyed a plea to believe her words.

"..."

"Be careful. She might betray even you."

She might betray me.

Before the goddess's words could finish, the perspective shifted.

My body began to sway.

The distant figure of the goddess gradually blurred, and a bright light approached.

***

"Wake up!"

Someone was shaking my side with a lively voice.

Through the bright sunlight, Erina's figure came into view.

"Now, get up and get ready...?!"

Without realizing it, I pushed her away with my foot.

"Eh...?"

She looked at me blankly with an incomprehensible expression.

She seemed to have no idea what had happened.

But soon, a smile returned to her face.

As if nothing had happened, she approached me with an affectionate gaze.

"It's morning! It's time to head to the capital!"

"Ha..."

I slowly got up. My head throbbed with pain.

I clutched her forehead and let out a groan.

It wasn't a dream. The memories were too vivid to dismiss as mere hallucination.

A prophecy. The goddess bestowed a mission to the protagonist through a dream.

In the same way, the goddess summoned me to the heavenly realm through a prophecy.

"Where does it hurt? Could you have caught a cold or something?!"

Erina put her hand on my head and awkwardly examined my body with a concerned look.

There was no fever on my forehead, but she anxiously felt my body.

"No, I'm just a bit dizzy."

"Are you sure you're not in pain anywhere? Anyway, just take this for now!"

Erina took out a potion from her pocket.

But I couldn't accept it rashly.

The goddess's cries still echoed in my ears.

"Erina."

At my sudden call, Erina closed her mouth.

She looked up at me innocently, as if waiting for what I had to say.

"Yes? What's wrong?"

Her calm demeanor, patiently waiting for my words, was the same as yesterday.

But a sense of alienation I hadn't felt before crept in.

'Liar.'

I heard the voice of the goddess in my ears.

It was definitely strange. She had been unreasonably kind to me since yesterday.

Looking back, there were too many uncertain parts.

Cornered by goblins and about to die, she suddenly appeared and saved me.

By saying that she was escorting me, she prevented not only monsters but even small tree branches from coming near.

Even when I tried to help during camping, she blocked me and made me wait quietly.

“What are you?”

"What?"

"Why are you taking care of me so much…?"

At my words, she made a puzzled face and then burst into a bright smile.

Blushing with embarrassment, her face turned a deep red.

"If I said I fell in love with you at first sight, would you believe me...?"

For the first time in my life, a woman confessed to me.

But I felt neither joy nor surprise.

Instead, my suspicions about her intensified even more.

***

After camping, we began our journey towards the capital again.

Erina led the way, humming a cheerful tune.

Yet, she didn't let her guard down, remaining cautious to protect me.

It was hard to believe that such a pure and beautiful person could do something like that.

It was almost tempting to believe that the goddess's words were lies.

We had been walking down the road for a while, and suddenly Erina said to me.

"So, I want to be with you in the future.”

"What?"

"Actually, I don't have much of a connection to the capital either."

Erina subtly urged me to join her as a companion.

Of course, it was more than welcome to be with her.

Initially, I had planned to become Erina's companion.

However, things were going surprisingly well, almost unrealistically well.

How many times had such fortunate events occurred until now?

Before I knew it, Erina saved my life and I became her travel companion.

Now, she was asking me to be her companion.

It couldn't be a mere coincidence.

Unbeknownst to me, she was laying the groundwork to stay by my side.

If it weren't for the goddess's hint, I might not have noticed the underlying ulterior motive.

"Ah."

Erina's eyes suddenly changed.

Quickly drawing her sword, she scanned the surroundings.

I soon spotted peculiar movements.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed goblin shoulders peeking through the bushes.

"Wait a moment."

Erina cautiously drew her sword.

She pointed it at the bush, intent on killing the goblin.

"Wait."

I grabbed Erina's shoulder.

I stopped her as she was about to run towards the bush.

Erina looked at me with a bewildered expression.

Her eyes widened, perhaps surprised by my sudden intervention.

"There are goblins over there. Right now...!"

Ignoring Erina's words, I firmly gripped the iron club I had been carrying but never used before.

I had never properly used it before, as I had only been guarded so far.

"Just wait for a moment."

"Yes...?"

I didn't respond and rushed into the bushes, wielding the iron club.

Starting with the closest goblin, I smashed its head.

Naturally, there were more of them.

Behind the bushes, seven goblins were hiding.

While calmly facing the goblins, Erina's voice came from behind.

"It's dangerous!"

Ignoring her warning, I charged towards the goblins.

'Goblins have weaknesses.'

Large head, pudgy physique, relatively thin neck.

I picked up the fallen axe that one of the goblins had been holding.

Aiming for the throat of the goblin charging towards me, I swung the axe.

"Die."

With a light swing, the blade of the axe severed its throat.

As expected, the goblin's neck was its weakness, just as I remembered.

When three goblins lay dead on the ground, the remaining ones hesitated.

But letting them escape like last time wasn't an option.

If they ran away, they would likely bring another group.

'It's nothing special.'

After all, they were just goblins. Even in the game, they were low-level mobs that could be defeated with one or two attacks.

If I couldn't win this battle, how would I survive in this world?

The battle didn't take long.

In a matter of minutes, I annihilated the goblin group.

"I can do this much too."

Turning around, Erina was looking at me with a helpless expression.

"So don't ignore me too much."

"I'm not ignoring you, but..."

"Well, I can't just stand by and do nothing."

I decided to think more straightforwardly.

In the end, I needed to become strong on my own.

Stronger than the character I spent hundreds of hours building.

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