Turning back ti a little—
The day before the little girl would announce herself to the world.
When Da-eun was asked by Kana what she wanted, she pondered.
Kana didn’t rush her and just quietly watched with calm eyes.
"...I..."
After a long silence, Da-eun's voice broke the stillness and gently filled the air.
"...I want you to do what you want, Kana."
"...?"
It wasn’t much different from answering "anything" when asked, "What do you want to eat?"
Kana’s delicate brows furrowed for a mont.
It’s fine to pass the decision onto soone else.
After all, she had asked for Da-eun’s opinion first.
But if this was a response that ca after long thought, then it was a different matter.
It wouldn’t be strange if she made a slightly harsh remark due to disappointnt.
However, Kana didn’t furrow her brows for that reason.
‘Da-eun wouldn’t say sothing like that without thinking.’
Her reaction was pure curiosity born from that thought.
"Da-eun."
"Yes?"
"Is that really okay with you?"
"Umm..."
It wasn’t exactly a proper question, but Da-eun understood Kana’s words perfectly.
"Kana, are you worried about the damage that might co to if you act on your own will?"
"...It’s not worry. It’s just, as soone who’s living off of you, I can’t act recklessly."
"Hehe. I see~"
Da-eun looked at Kana like she was a stubborn little kid.
Her face, looking down on Kana with warmth, could hardly be said to be one of soone who believed Kana’s words.
Kana, noticing that, made a slight dissatisfied expression, but didn’t say anything—
Da-eun, poking Kana’s puffed cheek with her finger, said:
"In Celia, Kana protected , so here, I said I’d protect you."
Of course, soone might say it was foolish to bring the events of a ga, especially ones involving an NPC rather than another player, into reality.
But Da-eun knew that Celia Online was not just a ga.
‘And even if it is just a ga, so what?’
As a player, Da-eun could die and be resurrected, but Kana, a resident of the Celia world, couldn’t.
Even so, Kana had gladly accepted Da-eun’s request and saved her.
Even risking her life and enduring the pain of coughing up blood.
"Kana might think it’s a joke, but I was serious."
How could she hate a girl who ran to save her without a thought for her own safety?
As long as there was warm blood flowing beneath her skin, it wouldn’t be possible.
Da-eun was soone who had warm blood flowing through her veins.
"If I tell the truth, well, it might get pretty noisy."
She might not be able to live such peaceful days as she had now.
"But, when compared to what’s going to happen in the future, it’s a small issue. After all, once the dinsional beasts invade, we’ll be fighting with our lives on the line."
Of course, she added that there might be no problems, but—
That "nothing happening" had already happened.
So, she would carry the burdens she could.
Making sure her fragile shoulders didn’t collapse under the weight of the heavy load.
"I’m your protector, Kana."
"..."
Kana looked at Da-eun, who confidently said those words, with a complex gaze.
She hadn’t ant to put a burden on her, but sohow, it had turned out that way.
Just like last ti, when Da-eun had made a mistake during a broadcast.
In a situation like this, even if she denied it through Da-eun’s words, it would be impossible to completely clear the suspicion.
Even if she confird it, it would still be a hassle.
So, she had been trying to co up with a way to not burden Da-eun, but in the end, Da-eun was the one who said they should go together, and it was bound to make her feelings complicated.
But for so reason...
Contrary to her complicated feelings, a tiny smile appeared on Kana’s lips.
"I’ve never had a fool like Da-eun as a protector."
"...You’re saying that in this kind of atmosphere?"
It was strange. It had seed like a warm atmosphere, but...
Da-eun, scratching her head, slumped down.
"By the way, asking sothing like that, does that an you’re planning to tell the truth?"
"I was thinking about it, but I’m not sure."
"Sounds like a good idea, though..."
Da-eun tilted her head.
"Are you really okay with this?"
The words that Da-eun said, that "Da-eun is more important than Edel," had made Kana happy. But, deciding based on emotions could have a big impact on the future, so it wasn’t sothing she could easily decide on.
Kana’s response was straightforward.
"If you’re really worried about it, just ask her directly."
"...Huh, huh?"
Then Kana picked up her phone and called Edel.
The casual way she did it made Da-eun stare blankly, but the call was connected.
"...What’s with you calling?"
"It happens."
"You don’t even pick up calls properly, and now you’re calling like this?"
Da-eun gulped as she heard Edel’s voice through the phone speaker.
Though things had gotten better, Da-eun still found Edel difficult.
Whenever she saw Kana joking around, her mind would soften, but when she rembered Edel was a god who created a whole world, the tension would rise again.
So, naturally, Da-eun closed her mouth once the call started.
"What’s up? Did you forget sothing you didn’t say?"
"I didn’t forget, I just have a question."
"…Isn’t this a prank call?"
"Why would I prank Edel?"
"I thought it was more convincing that you were calling for sothing important. Anyway, what do you want to ask?"
"Can I reveal the truth about what happened today?"
"…"
"And also my identity."
"…Wait."
Edel, who seed to be organizing her thoughts, was silent for a mont before responding.
"Why are you suddenly asking about this?"
Just a few hours ago, she had said she would let things go, so it was natural that Edel would feel confused when Kana suddenly called asking if she could tell the truth.
But without showing her confusion, Edel asked Kana.
"People are suspecting that the person who handled the monster in Seoul is the sa person as ‘Kanaria’ from Celia Online, and on top of that, Da-eun is also suspicious because of what happened in the past."
"So you’re calling because of that kid, huh?"
"...What do you an?"
"If it was just sothing you were involved in, it wouldn’t have been like this."
Kana let out a short breath.
"Enough with the nonsense, just tell if it’s possible or not."
"Do as you wish."
"Is it really okay?"
"If I said no, would you stay quiet?"
"..."
"See?"
As Kana fell silent, Edel chuckled.
"It’s easier for to let it go, since revealing it won’t really change anything big. So do as you please."
"...Alright."
Edel’s answer was refreshing.
It was almost embarrassing for Da-eun, who had been struggling with the question for so long.
"Ah, wait a mont."
Just as Kana was about to end the call, Edel suddenly stopped her.
"How about this?"
"What’s a good way?"
"You can reveal the truth, but mix in a little lie."
When convincing soone, mixing truth and lies in the right proportions is often more effective than complete truth or complete lies.
"And this would be better for that kid too."
"Tell more."
Kana’s attitude changed actively.
‘It’s about ti I start admitting it.’
Noticing this sudden shift, Edel thought this to herself, but didn’t voice it.
"...Kana?"
"...Ah."
Kana was brought back to reality by Da-eun’s voice as she recalled her conversation with Edel.
She looked up at Da-eun, who was looking down at her with concern, and shook her head, signaling that nothing was wrong.
What was she talking about again...?
Right, she had said she died and ca back to life.
She checked the ti and realized she had been lost in thought for not that long, but the chat was quite lively.
"Why then?"
"??"
"Are you sick or sothing?"
"If you died and ca back, would you be able to talk about it so casually?"
"Ah."
"ㅠㅠㅠㅠ"
"I see..."
Strangely enough, the atmosphere in the chat had beco much more positive.
It seed that they had misunderstood, thinking that the conversation had been cut off at a convenient mont, making them think of her death. It was a misunderstanding that was actually quite welco for Kana, so she didn’t bother correcting it.
"So, after I died, I t... Edel..."
Kana paused, realizing that if this spread, there might be a huge uproar in the religious community.
It suddenly occurred to her.
"And I heard from Edel... that Celia is a world that has already perished, and that Earth is facing the sa threat that destroyed Celia."
This was the scenario that Edel had created.
In reality, Earth was indeed in danger, and it was true that she had asked for help, so it wasn’t entirely a lie.
Only the details had been hidden.
"The reason I ca back to life was because of that."
She had heard the god’s request, returned from death, and ca to protect Earth as a hero.
Of course, Edel hadn’t directly called her a hero, but from what she said, it sounded exactly like that.
...Honestly, it was embarrassing. Humiliating. Awkward.
She wasn’t so kid obsessed with fairy tales. A hero? What hero?
She hated such righteous roles.
But there was so truth in Edel’s words, that it would be easier to gain sympathy this way, so despite her discomfort, Kana accepted it.
If it ant reducing Da-eun’s burden, she could endure this kind of embarrassnt.
...Still.
‘...A hero.’
She tried not to show it, but a sigh escaped her lips.
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