I realized it—it was him. My best friend. Still the same face, still the same clothes.
Aler...is that you?
Just like me, he lifted his face and looked at me.
Cast... It's me. Wait, it's only been a few days, and y—
Aler—it was him. Before Aler could finish his sentence, I hugged him tightly.
You're still alive, I'm so glad!
I said that, smiling with a hint of sadness. The unexpected reunion brought Aler a bit of warmth, but also stirred up a strange feeling within him.
Hey Cast, it's only been two days, and you already miss me that much?
I let go of Aler.
Alright, I'm sorry. But wait, two days... What do you mean by that?
Hey, I've been in this crappy fantasy world for 2 days already. That's all there is to it.
It seemed that Aler didn't get stuck in the reincarnation loop like I did—he was directly reborn into this world. That's why, according to him, it's only felt like two days since he arrived here.
But for me… I had to walk a long, lonely road for 1.6 million years. Alone.
We found a bench in a park and sat down together. And then, I began asking Aler about the experiences he had gone through so far.
Hey Aler, after that mummy took your life and you reincarnated into this world… can you tell me what you've been through since then?
The disgusting rotten mummy... After I died, I reincarnated right in the middle of a street. I looked down, saw my body intact, and totally lost it emotionally. Then I glanced around and realized—this is a fantasy world. Didn't even have time to process it properly before a group of armed guards showed up and arrested me. Probably because I was a foreigner and entered this country—Vassara, right?—illegally. They locked me up in a prison, and guess what? Just my luck, I ended up in a cell with some of the nastiest thugs around. Big guys, muscles everywhere—just looking at them made my hands shake. Being stuck with them, I kept getting into fights. Look at me, I'm covered in bruises. They beat me half to death, used me like some kind of stress toy, and I couldn't do a damn thing. Until... I got blessed. I received a short sword. With that in hand, I spent the next two days doing everything I could to hold my ground. It was rough, but I managed to knock those guys out cold, one after another. Once I had the upper hand, I made a run for it—busted out of prison all by myself. I've been on the run from the royal guards ever since. When you saw me falling from the sky? That was me fleeing. I accidentally stepped on some explosive by the roadside—don't ask me why it was even there—and the blast launched me into the air. Good thing I didn't get blown to pieces. And, well... the rest is just what you saw.
Aler gave a wry smile, rubbing the back of his neck as if it still hurt.
Not as cool as those isekai characters in the stories you like, huh?
I gave a slight nod, my eyes drifting into the distance.
Oh, I see...
I echoed, my voice dropping lower. I wasn't sure if it was out of sympathy for Aler, or because of the irony—that he had been reincarnated so easily, while I... had wandered for 1.6 million years through the cycle of rebirth, just to finally set foot here. But then I reminded myself: at the very least... he's still alive. And that's enough.
In this touching moment of ours—or rather, of mine alone—someone else might have overheard us. That's right, it was Tina. While we were talking, Tina must have caught some of the more far-fetched parts of the conversation. She covered her ears with both hands, curling up like a little cat.
Tina, are you okay?
She flinched in surprise and quickly said:
I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation—I just didn't want to be too far away from you two, so...
So that's why you curled up and covered your ears in front of everyone? Aler said.
There's no one else here, Aler. Can't you be a little more polite? Still the same old attitude, huh? I said.
That was me being polite, Cast. With a stranger like her—wait a second, who is she? Why is she even sitting with us? Aler asked.
Oh. That's my bad. Forgot to introduce her—this is Tina. She's a nurse, a doctor, a cashi— I answered.
I'm just a nurse, okay!? Tina cut me off mid-sentence.
We talked, sharing our upcoming plans—of course, only the ones we intended to keep between the two of us, making a conscious effort to make sure Tina wouldn't overhear.
Wait a minute… Cast. You're saying you were stuck in the cycle of reincarnation for 1.6 million years… and died nearly a billion times!?
That's right—no more, no less.
You've endured so much suffering—why do you sound so calm now, maybe even full of energy? I would have thought dying that many times would have taken a serious toll on your mind.
I've learned how to cleanse my emotions, to bring them back to their original state. Although it erases feelings of joy and happiness, it also wipes away pain and despair. Thanks to this, I've managed to hold on until today.
Emotion cleansing… That's a real thing?
Hey, idiot. If it didn't exist, do you really think I'd still be sitting here, talking to you like this?
Alright, alright, I get it. But hey—could you maybe tell me a bit more about that 1.6 million-year journey of yours?
Sorry, but no. I really don't want to talk about it.
Alright then, I won't press you.
The two of us talked for a while, and finally, the third person among us began to speak.
Um… excuse me, can I join the conversation too?
No problem. We've already discussed everything we needed to. Besides, as a local, you can probably share a lot of information about this world—that would actually be really helpful for us.
Um… actually, I only know a little. On the surface, I'm a nurse, but not many people come to my clinic, so I don't really have anyone to talk to.
Not many? Has your clinic always been like that—in the past and now?
To be honest, my clinic used to be very busy. In fact, it was once the top medical facility in the area. But then, during my father's time in charge... Oh, I forgot to mention—my clinic is passed down through generations, not based on skill level. Back to the main point: during his tenure, my father did his job well. But he sacrificed himself on the battlefield, treating soldiers quickly, leaving me at less than a year old. It was thanks to my aunt that I was raised and survived until now. I'm determined to restore the clinic to its former glory, but my skills still aren't quite there yet.
I think I've got an idea. Why don't we help Tina rebuild her clinic, huh, Aler?
What? Since when did you get so generous all of a sudden? But hey, I like it! Aler said.
You guys… really going to help me? Tina asked.
The two of us nodded in unison.
She felt a warm glow despite the chilly breeze.
Alright! Let's go. Where should we start?
When I was recovering at her place, it didn't look like she had much in the way of supplies. How about this—we hunt monsters to gather medical materials. What do you think?
I think there's a place where you can gather some materials. Follow me!
We made our way through the crowded streets and headed out of the city. Vassara has many entrances, so it wasn't difficult for us to leave. However, the city is vast, which made our legs grow a bit weary. Once outside, we entered a forest.
I don't usually come here because I don't know how to fight. This place often has monsters appearing, so you can gather materials here. Look, there's one over there!
Aler and I followed the direction Tina was pointing and clearly saw a monster. It looked like a black wolf, ready to lunge and tear its target apart. A chill began to creep over my body.
Aler, you feel it too, don't you?
Yeah, I do.
So...
And then, the two of us said at the same time:
How about you fight it?
And just like that, we started arguing:
Hey, hey, Cast! You've died a bunch of times already—what's a little thing like this to you?
Hey, don't talk like I'm some kind of veteran, Aler! It's true I've died a lot, but I'm still scared—it's not like I have any real power. And you, you've got that nice short sword—why don't you use it?
If I slash at it, my sword will break—I really treasure this sword.
That's a lie! It's only been two days—there's no way it's going to break. I'm even worried it's too sharp.
You two, enough alrea—
Tina started to stop the argument. But before she could finish, the monster spotted us and lunged at us. Instinctively, I ran, while Aler decisively drew his short sword and struck a single blow. Unexpectedly, with just one hit, the wolf-like monster collapsed before it could even attack us. I ran, then looked back to see the monster fallen, feeling puzzled, and stepped closer to it.
Is it...dead?
I think so, Cast. But hey, running away like that is pretty cowardly!
Alright, alright. Let's take a look at this monster... Tina, do you see anything useful we can take from it?
Tina began to look over it carefully, assessing the situation.
Its heart tendons. This type of monster has a unique trait—their hearts beat very fast, around 400 beats per minute. Because of this, their heart tendons are highly developed, rich in minerals, and contain many compounds used as ingredients for special medicines. However, a single heart isn't enough to provide the quantity of tendons needed to make these medicines.
That's great! And look, there's another one right here!
What?
Tina and I followed the direction Aler was pointing. Sure enough, there were wolf-like monsters just like the one we had just killed. But there was more than one.
Hey, Aler. Is that "one" of yours?
Huh? What? There's one th—WHAT DO YOU MEAN A WHOLE PACK LIKE THAT!?!?
Looking back, we realized—it was a pack. Yes, a whole pack. And worse yet, they had surrounded us before we even noticed.
We're done for... But wait, Aler, you killed that thing with just one strike, right? So why are we scared?
One is fine, but with about 30 of them like this, I'd probably have been gnawed to the bone before I even got a chance to strike.
Oh man, I think running is definitely the best option here.
Why do you always think about running away?
Hey, they're getting closer—if we don't act, we're dead.
While we were trying to figure out how to escape, someone suddenly rushed into the pack of monsters from afar.
Running away? That's pretty cowardly.
A protective barrier surrounded us—a translucent orange wall that looked sturdy. It shielded us from the pack of monsters. One by one, more barriers appeared, smashing the monsters to pieces without missing a single one. Each was crushed into fresh flesh, blood spilling onto the grass. They died before they could even react. We were stunned for a moment, then gradually snapped back to reality.
Hey, hey. Don't go wandering around like you're some kind of tough guy, okay?
That voice snapped us out of our daze. We turned to see a boy around my age, with orange hair and brown eyes. Then, Aler and I stared at his face for a moment, unsure of what to say. Except for Tina...
Isn't this… Atei?
Looks like you're a bit more polite than those two guys over there.
That remark snapped both Aler and me back to our senses. I turned my head to look at Tina.
Hey, Tina, you know him? I asked.
Not only do I know him, but we also have a bit of unfinished business. Tina's voice carried a hint of resentment.
Unfinished business? Weren't you the one who started it? Atei said.
How many times do I have to say I didn't have anything to do with it! Tina said.
Alright, that's enough. You two, tell me the whole story from the beginning. I'll be the mediator here. I said.
I think we should find somewhere easier to talk. How about a meadow? It's hard to have a proper conversation while dealing with those monsters in the forest—and this is the time they're most active. Atei said in a gently advising tone.
Sounds reasonable. Tina, and I said in unison.
And then, we left the forest together and arrived at a lush green meadow, where a gentle breeze brushed across our faces. The four of us sat down on the soft grass. Tina and Atei began telling their story, while Aler, still a bit dazed, sat there blankly—his mind struggling to process everything that had just happened.
I'm guessing you're friends with Tina, right? Let me be straightforward. Tina has committed a serious offense against my medical corporation. I'm currently the head of the largest medical conglomerate in the Vassara-Asdero region. Although it's called a medical corporation, Asdero is actually heavily involved in politics and the military. Back to the main point—Tina stole a significant amount of our medical supplies. The proof is that the clinic she's managing suddenly had far more medical materials than usual, and those supplies were confirmed to belong to our corporation. Even after a thorough investigation, it's undeniable that Tina was the culprit, despite her denials. Tina was arrested, but because she showed excellent behavior during rehabilitation, she was released within the first two weeks of imprisonment. That's what happened, Cast... right? Your name is Cast, isn't it? Atei said.
That's right, I'm Cast. I think she still hasn't admitted it yet—isn't that a bit strange? Alright then, tell us everything you know, Tina. I said.
Me? One day, I was checking the medical supplies and noticed there were more items in the storage than usual. I recognized each item bore a symbol—the emblem of the Asdero Corporation: a shield with a blue phoenix on a white background. As soon as I saw them, I reported it to the Asdero department. But when they came to check, I was stunned. The storage looked normal, with no sign of their supplies. Asdero thought I was crazy and left. But after they left, I looked again—and the supplies were still there. I was scared and uneasy, afraid to touch anything. A few days later, Atei came to my clinic as a business colleague, intending to evaluate the clinics in Vassara. When Atei inspected the storage, expecting the supplies to have vanished again, they didn't. Every item appeared right before his eyes, and I was speechless. And then, as Atei said... what I'm telling you is the truth—I'm not lying!
Although Tina told me all that, honestly, I never received any report about her supplies disappearing—let alone vanishing right before our eyes like that. I personally inspected the inventory, and there was no sign of any cursed or missing items. So, I had no choice but to conclude that Tina was guil-
Hey, what do you think if this was a deliberate setup?
That's quite possible. Tina might have fabricated the whole sto-
I'm not saying it was Tina. Someone else is the real mastermind behind this.
What? Hey, don't joke around. I know you really lov—uh, I mean, you value your friend Tina, but don't make careless excuses like that, okay?
I have a lead on this.
What?
I had a feeling that someone was hiding in Tina's clinic—lurking somewhere, unseen.
A feeling? You really think I'm going to believe in just your feeling?
I swear on my life.
You—... Fine. I'll continue the investigation. I assume you won't be taking that oath back, right?
Of course, I won't. Now let's get to the investigation.
With the rapid-fire exchange between Atei and me, both Aler and Tina had been sitting there dazed for quite a while. I pinched their cheeks to snap them out of it.
Wake up, you two. I've convinced Atei to keep investigating—there's a good chance we'll clear Tina's name.
Huh? They both said in unison.
Though I started to feel a bit irritated, I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. Then I led the two of them to follow Atei, who had already gone ahead, heading straight back toward the city of Vassara.
What the...? Normally, Atei never listens to me. Why is he suddenly being like this…?
Hey Tina, do you feel like someone's been lurking around your clinic?
Hmm... no. Do you know something?
I don't know for sure. It's just that I saw a shadowy figure in the darkness near your clinic.
So, what are you implying?
Someone's targeting you—setting up a scheme to get you into this mess.
Someone's after me?
Exactly. I believe this is the lead we need to clear your name.
Is that so... My family has always been looked down upon by others, so it makes sense that someone would hate me. But this is the first time someone has shown it so clearly and directly.
I see. Then we have to get to the bottom of this. Aler, what do you think?
Huw? Aler yawned repeatedly and replied.
I turned to look at Aler. And once again, he had fallen asleep. It's amazing—he's practically sleepwalking as he walks. I gave a friendly smile.
ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM SLEEP DEPRIVATION OR SOMETHING, YOU IDIOT???
Wha!?!?