Lili, having finished her story, let out a quiet sigh.

Unlike earlier, there were no longer tears in her eyes. She sipped the now cold herbal tea and murmured,

“I thought I might lose control a little more, but I managed to speak quite calmly. I wonder why.”

“……”

In contrast, I was drenched in an unbelievable amount of sweat. So much that I couldn't tell whether the droplets running down my face were sweat or tears.

Thanks to Lili’s story, fragments of my memories were coming back one after another. I could recall it vividly now—the moment of my own death.

Lili had said the sky was a brilliant blue, but the sky I saw above me was burning red, as if it were on fire. That must have been due to the effects of the poison.

“Eremia?”

“…………Ah.”

“Hey……”

Lili stood up and peered worriedly into my eyes.

She placed her hand on my forehead and widened her eyes.

“You have a terrible fever! Since when!?”

Lili’s hand felt cool and comforting.

Maybe it was a fever caused by the strain of recovering my memories, or perhaps it was the shock from the conversation, or simply from remembering the moment of death itself.

In any case, it probably wasn’t due to illness. It should subside on its own if left alone.

“I'm fine. No probl—ooh?”

Before I could finish my sentence, Lili had already lifted my body with both arms and carried me to the bed, laying me down gently.

I raised my upper body.

“I told you, I’m fine—”

“No!”

Lili poked my forehead with her fingertip, and I fell back onto the bed, lying flat again.

“I'll bring something to cool you down, so stay put. Don’t get up.”

I nodded reluctantly.

“Alright. I’ll stay quiet.”

“……”

What’s with that suspicious look? Don’t give me that face; it reminds me of my previous life. Just go already. Still staring. At least trust your teacher a little.

After glaring at me suspiciously for a while, Lili finally walked off towards the kitchen.

I stared up at the ceiling and thought.

About why Eremi was born with Blythe’s memories—something I was only now starting to seriously consider.

—Don’t worry. No matter where you are, I’ll find you. As many times as it takes, I’ll find you.

It couldn’t be, could it? Those words Blythe had spoken to Lili at the moment of his death.

I had always thought my reincarnation was purely driven by a desire to further pursue swordsmanship, but maybe that wasn’t the case.

Was it for Lili’s sake? Or maybe both?

Either way, it wasn’t unrelated. I couldn’t help but be amazed at myself. What kind of obsession could allow someone to carry over their memories from a previous life?

Lili returned.

It looked like she had re-cooled the hand towel she had used earlier when she spilled the herbal tea.

Seeing that I had been obedient, she smiled in satisfaction and placed the wrung-out towel on my forehead.

She sat silently on the edge of the bed.

Maybe because she had just confessed such a heavy story, Lili looked a bit awkward.

“……If you get hungry, don’t worry about me and go have lunch. I’ll behave.”

“I’m not hungry. What about you, Eremia?”

“Same here. But I have to eat to grow. I plan to eat a mountain of food after a nap.”

“Fufu. Please do.”

Silence fell between us again.

Even past lunchtime, cheerful voices could be heard from outside the window. A day off from school was so relaxing.

The sunlight streaming through the window was pleasant too.

“Hey, Eremia. May I say something a little strange?”

“Sure.”

Despite saying that, Lili closed her mouth.

It seemed like she was hesitating about whether to speak.

“Blythe was――……”

Again she went silent.

After a moment, she spoke again.

“Sorry. Never mind. Forget it.”

“You mean, as promised, he came to find you. In the form of Eremia, right?”

Lili lowered her head.

She neither affirmed nor denied it.

Maybe she thought it was disrespectful to Eremia, as if she was using him to see Blythe again.

“……I'm sorry.”

“You already have the answer. Blythe is dead. Even if, by some miracle, I were his reincarnation, I’m still Eremia.”

“You're right.”

“Well, not that such a thing could ever happen.”

When I said that, Lili gave a small laugh.

A lonely, yet somehow cheerful laugh.

Her face looked at peace.

“You're right. I really thought of something strange. It’s just, sometimes you two have these weird little similarities.”

“Weird? I’m always perfectly normal, thank you very much!”

Lili turned back and gave a wry smile.

“That’s exactly what I mean.”

“Guh……”

We both burst into smiles at the same time.

It was a peaceful afternoon. The sunlight felt so warm and drowsy that I started to nod off. And just as I thought that, Lili yawned hugely as if my sleepiness had infected her.

“You look sleepy.”

“You're the one half-asleep already. Maybe I should nap too. Crying tired me out a little.”

I lifted the quilt with one hand, and as usual, Lili slipped under it beside me.

Warmth spread between us. The ceiling we gazed up at together gradually faded into a hazy darkness.

As we were drifting in and out of sleep—

“Eremia.”

“……Nn, nnh? I was dozing… What's up?”

When I opened my eyes, Lili had turned her head towards me.

“Sorry to wake you. Can I hold your hand?”

Already on the verge of sleep, I turned my back to her, leaving one hand behind.

“……Don’t ask about every little thing…… Grab whatever you like and sleep……”

“See, that’s exactly what I mean.”

Was it really?

After a moment, Lili wriggled closer and clung to my back. Her chin rested on the top of my head, and I could feel the softness of her chest pressing against my back.

Her boldness blew away any lingering drowsiness.

Seriously. Does she not realize she’s grown up? How long does she intend to stay a child?

“Good night.”

“……Y-yeah.”

And then it struck me.

Maybe even back then, young Lili had felt a strange sense of attraction toward Blythe.

“……”

No, no no. If I think about it that way—

Blythe might have been quite oblivious back then, but even now, Lili was being pretty thoughtless toward Eremia too.

Ahh, damn, she smells so good……