I Reincarnated as a Mob in a Depressing Erotic Video Game World. When I Saved the Main Heroine That Fallen Into Despair, Her Overwhelming Obsessive Love for Me Wouldn’t Stop. - Chapter 33

Ena and I moved to the training field in the old school building.

In the end, Zegio-sensei stayed asleep and didn’t say a word… which actually worked out better for us.

Under the clear blue sky, Ena tugged gently on my uniform sleeve.

“Ah… S-Shiruto-kun…”

Her eyes were red and watery while looking up at me. Her voice trembled with worry, and her lips shook.

“What… are we going… to do now…?”

“Magic training. If you want to reach First-Class, you need to practice.”

I met her gaze and tried to speak as gently as I could.

But Ena flinched, her shoulders jerking.

“…Ena. You’re still scared?”

“Ah… I-I’m s-sorry…”

“It’s okay. You don’t need to apologize.”

Ena had a trauma from being used in magical experiments on her body.

Inside her, there was a “Witch’s Seed” implanted. Because of that, whenever she tried to use magic, the Witch’s Seed would react, and each time, she’d remember her past and fail to cast spells.

(Maybe in this dark timeline… her trauma has even gotten worse…)

She had been bullied by other students at the academy, all using magic. 

The burn scars on her back and the ones I healed were probably caused by fire magic.

So it’s possible that Ena isn’t just afraid of the Witch’s Seed, but of magic itself.

But if we do nothing, Ena’s execution will happen. Even if we prevent that, one day the Witch’s Seed might go out of control.

…I just want Ena to keep smiling. I don’t want her to suffer, even a little. Maybe that’s just my selfish wish.

“Ena. Let’s start with some simple magic first.”

Ena, with the Witch’s Seed, could use magic almost as powerful as forbidden spells. The strongest magic in the story is [Destruction and Rebirth].

In her story route, she learned to master it and became known as the empire’s strongest magician in the epilogue. The magic given by the Witch’s Seed was that strong. But,

“…I… I’ve never… used magic… even once…”

Ena was a first-year student, and her current rank was the lowest, Seventh-Class.

She could do simple things like releasing magic energy or creating a protective wall. It was basic stuff that barely counts as magic.

But that’s all.

For an entire year, she hadn’t been able to cast a single spell.

“It’s okay. I know you can do it, Ena.”

I said that as I controlled my magic and activated my spell, [Sand and Mud].

Kneeling on one knee, I slammed the sand I had gathered in my palm onto the ground.

“―<Sandtaker>”

The sand squirmed and shifted… changing shape.

I had used a spell to create a sand slime. A small and sandy creature bounced lightly on the spot.

“…Ah. Shiruto-kun… is that your familiar…?”

“Not exactly. It doesn’t have a will or feelings. Think of it as a training dummy.”

Ena stared at the sand slime, then took a small step back.

“…U-um, I-I…”

“Don’t be afraid. The sand slime won’t attack you. When you’re ready, I want you to try using magic yourself.”

“…”

Ena clenched her hands tightly. She faced the bouncing sand slime and was completely still.

Seconds passed in silence, and finally―,

“…If I… can’t use magic… will Shiruto-kun… abandon me…?”

I wouldn’t. I could never do that.

But if I told her that, she might never face the Witch’s Seed inside her.

So I stayed silent, just watching her tremble.

“A-ah…,”

She swallowed hard and aimed her hands at the sand slime. She tried to turn her magic inside her into a spell.

“…Ah… ahhh… aaaah…”

“Ena―”

“Ah… aah… I’m… s-sorry…, I’m so… sorry…, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Her fragile body collapsed. Ena hugged herself tightly as she tried to stop her shaking.

I wrapped my arms around her from behind and held her strong.

“…Ena. It’s okay, it’s okay.”

“…I’m… sorry… I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…! I’ll hold it in… I won’t cry anymore. I’ll do everything you say…”

Her eyes were empty.

Her voice had no emotion.

“Please… don’t… abandon me. Don’t… leave me… alone…”

Even in the original story, Ena’s past trauma trapped her like a curse, stopping her from using magic and causing her pain.

But she faced that trauma with love and courage to save Irwin, but that happened at the very end of the story. Ena could only overcome it because she had been through so much and grown strong in heart.

And yet,

There was no way she could do the same thing in just three weeks.

That should have been obvious if I’d thought about it.

I had tried to do everything perfectly again, and maybe that’s why I chose the wrong path.

“…I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Ena. I was wrong.”

“…Ah… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry―”

My voice no longer reached her.

Ena just kept apologizing, like she was murmuring in a dream.

All I could do was hold her small back in my arms.

(…Damn. Do I really have no choice but to go against Ralthea…?)

The empire had chosen the cruel path of execution.

This dark world, where Ena’s heart is pushed to the limit.

And as a reincarnator, I was unable to make the right choice.

Frustration endlessly boiled inside me.

“It’s okay. It’s okay, Ena. I will never leave you alone.”

To hide those feelings, I whispered gently into her ear.

“…Ah… Shiruto-kun…?”

“Yeah. No matter what happens, I will never let you go. I’ll spend my whole life on your side.”

“…R-really? You won’t… abandon me…?”

“No. I’ll always be with you.”

“You won’t make me do things I don’t want? Or make me suffer…?”

“No. I promise, I never will.”

Then I held Ena’s trembling back.

For a long time and for dozens of minutes, I just kept holding her.