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 34

Even after that… I still couldn’t do anything for Ena until the very end.

Finally, when Ena had calmed down, we went back to the classroom together. From there, we just did some simple self-study.

At lunch, I ate the bento that Ena had made for me. After that, more self-study.

I had a little hope that Zegio-sensei might teach us something, but in the end, he just kept dozing off and waking up.

I took Ena’s hand and led her back to the dorm, sitting down on the bed.

But… Ena didn’t sit next to me. She just stood there.

“Ah… um, Shiruto…k-kun…”

Tears filled her eyes, and her pale hands were clenched tightly.

Her voice was barely there.

“Um, I… I’m… s-sorry…”

“…Ena. Why are you apologizing?”

“B-because… I can’t use magic at all. Even though you were supporting me… I couldn’t live up to your expectations…”

She was probably scared.

Scared that, if things stayed like this… I might give up on her.

“B-but… tomorrow… I’ll try harder. I’ll do my best. So…”

“—Ena.”

She flinched.

I only called her name, but her small shoulders shook.

“…I’m sorry, Ena. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Ah… y-yeah…”

“It’s okay. I’ll always be on your side.”

“…R-really? Shiruto-kun… D-do you really like me…?”

I should have answered right away.

But for a moment, I hesitated while wondering if being honest about my feelings now would really help Ena. Maybe pushing her away a little more would make her stronger.

But still… I couldn’t hold back.

“—Of course. I like you, Ena.”

I stood up and gently lifted her chin.

Then I kissed her.

A simple kiss at first… and the second time, deeper, more tender.

“Mm… ah… I… I do too. I like you… I really like you, Shiruto-kun…?”

Our lips were still connected by a thin line of saliva as Ena looked at me with dreamy eyes.

This time, she leaned in and kissed me again.

While I felt the warm feeling, a thought came back to me.

(…This is fine. I can’t ever make Ena look like that again…)

When she tried to use magic, she looked so weak and in pain that it hurt just to see her.

―Back then, I thought I had to be strict for her sake.

Even now, I know in my head that it might be better for her future.

But… I can’t.

I can’t hurt Ena with my own hands.

That would be too cruel.

If I had to choose, I would rather turn the whole world against me than hurt her.

“…Hehe. Shiruto-kun… kissing feels nice…?”

Ena’s cheeks were red. She finally looked a little better.

I gently brushed her silver hair and said,

“Ena. It’s going to be okay. I’ll protect you.”

“…Yeah. I like you, Shiruto-kun.”

She smiled shyly, then kept talking.

“I’ll… do my best, okay? I’ll work hard to use magic.”

“…Ena. I want to tell—”

As I spoke, a thought crossed my mind.

―What should I really do?

Ena was trying to move forward. She was showing me her will and her courage.

(But… we only have three weeks left…)

In that time, she had to learn how to use the magic hidden in the Witch’s Seed. That felt impossible.

“…? Shiruto-kun…?”

Ena tilted her head.

I let out a breath and ruffled her hair more strongly than before.

“…I’m sorry. It’s nothing.”

Ena is too kind.

More than anyone, I want her to be happy.

I never want to change that wish.

But… can I really do it?

Can I save Ena from this cruel and harsh world?

Worry, fear, anger, and dark feelings slowly filled my heart.

◇◇◇

―After that, Ena and I kept going through the same kind of days.

Ena didn’t give up and kept trying to use magic.

But… the results were terrible. She couldn’t overcome her trauma even once, and her magic never worked.

I even tried letting her feel the chant through the spell book, hoping it would help but that failed too.

It seemed Ena was scared of magic itself.

In this twisted world, her trauma had only gotten worse, and my guess had been right.

A week passed, and on that day, Ena tried again. She gathered magic in her hands while trying to turn it into a spell—,

“Ah… n-no… stop…!”

She hugged herself tightly while trembling as something invisible was touching her.

“…E-Ena!”

And once again, I could only do the same thing.

Yesterday, the day before, and the day before that.

All I could do was hold her as she suffered.

(—I need to find another way.)

Getting rid of the trauma that had taken root so deeply in Ena’s heart wasn’t easy.

Three weeks… was honestly not enough. It might even be impossible.

But I couldn’t just sit and wait for her to finally use magic on her own.

And the conflict with the upper ranks of the academy and the empire should probably stay a last resort like with Ralthea.

Thinking that Ena’s happiness would just wait for us after running away, that was way too optimistic. So,

“…Ena. That’s enough for today.”

“Eh… but there’s still time…”

“We can try again tomorrow. Everyone needs a break sometimes, right?”

I felt my determination strengthen again.

Right now, what I was missing most was the resolve to do whatever it takes and what I desperately needed.