Mental Rebirth: The World's Savior Was Not Me, but My Childhood Friend and Stalker - Chapter 2: The beginning of the journey.

“Today was fun, wasn’t it, Yuusha? Everyone celebrated us… it was like a festival!”

Now recognized as the true Savior, the Lord gifted me a small mansion. The parade continued until sunset; finally, we could rest in the mansion.

“But tell me, what are you exactly…? I’m grateful you saved me, but defeating that female commander in one blow isn’t normal.”

“Oh, that? I gained this power when I reincarnated into this world. I heard a voice from nowhere, teaching me how to use it. Don’t you have it, too, Yuusha?”

I didn’t know. This was news to me. I guessed that the “Savior” indeed existed, but there was only one slot, and among the several who reincarnated into this world, Touko was the lucky one who got it. If Touko hadn’t saved me there… even if I miraculously escaped, I would have ended up as a slave. There was no salvation.

“Hey, more importantly… it’s been a while since we were alone together, remember? We used to play together a lot. You suddenly started keeping your distance… I was so sad back then, I would take my anger out on things, but I finally understand you now, Yuusha.”

Cold sweat broke out. Did she realize I found her hidden photos? What now? In this world, I can’t call the police and escape. And with the power Touko showed earlier, if she shows any hint of violence, I can’t resist, alone in this strange world.

I swallowed nervously, tension coursing through me. I watched Touko intently, wondering what she would say next. Noticing my gaze, she blushed slightly.

“That means… you started seeing me as a girl, right? I’m sorry, I didn’t know. Boys your age get teased just for being with a girl.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Eh?”

I inadvertently blurted out and immediately regretted it. Touko looked at me, her expression seemingly hiding anger. Giving a careless answer might get me killed… or worse. I desperately thought of a response.

“What are you talking about, Touko?! As if I would distance myself from you just because my friends tease me! It was… embarrassing! I mean, we were at the age where being alone in a room with the opposite sex was a big deal! Think about it if you were in my shoes! Imagine being alone in my room with me! You couldn’t go through with it so easily, right!?”

Touko listened to my excuse with a blank expression. I wished she would at least nod in agreement. But after a while, she blushed and looked away.

“Th-That’s true… being alone with Yuusha in his room… I never thought of that. Yeah, that’s important, taking things step by step. I’m happy you thought that way about me.”

Probably, the emotions Touko imagined and the ones I had back then were entirely different, but I hadn’t lied. At that time, I felt pure fear. The girl I thought was a childhood friend sexually saw me, an abnormal obsession. That was terrifying for the young me, and I avoided being alone with Touko.

And now, I realize my current situation again. This is a different world. No friends, family, or police to rely on. It’s a world where power speaks. And Touko now holds immense power, enough to easily crush Shukure. Moreover, we were alone in the mansion…

Memories flashed through my mind. Was this a life flashing before my eyes? I felt like a herbivore separated from the herd, facing a predator.

“The mansion may be small, but we cannot have the Savior doing menial tasks. We will provide you with a servant.”

The Lord’s words echoed strongly in my mind.

“That’s right, a servant! Touko, we forgot! The Lord has given us a servant for our mansion! We must go and welcome them!!”

Touko, who had been closing in on me like a female leopard, twitched at my shout and muttered in disappointment, “Ah… right.” What was she planning to do if I had yet to remember?

“Nice to meet you. My name is Mei, and the Lord has ordered me to serve the Savior. I am responsible for personal care, chores, cleaning, cooking, and entertainment. Please feel free to command me as you wish.”

The servant named Mei had been waiting at the entrance. She appeared to be around our age, but her speech and behavior were mature. She quickly began cleaning the mansion and preparing a meal. Her attire resembled a maid’s uniform, more like a domestic worker than a servant.

“Entertainment… Yuusha… What do you mean…?”

My shoulder was in incredible pain. Touko was gripping it with a vice-like force. I turned around in shock. Not sure what had upset her, Touko glared at me with a furious expression.

“Wh-What’s wrong with you all of a sudden, entertainment? I don’t know either. What’s ‘entertainment’?”

(TL|N: The kanji 伽, read as “togi,” refers to nursing, attending, or entertaining​.)

Startled by her expression, I reflexively asked her in return. This pleased Touko, as she quickly cheered and let go of my shoulder.

“No, it’s nothing. Sorry, did that hurt?”

It hurt a lot. The pain was still throbbing, but I forced a wry smile and held back my true feelings.

“That Lord, saying unnecessary things… maybe I should crush him… No, but now that little girl is here… Touko-san? I don’t understand, but please don’t do anything that would antagonize the town.

I admonished Touko, who was muttering something dangerous. She had been in a good mood until now, but her emotional instability was frightening. The thought of living with her for a while made my stomach hurt. I just wanted to be free. With these thoughts, I ate the meal prepared by Mei, which was exquisite, befitting a Lord’s servant.

We were looking at a map of the nearby area. We were in a fortress city called Ludon, which often battles the Demon Lord’s army. The Demon Lord’s base was far away. The journey required horses and ships… a long journey that necessitated preparation.

Ludon was the largest city in the area. Small villages were nearby, but the Demon Lord’s army had destroyed most and were now ruins. We needed a ship to fight the Demon Lord, which meant going to a port town. The journey was long, requiring stops in several towns for supplies…

“Is there nothing on the way…?”

“Nothing, I’m afraid… Most food supplies are locally sourced. Don’t worry. I have the necessary skills to ensure the Savior never goes hungry.”

I planned to abandon the role of the Savior. To do that, I first needed to escape from this city. But there were no cities nearby. Damn Demon Lord’s army… But that might be a blessing in disguise. If I were too close, the Ludon army might come after me if they found out I was an imposter. It’s a world where they easily enslave otherworlders, so it’s not impossible.

Thus, the target is a port town. A slow life in the coastal countryside… Yes, I can see it. Good.

“The only concern is the Nabile Great Forest on the way. It’s a true wilderness. The fog is thick, so the journey through it will be difficult. It would be good to have a guide…”

“Why not hire one? We got plenty of money from the Lord.”

“No, the guides are rather temperamental, and money won’t… They live in a village before the forest. Shall we stop by there?”

Of course. I agreed immediately. Or rather, if there’s a village, I may give up the Savior title and settle there permanently. Being a guide, like a tourist guide, and making a living that way… okay.

We quickly packed and set off for the village.