The next day had been going surprisingly well so far. After waking up, John felt a bit calmer about his situation. But the highlight of the day was just coming up. John was dressed up and holding a basket of food in his hand, ready for the fateful date with Serah.

“You’re looking sharp, boy. I’m sure you’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

“Of course I’ll be fine, I’m me!”

She chuckled softly. “I raised you, boy. Fake bravado doesn’t work on me. You better hope it works on Serah, although I think she’s a clever one.”

John smiled bitterly as he looked out the window, knowing she was right. Serah would be visible from there when she arrived. He had been debating internally since yesterday whether to use the test function on her to see if she was capable.

If she wasn’t, then that was the end of it; no need for him to worry about ifs and buts. But if she was, he would have to think some more. It was a selfish wish to take her with him out of this place and protect their world together, but maybe she would prefer it. Maybe.

‘If I could just ask her what she would want…’

A familiar figure came walking down the road, making his heart start pounding again. Serah wore a lovely blue summer dress and a sunhat, making her even more beautiful than usual.

John steeled himself and waved goodbye to his mother before stepping out the door to meet her.

‘Confidence, confidence, it works. You’re fine, John, it’s just a picnic. God, how can I be so nervous after everything that happened yesterday?’

She smiled at him as he approached, and he grinned back. “You look great, Serah!” It took some effort for him not to compliment her harder. His actual thoughts were that she looked divine, but telling her that felt like a bad idea.

“Is a nice picnic fine?” he asked, hoping she didn’t find it boring.

She nodded sharply, nearly tipping her hat off. “Sure, I’d love some food! Do you have a place in mind?”

“I was thinking of that old tree we used to play at, but I’m open to suggestions.”

Her face lit up at the idea. “That’s perfect! It’s been ages since I’ve been there. Let’s go!”

Her excitement at his suggestion made him understand that those memories were precious to her as well, making him smile a bit wider.

He swallowed subtly and started walking, keeping the basket between them so he didn’t have to wonder if he should hold her hand. It was a cowardly move, but he felt it was justified.

“I guess I can feel quite safe with someone capable of winning the royal tournament, huh?” she asked, looking at John with a light smile.

“Well, yeah. Most monsters should be pretty easy to handle, and either way, I’ll be able to keep you safe.”

As he mentioned monsters, a thought struck him: ‘Did they put monsters into this world so we would know how to fight them?’

She smiled brightly at his answer, interrupting his thoughts. “That’s reassuring! I don’t know much about how you guys fight during the tournament. Is it just magic or a mix of both?”

“We use whatever we feel like, so the best strategy wins. I use a mix of melee and magic, but I prefer bashing people with my greatsword.”

“What? Isn’t that dangerous?” she asked nervously.

“All edged weapons are blunted, so there’s no real danger of grave injuries—at least as long as people keep some essence to reinforce their bodies.”

“Hmm, still, it sounds a bit too violent for my tastes. I’m glad you’re done with it all!”

John looked at her curiously. “Did I tell you I would quit fighting?”

She looked a bit caught off guard by his question. “Uhm, no, I just assumed you would. Since you reached your goal, you know. And I wouldn’t mind if you keep going, even if this… this date ends well.” A light blush spread across her face, forcing John to look away.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

A sudden wave of sadness washed over him at that moment as he thought about his future. He would rarely even be in this world, busy fighting monsters to keep those he cared for safe.

Was getting into a relationship with Serah even morally okay? As Vera said, she was much safer than he would be. He might die at any time over the next year, while she would be worrying over his unconscious body.

‘Test it is then. At least I’ll know if there’s a chance. If there isn’t, I’ll… let this be our only date. It would be too cruel, forcing her into a doomed relationship.’

Serah looked at him as they walked down the dirt road. “It has been lonely in the village while you were gone, John. So that’s why I was thinking you would stay… But I really am fine if you want to keep fighting.”

John realized he had been quiet too long, making her nervous. “Oh, no, sorry. I was just lost in my thoughts for a bit. I… haven’t decided just yet. But I think I’ll have my answer after today."

He hadn’t even thought much about his future before everything that happened yesterday. The royal tournament and the promise had been his goal, and anything after would have to be figured out then. But now it didn’t matter.

He glanced at her, still feeling some guilt about his long absence. “Hey, uh… I’m sorry about leaving. It was—”

“I’ve decided to enjoy the moment, John. Let’s leave the past in the past, okay?” She smiled at him, but he could tell there was something hidden behind it.

“Sure. Water under the bridge. I got it.”

It wasn’t a long walk, being relatively close to the village, but it was well hidden behind bushes and trees. After taking off from the main road, John walked in front to clear the way. The bushes had grown since their last time here, but not enough to hinder them.

Eventually, they reached the old tree, which was still perfect for climbing. The years had barely changed it. At a closer look, notches after them throwing knives and tracking their growth were still visible.

John took a blanket from the basket and laid it on the ground while Serah looked at the tree, reliving memories of the old days.

“It’s odd to be back here; it almost feels like my first time. But I clearly remember us climbing the tree many times.” She looked at John, who was preparing the boxes of food and drinks. “You remember that time I fell down? You were so worried about my knee!” She laughed, holding her hand in front of her mouth.

John thought back to it and smiled. “Yeah, it was bleeding quite a bit. I thought the doctor would have to chop it off.”

Serah sat down on the side of the blanket, looking at him fondly. “And then you carried me all the way back while crying for my lost foot.”

John denied that with a slight blush. “I don’t think I cried.”

“You definitely did; that’s why I remember it so well. I was trying to comfort you, but you never stopped.”

“... Well, I was young. I’ve stopped crying now.”

“I’m sure you have,” she said, smiling knowingly. “What did you bring? Ooh, even a candle? You’re spoiling me.”

“Oh, you thought I didn’t know how to do this? I’ve got it all covered; there are sandwiches, a salad, strawberries, apples, and plenty of juice. Take your pick,” he said while pointing to each thing he mentioned.

She clapped her hands together in excitement. “Wow, and you prepared all this by yourself? That’s impressive!”

John wanted to take the credit, but he knew it would cause trouble in the long run. “I definitely prepared some of it!” he said, without going into it further.

The clever smile on her face told him she knew who did most of the work.

Shaking his head to reset his thoughts, he looked at the candle with a glint in his eye. ‘Okay, let’s test this potential of yours.’

The system command menu had been open for a while now, and finally, he pressed it, determined to at least take this step.

Serah was now under testing and unable to use her essence. It was hard for most people to notice, but John had a plan ready.

“Have you trained your magic skills at all, Serah?” he asked, subtly guiding her into lighting the candles.

She was pouring herself a cup of juice, but she put it down with an excited smile after hearing his question. “Yeah, I’m pretty decent even! Wanna see?”

“Sure, knock yourself out! Maybe try–” he pointed to the candle, but before he could react, she sent a roaring fireball into the sky, soaring at an impressive speed before fizzling out.

‘What? Her essence was supposed to be blocked! Did the test not work?’

As he looked up in the sky, John heard a soft thud before him. He looked down to see Serah lying unconscious on the blanket.

“Serah? Serah, are you okay!? Serah!”

John panicked and went over to see if she was still breathing. Putting his ear over her lips, he heard steady breathing, so she seemed mostly fine.

‘No, wait, is this… Did she wake up in the other world? But how?’

John laid her down in a stable position, thinking about the best course of action. He could carry her to someone in the village to get help, but he leaned more towards returning to the other world.

‘If she’s over there all alone... This is all my fault!’

In the end, he pressed the ‘Exit Simulation’ button on the menu and felt his consciousness turn dark once again.