I was naive.

The moment Nicht disappeared, I should have teleported away with him.

Why did I think of something so heartless that it would make my teacher cry if she heard?

It's okay because she's already crying.

Wait, that's not okay, but…

"Raon! I'm so glad… I'm so glad you're okay…!"

The time was night.

After Nicht teleported away, Bianca rushed in to find me, who was peeking from the cave's entrance.

Thinking that it was the perfect time for us to talk things through and resolve her misunderstanding, I was about to open my mouth, but…

"Strip!"

"?"

"Now!"

However, a dragon's dexterity was beyond imagination.

Didn't she even manage to take off my clothes in an instant?

It was an impressive feat, enough for me to rise and applaud… if not for the fact that I was currently naked while this pretty girl was inspecting every nook and cranny on my body.

"Huh? How are you okay?"

"That's what I was trying to say…"

How did it come to this?

"But that gift was certainly…"

"It would be faster if you see it. Teacher, please use your vision."

"Ooh! Right!"

My teacher can be surprisingly clumsy at times.

Fortunately, she obediently used her vision skill to check every part of my body.

No, please don't look down there too…

"Ooh!"

Don't exclaim while looking at that, too!

'I can guess why she exclaimed so joyfully, though. '

She might have finally realized that I really am okay.

However, she could at least look at my face as she did that…

"Raon! You look great!"

"My health, right?! You are talking about my health, right?"

"Huh? Of course. But why are you blushing…?"

Bianca tilted her head–

"Oh…"

–And smirked.

"Hehe, why are you so cute?"

Bianca then poked my cheeks and continued to tease me.

'What kind of shame play is this?'

First, we are outside.

Second, I am naked.

Third, a pretty girl is touching me all over.

If someone who doesn't know the situation saw this, they would definitely misunderstand it as a play by a perverted couple.

No, since I'm the only one who was naked, I would probably be the only one who ends up being labeled as an exhibitionist.

'Objection!'

I'm neither a pervert nor an exhibitionist.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

Nay!

Just so you know, I'm a man with a perfectly respectable and normal taste.

'However, I don't exactly want to dampen her mood.'

It broke my heart to see her crying like before, even more so because the reason for her tears was because she was worried about me.

At that moment, I resolved that I'd do anything to wipe the sadness from her face, and I didn't want to reverse that resolve.

'But the result is this…'

Sometimes, it's better to live without resolve.

I admit, it's good that Bianca stopped crying after all this, but...

'No, what am I saying?'

There's nothing good about this at all…!

It seemed like the heat from embarrassment had risen so much that it messed me up in the head.

Right, in times like this, it's best to get rid of my embarrassment first.

"Teacher…"

"Yes? What is it, my disciple?"

"That… It's cold here, so… can I get my clothes back?"

"Oh no! That's no good! We have to warm you up soon. I'll prepare the bath, okay?"

"No, rather than that… My clothes…"

"Just wait for a bit, okay? I will get ready in a minute!"

She moved so fast her figure seemed to blur.

'She will get ready…?'

For what?

As I remembered how Bianca had taken a bath with me before, I shuddered there and then.

'No way, right?'

It was the moment when I was about to turn around and run.

"I'm ready!"

"You said it'll took a minute!"

"I gave it my all when I saw you shuddering in the cold!"

That was because of you, teacher. Not the cold.

Oh no, and now she's coming here fully nude!

"Hehe. Now, my disciple. Let's warm each other tonight?"

"Ah…"

It was the moment my body had learned how warm and comfortable a dragon's body temperature could be.

***

We talked joyfully as we spent a comfortable time in the bath and went to bed.

I had a feeling both of us had something more important to say to each other, but…

'We were probably holding back in consideration for the other.'

If I had to guess, it must be about the same topic.

Specifically, what we are going to do from now on.

It was a topic too serious for a boy who had gone through a life-and-death situation and a girl who had been betrayed by the childhood friend she trusted.

'It's an important topic, but… Should I really ask her about it? Now?'

It was when I tried to get a better position in bed.

I looked up and met Bianca's gentle blue eyes.

"Oh…"

I forgot what I was about to say, as if that beautiful eyes of hers had sucked in all of my thoughts.

"Can't sleep?"

She whispered, her breath brushing lightly against me. It was sweet.

"Yes…"

Bianca was hugging me from behind as we lay together in bed. Our bodies were practically glued to each other, but...

'I wonder why? It doesn't feel so bad now that I've gotten used to it.'

Was it because of her heartbeat? It feels strangely comforting.

She giggled for a bit before offering a suggestion.

"Should I sing a lullaby for you?"

"I'm not a kid."

"Is that a no?"

"... Please do."

"Hehe, so honest."

It's not like I want to hear a lullaby or anything, okay? I was just curious, okay?

Bianca then began to sing.

'This song…'

It was one of the theme songs for the game.

'Was it a lullaby? I didn't know.'

Now that this world is no longer a game, there is so much that I don't know.

‘In fact, the time might come when my game knowledge will truly become useless.’

When I can no longer rely on the game knowledge that I have.

When I lost all the people that I loved.

And when everything goes so wrong that only the world’s end is certain.

Can I continue to move forward like the original protagonist did?

‘Raon Eva.’

Protagonist of the world.

He was not born as the hero. If anything, he started as 'Villager A' from the countryside.

However, he was definitely the right person to be chosen as the protagonist of this world.

Why? Because even when anyone in his position would give up, he chose to keep going and went through endless regression in order to save the world.

Such a person had failed.

So, how could I succeed?

So what can a modern person like me do when I can't even regress and my biggest advantage will eventually become useless?

'I don't know.'

I thought everything was over the moment I lost the hero.

But when I remembered Raon, I realized that everything was only over the moment I gave up.

'New Hero.'

I don't know where to find them or even if such a person would truly appear, but–

'It's better than giving up.'

I was about to ask Bianca what we should do from now on.

But, I think, I just found out my answer in this brief amount of rest.

'I'm going to save the world.'

Tomorrow, I have to run again.

So isn't it fine if I rest for today?

'I sound like a procrastinator.'

I smiled a little at the silly thought and just listened to Bianca's lullaby.

As her beautiful voice reached the end of the song, my eyelids started to become heavy.

"You've done well, my disciple. It was great."

"Mm…"

Was it because of my sloppy appearance? Bianca giggled and hugged me tighter.

"Sleep well, Raon."

I closed my eyes as I let her warmth envelop me.

And then, I fell asleep in her embrace.