After Leo and Taiga arrived at the room, we decided to stay in the village for a few days until I fully recovered.
Leo insisted on it.
"You almost died," he said. "We're not moving until you can walk properly again."
During those days, Leo and Taiga spent most of their time outside the village, hunting demons and beasts that wandered too close to the area.
"That's so like him," I thought.
Meanwhile, Dia-chan stayed with me at the inn.
"Here… ahn~"
She held a spoon of porridge toward my mouth.
"Dia-chan, I can eat by myself," I said.
"No," she replied gently. "You're still recovering. Let me take care of you."
She softly blew on the spoon to cool it down before bringing it closer.
"Ahn~"
I sighed and opened my mouth.
After I finished eating, she brought a warm towel.
"You're sweating," she said.
Then she smiled softly.
"I'll take your clothes off, okay~"
"W-wait—"
But she had already begun helping me remove my shirt.
Her movements were gentle as she wiped my body with the warm towel.
"…There are so many scars this time," she murmured quietly.
I remembered the ambush.
The flash of a spear.
The demons closing in.
And the moment I thought I might actually die.
I smiled slightly.
"These wounds are proof that I managed to protect you,"
For a moment, Dia-chan didn't say anything.
Her hand, which had been gently wiping my back, slowly stopped.
"…Satou-kun…"
Her voice trembled, soft and fragile, as if she was holding back tears.
She suddenly stopped wiping my back.
A moment later, she moved in front of me.
Before I could react, she gently pushed my chest and sat on my thighs.
"I can't hold back anymore," she whispered softly.
"I love you, Satou-kun~" as she tried to take off her bra.
"Dia-chan—?"
She pressed a finger lightly against my lips.
"No~"
"You don't have to say anything."
"This time… I'll take care of you."
Her pink hair flowed across the pillow as she leaned closer.
Under the dim light of the room, her slender figure looked almost unreal.
That night…
We embraced each other.
---
"Hey, Satou-kun."
"What is it?" I asked quietly.
"I love you."
I stayed silent.
"Do you remember the promise you made when we were children?"
A promise?
I didn't remember anything like that.
Because I wasn't the Satou she grew up with.
She looked at me and slowly closed her eyes.
"Back then… we promised that when we grew up, we would get married in the cabin where we used to play together."
For a moment, a memory from the story surfaced in my mind.
That cabin.
It had appeared briefly in the original novel.
But this promise…
It was never mentioned.
Because Satou had died during the bandit attack while protecting her.
"Satou-kun…"
Dia wrapped her arms around me tightly.
Her entire body pressed gently against mine.
I could feel her warmth.
Her breathing.
Her heartbeat.
She rested her head against my chest.
"I love you."
At that moment, something echoed in my mind.
The words of that god—
No.
That devil.
"You will die the moment the Hero defeats the Demon King."
I wanted to answer Dia's feelings.
But knowing what awaited me…
The words felt stuck in my throat.
Even so—
For her happiness…
I couldn't stay silent.
I wrapped both of my arms around her.
"Dia-chan…"
"I love you too."
Her body trembled slightly.
"Thank God…"
She lifted her head and gently kissed my lips.
"I love you… I love you, Satou-kun."
"Ufufu~"
Her soft laugh echoed in the quiet room.
I felt happy.
But at the same time…
Something inside my chest ached.
Eventually, we fell asleep together.
That night…
Satou-kun didn't realize it.
But his answer—
Would change the future.
And perhaps…
His own fate as well.