Chapter 15
“W-what? Is that really true?”
“Yes.”
I knew Kaizen wasn’t the type to speak empty words. But even so, I wanted something stronger—some confirmation, even if it was symbolic.
“Th-then promise me. Swear it.”
I thrust my pinky finger out toward him. He stared down at it in confusion.
“What is this?”
“Where I’m from, this is how we seal a promise. So hook your finger with mine. Come on. Swear it.”
He let out a low sigh and stepped toward me. In those pale blue-grey eyes flickered a faint glimmer of pity.
“…I swear. You will not have a 100th life.”
Kaizen’s hand was warmer than I expected.
It wasn’t the first time I’d held it, but it was the first time I felt its warmth.
The emotion of the moment made my eyes sting.
“Thank you. Really… thank you, Kaizen.”
“…For what?”
“For trusting me. I’ll count on you from now on.”
I beamed and clasped his hand. He turned his head slightly and coughed awkwardly.
I was moved just by the fact that Kaizen didn’t pull his hand away.
Tap—tap—
“…Huh?”
A few drops of rain began to fall, then quickly grew stronger.
From experience, this meant a thunderstorm would hit soon.
Clucking my tongue, I grabbed Kaizen’s hand and tugged.
“We need to get out of here. The weather in this place is nasty—gotta move fast.”
There was no time to savour the emotional moment; we hurried out of the save point.
The moment we stepped past the boundary, a clear sky spread out above us. I was clicking my tongue at the sudden shift when Kaizen abruptly asked:
“But why are we going back to Hanak Village?”
“To look for Hamma and get the Demon King Castle map piece. And this time, you’re not ripping it again. Actually—forget it. I’m keeping it.”
Kaizen scratched his neck awkwardly.
“Still… because I ripped it, we found the temple, didn’t we?”
“That’s true. Should we try ripping it again?”
Kaizen looked down at me with a face full of disappointment instead of answering.
Seriously. He was the one who tore it first.
A few days later, we arrived safely at Hanak Village.
Seeing Hamma sprinting toward us from the village entrance made me both relieved and… oddly emotional. It was the same face as before, yet he looked even more worn out than the last cycle.
“Romi niiim! Herooo!”
Hamma burst into tears, scolding me for coming so late.
“Do you know—hic—how long I’ve been waiting? Seven years! Seven whole years!”
“Sorry. I didn’t know it would turn out like this.”
“You said you wouldn’t die! You said you wouldn’t die!”
“I really won’t die now. Let’s just say everything up to now was the prologue.”
“What kind of prologue lasts seven years…?”
Hamma glared at me through sniffles. I looked away with nothing to say.
After whining in my arms for a bit, he suddenly lit up with fury and snapped at Kaizen.
“What is wrong with you, Hero! What’s your problem? Why do you do that every single time?!”
The sudden attack made Kaizen exhale helplessly.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose with long fingers and murmured so quietly it was barely audible:
“…Sorry.”
Hamma, having somehow heard that, scoffed.
“Hmph. Like you even know what you’re apologising for.”
“I do. Because I died.”
“…?”
Hamma froze mid-sniffle, staring wide-eyed between the two of us.
“W-wait… you don’t mean…!”
His bright red eyes trembled like an earthquake. I nodded and gently set him down.
“Kaizen recovered his memories. Not all—just the previous cycle. But still.”
Hamma slapped a hand over his mouth in awe.
“Incredible…! It’s thanks to your cooking, right, Romi?”
“Probably.”
I briefly explained what happened at the temple and our talk at the save point. Then I told Kaizen about Hamma’s brainwashing.
After hearing everything, Hamma turned to Kaizen with a prim little sniff.
“Well, at least you have some conscience. If you say you’re not dying anymore, I’ll give you a chance!”
“Hey. Coming from the most shameless bunny alive, that sounds weird.”
“Oh, Romi-niiim, you jokester~”
Hamma lightly tapped my shoulder and winked.
What do you mean, joke…? I wasn’t joking.
When I stayed silent with a straight face, he awkwardly cleared his throat.
“Ahem. S-so what’s the plan now?”
“First, we build a house. We need a base.”
So we headed to the opposite side of the forest near Hanak Village.
We’d started right away, so it was still bright midday.
We picked a good spot, and I swung the axe with all my strength.
“Hup!”
House-building was child’s play now.
Thud!
A few swings and the tree toppled with a heavy crash.
“But why build a house here?”
Kaizen easily lifted the fallen log and looked at me curiously. I swung the axe again as I explained.
“Because this is the perfect spot. Mountain at our back, riverside in front. Ideal for living.”
Since my goal was feeding him three meals a day, we needed a house.
Kaizen told me his own home was at the far northern edge of the Empire—and snow fell year-round there.
If snow piled up, merchants couldn’t pass through, which meant ingredients would be hard to get.
So we settled on Hanak Village, right in the centre of the Empire. Plus, we needed the rest of the map.
“And you said you don’t want to live inside the village.”
“…Too many noisy beast-folk there.”
Kaizen grimaced, already exhausted by the thought.
Honestly? Same. If a hundred Hammas were running around, I’d be terrified too.
“Hup—! That’s why this place is perfect.”
Strangely, despite all the game’s popularity, no one ever passed by this spot. Hunting here was practically free real estate.
And it was only a 30-minute walk through the forest to get to the village. Supplies were easy to get.
As long as we avoided forest fires, it was the perfect spot for broke people like us to live.
And somehow, the terrain felt familiar.
Probably one of the random locations I passed by years ago while playing.
“I haven’t lived long, but I’ve never seen a woman build a house before.”
“Live through ninety-nine lives like I have, and you could build a palace.”
“…”
Carrying a log on his back, Kaizen froze in the middle of the forest path.
Then he let out a soft sigh and turned around.
“…I’m sorry.”
Guilt flickered across his face.
I glanced at him and swung the axe again.
“Hup…! Good. Keep feeling sorry.”
“…”
If his guilt could keep him from dying, I’d exploit it endlessly.
With Hamma helping, we finished the house in just two days.
Small as he was, the little guy had ridiculous strength. I should’ve known from the way he’d eat meat like a tiny carnivore.
“A log house really is the best.”
Night fell, lit only by moonlight.
I smiled proudly at the sturdy house we built.
When I opened the door, the empty interior greeted me. Since Hanak Village was nearby, I planned to buy what we needed tomorrow.
“I’ve forged weapons, but never built a house. Thanks to Romi-nim, I got to experience suffering I never asked for!”
“That’s what happens when you leave home. Who told you to follow us? You could’ve stayed in your village.”
“What if we suddenly get thrown back seven years again? Once was enough! I’m going to watch the hero like a hawk so he never dies again!”
Seeing Hamma speak so seriously—as if Kaizen were right in front of him—made me oddly proud.
… Wait. Did he just call Kaizen “that hero bastard” again?
Maybe rabbits are braver than I thought.
“Watching him is fine, but if you’re living with us, you’d better contribute to the household. No freeloading. Got it?”
“Tch. So stingy. I’ve never met anyone as harsh as you, Romi-nim!”
Hamma and I were bickering, lying on the floor, when the door creaked open.
Kaizen stepped inside.
“You’re back? Come lie down over here.”
He ignored me entirely and walked straight past—heading for Hamma.
Then he grabbed the bunny by the collar and hoisted him up.
“Outside. Now.”
“Eek! W-why!? What did I do, Hero?”
Hamma’s ears shot straight up as he trembled. Kaizen’s face was stiff as stone.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“D-did you… hear what I said earlier…?”
Hamma shrunk down, terrified. But Kaizen’s words were nothing like what we expected.
“For an unmarried man and woman to share a house alone at this hour… Have you both lost your minds?”
“Eeeh!? W-woman!? I’m a rabbit beast-folk!”
“Beast-folk or not, you’re still male.”
I stared blankly at the two of them.
What is wrong with this guy lately?
Hamma was equally dumbfounded.
“T-then what about you, Hero! You’re also a man!”
Kaizen answered proudly, like a scholar in a morality tale.
“Of course I’ll sleep outside. I cannot share a roof with a woman who is not my betrothed.”
