[ Time is Over. The party has been sent back to their world… ]
I could hear the mechanical voice of the system echoing inside my mind. That sound alone was enough to assure me that I was still alive. And honestly, that was something worth feeling grateful for, wasn't it?
After all, the attack I received from the Minotaur was the most painful thing I had ever experienced. I couldn't help but wonder—did the pain from the truck accident that killed me in my previous life feel the same… or was it even worse?
Unfortunately, I couldn't remember it clearly. Because the next thing I knew, I had suddenly awakened and was face-to-face with the Administrator.
When I opened my eyes, my first thought was that I had returned to the living room where the Multiverse VR was set up—the same place where I summoned Eriri and before we were transferred into the DanMachi world.
Somehow, I could still think like this despite being unconscious—or maybe, I was already awake but in the process of being transferred from the DanMachi world back to my original one.
As my vision slowly cleared, I found myself lying on a soft, luxurious bed. The ceiling above me wasn't the stone cavern of the dungeon, nor the sterile white light of the Multiverse VR room—it was an ornate chandelier that gave off a warm golden glow.
I blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. The room around me looked… elegant. Expensive, even. The walls were painted a gentle cream color, with decorative molding along the edges. A grand window to my left was covered by flowing lace curtains, letting in the late afternoon light.
I slowly sat up, my body still sore, and began to take in more details. There were sketchbooks stacked neatly on a nearby desk, brushes and paints scattered about, and even a large canvas propped against the wall with half-finished drawings. My gaze moved further and—yeah, I could also see it—some otaku merchandise neatly arranged on a shelf: figures, Blu-ray boxes, posters.
It was a strange mix of refinement and obsession—like a room belonging to a rich artist who was also a hardcore fan.
And then I noticed her.
Sitting by the desk, her blonde twin-tails swaying slightly as she leaned forward with a focused expression, was Eriri. She was sketching something, completely absorbed in her work, the soft scratch of her pencil echoing through the quiet room.
That's when it hit me.
Wait a second… This is her room. I felt like I'd seen this place before—somewhere in an anime, maybe in a few episodes—but it was just for a moment, so I couldn't quite remember.
I froze, my thoughts spinning. Somehow, I'd been transported from a deadly dungeon battle… straight into Sawamura Spencer Eriri's bedroom.
"Oh, you're awake…" Eriri's voice broke the silence. She stood near the desk, holding her pencil, her expression a mix of relief and mild embarrassment. She must've heard me moving and making noise on the bed.
"Ah… I don't feel hurt at all," I said, checking my body. Not a single wound, not even a bruise. It was as if the fight with the Minotaur had been nothing more than a dream.
"Well, actually you fainted," Eriri began, walking closer and setting down her cup. "Some people took care of you after the Minotaur was defeated. It took about an hour before your body was sent back to the church. Then, I got a message from the system saying we were returning to our original world… and just like that, I woke up here."
She hesitated for a moment, looking down at her hands. "But it looks like I wasn't alone. When I realized you were here too, I was… a bit worried. But when I checked, you didn't have any wounds at all. Just sleeping like nothing happened."
"Is that so… Well, I died in my original world. So it's not weird that I woke up in your world. I mean, I can't just live inside the system, right? I just hope I won't disturb you, since… you know, I woke up in your room."
When I mentioned that I'd died in my original world, I noticed Eriri's expression shift. Her cheerful demeanor faded for a brief moment—just a flicker of discomfort, maybe even sadness. It was the kind of reaction you'd expect from someone who didn't know how to respond to death being mentioned so casually.
I gave a faint, awkward smile and slowly tried to get up from her bed. But before I could fully rise, Eriri quickly stepped forward and pressed her hands gently against my shoulders.
"Wait… please, don't go anywhere yet. Just rest for a while," she said softly but firmly. "Even if I don't see any injuries, you must've gone through a lot. So, just stay put, okay?"
Her tone was surprisingly gentle, and before I could argue, she pushed me back down onto the bed—not roughly, but with enough force that I gave up resisting.
"Well… I'll take your word for it," I said with a small sigh, relaxing against the pillow. "Even if I don't feel any pain, I can't deny that I'm exhausted. My body's fine, but my mind's… yeah, it's a mess."
"Good," Eriri said, letting out a relieved breath. She stepped back, brushing her blonde twin-tails behind her shoulders, and began pacing the room with a thoughtful look. "Now the problem is… how do I explain your existence here?"
She frowned, tapping her chin. "If my mom sees you here, she'll definitely freak out… Hmm…"
After a few seconds of deep thought, her eyes suddenly lit up. She clapped her hands together and said, "Ah! I can just tell her you're my female friend—maybe a tomboy or something!"
"W-What!?" I sat up instantly, disbelief written all over my face.
"Yeah, that's perfect!" she said, smiling confidently, clearly ignoring my confusion. "You'll stay here for a while until we figure out what's going on. I'll handle the explanation."
As she reached for the doorknob to leave, she turned back to me, her expression softening. "Ah, and… thank you. For protecting me back there. But… please, don't ever do something that dangerous again."
Her words carried genuine concern—something warm that contrasted with her usual tsundere tone.
"Ah… I'll do my best," I replied, smiling faintly.
She nodded before stepping out of the room, leaving me lying there. She seemed content with my answer, her expression calm and relieved. But deep down, both of us knew the truth—no matter what I said, when the time came, I would still do the same thing again and again.
[author]
Each chapter is about 1,000-1,200 words,
Monday to Saturday, every 5.00 AM in my country and maybe 3:00 PM in UTC since my reader lot from US. Thanks for reading!!! I hope all of you bless by luck when pulling in any gacha games.
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