I was Reincarnated as an Incompetent Leader with Zero Popularity who met his downfall early on. Instead of banishing the hidden cheat Protagonist, I decided to embrace him, and somehow, I ended up being treated like a Hero instead. - Chapter 15

When I came to, I found myself lying in a forest on the outskirts of the city.

The last thing I remembered was falling in the temple’s kitchen at night, but now the sun was already high in the sky.

I opened the bundle beside me and found several books and a leather pouch filled with gold coins.

“To teach and guide others, you need knowledge.”

Those were Elena’s words as she prepared the books for me. I would take my time reading them later.

For now, my priority was to return to base. I grabbed the bundle and stood up, hearing birds chirp from the trees above.

The unfamiliar scenery of this otherworld didn’t feel as overwhelming as it did when I was drunk.

Still, my memories of living as Alva were oddly fragmented.

I had mentioned this to the Goddess of Knowledge during our drinking session, and she explained that my memories as Takumi Haimura were currently dominant.

She assured me that as I continued living as Alva Greyblood, my memories would gradually merge.

When I asked why I had suddenly regained my memories as Takumi Haimura, even she couldn’t provide an answer.

She mentioned that when the goddesses had obtained my soul, it hadn’t reacted to anything they tried, leaving them baffled.

I suspect it was the impending expulsion of Chrono that triggered my awakening.

If I had continued down the path of Alva, the only outcome would have been ruin.

Whether it was dying miserably or becoming a Demon King, neither was an option I wanted.

Lost in thought, I walked out of the forest and into the bustling city.

The streets were lively, filled with chatter and the enticing aroma of grilled meat.

My stomach growled. While I had enjoyed some exquisite liquor at the temple, I hadn’t eaten a single meal.

I bought a skewer of roasted meat from a street vendor.

When I handed over a gold coin, the vendor frowned, saying they didn’t have change for such a large amount.

I quickly remembered that a gold coin was worth about ten thousand yen and corrected myself by offering a silver coin, worth one thousand yen. I received four large copper coins as change.

Finishing this small errand, I bit into the meat, which tasted like a mix between beef and lamb. It wasn’t bad, but it made me long for soy sauce.

As I chewed the tough meat, I watched the bustling crowd, and fragments of my life in this world began to resurface.

I even remembered the location of a shop that sold sweets popular among women and children.

After finishing the skewer and returning it to the vendor, I headed for the sweet shop.

The shop was predictably filled with women. The display shelves were lined with bread filled with cream and fruit, the shop’s most popular item.

Initially, I only planned to buy one for Chrono. Then, I adjusted for the other women in the party. Eventually, I ended up buying enough for everyone.

The shopkeeper warned me that the sweets should be eaten soon, so I headed straight home.

When I opened the door adorned with a carved hawk, I immediately spotted a blonde twin-tailed girl sitting on the sofa and reading. It was Mian, the mage.

As soon as she noticed me, she dropped her book onto the table and yelled.

“Y-you idiot Alva! How dare you disappear for an entire week without contacting anyone?!”

“A week?!”

“Why are you the one surprised?! Seriously, get your act together! Ugh, I can’t stand your selfish behavior! Just drop dead already!”

She glared at me, her eyes filled with resentment, and added that the quests I had accepted had been completed by the others in my absence. I reflexively apologized.

Mian snorted, grabbed the box of sweets, and disappeared into the back of the house.

She probably assumed they were an apology gift. I considered warning her not to eat them all at once, as it might give her a stomachache, but I decided against it.

Mian is undeniably hot-tempered, but her anger was justified.

I owed apologies to the rest of the group as well.

I thought I’d only been gone for a few hours, but it turned out an entire week had passed.

The flow of time in the temple must be vastly different from here. Thank goodness I hadn’t stayed there for three days.

Still, upsetting Mian was a problem.

I had been planning to convert one of her costume rooms into a private space for Chrono.

With this new worry on my mind, I carried my belongings to my room.

The door was unlocked, so I opened it without hesitation.

Inside, a black-haired girl was in the middle of changing clothes.