When I Was Reincarnated, All the Heroines Were Stolen by the Fake Hero ~ The Guy Who Dominated With Original Story Knowledge, and Me Who Dominated With Talent. It Seems the World After the Ending Is My One-Man Stage ~ - Episode 38

Episode 38

Led by Rururii, Forleen and I continued our journey toward the elven dwelling.

Along the way, we wiped our bodies clean in a clear stream and washed our clothes as we pushed on through pathless terrain.

Given her laid-back personality and unpredictable behavior, I had expected something like this to a degree.

But not to this extent.

It’s already been two weeks since we entered the forest.

While we hadn’t encountered any danger, the seemingly endless journey was taking a toll on us mentally.

Would we even reach our destination before my lifespan runs out?

“Rururii.”

I called out to the small back walking lightly ahead of me.

“How much longer until we reach your home?”

She turned around and replied in a carefree tone,

“Hmm? Almost there, almost~”

That completely vague answer made me let out a sigh.

Her “almost there” couldn’t be trusted at all.

“If I don’t end up with white hair by the time we arrive, that’ll be a miracle…”

The honest thought slipped out of my mouth.

Seeking agreement, I looked toward Forleen walking beside me.

“Hey, don’t you think so too, For–leen?”

But she awkwardly turned her face away and mumbled,

“I-I… well, even if that *were* the future, I wouldn’t mind… I mean, such a future isn’t necessarily bad, either…”

For some reason, she took a positive stance. And for a moment, my brain froze.

…Could it be that I’m the one being weird here?

＊ ＊ ＊

After walking for a while longer, we reached a beautiful basin with a moderately large waterfall roaring down into it.

Without saying a word, Rururii walked over to the water’s edge and flopped down lazily onto the grass.

That was her way of signaling a break.

Taking the hint, I called out to Forleen.

“Let’s rest here for a bit.”

“Yes. Then, I’ll go look for something to eat.”

“It’s dangerous alone. I’ll come with you.”

Looking at the drowsy Rururii, I reminded her:

“Don’t leave this spot, okay?”

“Okay~”

Her relaxed reply came.

And with that, we headed off in search of food.

—

Not far from the waterfall basin, between the trees, we found a tree bearing vivid purple fruits.

However, the fruits were all growing at a slightly high position. It was just out of reach.

“What should we do…”

As I stood there thinking, Forleen hesitantly made a suggestion. She was blushing and fidgeting:

“Um… Yutaka-sama. If it’s alright… perhaps if you put me on your shoulders, I might be able to reach…”

Carrying the Saint—an adult woman—on my shoulders… the embarrassment was real.

“N-no, let’s look for a different food.”

When I said that, Forleen drooped her head sadly.

“Yes… of course… being carried like that would be… a bother, wouldn’t it…”

She murmured in a vanishingly small voice.

T-that’s not what I meant at all…

“…Alright. Let’s give it a try.”

I changed my mind out of guilt. And her face lit up immediately.

“Yes!” 

She replied cheerfully.

I knelt on one knee and lowered my posture to make it easier for her to climb on.

Forleen gently placed her feet on my shoulders. She was occasionally checking if I was alright.

As I felt her weight settle in, I braced my core and stood up slowly.

I locked away the honest thought of “adult women are heavy” deep inside my heart.

“U-um… are you okay?”

Forleen asked from above.

“No problem at all.”

I answered, pretending to be calm.

Carefully, I walked toward where the purple fruits were growing.

“Can you reach them?”

“Hmm… just a bit more…!”

Forleen leaned forward.

At that moment, her body weight shifted. And the soft but clearly present pressure of her thighs and their inner sides pressed firmly against the back of my head.

Suddenly, I could think of nothing else.

Don’t think, don’t think—

I kept repeating that spell in my mind.

“Ah, I got it! That’s three now!”

Forleen said happily, and I let out a breath of relief.

“Great. Then, I’ll let you down now—”

Just as I bent my knees—

“Heyyy!”

Rururii’s carefree voice called out from behind.

My tense nerves jumped at the sudden sound.

In that instant, I lost balance and almost fell backward.

This is bad—Forleen’s in danger!

I quickly braced my feet and tried to shift my weight forward again by force.

But that only added too much momentum. And I pitched forward instead!

“Guh…!”

I hit my head on a tree with a *thunk*. Stars were scattering in my vision.

Wincing in pain, I opened my eyes and saw… darkness.

Something heavy was pressing down on my head. What the heck is this?

As I reached up to move the darkness away—

“Kyah!”

A cute scream rang out.

That voice… it was Forleen.

“P-please don’t move!”

Forleen shouted, her voice almost a squeal. She quickly stood up and backed away.

I rubbed the spot I’d hit and stood up as well.

“You okay, Forleen?”

I looked around for her.

When I found her, she was pressing down the hem of her robe with both hands. Her face was bright red, eyes teary. And she refused to look at me.

Seeing the two of us like that, Rururii spoke in a lazy voice:

“I see, the lord’s still a guy after all~ But maybe save that kind of stuff for after we get back~”

Just what kind of position were we in!?

I panicked and quickly tried to explain.

“It’s a m-misunderstanding, Rururii!”

After that, I managed to clear up Rururii’s misunderstanding… but Forleen wouldn’t meet my eyes for a while.

By the way, the purple fruit we went through all that trouble to get?

It was a bit bitter.