"Reflia, aren't you cold? Here, wear this. It's the one I bought yesterday—clean and not messy."

I took off my coat and draped it over Reflia.

It was a stiff, coarse fabric, but better than nothing.

"……Hikaru, aren't you cold?"

"No, I'm actually pretty heat-sensitive."

"You're so pale—definitely lying… hey!"

"Whoa, hey!"

After adjusting to sit closer, Reflia rearranged the coat, draping it over both of us.

Our body heat trapped inside the coat, warming us up.

But it was definitely a very awkward situation.

"See? Now we're both warm, right?"

"Well, sure, but…"

"Hehe... I spent the night on these stairs during the previous party too. But back then, I never imagined I'd end up sitting side by side with a boy like this, sharing the night."

"I felt the same way. I was determined not to get close to anyone in this town."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Getting along with Reifrea was a huge miscalculation."

"You say things like that again..."

And so we sat in silence for a while.

In the darkness ruled by stillness, we simply felt each other's warmth.

— Once this battle is over, we won't be able to explore together anymore.

She'll become a Holy Knight in her hometown, and I'll stay here in this labyrinth forever.

Maybe she'll visit occasionally. Just that would be enough for me.

That's how it would be—she'd become impossible to let go of.

That was my genuine, unfeigned truth.

Yesterday, Refreia took me to a place bathed in light, and for just a fleeting moment, I truly forgot about Earth.

I genuinely felt that, with her by my side, I might just be able to walk through this world.

—I want to be with her forever.

How easy it would be if I could just say that one simple phrase.

But the more I think that way,

the more I realize I must push her away,

because if she were seen by the 7 billion people on Earth,

"…Hikaru. I like you."

Refreia murmured softly.

Another confession, perhaps the countlessth.

I don't even understand why I ended up liking her so much.

But maybe that's just how romance is—unexpected.

"Just being with you, I feel completely fulfilled... I forget even about my family, my younger sister..."

"……I see."

"That's why, Hikaru. Even after this ends... I want to stay with you forever. To explore the labyrinth together, rent a room together—no 'limited time' nonsense, just forever."

"Reifrea…"

She finally said the words she had once started to speak.

I had set a two-week deadline for myself. It was the time limit for the viewership race. I had planned to use her just for that duration.

But I never thought Refrea would take such an interest in me from the start. I figured she’d quickly realize her mistake and pull away on her own.

Refrea was, as Alex’s reaction made clear, exceptionally beautiful.

Her platinum blonde hair had a slight wave. Large almond-shaped eyes. Glossy lips. A faint blush on her cheeks. And her figure was model-level.

She was truly a woman who attracted countless admirers.

I couldn’t believe someone like her would be drawn to someone like me—plain and unremarkable.

I thought her feelings were just a sense of obligation for being saved, or perhaps something she was convincing herself of.

…But there was no lie in her words right now.

They carried a genuine, heartfelt sincerity.

“I can’t be with Refrea anymore.”

That was precisely why I bit my teeth and answered like that.

— I was deeply drawn to her. Irresistibly so.

I, too, wanted to stay by her side.

If we could continue exploring together as the trio of Refreia, Grapeflour, and me, how wonderful it would be.

In this world, which had been forced upon me like an accident, I believed I could find meaning in life — with her. The more I believed this, the more special every moment with her became.

Yet still.

That was precisely why.

I couldn't stay with Refreia any longer.

"…You're not really hate me, are you?"

If I answered that, I'd be a coward. That's why… I couldn't answer.

Saying I can't be with her because I love her — she wouldn't understand that, surely.

But as for the reason…

it wasn't over yet. Perhaps it was time to tell her.No, I have to tell her.

If she puts distance between us after that, then so be it.

There's almost no time left. Once we defeat the Demon King, the viewer race will end.

Refreia has already lent me all the power she could.

"Then why...? We were such a good party, weren't we? We've cleared the third floor, and we could've gone on to the fourth and fifth floors. Tell me... I can't give up without knowing..."

"Refreia... I... I'm not actually from this world."

"Huh?"

She stared at me, wide-eyed, at my sudden confession.

It was only natural—after all, I'd just blurted out something utterly incomprehensible.

"I come from a different world. Just... about forty days ago. I know this sounds unbelievable..."

"That kind of thing... Wait, no, it's really true, isn't it? Hikaru."

Pulling slightly away from me, she turned her body toward me, staring straight into my eyes.

In those eyes, I saw a genuine, earnest light—she was truly facing me.

"That's also why I can't stay with you. We 'Transmigrants' are watched by people from our original world. Like gladiators forced to fight as entertainment. Even right now."

"Watched...? But no one's watching us, right?"

Reflair glancing around nervously.

Even I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen the status board and prior information—no way I'd have thought someone was watching us every single second.

"Don't look at me like that. I wouldn't lie about something so ridiculous... Right now, hundreds of millions of people are watching us, listening to this very conversation."

"Eight hundred million... That many people... I've never even heard of such a number..."

In this world, they might not even know what the unit "hundred million" means.

Refreia still looks at me with doubt in her eyes.

I can't blame her. If I'd heard something like that back on Earth, I'd have questioned the other person's sanity.