I had happened to reunite with this year's Hero-role and fellow otherworlder, Seigi Mitsunaga-kun, in the Hydra Kingdom.
Surprised by the clear change in his demeanor since our last meeting, I slowly spoke up.
"It’s been a long time. How have you been?"
"Yes! You look well too, Miyama-san... I’ve heard plenty of rumors about you."
"R-Rumors?"
"Yes. I’ve heard a lot from Katy... ah, I mean, Princess Cattleya, who's traveling with us."
Mitsunaga-kun mentioned he had heard rumors about me. Come to think of it, the Second Princess of the Kingdom of Sinfonia is traveling with the Hero-role's party, so it wouldn't be surprising if she were exchanging letters with Ryze-san, Amalie-san, or Orchid.
Still, hmm... Princess Cattleya. Is "Katy" her nickname? Just as Alice said, they seem to be on good terms.
"Things like how you became friends with the Six Kings-sama, or how you won the Treasure Tree Festival..."
"A-Ahaha... No, really, those were all just by chance."
"No, it's amazing! I haven't even met any of the Six Kings-sama yet, so I'm honestly envious. They're the top of the Demon Realm, so I'm sure they're incredibly dignified... probably like the final boss of an RPG!"
"……"
I had a feeling that impression only applied to Megiddo-san and Magnawell-san.
"B-By the way, Mitsunaga-kun... are you in this city for the Hero-role Pilgrimage?"
"Eh? Oh, yes. I finished touring the Arclesia Empire the other day and just arrived here."
"I see. So, do you still give speeches and things like that?"
"Yeah. Though I'm mostly just reading from a script I was given. There are only a few spots where I actually speak my own thoughts."
As he spoke with a refreshing smile, I couldn't help but think how much brighter Mitsunaga-kun had become.
I didn't know much about his old self, but from his expression and tone, I could tell that the Pilgrimage was proving to be a valuable experience for him.
Since it felt awkward to keep talking while standing in the middle of the street, we moved to a nearby plaza and sat down to continue our conversation.
"Aoi-chan and Hina-chan were worried about you, too."
"Is that so? I can understand Kusunoki-senpai, but surely Hina said something like, 'That idiot Seigi needs to learn a painful lesson for once,' right?"
"……Ah, well..."
"She’s detested me for as long as I can remember. Well, it was my own fault."
She certainly had said exactly that. She also mentioned he was getting carried away when they met at the Evening Party. It seemed Hina-chan was particularly sharp only when the subject of Mitsunaga-kun came up.
"You two are childhood friends, right?"
"Yeah, well... more accurately, we're cousins."
"Eh? Really?"
"Yes. I was born in April and Hina was born in March, so I’m just a little bit older."
Surprisingly, it turned out that Mitsunaga-kun and Hina-chan were cousins. I didn't think they looked much alike, but they were male and female, after all; they probably wouldn't resemble each other as much as siblings would.
"I’ve always been a selfish, useless guy who only acted big toward his own family. She hates me with a passion. And it’s not that thing you see in stories where she claims to hate me but actually likes me—she just purely dislikes me."
"T-That’s... well..."
"No, I think it's only natural. I hate the old version of myself, too."
"……"
I got the sense that Mitsunaga-kun had made a conscious effort to change into the person he was now. Much like myself, he had encountered a major turning point in this world.
As I pondered this, Mitsunaga-kun gazed at the people passing through the plaza with a slightly distant look in his eyes, his voice turning quiet and calm.
"When I first came to this world, I felt like I’d become the protagonist of a story. I loved those stories where a Hero summoned to another world goes on adventures... I thought I had finally become one of them."
"Actually, I like light novels too, so I thought the same thing."
"You too, Miyama-san!? Isekai stories are great, aren't they? I never actually thought I'd end up in one, though."
"Yeah."
Hearing that we shared the same hobby, Mitsunaga-kun laughed happily.
"In those stories, the Hero usually has some kind of cheat ability, right? So I assumed I’d have one too."
"Right. Though there's also that trope where several people are summoned and the one not chosen as the Hero is actually the important one."
"Exactly! I didn't have the composure to think that far ahead back then, though."
After speaking, Mitsunaga-kun lowered his head slightly, his expression clouded with regret for the past.
"I was a complete idiot. Even though I hadn't actually accomplished anything, I acted like I could do whatever I wanted. I got carried away and was incredibly selfish... Honestly, I wish I could just crawl into a hole."
"I might have ended up the same way if our positions were reversed. I think I would’ve grown conceited if I were treated with that much deference. Besides, the fact that you feel that way now means you’ve changed, doesn't it?"
If I had been in his shoes, I might have let it go to my head, too. I might have believed I was the hero of a story and acted just as arrogantly.
"To be honest, I was rarely ever scolded. In fact, I hardly even spoke with my parents."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. To my workaholic parents, I wasn't a child they wanted; I was just a child who happened to be born."
"……"
He spoke matter-of-factly, but I could tell he didn't hold a high opinion of his parents.
"It wasn't exactly neglect, but they were almost completely indifferent to me. On my birthdays, they’d just hand me some cash and tell me to go buy whatever I wanted. I was never really praised, and I was never really scolded."
"I see..."
"That’s not the only reason, but I think I was pretty twisted back then."
"But you’re saying you’re different now, right?"
Those clearly weren't happy memories for him. However, Mitsunaga-kun had grown enough to be able to share them with someone else as a story from his past. I thought that was truly admirable, and certainly not an easy feat. And the person who had changed him was surely...
"Yes. After I came to this world and was acting like a fool... Princess Cattleya scolded me with everything she had. She knocked me off my high horse so hard my pride shattered. She asked me who the hell I thought I was, acting like that with borrowed authority."
"……"
"It might sound weird, but I was happy. I’d never had anyone look me in the eye and scold me that seriously before."
Mitsunaga-kun had described his past self as selfish. Now, he said he was happy to have been scolded. Perhaps he had been acting out because he just wanted someone to truly see him—to care enough to scold him. Just like I had shut myself in my shell while secretly wishing for someone to save me.
"After that, I tried to change. It’s a simple motivation, but I wanted to be recognized by her. I didn't want to let her down. I’m still a work in progress, but I believe I was able to change because of Princess Cattleya."
"I see."
The way Mitsunaga-kun looked when he spoke of her was bright; I could tell he truly cared for her.
At the same time, I remembered something I had unintentionally overheard before. I turned to Mitsunaga-kun and gave a light bow.
"That reminds me, I have to apologize to you, Mitsunaga-kun."
"Eh? Apologize?"
"Yeah. Actually, I was curious about how you were doing a while back, so I had an acquaintance look into it. At the time... well, I heard that you confessed to Princess Cattleya. I’m really sorry!"
"Wait, what!? You know about that!? Ugh, that’s so embarrassing... I mean, it’s not like it’s a secret or anything, but still!"
As I apologized, Mitsunaga-kun looked shocked for a moment before scratching his head in embarrassment.
"By the way... do you know the outcome?"
"Um, just that you were slapped after you confessed."
"Pfft, ahaha... Hearing that from someone else makes it sound so pathetic. It is the truth, though."
I knew he had confessed and been slapped, but I didn't know the final result. At the time, I had assumed the slap meant he’d been rejected, but seeing him now, that didn't seem to be the case.
"Actually, the answer to my confession was 'on hold.'"
"On hold?"
Sensing my confusion, Mitsunaga-kun gave a gentle smile.
"Yeah. It’s true that I was slapped right after I confessed. She told me, 'Stop trying to depend on me! You haven't even found confidence in yourself yet! I have no intention of accepting a confession born from a desire to cling to someone else!'"
"Oh, um..."
"But then she said, 'However, your feelings themselves make me very happy. That’s exactly why I can't allow myself to stunt your growth. So, first, you must see your commitment through to the end—fulfill your duty as the Hero-role until the very last day.'"
"That sounds like she feels the same way, doesn't it?"
"Yes. She also said, 'If you finish your duty and gain real confidence in yourself, and your feelings still haven't changed... then say those words to me again. If you do, I promise to stand by your side, even if it means giving up my status as royalty.' She was blushing when she said it."
Mitsunaga-kun looked incredibly happy, and I could tell his relationship with Princess Cattleya was going well.
"Afterward, Princess Cattleya immediately sent a letter of inquiry to the King of Sinfonia, and he gave his approval as well."
"I see. Congratulations."
"Thank you... though it’s still a bit early for that. My goal for now is to become a man worthy of standing by her side!"
He clenched his fists, his face full of determination. I could see a genuine strength in his eyes, and I realized that this was the primary reason he had changed so much.
Dear Mother, Father—the Mitsunaga-kun I reunited with has become a bright, motivated young man. I wonder what kind of person Princess Cattleya is—the one who brought about such a wonderful change in him?