"---And that, in a nutshell, is how I managed to come back to life."
Now that I’d successfully achieved my resurrection, I filled Alicia in on everything that had transpired in the mental world.
I explained the truth about the barrier covering the Royal Capital and how I was able to revive from such a state. Of course, I glossed over certain details—like Sebas being a demon or the fact that he was essentially the root cause of the whole mess. Some things were better left unsaid.
"Quit staring at me."
I said this while keeping my eyes fixed on Patricia’s sullen expression. It couldn't be helped; if I let my gaze wander to Alicia, the Beast of Brave inside me might explode and go on a rampage.
"So that's what happened..."
"Yeah. Sorry for worrying you. I’m truly sorry."
When I said that, Alicia pulled me into a tight embrace.
"Thank goodness... I’m so glad you’re alive! Truly, I’m so happy!"
"Alicia..."
Her warmth seeped into me, and it felt as though the Beast of Brave was finally regaining its composure.
Hey, Beast of Brave. Or rather, Something Left Behind by the First. You've settled down because you trust her, right? Let’s go with that.
Now then. From what I gathered, Alicia hadn't actually seen the fight between me and Belias; she’d simply been waiting for my return after the battle ended. Then, the abnormality in the venue occurred.
While she waited in a state of growing anxiety, what finally returned was my body—heart pierced, with my head and torso having effectively waved each other goodbye. It was no wonder she thought I was dead.
However, Patricia had insisted I was still breathing. Alicia had been skeptical, but she’d decided to put her faith in those words.
As it turned out, I hadn't made it back in time to stop the kiss itself. Driven by a sudden curiosity, I asked her why she’d chosen that specific moment.
"Alicia, I would have revived even if you’d just left me be. Why did you kiss me then?"
Sebas had warned me so abruptly that I’d scrambled back to my body in a frantic rush. Because of that, my libido had been on the verge of a total meltdown. Honestly, it was a godsend that Patricia was right there. Looking at her face was the ultimate turn-off.
"She said she was going to kiss you to bring you back," Alicia explained. "And I... well, I really didn't want your first kiss to be taken like that."
"Thank you, Alicia. Thank you for protecting my first kiss."
I was honestly moved.
"Ragna, why are you crying? Was it that bad?"
"No, these are tears of joy. If you hadn't been there, my heart would have been scarred by a trauma-fueled dark history forever."
It was worth every bit of it. If anyone ever tries to mock my first kiss in the future, I’ll erase them from existence so thoroughly they’ll never have been born.
"...You’ve certainly got a lot to say for a pervy descendant of a pervy family," Patricia chimed in, her voice dripping with irritation. "What? Your libido is out of control because your vitality is too strong? You really are the ultimate cockroach among cockroaches, aren't you? Does anyone have some insecticide?"
"They say a Hero is fond of the pleasures of the flesh, but I’m devoted to Alicia alone. I have no interest in someone like you who spends her time playing around with a reverse harem. Get lost."
"So annoying."
Now I think I finally understand why heroes had that reputation. In a world at peace, there are only so many ways to bleed off an inexhaustible supply of life force. When you’re a hero who saved the world, women never stop throwing themselves at you, and the higher-ups are surely trying to push girls onto you for their own schemes.
But I’m staying true to Alicia. I have no intention of becoming some old lecher surrounded by a harem.
"Don't you two think it’s a bit late for bickering?"
At those words from Alicia, I decided to stop glaring at Patricia for the moment.
"You're right. We still have things to do."
The First Head gave me a mission. I have to look after his friends inside the barrier.
"Wait a second... hasn't the barrier already vanished?"
Mentally, I’d been geared up to go smash the thing to pieces, but now that I thought about it, the barrier had shattered right before my head was lopped off. It hadn't been Patricia's doing, but the intervention of some unknown third party.
"Patricia, let's call a truce for now."
"Don't be so familiar. And for the record, I wasn't fighting you to begin with."
Fair enough.
"I want to organize the situation—figure out what happened and where we stand."
"I have no obligation to tell you anything, but there’s a possibility of a gap between what I know and what you know, so fine. If you’ve truly obtained the Immortal Hero's Power, I might as well work you to the bone."