-----
I had discovered that the ability to dream and delve into my past life's memories could be shared with my Spirit, Eleanora. With that, she seemed to have seen what I saw…
It made me feel rather happy to know there was someone that could relate to what I felt.
It honestly makes me feel embarrassed to think about it, especially because I had tried to suppress my feelings a lot in my previous life.
Especially… after Saphira's death. I ended up becoming someone even colder and expressionless than before. I ended up seeing emotions as a weakness I couldn't have.
I suppose I've gone back full circle… to think that I would once more treasure my emotions.
I had to die to finally do it once more…
But I wonder if what I am doing is okay.
What would my past self say about the me of now?
Would he laugh at how pathetic a man I have become?
Or would he smile back at me, and tell me that it was the right thing to do?
What… is the right thing to do at the end?
It's all always depends on our own perspectives, on our own morals…
But at the end of the day, what's right or wrong… it's what I decide.
I cannot say that I will change abruptly from one day to another.
It is actually impossible. My own mind is different, I cannot possibly be a completely different person.
But I can once more slowly open up the things I've caged my entire previous life.
Perhaps what I am feeling now…
This feeling of happiness of having saved my parents, and of… having stopped these people from dying is what it felt like to be human.
I was never a human after all… until now.
However, human-like emotions were always within my heart.
"Eleanora…" I said.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Do you think I've become weaker?" I asked.
"…No." she said.
"You don't?" I asked.
"No… You've become much, much stronger now…" she said.
"Why? Aren't… I softer?" I sighed.
"Softer? That's not right. You've become even stronger, because you're able to carry on even with these emotions on your shoulders… Maybe it is my own personal opinion but… I like the person you're slowly becoming…" she said.
"You do?" I asked.
"It's not… like you're changing. It feels more like… I am finally getting to know the real you." She said.
"Ah…"
The real me?
Was I all this time… wearing a mask?
…
"I see… Thank you for offering me your perspective, Eleanora… I always thought you disliked my family…" I sighed.
"Eh? W-Well, a bit before… But after some time… I realized they had helped you a lot! In fact… I've never seen you so happy before, in all our previous life… Seeing you so happy with these people… soothed my heart." Said Eleanora.
Happiness… Right, I had forgotten what it truly felt like to be happy in my previous life.
I had sometimes felt happy, but those moments were fleeting.
Not as many as these I've experienced in this second life.
"Eleanora… Our second life is just starting but… there will be many dangers ahead… I think I've found a new goal," I said.
"A new… goal?" she asked.
"Help me defeat these demons… I must seal these Demonic Towers, and stop these monsters from lurking around the world where my family belongs…" I said.
"Of course! You shouldn't have even asked that question." Said Eleanora.
"Then, let's go back, enough of sleeping… I don't like to slack around." I said.
"Understood!" said Eleanora.
Within our dreams, she smiled radiantly.
Such a beautiful smile…
"I've never seen you so happy before either." I said.
"Huh?" Eleanora asked, while she suddenly blushed.
I smiled back at her.
"Nothing… Never mind." I said.
…
When I opened my eyes, I found myself inside of my own room, sleeping in my bed.
I sat up in bed and quickly found three people around me.
Erika, Chris, and Eric.
"Y-You're awake! Blake!"
Erika was the first to react, jumping onto the bed and hugging me tightly.
"Y-You worked so hard! Are you feeling okay now? Y-You had a very strong fever last night… We were worried… Did you have a headache?" asked Erika.
"I feel better now… Thank you for worrying about me, Erika… But I am fine now, you don't have to worry." I said.
"Really? You're sure?" she asked. Her bright eyes looked into my own.
I smiled and petted her head.
"Yeah, I am fine." I said.
Chris and Eric, who seemed to have been sleeping just a few minutes ago opened their eyes wide open.
"Blake!"
"Y-You're awake!"
The two kids also jumped onto the bed and… hugged me.
"I am so happy you're okay!" said Chris.
"S-Sorry for pushing you so much!" said Eric.
"You two… you're hugging me?" I asked in disbelief.
"Ah…!"
"Sorry, we didn't mean to!"
The two boys quickly retreated.
They seemed to be relieved I had woken up.
"You two stayed in here as well? What about your father, Chris? And your uncle, Eric?" I asked.
"E-Everyone is okay! It's all… thanks to you…" said Chris.
"Thank you so much, Blake… you literally saved everyone's life… I… I am so grateful!" said Eric.
The two kids began to cry.
I would have tried to reprimand them but… they were just kids… They were not even teenagers yet.
I would be too much of a tyrant if I were to tell them to stop crying out of happiness for their beloved ones to have remained alive.
"…I am glad." I said with a smile.
"You really saved them… You're an amazing person, Blake…" said Erika. Her admiration towards me seemed to have skyrocketed even more now.
She was hugging me very tightly and suddenly kissed my cheek.
"Mooch!"
"Hm?!"
I looked at Erika with a surprised look.
"Heheh… You deserved it… Papa said that what you did was amazing… and he said that the potions were on the house, you don't have to pay for them…" said Erika.
"…I see. Don't kiss me like that again out of the blue…" I sighed, as I petted her head again.
POOF!
Suddenly, Eleanora emerged at my side.
She was angry.
-----