Judging you as pitiful because you don’t know love chapter 1

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“What the hell was I thinking?”

Even in hindsight, it was reckless.

Me, a non-hero, stealing the hero’s one shot at regression?

Unforgivable.

Driven mad by the fear of death, I’d made an unforgivable mistake.

Of course, wanting to live was natural.

But a mistake born of madness is still a mistake.

And now I had to face the consequences.

“If you’re in pain, stop writhing on the floor and go see a healer already.”

My roommate, Aimone, grumbled mid-outfit change—the fifth outfit so far.

“I’m fine. I’m healthy.”

“If you’re fine, why are you squirming?”

“You’re fine, yet you’re tossing perfectly good clothes on the floor. Same thing.”

Though my body felt fine thanks to the regression, my guilt weighed me down.

I’d stolen the hero’s chance to save the world.

No amount of regret could change that.

The hero had been chosen for his overwhelming strength.

Even if I trained for a lifetime, I’d never surpass him.

On the first day after my regression, I’d poured everything into training, driven by guilt.

But when I learned that the hero had single-handedly wiped out the manticore population I’d struggled to manage, I gave up.

The hero should’ve been the one to regress.

I couldn’t even wield the sacred sword. It’d be better for humanity if the hero understood true love instead of me messing around.

But seriously—what is true love, anyway?

“What do you think true love is?”

“Are you seriously asking me that while looking at me?”

Aimone, after much drama, picked up the first outfit he’d thrown on the floor and dusted it off.

After all his fuss, he ended up back where he started.

All this was for his new boyfriend, Hugo, to make a good impression.

“Wanting to give someone the best date ever! Wishing they’d only have eyes for you because you’re the most beautiful thing in the world. That’s love!”

Aimone declared, his voice brimming with self-admiration.

“Is that so…?”

“But you switch boyfriends every few months. It’s always my job to chase away the exes who show up at our doorstep, claiming they can’t forget you.”

Come to think of it, asking Aimone for advice was a mistake.

Aimone was full of love, but it was questionable how deep that love really ran.

Still, it didn’t seem like they were wrong.

If we’re talking about love, it’s probably that kind of love—the kind where you want to date, have sex, and get married.

So, should I set the hero up with someone to date?

But how?

That guy hates people.

“Why are you suddenly asking about this? Did you fall for someone? Oh, is it lovesickness?”

Why does he care so much about other people’s love lives?

Aimone, who had been staring at the mirror intensely, immediately turned around at the juicy topic.

His red eyes sparkled.

“Don’t get your hopes up. Just go on a date or something.”

“Oh, boring. Then why’d you even ask?”

He turned back to the mirror, spreading on cosmetics, but couldn’t resist prying one more time.

Not that I had anything to say.

“There’s someone I want to see in love.”

“Who? Who? Want me to help you seduce them?”

“Not with me.”

His face instantly lost all interest.

“What? Why are you sticking your nose in other people’s love lives? So nosy.”

I had to agree.

If humanity wasn’t on the brink of annihilation, I wouldn’t care about anyone else’s love life either.

Even when my childhood friend dates, all I can think is, ‘Good for them, I guess.’

“Well, they seemed lonely… And I’m nice like that.”

Aimone covered his mouth, bursting into laughter as if my excuse were a joke.

“Nice? I don’t know about that, but you do seem to like people. Then why not introduce someone? You know plenty of people.”

“I’m not that close to anyone suitable.”

“There are people you can’t get close to?”

There are.

The hero, Batista Zerbin.

He’s technically not yet the hero, just another adventurer like me.

But even so, he’s on a whole different level.

The skill gap between us is enormous.

He’s even quite handsome.

Strong and good-looking—naturally, he’s surrounded by admirers like moths to a flame.

But the hero swatted them all away without exception.

Before forming a party as a hero, he always worked alone.

Noble and aloof, uncharacteristic of an adventurer.

So, even if I tried to set him up, it’s doubtful I could even get a conversation started.

Just thinking about it gave me a headache.

I’ve gone back three years—half a year before the Demon King declares war on the human realm.

It sounds like plenty of time, but it’s not.

Once the Demon King’s army invades, the world will be in ruins.

To act effectively, I only have six months.

‘This isn’t the time to be agonizing over this.’

As someone who stole the hero’s chance to turn back time, I must help him realize true love, no matter what.

“Fine. I’ll try to get closer to him.”

“But how do you know someone you’re not even close to is lonely? Are you sure you’re not interested?”

Anyone would take an interest in someone who might save the world.

Honestly, I had no idea if he was lonely or not.

After all, I only traveled with the hero briefly.

The hero’s usual companion, a knight, had died, and I filled in for a short time.

What I noticed then was that the hero had formed a party for efficiency but didn’t connect with his companions at all.

With me, he barely exchanged a few words a day.

At most, he’d throw out a comment about my skills.

If it weren’t for divine orders to cooperate, he’d have traveled alone without question.

No.

‘Stop this and just go already!’

I got up, threw on my clothes, washed up, and neatly combed my hair.

I tied it back with the most ornate gold ring I owned.

I even put on earrings I hadn’t touched since I returned.

I had to leave a good impression, at least.

“Finally snapped out of it?”

Aimone sounded surprised.

Considering I’d been lazing around for days, his reaction made sense.

“Cheer me on.”

“I don’t know what this is about, but sure. Good luck.”

“You’re a good friend.”

“You’re just figuring that out now?”

No, I knew it all along.

From the moment you yelled at me to run, even when both your arms were crushed by the sudden demon attack.

When you screamed for me to flee far away, telling me to forget about revenge.

But in this life, I wish I didn’t know.

Aimone died in the end. His body wasn’t even intact.

Only the beautiful face he cherished so much remained.

I buried Aimone with the necklace his umpteenth boyfriend had given him.

If he loved until his last breath, does that count as true love?

I don’t know.

I don’t have enough time to ponder what love really is.

What I need to do is stick to the hero like glue.

At least I’m lucky.

I have a connection to him, even if it’s just one.

Once, I helped the hero.

“Wow, long time no see. I heard you wiped out an entire manticore nest. Impressive.”

“Are we even on speaking terms?”

…Of course, that doesn’t mean the hero likes me.

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