Project Necro is an official initiative by Re:Library.

For the first few days after the stay-at-home order was issued, I spent my time helping Mrs. Miranda, who thoughtfully suggested that keeping busy would take my mind off things.

We ground up medicinal herbs gathered by the townspeople—sharing the workload—to make ointments. Since this town relied primarily on forestry, there was apparently a constant demand for these remedies to treat bruises and muscle aches. Also, I’d heard that if a healer infused the mixture with mana during the process, it would become a simple potion with enhanced effects. So, standing beside Mrs. Miranda as she busily prepared the ointment, I concentrated hard, letting out a low “Hmm…” under my breath. I scratched my head, wondering, *Is this really the right way to do this?* as I channeled my mana into the mixture.
However, a few days later, when Mrs. Miranda told me that users had reported surprisingly immediate results and expressed their gratitude, I couldn’t help but let a smile spread across my face.

I also spent my free time learning how to cook from her. The soft herb cookies, reminiscent of a certain famous country-style brand on Earth, were a hit with Rage and Sol when they returned, and I felt like I finally understood, just a little bit, the joy of cooking for others.

As for baths, since magical technology was highly developed in this world, the water and sewage systems were fairly well-established. While they weren’t in every single house, of course, there was indeed a proper one on the first floor of this building. Come to think of it, they were quite widespread in the game as well.
However, I still refused to use it. I just couldn’t bring myself to look at my own body yet. Fortunately, the “Purification” spell I could use eliminated waste products and the like all at once, so simply wiping myself down with hot water was enough to keep my body clean—I didn’t really feel any inconvenience… though I did have to wear a blindfold and let Sol do it for me.

As for treating the women who’d been captured by the bandits, Sol relented due to my firm insistence, and we were allowed to treat them—starting with the most seriously injured—on the condition that “we treat only one person per day at the inn.” But…

“…Will you be okay?”
“…Yes. Since this is what I wanted… I can’t afford to show any weakness.”

Lying on the bed with a damp cloth over my eyes, I barely managed to answer Rage, who was speaking to me with concern, my own voice sounding incredibly feeble. To be honest, it was painful just to speak. Ever since that day, I’d been feeling unwell. It was gradually becoming harder to spread my wings. Whenever I tried to use them, I’d instantly feel nauseous. It was as if my body were rejecting them. It felt as though my entire body was attacking me, as if it weren’t my own.

Because of this, after each treatment, I’d often collapse from exhaustion and fall asleep. Even so, I managed to finish treating the children from nearby areas staying at the inn, and they all returned to their villages, expressing their gratitude time and time again.

A week—measured in Earth time—passed peacefully, but only for me. Rage and Sol rushed about every day handling requests. Just when there were only a few more injured girls left to treat, Rage came back with an injury.

“…Ah, don’t cry like that, okay? Come on, it’s not a serious injury.”
“…Sniff… sniff… But… but…”
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry for making you worry so much…”

I was so flustered—even to my own surprise—that I kept sobbing and sniffling even though the treatment was already over. Rage looked troubled as he patted my head to comfort me.
Apparently, it all started when he was caught off guard by a camouflaged plant-type monster he’d accidentally overlooked, sustaining what was initially nothing more than a graze. However, the monster was poisonous, and during the fight, the poison spread through his body, leaving him unable to move properly and forcing him into a tough battle.
I was confronted with the reality that I’d been too optimistic. Somewhere deep down, I’d felt a baseless sense of security, believing that both Rage and Sol were the strongest, invincible heroes in this world.

That couldn’t be true. No matter how strong they were, in this world where numerical values like HP didn’t exist, people could die easily. Besides, in the game, this was a hunting ground used for leveling up in the lower tiers—a place still considered “relatively safe” with many docile animals. The danger level here was just the tip of the iceberg; there were plenty of places far more dangerous. I felt as if the ground beneath my feet was crumbling. I couldn’t do it—I was too scared to wait alone in a safe place anymore.

“Both of you… please. This time, please… take me with you.”

The plea slipped out before I could stop myself. And yet—

“…No. You’re staying here.”

It was brusquely rejected by Sol.

“It’s for your sake, Iris… Please, understand.”
“…?!”

Blood rushed to my head. That excuse again, I thought. Lately, it’s always been like this—no to this, no to that! Always saying “it’s for my own good” and rejecting everything I asked!!

“…I don’t get it! I don’t get it at all!! Even if it was fine before, this time you finally came back injured, didn’t you?! What if this time you both end up unable to move?! Are you telling me to just wait in a safe place, filled with anxiety, for the two of you who might never come back… is that what you’re saying?!”

Before I knew it, I was screaming hysterically. A pang of guilt welled up as I saw Sol staring at me in surprise, but once the words were out, I couldn’t stop myself. Was my body influencing me even at times like this? Big tears streamed down my face, flowing endlessly like a small child’s. I looked just like a kid throwing a tantrum. But there was nothing I could do about it on my own.

“Don’t leave me alone… I hate being left behind… It’s so painful, constantly worrying that something might have happened to you in some unknown place… You said back then that you’d never leave me alone again…!!”
“…………I’m sorry, I can’t do that.”
“……!! Fine, I don’t care anymore!! You’re so unreasonable, Sol-niisama!!”

I slammed the door shut violently, ran back to my room, and buried my face in my futon. I couldn’t stop sobbing, and the pillow I buried my face in quickly became soaked with tears.
I have to get stronger. The reason those two were so overprotective of me was because I was weak. If I couldn’t prove to them that I was okay now, that I could keep up with them, they’d leave me behind. I had to get stronger so I didn’t cause them any more worry—that obsessive thought tormented me.

.

“…Hey, Sol. I totally get why you’re worried… but is this really the right thing to do? Shouldn’t we take her with us, too? She’s the one who needs to get used to this world, after all…”
“I know that!!”

I couldn’t help but slam my fist down on the table. I put more force into it than I expected, and I felt a crack as a fissure formed in the wood. I knew—I knew Iris was waiting for us alone in a safe place, and she was probably being crushed by anxiety. And just a moment ago, she seemed just like an ordinary girl again. Even though she was furious and losing her cool just now, what did she call me? Didn’t she call me Sol-niisama? By keeping her isolated like this and shielding her from danger, aren’t we actually making things worse and causing her condition to deteriorate?

“I know that… but when I think about it happening again, I just can’t help it…”

To begin with, I’ve always wanted to be a man. That way, I could be the one to protect Onii-chan. I’ve been by his side longer than anyone else, watching him live a restricted life ever since that incident when he shielded me. I wanted to be the one protecting him this time, so I put on a little act, took over his account, and now I was here as “Sol.”

It’s true—at first, I struggled with this unfamiliar male body. If it had been a bulky, muscular physique, I might not have been able to handle it, but my current body was the androgynous, beautiful young man I had created based on my ideals. Although I was confused at first, I didn’t face any particular inconveniences, and I got used to it fairly quickly and was really enjoying it. Yes, I was even happy to have come to this world and taken on the role of the “protector.”

…But what about Onii-chan?

He was suffering right now in the frail girl’s body I had selfishly forced upon him. It was just like back during that incident. Because of me, Onii-chan was getting hurt again. I wanted the power to protect him, but the very actions I took to obtain it were now cornering him. It was a complete reversal of what I intended—this wasn’t what I had in mind at all. I’m scared. What if something happens again? Last time, I only barely made it in time. But what about next time? If the same thing happened, were there any guarantees I’d make it in time next time?

I knew it, rationally. Keeping him locked up like this wouldn’t solve anything. Yet, I was once again robbing Onii-chan of the chance to face his challenges. It was all a huge mistake. I really hate myself. If I just thought about it for a second, I would have realized right away that what I was doing was a bad move. I could come up with plenty of ideas, but the moment I thought about what might happen if my decision led to trouble, I couldn’t bring myself to make that choice. Instead, I ignored his own wishes and could only tell him to stay away from danger.

“…I’m sorry. I didn’t take your feelings into account. …But it’s only until tomorrow. Once I finish tomorrow’s job, all the monster-hunting contracts will be over. Then, I’ll make sure to take him with me. Okay?”

Faced with Rage’s firm gaze as he declared this, all I could do was nod. No, I was simply relieved that he was the one who had made that decision.

How cowardly of me.

.

“Damn, what a mess…”
“Holy f̲u̲c̲k̲… Did those two princess’s knights do this all by themselves?”

The mansion the bandits had been using… Apparently, it used to be the residence of an alchemist who conducted shady experiments. But after the bandits who’d been using it as their hideout disappeared, two men came to investigate if it could be put to any use. The room they found was, to put it simply, a bloodbath. Several days had already passed, and the room was so thick with the choking stench of rusty iron that it was harder to find a clean spot than to even try cleaning it.

“Don’t you think we should just burn this place down?”
“Yeah, you’re right. This mansion never had a good reputation to begin with. Even if we cleaned it up, who’d want to use a place like this?”

――Crack

“…Did I just hear something break?”
“C-could it be collapsing? I’d hate to get buried alive in a house like this. Let’s get out of here fast…”
“Yeah, let’s head back and figure out how to burn it…”

――――Crack, crack

“dow…w… wha—what the hell?”

In the brief moment it took to blink a few times, the room had somehow become covered in crystals. Stunned by the sudden change in his vision, he failed to notice “it.”

“Master! Behind you?!”
“What… ugh?!”

Something bit into the man’s entire body, burying him beneath a swarm of creatures. The other man heard the unpleasant sound of something being torn apart, followed by a few short groans from deep within the mass—but then the sounds stopped, and before his eyes, the floor rapidly became drenched in fresh red liquid.

“H-hii…?! Agh?!”

The remaining man instinctively turned to flee, but one after another, something belt-like pierced his body. With each strike, his body jerked and twitched—not even allowed to collapse—as he was forced to keep moving.

“I… don’t want to… die…”

He felt something cold pass straight through him, from his head to his groin. The last thing the man saw as he desperately reached out was his field of vision splitting in two as he collapsed.

.

“Th-thank you… I can’t believe you healed her so beautifully… I don’t even know how to pay you back.”
“N-no… I’m sorry I arrived so late… I’m so sorry, I-I’ll be going now!”

Overcome with emotion, the victim’s mother reached out to take my hand. Just that gesture brought back memories of that disgusting hand, so I instinctively dodged it and hurried away as if fleeing.

Neither Rage nor Sol were around. The night had passed, and now, taking advantage of the fact that they were away, I had slipped out of the inn alone and was walking through town, planning to visit the victims’ homes.

But… I hadn’t realized it would be this hard to do it on my own. Rumors spread quickly in a small town, and it seemed some people knew about my embarrassing outburst the other day; as soon as they caught sight of me, they looked away, either awkwardly or with a look of pity. Thanks to that, I’d managed to stay on my feet, but even so, I was already completely exhausted after just the first house. To escape the stares, I darted into a deserted alleyway—one that wasn’t too far from the main road.
Leaning my back against the wall of a house, I slid down to the ground. My consciousness was growing hazy. The reaction was much stronger than when I was with the two of them, rapidly sapping my mental and physical strength. Now that I was alone again, I realized all too painfully just how much I’d been depending on them.

I have to get stronger… I can’t keep going like this…

Tears welled up from my frustration and sense of inadequacy, and I buried my face in my knees.

.

“Nya, found me a cute girl passing out here. Are you okay, nya?”

I wondered how much time had passed? As that thought crossed my mind, someone spoke to me in a strangely odd tone.

Startled by the unfamiliar voice, I jumped and cautiously looked up. A well-endowed… female demon had somehow approached right in front of me and was peering down at me. Her slightly reddish, peach-tinged silver hair was cut to just below her shoulders, and she had pale, almost bluish skin and reddish-black horns.

She had lowered her gaze to meet mine, peering down with a friendly, gentle expression that put me at ease.

—Why is she speaking cat-speak when she doesn’t have cat ears or a cat tail?　

I found myself idly pondering something completely out of place.

“Nya? Ain’tcha the Princess from Ayame-chan’s…you okay? Can you stand up? Also, do you know where your little sister is?”

The strange woman in front of me said this as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if she knew all about the relationship between me and Sol.