I reincarnated as a losing heroine, the hero’s childhood friend who lost to the main heroine, so I switched jobs to alchemist

Chapter 24: Proud childhood friend

"Laura, good morning."

When I opened my eyelids to feel the dazzling morning sunshine coming in from the window, my childhood friend was standing there.

"Lucas...?"

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?　I came to see Laura and my aunt told me I could wait in your room because you were still sleeping."

Lucas looked at me apologetically but somehow happily.
Last night, after enjoying a quiet dinner with my parents, I fell asleep at once, probably tired from being rocked by the carriage for a day or so.
I sat up on my bed and looked through the window. The sun is already...

"... Could it be that it's already lunchtime?"

At my question, Lucas smiled vaguely. Apparently, I'm right.
Maybe I was relieved to be back at home, but I slept more than usual.

Realizing it, I asked Lucas to leave the room, so I can get dressed.
When I opened my closet, an already nostalgic garment greeted me.

... Those old days.
The clothes that I bought in the royal city, with the vivid colors and high quality materials are way better to the ones here.
However, this dress gave me an irresistible sense of nostalgia and a warm feeling of relief.

Picking up the dress that I used to wear long ago, I passed my sleeves through it.
This lumpy coat over here too, it isn't too cold today, but it's what I used to wear.

Finally, I hurriedly combed my hair and opened the door.

"Father, mother, good morning!"

"Oh, Laura, you were sleeping so calmly, we didn't want to bother you."

Giggling, my mother called out to me, handing her basket to Lucas.
After sitting down on a chair in the living room, I was wondering what's going on.
My father, who sits in front of me, has his fishing rod in his hands.

"You were exhausted yesterday. Were you able to sleep well?"

"Oh, yeah. Very!"

When I said that, my father smiled showing us his white teeth.
After a good night's sleep, I'm feeling much better now, not so tired nor worried.
Something I wasn't able to achieve in the royal city lately.

"Laura, let's go. Uncle, Auntie, we are off!"

Suddenly Lucas squeezed my hand tightly and before I ask for the reason, he takes me outside.
My mother and father say in unison from behind us.

"Ok, take care!"

"Where are we going to?"

Lucas' back in front of me, now I notice it's much bigger than what I remember.
He looks back at me and lift the basket in his hand, which my mother had given to Lucas earlier, and smiled.

His smile is always radiant but this time is unusually more.

"Picnic!"

　*******

--We came to a small field of flowers on the outskirts of the village.

"At the end of the forest near the village, there was a meadow with a good view, it was the perfect place for a picnic.
However, considering the possibility of being attacked by a demon, I decided on a place that was within the magic barrier, that protects the village."

He pulls out a sheet of cloth, and we sit on it.
In the basket that Lucas received of my mother, there are sandwiches, like only my mother prepares.
She really knew I was going to sleep so much, didn't she? Late for breakfast but early for lunch...

The moment I bit a bite of the bread, Lucas says.

"Welcome home, Laura."

I blinked a few times at the sudden words before answering.

"What's going on, all of a sudden?"

"... I thought I hadn't said it properly yet."

Blue eyes stare at me as if trying to know what I'm thinking.
After all that happened, he is probably worried about me and is trying to cheer me up.

"Yes! I'm home, Lucas."

He's fine, I'm home. Why does my heart feel so... warm with those words?
... Yes, it's... I'm so happy to have people waiting for my safe return home.

"How are your studies going?"

"Great! Even so, I have so many things to learn yet."

"I see. Is it fun?"

"Yeah."

I nodded back cheerfully, but his expression changed, he blatantly frowned.
This response might be.

"...are you feeling lonely?"

Lucas looked away for a second.
However, as soon as he resignedly raised his eyebrows, he smiled.

"No, of course not! It's not lonely, it's kind of..."

His tone and expression was one of shame at his own feelings.

Lucas is so cute! In my eyes.

But he is also a 14 years old boy. Maybe, he considers himself an adult already and is trying to act like a man would do.
If that is the case, then it might be embarrassing for him to tell a girl "I miss you", it's like showing her his weakness.

As I gazed at his eyes with a smile on my face, Lucas raised the corners of his mouth abruptly, it looks a little forced.

"But I'm proud of Laura! My amazing childhood friend."

He is proud of his childhood friend.
Those words gave me an awkward feeling.
The innocent eyes, his shrugged shoulders... Unthinkingly I smile bitterly.

"That's what Lucas is to me too."

He might be the future hero, but Lucas is also a treasured childhood friend of mine.

After that day, when I woke up remembering everything, the first thing I did was to curse this relationship, but nowadays... I don't know how to express how grateful I'm for having such a good friend at my side.

Lucas is a kind, hard-working, cute, and proud childhood friend.
Knowing the harsh future that he will have to bear, this feeling of pride inside me grows stronger every day.

... Saving Elvira from her illness, more than anything else, it's for the sake of my childhood friend.
Remorsefully, I have to admit, it's the true.

"Then we're proud childhood friends!!."

Lucas smiles as if he's looking at something dazzling.
The way he laughs, shows me he's really happy.

"We'll always be good friends!"

I blink a few times at Lucas's words.

That is what it means childhood friends.
It's a funny way to say it.

Childhood friends are not the same as lovers.
We were born in the same village, living next door for 14 years.
That fact is enough to say that even if we drift apart, if we get angry at each other in the future... We will still be childhood friends.

But I understood what Lucas means. ' Let's continue to be the kind of people who can laugh together, just like this, in the future. '
... Thinking about it, I'm sure the original Laura also had that kind of wish.

"Of course! I'll always be Lucas' childhood friend."

In response, Lucas nodded his head.

From now on, the environment surrounding Lucas will gradually change.
And in a few years, it will change dramatically.

Lucas will become the hero who saved the world, and I will become a mere alchemist master.

I don't know what will happen after the world is saved, after the "Last Brave" end.
Even without knowing it, I cannot believe that now, I'm sitting at the future hero's side, in a small field of flowers like this and having a peaceful time.

--In the first place, now I know that after I saved this world-- I mean, when I was playing as the hero. Now I know that the world where Lucas and Laura lived, was much more lively that I what I saw.
Also, the question that comes in mind is, Laura and Lucas... Were they able to maintain a good friendly relationship? After the confession, it's much more likely that they've drifted apart.

But it means nothing now, and let's put aside the cause of the situation once and for all.
What I wanted, avoid the sad end of the original game, in our current situation that is already accomplished.
... Come to think of it, that was my number one goal.

We tangled our little fingers together to solidify the promise.
No matter how much the environment surrounding us may change from now on, no matter what "unknown" may come into our world.
I will always be the proud childhood friend of the brave man!

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