Roland woke to the sound of crying and the weight of a girl's body draped across his chest.
For a few moments, he forgot everything—forgot the war, the strange world, the chaos. In that instant, he was just Roland, a boy from Earth. But that faded the moment he recognized the voice sobbing against him.
He looked down and saw a silver-haired beauty, her face hidden in her arms as she leaned against his chest.
He slowly moved one hand—weak, barely able to lift it—and gently patted her head.
He didn't speak. He couldn't. He felt that if he tried, he might start coughing uncontrollably.
The girl finally lifted her face, her tear-streaked eyes warm and gentle as they met his.
"You're awake… finally."
She wiped her face and leaned forward, hugging him gently.
"Sorry to worry you… So, how did we do? Did we win?"
Roland needed to know. Were they safe? Were there more demons to fight, and what could he even do in this condition?
