Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 54: Confession
“Tomorrow is finally the Holy Knight Examination, isn’t it, big brother?”
“You’ve really gotten used to calling me that, Reina.”
Kenya and Reina sat together for dinner.
After spending nearly half a year together, it had become second nature.
“Reina.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
During meals, she would silently hand him whatever he needed.
She knew exactly what he wanted, what seasonings he preferred on his food.
It almost felt like they were a couple, Kenya thought.
But despite living together all this time, nothing romantic had ever happened between them.
“Ahh, that was delicious. Thank you for the meal.”
“You always eat so neatly, big brother. It makes cooking for you worth it.”
As Reina cleared the dishes, a thought crossed Kenya’s mind, and he voiced it aloud.
“Hey, Reina. Do you really not remember anything from your past?”
He had noticed she seemed to be doing better lately, smiling more often.
Maybe her memories were starting to return.
“In fragments. But they don’t fit together. And when I try to remember properly… I still feel scared.”
“I’m sorry! You don’t have to force yourself!”
She looked frightened just thinking about it.
Kenya didn’t know her past, but he understood that forcing her to remember wouldn’t be right.
He regretted bringing it up so carelessly.
“But I know I can’t keep running forever. It’s my own past, after all…”
“You can take your time.”
Reina lowered her head slightly, glancing up at him hesitantly before finally speaking.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while… Why are you so kind to me, Kenya-kun?”
“Huh?”
“I don’t understand. The kindness I feel from you… It doesn’t make sense. I pointed my sword at you. And I’m Asgardian—someone a Japanese person like you should hate. But still…”
Her question had lingered in her mind for a long time.
From the very first day they met, Kenya had stubbornly stayed by her side.
She had encountered plenty of men like that before—just talk.
But he was different.
She thought back to their first encounter on the battlefield.
That day, she had pointed her sword at him.
She had directed her hostility, her intent to kill, at him.
And yet, he had done everything he could not to hurt her.
Even though he was fighting for Kaguya, even though he was risking his life against the Asgardian army.
Even then.
“Why do you try to protect me?”
Why does he care about me so much?
“Reina…”
Kenya’s thoughts drifted back.
(No, Reina. You were the one who saved me… The one who saved the lonely me… was you.)
He remembered—his past life.
Back in middle school, he had been bullied.
His parents were never home.
When people found out he was living alone, they saw him as a pathetic, abandoned child, and the bullying worsened.
There was no one to protect him.
And at home, he was completely alone.
Eventually, school became unbearable.
Waking up in the morning became painful.
He started wondering—what would happen if he died?
Would the ones who bullied him feel regret?
Would they at least feel a little guilty?
That was all he could think about.
To him, the only way to fight back was to sacrifice his own life.
Then, one day on his way home—
He saw a commercial for KOG on a giant monitor.
In that instant, he was captivated.
It felt like a different world.
Like he could escape.
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Like he could finally be free.
Something about those robots filled him with hope.
So, he saved every bit of his allowance, cutting down on everything else just to afford the equipment.
And the moment he got it, he dove into that world without hesitation.
And there—
(That’s where I first met you. It was love at first sight.)
She was fair to everyone.
She treated everyone with the same directness.
To her, the only thing that mattered was KOG.
She never cared that he had no parents.
All that mattered was—”Are you strong in KOG?”
That was all she saw in him.
It was just a virtual world.
She wasn’t even a real person.
And yet, as he improved, he could see the way she looked at him change.
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She was surprised by his growth.
She celebrated his victories.
She truly saw him.
And that made him happier than anything.
Because in the real world, nobody had ever looked at him like that.
His parents didn’t love him.
He never had any friends.
But Reina and Kaguya were different.
Even if that world was just a game, even if they weren’t real—
He didn’t care.
(I admired you. The way you lived—so proud, so noble.)
In a world where no one acknowledged him, he found his goal.
He wanted to be like her.
He wanted to walk his own path, without caring about what others thought.
He wanted to become someone strong like her.
“I admired you… Reina.”
“Me? Someone like you admired me?”
“Heh. I was weak, you know? Really weak. A crybaby. Always alone… I could only curl up and hide.”
“I can’t believe it.”
“You were the one who kept me going. Even if it was just my own fantasy. I always looked up to you. I always wanted your recognition. I always thought about you. And before I knew it, I…”
Kenya looked straight at Reina.
His eyes shimmered slightly, filled with emotion.
Remembering his past, he recalled that overwhelming despair—the time when he truly believed he was alone in the world.
And before he could stop himself—
“I fell in love with you.”
He confessed.
“Huh?”
“Ah…!”
Immediately, both Kenya and Reina turned bright red.
Lost in his emotions, Kenya had let his guard down after spending so much time with her, and the words slipped out before he even realized it.
“A-Ah! I-I mean, that just—no, there’s no point in taking it back now. Reina, I love you. I can say it with confidence now—coming to this world made me realize my feelings are real.”
There was no way to pretend it hadn’t happened.
Kenya had already blurted it out, and Reina stood frozen in place.
“Ah! But for now, I have to become a Holy Knight first, and then there’s the Imperial Sword Tournament! You can just forget about this for now!”
“……”
Reina lowered her head, staying silent.
She seemed to be trembling as she forced out a response.
“Y-Yes… you’re right…”
Kenya couldn’t see her expression.
With her head still down, Reina turned away from him.
“I-I’m going to rest now!”
“Ah, a-alright… Sorry for putting you on the spot.”
“N-No, it’s fine!”
And with that, Reina quickly retreated to her room.
(I really messed up—!!!)
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Kenya clutched his head, writhing in embarrassment.
“I-I just hope she doesn’t hate me now…”
◇ Reina’s Perspective
“Haa… haa… haa…”
Reina shut the door behind her as she returned to her room.
Leaning against it, the strength in her trembling legs gave out, and she slid to the floor.
She sat there, back against the door, unable to process what had just happened.
“W-What was that…? Why do I feel like this…?”
She didn’t understand.
She had no idea what this feeling was.
Her face burned like fire, and she instinctively patted her cheeks with both hands.
Realizing how red her face had become, Reina grew even more flustered.
She had never known love.
She didn’t even know the name of this feeling.
But her body understood before her mind did—her heart had already begun to move.
“N-No way… What’s happening to me…?”
A smile tugged at her lips before she could stop it.
Her heart pounded.
Her pulse quickened.
She felt so embarrassed she thought she might just melt away.
“My chest hurts… And I feel so… warm?”
The frozen heart of a girl—
Melted by the warmth of a boy’s sincerity?