Emily stood on the path where she had repeatedly met her demise.

A clear view of the grass, punctuated by a single tiled path.

After a moment, a bizarre woman with long hair appeared there.

Emily clasped her trembling hands together and stood her ground.

"Ken will definitely help.

…Ken will definitely help."

Until now, she had been mercilessly killed each time, but this time would be different.

A reliable ally was watching over her.

With that thought in mind, Emily stood still, waiting for her opponent.

Two people were watching her from the bushes off the path, Ken Feinstein and the Helper NPC of the Loop Event.

“…It feels kind of exciting, like I’m a spy,”

“But this is serious.

If not for you, we can't save her.”

“I know that. She saved my project and my grades.

So of course, I’ll do my best!”

Alicia Mason, who was hiding next to Ken, spoke excitedly.

Seeing Emily bring this girl along during his morning training with Siegfried had greatly surprised Ken.

“…Ken.” Emily, looking anxious, had somehow found her way to the training grounds.

Alicia stood by her side. This incomprehensible situation pointed to one conclusion.

Emily was caught in a loop.

'Perhaps it was the me from the previous loop who told Emily about Alicia and I must have instructed her to bring Alicia along.’

Once Ken understood the situation, he quickly set things in motion.

First, he instructed Emily to wait in the Academy until that woman appeared, and Ken took care of Raphne.

Then, he made the necessary preparations.

The Bone Sword Ken had crafted earlier.

He modified the sword made from a giant's bone by embedding a golden Spirit Stone into it.

Additionally, he added rune inscriptions.

These were techniques of target tracking he learned while repairing Aspetra.

As the sun began to set, Ken met Emily at the promised location.

And thus, they arrived at the current situation.

'…That’s the spot where Emily dies.’ Ken couldn’t see the woman from the loop event.

So, he left a mark on the ground in advance.

Intersecting lines.

Emily stood a little away from the X mark he had drawn on the tile.

Emily’s face was tense, and she was trembling.

‘She must have faced many deaths at that spot.’ Just standing there must have brought back painful memories for her.

"So, what’s the relationship between you and senior Emily?"

Alicia suddenly asked, perhaps bored from waiting quietly.

“What kind of relationship?

Of course, we’re just classmates.” Ken suddenly recalled the harsh words he had said to Emily two days ago.

‘I should apologize to her later.’

However, Alicia covered her mouth with a sly smile at Ken's answer.

“Hehehe… I'm sorry, but I have a good eye for these things.

I can easily spot a bittersweet relationship between a man and a woman.” She really seemed to have no clue.

Ken ignored her without replying.

He was curious about what kind of expression Alicia would make if he told her about the time Emily stepped on his head.

But now wasn’t the time for such stories.

The sun was beginning to set.

“Loosen up your body.

We need to move quickly once things get started.”

“Yes, sir!” And after a short while, the sun began to dip, painting the blue sky with shades of orange.

Twilight.

The atmosphere changed rapidly in an instant.

The bright and warm street began to cool down as it was bathed in the twilight glow.

Emily shuddered, her shoulders twitching.

The Woman with Long Hair appeared before they knew it.

“Heehahaha!

Did you bring it?

You must have brought it, right?

The Child of Prophecy….” Under the twilight sky, the woman slowly approached Emily.

Emily, overcoming her fear, finally managed to speak.

“Sh-She’ll be here soon!

I brought her, so j-just wait a little longer, please!” Of course, it was an obvious lie to buy time.

She was also signalling to Ken, who was watching her.

Ken understood from Emily's monologue.

The creature had appeared.

Realizing that things were starting, Ken immediately closed his eyes and concentrated his magic.

‘Calorie Burn.’ Ken's will transmits magic throughout his body, and soon it felt as if his body was burning up.

“…Ugh!” Ken let out a small groan from the pain he still wasn’t used to.

[Skill used: Calorie Burn]

[Time limit: 15 minutes]

Ken's clothes loosened as his body instantly became lighter.

But the strength he felt from his body was on another level.

“…Wow, whoa.

This is just…” Alicia, who had been watching Ken's transformation from the side, looked at him with wide eyes in astonishment.

‘It's understandable to be surprised.’ Anyone would be shocked if they suddenly lost so much weight.

“I was wondering how you managed to win over Senior Emily… but now I understand.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Don't look at me!

I don't want to fall for a taken man!” Ken looked at Alicia with a baffled expression.

Though she only appeared briefly in the game, he hadn't realized how peculiar she was.

Ignoring Alicia, Ken pulled the sword he had prepared in advance from his Subspace Pocket.

Embedded within the sword was a Spirit Stone that glowed gold.

Holding that sword tightly in his hand, Ken stared at Emily.

Emily was trembling, looking as though she might bolt any second, but she held her ground.

‘Just a little longer… Just a little longer, and Ken will surely!’

Tears seemed ready to spill, but Emily desperately held them back, waiting for the woman to approach.

“…Heeheehee, bring her to me….

Hurry and bring the Child of Prophecy!” The woman slowly advanced, applying pressure.

Seeing Emily shiver with fear, the woman laughed in delight.

Then, as the woman drew closer, the moment she stepped onto the marked spot, “Ken!!!

Now!!!” Emily squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.

At her signal, Ken immediately rose from his hiding place in the bushes, and with all his might, he threw the sword he was holding.

SMAAAASH!

The sword soared through the air with a tremendous roar, almost like an explosion.

Fired like an arrow, the sword recognized its target through the embedded spell, striking the woman standing on the marked spot with pinpoint accuracy.

BOOM!!

“Aaaaaaaah!”

The woman, hit by the flying sword, was sent flying several meters and crashed into a tree, and the immense lightning emitted from the sword caused her to scream in agony.

The hidden form of the woman was now revealed to both of them.

"Alicia!

Now!"

"Right!"

At Ken's signal, Alicia immediately sprang from the bushes and rushed towards the woman paralysed by lightning.

‘She won’t die….

Please don’t die….’

Ken thought as he watched the woman being electrocuted.

In this event, there are two conditions that reset the day.

One is Emily's death.

The second is the death of the Woman with Scissors.

If either of them dies, time resets and returns to the morning.

Therefore, it is pointless to use a strong ally to defeat the woman in this event.

“…Alright, strange lady.

Look carefully into my eyes.”

Alicia approached the long-haired woman cautiously and focused her magic while staring into her eyes.

Her body's magic flowed into her eyes, revealing a peculiar pattern.

Hypnotic Mystic Eye.

This was the key to clearing the event with Alicia.

“You will be trapped in an eternally repeating day.”

Alicia and the long-haired woman locked eyes.

The woman, previously screaming from the pain of the lightning, fell silent, mesmerized by Alicia’s gaze.

Soon, her eyes rolled back.

She was trapped in an eternally repeating world.

Now, all they had to do was wait for the day to pass, and Emily's curse would be lifted.

“Emily!”

“…Ke-Ken."

Confirming that the task was complete, Ken immediately approached Emily, who had collapsed.

Emily was still trembling.

Despite the resolution of their situation, the continuous torment she had endured left her unsettled.

"...It's alright, Emily.

It's all over."

"...R-really?"

"Yeah, it's all solved." Ken gently patted Emily's head.

Comforted by his warm touch, Emily finally noticed the woman lying on the ground.

"Hic, hic...

Ken, hic..."

"It's okay...

it's okay." For a week, she had withstood the loop alone.

Now, realizing she was finally freed from the recurring torment of death, Emily clung to Ken, her saviour, and burst into tears she had long held back.

"Aaaaaah." She cried like a child in his embrace.

"...It's alright now." Ken continued to gently stroke her head, providing his arms as a shelter, allowing her to cry as much as she needed.

"Look at this, look at this.

I knew my eyes weren't deceiving me!" The clueless junior looked at the two of them and laughed mischievously.

A little later, Emily calmed down.

"Well then, seniors, I'll head back now!

This feels like fate, so let's meet again next time!" Having fulfilled her role, Alicia returned to the dormitory.

The remaining two sat awkwardly on the tile road.

"Alright, let's get up and head back."

"..."

Ken helped Emily up, who had stopped crying but was still gripping his sleeve tightly.

Her tears had dried up, but Emily was still looking down, lost in thought.

Believing she was still paralysed with remnants of fear, Ken gently took her hand and started to lead her.

"Come on, let's go." Ken intended to take Emily back to the dormitory.

"Wait, Ken..." However, Emily grabbed Ken's hand, stopping him.

"Huh, why?

Is something the matter?"

"...I have something to say." Hearing that, Ken turned to face Emily.

Emily still stood there, looking at the ground with a dark expression.

Are there still things left unsaid?

Ken gave her a moment, waiting for Emily to speak.

After what seemed like an eternity of gathering her thoughts, Emily finally lifted her gaze and looked at Ken.

"Ken..." Her eyes, which had been filled with fear moments before, now reflected sorrow and guilt.

Forcing herself to speak, Emily struggled to get the words out.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you.

I really am." These were words she had wanted to say for so long.

Saying them out loud made her chest tighten and tears well up in her eyes.

But she knew she couldn't cry.

She didn't feel she had the right to.

So, Emily fought to hold back her tears as much as she could.

"I'm not asking for forgiveness.

What I've done isn't something an apology can make right."

Emily's grip tightened on Ken's hand, and he could feel the trembling through their joined hands.

It was the tremble of someone acknowledging their guilt and seeking forgiveness.

Through her touch, Ken could feel the sincerity of her heart.

"Still, I felt like I had to say it.

I'm sorry, Ken.

Really, I'm sorry." Unable to hold back her tears any longer, Emily lowered her head.

Her tears fell, one by one, onto the floor.

Ken, who had been silently listening to Emily, approached her.

"...Alright, Emily.

Lift your head." Ken gently placed his hand on Emily's shoulder.

When she looked up at his words, her face was streaked with tears.

Ken pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears.

"Don't cry too much.

It'll give you wrinkles."

"sniff, I'm s-sorry, Ken.

sniff, I'm the one who did wrong, sniff, I shouldn't b-be crying..."

Ken softly wiped away her tears as she apologized.

With his touch, Emily's emotions overflowed, and she couldn't stop crying.

"Then, how about this?" Ken pondered what he could do for Emily, who was tormented by guilt, and a simple answer came to him.

It wasn't much, but it was the best he could do to ease her heart.

"Next time, treat me to a delicious meal.

I really love eating." Ken smiled warmly so that she wouldn't feel embarrassed.

His bright smile brought warmth to Emily's troubled heart.

Without saying a word, she nodded while still crying.

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