Moving past debris and trees, I ran as fast as I could.
The only thing I was ever good for was running.
It sounded mocking. It sounded like me.
As that voice passed, I tripped. Missing a step, I fell face-first onto the grass.
My knee hit a log, and it hurt, but not as much as that voice.
It sounded like me, but not the me of this life.
It was Luke, the person I used to be.
I may not recall how that life ended, but the last thing I remembered from that time was running... away from everything.
It was just after graduating college. I had a promising future, having graduated with honors. I was supposed to intern at the office my aunt governed.
But then, something happened.
I holed up in my room, ignoring my friends and family.
Telling myself it was fine, just a few days. Then those days turned into weeks, and weeks into months.
The year was ending, and I had made nothing of myself.
I played all day, only leaving the house when they dragged me out.
I enjoyed my time, but it didn't feel the same as before.
My sleep schedule was ruined. Was it because I wanted to play longer?
Or was it the thought that waking up by noon meant I'd have to see them later, leaving me with more hours to myself?
I played all sorts of games, from PvZ, Pokemon, TFT, LoL, Stardew Valley, and chess.
Anything to distract me.
I'd read novels about cultivation, regression, and isekai, the three slops of the genre. I enjoyed them. I wished to live in those worlds.
And now, my wish had been granted, so why wasn't I happy? This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Raising my head, I looked ahead.
Before me stood him, the person from my past life.
His hair was black, his skin seemed pale, and yet, weirdly enough, he seemed more muscular than me.
My eyes looked kinder back then, but I couldn't tell what they were saying.
But unmistakably, I heard his voice. My voice, once more.
"Stardew Valley is my dream. I think you ought to chase your own, Anthony."
I couldn't tell what his tone meant, but I wanted to say something, anything.
Maybe tell him this was my dream too.
But he continued before I could.
"Don't bother. You can't lie. We may be the same, but don't confuse our lives with each other. I may have been a coward as well, but I know what I want. Do you?"
I didn't know what to say, but I spoke nonetheless.
I didn't think about anything. I just wanted to speak.
"I wanted to be useful, to them... to me. I've grown tired of being called the third son of the Ashbelles. I liked being called something different. Even the Wastrel of the Ashbelle sounded better. It was mine, and mine alone.
"But... was it really? They still didn't know my name. Few ever do. I'll forever be shadowed by my family's name.
"Maybe, just maybe, I wanted to run away and make a name for myself, my own name. But all they ever call me is Mr. Ashbelle. I HAVE A NAME TOO... I— I don't even know when Mel last called me by name."
I ended, looking down, not wanting to continue.
"So you do have a dream."
For once, I heard him chuckle.
"Yeah, so what? My name's already sullied, and it's all my fault."
"And yet, you remain."
He smiled gently at me.
"You're far too self-aware, too bothered by what everyone thinks, when they ultimately don't matter," he continued.
"What are y—"
He cut me off.
"Have pride in yourself. So what if your family overshadows you? Make them all think of you when the name Ashbelle is mentioned.
"You seem so fixated on starting anew. What a fool. This is why your father was worried about you. He knew this would happen, and you knew it too, didn't you?"
"...Yeah."
"But so what? Your dreams are grand, and you'll never attain them if you wallow at every step."
"Making a name for yourself doesn't mean leaving behind who you once were. You feel so guilty over something you did nothing wrong in. Your life as a wastrel was without crime. Your assumptions about the old farmer haven't been confirmed... Don't you want answers?"
"That— Of course I do, but the system won't tell me anything."
"Sigh. The system isn't all-powerful. And even if it were, why do you expect everything to be handed to you? How is this any different from before you came here?"
"...You're right."
"Those questions can wait. Before you worry about others, worry about yourself first."
"...Thanks. Ugh, me?"
"Hehe. You should go back. Someone's going to be worried."
With that, Luke was gone.
Perhaps he was still within me, but that could wait.
I had someone to go back to.
Standing up, I headed back.
'She would be worried.'
I sighed, looking at the mess that was me.