Keep going a while longer
[player] How about we rest a little bit later?
[Joseph] Are you okay, my friend? I hope I'm just being oversensitive, but you don't look too great.
[player] I'm fine, really. It's probably because I'm not used to mountain climbing. It's been ages since the last time I went.
Joseph seems to have consciously slowed down, most likely out of consideration for me.
It's not often there's a chance to get out and relax like this. Best not to spoil it by making him worry too much.
[player] Don't worry. I'm not so weak that I can't handle this little bit of hiking. I'll be fine if I go a bit slower.
[Joseph] ...Alright. Don't push yourself too hard, my friend. Remember we're here to have fun!
Who would have thought it'd be this tiring to... climb a mountain? I hang on and walk a bit more, and the cool breeze seems to have a soporific effect.
[Joseph] Hum hmm hum! ♪
Joseph keeps increasing his pace... No, that's not right. It's me who's getting slower and slower. I need to pick it up! I'm already lagging, and who's to say he won't just have vanished by the next time I blink?
Easy enough to think that, but honestly I'm already going as fast as I can. And my anxiety isn't helping me walk any quicker, but is weighing me down even more.
[player] I feel like we've been walking for miles, Joseph. How long till we get to the top?
[Joseph] Let me see... We've been going about 40 minutes already, so I'd say about another hour or so.
[player] An, an hour?!
Is... Is this what he meant by "not too much longer"?! Well, I guess from Joseph's point of view this brief period is nothing. I was careless... I should have asked.
[player] Stop, hold up a second!
Walking another hour in my current state is no joke...
[Joseph] Huh? Oh... Sorry. I'm walking too fast, aren't I? I can't seem to fix this bad habit. The crew of the show always complain about this, saying that one minute I was there, and the next I was already gone.
[player] It's fine, I just think it might be time to rest...
[Joseph] Don't be in a hurry to sit down, and don't be gulping down water just yet. First, you need to adjust your breathing.
[Joseph] Slow, deep breaths. Try to keep them even. Here, you can use this towel to wipe your face. Wow... Your sweat just keeps coming! Are you sure you're alright?
[player] Yeah, I think so. Huff... Adjust breathing... In and out...
[player] ...I think I'm alright. At least I'm not panting so heavily anymore. Uh, Joseph—is it going to rain?
[Joseph] Rain? It's a fine, sunny day right now, my friend.
[player] How odd... Why's it getting dark?
As daylight slowly fades, the scene in front of me gradually warps into nothing but a blur. The refreshing coolness of the evening air permeates every limb, giving me the feeling of being immersed in seawater.
I look down at my hands, but can't even see them.
[player] Who turned out the lights...?
...
By the time I regain consciousness, the surrounding scene is plated in the muted colors of dusk.
[Joseph] Did you sleep well?
[player] So well! Definitely the best sleep I've had in the past few days.
[player] This is... The foot of the mountain where we started?
[Joseph] Yep. You just conked out, scaring me half to death, hahaha! You didn't wake up for so long that I brought you here, where you could get better rest.
[player] Thank you... But I have to ask, how did you carry me down the mountain?
[Joseph] On my back. Why?
[player] It's nothing. Just curious.
I've seen him princess-carrying his colleagues back to camp in the show, but thank my lucky stars he didn't do that with me. Fainting while walking up a mountain is bad enough—if he had to carry me back down like that, I'd have to go live in a different city.
[Joseph] Don't you feel better after a good rest?
[player] Well, yeah! Definitely more alert, but also starving. If I ate a good meal, I'm sure I could easily run up and down this mountain—twice!
[player] Although, it's not the best time to climb now... I'm sorry, Joseph. Let me take you for dinner tonight, as it was my fault we didn't make it to the top.
[Joseph] Don't say that, my friend. It's my fault for not realizing you were in trouble sooner. Allow me to take you for dinner instead.
[Joseph] All journeys have a few small hiccups. We'll have plenty of chances to come here again, so let's not allow a small setback to affect our future enjoyment.
[player] All this talk of dinner is making me even hungrier! Okay, let's have a really good meal, and eat away our regret of not making it to the top!
I love listening to Joseph's travel stories whenever we eat together. I don't know what wonders he'll talk about this time, but I bet they're worth looking forward to!
[George] Screech, screeech!
[Joseph] If this little guy's rubbing your face, it must be because he wants to cheer you up too.
[player] Yeah? Well, thanks for the comfort, George.
I remember I brought some jerky snacks, so I take some out and feed him... Huh? There's something hard sliding around by my ear? It's not a bug, is it?!
I gingerly reach out an exploratory hand, only to find that George was rubbing something in his mouth against my ear. I take the object from him, and find a round, blue stone.
[Joseph] He even brought you a gift, a beautiful sapphire! Hey, buddy, how come you never comfort me like this?
[player] Maybe it's because I sneaked him snacks! Such an elegant gift deserves one in return. So, George, this whole pack of jerky is yours.
[George] Screeeech!
[Joseph] Even though we didn't make it to the top, finding such a wonderful little treasure is surely worth celebrating!
[player] Then let us celebrate! What do you fancy eating? Your choice.
While it is a beautiful stone, it isn't a sapphire like he had claimed. If I can pick up something as lovely as this just by climbing a mountain, I should probably go buy a couple of lottery tickets. But it's always nice to receive a present, and it deserves a good meal.
[News Anchor] We interrupt your program to bring you breaking news: During a recent visit to our city, a member of the E Kingdom royal family accidentally lost the gemstone from their ring...
[player] How unlucky! Losing something so precious on so rare a trip. Erm, this place does great bagels!
[News Anchor] The lost sapphire has not, at present, been recovered. We ask anyone who finds such an item to contact us as soon as possible.
[player] Sapphire... Huh?!
The photo of the gemstone displayed on the screen seems familiar, and I can't help but glance at the "stone" that I'd stuck to the bedside.
[player] No way! Surely that's too far a coincidence, right?
I should get Nikaidou to properly appraise this for me, just in case, you know? I certainly don't want to cause any diplomatic trouble.
...While I'm at it, should I go buy that lottery ticket?
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