It was only me in a small and dark room with four corners. Illuminating my face was the light emanating from a computer monitor. I have holed up in my room for who knows how long, but as for me, it felt like hours. Fun, swift hours.

In that room was an entirely new world. Every colorful pixel gave me a purpose in living. I dropped out of school to pursue my passion for writing, but my parents were, of course, against it. Fortunately, they weren’t that strict as to eject me out of the house. They were the kindest people I have ever known, and I loved them for it.

But I still won’t give in to their request. I may have been what people called a ‘NEET,’ which gave me a poor impression no matter how I sliced it. My parents tried to discourage me, but I returned with an argument trying to convince them of its futility. In the end, they shook their heads in disappointment and left me be.

Some of my friends—fine, a few of my friends—fine! I had only one friend! And he—oh would you shut up? I am confident that he was my friend, not an acquaintance! Anyway, he once came over to my house to visit me in my den, trying to dissuade me from chasing my ‘delusions’ any further, but I turned him down.

“It’s for my family,” I said.

“But by it, you’re making your parents suffer,” he replied.

I am thankful for a friend like him. Even though I did not attend school anymore, he frequently visited me when he was off from his other circles of friends. I swear, I was not jealous, and if I would be, I’d still be equally grateful. He made my life a little brighter, and a bit easier to bear. We played games, chatted, joked, pranked, and ate together. I could have called him brother if he allowed me to, but he seemed to have a complex against siblings, though he had an older sister.

I wished I had a sibling, but thank goodness, I didn't. It would have made life harder for them.

Nevertheless, I rebelled against this stupid flow of life, because it once pushed against me before, and almost drowned me.

***

Before, I studied in my final year of senior high school but dropped out not only because of my goal. I endure couldn’t the disdain for me any longer. They condemned me because of something I did not do. But, still, one that shook the pillars of my judgment.

But I shall recall the story, in the off-chance that I would receive any sympathy.

I have found out that half of my entire class had been cheating, and not only in that current school year, but also in the past year. And the righteous I tried to dissuade them and threatened to report them to the faculties, but somehow, they turned the tide against me. Instead, they accused me of doing what they have done, even placing me as the mastermind of the act. Though they craftily admitted to the crime, the faculties imposed a light punishment while I took the worst. I had a pint of mercy on them, for I didn’t immediately report them to the teachers. Somehow, they fooled the entire school and faked everything so that I would be the delinquent. There was something at work behind the scenes.

I toiled and regretted that decision, and I was conscience-stricken. “Maybe, I should have reported them earlier! Dang it!” I slammed.

They suspended me for several weeks, missing most of that last quarter. And in that time, I found the grail of escapism through writing.

When I returned after my suspension was lifted, the people who didn’t know the full story denounced me of chicaning, while those whom I accused jeered. The teachers, who I hoped would take my side and intervene, instead, watched from afar with cold eyes.

But I accustomed myself to become quiet, appearing cold and distant, but on the inside…

It hurts, my heart.

From murmurs to silence, I left without anyone caring.

***

But, now, I can put my ideas into words onto a screen. Words that can be made into pages, then into a book. Words that I write can’t hurt me. I can make them comfort me, whenever and wherever I wanted. I was writing for my pleasure.

I typed away at my dusting keyboard, tainted by chips and the grime of my hands. But I did clean it after every writing session, trust me. The book I was writing at that time was titled The Hero Is Extravagantly Rich but Severely Thrifty. I know it was an absurd book when I started writing it. It was supposed to narrate a shadow of my ideals onto a female protagonist. At the same time, it was the life I have wished for. Being rich and free, unbound by the cares of life, and being the main character of my own life. The complete opposite of mine.

My family’s financial situation has been dipping below average ever since my last school year and was now starting to plummet because of my new hermit lifestyle. My parents were barely able to afford my tuition that year. I know that I looked like a jerk for dropping out and wasting my parents' efforts, but it would be more of a waste to attempt to focus on your studies when people are shooting gazes at you.

***

Time passed, and an opportunity came. A golden one. One that will not only change my life but also make it easier for my parents. It’s my chance to bring them pure joy and a genuine smile on their faces, instead of a pained and dull smile that always pierced me when I saw it. That opportunity was to become a published author.

Notified through an email, a certain person from a well-known publishing company sent me a message concerning one of my many web novels. They asked me if I could meet them with my novel’s manuscript. I was excited and all the more elated.

I have written many that I couldn’t count, and many more that I couldn’t publish, most of them discontinued. And it was amazing that perhaps finally, one of them was recognized. I had been writing books, not purely for my leisure, ever since I left school. The offer was generous, and maybe, extravagant for a poor person like me. The money was tempting, but the prospect of being an established writer tempted me more. But, alas, an obstacle lay on my path. It was a train ride to Tokyo. And I couldn’t afford it.

Fortunately, they were kind enough to compensate for my two-way fare, just not in the fancy Shinkansen, as I should have expected. They wouldn’t dare to spend that much on a stranger from a shady background. It was an unsure investment from a business standpoint, and I understood that, even though I never owned a business. It was just the poor’s mindset.

***

And now, I was on this fancy train— please allow me to call it fancy. I never rode on a train before this. I mostly only walked the short distance to my school and the convenience stores nearby. Those were the two locations I ever traveled to, other than my home. I avoided commuting as much as possible to save much of my lunch money, but half of the time, I would proceed throughout the day without lunch, as my parents apologize to me for not being able to provide me with anything. It pained my soul.

“You don’t have to apologize to me. I wish I could have done something, something better,” is what I wanted to tell my parents.

And that better is now!

***

Being in the crowded station is terrifying, and I had only two minutes to get through the rushing crowds before my train ride leaves the station. This was my first time riding a train, especially going this far.

I heard an announcement, “Train is now boarding,”

“That’s my train to Tokyo,” I happily mumbled as I grasped my ticket so much that I made it crumpled and moist. Wait, I’m still holding my ticket. I need to get past those gates!

But something stopped me. Those metal gates. Wait, how do you get through this thing? I examined the metal post that has some kind of slit on top of it. Then an impatient passenger yelled from behind me.

“Excuse me! Please don’t block the gateway,” a man in a hastily worn suit gestured to me to move.

It seems like he works in Tokyo and lives here, but it’s already late in the noon. Is he late, or slacking off? I moved aside and observed him tap his wallet on the gate’s top side. Then, the metal gate revolved to let him through. I wonder where to get those things. Those seem convenient.

I figured that I have to insert my ticket into the slip, but I struggled to do so. Is it because it’s so crumpled and moist? I don’t have enough money for another! But, I succeeded and received a stub from the other end of the gate with my car and seat number. I probably looked so stupid.

I barely made it in time before the doors closed, and a train conductor directed me to be seated. I glanced at my ticket stub which indicated where I would be seated. “Ah, over there,” I was lucky enough to be seated by the window as the train starts to accelerate. I placed my duffel and laptop bag to my front, but the conductor told me to put them in the baggage compartment above me. Man, hopefully, I don’t have to pay for the baggage fee. I packed light just for this.

The wheels made a low, screaky noise as they rubbed against the rails, and a gentle, pushing motion sent me to the seat. I looked toward the window and watched the station leaving the view. The train’s engine was amplified as the speed increased. The scene blurred as the grass, trees, and houses passed by quickly.

The panorama of my hometown withdrew as the train entered a tunnel. I felt jumpy as I knew that I’m leaving home. Is this what it feels like to be homesick? I looked for something to do and decided. Agh, man, no signal in here. I brought out my laptop from one of my few items of baggage and my phone planning to use it as a ‘Ri-fi’ hotspot, but the network wouldn’t connect since I am underground. I impatiently waited for the train to exit the tunnel as I pressed the power button on my laptop. Come on, power on already. It took forty seconds before it booted up. And the light came flooding into the windows. Dang, in that much time, the train passes the tunnel. Well, it’s perfect timing. The signal returned. I sighed.

Feeling that the train decelerating, I stopped and looked outside the window. I stared in wonder at the shimmering sea that emerged into view. Is that the ocean?

I realized that the train is on a bridge over a river. That river flowed to the ocean. I glanced at the opposite windows and saw a mountain. I didn’t know it was there before… I blushed in shame realizing my ignorance.

Well, that’s enough of that. Time to get back to work. I checked for my manuscript inside the word processor to confirm that it is saved. Next, I checked the first twenty printed pages of my physical manuscript. Yosh, all good and set. “Now I shall hand over my fate to luck,” I sighed.

If it gets rejected, it would be all over.

Like a stroke of bad luck, or that I have jinxed myself, I saw something that would quicken the arrival of my unfortunate fate or would end my pitiful life full of suffering.

What the hell is that?

No, I didn’t need to ask that question. Though my eyes are at grade two hundred, I can clearly see what that thing was flying closer to the window, and it’s growing ever bigger. The real question is, ‘Why is that thing flying in our direction?’

And that thing approaching the train…

…

…

…

...was a jet aircraft.

I shouted in panic, as did so the other passengers sitting on the same side as I. The curious passengers on the other side gathered to witness a scene about to unfold. Then the cabin went up in an uproar. Screams, shouts, and gasps mixed in the air, and the conductors, with all their continence, tried to calm down the passengers.

“Brace for impact! Brace for impact!” they shouted.

I bet that is what the flight attendants in the plane are saying the same right now. But are you kidding me? An unrelated plane is about to crash into a slow-moving train on a bridge. What are the chances of that!?

I can do nothing but only stare at the sped towards me as its engines’ roar increased in volume. Its high pitch sound drowned the shrieks of the terrified passengers. As for me, I could only stare at the mercy of the winged missile.

I was so close, yet so far. I can’t believe it had to happen this way.

I saw an enormous between two enormous objects, and I sat in the front seat offering a full view of my death. The plane’s nose peeking into the body of the cabin. I saw a glimpse of the pilots’ horrified faces who I hoped at least wrestled with the controls. It’s unfortunate that I won’t be able to hear anything other than the engines of the two mating vehicles.

My whole world got pushed sideways and pulled down by gravity. I didn’t see the plane in my vision, maybe some bits of it flying midair. The side of the train was now the ceiling. I looked up and the rest of the train cars get pushed off like dominoes, and the plane’s ruined shape gliding off the breaking bridge. If I took a photo of this, people would think that this was straight out of a movie, but I wouldn’t feel that way. I felt like I was the most cursed human to be ever born.

Life teasing me of the prospect of success and taking it away while I’m on my way to it. It is as they say, ‘Reality is often disappointing.’

No, this is way too much to be disappointing.

And with that, I go to my eternal slumber.

I waited…

…

and waited…

…

…and waited for the pain, or the cold water rushing into my lungs. Or maybe this is it? Is this what death feels like?

Then I felt it. Something pierced through my chest, something cold, and sharp. Then the feeling of being submerged in water. But I have long taken my last breath. And that sensation, along with the pain, disappeared, only to be replaced with another kind of pain.

But it felt less agonizing than the metal fragment through my chest, but the pain is throughout my whole body.

Wait, this feels familiar.

In my NEET days, I would be holed up in my room for weeks on end, and rarely left my seat, and never exercised. That seat was remarkable though… remarkably unpleasant. I bought it because it looked and sound cool, but in the end, it was so uncomfortable that I regretted purchasing it. Never buy these so-called ‘G-chairs.’ Not even the devil would use it as their throne.

And that feeling of muscle cramping is somehow being reminisced by my entire body. No, my mind has to be playing tricks on me right now. Or maybe I have reached the afterlife?

Concluding that this is in fact the ‘afterlife,’ I opened my eyes, but the scene is far from what I expected.

Lying down on the cold, stone floor, I saw a horrifying black creature, standing on its legs. It had a form akin to that of a human, but its presence suggested that it is not. It had a face of a man but had horns on his head. I saw black wings extending from his back. I hope I’m not imagining things. Is this the afterlife?

Then a sinister voice spoke from it, but I couldn’t understand it. It sounded like random sounds with no coherent meaning.

By the tone of it, he seems to be asking a question? No, is he declaring something?

He spoke again, then pointed his palm towards me, and something black flowed from his palm as the liquid-like substance floated midair, slithering toward me.

Firstly, that’s disgusting! And secondly, what in the world!?

It seemed that I’m the one misunderstanding.

***

“My son is born! And I shall name him after me, ‘Mielfizun!’ Mielfizun! Ah, what a wonderful name! A name of greatness!” The black thing beckoned a child to rise to his feet, “Arise! For it’s the time for the salvation of this world!”

A smashing of wood was heard behind the thing, and the creature pivoted towards it.

“I won’t let you continue any further, you Devil!” a woman wholly clad in heavy; iron armor pointed her broadsword threateningly towards the creature.

“Oh? Another hero? You think that you will be able to stop me?” the Devil snickered. “Don’t you know, I have already killed many Heroes, the likes of you? What difference can one more make?”

“Underestimate me all you want, but your miscalculation will prove to be your grave!” The woman swung her sword in the air, and a whish of wind in a form of a blade sliced towards the Devil, but the Devil effortlessly dodged it.

“Ha! Such a pointless attack! Do you think you could match up with me? Fool, as you are with the other corpses.” The Devil sent a black cloud engulfing the woman in it, but the woman emerged unharmed. “What!?”

The woman pierced through the cloud with her sword which shone like lightning, “You didn’t anticipate this, did you?”

“It’s impossible! I destroyed that sword long ago!”

“Do you think the townspeople were hardheaded? They were as crafty as you are! And now with this sword, I shall avenge them!” The woman moved with swiftness with her sword charged towards the Devil.

The Devil attempted to protect himself with another of his black entities, but the lightning sword pierced through it with ease and stabbed through the Devil’s exposed abdomen. The Devil coughed up red blood due to the attack.

“You should have worn armor there,” the woman mocked.

“T—that’s true,” the Devil struggled to speak with his breathy voice, “but it wasn’t there for a reason.”

The woman, realizing that she has been outwitted, hastily pulled out her sword causing the wound to bleed even more. Then, the woman swung her sword to the Devil’s head, slicing it off cleanly from its neck.

The lifeless body staggered backwards before it fell lifelessly to the ground, and the woman approached the frozen boy.

***

S—she just sliced his head off! My eyes were frozen in place as they locked onto the mutilated body. He was already stabbed, and I saw the sword go through his back! Isn’t that overkill? Oh no, now she is approaching me… Am I next!?

Frightened, and fearing for my life, I screamed, “D—don’t kill me, please!!” I closed my eyes waiting for my head to be sliced off, or for my chest to be stabbed, again.

Wait, where am I? Shouldn’t I be dead? What’s happening? I look down at my body, and it looked unfamiliar. T—These aren’t my hands, and I was never this short! This isn’t my body!

But I snapped out of it and looked to the killer.

But she seemed to have been stopped in her tracks, and I saw her brilliant blue eyes staring at me. The moonlight that came through the building’s colorful windows illuminated her matured face though that didn’t make her any less beautiful.

She has seen many things, I’m sure. She is used to this.

Then I saw her mouth move, “Are you Japanese?”

Wait, she knows how to speak Japanese? All this time, I have been hearing gibberish. Wait—!

I quickly raised my hand to warn her, “Watch out!!”

A muscular arm sent her flying into a wall, and I hear a loud crash. Even the dust from the ceiling fell because of the impact. I realized that I’m in some kind of a chapel and that I’m at the altar of the cathedral, except that this cathedral didn’t have the symbols of the cross.

Wait, who attacked her?

I looked over to the area where the woman’s enemy fell, but I only saw the pool of blood and a mutilated head.

What!? Isn’t he supposed to be dead!? With wide eyes, I searched the area, and I see the familiar black figure again, but this time something’s different.

I blinked my eyes, but the horrifying sight remained. He had three more heads on his shoulders. And the wound on his abdomen is gone.

I look to the other party who is now slowly staggering to stand. Oh, I was still on the floor this whole time. I have to stand up. My legs also felt weak. I had to support myself against the wall before I could fully stand.

Then the creature rushed its approach towards her and lifted her by her neck. In response, the woman struggled to set herself free from his grasp.

What is he doing? Is he going to kill her? I know, the woman did kill him first, but she knew where I came from. I need her to survive!

I took one step forward, and my legs trembled, but by placing my hands and slumping my posture, I walked towards the fighting pair. “Stop! Stop that! Release her, you monster!” I closed the distance between me and the creature. The creature looked upon me perplexed, and he uttered something that I couldn’t understand.

Oh gosh! Your breath smells bad! Brush your teeth or something!

I lightly tapped on the creature’s shoulders begging him to stop, and it seemed like the creature was able to understand my gesture. He set her free, and the woman gasped for breath and coughed.

***

“You are very zealous, my son. I applaud that. Now, for the first step of you becoming a demon lord, you shall kill this woman!” the Devil exclaimed.

The woman slowly faced the boy and asks, “Y—you… are you from Japan?”

“Don’t you dare utter insolence against my son, you vile human!” the Devil slapped the woman’s face, and it swung violently from impact.

The woman groaned in pain as she struggled to look upon the boy’s face, “Y—you came from Japan, didn’t you?”

***

She speaks Japanese! She is the same as I! I’m so glad! Now I need to ask her many questions.

“Y—yes! I’m from Japan, like you, right? What is this place? Why are you here? What happened to me? What is happe—”

The creature growled terrifyingly, and I flinched backward.

“I’m sorry, I can’t answer all your questions because of the situation, but it seems like you are not conniving with Milfizier…”

“Miru… what now? How do you say that? I can’t pronounce ‘l’ quite correctly.”

“Listen to me carefully. Do what the Devil says, and you will live.”

“What devi—” I glance to the creature, “oh…”

“Just promise me one thing…”

“W—wait, hold on. I don’t know what’s happening. I still don’t have the full gra—”

“Take my sword, rotate its gem piece counter-clockwise. Protect it with your life, okay?”

“W—wait, hold on. About the part where I follow the Devil, I won’t do it. I can’t!”

“You must!”

“No, I ca—!”

The creature raised his voice with an impatient tone.

He seemed to be pissed with our long conversation, and I had to make a decision quickly lest I make her suffer. Wait, what’s her name?

Then, the creature grabbed her once again by her neck, and with his other hand, came vicious and disgusting tentacles that emerged from it. And the tentacles’ tips became as sharp as a spear.

He is about to kill her!!

I quickly leaped to him and raised a fist, “Do not kill her, you monster!!” Then, I punched him with all my strength, and the recoil of the force pushed me back to the ground.

Ouch, ouch! My butt!

I strained my eyes from my position and was surprised to see the effect of my attack.

Woah! I only punched him, and he flew to the other side!

The creature crashed into a wall across the chapel, and he held the side of his lower body seemingly in pain.

I can’t believe my mere punch did that. Though, that may be the strongest punch I have ever done since high scho—

I bowed my head to the ground. I didn’t want to recall those days.

The creature flew and floated from the ground as its voice bellowed across the chapel.

***

“What are you doing, my son!? The humans are our enemies! Did that woman trick you!?” the Devil cried out in despair.

“Heh, a little persuasion could turn your son against you? How pathetic,” the woman sneered

“You woman!”

“What can you do? You can only forfeit! Look at the result of your son’s punch. His power rivals yours!”

“Don’t you think that I will be retreating! I will return and retrieve my son back! Mark my words!” the Devil flew through the wooden roof, causing the broken planks to fall to the ground.

The woman looked upon the boy who is surrounded by a dark ambiance, one that looked like black flames. “This boy will have a tough life ahead of him,” and she closed her eyes to her eternal slumber.

***

“Hey… hey!” I took the woman into my arms and shook her gently, “wake up! Don’t sleep! Wake up! You haven’t told me your name!”

Dang it! Is she dead!? No, please, she is my only help right now!

I take her sword and placed it on her chest, then I took her hand to hold it, “Wake up! Your sword is here! This sword has a gem piece thingy, right? Hey… hey!”

I know I seemed disrespectful to a corpse, but what was I supposed to do? In a world where no one understood me, but only her, what was I supppsed to do? Not even the Devil knew what I was saying.

Then, someone with the same armored uniform as the now-deceased woman wore shouted from the open doorway and raised his sword. It seemed to be an order directed to me, but I do not understand what it was.

The knight threateningly walked towards me, and a group of soldiers followed close behind him.

Woah, woah, what’s happening?

I raised my hand to gesture that I am not an enemy.

The man shouted at me while he pointed to the lifeless body.

Oh dear, this looks bad on me, isn’t it? Does it look like I murdered her? Oh, gosh.

“No, no! Listen! I didn’t kill her!” I repeated my plead slowly, “I. Did. Not. Kill. Her.” I tried to charade him about this, but he doesn’t seem amused.

Oh no, he is mad now, isn’t he? I swear to you. If you have telepathy, I tell you, I didn’t kill her!

***

The knight raised his voice, “You killed her, didn’t you!? You demon! I shall arrest you at this very moment! If you resist, I will not hesitate to execute you!!”

But the helpless boy kept gesturing, but to the knight’s eyes, he seemed to be resisting.

“Alright, I have had enough, you demon! Be grateful for I had mercy on you because you are just a child!” then the knight raised his sword against the boy.

***

Oh, I’m about to die, aren’t I?

I took the sword into my arms and dodged the knight’s swing. Using this opportunity, I ran a distance and started unscrewing this gem piece. I successfully acquired and dropped the sword in my hand for it was quite heavy.

The soldiers chased me around with their menacing swings, but I dodged each one of them. Then, a knight with a crossbow shot an arrow toward me.

But the arrow disintegrated in front of my eyes, and the knights stood still for a moment, in surprise.

I took this opening to look at the gem piece to remember it. The gemstone was a deep red, like that of ruby, but it didn’t have its transparency. It was surrounded by some kind of metal. And that metal had meandering designs around it.

With that in memory, I quickly spotted a crack in the wall of the church and slipped the gem piece inside of it, and ran for the exit, but another knight blocked me from escaping.

***

“This is as far as you can go, boy!” the knight knocks him unconscious with the hilt of his sword. “Restrain him and bring him to the dungeon! I’ll meet him there. Make sure he doesn’t escape! He is dark and dangerous, do you understand?” the knight shouted a command to his comrades.

“Roger that, commander!” then the soldiers gather around and brought out thick metal cuffs from a metal box another soldier held.

They placed the boy’s small hands inside the cuffs and lock them. Then a knight whispered something to the cuffs, and the cuffs shone brightly for a moment before it faded.

That knight promptly reported, “The Anti-Rion cuffs have been activated!”

“Very well,” the knight’s commander nodded.

***

Agh, my head hurts. It feels like I’m spinning. I feel the blood rushing to my head. I feel like gravity is pulling me upwards. What is this horrible smell? It smells like… metal… urine… what? It smells like death!

Slowly opening my eyes, I saw iron boots surrounding me on the ceiling. I didn’t have the strength to scan around.

Wait, iron boots on the ceiling? That can’t be right.

I budged a little and heard the sound of chains clinking against each other. With a handful of my strength restored, I probed my surroundings. I saw the knight that I saw previously in the church.

Wait, this isn’t right. He is upside down! No, I’m upside down.

I was bound by chains attached to the ceiling preventing my head to touch the ground.

Setting a wooden stool in front of me, the knight sat face to face. Well, face to crotch. He vocalized something to me in an authoritative manner, but I couldn’t understand the gibberish of the language.

I didn’t respond a word, and he grew impatient. He started to yell his unknown language causing some of his spit to land on my face.

Disgusting.

But I still didn’t respond, because I couldn’t respond. No matter what I say will be unfamiliar to them.

***

“So, you won’t speak, huh? I won’t hold off even if you are a child, for the fact that you killed the Hero makes you deserving of torture!” the knight punched his stomach with his fist, and his subordinating knights flinched but didn’t dare to oppose him.

“Speak, you demon’s child! Where did the Devil go? What are his plans?” the knight interrogated him further, but the boy doesn’t answer. So, he mercilessly continued with his blows.

And the metal door of the room swung open, and a young girl clothed in a white, gorgeous dress entered the room. “What are you doing to the poor boy?” shouted she.

“You are not supposed to be here, young angel. This is the Mayknight’s business.”

“What you are doing is torture! Release him at once!”

“Don’t think that you can order me around merely because of your position.”

“But what you are doing is immoral! Who could have heard that a Mayknight is torturing a young boy!? That will bring shame unto the King’s name!”

“He isn’t simply a young boy. Don’t you see? He is wrapped in darkness and places the kingdom in peril! If we don’t vanquish him right now—”

“Where are your ethics? This is unheard of a Mayknight! My conscience won’t allow me to ignore this. I shall report this to the King!”

“Don’t you dare! Can’t you see that the citizen’s lives are at stake!”

“But I can’t let you excruciate him any further! By the authority of the Angels, I order you to cease immediately!”

The knight stomped his way to the girl, towering over her, and he grabbed her by her collar, “Do not get in the way of my duty!”

“This is your duty?”

“This is judgment!”

“No!” the girl pushed him away and raises her palms toward him, “don’t make me use my Subjugation!”

The knight spat to the floor, “Fine! As you wish, I will cease my righteous and fair interrogation. May the blood be on your head if he escapes!” The knight begrudgingly gestured his men to follow him. “Don’t think you are going to remain in your position for too long because of your status as the Hero’s daughter. She is already dead, and you will be soon banished from this kingdom.”

“Don’t you dare mention her! You scoundrel!”

The knight passed by her on his way to the door as he clicked his tongue, “You will never be like your mother.” Then he left and slammed the door closed behind him, “Young kids nowadays are more stupid than a beast.”

The girl clenched her fist as she tried to hold back the tears.

***

W—what happened? Did they fight? The girl seems to have lost the debate or whatever. But oh man, my stomach hurts. I coughed up a lot of blood. I think I’m about to pass out.

Through my blurry eyes, I noticed the girl approach me as she bent her back to meet me at eye level.

What is this? ‘Good cop, bad cop’ strategy? I won’t fall for it!

Then she spoke to me with a soft voice, but I can’t understand her.

And I gather up my courage to talk back since she looked like a less intimidating person, “W—what are you going to do to me? Stay away from me! You will hurt me too, won’t you?” I struggled to swing using the chains away from her, but my hands and feet are bound, and I have lost all my strength due to the beat-up.

Then, she lifted her palms toward me, and a surge of light appeared from her hands and went toward the thick, metal cuffs that bound me hanging.

Is this another kind of torture?

I felt the cuffs loosen, and I fell gently to the ground. I have been set free by whatever she did.

Could it be that she will take me somewhere worse? I won’t be tricked again. I’ve known this trick in high school. They will act kindly to you, and bring you into an alley, and beat you up. No, no! I’m tired of this!

I struggled to stay away from her as she approached me with open arms. “Stay away! Stay away! Don’t hurt me! Stay away!!” I screamed.

Oh, this is bad. I’m losing consciousness. Must not sleep! Must not….

***

“It’s alright. I’m not going to hurt you! I’m only going to treat your wounds. Please keep still!”

I think I scared him too much. I feel bad, but I must not feel too bad, or I might sympathize too much with him.

He suddenly shouts at me in a different language. One that I am not familiar with.

Wait, that sounds familiar. The accent, the tone. It’s the language of my mother’s! I should have memorized it by now. I swear, mom, this time I will learn it!

His voice and movements slowed down and weakened. Then, he fell asleep.

It must have been tough on him. Even though he may be the killer of my mother, they shouldn’t treat a boy this way. I’ll treat him well so that I can execute him myself! But before that, I must pull information out of him before I dispose of him. I’ll have to relearn that language.

I took him into my quarters and laid him on my bed. I took off his clothes that revealed his young but battered skin.

He has been through a lot— no! Stop it! I must not sympathize with him. Remember, he killed my mother!

I felt for his forehead and discovered that he is having a slight fever. I prepare the treatment for it as my healing abilities are not at that level of treatment, though I can heal his wounds at least.

I stretched out my arms toward him and focus on my ability to heal him.

Heal him. Heal him. Let the Rions flow freely from my body.

A bright light appeared in front of my palms.

It’s working! My practice of chantless healing has paid off!

The beam of light meanders toward the boy’s wounds, and the wounds slowly closed up.

I did it! Now I’ll just get my notebook before he wakes up.

***

Ugh, agh, it’s my body’s cramping again, but I do feel a little bit lighter than last time. I feel a little warm though. A fever, perhaps? What is this scent? It smells so good. Wait, I’m lying on something soft. Ah, I wish my bed were like this. Wait, I’m supposed to be hanging from the ceiling! Where am I?

I slowly woke up from my thoughts, and I see the young girl’s kind face watching over me.

Her skin is so clear and so light. What country did she come from? Wait- isn’t she the same girl in the dungeon?

I jolted up from the bed and crawled away from her, “W—w—what are you going to do with me!? Please don’t hurt me! Please! Please!”

Then the girl spoke, “C—c—calum daun. Ay— I—I amu natto a ba—ba—bad pelson…”

I froze in amazement. Is she trying to speak in my language? It sounds horrible though, but I can quite understand it. I should continue listening to her then.

She continued, “I—I am tsorry i—ifuai ha—havey scarried y—you.”

“…a—are you trying to speak Japanese?”

“Y—yesu, I am!”

I gasped. Someone else can understand me!

“Thank goodness! You are an angel sent from heaven!”

“I—I’m sorry?”

“I mean, you can speak my language! Everyone hasn’t been able to understand me so far! Thank goodness!”

“I—I see.”

Oops, I completely forgot that she is struggling just recently. I should stick to the most basic sentences, but first…

“Where am I?” I asked slowly.

“W—wait for a mu—mument, preatsu…” she gestured as she flipped through the pages of her notebook of some sort.

Wait, someone has been teaching her Japanese? I’ll save that question for later. I don’t want to overwhelm her with a barrage of questions.

“Ah!” she found the appropriate entry from her notebook. “Y—you alu… alu… alu!”

“’Are,’ that’s how you say it, ‘are.’”

“Ah, s—sorry! You are ‘Brisieon.”

I am Brisieon?

“B—brisieon…” Phew, good thing that was easy to pronounce… “I am Brisieon?” I repeated.

“Yes, the Kingdom of Brisieon,” she affirmed.

I am a kingdom? Wait, no, it's a place...

“A kingdom, wow.” It’s a fairly large place then.

“Ah, thank you for telling me.” Wait, why is she helping me? She tried to communicate with me, then answered my question.

There must be something…

Ah! I see what she is doing. She will interrogate me effectively, but I can only tell her nothing.

“W—why are you helping me?”

“C—comu a—ga—in?” she leaned closer.

“Why are you helping—” Woah! Too close! She smells of perfume. I might start getting dizzy. Then my eyes land to where it isn’t supposed to.

“I—is de—dere somutsing wrong?”

“No! No! It’s nothing,” I gulped.

“Oh, are y—you thirtsutsi?”

Thirsty, right? “W—well, I guess so. May I trouble you with some water?”

“Come a—gain?”

That was unnecessarily complex. “I mean, may I have some water?”

She flipped through the pages again. “…m—muay… watser… I’ll watser you! P—plisu wait a maument!”

Just how many pronunciations will she generate?

She returned with a glass of water in hand and hands it over to me.

“Thank you… um…” I took a drink before I continued, “what’s your name?”

“M—my namu?”

“Yes, your ‘name.’” I pointed at her.

“My name issu a Narey S’illpoine.”

“Narey Shi—rupoine?” I attempted to echo her, but I am just horrendously mistaking the pronunciation of my letter ‘l.’

“N—no, Na. Rey. Si. Si. Il. Poen. Desu.”

Why is her name more complicated than the kingdom? “A—alright, Narey Si—ilpoen.”

“Correct!”

I weakly laughed, “Thank you.”

“Y—you must take a lest nau. You shouldn’t mouve too musch,” she gently pushed me into the bed.

Not again! Too close!

“I—I understand. I shall take a rest. Thank you for helping me.”

“N—no ploblem!”

It’s been a while since I closed my eyes, but I didn’t fall asleep. I was still wary of what she might do to me, but she hasn’t done anything in the past hour or so, so far. I finally decided to ‘wake up’ and to inquire about some things.

“Oh?” Narey glanced at me, “you are awake? I have prepared dinner for you!”

“Dinner? Wow, thank you!” my stomach grumbled at the thought, and Narey giggled. “I—I’m sorry.”

“It’s no problem! I have been prachitsing my Japanese while you slept.”

Oh, right, the decision is because I decided to wake up is because I couldn’t stifle my chortles any longer. I didn’t want to be rude to her.

“I—I see. That’s great. By the way, may I ask something?”

“What itsu itsu?”

What? “Pardon me?”

“I mean, what itsu itsu?”

“May I see the notebook?”

“Here,” she showed the notebook and pointed at an entry.

“Oh… it’s ‘What is it?’ You got it?”

“S—sorry, I justsu can’t speak itsu very well.”

It seems like the letter ‘s’ is substituted by ‘tsu’ in her tongue. “It’s okay. I understand the question now.” Dang, my smooth approach is ruined, but I have to go through with it. “Who taught you this?” I asked her.

“Japanese?”

“Yes, did someone write this for you?”

“Y—yes, it was my mom. She knew Japanese.”

“Oh?” Yes, she might have come from Japan. I must arrange to meet her quickly. “May I meet her?”

But she averted her eyes away from me.

Uh oh, did I hit a landmine? “I—I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that tactless question.”

“I—it’s arrights. I knew you wouldn’t know. My mother is dead.”

Crap. “I—I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have forced myself.”

***

“I—it’s arright. It wasn’t your fault!” No, it was your fault. I know what you have been doing. You’ve been trying to fish out information from me! Now it’s my turn to get it out from you. “A—anyway, why were you imprisoned?”

“W—wait, you didn’t know why?”

“Well, I only heard some of the details, and I was assigned to your case, that’s why I hurried to visit you.”

“Ah, I see. Thank you for saving me by the way.”

“It’s no problem.”

“You see I… I got caught up… I got accused of murder, but I didn’t do it!” his voice rose in panic. “I—I swear! I’ll do anything to prove it!”

“Then, who did it, if I may ask?”

“W—well, there was this winged person or creature… I don’t know! But he was covered in something dark. I saw his face! It was that of a man! He had a high-bridged nose, sharp eyes, and thin eyelashes, b—but then his head got cut off.

“His head got cut off?”

“Y-yeah! The woman sliced his head off before she died.”

“But then, if she sliced his head off, how did she still die?”

“Y—you see, he grew back three more heads in its place… I know it’s crazy but it’s true!”

I don’t believe this guy by one bit! There is no such regeneration sorcery that produces more body parts more than he already have!

He continued speaking, “The w—woman, before she died, she said something, about the Devil or any who.”

Wait… “The Devil? You met him?”

“T—that’s what the woman told me. He was the Devil, and she said that I should obey him so that I can live!”

He is obviously lying. My mother would never say that! “Then, what did you do?”

“I didn’t follow her advice. I couldn’t follow someone literally named ‘the Devil!’ And he was about to choke the life out of her! So, I punched him as hard as I can, and somehow, I caused damage to him. I was shocked myself, but believe me, he retreated because of it!”

Unbelievable. A fellow dark demon punching another, let alone punching the Devil himself! He must be insane! He is lying out of his teeth right now, and his story doesn’t make a bit of sense! How could a mere boy punch the Devil into retreating! But there must be more. Something is missing.

“D—did the woman tell you anything else?”

“W—well…” he averted his eyes, “nothing that I could remember. Probably nothing else.”

He is hiding something… “Are you sure?”

“…y—yes, I’m sure. Anyway, why are you asking me this? Are you going to be my lawyer or something?”

“Lawyer?” I looked down at my notebook to search for the meaning, and I found it. “Ah, yes, sort of…”

“I see,” his face brightens up, “thank goodness. You are really an angel sent from heaven!”

“It’s no problem!”

***

She seems awfully too interested in the woman. What is her connection to the woman? Wait… could it be that that was her mother? No, that’s too much of a coincidence. Maybe she is only a distant relative. In any case, I can’t bring myself to trust her. And she flipped the tables into interrogating me instead. I must know what I can, lest I die again. I don’t want to die again!

Then the girl spoke up, “C—can I asku you witsh a favol?”

Favol? Ah, favor… “I’ll try what I can, but what is it?” I asked.

“I wants syou tso tse— teach me moru abouts your language! Ca—can you h—hre—rape me?”

“What?” I become mystified, “c—come again?”

“C—can you leipe me youru language?”

Phew, I think I misheard. I think she is trying to say 'help.'

“Yeah, sure, no problem!”

I’ll wholeheartedly teach you about my language before I escape this kingdom!

For I know… what my goal is now…

…

…

…

It’s to get out of this world as fast as I can!

***

Outside the window was the moon in its full glory. It seemed closer than I expected. Then Narey went toward the window and closed the curtains.

“I have to go back to my cell, don’t I?” I hesitatingly asked her.

“Hm?” she turned toward me.

“I mean, I am a prisoner, so, I guess you have to place me back into my cell.”

“Ah, no, no,” she shook her head, “you don’t have to go back there. You can stay here.”

“What? Am I allowed here?”

“Yes, I planned for you to stay here since I will be defending you in trial and all.”

“Really? Thank you!” I really didn’t want to return there.

“Oh, right, you have to take a bath, don’t you?”

“A bath?” I sniffed myself but wasn’t able to discern my smell. Do I stink?

“Yes, I will just call the maids to prepare it. Please wait here for a moment,” she left the room to enter the hallway.

I wonder what baths in here look like now that I realized that this is a different world. Also, maids!?

I grinned at the prospect of meeting actual maids.

Would they look like the ones I’ve been fantasizing about!? Let’s go!!

Finally, the door opens, and Narey comes with two women dressed in maid uniforms.

It’s true! They look exactly like I was imagining!! The black and white theme, and the thigh-high tights. Paired with a suggestively short skirt, making it barely decent. But maybe, that’s too short? Then with the long sleeves that extended to their wrists, appropriate for the cold climate. And lastly, but most importantly, their che—

“Hey,” Narey shot a glare, “you are staring too much.”

Whoops. I proceeded to look somewhere else, “Sorry, I was just surprised.”

“You are drooling too,” Narey remarked.

No way, I’m not drooling… nevermind.

One of the maids whispered something to Narey, but it’s not like I would be able to understand it.

***

“Rinsoille, this boy emits a dark presence. Are you sure that it is safe for you to harbor such a threat in your abode?” the red-haired maid named Marice asked me.

“Be rest assured, he won’t be able to do any harm in my presence,” I told her.

“Very well. We shall prepare the bath now,” Marice excused herself to the bath inside my room while a blue-haired maid named Suna tugged at Marice’s skirt.

Still shy as always, huh, Suna?

I turned to the boy and spoke in his language, “Please wait for them to prepare the bath.”

***

They are going to prepare the bath only at this time? I’m not complaining, but, it seems to be too late for that. Curious, I peeked inside the bathroom and was astonished.

The maid with blue hair started chanting something followed by a sphere of water forming from her palms.

What kind of sorcery is this? Oh, right, I forgot. I’m in a fantasy world now. But, still, how do you do that?

After filling the tub to its limit, the maid with red hair stepped in and started her chant. I was expecting a sphere of fire, but that never came. Instead, steam started to rise from the tub.

Thinking about it logically, of course, a fireball would explode the tub. What was I thinking anyway? And it seems that casting this ‘magic’ needs to start with a chant. Wait, the Hero nor Milfizier chanted anything, but it seemed that their attacks were magical, or maybe it was caused by their skill? How about mine? How did my punch harm Milfizier to the point of bleeding? It doesn’t make sense. Maybe it differs from person to person.

The two maids bowed toward Nareis, and the red maid cast me a glance filled with suspicion. Then both left the room.

Looks like I ‘maid’ a bad first impression…

“You may take a bath first,” Narey gestured.

“T—thank you,” I courteously bowed then entered the bath as Narey closed the door behind me. I undressed.

Wait, when did I get changed!? Did she—! Woah, where are my wounds?

I touched myself to where I remembered the pain was but didn’t find any.

Did I have any wounds after all? Or did she heal me? If she did… then my suspicions are unfounded. But why is she helping me? That keeps my suspicions.

After I gathered my thoughts, I dipped inside the tub causing some of the water to overflow.

Ah… this feels nice, especially after what just happened. I shall use this chance to analyze the situation.

First, the train I rode collided with a train… Are you kidding me!? Second, I met with the ‘Devil’ and the ‘Hero.’ The outcome of the battle: The Hero died, and the Devil retreated from my attack. Third, I was falsely accused of the murder of the Hero and was sent to prison. Fourth, I was tortured by my arrestors. But I didn’t know their demands. Then Narey came to my rescue, halting their torture session.

Something’s not right— no, everything is not right, but what is the most unusual is this girl, Narey.

She had her own room inside, in what I would assume was the castle of the kingdom. The room, in itself, is large enough for five people to be living in it, but she is living alone? And she looks like a young girl, and the comparison with the maids confirms that.

She keenly asked me about the Hero. Does she have any connections with her? I suspect that she has, and she is trying to make me disclose something I’d probably not know of.

In conclusion, she has been trying to trick me. Everyone else has been straightforward in their hatred against me because they think I killed their Hero. And Narey has been the same. She is helping me with an ulterior motive.

I have to leave this place now!

I finished my bath, and Narey took hers after me. I figured that wandering alone in the hallways would give me more trouble, but I needed to explore. So, I observed from the window instead, memorizing every visual information I can get.

Outside the window, as the moon illuminated the cobblestone surface, I scanned the surroundings.

Indeed, I was in a great castle, but I was not in a heavily fortressed section, which suggested that this area was for the inhabitants with a less important position. Figuring this out, I looked to the region outwards from the castle, but I cannot see further than the seemingly endless forest that lie beyond the castle walls.

There were several, uniformly placed, hedges made out of the foliage, and some flowerbeds were scattered along the path, decorating it. Some patrol guards roamed that cobblestone path. Then I searched the tall walls for an opening and saw a small wooden gate quite a distance from my position.

It was too small for it to be the castle’s main entrance. I figured that this was one of the minor gates. Therefore, few soldiers are guarding it. A good escape.

I crafted my plan of escape while Narey bathed.

Moments later, she finished, and it was time to sleep.

“I’ll sleep on the floor,” I said.

But Narey insisted, “No, no, it’s fine. You are my guest, therefore, you should sleep on the bed.”

“Are you sure? Are there other bedrooms in here?”

“Unfortunately, no. They have been converted into other purposes. But don’t worry, I’ll just sleep in the living room.”

But I refused, “No, it’s embarrassing for the master of the house to give up her bed to a strange prisoner. Instead, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No, no, please, I offer you my bed.”

“No, no, it’s shameful for me to covet your bed,” I stated.

“No, it’s not a problem at all.” she returned.

“No, it’s a problem at all.”

“Please sleep on the bed.”

“Please, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No.” she rejected.

“Yes,” I said.

“No.”

“Yes.”

She broke our pointless chain of exchange, “Why are you still persisting?”

Well, the reason is to place me in a perfect spot to escape without you noticing, but why do you keep persisting?

***

Why is he so stubborn? Just sleep on the bed so I prevent you from getting out. Then, I have to force you!

“You have been using that bed when you were sick. I can’t have myself catch your disease,” I began.

“E—ehhhh?” he reacted.

“Or would you rather go back in your cell and spend your night there?”

“N—no!” he shook his hands in defiance, “I would rather not!” He took a deep sight and reluctantly accepted my proffer, “Then, I shall graciously accept your offer!”

***

She really had to force me to stay in her bedroom. Gosh, what’s up with her? Well, the dungeon is underground, and it would be impossible for me to escape. I guess I’ll have to formulate an alternate plan.

“G—good night!” I greeted her as I lied down on her bed.

Crap, I didn’t take into account this bed’s scent! I don’t think I’d be able to stay cool while I smell this!

The bedroom door closes, but Narey stayed in the room.

W—what is she doing? “Why are you staying here?”

“I’ll be sleeping on the floor.”

H—huh? “I thought you said you are sleeping in the living room?”

“I—it’s… just reasons.”

Reasons my butt! Are you playing with me!? “W—well, good night.”

“Good night,” she returned.

I turned my body away from her to not make her notice that I’m still awake. I’d have to stay awake, so, I don’t miss my chance of escape!

***

I can’t let him escape! I’m afraid I’d fall asleep. I must sleep beside him— no! How did a disgraceful thought come to mind!? A Rinsoille sleeping with a boy!? No—no! Unacceptable! I can’t do that! But if I fall asleep, he will leave! Ghmrrrrrr…!

Fine, only this once! Then, I’ll figure out a plan!

***

W—what is she doing!? W—waarghh!! What is she doing, sleeping in the same bed as I!? She is making this difficult for me!

H—her back… it’s so soft. I can feel it through her clothe— wait! The fabric is so thin—! No! Snap out of it! Keep cool, keep calm! Be focused, dang it!

I should look for that window… that time window! She must soon leave for the bathroom or something…

…

…

…

It seems like she is fast asleep— wait, why is she turning this way? Woah, woah, woah! Why are her arms wrapping around me!? Is she awake or asleep!? No, she is sound asleep. Does she hug stuff in her sleep? Don’t kid around! How can I get out of this now!?

Th—this is bad, this is bad! Her— things are pressing onto my back! I’m getting too distracted! No—no, keep calm, stay focused— on her boo— dang it!!

…

…

…

S—she has been hugging me for a long time now… I—I think I am about to fall to sleep… N—no… just a little longer— I hear… the chickens crowing from afar… wait, there is a chicken pen nearby? That’s not important. What’s important right now is that, ‘when is she going to leave?’

***

…i—it’s morning already? Ha~~~ something feels so warm…

…

…

…

H—heeeeeeeeeeeeeh!!??

W—what am I doing!? Why are my arms wrapped around him!? Did I do this in my sleep!? How disgraceful! I should latch off him immediately!

I stood from the bed and spread the curtains and opened the window, letting fresh air in. The sun hasn’t fully risen yet and was only starting to break through the horizon. “Ha~~~ It’s another wonderful day today! And he is still asleep, huh?”

I peered at his face, but he was facing away from me. I hope he didn’t notice… Goodness, who would have thought that I would wrap that demon into my arms…. Khhhhhhhhh!!! He is so annoying! If he only kept like a good boy… well, whatever. It’s time to prepare breakfast.

***

Ha… She finally left! But it’s already the sun is about to rise… but it’s now or never!

With a springy feeling, I quickly stood on my feet.

Agh, I shouldn’t have done that. The blood rushed to my eyes, and I can’t see anything.

I took a few moments to recuperate and yawned.

I feel so sleepy. I hope I can stay awake.

I noticed the window that is opened, and exit through it.

Alright, that’s high! I tiptoed at the ledge on the wall, trying to balance myself to not fall. I noticed a guard patrolling near my position.

Oh no, don’t look up, don’t look up! I have to get down quickly, but quietly!

Frantically searching the area, I saw a section of the leafy hedges directly below me, and immediately jumped into it, thinking that it would soften my fall. The landing was relatively gentle, but I landed into the twigs which pricked my body.

Ow, ow! Maybe that isn’t the best idea, but I have no choice.

Tottering around, I scanned my surroundings and avoided every guard’s sight, hiding from one hedge to another to conceal my presence. I finally arrived a short distance from the gate when one of the guards shouted.

***

“My Rankor is detecting something!” said a soldier while he held some kind of device.

“Where? Where?” another soldier quickly asked.

“It’s strongest when I point over there!” the soldier pointed.

“Go there immediately! Alert all Mayknights!”

“Yes, sir!” another soldier saluted.

And they rushed to the hedge where he hid behind. Then the boy emerged from the hedge and ran.

“He is over there! He is running to the Yarn Gate! Close the gate!” a soldier shouted alerting the guards at that gate.

The gate’s guards used the spears in their hands to block his path.

***

I’m surrounded! My escape route has been blocked! I’m screwed!

I looked around as I tried to appease the slowly approaching soldiers, “W-wait, I’m not a bad person! I’m just a mere servant who has been sent to do a task!”

Of course, it was futile. Also, how did they know exactly where I hid?

Then I saw a convenient opening in the hedges, and its path unhindered by any of the guards. I ran straight to that opening and entered the area.

But I quickly realized that I have placed myself in yet another peril. Wait, this is a maze! I have to get out of here quickly! I can’t exit by the entrance now. I must find the exit!

I desperately searched for clues in the maze but figured out none. Then I noticed that the ground had a sticky feeling, Hm? Mud? Did it rain before I arrived here?

I saw footprints in the ground, and I saw the trail branching out. One had many footsteps, while the other trail had fewer.

Not sure if these would help. Maybe I can just go through these hedges. I pushed against the wall of leaves, but the foliage was too wound up making it difficult for me to go through them. I looked behind me as I heard the yelling of the pursuing soldiers.

Ah, it’s all over before it started! I’ll just follow this trail!

Dashing through the maze, I followed the trail with fewer footsteps, then I found a thinning through the leafage. That’s it! That’s the exit! I’m so lucky!

But once I stepped out from the exit, someone intimidatingly huge blocked me from going any further.

I looked up to his height and saw him drawing his sword. This was the same knight that tortured me in the dungeon. The knights soon caught up to him, surrounding me in a circle.

No… it’s him again!

***

“Ha! You fool! You’d think I’d let you escape? I knew you were conniving with that Rinsoille. Now, that I have caught you in the act, you shall not resist arrest!” the knight commander swung his sword against the boy, but the boy managed to dodge it.

“Oh? I didn’t expect you to have such reflexes, but it’s only a small miscalculation on my part!” He remarked as he pointed his broadsword against him, “Wind Piercer!”

But someone made it in time to block his attack, “Stop!”

The sound of the wind being abruptly stopped echoed through the courtyard, and the surrounding trees wavered.

After using her sword to deflect his attack, Narey pointed it against him, “Commander Mirril, I order you at once, stand down!”

“Ho? It’s you,” he mocked, “you tried to help him escape, didn’t you?”

“Do you have evidence of that?”

“Why,” Mirril looked around before pointing to the both of them, “it’s right here!”

“You dumbhead. What makes you think that I will let him escape?”

“Helping him or not, he almost escaped due to your imprudence. Because of your irresponsibility, I will be taking him under my custody. This is an arrest that you can’t resist!” With the handle of his sword, Mirril struck the boy unconscious.

“Stop!!” Nareis screamed in horror. “I do not allow this arrest!”

Mirril produced a paper and shoved it in front of Nareis’ face, “I have a signed warrant from the Court itself.”

“Wha—”

“I told you, you can’t resist it,” Mirril smirked, “angel.”

***

I heard some kind of gates closing, and I gained consciousness. Where am I?

I found myself once again imprisoned in a cell, but it wasn’t the same cell that I was familiar with. But I wasn’t relieved.

My escape failed, and now I find myself in a worse situation than before.

I heard the metal doors open in the far end of the dimly lit hallway. I see a figure.

Oh, it’s Narey. What is her business this time?

She walked in front of my jail cell to meet me, but I didn’t bother to come closer. Then she asked me, “How are you doing?”

“You knew that I would do this, didn’t you?” I spat out.

“I—”

“You waited for that chance, didn’t you?”

“Well, I—”

“I knew you were—” but this time, I get interrupted.

“Shut up! And let me talk first!” she yelled then sighed before continuing. “I knew you would attempt escaping, but I didn’t plan you to be captured by the Mayknights.”

May— what now?

“That’s why I kept you inside my home… for your safety.”

“Oh? I don’t believe you. I knew you were playing the ‘good cop, bad cop’ strategy, and this was a roundabout way of interrogation. I do not know what you want with me, or with your dead woman, but I know nothing.”

“You—! Don’t you dare insult my mother like that!”

“Oh, and now the cat’s out of the bag.”

She gasped as she realized what she had unintentionally revealed.

“So, she was your mother, huh?” I made out a little laugh. “Sorry, but I didn’t really care. She brought me trouble in the first place.”

“How could you say that?” she shook in anger.

“Why? She made me look like her killer! Then she persuaded me to take something from her, further framing me as a criminal! Can you believe that!?”

“W—what something?”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s lost now. Forever gone.”

“What thing? Tell me what thing did my mother give you!?”

“You are in no position to interrogate me any further, woman.”

“Tell me what thing!!” she kicked the metal bars of the prison in rage. “What thing!!? What thing!!?”

“Guards, guards!” I shouted. “This woman is bothering me. Please take her away!”

“You cretin! You had better answer me or I will kill you!!”

“Your threats can only reach the metal bars.”

The jail guards dragged her away as she struggled in their grasp while she shrieked in despondence.

Girl, you have manipulated me far enough.

***

It’s nighttime according to the small window blocked by more metal bars in the cell, and my arms started to cramp as they have been cuffed behind my back.

Ah, now what should I do? I’m stuck here, and my only way of escape is through those bars, and that is if my hands are uncuffed.

I grew impatient. I never had a lot of patience. When I have finished brooding about an issue, I took action for it, and the same is about to happen now.

It’s now or never… again!

But how? How do I escape? Thinking back to the chanting maids, and the battle between Milfizier and the Hero… well now, Narey’s mother, and my punch that somehow harmed him, there was one similarity.

It was all magic!

Wow, I’m such a genius!

But I didn’t know how magic worked, but I used it on accident, maybe I can try to relive that moment again.

How did I feel before that punch? What strengthened me?

’He is about to kill her!!’

It was, panic, fear, and, despair. Somehow all negative. But I didn’t have panic nor fear at this moment… can I use despair alone to fuel my power?

I tried to focus my mind and energy on breaking the metal cuffs, but I didn’t succeed.

Just like what I thought, it doesn’t work that way.

After some time, the metal doors opened, and the torturing knight walked in front of my cell and called out in a vexing tone, “Oy, how are you doing in your cell? Enjoying it so far? Isn’t it much spacious than your girl’s room?”

I shot a glare at him. Shut up. I don’t want to hear your voice right now. It’s a shame I can’t insult you with profanities in your language. You’ll get it. You’ll get it.

He scoffed. “But unfortunately, it doesn’t smell like a girl’s room, doesn’t it? You pervert,” he chortled. “It’s time for your trial.”

This late at night? That is some sketchy trial. I bet that I’ll lose the moment I enter that ‘courtroom.’

“Take him with me,” he ordered the jail guards who sprang into action.

I want to punch him so badly...

Wait, that feeling… the feeling I felt before that punch. It was more powerful than all three of those emotions. It was…

Anger!

As soon as the door to my cell opened, I leaped freely from it and aimed my punch against the dumbfounded scoffer. I heard a crunching sound from his face as my fist impacted his satisfyingly punchable face. Then I turned my onslaught to the other guards before they could shout in alarm.

Dang boy! I feel so fast! And powerful!

I perceived something dark engulfing me, but it didn’t scare me. It made my body feel hot and cold at the same time. And it felt like that presence gave me this tremendous power.

I rushed out of the door, ran up the stairs, and found the exit from the castle. The castle guards look at me in shock. Wasting no time, I ran past them as they scrambled toward me.

But they were too slow. I sped past their sword swings and crossbow bolts, but they kept their persistence in capturing me. No, they wanted to kill me. I can sense their bloodlust.

The guards shouted to alert the gate’s guards, and the gate guards in response used their spears and shields as a barricade against me, but I kicked both of their spears and shields blocking my way, and they flew along with their weapons.

Oooh boy! I’m getting the hang of this!

The wooden gate is closed shut, but I smashed through it like a paper wall. Its splinters merely bounced off my flesh.

I’m going to make it!

But a light flashes in my way, blinding me, and a figure appears in that light. A voice from that light

shouted, “I won’t let you pass, Mielfizun!”

Mielfizun? Only one person— or creature has called me by that name. Who else would know that?

Then I recognized the owner’s voice, “Narey!?”

“I won’t let you leave for you took away my mother’s life! I shall avenge her!”

Avenge her… yada, yada, yada. “I don’t care!” I shouted. “I don’t belong here, and I don’t deserve this! Screw you and your stupid vengeance!”

“You want to challenge me? You are only but a mere demon!” She charged at me with her sword which shone as brightly as the sun, but I easily dodged it due to the help of my power.

“H—how!?” she exclaimed.

Phew, I barely made it in time. I expected her to chant first, but she didn’t. “Hmph, I’m stronger than you think I was, but I don't have time to be wasting my strength on you!” I wasn’t sure of that taunt myself. I retreated into the forest.

But I sensed something bright above me as ran under the shadow of the trees. Looking up I saw Narey flying over me as she yelled, “Don’t you think that you can hide from me!”

S—she flies now? H—how!? I swear these people have cheats or something!

But her charges were predictable, and so I dodged every strike from her lightning-like sword. I saw a glimpse of the sword’s empty centerpiece.

Wait, that lightning sword… I’ve seen that somewhere! That means I can’t blind her with my magic while she wields it! Not as if I can utilize my magic enough to blind her or anything though…

Suddenly, I lost my footing and fell from a great height. “What the—!” I should have focused in front of me!

And I landed on a rough and stony surface.

Ouch, ouch, ouch! Why is there a cliff there? I speedily stood up. Luckily, the fall wasn’t that severe as to break any bones. Perhaps it’s because of my newfound power.

I looked back to where I fell from and discovered a mouth of a dark cave. I quickly ran to it for refuge planning to hide and wait for my pursuers to quit.

Then, Narey jumped down to where I previously have fallen.

Gah! She is here!

I covered my mouth and tried to slow my breathing to prevent myself from getting spotted. I spectated her as she looked around and into the forest, but she seemed to have suspected nothing. Then she looked behind her, which was the cave’s direction, and her eyes looked into mine.

I jolted in surprise. Crap! She saw me!

But she seemed to not have seen me, even though I was in front of her.

I waved my hand to ascertain her vision, and I confirmed that somehow, she doesn’t see me.

Wait, maybe this cave is invisible to her!

I sighed in relief and decided to walk further into the cave, and I noticed the darkness surrounding me like flames fading.

***

Where is he? He couldn’t have just gone that far? With my Truth’s Vison, I should be able to see him in an instant, but he just disappeared out of thin air! I should have expected him to be sly since he is a Dark Demon!

“Yo!” a voice called out from the forest.

And I was alerted, “Who is there? Show yourself!”

“It’s just me, your friendly commander!”

“Mirril…” I gritted my teeth in annoyance.

“So, did you lose him?” he chuckled. “You have to put that in your report. Now I wonder how will the Court react to that! Will they suspect you? Will they finally banish you?” he laughed again. “Oh, how the angels have fallen!”

“Shut your mouth! You are only but a hindrance in my search. If you feel so proud about yourself, then find him yourself!”

“Oh, so desperate, aren’t we? I am not. I’ve been waiting for this moment. For you to mess up!”

“What are you saying?” I raised my voice.

“It’s time, for the Rinsoille to abdicate their positions!”

***

Man, this cave is longer than I thought it would be! I’ve climbed upwards and descended downwards countless times, and the cave is getting smaller like it’s becoming a tunnel. Also, it’s starting to get harder to breathe in here! Who even made this place? What is this tunnel? It seems like it wasn’t made as a hiding place but as a passage.

I saw light shining from the other end of this narrow tunnel. In my delight, I ran to it, but in my carelessness, I tripped into the mud.

Ew, now I got my clothes all stained… Wait, mud? Is there water nearby? Well, it seemed like it did rain back in the castle, but how would rainwater seep in here?

I stepped out and saw a sight to behold that I dropped to my knees.

From a high point, I overlooked a forest that lay before the plains. And the plains lay before a large lake that reflected the rising sun. Then I saw a large, bustling town on the other side of that lake.

This is where I should have been reincarnated in. Truly, a different world!

I trudged through the forest and the plains before arriving in the town. The roads started as dirt roads before becoming stone roads in the middle of the town. But I can only look at that from the edge of the large town. And I saw new creatures carrying wagons and carriages.

One looked like a wingless dragon, one looked like a combination of a donkey and a camel, and one looked like the rhinoceros.

I was terrified every time they passed by me because of the stomping of their hooves. It felt like they made the earth tremble.

I sensed a couple of stares sent in my way, and I realized why. It’s because I have these muddied clothes, isn’t it? Well, I’m sorry, I just tripped on my way here. It’s just one of those days, isn’t it? I wonder why they keep staring at me even though some of them have smudges themselves.

But I didn’t let that bother me, as I leisurely strolling around the town. I wonder if I can join the famous ‘adventure guild’?

Then an intimidating fat person halted my walk. He held a spear in his hand, and he had armor pieces on his chest, shoulders, and legs. He didn’t have complete protection though. Compared to the full armor the soldiers in the castle wore, his was lacking.

I feel like he didn’t have enough budget to buy oversized armor. I giggled.

He startled me as he spoke with a deep voice. So, I paid my full attention to him. But, as usual, I couldn’t understand his language, but I can poke similarities to the language spoken at the castle.

***

“What are you laughing at, boy? Are you lost? Because you seem to be a new face around here, and you look mightily suspicious. You must come with me to my station. If you resist, expect a harsh beating!” The burly man reached out his hand toward the boy, but the boy avoids it.

“Eh? Didn’t I tell you to not resist? Fine, tell me where you are from.” He waited for an answer, but the boy provided him a silent treatment. “Boy, do you even speak? Do you not have manners, child? Or didn’t your parents teach you that? In any case, I’ve been sensing danger from you, and I shall imprison you. Resist any longer, and I shall take the appropriate action!”

“Sir, is there anything troubling you?” a man’s voice called out in the street?

“Eh?” he looked back and saw a good-natured old man who called out to him. “Nothing, sire, all is well. I am only taking this boy into custody.”

“What boy?” he gently asked.

“This boy,” he pointed, “please tell me, sire, do you sense a dark presence from him?”

The old man carefully looked at the boy with sharp eyes. His brilliant eyes seemingly spelled wisdom from within, and his gray-haired, which has aged gloriously through the years, gave him a noble impression.

The old man shook his head, “No, I don’t see anything emitted by this boy. It’s this boy, am I correct?”

“Yes, sire,” he nodded his head respectfully, “but are you for certain that you don’t see a dark presence around him?”

“No, I’m positive he doesn’t. Was he the trouble?”

“Not really trouble, though he seems to be mute. If that’s the case, thank you for telling me, sire. It must have been my imagination then. My apologies.”

“Not at all! I’m glad to help.”

“Please excuse me, sire,” the man bowed down and went on his way.

The old man took the chance to fully examine him as he approached the boy. He saw his pitiful state and his muddied clothes. He must have been through a long and tough journey. What an admirable child! But he does emit a dark presence, and I’m not mistaken. I will ask for forgiveness from Malko for being dishonest.

The boy staggered away from the old man as he approached, and the man, sensing the boy’s fear, kneeled to the ground with his hands raised in the air, “Boy, it’s alright. I’m not going to harm you. I only just want to speak to you, if that’s alright.”

But the boy didn’t utter a word to him, but only glared at the old man.

“I promise you; I won’t hurt you. I feel like you are lost. Where are your parents?” Still, the boy didn’t give a response. “Please, I would like to help you, but I can’t help you if you won’t talk to me. Do you hear me, perhaps?”

The boy’s eyes keenly scanned the old man and slowly walked to him.

“Are you alright, son?” he concernedly asked. “Could it be that you are deaf?” For a moment, I forgot that a deaf person could not possibly hear me. I should try showing him some gestures.

In the middle of the street, some of the passers-by stopped to watch what seemingly is a ridiculous street performance. The old man began to play charades in front of the boy as he slowly spoke to him.

“Can. You. Hear. Me?” the old man gestured.

“Hey, hey, mum! Look!” a young boy tugged on his mother’s skirt. “What kind of act are they playing?”

“I—I’m not sure son,” the mother of the boy glanced, “but would you like to stop to watch it?” The boy responded with eager nods.

“Is this some kind of game?” another whispered

“This is interesting, old man, keep at it!” a teenager exclaimed.

But the old man ignored their insulting praises and observing eyes, and the boy seemed to understand the old man’s charade.

“Y—you can hear me? Then…” The old man prepared another dance, “Can. You. Talk?”

This time, the boy shook his head as an answer.

“So, you are mute? I see. What a pity you are. Come,” the old man beckoned, “I’ll. Give. You. A. Place. To. Stay. Before. Your. Parents. Come. If you please.”

The boy hesitated.

“You. Can. Trust. Me.” the old man ended his charade with a hand on his chest.

The boy reached out for the old man’s hand and took his pinky finger.

“W—what’s this?”

The boy averted his eyes.

“Ah… I understand. It’s an act of trust, isn’t it? Yes,” the old man took the boy’s hand and wrapped his pinky finger with his, “you can trust me.” He ended with a smile.

And the growing commotion applauded.

“That was an amazing play!”

“It should be in a theater!”

“I know, right? Unfortunately, we don’t have a theater around here.”

“Well, it’s a small town.”

People tossed some coins of gold and silver to the ground as they start to disperse.

“Good job, old man, keep it up!” a teenager lightly patted him on the back.

“Ah, err, sure, thanks,” the old man weakly laughed as he started to gather up the stray coins. Then he noticed the boy’s curious stare.

“Ah, don’t worry,” he chuckled, “I’m not stealing. You do know this is money, right? I won’t take this. I’ll give them to the town hall because they don’t belong to me. But it would be more of a hassle to give these back to their owners.” He laughed again. “I’m an old man, you know?”

***

I and the old man, which I seemingly have made an acquaintance with, led me to a wooden two-story building.

I—is this his house? It looks so cozy! But, wait…

¬Through the wooden window sills, and an open double wooden door, are a few wooden tables and chairs. People were dining inside the house.

Is this a restaurant?

I faced the old man who seemingly told me by his gestures that it was his house that doubled as his business space. I nodded to show that I understood.

He beckoned me in his restaurant and to seat on the tall wooden stools by the long wooden counter.

Then, he gestured to me that he will serve me food. I gestured my thank you in response.

All this time, I haven’t spoken or made a sound with my mouth. I think I will keep it this way…

Then my stomach growled. I looked around and noticed some of the customers stealing glances at me. Please excuse me, everyone.

I watched the old man graciously cooked the hospitable meal. I smelled the egg and meat that he was cooking. His actions suggested that he was a seasoned cook, and he has been running this business for a while.

The kitchen wasn’t far from the customer’s tables. Therefore, whenever a customer made an order, the old chef was able to hear and answer their requests.

I observed the stove that he cooked on. I didn’t notice that it wasn’t connected to any gas tank and never burned out. He frequently placed the pans or the pans to a marble counter nearby, and placed the new ones, and started cooking an entirely new dish.

He really planned the layout for efficient cooking. Even the ingredients are already prepared, the meat pre-washed, and some of the easy-to-cook meals that can be preserved are premade. He is a genius of fantasy world cooking!

In probably what was two short minutes, my meal of fried eggs and porkchop alongside a cup of water was served to me. And I showed my thanks before I ate.

It’s delicious! The perfect crispiness of the eggs, but the perfectly preserved egg yolk, the soft, and easy to eat, but not too chewy, porkchop, complimented each other. The adequate saltiness of the egg and the juiciness of the meat were delectable. And to think that he made all of these in a short time! No wonder why his restaurant is always at half capacity.

Wait, only at half capacity? People around here haven’t realized this old chef’s prodigious skills! Though, his skills were probably honed in time. So, him being a prodigy is too much of an exaggeration.

This is my first meal in this wo— wait. I did eat dinner at the castle, but it was mostly fried fish and a side dish of soup. It was nothing amazing.

Comparing this old man’s cooking to what I assumed is the maids’ cooking, the maids’ cooking stales in comparison. Their cooking was mediocre and unremarkable. The choice of the dishes was too unmatched and failed to complement each other.

Though the cooking process and presentation were more complex than that of the old man’s, the old man’s simple cooking was more polished and tuned to bring out most of the taste in the dish.

But maybe this is my bias because I feel so famished right now, and this meal fulfilled my hunger. It also kind of reminds me of my mom’s cooking…

I really want to go home…

The old man gestured to me a question about the food. Maybe he is asking if it was good?

Then I danced about how delicious it was and shortly felt embarrassed due to the stares of the customers.

Whoops, I might have been too enthusiastic.

But then, the old man heartily laughed and slapped my shoulder to bear with it. He said something in a nostalgic tone and said his thanks to my compliment, and continued in his business.

I sat and observed the shop, taking mental notes of the sounds they make.

So that is what they call a fried chicken… Oh! I get it now! That is what he says whenever a customer finishes saying their orders. It’s like, ‘Please wait for a moment while I prepare your order,’ or maybe that’s too long. More like, ‘Your order will be coming right up!’ Alright, I’m getting the hang of this language, though I am yet to learn how to write it.

I yawned, and my vision became fuzzy. I’m becoming sleepy. I’ve used my brain too much. Oh, right, I didn’t sleep the night before, then I ran and went inside a cave. It felt like a hike in there.

I drank some water to refresh myself. That helped only a tiny bit, but I’m still feeling drowsy. Maybe I’ll sleep on this counter… no— I must not sleep! What if my pursuers find me… and that girl, Parey-san…

Come to think of it, I didn’t address her with the ‘-san’ prefix. Maybe it’s because I automatically thought that they were not needed. Wait, if they don’t use the Japanese system names, then, ‘Parey’ isn’t actually her last name? Yikes! I accidentally called a girl by her first name! What was her last name again? It’s… something like… ‘Shiru…’ I don’t remember. It was too complicated.

Ugh, no, I used my brain again, and I made my drowsiness worse. I can’t help it. Then I fell to sleep on the counter.

***

Oh, he fell asleep, and it’s late in the afternoon. Well, he has been on a long journey after all. Poor boy. I wonder where his parents are? I hope the customers won’t be too bothered, but it would be nice if he vacates this seat before evening. I have a patron who sits here every time he visits. And he is my good friend. I won’t interrupt his sleep though.

The old man left him be and catered to his customers.

Hours have passed, and the sun has started to set, and my loyal patron with his companions have arrived for what they called ‘breakfast.’

“Yo! Barnum!” my friend has arrived and noticed the boy who resided in his usual seat. “Hey, kid, that’s my seat. Care to scoot over?”

But the boy was fast asleep and therefore unheeded his words.

“I do not know who you think you are, kid, but you have a long way to go to adulthood,” he placed his heavy hand on the boy’s frail shoulders.

I called out to him, “Sorry, Grucious, I let him stay at your place. I’ll remove him shortly.”

“You know him?” he asked.

“Not really, but he came from a long journey so I let him nap over there,” I replied.

“You are way too kind to a stranger, especially this one. Don’t you see his dark presence perhaps?”

“Dark presence?” I feigned ignorance, “no, I don’t see it.”

“Ah, I’m too paranoid nowadays. Well, if you allowed him to stay there, I’ll let him have my place for this day.”

I laughed, “Still going on with the inverted time, huh?”

“Yep,” he replied as he took a seat beside the boy. His companions thus followed. “Have to hunt the higher valued nocturnal Nagebeasts at night. But they seemed to have been thinning in numbers nowadays.”

“Nowadays,” I chuckled, “more like, ‘nowanights.’

“Very funny, so funny. I applaud you for your ingenious invention, sire,” Grucious teasingly laughed.

“Oh, shut up, will you?” I chortled. “Also, I didn’t invent anything. I merely borrowed it.”

“From your wife, yeah, yeah,” my friend dismissed my statement, “unless you filed a prenup, you could proudly declare that you own the invention. Heaven’s sake just files a patent.”

“It’s already too late for that,” I waved my hand.

“It wouldn’t have been too late if you did it earlier. Look,” Grucious pointed outside the window toward another bustling diner. It was at full capacity, and there were waiting for customers lining up to dine in. “They stole your menu and made business with them, without paying you royalties or credits, mind you!”

“Ah, it’s okay, it’s okay. Competition is healthy for business,” I stated.

“Right, right, not if your business is slowly staling.”

“Whatever, my guy. I’ll get the usual, correct?”

“Yeah, for me and my squad,” Grucious looked at his two companions. “Your invention, please!” he bellowed.

“I told you to stop with that. It’s just ‘kohi’ and bacon. Coming right up,” with that, I left to work in the kitchen.

Shortly after, I served them their three usual meals, which were three cups of ‘kohi’ and fried pig fats served in larger ‘extra’ quantities.

“So, who is this kid?” Grucious asked while he ate.

“I found him wandering around the streets when I went out of my diner to search for something.” I went out of the diner to initially looking for any trouble, for I sensed this boy’s dark presence, but once I saw him, I can’t help but take him in. I’m sure he wasn’t aware of his over-exceeding power. And he didn’t pose any danger.

“I see, but why?”

“W—well, his clothes are muddied and he seemed lost. So, I gave him something to eat, and I told him that he could stay here while his parents searched for him.”

“Very kind of you, Barnum.”

“It’s just common courtesy.”

“Don’t be so humble now. No one would dare take him in,” Grucious said. “But will you let him stay in your house?”

“Yes, without anything in return. Until his parents find him, I will shelter him.”

“I swear, your kindness will come back to bite you.”

“Don’t say that.”

***

Something smells good. The aroma’s familiar. It’s a hot drink I always smelled whenever I go down for breakfast. Ah, yes, my parents frequently drank coffee, but I preferred soda. Wait, coffee? No way.

I slowly opened and rolled my eyes and saw a large wooden cup towering over my face. The scent’s coming from there.

The man drinking it said something to the old man, and the old man turned into surprise. I raised my head slowly from my nap and stared at the cup filled with black liquid.

It looks like soda, but it’s definitely black coffee from the scent. So, this world has coffee, huh?

The man drinking from the cup showed me his cup and pointed to it, seemingly asking me a question. I faced the old man for advice.

The old man pointed at the cup and uttered a word, ‘kohi.’ He repeated it three times.

No way. They called this ‘kohi’ too? That means, someone taught him this drink, and this is not original to the world!

I pointed eagerly to the cup, and the old man repeated the same word. I showed him that I knew the drink and was familiar with it.

The old man responded in surprise and seemed to ponder for a moment. He then talked a few words with the drinker. Then he faced me. He pointed to the drink and me, then crossed his hands making an ‘x’ position.

Is he disallowing me from drinking coffee? Well, my body is that of a kid, probably twelve years old, but I have a mental age of a seventeen-year-old. Doesn’t matter, I prefer soda.

I nodded to show that I understood him. He beckoned me to come behind the counter. He led me through an opening at the side of the counter so that I could enter. We went upstairs to a hallway. The hallway was narrow and had two small rooms on each side. He led me to the last room on the right side, which is the front of the house. He opened the door and gestured me to enter.

I saw some clothes folded neatly on the bed, and he seemingly signaled me to get changed. He took my dirty clothes, but I tried to tell him that I’ll do my own laundry. It’s too shameless to lodge and not do it on my own. But he kindly insisted.

Why is he helping me? Why is he letting me stay? I should remain cautious nevertheless the motives. I don’t want to be captured by that woman and their soldiers.

In the small and humble room was a single-sized bed in a corner between two wooden windows. To allow light in, I had to open the window doors. The windows had no glass. To the other corner of the room was a wooden cabinet, where I would place my clothes, but I didn’t have any. A bedside table is set with a lamp on it.

I wonder how this lamp works.

I inspected it and discovered a red gem in the light bulb.

Wait, this looks similar to the gem piece attached to the Hero’s sword. But this should work differently.

I tapped the light bulb, and the lamp shone, but it didn’t shine as I expected. Instead, it was colored black, emitting almost no light.

Why did it turn black? Did I destroy it?

I tried to grasp the mechanics of the lamp when the old man returned to my room to have a ‘word’ with me, but it was more like a game of charades.

I showed him the darkened lamp which seemingly worked the opposite of its purpose.

The old man took the lamp into his hands and tapped the light bulb twice. This time, it shone a white light.

Didn’t I just do the same? What was the difference? Is there a technique for switching lamps?

The old man laughed at my confused face, and he assured me that the lamp wasn’t broken. He then gestured to me to ask him for any help, and that he has prepared a bath for me. He pointed to the opposite room marking where the bathroom is.

I gratefully bowed toward him for his hospitality.

If I haven’t met him, I would probably be struggling to survive around now.

He waved his hand seemingly signaling that ‘it was nothing,’ and left the floor to attend to his business.

I walked across the creaking hallway to the bathroom and rested in the hot tub.

Who would have thought? I still got a chance to bathe again!

I saw my dirty clothes on top of a sink in the bathroom and thought about washing them myself. But I hesitated thinking that it was rude, but then, it was also rude to ¬not wash them myself. I had a dilemma with my laundry. Who would have thought that it would come to this?

But I took my thoughts off from that topic, figuring that it was trivial to the situation that I am in now.

Somehow, someway, this old man’s kindness took me in and gave me a place to lodge the night, but why? Did he have a motive behind that? What if he would take me to the authorities? Is this town part of the Brisieon Kingdom? No, it is. The knight that I bumped into had a similar outfit. It seems like I wasn’t wanted in the meantime.

But if I were to leave the day after, where will I go? I have nothing, no connections, or someone who is my company. Isn’t it usually, when the protagonist of an isekai gets reincarnated, they had some companion that helps them or something of that sort? How come I don’t have that? Didn’t someone summon me into this world? Where is that summoner? Or could it be…

…

…

…

Could it be that I am not a protagonist of this story?

No, no, it can’t be. I have powers myself, and I am yet to progress with them, but with the beginning that I have, it seems insufficient.

What is the goal? I want to leave, but what is the goal of my reincarnation? No one told me of anything, but I did meet what could be the antagonist. The Devil, Milfizier.

Wait, didn’t he call me by name? No, he spoke to me, with fondness in his voice, for some reason. He didn’t immediately kill me. No, he didn’t try to kill me at all!

And I remember what he called me, and what Narey called me, ‘Mielfizun.’

Why does that name sound similar to the Devil’s? Do I have a connection with him? He was the one that called me by that name.

Or maybe it’s just a common word in this world’s language. Maybe it means, ‘to kill’ or something. I must have been too worried about it.

But then, Narey did call me Mielfizun with a sentence in Japanese.

Then… my name must be really…

Mielfizun.

If I were the Hero, then why is everybody trying to kill me?

Alright, I need to learn this world’s language first before I jump to conclusions. Maybe Mielfizun isn’t a name, but a word that is unable to be translated to Japanese.

Yes, yes, that’s correct. My deduction is precise.

In the meantime, I should stay with the old man, but I wouldn’t want to free-load myself in here.

I am good with chores. Back home, I did the chores fifty percent of the time. But that still makes me experienced! Then I should be able to help the old man. No, I am not helping him. I am paying for my stay here.

That’s a plan. While I try to learn more about this world, I will work under the old man’s restaurant!

With that, I finished my bath.

\*\*\*

It seems that he is fast asleep. It’s time for my bath now.

Ah, nothing beats a hot bath after a day’s work. I need to have a helper soon. My back and knees are getting worse.

And the boy. Who is he? Why does he have such dark prowess? Though, I haven’t seen him use it in action. Perhaps he doesn’t know how to use it?

And he knows what kohi is. His hometown has to grow kohi beans. But then, is there such a town? The person who introduced me to kohi, was the Hero…

Ah, she was beautiful. I wonder how is she doing. It’s been a while since I’ve last seen her. I heard in the gathering at the town square a month ago that she is chasing after the Demon. I hope she is safe and well. She has mastered the craft of wind after all. Though, she can be overconfident.

I want to return to her. I missed her so much. But the castle doesn’t allow me to meet her. Why were they against our relationship?

I hope she doesn’t have another lover, though it won’t be helped, she is so beautiful. Though, I wouldn’t want to chain her to the ground. She can do as she wished.

Ah, I did it again. I thought too much of her. I’m starting to get dizzy. I should think about what’s on hand right now.

The business is failing, my health too, and the boy.

Yes, the boy. I sidetracked quite a bit.

He is dark but harmless. I feel obliged to keep him in my home. I just have an inkling that he will grow into a great man. It’s a waste for him to be lost by his parents.

Perhaps he and his parents were running away from the Demon hunters, and they got separated. So tragic. I feel sad for the boy.

I have an intuition that his parents may be already dead, but I shall not keep his hopes down. I want him to live for his family.

It seems that he is mute too. I wonder how I should interact with him. I should try writing to him sometime.

I asked Grucious if he knew any towns growing kohi beans, but he said that he doesn’t. Well, that’s bad for me and the boy. I can’t bear to grow my own kohi beans any longer, and I can’t trace the boy’s origins.

But I shall put that off for a later time. Right now, what matters is my aching back— agh! Time to lie to rest.

***

I actively bowed down to the old man, and his face brightens up, and he nodded enthusiastically.

Before this, I have requested if I could work in his restaurant, and he was amazed, and he let me serve under his service.

Immediately, I started cooking. Only the basic meals though. I have learned half of the menu’s simple dishes by deciphering the sounds into the names of the food.

The old man told me this, and I interpreted it into that. Though, he cooked the rest of the menu that was too hard for me to cook or understand. I also acted as the server of the restaurant. And the old man was pleased.

Though something struck me.

A customer shouted at me and pushed me away. He then yelled to the old man seemingly sounding a complaint and left the restaurant.

Though I didn’t think that I made a mistake somewhere during my order-taking process, I apologized to him due to my disappointing performance.

But his face was amicable, and instead, he seemingly gestured an apology to me, but I didn’t understand what he is apologizing to me for. I should be the one who owed him an apology.

Other than that, everything went smoothly, if the stares and sometimes glares of the customers were part of their usual demeanor toward me.

It was clear that they treated me differently from the old man. When I served, their faces were stone cold against me, but when he served, they were amicable in their words.

Perhaps it’s because I’m a young child who can barely understand their orders, and that they were impatient with me. I hope it’s only that because I can fix that matter quickly.

***

The night settled in, and the shop’s time to close has arrived. The last customers paid their bills and left. And the old man and I started to clean up to prepare to close the shop.

The old man showed me his thanks, and I did the same. I was gratefully to find a job, even though I won’t be paid for it. It’s fair since I will be lodging in his home, and the meals and clothes graciously provided.

He urged me to stay with him for as long as I wanted before my ‘parents’ found me. That much I understood, finally, after I deciphered his charade of a ‘mother’ and ‘father.’

I didn’t tell him that I didn’t know or have even met my parents, or at least this body’s parents.

I was not the owner of my own body. It was somebody else’s. Someone I haven’t met, though I have seen him in the mirror.

And so, the slow days at the old man’s began.

***

A month has passed, based on my tracking of days, which I made into a daily routine after I wake up, though I have lost what day or month in my country’s calendar.

As a NEET, the days, weeks, or months, didn’t matter to me, unless there was a sale or a giveaway of some sort. Other than that, I was separate from space and time in mind, but not in body.

And preserving my ‘NEETness,’ I barely emerged from the old man’s restaurant, in fear of being spotted, and in laziness.

Only on rare occasions have I accompanied the old man outside, and that was to explore the crowded market.

Flies buzzed. People pushed. And we sliced our way to the crowd to our selected stalls. The old man taught me more of the language in those trips and back in the shop. I learned what the things are called in their language, meat, pork, beef, chicken, and among other things.

***

The market in itself is no different from the public market that I have known. We were always tight on the budget, and thus our food had to be as inexpensive as possible. We couldn’t afford the grocery and not much of the convenience store except for the cup noodles that we frequently ate from. I pitied myself and my parents every time I think about it. And that was most of the time we ate. My conscience begged me not to eat my share and instead give it to my family, but at the same time, it would be misconstrued as my dissatisfaction.

But I’m always complacent with what we ate, and what we wore, but I was not content with the lack of material things around the house. That was a nice computer, a phone, a faster internet. But of course, we can’t afford those things, but I often complained. It’s a bad habit of mine.

***

The simplest words and forms of the man’s language, I have been taught by him, and some I strived to learn by myself. And, finally, I got to know him by name.

His name was Barnum…

…

…

…

Barnum Langstrom.

Then he asked me for my name. I hesitated for a bit.

Should I tell him my Japanese name, or make one up myself? I realized eventually that the word Parey and the Devil directed to me was not a word. What if I try…

“Mielfizun,” I said.

And the old man’s face grew dark, “What did you say?”

“My name is Mielfizun.”

Barnum weakly laughed, “Could it be that you are jesting? Because that is not something to be joked about.”

“Is it actually a valid name?”

“It is an existing name, and a forbidden one at that.”

“Why?”

“Because that is the prophesied child of the Devil.”

I was stunned.

“Surely you know who the Devil is, right?”

I nodded in silence. So, it is a name. And I was that prophesied child?

Another revelation burdened me to the floor.

The old man kneeled to my rescue, “A—are you alright? I’m sorry. Your joke is funny, okay? Look at me laugh!” he feigned.

I understand… I understand it all now!

…

The contempt of my arrestors.

…

The cloaked hatred of Parey.

…

The fear and sanguinity of the guards.

…

The wariness of the passersby.

…

The scornful gaze of the diners.

…

…

…

All because I am the Devil’s one and only son.

“I’ll give you a better name,” Barnum comforted, and I looked up trying to seal by disconcertment. “I’ll give you my last name too. So, please, calm down.

I waited as his eyes showed me affection.

I—I don’t get it. Why are you kind to me, despite me being the literal Son of Devil?

“Your name shall be…”

…

…

…

“Ramiel Langstrom.”

“R—Ramiel…” I breathed under my words. “Ramiel,” I repeated.

“Yes, that's your name now. From now on, may I treat you as my son?”

“…as y—your son?”

He smiled and nodded, “Yes!”

I bowed my head, “If I am worthy of having a father again…”

He hugged me tightly into his arms, and I wrap mine around his large back. My tears began to flow, and so did his behind my back.

My heart warmed. It felt so comforting. I sighed as I felt a heavy burden lifted from me.

“I—I will give all of my effort to be worthy to be called your son, Barnum!” I spoke.

“Don’t call me by that anymore. Don’t talk too politely to me any longer. You can call me your father.”

***

One of these late nights, I decided to shop for ingredients in a nearby shop. I sneaked out of the diner into the murkily lit street. But the street was wide that it gave me a sense of safeness. I walked excitedly for this was my first time shopping by myself.

I turned into a narrow street to where my target shop is, which sold seasonings and spices. We were running low on those items. But suddenly, I sensed an alarming presence blocking my way.

“You!” a frightening voice called out, and I stood my ground, in fear. “Wha’ccha doing here late at night, huh?”

Recently, the town square had a gathering about incidents of stickups around town, and they have told us to be cautious. Father sternly warned me to be careful of them. And that was unusual of Father, for he was usually casual about these types of matters.

But now that I have encountered them. I should have listened.

“Oh? Do you see this?” the ruffian looked behind towards his two, less-intimidating companions.

“Ye, he reeks of the dark stench!”

“’Tis perfect, dont'cha think?”

“You’re right! We get to beat up one of these punks!” the main person pointed at me.

Oh dear, what trouble have I gotten into! I’m going to be lectured about this!

I shakingly slipped backward, but they closed the distance.

“Time to die now kid!” and a powerful fist neared my face.

Then, a hand hacked his elbow, causing the thug’s arm to go down.

“Gagh!” he looked to his side, and I looked toward where the hand came from.

Then a boy, not far from my age, courageously walks in front, blocking the thieves’ way with me.

“I am not letting you hurt him!” the kid yelled.

“Oh? A mere kid challenging me? Do you see this, mates?” he laughed, and his companions followed. “Don’t try to be a hero, kid. You are not one!”

He unleashed a punch on the outmatched boy, and he flew a short distance and landed on the ground. He coughed up in what I can perceive as blood.

These scumbags have no mercy on a kid!

I clenched my fist planning to attack them when I heard him chant.

“Earth Wall!!”

What!?

Then my head got knocked up into the air by something directly beneath the ground. I landed on the ground and faced what appeared below my vision.

A wall made of solid soil and disintegrated at the summoner’s command.

“Ha! Who is this kid? Ya think that yer Dark Hirayios can touch me? Fool! I’ve defeated countless demons stronger than you!”

Hirayios? I’ve never heard that word before, but first, who are you calling a demon?

I stood to my feet with my resolve ever so stronger, “You think you can beat up kids like that? Do you enjoy overpowering people inferior to you? In time, those same people will overpower you!”

“What gibberish are you saying, kid?” he faced toward his companions. “Do you hear a mouse squeaking?” Then they laughed.

“You piece of crap!” I ran at full speed toward them, but then a bigger figure blocked my path.

“Give up! Let me handle this. This fight is not for you, kids,” the guard who I first met in this town came to my rescue.

“Hey, you, wretches! You have been troubling my town, eh?” the fat guard thundered.

“Wha’cha gonna do? Kill us with your fat?” the ruffian mocked.

“Don’t you think I’ll let you get away! I will be arresting you!”

“Try, fat lord!” Then the thug took a deep breath and chanted, “Earth Wall!”

Like last time, a chunk of the soil ground was lifted into the air, but the guard punched it with his fist causing it to crumble.

“W—what!?” he screamed in astonishment.

“Hmph,” the guard blew on his fist that made the punch, “I’ve been training my punches to affect magic. Don’t try to take me down with such a cheap trick!”

He clicked his tongue, “You think that was my only trick? Idiot, that was only a fraction of my power!”

“Only amateurs say that.”

They both started chanting.

“Earth Spikes!”

“Blazing \*\*\*\*\*\*!”

Spikes made out of stone were hurled toward the guard, but out of the guard’s palms was a flurry of fire. The spikes melted and the flame disappeared.

The thug clicked his tongue and sprinted toward the guard. “Stalagmites!”

“Blazing \*\*\*\*\*\*!”

The guard flew through the air as the fire tornado propelled him to escape the poking spikes that appeared from below him.

“Fire Storm!” he chanted, and above the thugs rained hails of fire.

“W—what!?” The fire fell on him and he seemingly was consumed by it, but a weak voice is heard through the blazing flames, “Stone Dome!”

In his command, the flames were instantly extinguished and revealed a dome in it.

“You can hide, but you can’t run! You must leave your cowardly panic shelter!” the guard taunted, but no one appeared from inside the dome.

“Fine, if you play this way, then I shall,” he took a deep breath, “Inferno!”

Smoke was seen visibly rising on the surface of the dome, and the dome disintegrates revealing the trio crawling in defeat.

Their body and clothes were charred, but it was surprisingly mellow enough to only harm them.

“You are under arrest, hooligans! And you kids,” the heroic guard turned to us, “you must not be roaming the stree— wait, it’s you from before!” he pointed at me.

“Ah, yes, it was me,” I meekly bowed my head.

“Heard that the old man hired you. Good job!” he raised a thumb. “And you,” he pointed to the boy behind me, “you shouldn’t be playing hero! Be patient to be at an appropriate age!”

“Y—yes, sir…” he bowed his head lower than mine.

“Good thing I was nearby. You, kid,” he directed to me, “you had good fighting over there. It’s just a long way off.” With that, he waved his hand and dragged his opponents carelessly to the ground.

I can’t believe that that fat guy had such tremendous power. I must train to be better than him!

Then I felt a nudge from behind, and I faced the fellow boy.

“Are you okay?” he asked me.

“What? I should be asking you if you are okay?”

“Well, this is nothing! I’m going to be a Hero, you know?”

“Well, you are a long way off,” I replied.

He shrugged, “That’s what they all tell me.” Then sighed. “Anyway, what are you doing late in the night?”

I felt for my purse and was relieved that it remained fastened around my belt, “I was going to buy ingredients for the diner.”

“Where? I’ll come with you!”

“Uh… yeah, sure.” This guy closed a lot of distance quickly…

We entered the shop, and he noticed me struggling to read the labels on the item shelves.

“You don’t know how to read?”

“W—well, I can only read a little,” I replied.

“Well, this is pepper, and this is salt! Then this is sugar! Can you also read the prices?”

“Yeah, I can do that. This costs twenty copper,” I pointed to the sugar.

“Expensive, isn’t it?” he remarked.

Woah, this boy suddenly became mature in an instant. “This is expensive?”

“Yeah! It’s overpriced! We have a supplier that sells them at a fraction of the cost!”

I sensed a glare from the shopkeeper. “Please tone your voice down a little.” Maybe he isn’t that mature after all.

“Ah, sorry, my bad!” he scratched his head casually.

Right, there is no shampoo in this world. Well, maybe, not yet.

“So, are you buying these?” he asked.

“No, I’m going to buy hot pepper, cinnamon, then a bit of pepper.”

“Oh? What are you cooking?”

“I won’t be the one cooking, I’ll cook only with pepper. But we are going to make some kind of hot pot.”

“Ooh! A hot pot! What’s the occasion?”

“It’s not really an occasion, but it’s a special request.”

“Special request? Oh, right! You mentioned you were buying these for a diner, yeah?”

“Yeah, I work at the diner.”

“Where? Show me!”

“Uh… well, it’s late at night—”

“Don’t mind it!”

Your enthusiasm is through the roof, especially for someone who you just met. Care to give me some space?

***

“Ohhhh! So, you are our rival!” he exclaimed as we arrived in front of my Father’s diner.

“Rival? Are you the diner right over there?” I pointed to the opposite side of the street.

“Yeah! Yeah!” he says in delight.

Why are you happy about this?

“I wanted to know more about our competitor! I’m lucky to meet you!” he shook my hands without my permission.

Don’t say that in front of an employee's face so freely, you airhead. Are you an airhead? Anyway, why are you suddenly getting chummy with me?

“Err…” he toned down. “What’s your name?”

“Langstrom, Langstrom Ramiel.”

“May I call you Langstrom then?”

“Wait, sorry.” I forgot that my first name is said first. “Ramiel is my first name. I switched them accidentally.”

He exploded into laughter, “You are so silly!”

Don’t you dare call me silly! The one who is to be called silly is you!

“It’s nice meeting you!” he vigorously shook my hand.

“Ow, ow, that’s enough handshakes, thank you very much!” I quickly retracted my hand and turned to enter the shop.

***

What a gloomy guy! I can’t believe that I would get to befriend a servant at a shop, and a competing diner at that! Wait… I seemingly have forgotten something.

Right! I didn’t introduce myself or even told him my name!!

I’ll meet him in the diner tomorrow! He’s gonna have so much fun!

\*\*\*

“Yes, coming right up!” I smiled and walked toward the counter, “One pancake and black coffee please!”

“Gotcha!” Father replied as he cooked multiple dishes in a swift but gracious fashion.

I want to cook like him someday…

Yesterday, I introduced Father to a famous food, the pancake. I taught him how to make the pancake and told him how it would suit the breakfast times. Though I flunked up in the production of it, Father was able to catch what I was trying to do and made a fluffy and delicious pancake. Truly, he is a prodigy of cooking.

And my suggestion was accepted instantly and was immediately added to the breakfast menu.

I suggested this so that our diner would break through its stalemate, and I guaranteed success over the rivaling diner. A unique dish for desperate times.

And the amazing results were being manifested. More customers were showing up and started to fill the belvedere of the shop. I had to tell them to properly line up to wait for their turn. The one's dining has a pleasant surprise on their faces while they complimented the new and unusual food that they ate.

And an unexpected customer sat at a prominent table as I served to him.

“Yo!” the boy whom I met last night raised his hand.

It’s the annoying guy again, but then, he is a customer. I put on a dry smile, “Welcome to S’trom’s Diner. What are your orders?”

“What is with that smile?” he pulled me toward him then stretched my mouth lengthwise with his index fingers. “That’s better!”

What do you think you are doing, you dumdum!? But I can’t afford to lose my temper in front of the customers. “Sir, we have many customers waiting. We would appreciate it if you would order as soon as possible.”

“You are so funny! It’s like you switched personalities completely!” he remarked.

This kid!! “Sir, I might have to ask you to leave.”

“How rude! Is this how you serve your customers?” he raised his voice, and the customers in the shop stared for a moment.

Uh oh, trouble! I can’t believe you’ve done this!

I whispered to him, “What do you want to do with me? If you want to ruin my business—”

“Of course not, of course not! I genuinely wanted to try out this ‘pancake’ that you are serving. I heard from those who ate here that it was sweet and delicious. It made me want to try it for myself!”

Really? “Then, your orders are one pancake, sir?”

“Yes, I’d like to have one of that!”

“Is there anything else, sir?”

“N—nothing more!”

“Pancake coming right up!” I quickly left to the counter.

My goal is to make him leave as fast as possible.

“Here is your pancake, sir. Please enjoy your meal!” I slightly bowed my head as I served the dish.

“O—oh!” he gasped. “This looks deliciously fluffy! Hey, hey,” he tugged on my apron, “how do you eat this?”

Are you serious? Also, hands off my apron! “You just hold the knife in one hand, and the knife in another. Then you hold dow—”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. Do you think that I’m too dumb to use these utensils?”

“No—no, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.” Yes, yes, I’m pretty sure that you are a primate who needs a tutorial on how to use these utensils.

“I see that you have to pour this white syrup over the pancake and eat it?”

“Yes, that’s how you eat a pancake, though it’s optional.”

“I see, I see! I’m digging in!”

I watched from a distance as he poured the white sugar syrup onto the pancake. This was produced by cooking the sugar into sugary syrup. A decent alternative to maple syrup… for now.

Cooking in this world was surprisingly convenient though there were no gas tanks, stoves, or anything of the sort. Luckily, this world didn’t use the ancient style of a stove, though it looked like one. The stoves used some sort of magical gem to activate a fire as a modern stove would do. This was what the old man told me, and he called them a ‘Varion.’

Can’t they just call it runes or something?

“It’s sweet! How did you come up with this?” the boy remarked as he creepily licked his lips in satisfaction.

“It’s a secret,” I replied.

“Eh? Why is it a secret? Care to tell me of that secret?” he asked.

“It wouldn’t be a secret if I tell you, would it?”

“But, aren’t I your friend? As a friend, you should share me your secrets.”

“Um, when did we become friends?” I said in a cold tone.

“Wait, you don’t consider me as one?” Suddenly, he took on a puppy face with sparkling eyes.

It isn’t cute. Stop being a creepy, weirdo.

“Yes, I don’t. You are just trying to spy on this restaurant, aren’t you?”

“Huh? What makes you think that?”

“Don’t act dumb. It won’t work.”

“But I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Drop the act. I know you are spying on your restaurant. Stop trying to copy my father’s dishes.”

“I wasn’t trying to copy your father’s dishes—”

“You did. You stole my father’s fried chicken dish.”

“What!? No! I totally did not! We are only serving fried raven!”

“That’s a lie!”

“Trust me it isn’t!”

“Then explain your dish called ‘bacon and eggs’!”

“That’s—!”

“See? That was my father’s original dish!”

“It’s not!”

“You stole the entire dish, and now you are making a profit off of it!”

“Well…”

“See? Now, tell me— no, admit it! You are trying to steal our new dish from our restaurant!”

“N—no, I’m not! I am not stealing! We haven’t stolen anything!”

“How could you say that!? Don’t you dare tell me such a bald-faced lie!”

A smug look grew on his face, “But, it isn’t patented, isn’t it?”

Wha—? Patented?

“We technically didn’t steal your dish since your dumb father didn’t apply for a patent!”

“So, you did steal.”

“But it isn’t patented. Therefore, you have no right to call that dish your own!

“How dare you say that!” I shouted.

“Ramiel! Stop that now! You are bothering the customers!” Barnum shouted from the counter. “If you want to have a debate, go to the courtroom!”

“But, father, this person is stealing our dishes!” I retorted back.

“And what makes it our dishes?” Barnum asked.

What? What do you mean? It’s our dishes! Even though it’s not patented!

Barnum beckoned me to come to him by the counter, “Come here. I have to tell you something.”

I stood near him as he looked upon me with a grim face. “W—what is it, father?”

“It’s about those dishes. It’s not ours.”

“What?” I gasped.

“Another person introduced them to me, and sh— they allowed me to sell it in this restaurant. That’s why it doesn’t matter if it’s from this restaurant or not. They wanted to share the dishes to the world.”

“B—but, but they are straight up plagiarizing!”

“Don’t struggle any further. It isn’t ours, and it’s meant to be shared.”

“So, this is why you were never bothered with that restaurant.”

“Yes, so please go apologies to our customers.”

After this quarrel, I bowed to apologize to our bewildered customers, and the boy sat at the same table until the closing time.

“We are about to close,” I said to the boy I exchanged shouts from earlier.

“Ah, really? Finally!”

“What do you mean finally? Did you wait for me to finish my work?”

“Of course! Because you are my friend!” he said gleefully.

Friend? When? Don’t get so chummy with me. I didn’t apologize to you!

“When you finish, please meet me outside the store. I want to tell you something,” he said.

“No, thanks.”

“W—why!? Come on, we are friends, aren’t we? Oh!” He briskly stood up and took both of my hands into his, “Let’s restart!”

“H—huh?”

“It’s nice to meet you! My name’s Warren Grand’stadt! What’s yours?”

I don’t care. I don’t care. I don’t care! Leave me alone!

“Hey, hey, you should reply back out of courtesy, you know?” he nagged, but I didn’t reply.

Barnum slapped me at the back, “Sorry for my son’s rudeness. His name’s Ramiel Langstrom.”

“S—son!? W—when!? Did you ever have a son!? I mean he has the same last name as you and all!”

“Well, he is not really a son by blood. I just took him into my home as a son.”

“O—oh! That’s so kind of you, Barnum!”

Barnum laughed, “Please be friends with my troublesome son!”

“H—huh!?”

“With all my pleasure!”

Aren’t you supposed to ask for my permission first though?

Outside the shop, overlooked by the bright night illuminated by the shining stars, our shadows extending from the light, we stood facing each other like it was some kind of a battle about to start.

“Then? What are you going to tell me?” I sighed. “Make it quick.”

“W—would you like to…” the boy took on a bashful form.

Why are you acting like a girl!? Stop blushing!

“I said make it fa—”

“Would you like to eat in our restaurant tomorrow!?” he shouted, and his voice echoed through the empty street.

Ha… why did you make this look like someone’s confession. “Why would I want to eat in your restaurant of thieves and robbery?”

“Don’t call it that! You are horrible!”

“In summary, I don’t want to. Good night,” I started to take my leave, but Warren grabbed my hand.

Don’t touch me!

“Please!” he begged like a child.

Such a child…

“Let me go!” I shook my hand, but he won’t release my hand.

“I—I won’t let go until you agree to dine in my restaurant!”

This will just go on forever! I sighed. “F—fine! I’ll go eat in your stupid restaurant. Be thankful!”

“R—really!?” Warren’s eyes shone like the stars in the sky. “T—thank you! I will make it worth your visit!”

\*\*\*

The next day arrived, and I asked Barnum if I could go eat at the next door’s restaurant, and he surprisingly agreed.

“If it’s for your newfound friend, of course, I approve!”

So, you are kind of bothered by your competitor after all. Heh…

“W—what are you smirking for? Go on ahead. I’ll take care of the restaurant today. Don’t worry.”

“I’ll be off,” I waved.

I found an available seat and helped myself in, and the waiter especially picked for me is Warren.

“O—ohhh! You actually came!” He suddenly started to snuggle on my face. “You are truly my friend after all!”

“S—stop rubbing your face on mine!” I pushed him away.

“S—sorry! Anyway, welcome to the Grand Restaurant! May I take your order?”

“Hm? Where are the menu cards?” I searched around.

“Wait, you don’t see it?” Warren asked.

“What don’t I see?”

“The magic cards don’t work on you? That’s why you look so unsurprised!”

“Magic cards?”

“They were supposed to appear floating in midair to act as a cool menu!”

“What an unnecessary feature.”

“I—it’s not unnecessary! It’s cool!”

“Then? How can I order without knowing the food?”

“Um… well…”

Wait, let me guess… “I’ll have bacon and eggs, please.

“Bacon and eggs, coming right up!”

I knew it!!

Warren returned and served the meal at the table, and I was surprised by the presentation.

Woah, the plates look fancy and expensive and the utensils too! Now that I look around, the restaurant looks rather extravagant for a local shop. Truly a Grand— no! Screw this! Now I’m suddenly complimenting such a puny shop!

“Amazed, aren’t you?”

“I—I wouldn’t say that. It’s just not bad… h—huh?”

“Heh?” Warren smirked.

“J—just shut up and wait on the other tables!”

Warren slid closer to me, “What if I don’t want to?”

Don’t try to seduce a person of the same gender! Are you gay!?

“I—it’s hard to eat!”

Warren giggled and left.

You are gay.

“I—I’ll be digging in,” I mumbled as I stealthily clasped my hands before eating. Can’t let other people see my weird customs.

I took a bite off of the bacon.

W—woah! I—it’s unexpectedly good! Are you kidding me?

“So, how is the food?”

“H—huh?” I looked away. “I—it’s not bad. That’s to be expected of a restaurant.”

“Oh~? Really? Is that all you have to say?”

“Y—yes, you should be thankful that I didn’t puke upon eating!”

“You’re horrible!”

“No, I’m just painfully honest.”

Though, I’m lying out of my teeth that the food isn’t good… It’s delicious! Made by a master chef, no doubt!

“If you’d like to order more, please call me!”

“Y—yes I woul— I mean no! I wouldn’t order any more of your tasteless food!”

“Hm? Okay, then. Make sure you don’t regret it,” Warren giggled.

***

After I ate in the restaurant, I exited the place to head back to S’trom’s Diner to continue my work shift there, but Warren called out to me.

“Hey!”

I looked back. Ugh, what do you want this time?

“What?” I shouted coldly.

“Don’t need to be so sharp. I’m your friend, you know?”

No, I don’t know you.

“Anyway, what do you want?” I asked.

“Would you like to go fishing on Mayday?”

“Mayday?” Oh, right.

How time was measured was different in this world too. It took me some time to memorize and adjust to the time. Therefore, I had to remember that every ‘month’ had six weeks each. And every ‘week’ had twelve days each, and the days are called rather differently. Fortunately, the hours and minutes relatively stayed the same.

I believe Mayday is the first day of the ‘rest days.’ And today is ‘Rayday.’ Then, that’s two days from now.

But then, this is the annoying Warren we are talking about. I’ll pretend to be busy.

“Sorry, but I’ll be busy on that day.”

“Ehhh?” Warren slumped in disappointment. “But it’s a rest day, you know?”

“My father has given me errands on that day. Sorry.”

Not that like I need to apologize to you, but I apologize for your pitiful face that screams dismay.

And with that, I hurriedly took my leave and returned to my father’s diner.