Chapter 210 – And thus it stops rolling

The two continued on down the road. Joshua cooped behind the car while leaning his elbow on the car’s window. He looked at the driver seat. Dolce was singing a song he didn’t know.

“This is really odd,” he thought.

It was already abnormal for him to stay near her. He thought that he would have escaped. But Dolce was not hostile. She didn’t have any intentions. It bothered Joshua if she was thinking of many schemes. But so far there was no such thing.

The view behind the car’s window pass by, he thought how it looked like a film rolling. The past years have been unlucky for Joshua. He experienced hardships and suffering in this foreign world. In just a year he was able to experience things he wouldn’t experience back in his old life.

Five years passed yet after that year. It seemed like there were no experiences like that anymore. Joshua oddly found it saddening. He realized it as he saw the broadcast that happened. He saw an evil tyrant and his helper getting justice.

In the five years, Joshua didn’t experience anything worth noting. Sure, he was squandered, tricked and scammed. He lived in poverty, doing a meager job, drinking his fill until he could not stop. Only when the residential area that he lived turned into a sea of flames that events, seems to have rolled again.

He wondered why. He thought why he was trying to escape? Was he looking a way out? Was he scared of experiencing the same suffering? Or was he running away from it?

He doesn’t know. Joshua tried to dig deeper into his mind. He stroked his chin and thought what he was looking for in the end? What was the purpose of his travels? Why didn’t he stop in Lingua Farnese instead? Why didn’t he look for a job as planned? Was he afraid of normalcy?

Joshua doesn’t know. He bowed his head. He peered outside. There were strange animals and it was all alien to him. He could not comprehend how these animals were able to function. He saw a three-headed worm that seemed to be eating a strange fruit.

There were cars and asphalt roads yet these animals exist. These beasts were things he could not see in his world. He thought why he was traveling again. “Could it be that?” he muttered inwardly. He looked up at the sky beyond the window and thought. “Ah, so that was it huh? What a foolish thought.”

A strange smile appeared on his face. He lowered his head down and didn’t continue looking outside. Dolce looked at her rear mirror and saw Joshua’s sullen expression. She didn’t know what happened. She was almost tempted to stop and ask him but she continued driving her car until she spotted the town where Joshua would get off.

Looking at the town, she thought how she could not stop him from leaving. It was there that Dolce’s made a bitter yet graceful smile.

...

Joshua got off Dolce’s car. He looked at Dolce who was in the driver’s seat. “Thank you for taking me here. I’ll repay you soon.”

“I see,” she said.

“Not remarks? Heh, maybe I’ll see you soon?”

“Joshua,” she snapped. “What are you doing out here?”

“I don’t know,” he said.

“Are you looking for adventure?” she looked at him. “You have a face wants to look for adventure. Is that why you are traveling?”

“Like I said I don’t know.”

“Joshua. When I said that I am sorry, I meant it. If you want to I can make amends. I...will let you take revenge on me. I’ll let you take my life or do what I did to you back in the city of storms. If you want to...I’ll take responsibility for my actions and take you as my husband!”

Her words were resolute. Her eyes met with Joshua. Joshua’s heart thudded hard. He looked at the sincere expression of the woman before him and replied earnestly. “That’s quite the offer...if I was crazy I might just agree.”

She heaved a deep long breath. “Oh I hope that you were crazier!” she shouted. She then extended her hand towards Joshua. “It was nice seeing you. May we meet again?”

Joshua smiled. He took her hand. “Yeah, maybe we will.”

“Maybe huh?” she smiled slightly. “Oh well, I do not own you so I might as well wait and see. I live in the City of Oasis now...visit if you can okay?”

Joshua nodded. Dolce then made a wide grin as she stepped on the gas and speeded away. Joshua watched her go and sigh. He then struts towards the highest part of the town. It was a cliff with a view of the sea. It was a beautiful sight. It soothed Joshua’s heart.

“No sudden call to action. No events that would lead me to glory. I started in this world with odd yet exhilarating experiences yet here I am looking at a sea. There’s no demon king to slay. Or any events that require me. I guess being sent here was truly an accident. No destiny or the likes would guide me.”

A bitter smile appeared on Joshua. He stood up and spread his arms like a cross. He felt the cool yet salty breeze of the sea air.

Joshua was looking for that thrill. But clearly, there was none to be found. The world didn’t have any grand events. And his willpower wasn’t that strong to look for one. He was just an unfortunate dude that was thrown into this world by accident.

There was nothing he can do about it. He was not destined. So he just sat and swayed his legs. He took a snack from his coat and started eating. He started in this world starving and alone in a desert. Now he was now facing the sea with a dried beef in his hand. He chewed on the beef jerky. He looked at the gentle blue sea and muttered. After thinking, he finally gave up.

Then, he took a step.

END