A couple more days passed with the Otherworlder tied up in bandages. During the nights he would go back with Vera and sleep in the Blume estate while during the day the two of them came to the town and helped rebuild it.

Or at least tried to.

The Otherworlder’s bad luck would land him in trouble each time he lend a hand. Each time Vera saved him from whatever impediment he found himself in, and the townsfolk laughed his mistakes away.

The sun had gone past the top of their heads and was now peeking at the town from the west when all of them were out on a break in their rebuilding.

Vera and the Otherworlder had distanced themselves from the rest of the townsfolk as they sat on top of the ruins of a three-story building that still somehow stood tall. Their feet hung out as they sat on the safety railings. A few meters away from the building, a sinkhole had opened up on the road directly exposing one of the water channels underground.

The Otherworlder fiddled with a stone in his hand. He pulled his arm back and tossed the stone ahead, it curved in the air and zoomed towards the channel.

-Tap!

-Tap!

The stone skipped on the water twice before sinking into it.

“Tsk.”

Vera picked up a stone next, pulling her hands back, she too flung the stone towards the channel.

-Tap!

-Tap!

-Tap!

“Heh, three.”

The Otherworlder whistled and started looking for a better stone to throw. He chipped one out from the side of the place he was seated and inspected it closely. After rolling it around in his hand, he pulled his hand back and tossed it with great force.

“I think I’m going to leave this country.”

-Plop!

The stone hit the surface of the water at great speed, instead of skipping on it, the stone tore through the surface and sank into the water at once.

“Is that so?” Vera said, picking up a stone of her own. Over the last few days, her mind had reached a state of relative stability, so she noticed things.

She noticed the Otherworlder looking for pigeons after walking up.

She noticed the Otherworlder stare at the cheery townsfolk and how normally they treated things like this.

She noticed the Otherworlder eavesdrop on the adventurers sharing stories of brave exploits.

“Why?” Vera asked as she flung the stone herself.

“I just...” the Otherworlder turned towards Vera. “I’m done running away. If this is my life now then I need to live it, not just for myself, but for my sister as well.”

Vera’s stone too plopped right into the ground. She slowly looked back at the Otherworlder with glassy eyes. “I’d rather you stay.”

“Come with me.”

Vera stopped speaking and lowered her gaze. “I can’t... Not yet... I still want to clear Vera’s name.”

The Otherworlder showed her a wry smile and slowly placed his hand on hers. “I can’t stay either... I want to truly open my eyes to this place, Vera. Even if it’s just once. All these things I don’t know, I don’t understand... I want to get rid of them.”

Vera tried to say something but held back her words. She could tell from the Otherworlder’s eyes that he had already decided to leave.

“One year,” Vera said. “I’ll meet you before, but you have only one year.”

“Vera...”

“After that, I will travel with you too.”

Vera took in a breath and picked up another stone. She swung it as far as she could. With a swish, the stone crossed over the water channel and landed on the pavement on the other side.

“Hah, I’d like that,” said the Otherworlder.

┈ ┈ ┈ ⋞ ⟨ ⏣ ⟩ ⋟ ┈ ┈ ┈

Another similar day passed by. This time, the Otherworlder was aimlessly walking around the northern part of the ruins of the town.

He had expected things to be tense with Vera, but they had only gotten more affectionate over the course of the day with smiles placed widely on their faces. Was she really smiling, or was she faking it? He didn’t know, but he hoped it was a real smile, just like his.

His physical condition was improving by the day too. He could easily avoid the minor retributions his bad luck brought towards him now.

“Haah, but it’s never this simple right? It’s going to get worse when I least expect it.”

The Otherworlder sighed when an old man entered his sight. Standing near the ruins of the book store, Mr. Wallace Yellow was trying to push away the debris on his own.

“Mr. Yellow,” the Otherworlder called out.

Mr. Yellow turned and waved at the Otherworlder. “Hey! What are you doing here?”

“I should be asking that.”

“Well whatever, help me move this stuff.” My Yellow pointed at the large chunks of stone on the ground. The Otherworlder nodded and walked over to the stone. “I’ll raise it so put your hand under and push it up, ok?”

“Yeah.”

Mr. Yellow bent down and gripped his fingers around the edge of the large slab of stone. When it was high enough, the Otherworlder put his hand under the stone. The two of them pushed it off the ground.

“Mr. Yellow,” the Otherworlder said as the stone raised up and flipped over to the other side. Taking in a few deep breaths, Mr. Yellow pointed at the next stone below the first one and said.

“What is it?”

They pushed the stone up in the same way again as the Otherworlder continued. “I’m planning on leaving this place, go and explore.”

Mr. Yellow turned his towards the Otherworlder, almost letting go of the slab of stone, but caught it and pushed it again at just the right time.

“To find a way to go back?” The second stone flipped over too when Mr. Yellow asked the Otherworlder a question. The tiles of the original shop had broken apart and revealed strange magical engravings the Otherworlder had never seen. Mr. Yellow slowly bent down and dusted away the dirt off the runes.

With his eyes stuck to the unique runes, the Otherworlder answered. “No, I mean I’ll look for it. But I’m going because I want to give it a chance.”

Mr. Yellow turned his head towards the Otherworlder. “Give what a chance?”

“This world,” the Otherworlder said. “I’d like to see if I can fall in love too.”

Mr. Yellow averted his gaze and remained quiet for a few seconds as if thinking of something. Then, he sighed and placed his hand on the runes. A blue glow emitted from the markings as Mr. Yellow poured his mana into them.

A small rumble spread through the ground below before it started cracking open. Mr. Yellow quickly stepped back and watched the opening ground with his arms crossed.

Though he was surprised, the Otherworlder quietly watched whatever was happening. The small rumble had sent some bits of rocks shooting towards the back of his head, but he avoided them with ease.

When the ground spread open completely, another rumble spread through it as something rose from the empty space. Black handles were the first thing that appeared in sight, followed by mirrors and attached to a long rod right behind them.

The empty spot in the ground was being filled up by the rising ground, and standing on top of it was a modular motorcycle. Its slim black frame and heavy design made it look like a running panther. It was certainly not something the Otherworlder had expected to see in this world.

With a small smile, Mr. Yellow walked up to the motorcycle and touched its seat gently. “I always wanted one back home, so I made this here. My Barley Jamieson. I was bringing her out to make sure she’s safe, but...” Mr. Yellow looked back at the Otherworlder with a soft gaze.

He reached into his pockets and tossed something at the Otherworlder. The Otherworlder carefully caught it and brought the object in front of his eyes. A metal key.

“You can take her with you.”

“What?” the Otherworlder asked with widened eyes.

“Yeah, we were together when I was still exploring. I’m sure she’ll be good company.”

“Mr. Yellow–”

“–Besides. I’m done for my age, but I am sure she would like to see more of the world.” Mr. Yellow caressed the handles of the motorcycle with a gentle touch. “You’re a good guy. You’ll make a good team.”

The Otherworlder was too stunned to say anything to Mr. Yellow. It was probably the impulsive decision of an old man, but the Otherworlder felt deeply grateful for it.

“She can run on magic, but I doubt you can use it in your state, so petrol would do too.” Mr. Yellow pumped his eyebrows at the Otherworlder and gestured at him to come closer. “Want me to show you how to run her along?”

“Hm. Yes, please.”

┈ ┈ ┈ ⋞ ⟨ ⏣ ⟩ ⋟ ┈ ┈ ┈

That night, at Mr. Yellow’s insistence, the townsfolk kept a large celebration for no particular reason. A literal volley of food and drinks were exchanged as the people went wild with their celebration.

The bards sang and strummed while the people danced drunk, enjoying everything that was their now.

A large lot of them gathered around the Otherworlder. Some ladies trying to woo him away and some are happy just to talk to their savior. It was also their best chance to get to know the man, for the noble-lady who was stuck to him all the time was nowhere to be seen today.

“Hey, Mr. Fors, is that lady any lover of yours?”

“Lover? No, no, we’re just friends.”

“Hey, Mr. Fors! Have some drinks would ya?”

“I am, I am.”

The Otherworlder too tried his best to indulge them but ran out of patience in just a few minutes. The beautiful night continued on. From happy raps and wrestling matches to drunken rants and drinking competitions. He, too, talked a fair bit with the Sanguine Snakes, then with the receptionist and guild master of the adventurers guild.

He chewed on spicy meat and drank down sweet ale as the moon came closer and closer and the stars sprinkled bright. The fires fluttered and the songs dwindled the deeper the night grew. The kids fell asleep and the adults did too. Still sipping on his ale, the Otherworlder sat quiet on a stone as the night grew deeper.

Not long after, the last of the songs turned into snores as everyone around him seemed to have fallen asleep.

Yet, the Otherworlder remained seated. With no one to feed it, the fire burnt the last of the wood away and died down, but the bright stars were enough of a light and the blowing breeze was enough of a song for the Otherworlder to stick around a bit more long.

The stars were still around and the moon was too. The Otherworlder had sat there for an hour or two. At last, he finished the last of his ale and placed the mug back down. With eyes closed, he took in one last breath carrying the scent of the town.

Yawning, the Otherworlder picked up the bag he prepared beforehand and slung it on his shoulders. He gazed at the sleeping townsfolk once more before turning on his back.

His feet took him away, his steps heavy. But the further he walked, the lighter got his body and the bag on his back. Guided by the starlit sky, the Otherworlder soon reached the bike Mr. Yellow had given him.

A smile pulled at the corner of his lips as he tied the bag to it. When it was all done, he dusted his hands and climbed on–

“You’re leaving.”

A mechanical voice reached the Otherworlder’s ears. Now seated on the bike, the Otherworlder turned his head to the side to see a small robot with all kinds of lights blinking on its head.

“You’re awake,” the Otherworlder answered back.

Greeter’s head spun a complete circle and it beeped back.

“A robot’s nights are lonely.”

“Is that so...” the Otherworlder said.

“Right. Are you leaving?”

“I am.”

Greeter’s head again spun in a circle as it slowly backed away from the Otherworlder. “Then, take care,” it said.

“Yes, you too.”

Nodding back, the Otherworlder turned the key to the bike and pushed a button to get it started. The soft sound of the engine spread through the night sky.

The breeze continued to blow, the stars continued to twinkle, and everything continued as it would, ever moving.

The Otherworlder had joined them too.