Argh~ I don't feel so good...

My neck is stinging me...Not to mention my head..ouch..Huh?

Wait a minute...Darn it! I got knocked out. Again...TWICE in this world!

Geez! How come I always get bad luck when it comes to slaying that damn Demon Princess?!

Come to think about it, where the heck am I? I'm gaining consciousness, but my vision is blurry. Again, there's a bright white light above me... Don't tell me I'm back at that police station...

"Are you sure he'll be fine, Nelly?"

"I can assure you his whole body is made up of great muscles, especially his brain. We better go now before those vegetables run out, Suzuki-san."

As I slightly turn my head to the left side, I'm able to see that Purple Demon and another woman, who must be Suzuki-san the Demon Princess is referring to. She has chestnut-colored hair and as I manage to see her side of her face, she's wearing a rectangle-shaped, transparent item over her eyes. I have the urge to call out to them, but after the shameful humiliations I've been through, I don't want to reveal them to this Suzuki woman because I'm supposed to be the Greatest Hero of Branshire. The naked incident must not...MUST NOT BE TOLD until my timely death. Great! Ironic how I want to die soon before my heroic mission can be accomplished...

As soon as I hear the door has been closed, I try to get up immediately, but I yelp for my knees hit something hard. My vision becomes clear at last...and I can see I'm under a fancy table covered with a fancy flowery-patterned cloth. It feels warm, but now's not the time to relax. I have to crawl out to get out of this Japanese table completely.

I realise I'm still wearing the same clothes and shoes last night. Thank goodness or I might not live another day being naked in front of anyone again...

Come to think of it, it's day time already. Looking through a big glass window on my right, I see the sky is clear with daylight. Some rooftops and some tall buildings are visibly clear to my sight.

Wait a minute. If it's already daytime...THAT MEANS MORE THAN HALF A DAY HAS PASSED BY?!

This is some crazy mess I'm in. I know I should pursue and slay that Demon Princess, but for now, I'm getting out of this house regardless of its peacefulness and hospitality I'm feeling right now. I see an advanced chair right next to another wooden table that's lined up with books and some sort of stick figure that looks downwards. I grab the chair, throwing it towards the glass window. I know it's barbaric for a dignified Hero like me to do that, but I've no clue on what traps any door or window in this world has. Back to the chair crashing and shattering the glass of the door, it seems like it's safe to cross over.

As I step out of the broken glass window and avoid the shards of glass on the gray floor, I hear commotion beneath me. What shocks me isn't how many passers-by are figuring out why there's a chair in the middle of the road...Okay, okay! I admit I want to climb down without being spotted, but the way to freedom below is way too high for me to escape. I mean, I'm talking about being ten floors up!! Gosh! How tall is this Japanese house?! What should I do...

Then, I almost forgot that I've still got my Light Magic since I was able to use one in this world. And why I didn't use it at the police station last night? It's obvious that they're innocent humans so my magic will reflect back to me as punishment if I were to hurt them. I go back inside the room. I lift my right hand up as I say my favorite magic ability in a normal tone:

"Levitation Shield!"

Alas! My glass-looking shield! I fly immediately as soon as I hop on it. I glance down below to see if more people are crowding that spot. Coincidentally, I can see familiar uniforms...Yikes! It's that captain and her servants! Thank goodness I'm flying away at this moment...

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Right! I'm safe for now. Now, where should I land?

I seem to be above some sort of land where unknown big objects are laid right in the middle of it. Just when I'm looking below for just one short moment, I hear some buzzing sound coming right in front of me. When I set my focus to look forward, it's too late as some sort of big metal-looking bug with four wings is heading straight towards me.

And again...I lose my balance falling off from my Levitation Shield. Screaming pathetically is the last thing I want to do right now. Alas, I'm able to land in the bushes for a comfortable landing. Well...it isn't comfortable. I'm feeling a bit of itchiness on my (ahem!) butt from my landed bush. I get up immediately, dusting the leaves and sticks that are stuck on my clothes.

I look around to see nobody and thank goodness for that; because if anyone has seen me like this, I'm not sure...

"Big Bro, are you alright?"

Huh? Who the heck is asking me?? Don't tell me...he saw my lame fall?!

I turn to my right to see a short boy with short, neat black hair. He has got this concerned look on his face as he keeps looking up and down at me for a while.

"I'm sorry, Big Bro!," he exclaims as he bows as low as he can. "I was finding my friend's missing puppy with that drone."

Drone? To think I got scared of some tiny machine...again...

"Ah! Your right hand! It's bleeding!"

"Huh?...Oh. It's fine, kid. It's just a scratch. I'll be on my way..."

"No can do! Don't you know these days you can get easily infected?! Even if the recent pandemic has just disappeared..."

"Huh? Is that so? Anyways, I'll be fine, kid. Just so you know, where I come from, I'm quite strong."

"Yes, yes. Let's sit down over there, okay?"

The kid pulls my left hand gently. We sit down on a nearby wooden bench where his two-wheel transport seems to be standing next to it. The kid takes out a medium-sized white box from a basket in front of his transport's handles. He then starts to treat my wound. Quite a responsible boy despite he's somewhere around thirteen years old.

"Ouch! Kid, do slowly, okay?"

"I prefer you call me Atsushi, Big Bro."

"Alright, Atsushi. Call me Francis instead of Big Bro."

"Then, Francis-nii-san (Big Bro Francis). I know I'm gonna sound crazy, but how did you float?"

"Huh?... Then...you did saw my pathetic fall...Ha. Ha. Uhm...kid..."

"Atsushi."

"Well, Atsushi... can you keep it a secret? I don't want my sworn enemy to find out this embarrassing incident."

"Francis-nii-san, are you a spy?"

"Spy? No, I'm a Hero who slays demons and any other evil beings."

"Wah~ that doesn't sound right, but I feel like you're telling the truth..."

"Wha... Ah~ Forget what I've just said. Let's just say I'm a rescuer...sort of."

"That's cool, Francis-nii-san!"

"Is it? You seem thrilled to hear that."

"Yes, I am! I'm preparing myself to be one! A firefighter or whichever job that rescues lives."

"Haha~ wow, Atsushi. Aren't you dreaming big? Is there a reason why you want to?

"Five years ago, I was saved by firefighters. I was scared that I was gonna die in my house, but they manage to come on time."

"...then, your parents..."

"Thank goodness I was home alone. But my parents weren't happy when I told them they shouldn't feel guilty about leaving me just to buy some snacks for me."

"Aren't you scared?"

"Hmm?"

"Wanting to become a firefighter or whichever rescuer you want to be... what gives you the courage to do so?"

"Hmm~ I say... rescuers are willing to save lives without expecting anything in return. Unless you don't really need a reason to rescue strangers, right?"

He puts on a pure smile at me as he finished his explanation. I know I shouldn't feel angry, but hearing his last sentence is making me remember a past I want to forget...

"There! It's done! I hope it's not tight, Francis-nii-san."

Staring at my wrapped right hand, I begin to remember why I become a Hero. Unfortunately, it's not pure... I stand up for I can't stay here any longer. Before I'm about to walk away from this innocent kid, I turn to him. Staring him down with my stern look, I warn him with these words.

"Atsushi, can I give you one advice? As my thanks for this bandage..."

"Sure. What advice?"

"Being a rescuer isn't cut out for pure-hearted people. It's a job where you've to be selfish at all times. If not...one will end up...like my dad..."

"Your dad?"

"Yes...It's useless to help anyone but yourself."

As he stares at me with a confused look, I'm about to walk away when my left foot is grabbed by something. I look down and find a purple cloth... no...

"A cloak?!"

"There you are, Plank. To think I would see you bullying another kid."

I lift my head to see who is in front of me but hearing the word "Plank" lets me know who it is right before seeing her. It's the Demon Princess.

"You...what are you..."

Then, a thick yellow book flies straight into my face, making me fall back to the ground. I should be glad that it doesn't break my beautiful nose. Luckily, I'm able to be awake as I ask her...

"What...was that for?"

"You know what it's for. Let's go, Plank."

I get rolled up in her cloak. I struggle to fight back with my cursing words at her, but she manages to shut my mouth with a sticky, rectangle-shaped item. Her purple cloak somehow locks around my body like I'm an entrapped caterpillar. Thank goodness I'm able to breathe...for now.

What can get more embarrassing than my pathetic fall in front of a kid? Being lifted and carried away by a short girl who doesn't give a care about how I look in front of Atsushi.