IV. Deadlock Realization

Frederie Spence,

Modern Earth, 20xx

It was a right after the fated encounter on the forsest south of the town center. Going down the mountains was not that much of activity compared to long-time expeditions and Demonic Campaigns at Mytherion.

We went to the town proper.

The design of the houses here surely differed to those at Mytherion, but the same concept still applied: there were pillars, walls, ventilation, means of entering and leaving, and a roof.

The road was paved flat with some type of black sealant, it's really rough. Unlike there, they used marble and flattened bricks.

By the way it seemed that God has granted me communication skills with their native language. It allowed me to understand what she’s been saying ever since we have met. Simple sentences, greetings and questions. It seemed I have proper grasp of it.

The only thing I noticed was that I could not read characters, their alphabet.

“Here we are, this is the town proper.”

The girl whom i’ve met at the forest suddenly turned towards me, her mid lenght wavy hair swayed. Her silver eyes was illuminated by the moonlight. Her tanned skin complimented with the light color of the clothes she was wearing. It also emphasized her body proportions. If she was at Mytherion she could liven up a bar with some dance or performance. The very sight of her being itself will have normal individuals go crazy over her... But it’s not something that could sway my heart.

I looked at her with a blank expression as I tried to hide my indifference.

“Don’t be shy. It is about time you’re telling me where did you come from.”

I tried to do something, like, trying to show my lack of knowledge in this world. So I curled down and touched the black stuff that covered the road.

“Feels cool right? It could be really hot during the day due to its color, but asphalt sure is cold during the night.”

So this this is called asphalt. The civilization here uses strange stuff.

I could see multiple posts tied with strings. There could be around 50-100 pans* As I look up, she spoke again.

“Ah, those? Those are electrical posts. It supplies electrical power towards to whole town.”

It was as if she’s looking directly into my mind.

The very first thing that entered my mind was:

Insight*

Realization came late to me. She might be an enemy. I built positioned my self further back on defense.

She was rather confused than hostile. I’ve never seen someone hide their hostility this perfect before.

Is it rather because, there’s no hostility at all? I have too minimal background knowledge regarding this world. If this innocence is real i should bring out as much information as possible from her.

I let my guard down again. I was certain this was a complete different world than Mytherion, since it’s 'that God' we’re talking about. But I still went just in case I'd encounter someone here who had knowledge of Mytherion and my identity.

“Come, Frederie, you must be scared out there. You look like someone not from here. Walking around the forest late at night takes quite courage.”

Calling me nicknames already, huh? Oh, wait, that’s the alias I have told her from when we met up.

“Are you lost? You’ve been crying.”

Ah, there she said it.

She had been quiet for a while. I did not know if she was just testing or observing me, but my swollen eyes were not something I could hide without a mask. She could only think I was crying. Of course I’ve been crying. I lost everything:

My past,

My Status,

My companions,

My loved ones.

Besides, despite the amount of effort i’ve put in everything: every plans, actions, ties, battles, I still died and was sent to this world where I have everything = zero. Furthermore, I was slain by Yuusha, The Hero.

I didn't want to give away much details about my past, but if God has decided that I should learn something in life from this place that I haven’t yet from Mytherion, then:

“I came from a different world. I don’t know if magic is something available on this world, but it is something abundant from where I came from. It was a world where war exists, and the knowledge of parallel and other worlds have been proved and real.”

--I’ll take up your challenge. I’ll show you a legacy: a story that will take you sitting Gods surprised rather than amused.

“Whoah...”

Of course her jaw will dropped out of surprise. The question here on was: How much did she believe and how much information was she willling to share.

The night should be long. I started walking slowly, cutting the surprise she’s experiencing.

She understood my intentions and also started walking.

---

The night was still ongoing. The road to her home, if that’s where she intend to bring me, was long. I wondered how fast time goes on in this world. It really felt like a long time already. Back at Mytherion you could check time using Time Reading* ability, one which was given at anyone who turned age of ten. I wondered how they do it here.

Lost by my train of thoughts, she started talking.

“If...”

...

“If what you are saying is all true, then I shall answer honestly.”

She is way too innocent. I wonder what her age is.

“There are no traces of magic here. Those are just fantasy.”

Shattered.

She said it in a way easiest to understand. It was obvious that she’s being considerate of my feelings keeping in mind the 'what if what he’s telling is true' way of thinking. She’s a good girl.

She continued talking.

From what she summarized, this world was called “Earth”, a star with a single moon orbiting it, and revolves around a much huge star called “Sun”, along with 8 other planets.

There had been several ongoing wars but not much that it affects the daily lives of a great percentage of the population. Yes it was peaceful enough for people to live without thinking their town would be pillaged by the enemy’s army.

As far as her talking went, I came up with a fact that the magic is equivalent in electricity here. Most of the technology were being run through electricity. Like at Mytherion, items needed magic fuel to run.To the simplest lamps towards the biggest machineries, same went here: they just used electricity and some sort of liquid fuel instead of magic.

As we walked under the light of the moon i noticed that we have already entered the part of the town abundant with houses. The designs were good, I admit. The light powered by electricity sure was a lot brighter than what we used there.

I saw a silhouette of a family eating at a dining table behind the curtain of one of the windows.

My family, huh?

I left my family at Mytherion. I wondered how they are doing that moment. I wondered what happened after I died.

The hero... I really hope she put a lid to the long-running war and even considered my final wish. I knew she would. I wanted to trust her with it.

We passed the house with the silhouette. I missed my family and companions already. I maybe an adult but I’m still a kid at heart. I hadn't been long enough at this world that moment but I really missed them already.

I miss my family...

Shedding a tear, I continued to follow the girl.

---

Her name was Ingrid, that’s what she told me. Surprisingly enough, she’s already nineteen. I was way older if it was to be compared to my age at Mytherion, but I wondered how much it equivalents here.

We arrived at a simple building, a two-storey one. It was long and has a number of doors. Some windows have lights and some have none. I’m kinda guessing what the building was.

“It’s my apartment complex, I’m the landlady apparently.”

--was what the building was called as she turned towards me and smiled.

She must have felt the unintentional sadness I’ve been obviously showing while we’re walking. She’s very considerate and honest. I’ve seen similar beings like that at Mytherion.

Morgianna was one. Orcas too? I think Minos is pretty strict. And most importantly—

“Heeey~ Frederieeeee~ talk to me”

I came back to my senses. It seemed that my mind has been floating of thoughts from Mytherion. Well I guessed it was only natural to compare, everything were new at this world that I had been transferred to.

“It’s getting too cold, want to stay inside?”

Wait—did she just considered the option of letting me stay outside?

---

“There’s a free unit above. Until you have settled here you can stay at my place. This unit only have a single room so you can stay at the entrance, the sala, the kitchen, or the bathroom: You decide.”

She really considered the option of having me stay outside. And who even wanted to have a night's stay at the bathroom?

“Just so you know, I studied self defense so entering my room will kill you.”

Heh, as if a human can kill a former maou.

She still really considered me being a beast of a man even though she have sympathized with me earlier. I guess it was to be expected of having some male stranger you just met at the forest stupidly saying “yaaay i came from another world filled with war and magic!” stay a night.

A loud cocking of a gun was heard.

OI OI OI! I KNOW WHAT THAT THING IS!

A double barrel. Most of the dwarves back at Mytherion were skilled in crafting weaponries and one of their greatest invention were guns and cannons. This was a type of gun that had a limited production and only the highest of their generals were allowed to carry. It may not post that great firepower at a huge distance but it excelled at short to mid-range distance shots. A shot wasn't enough to kill me when I was at my peak but getting shot in front, especially the wai I was, will surely either sting or kill me. I guess I could still find relics here that are also available at our world.

Wait, that's not the issue! I’m a perfectly normal human here!! I’ll die!!!

I turned pale of course.

“So as long as you understand right?” she said holding the shotgun with her right.

I nodded.

“Besides, your clothing.”

And there it went. My heavy armor was completely gone but I still felt the leather robe I’m wearing. My suspicion was right. The usual clothing here was different too. She’d been putting up with it but she let it out now: The way I look was weird.

“Post-medieval cosplay, or perhaps that really is the clothing fashion in your world.”

“No this was the battle gear I was wearing before I was slain.”

She paused a bit.

“You look like someone who time traveled from way back centuries ago.”

It bugged me. It was a similar word. Centurion was a unit of measurement at our world that meant a hundred. If that’s the case. Is this civilization hundreds of years ahead of ours?

“I have a normal shirt, and a pair of shorts. I belonged to my late dad, use it. I bet it’s hard to move on those.”

“I’ve been wondering for a while too.”

“Hey you’re the one wearing it, you should be certain!”

It seemed that my physique also dropped. I really became a normal human. Unless one have years of massive physique training, a normal human wouldn’t be able to handle battle clothing well.

I grabbed the clothes. They were really light and looked comfortable. I wanted to try it out so I started to strip.

“HEY HEY! WANT ME TO TEST THIS THING ON YOU?!”

Ah she’s embarassed. I just realized. I supposed changing clothes should only be done at the clothing room. I nearly met God again. She pointed the double barrel at my face. Near-miss. This was all because stupid God din’t even changed my clothing to an appropriate one in this world.

---

It took her only a few moments to fall asleep after that. I didn't even know how to open the door so after changing clothes that mysteriously fit my body, I checked the thing hanging on the wall. She called it clock as I remember. I laughed at myself, I didn't even know how to read it.

I looked at the mirror.

I’ve really changed.

My hair didn't have the dark red glow anymore. Also I seemed to look a lot younger than when I was at Mytherion. I wondered if that only was me being stressed due to paperworks and war planning with the council.

She asked me to hit this switch by the wall. It suddenly turned dark. So that was its purpose.

I approached the couch. It was quite simple and minimalist, compared to the once royalties are using, but this was much better compared to the wooden ones average citizens of Mytherion use.

I lay my body. I was really tired for the day.

I grabbed the blanket at the mini table in front of the couch and covered myself with it.

It was warm. A nostalgic warmth.

I was happy:

Happy that I could feel this warmth again, that I could still continue to live.

I am sad:

Sad that I have lost everything.

It was hours ago I’ve seen most of my companions died during the great siege, that counted me too. I continued minimal sobbing, hoping Ingrid would not awoke and hear this most pathetic side of me. I was so melancholic that I might cry my tears dry the whole night.

I was determined:

Determined despite this situation I was in, I was given a second chance. I had to do things right this time

The night continued as I dry myself out.