Deadlock Realization 2

A few days after, being determined to live a normal life here at Earth, I went and asked Ingrid to hand me learning books, reading and writing, histories, culture, latest news, and also asked her how to use the laptop.

I explained the very detail to her that I could communicate with the native language but could not read and write. She seemed to have understood, a woman of vast understanding.

“You can’t use the laptop yet without learning to read and write. You shoud start with the basics first.” -She told me.

Of course I was determined.

This felt like going back to primary education, or it really was.

Their alphabet was pretty much as complex as the ones we used back at Mytherion. Reading and writing should be manageable after a few cycles I guess.

Focusing just on reading and writing, it took me 2months of their calendar date to get fully used to it.

2 months, huh? My thoughts looking at the calendar.

Now that I have the knowledge of reading and writing their native language, I guess i can proceed to all others.

Days came and went.

Ingrid had a job she had to go to during daytime and was only at home during night. I didn’t even knew why she trusted me that much to look over the whole apartment complex. We haven't even been together yet that long enough to consider the trust we've built up with each other. If she could only tell me that would lift the confusion in my head.

It also took me months to completely adjust my body clock. Days and nights here were constant, unlike at Mytherion, where a whole revolution span of the world have estimated only half amount of day and night here. Amount of resting time here should be longer.

Took me four more months to finish all the knowledge books, customs, culture, past and present of this world. I was that moment ready to step outside.

“Geez took you long enough.”

The night was young. We just finished dinner.

Took me long enough, she should only mean the time it took me to get used to this world myself, and be to step outside her apartment.

During the past six months I’ve been curled up in there, trying to catch up everything in this world, she’s the one doing all the housework: cooking, cleaning & laundry.

Yes...

I was a freeloader.

But those day were now over. Now that I have grasped the mechanics of this world I suppose I could now survive

I caught a sudden flying piece of material with my hand. As I remember this should be a key.

“It’s about time you leave my unit.”

I was perplexed.

“You might not know because the very first time you stepped out was just a while ago, but there are other tenants here too.”

I just remembered.

The place I was in was an apartment complex with multiple tenants.

“I don’t have much tenants. You will be the third.”

“I..., still don’t get it.”

“You will find a job. You will try to settle here right? You will need a profession, a stable job that pays considerable price.”

That still did not explain the keys I was holding.

“The unit is located at the second floor and the second door. Unit six.”

Words couldn't express the gratitude I feel.

Why was this woman so kind to me?

She helped me get out of the forest, gave me temporary shelter, house me in for six months, and will still help me from this point on?

I was planning on leaving. I did not want to associate as much as possible in this world. That was because a part of me told me not to make same decisions which have led me to failure at the past. I really planned this to be the last night here.

“Tell me, after you leave here, what?”

She had a point. It striked me hard. Sometimes I really wondered if she’s using Insight*

I didn’t think this through. I was about to make sudden decisions again. These were the same mistakes over and over again like back at Mytherion.

“You are an open book.”

She sat outside the balcony. She picked out something from her pocket. A box of cigarette. She then swung her hand to my direction. I understood her intentions and walked towards her. Using a cigarette is quite similar to a pipe. I think they also had a pipe here but cigars are more used nowadays.

I got a stick and lit it.

We puffed at the same time. The nostalgic smell of the smoke diffused within the garden.

Cough!

“Now now, that’s not nice landlady-san. Hit me a mail whenever you’re finished, so I can continue my tea time” –a monotone-voiced girl said, whoever that is. It came from the second floor veranda. Must be one of the tenants

“Pff~~” She let out a cute laugh. That was the first time I saw it.

We both laughed hard.

“Again, I hit a deadlock.” Six months, same situation. Nothing really changed.

“You won’t. I’m here. I’ll help you as much as I can.” She smiled. Ah, I know now. This is one of the changes. I know I can rely on her much more.

The smile of someone I could remember.

It was the same smile that fight.

It was the same smile that same night.

A flashback of my very first night here.

A fated night.

It was decided: I will live at Unit 6 of Ingrid’s Apartment Complex.

---

I guess after that night the rest should be a narrative.

Another 6 months have passed.

During that span of time I started roaming around to town to find a job. I was educated with a good background—that was at Mytherion. One of the things I hadn't processed here was my educational background. Of course it’s illegal on both worlds.

A non-educated man at early twenties, of course I had a hard time finding one. I was accepted at a convenience store just down the second alley from the apartment complex. I was paid fairly, but just enough to supply my daily needs and pay rent.

I was unsure,

In fact, I felt contented at the moment.

I counted the days that passed by. The next day, it was the same routine I did:

I worked, I did household chores, and I hang out at Ingrid’s.

Sometimes Ingrid would go to my unit, cook my favorite Beef Stew, and bring me these books called “manga”.

I am bewildered. These books really had a different approach than the ones we have on Mytherion. The illustrations were straight to the point, stories easy to understand and have a mysterious air that will have you keep reading it until you finish. With that, I got engrossed to reading manga.

It only took me a few more days to realize I wanted to draw one. I was good at sketching, but was not that good at making stories.

Nevertheless, I resigned at my current work to pursue being a manga author. Another rash decision.

Being at my side, Ingrid supported me as much as she can, while still keeping her current job. One of those days she won a trip to a hot spring for two. “Having a trip once in a while can help you clear out your head. You might come up with a good story too.” –she said.

Events on the hot spring trip nearly led us getting caught up on a gang war between two opposing factions on that area. It was surely a fun exciting experience. We were like two kindergarten throwing pebbles at the window of a house then running with our lives once the angry hag comes out chasing after us.

Ingrid suggested to write a story about the gangs. I tried of course, it was the only help I can get by that time. I ended up writing a romance story.

She helped me. The story was originally her suggestion, I write the story and she proofread it for me. I was also the one drawing. Training how to draw manga was quite tricky. With my sketching skills on my past world I managed to pull one out. A one-shot at that.

This one-shot was the one that led me to the ‘Fresh Aspirants’ Award.

A few weeks after the awarding ceremony, I was introduced to Old Man. He’s a very strict editor, but seemed like the type to always get the job done.

He asked me to continue the serialization of my award-winning one-shot.

For me that one-shot was really Ingrid’s. Considering the amount of time and help she invested on me. I’d really feel bad if only I will be the one to get all the glory. Ingrid should know this. She read me like an open book.

I respectfully declined the offer. Old man was furious at first, but he truly accepted my decision. He really was a professional. He then offered me an adaptation of an original light novel. Seems like he has multiple cards on his sleeve.

I accepted it.

The adaptation had been steady sailing for months. It had received high ratings and good reviews too. But I realized something:

I was only deceiving myself.

Pride

One of the qualities of being a Maou, showed up even at that point. It really was a good story, I wished I could finished serializing it. But that was also why I felt inferior. I didn’t want to try to compare my work to another that was not on the same field, still I can’t help myself not to. I considered changing career and write a novel too, but I’ve built up so much on drawing manga it was too hard to leave already.

I’ve met Old Man. Events that led me being friends with the two other tenants of Ingrid's which made me to ask them to be my assistants. Moreover, I’ve forged even a deeper bond and friendship with Ingrid.

I’ve decided to come up with my very own story.

I will draw, rather, write my own manga!