“Thank you. Is there something more I should know?”

“Not yet.” Said the cloaked man. “Follow the instructions and you’ll be fine.”

“A-Alright…”

Naomi watched as the figure walked out the door. He had never seen this person before, and the instructions he gave were dubious at best. But the reward he proposed, even going as far as to reveal it in his hands…

Well, even if this person was who he imagined, he had nothing to worry about. He was in good hands at a safe hospital, away from any troubles.

Naomi relaxed his muscles. He lay back in the hospital bed and let out a deep sigh.

Almost everything was perfect about it. the soft mattress and puffy pillow surrounded him like clouds of the heavens.

He had but one problem that wouldn’t seem to go away by the comfy materials. It was the terrible headache he felt throbbing throughout his skill. It was part of his ailment, which seemed to affect him more than the others he’s seen.

Still, he was not worried at all. Even though the painkillers had little to no effect on the ghostly knives in his brain, he knew this feeling would soon disappear.

Though Naomi did not plan to just sit around until then.

The doctors told all magic users specifically that it was a rule you can’t use magic around hospital equipment. Ignoring this rule could result in costly damages to the devices, which patients would have to compensate with extra taxes.

“Well, if they were so generous to bring us to a place like this, I’m sure they won’t have a problem paying for a little damage!” Thought Naomi with a cheeky smile.

He raised two hands to his forehead and placed two pairs of fingers on his temples. His fingers shone with green light as he focused.

Though spells required certain conditions to be cast, even the weakest magic users could control the flow of mana inside themselves. So long as the flow of magic returned to his core, like a gust of wind going in circles, he needed nothing more but to concentrate on the spell.

Naomi was surprised to learn this was true as a tingling sensation overcame his temples. It felt like being massaged by the most experienced masseur in all of East Asia.

He was beginning to really enjoy this feeling when, unfortunately, the door opened to his room.

Naomi sighed with bitter frustration.

“Who is it now?” He asked while stirring his head.

An official-looking man entered the room and quickly shut the door. He wore a brown leather coat and a pair of nice glasses. A small wristwatch adorned his right hand. Judging by its vivid color, it must have been new, and maybe even custom-made.

When this man revealed his face, his messy brown hair, and yellowish eyes, Naomi knew him immediately. It was Gabriel, though his suit and beige pants turned him barely recognizable.

“Gabriel?” Naomi muttered in disbelief.

The demon smiled proudly while adjusting his glasses.

“What is it? Perhaps you’re jealous of my fashion?”

“What are you doing here? Hey, don’t we have the same wounds? You should be in your bed, enjoying a nice nap.”

“Oh, please! The wicked never sleeps, so someone has to keep an open eye. Besides…”

Gabriel placed his suitcase before Naomi. Opening it revealed anti-radiation medicine in the form of syringes and pills. There was also a fluffy bunny in there, and when Naomi saw that, he hesitated.

“How did you get all of these?” He asked with worry in his voice.

“Friendly negotiations.” Gabriel replied, then adjusted his glasses once more.

Glasses.

That feature flew over Naomi’s head until now. When he finally noticed, it didn’t take long for him to realize the truth.

“Why are you wearing glasses? Wait… I saw those before!”

Hearing that, Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

“Were you visited by the same salesman?”

“Yes! He is the spokesman for the Nuclear Industries! What did you do to him?!”

Gabriel touched his chin and thought of what to say. Though he could perceive it well, he knew Naomi had a humanitarian approach to life. He wanted to appeal to those ideals with his next answer, even if just to please his companion’s morals.

A lightbulb lit up inside his head. That’s it! He knew exactly what to say!

“He was mean to me, so I tied him to a bed and gagged him with a pillow.”

“You did what?!” Naomi yelled.

“Also, I may have stolen his clothes. But fear not! I left him with a blanket, so he won’t catch a cold.”

Naomi was speechless. He thought the hospital was a safe haven where he could finally catch a breath.

But no.

Gabriel had to swoop in again and ruin his day. Even in a place of healing, he found a way to bring destruction.

This was not a first. Ever since the two of them met, bad omens befell Naomi. The source of these while at first seemed unrelated, Naomi was beginning to see a pattern.

Eating dinner with Gabriel? He gets ambushed and humiliated in front of the King.

Going to kill some low-level slimes with Gabriel? The forest catches on fire and nearly both of them die.

Dungeon hunting with Gabriel? He has to fight hundreds of blood-thirsty monsters and something that can only be described as an eldritch horror.

Every act of chaos and destruction, every monster and wicked man, these only appear whenever Gabriel’s present. He is the source of this evil, a well of calamities.

Naomi’s blood began to boil with pure, absolute hate. He knew Gabriel hid behind the veils of a façade, but to witness the bad omen behind that mask was akin to diving into a cesspit.

“You…” Naomi whispered while choosing which curses to scream.

Gabriel saw only his displeasure and thought his answer had failed. Still, he had to ignore that for now. Guards were soon to arrive and try apprehending them.

That was not acceptable. Not if he wanted to finish his mission.

“Now,” Gabriel looked round. “If you tell me where they keep the clothes, I’ll lend you a helping hand with dressing up. We have about five more minutes before someone finds that “gift” I left tied up in my bed.”

Feeling satisfied, he added:

“And don’t worry about the medicine! There’s enough for the two of us if we can properly conserve our supplies.”

Gabriel searched the room for clothes. There were mostly machines surrounding them, different items keeping track of the patient’s heart rate while also printing occasional summaries. Facing the bed were shelves packed with bandages and cloths. Blankets occupied the lower counters, next to various items such as a stethoscope and some paper cups.

Finally, he found Naomi’s clothes packed inside a cabinet in the corner of the room. There was his long, rugged cloak which he wore as a disguise. But as Gabriel grabbed that, he was surprised to see Naomi’s normal clothes packed beneath.

“Why are these here?” He wondered but shrugged it off rather quickly. Perhaps he had always worn them, just they have not shown under the cloak.

He grabbed those clothes and walked back to the bed.

“See? They were kind enough to wash the…”

To his surprise, Naomi wasn’t in the bed anymore. He stood by the small window on the other end of the room. His eyes glanced at the far-away buildings, each taller than the other.

His face looked gloomy, his eyes exhausted and his expression just overall sad.

Gabriel did not know what to think of that. Maybe he was shaken by what he did to the salesman? He only did what was necessary. But still, if it was so important to him…

Gabriel forced himself a friendly smile and gently grabbed Naomi’s shoulder.

“Hey! I know you’re not happy, but listen! Every act of immorality we perform is nothing compared to the good of our goal!”

Despite Gabriel’s intentions, this had the opposite effect on Naomi. He looked down, with even more sadness in his eyes.

“Think of the people, Naomi!” Gabriel continued. “There are children and women out there, thirsting for a lone raindrop just to clench their drought! If we can carry out this mission, those people won’t have to thirst anymore. They will regain their lost water supplies and treat us as their saviors!”

Even this failed to have an effect. Gabriel felt even more confused, given this meant his companion was not so shaken by what he did to that businessman, but rather… something. There was something else different bothering his heart.

“Naomi?” Gabriel called his name with worry.

Naomi took a deep breath and sighed. He couldn’t keep up with this feeling anymore. He needed to let go and accept the truth.

The truth he refused for too long.

“I’ve been lying to myself.” He said, followed by a long pause.

Gabriel gazed at him with wide eyes, confused as to what he meant.

“I don’t want to be a hero anymore, Gabriel. I’m just not for this line of work.”

Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat.

He knew what kind of consequences this could have if their employer was to hear. Swiftly, he approached the window and looked up at the sky.

It was clear blue, devoid of any clouds.

Gabriel sighed with relief.

“You really shouldn’t be saying those kinds of jokes, Naomi!”

“I’m not joking. Could you please treat me like an adult? Not that you view me as one. I’m just your funny follower who’s only there to say the line and maybe cast a spell or two, right?”

“What are you talking abou––“

“I know how you see me! Like a tiny… dog or some shit, I bet you don’t even love dogs!”

“None of what you’re saying is true.”

“Oh, don’t give me that! I know how you view me! I’m not important to you! I’m not important to anyone! And my dumbass believed you were the exception and we were a duo!”

“But we are!”

“Shut up!”

Gabriel recoiled. He did not fear Naomi, but seeing him in such a state made him scared.

Naomi panted heavily. His face was red from anger, while his eyes remained rather somber.

“When I was still living my past life, I used to read manga and watch anime about being transported into another world. I daydreamed about it every single day, about escaping that miserable existence I had and going on adventures in whatever new and mysterious world I got. But now… Now that I’m here, I know that promised land does not exist. Even in a world where magic is real, I find myself wishing for an escape. This is not the future I dreamt of, Gabriel. This is a perversion of hope.”

Gabriel felt staggered by those words. He viewed Naomi as a positive and hopeful individual if maybe a bit childish at times.

To say something like that was unlike anything Gabriel had anticipated. For a moment, even he felt hopeless by Naomi’s words.

Still, he had a mission to…

No. That mission could wait.

Naomi was his most loyal companion. He couldn’t just stand around and do nothing while he sunk deeper and deeper down the seas of sorrow.

“So?” Gabriel spoke. “What if this world is as shitty as the last? Are we just supposed to lie down on the ground and wait for salvation?”

“Kinda.”

“No!” Gabriel raised his voice. “We already died once, Naomi! This world, be as shitty as it is, it’s still a second chance! Do you know the things people would do to get the same fortune we did?”

“How would you know? After all, you’re just an amnesiac. It’s like this is your first chance at life. Or am I wrong?”

Naomi’s eyes were like poisonous daggers. Gabriel felt his gaze penetrate his core and wrap tightly around his heart.

He remembered lying about his memories to protect himself. Back then he did not know who would be an ally or foe, so he planned to keep that card in play until he got a good grasp of his surroundings.

Did Naomi realize his backstory was a lie? Or did he just feel suspicious about him?

It was meaningless to speculate. Gabriel knew Naomi had seen through his lie, and if he doesn’t say something right now, he might lose him forever.

There was no other way but through the inevitable.

Gabriel took a deep breath and did what his past self would have never done.

“My real name is Gabriel. I have no family name. I was a “guardian demon” in my past life, a conjuration of dark arts summoned to protect those who brought them into existence. My master was a vampire lord, named Lazar Horvath. I may appear like a young adult, but the truth is I’ve been alive for barely more than six months.”

As he finished, silence ensued.

Naomi waited. He waited for a mocking laugh or a flicker in Gabriel’s eyes that would indicate he was joking.

He waited patiently, but to no avail.

Gabriel’s expression remained stern and serious. He even held a hand to his chest, just to prove he was speaking the utmost truth.

“Heh.” Naomi snickered and turned his head to the window.

“It might appear as though I’m trying to deceive you. However, I swear upon my heritage and pride that everything I just said was the truth. I had hoped this conversation would happen under different circumstances, but I cannot afford to lose you, Naomi. We have our fair share of differences, but in a strange and unfamiliar way, I can appreciate that difference. I… can appreciate you, Naomi.”

The time was about three in the afternoon. The sun was on its way downwards, though it still shone high up in the sky.

A lone brown bird flapped its way before the window. It was there for less than a second, but its shadow defended Naomi’s eyes from the blinding sun if only for so long. With only that, it had already cemented its being in Naomi’s heart.

When it was gone, the blinding light returned and there was nothing to defend him. But in a way, his eyes got used to that harmful shine.

“Gabriel…”

He turned his head slightly. To the demon’s surprise, he bore a small, accepting smile. His eyes moved up to meet his gaze, and as he gently opened his mouth, he finished with two words.

“Kill yourself.”

Gabriel froze down. He felt his heart sink and a terrible, terrible feeling cold his entire body. He did not know what to say, but that did not matter. Naomi walked back to his bed and pulled the surrounding curtains, exiting out of view.

Without as much as a glance, he was gone. Even though he was still there, lying prone behind those green sheets, there was a universal distance between him and Gabriel.

Gabriel stood by the window, still the same as before. He was mesmerized by those two very simple words.

“Kill yourself.”

It echoed in his head without a stop. Two words were enough the pull the rug under his legs, and now he felt like falling into a dream.

This sensation was unlike anything he has ever felt before. In a way, it felt unrealistic, like something he was never supposed to experience. It only fueled the shock that froze his body into a statue.

For how long he would have remained there was unsure, but the world did not allow him to stop and recollect. The door on the other side burst open and two armed men entered the place.

“Stop right there! In the name of the Duchess, you’re under arrest for assault and robbery!”

Reality came crashing down on Gabriel before he could have even digested the first blow.

“W-What?” He mumbled while snapping back to his senses.

Thankfully, the adrenaline coursing through his veins quickly rebuilt his senses. He knew that his time was up and quickly began his search for an escape.

Until then, he needed to keep the guards at bay.

“H-Hold on! You got me mistaken! I’m actually the spokesman for Nuclear Industries!”

Quiet tiptoes of someone barefoot echoed behind the guards. The real businessman held onto the doorframe and launched himself into the room, stumbling headfirst to the ground.

“No, you’re not!” He yelled from the ground while pointing at Gabriel. “Don’t believe a word of this man! He beat me up and stole my medicine! Where is it now? Give it back!”

Gabriel’s expression turned serious. He sighed with frustration, then raised his hand to assert dominance.

For this next trick, he needed to be very precise, incredibly even. It might have been crazy to try and recreate such an ancient technique, but he needed something decisive to escape these men.

So, he chose to do the impossible.

“Think of a playing card!” He ordered with a powerful voice.

The guards and the businessman turned blank. They’ve never seen a cornered man say something like this, which left them understandably confused.

“Queen of Hearts?” Said the businessman.

“Good! Now, all of you, inside your pants!”

“Uh…”

While the men were occupied whether actually to check it or not, Gabriel jumped into action. He grabbed the suitcase of medicine next to the bed and ran to the window.

“That bastard!” Roared one of the guards. Wasting no more time, he unsheathed his weapon and charged the demon, but it was already too late.

Gabriel ran with full force and dropkicked his way through the window. His brown coat reached high into the sky as he flew for a moment, veiling the sun.

Then, he fell.

His landing point was a rose bush. Though the plant soothed his fall, Gabriel gasped out in pain as the thorns tore at his flesh from all sides.

The guards ran to the window. They were surprised to see Gabriel remained mostly unharmed, even though he jumped out from a fourth-floor window of the hospital.

Unbeknownst to them, Gabriel had it planned out.

As the guards left running downstairs, the businessman stuck his head out the window. He was displeased to see Gabriel alive.He

While the demon fought his way out of the entangling rose bush, he tried to appear threatening and taunted him despite wearing nothing but dirty underwear.

“I promise your flesh will rot in the worst prison I can find! That’s right! I’ll make sure the inmates will treat you well and beat you every day! I’ll make sure, yes, I will plaster your name onto every wanted poster I can print! Then smear them across Astria! I know your name, Rei! The nurses told me!”

Gabriel’s eyes lit up as he heard him say that. He smiled, knowing fully well the businessman got the wrong name.

Climbing out of the rose bush, he saluted the naked man with a mocking smile.

“Will you really do that for me? Thank you! I will make sure to compensate you for your generosity!”

“What did you just say?!”

Refusing to elaborate any further, Gabriel charged the nearest fence and jumped into the alleys. He ran and ran as quickly as he could, sweeping through the narrow streets like a madman.

Soon, he was out of sight.

Despite outsmarting both the guards and the businessman, also having stolen the ARS medicine, he could not smile. Naomi’s words still echoed in his head, repeating the same words over and over again.

“Kill yourself.”

– – –

After being humiliated once more and witnessing his medicines being stolen, the businessman snapped. He roared in anger and bashed his head against the nearest wall, then hissed quietly as he realized that was a bad and painful idea.

“I’m going to find that man and skin him alive!” He roared out again, this time without attacking the wall.

Suddenly, the door to the room opened. Instead of a nurse or another guard, a cloaked figure walked in. He walked beside the bed and knocked on the nightstand.

“Can you talk?” Asked the man with a deep voice.

The businessman was quite bewildered. He has never seen this man before, and he certainly didn’t look like any faculty member for all he knew.

“Uh, sir! Who are you?”

The cloaked man did not say anything but simply held up his hand to stop the man from talking.

“Woah, really? Do you know who I am?”

“Have you heard about the Sakura Triad?”

The businessman felt a chill as he heard that name. He knew very well what the man meant to imply and he was not about to throw his life away.

Lowering his head to the ground, he made sure to signal due respect before immediately leaving.

“I’m very sorry; I won’t tell anyone!”

The cloaked snickered quietly. He did not need to feel threatened by the man telling anyone. In fact, everyone in this entire hospital was aware of his presence.

And they better be.

When Naomi pulled aside the sheets surrounding his bed, he looked very confused.

“Did that man know who you were?” He asked while looking at the businessman’s cold trail.

“That’s not important. Did you do what I told you?”

“Uh… I guess?”

“Hand it back.”

Naomi nodded hesitantly. He reached under his blanket and revealed something. That item has been there for quite a while now, unbeknownst to anyone that had previously entered the room.

It was a photo of an old lady. Her name, age, or any personal details were unknown. For all they knew, this could have been a woman that never existed.

As the cloaked man took away the photo, Naomi couldn’t help but wonder aloud.

“Why did you need this? Is this a picture of your mom?”

The cloaked man hid the photo under his clothes. He smirked maliciously, then answered Naomi’s question in a rather vague way.

Well, it was not really an answer, but rather another question he proposed.

“Do you know how many women live in Astria?”

“Excuse me? What does that have to do with my question?”

“If I were to guess, I’d say around thirty-five thousand. Do you know how many of them have money to take photos? Around half of that.”

Naomi cocked his head with confusion. He had no idea what the man was trying to say, but it was clear he wasn’t just pulling stuff out of the blue.

“Where are you going with this?” Asked Naomi.

“If we count those women, their mothers, and even their grandmothers, there shouldn’t be more than a hundred thousand individuals photographed. But if you were to collect enough pictures, you’d realize after a while that the number of women in photos and the actual number of women who were alive in the last century don’t add up.”

“Are you telling me there are people out there who create… fake people?”

The man snickered.

“I’m not telling you any more of anything. After all, she might be listening as we speak…”

“Who are you talking about?

The man did not respond. Instead, he turned his tail and went for the door.

But before leaving, he stopped for something.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot!”

The man reached under his clothes and threw something back to Naomi’s bed.

It was a small potion coated in pure glass. This was the same liquid he got as a reward for completing the rock monsters’ dungeon. It’s able to heal any wounds and even exhaustion.

It wouldn’t have a problem defeating ARS.

“Enjoy your reward.” Said the man and left.

The room returned to silence.

Naomi chugged down the potion, and in less than five minutes, he felt as good as new. Though he did not intend to leave the hospital just yet.

After all, he wasn’t the one paying for the bill and the bed was pretty comfy.

There was also one more thing.

“Dinner’s ready!”

A pretty nurse entered the room. He had a plate of food in his hand that could have been only described as “fantastic”. Mashed potatoes along with tender chicken breasts and tzatziki, a sauce made out of yogurt, cucumber, salt, and olive oil.

The nurse approached the bed with a bright smile.

“You must be Naomi, is that correct? Your tea will be ready in a minute. Enjoy your meal ‘till then!”