Sahar looked at Tadda blankly, motionless as a stone
- My... fate...?
The white-haired man beamed as he nodded. He did not look threatening; on the contrary. His gentle demeanor was rather comforting... Sahar, looking at him, did not feel any hostility. Yet…
- Is he bipolar... or does he have two personalities ...... ? the boy wondered. He's... special, I don't know how to feel.
The man cracked his fingers, then his neck. He had just said he was going to "choose his fate" for almost hitting Nyara... He hadn't touched her! His... In a fit of rage, of disappointment, he had lost his temper, but nothing more! It was...... exaggerated!!!
- Right, your fate. F-A-T-E.
Tadda looked at him with compassion. Sahar could not see him as either an ally or an enemy. So the boy decided to reserve his opinion. In any case, his current situation... was very complicated. "Choosing his fate" was not reassuring. It made him want to run away.
He still hadn't started his new life here…
...that he already wanted to start over
All this excitement... He had been so happy to be Isekai, so why... Why was nothing right again? Only his meeting with Nyara had been pleasant... and only for a few minutes. Was the World testing him? He didn't need this! He just wanted... He wanted a good life. Nothing more.
Just a life worth living...
Not so much trouble.
- …….
Sahar was silent as a picture. He was just waiting for Tadda's reaction while looking at him. He couldn't do anything, he didn't want to do anything. He was just waiting for his unjust fate.
He had done nothing wrong. He had done nothing wrong. Didn't he have the right to express his rage... It wasn't like he had really hit her!!! Nyara had... she... almost... almost.
- Anyway, what I......
- WHY ME?
Sahar had shouted without warning. Tadda looked surprised and looked up, his eyes fixed on the boy.
- WHY should I, ME, be judged?! he shouted. She, Nyara, is the one who hit me! I didn't do anything wrong!
- …
- She's the one who almost killed me! She didn't do it because she's too nice?!!! If she was, she would NEVER have hit me, high like that!!!
- ……..
- I do NOT deserve to be judged, I don't deserve any of this!!!
It had all come out of his heart without warning. Sahar, himself, was surprised at what he had just yelled. Tadda had not reacted to his screams. He had done nothing but watch him flail around.
But he ended up laughing.
And not just a little. He looked like a madman.
Sahar pulled back his head, then the rest of his body. The laughter terrified him.
- Eeeeehh... Tadda calmed down. Don't you deserve any judgment? You son of a bitch.
His last insult had also come out of nowhere. He could try to confront this man, but he would die if he dared. He had gotten angry, emotions had taken over, overpowering his logic. Why was he so bad... at... controlling them.
- …
Sahar did not answer Tadda's violent question. He knew it was useless to say anything: the man would always have the last word. Whether he was right or not, he would have it. Sahar was totally helpless, here and now; yet he had dared to shout at the man. How crazy was he... or how stupid? Or both.
- ... I...
- You shut the hell up.
Tadda interrupted him in an oddly gentle tone. Sahar lowered his head slightly, threatened by the man's gaze. He was a victim here.
He was defenseless. Powerless. No means of survival. He didn't even think he was very handsome or charismatic, so he couldn't even try to use them to live. Here, in this new World, he just had to get used to it.
He was going to be a victim his whole adventure, the one you protect, the one you love but are not strong. He couldn't... do anything about it. He had tried to be positive, but in just one day, he couldn't take it anymore.
He was happy to have been Isekai, he was happy to be in another world, but… he didn't want that kind of life.
If he couldn't live an adventure, then at least love...? Maybe he and Nyara...
But that seemed impossible now, with what happened?.. And besides, he was going to be judged for that moment. It was... unfair. Why was he being picked on so much??! Couldn't he just live a good life, instead of being so... abused?! -
- You're playing the victim a little too much.
Sahar looked up, surprised. It wasn't Tadda who had just spoken, but—
- Can't you see that you're at fault?
The boy swallowed, clenching his fists. He was at fault...? What had he done to deserve this?
- Don't you see…
- ... that you see the others here as objects?
He said nothing. He was completely silent. Sahar did not move, the other man just stared at him. Except for the voice talking to Sahar, there was no noise. In fact, there was no sound in the room.
Only Sahar could hear the voice. Because the voice was…
- You see Nyara simply as a waifu, as a "product" that you must acquire. You call yourself the hero of the story, when you are actually nothing.
- Shut up... you.
- You don't have power and you may never have it. You are just a secondary character.
- Shut up.
Tadda squinted a little, seeing the boy's strange reaction. He looked like he was feeling bad inside. Yet nothing was happening. Tadda hadn't even said what the punishment would be yet. Was he already that stressed...? Sahar had muttered something short, but it hadn't been audible enough for him to understand.
- Why don't you just try to live normally in this new world, instead of trying to be the hero. - Shut up.
- Stay in your place.
- SHUT UP!
Sahar shouted without warning, without reason. He moved back a little on the sofa, surprised by the boy's reaction. The boy put a hand in front of his face and laughed.
- Sorry.
- …
- I have my conscience trying to put me in my place.
The voice that spoke to Sahar…
… was himself.
He knew it in his heart. He had been disrespectful to Nyara. All because he had no Power... He saw her as a girl who would be part of his Harem, as a waifu, as... a mere object, basically. He was jealous of her because she had Power and he... did not. He was also jealous because she was a... girl.
- Since when... am I a misogynist? Since when…
- ...am I that stupid?
Sahar stopped laughing and gritted her teeth.
This Isekai thing... had gone to his head. He'd been acting like an asshole the whole time, just because he thought he was in a manga.
But this was reality, the hard and real one.
He might not be in HIS world anymore, but he was still in REAL life, not in a work of fiction. Why did it take him so long to understand it? Sure, he had only been there a few hours, but it was still too long!!! He found himself completely miserable. He didn't deserve to be here. He didn't deserve Nyara.
He didn't deserve anything.
- …
Tadda remained silent beside him. He still didn't quite understand the boy's reaction, but the tears that rolled down the boy's cheeks gave him an idea of what was going on. The man smiled.
- Anyway, I should give you your punishment, right?
Sahar dried his tears, which he found shameful, and bowed his head. He didn't think he deserved a "punishment" or anything for wanting to hit Nyara.
But for being such a horrible person, even if it was only for a few hours, the boy felt he deserved to be punished. On second thought.... He would deserve to return to Earth and regret for the rest of his life that he had missed such a great opportunity.
Sahar didn't think he deserved a second chance. He was tired of it. Of him. Of this World. Of everything. Especially of himself.
He had rejected his values and his "own self" just because he had been teleported to this new World. He had been... He was......
- Well, I know what to give you.
Tadda slammed his right fist into his own hand with a smile. He looked at Sahar rather aggressively. The boy brought his legs up to his chest and rested his head on his lap. He didn't care about his punishment. He still didn't want to die, but nothing mattered to him right now. Whatever happened, he deserved it. He wouldn't lie to himself anymore: he knew he deserved it. He didn't deserve a second chance. It was probably too... late.
- Sahar, for trying to hurt Nyara, I'm forcing you to be friends with her and let her be your friend too, Tadda ordered.
Sahar clenched his fists. He deserved such a......?
- … ??
The man's words finally reached the twilight-eyed boy's brain. He turned his head slowly towards Tadda, who was smiling. Again, he looked... friendly. There was no trace of violence or aggression in his eyes or on his face.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Just an inexplicable gentleness.
- ... This is... this....... my punishment... ahah...?
- Right. All my threats, all my insults... Nothing should be taken seriously. The only thing I was trying to do was to see how you would react, Tadda explained.
- ......
- You reacted rather badly, basically. A little too aggressive, you totally lost it at the end, ahahah! I'm not sure what was going on in your head, but I guess you realized you were guilty. However, I don't have any reason right now to hurt you or hate you. It's true that I don't trust you, not really... but I don't like to judge by appearances. You must be lost and frankly, I can tell you're hurting for Nyara.
- … I
- Nyara doesn't really have any friends, you know.
- ......
- She could use someone else around her who isn't... them. Not that they don't take care of her, not at all, even the opposite, but she deserves... a friend. A real friend.
- ... And it has to be me? After being selfish, aggressive and a jerk...? After I lost her trust and tried to assault her for no reason?
- We all make mistakes. I'm really not in a position to lecture you on this. If you were a "bad guy", let's be clear, I would have seen or felt it. You're not really completely pure, but who is, anyway? You just seem... not like the best person ever. You seem explosive and maybe too naive. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know.
Tadda nodded, as if agreeing with her own words. Sahar listened, silent. He didn't know what to say, his cheeks were still a little wet. The man was really a strange person.
But not a bad one, he was sure of that now.
However.
Smiling weakly, the boy was not totally convinced of Tadda's words. He had been far too much of a "jerk" to deserve such a "nice" judgment. This was just the opposite of a punishment. It was actually a reward, since Sahar would like to become Nyara's friend.
He no longer wanted to see her as just another girl who would fit into his Harem.
The idea of the Harem remained in Sahar's mind, but it was absolutely not his main goal anymore. He didn't want it anymore.
- I'd like... to be friends with Nyara, Sahar said.
- Then go. Make amends and be friends with her. Whether you are weak or not, you will be a strength to her.
- How will I be a strength... for Nyara?
- A moral support. Someone who can listen to her more carefully. Someone who will be there if she needs it. Strength is not only physical strength or the strength of Power.
- She has Az and Creel.
- Creel doesn't listen to her properly and Az…
Tadda did not finish his sentence and looked away. He cleared his throat before looking at the ceiling.
- They are certainly there for her, but not as friends. She has no one else with her. This girl deserves better. She lives... She lives badly.
- What do you mean?
- Her purpose in life... is not a proper purpose. I mean, who am I to judge?
- … ?
Sahar did not understand Tadda's words, but it did not seem to her that he would elaborate on them. The man turned his head to the boy and smiled amiably.
- I think if you tried to control your emotions a little, you could become a very good friend.
Sahar looked up weakly at the ceiling and opened his mouth. The one who had spoken those words... was his own conscience. Not Tadda.
But himself.
- ... She will never forgive me.
- You are too pessimistic, the voice inside his head continued.- She almost killed me.
- But she didn't.
- Creel and Az are going to kill me either way.
- Unless you apologize properly and prove you're worth it.- ...
Sahar couldn't think of anything to say. He couldn't see things so positively, but maybe... it was worth a try...? Maybe... Nyara would forgive him...?
- Say, Tadda.
- Yes?
- Do you think... she will forgive me... and be... my friend? asked Sahar, her head bowed.
The man patted the boy on the shoulder.
- Knowing her, I think she's just waiting for that.
Rising to his feet, Sahar clenched his fists and looked at Tadda with determination.
- So I'm going to go make amends and be her friend! he shouted. I've decided to be myself again and not a jerk!
- Yes, I'm counting on you!
- Say thank you to Harmony for me and goodbye!
Sahar ran towards the exit door, stepping over the boxes, but Tadda stopped him by shouting "Hey!” The determined one turned around.
- From here, follow the path made of white gravel, you will recognize the house where Nyara lives easily. Don't get lost, said Tadda.
The boy thanked him and left the room, leaving a smiling Tadda on the sofa.
- Ahlala, I hope he makes it...
- Sooooo~?
Sahar had barely left when another person came to disturb Tadda. However, he was happy to see the face of the woman he loved.
- It went well, sorry to keep you waiting... sighed the man.
- Not to worry, I made some arrangements while waiting, she says. Do you think he will become friends with Nyara?
- Only Ovo can know that, hehe...
The woman laughed and sat down next to her man.
- I see, I see, I think he'll make it!
- What do you know, I thought that you did not listen to us?
- Oops…?
- ... Naughty.
- Nooo!
Tadda threw herself on top of her and tickled her belly, making the woman laugh. She managed to push the player off and shielded her body without stopping giggling. The man laughed with her and climbed back onto the sofa.
- Ahahah... ahah, stop! No, no more tickling!
- Why?! grumbled Tadda.
- Because it bothers me, honey!
- ... Okay
He seemed really disappointed. The woman did not succumb to his puppy dog eyes and changed the conversation to something... more serious.
- Anyway, honey, the woman began. What are we going to do about this Gorään thing...?
The man stopped smiling and showed a more serious side of himself. He touched his forehead and closed his eyes.
- Really...
- That's more than serious, she said.
- I know. What do you want us to do about it?
The woman put a finger on the tip of her lips, thinking.
- I don't know, but seeing one of the nine Gorsts here, showing that they're probably real... It's very scary.
Tadda nodded.
- There's no doubt that something is going on. Even if it's the smallest of them, there's something wrong... right?
- You're smarter than me, you should know. We weren't even sure they existed before.
- But even that was five years ago, now! Why bring that up again?!
The man seemed to get upset, but he wasn't. With a slightly shifty look, the woman in the pajamas continued to speak.
- Even though it's been five years, do you remember how the weeks were filled with nothing but fear? she asked, already knowing the man's answer.
- Yes, and?
- He passed by Imäa and stayed for a few minutes, before going back into the skies. The village already has almost no light, that day there was ONLY shadow!
- I see what you are getting at.
- Why would one of the 9 Gorsts have come to see this place and then leave...?
- You've already given me a thousand and one theories, you're not going to do that again, are you? I know it's serious, but it doesn't mean anything. It's probably... I don't know, a trip he did?
- Ahahah, it's not impossible, but I discovered something else.
Tadda did not answer, wanting to know what his wife had discovered. She stared at him intently.
- In the Rasussian legends, Gorään only goes to places that Ovo decides.
- ......
- Honey, don't you think... something terrible is happening on our planet?
Tadda got up from the sofa without saying anything, without answering his wife's serious question. He walked away for a while without turning around, but he finally said a few words.
- He's not coming back, if that's what you think. Stop it.
And it was in his words that the couple stopped the conversation.