Everything was definitely bigger on his own. Once Keisuke had left the guild hall, he stood outside the Recon Corps building for a couple of minutes with no clear objective in mind. There was nobody else around, either. They’d all disappeared, and he had no idea where they’d gone. Saying that Keisuke felt completely lost would've been an understatement. He was well and truly beyond it.

Eventually, he started walking for the sake of it. He thought that, at the very least, he could try exploring the city of Fortuna and see what he could discover about it. It was better than simply standing around doing nothing, after all. Unfortunately for Keisuke, that would prove difficult. It was well into the morning, and every street was filled with people, making it challenging to navigate and get a clear sense of the city’s layout. At some point, Keisuke was aimlessly wandering about like a headless chicken, following the din of crowds.

I have no idea what I’m doing, he thought to himself depressingly. Keisuke thought that he would at least get an inkling of an idea of what to be doing if he had some sort of purpose in mind, but nothing came to him. He wondered how everyone else was doing. Somehow, he doubted that they were having as difficult a time as he was. Keisuke got the feeling that they were all doing just fine and he was the only one struggling.

He was wandering around mindlessly for a while when he came across a tall, white building where a throng of people were going in and out of. The building was fairly large and possessed a serene, almost sacred, aura about it. A gold and white banner stirred gently in the wind afront the building, and in the centre of it sat a flower-like symbol.

Keisuke felt a vague sense of nostalgia wash over him. That was his impression as he gazed at the building. He could just faintly hear singing coming from within.

Wait...is this a church? His mind dawned on that realisation.

It must have been. Keisuke was almost certain it was.

A church. He wondered if he should go inside or not. He was oddly curious about what he'd just discovered, as if he'd just stumbled on the single thing so far that vaguely reminded him of where he came from. His eyes were drifting across the courtyard when his eyes caught sight of a familiar figure. Makoto—the “Student Council President”.

She was engaged in conversation with a blonde-haired woman dressed in a suit of steel armour with a long, white cape clasped to her shoulders.

Makoto finished speaking and bowed her head before turning to walk in Keisuke's direction.

This might have been Keisuke's only chance to learn something from someone in the same predicament as him. He took a deep breath and stood in front of Makoto's path when she drew near. “H-hey!”

Makoto stopped and looked at him curiously. “Can I help you?”

“Y-yes...? I mean, eh, your name is Makoto, right? From earlier?”

“From earlier?” She cocked her head to the side. “Oh. You’re the boy who got hit by the arrow. I remember now.”

“R-right...”

“So, what is it?”

“Well... I was walking around and I saw you. To be honest, I'm a bit confused. I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to be doing, exactly... So, I figured I'd talk to a familiar face. I guess? Something like that…”

There was an uncomfortable pause, with Makoto just studying Keisuke’s face. She suddenly chuckled. “I knew it. You really are hopeless.”

“…Sorry?”

“Everyone that we arrived here with left an immediate impression on me. It’s how you root out who’s going to be useful and who isn’t. In a situation like this, it’s good to know and separate those kinds of people so you don’t involve yourself with the latter. You and that timid girl didn’t impress me much. It seems I was right to think that.”

“I...” Keisuke was at a loss for words. Is that what people think of me...?

“You look surprised,” Makoto said. “What, am I wrong? When we were attacked by those gnolls, you didn't do anything, did you? You just stood there like a stump while everyone else risked their lives.”

She was right. He had done nothing at all. But how could you blame him for that? To Keisuke, everyone else who could act in that situation were the strange ones.

That's not fair… He wanted to say, but the word stuck in his throat. He didn't have the courage to utter them.

Makoto began walking away. “I don’t remember your name, but sorry I can’t help you.”

“R-right... Sorry for bothering you...” he said meekly, but she probably didn’t hear him or didn’t care to.

Keisuke was left standing there. He had just been called useless to his face and didn’t know how to react.

I mean, she isn’t wrong... She’s right, isn’t she? I am hopeless. I ended up asking someone on the same boat as me for help. Honestly, what was I hoping for?

But, I mean, I have some right to be hopeless... I can’t remember anything but my name. What the hell is that about? And I was suddenly thrust into this situation. It makes no sense. That’s right, it doesn’t make any sense. As I see it, I have every right to be hopeless right now. Everyone would be, right?

Even as Keisuke told himself that, he wasn’t too convinced. It felt like he was just making excuses. He eventually noticed that he was standing in the middle of the street, and people all around were glancing at him.

Keisuke must've looked quite pathetic. “I should just go...”

He started moving again, dragging his feet along the street, until he ended up at a section of the city teeming with life and stalls assembled on either side of the street. The number of people hustling and bustling around was disorienting, to the point where he had to be cautious of where he stepped to not bump into anyone.

It was the market square, Keisuke noticed. It was the same place they'd passed through with Ren earlier when they arrived in the city, only this time there were a lot more people.

There were more stalls placed and farmers standing beside their wagons, bellowing out, "Apples and oranges, the best apples and oranges, two for the price of one," and "Melons, sweet as honey," and "Onions, carrots, cabbages, here you go. Onions, carrots, cabbages, here you go."

Being dragged by the crowd like waste in a river current, Keisuke waddled about examining the many carts, wagons, and stalls. A captivating aroma whirled around his nose, and he was lured toward it like a shark sensing blood.

It came from one of the stalls where a brown-skinned man was grilling meat and onions on a hot firestone. Keisuke’s stomach wailed at the sight and smell. He watched the man skillfully cut the meat into thin slices and place the strips on a piece of flatbread. He then added the onions, rice he had kept in a bag beside him, grated cheese, and tomatoes and lettuce. The man opened a jar and scooped out a spoonful of what looked like sauce and spread it evenly across the length of the flatbread.

When he was done, he deftly folded the flatbread and the contents into a roll, looked up to see Keisuke watching intently, smiled, and said, “Twenty coppers for a chicken wrap, my friend. You will find nothing else like it around here, I promise,” the man behind the stall said, almost routinely. He spoke with a heavy accent.

“Twenty coppers...?” Keisuke’s eyes widened, and he reflexively reached for his pockets. They were empty. That’s right, he wouldn’t have any money. “I don’t have it...”

The man looked at Keisuke as if he were stupid, tilting his head to the side. “What was that? I cannot sell this to you without any money. I am trying to run a business here, you know.”

I know that, but it’s not like I can help it…

“How do I...” Keisuke cleared his throat to talk clearly so he could be heard over the hundreds of people around. “How do I get money?”

“Excuse me?” The man looked Keisuke up and down. After coming to some realisation, he snapped his fingers. “Ah, yes! Are you one of those legion trainees?”

Keisuke nodded.

“Of course, of course. Every time.” He pressed the inner corners of his eyes in exasperation. “You scouts in Altear earn your money by completing quests or selling whatever strange things you find out there. Well, you are no scout yet. You might want to find a union and get yourself proper gear first.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

A union. Keisuke recalled Lucy mentioning something like that. “How do I join these unions?”

“I do not know the procedures, my friend. I just sell wraps and kebabs. Shouldn’t you be one who knows these things?”

“R-right...”

The man sighed deeply. “Your best option is going to one and finding out for yourself.” He pointed west. “You should find them if you go down that street. They’re big buildings with signs in front of them. They should be hard to miss.”

“Thank you!”

“Do not mention it,” the man said. “And here. Take these.” He handed Keisuke a bag with three chicken wraps.

Keisuke didn’t know how to react. “I said I don’t have money...”

“Just take, my friend,” insisted the man, practically shoving the bag at Keisuke. “You can pay me back once you get yourself sorted. You must be starving. Hell, you were drooling all over my stand when you walked over."

Keisuke smiled and bowed his head so deeply that the man thought he was going to tip over. “Thank you very much!”

Keisuke made his way out of the market square, scarfing down the chicken wrap as though his life depended on it. The rich taste exploded with multiple flavours in his mouth, all of which came together into a beautiful crescendo that only escalated with each bite and was held together by the finely cooked meat and the sauce, which was not too spicy and just sweet enough. It was more than good. He decided he would certainly buy more once he acquired money.

Keisuke had taken his last bite and savoured it when he heard multiple voices emanating from a nearby alleyway. The sound immediately caught his attention. Despite himself, Keisuke decided to take a peek.

“Come on, tell us your name. We won’t bite, ehehe.”

“P-please, let me through...”

“You aren’t from around here, are you? I’d remember a pretty girl like you. Won’t you come spend time with us? We can show you around.”

There was trouble brewing. By the look of it, a bunch of vandals had cornered a girl and were harassing her.

“Ah...” Keisuke even recognised the girl herself. She was part of the group that arrived here with him. The shy and timid girl who tried to hide herself behind bangs and baggy clothing. Realising that, it was scarcely surprising that she was being taken advantage of. She didn’t seem the type to defend herself. At the rate things were going, it was definitely going to end badly for her.

Unless, of course, Keisuke tried to help her.

But what could he do? There were three of them and only one of him. The odds were not on his side. Involving himself might even make matters worse. And yet...

“Ngh...!”

“H-hey!”

All it took was one of the boys touching the girl inappropriately, and Keisuke acted on impulse. “Leave her alone...” he ordered, but it sounded too frail, too flat. His voice lacked any form of conviction.

The boys turned to face him. At the sight of Keisuke, they looked rather annoyed. “Are you lost?” asked one of them, a boy with flimsily cut yellow hair and a nasty scar across his face.

“N-no, but...you look...it looks like you’re bothering that girl...”

“We aren’t bothering her. Right?” The same boy placed a hand over Timid’s shoulder. She trembled at the contact.

No, you’re definitely bothering her...

“Why don’t you get lost, then? This has nothing to do with you. Clearly. Or are you looking for trouble?”

Keisuke didn’t know what to say to that. They were right. This had nothing to do with him. He didn’t even have the guts to stop them. Keisuke slowly turned around and started to walk away.

I….can’t help her, he thought. I should just leave before I get myself hurt, along with her. I know, I’ll ask someone else for help, maybe one of those City Watchmen. But me on my own am of no use here. Keisuke was leaving when his head felt like it was splitting in two.

“—Ungh!” The sudden influx of pain sent him sprawling to a knee. It was excruciating, as if someone had cut open his brain, filled it with razor blades, and shook his head as hard as they could. Everything around him seemed to stop as Keisuke could only focus on the sheer pain throbbing in his head. Even his senses were all scrambled for a brief moment.

Then Keisuke heard sobbing. He was not sure, but it sounded like it came from nearby.

...Huh? Nearby where?

He opened his eyes, and what he saw was a completely different scene from where he last was. It was much darker now. Night-time, maybe? But that didn’t make any sense. How could it have gotten dark so fast?

Keisuke looked around and found that he was in the same alley, only this time the hour of day had changed. Not only that, but the bustling sound of the city had ceased, and it was much, much quieter.

All save for the quiet sobs echoing nearby.

Those sobs are coming from...that girl...over there.

Keisuke saw her. It was Timid. She was crouched against the wall, her face a mess of snot and tears. Her clothes were ripped apart, and she was desperately covering herself with the parts that were still intact. Keisuke could only imagine what had happened to her.

W-when exactly is this?

Before Keisuke could make sense of anything, the fierce headache ceased, and he found himself back where he was, clutching at his head. It was midday once again, and he was back in that alley, about to walk away from an ongoing assault. The rambunctious sound of the city was back, and it was as if Keisuke had not been in another place at all.

Huh...? Keisuke was beyond perplexed. What the hell was that...? I saw...

Just what did I see?

“You're still here? Are you looking for trouble, asshole?”

That was when Keisuke put two and two together. To be honest, he wasn’t entirely sure what it was he saw, but he understood its implication.

Keisuke had to stop those boys. He saw what they were going to do with Timid. Whether it was real or not, or just a potential outcome, the image was embedded in his mind. He could not leave the girl alone after seeing what could possibly become of her. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he did.

Keisuke turned back around to face the ruffians once more.

They were fiddling with the girl's clothes, giggling, completely uncaring of her soft pleas.

“P-please stop…” Timid whispered, but the boys showed no signs of respecting her wishes.

“Leave her alone. She wants nothing to do with you.”

“What was that?” A boy with shaggy black hair looked angrily at Keisuke.

“I said leave her alone. You’re scaring her. Don’t you realise that much?”

“And I told you to get lost. This has nothing to do with you. What’s the matter with you? Are you an idiot or something?”

Keisuke gulped. Ignoring the boys, he held his hand out toward the girl. “Come.”

She looked like she wanted to run to his hand more than anything, but the boy in charge held his arm across from her, preventing her from doing so.

They were not going to let her go that easily. So, Keisuke started edging towards them.

“Don't be a hero, friend. Come closer, and we'll kick your ass. Seriously, we’ll do it.”

Keisuke ignored the threat. He kept walking forward, his eyes looking only at the girl. He reached out his hand and, without saying anything, grabbed her arm.

A fist pummeled into the side of Keisuke's face, sending him colliding into the brick wall.

“You’re persistent, aren’t you? Why won’t you just go away?!”

Keisuke picked himself up. Again, he grabbed the girl’s arm and began walking away.

Another fist slammed into his face.

“That's it, teach this idiot a lesson!”

The three boys began assaulting Keisuke, stomping on him mercilessly.

“S-stop...! I'm begging you!” Timid pleaded, her voice a whisker above a whisper.

They were not going to listen to her, though. They continued their assault on Keisuke until another voice echoed throughout the alley.

“Hey!” it shouted.

The boys immediately stopped. “Help! Guards!” the voice cried out again, and Keisuke could sense the panic that shot through the boys when the voice said that.

“Shit! Let’s get out of here!” They quickly fled from the scene like the lowlifes they were.

“Keisuke-kun!” The voice from earlier called out frantically, and Keisuke heard footsteps hurriedly approaching. It was a boy’s voice. He rushed to Keisuke's side and held his head up. “Are you okay?”

Huh...? You’re that boy from before. The one with the nice-looking face. You remembered my name?

“It’s me, Mahiro. Can you stand?”

Keisuke nodded. He was in pain, but he wasn’t seriously injured, it seemed. He could still move. Mahiro helped Keisuke to his feet and held him against the wall.

“Thank you," Keisuke said, “that could've gone really bad.”

“What happened? Who were those guys?”

Keisuke glanced at Timid. “Are you okay?”

She managed a stiff nod, tears welling in her eyes. She was still trembling.

“They were going to...” Keisuke was about to explain but couldn’t find the words. “I couldn’t let it happen. I just couldn’t.”

Mahiro took note of Timid’s condition and quickly deduced what happened. “Ah... I see.” His expression softened. “You did well, Keisuke-kun. You too, Fumiko-chan. Come, let's get out of here.”