“Souta, you’re up?” –Daiki
“Hnnnn~~Morn’…”
Sluggishly pulling my sleepy body up, I stretch my arms over my head while yawning. Day has come once again and the sun is high up in the sky, though it’s not noon yet it should be around 9 to 10 am. It makes me wonder how did I sleep so well on this cold and hard ground. My back feels painful and there’s a numbness in my neck and shoulder.
Yesterday’s incident still weighs heavily on my mind but my chest felt a bit lighter after crying. More over the new day’s bright sky paints a little hope on my heart, as we continue to live long enough to see “tomorrows”, then maybe we will have a future.
Briefly the words Daiki said to me last night resounded in my mind. Words cannot describe how glad I am to have him as a friend.
“You two, you might want to see this” –Akira
Said Akagi from a little distance away. He seems to be standing on a raised ground that ends abruptly. Is there a cliff below? Far beyond is the silhouette of a ragged mountain range. Thinking about it maybe I should’ve thanked him, if not for him we wouldn’t be able to escape yesterday’s crisis. But how do I say this… he has that unapproachable aura, and it’s also a hard topic to bring up.
I secretly sigh a little and move toward Akagi’s spot with Daiki.
“This… this is”
Below the place we’re standing is a short cliff that’s only about 3 meters, this cliff extends to the west connecting to a big mountain range. What’s the most important is the ravine below the cliff however. It’s an enormous ravine that’s about 200 meters wide, with two steep mountain slopes on either side. And if you follow the ravine then there’s a silhouette of something blocking the way far over the yonder.
“Souta!” –Daiki
Daiki’s voice couldn’t contain his excitement.
“That’s… a wall? It’s a wall right? A human built one?”
Being thrown in an unknown land without warning, getting attacked by monsters, losing a friend.
Even though no one said it out loud we all feared that our only paths were to either get killed by monster or die of hunger. Just knowing that there are humans in this world is enough to make me feel like my heart is about to jump out of my chest in joy. If there is a human settlement we might be able to find food, shelter. And there is no danger of monsters. We might even find someone who knows what’s going on.
“Let’s go check it out” –Akira
Without waiting for our answers, Akagi slid down the cliff and started to walk toward the wall.
____________________________________________________________________________
After walking for about two kilometers, we finally reached the wall. The closer we get the more amazing a spectacle that huge wall becomes. The stone wall must be at least 20 meters high, connecting the mountains on two sides. The imposing wall seemed to look down on us, implying that it would never let intruders go past.
Under the wall is a huge iron gate about four meters high. Guarding the open gate are two big men about 180cm tall, wearing iron plate mail and holding spears, a sword hang on their waist belt.
They’re humans.
No matter how you look at it they’re humans!
Their clothing are a tad strange… but it doesn’t feel out of place considering the monster from before and this wall that seems to belong to an era that has long passed in our world.
But more importantly, they’re humans.
I hurried my feet to the gate and raise my voice nervously.
“E..Excuse me!!”
The 2 guards fixed their glances on us. They knit their eyebrows and have an inquiring look on their face. One of them called out.
“------ ---------------- ----- --------------“ –Guard1
My feet froze on their track.
How could I forget. For some reason I held vain hopes that we’d understand each other but as expected, the language is different after all? Isn’t this too unfair!? If we are dumped into this world without a reason then at least give us the language knowledge!
“He…hello? Gudmorning~ … eh… Bonjour?... Ciao?”
“Haaah? ------- --- ----
Oi! ------------ -----------------“ –Guard 1
While I don’t understand what he is saying, apparently he doesn’t seem to be amused. I panicked and become lost at what to do.
But as for Akagi, he brazenly ignored the guard and headed straight to the gate.
Eh? Can you do that? Is it ok to do that?
“Oi! ----- ------------- ------------------“ –Guard 2
“Heh…so I guess this way is no good huh? Well, doesn’t hurt to try” –Akira
One of the guards puts his spear in front of Akagi and obstructed him. He didn’t seem to be surprised however, perhaps he already expected it.
Really, if you knew then why did you do it in the first place? Does this guy have liver of steel?
Without a change in expression, Akagi started to point at himself, then points at the gate trying to imply that he wanted to go through.
“Me.
There.
Go.
Understood?” –Akira
I see, if talking doesn’t work then body language isn’t it. That’s certainly a good way to do it. But the guard shook his head and opened his palm.
“-------- ------------ ------------- ---------“ –Guard 2
That gesture… does that means he wants money?
“So entry fee is it? Or maybe identification paper?...This is quite troubling” –Akira
Seemingly lost his patience, the guards pointed their spears at us and shouts.
Damn it! Even though a human city is right in front of us, are you telling me that we can’t get in? If we are chased away here then we’ll surely die in the wilderness. There’s no way I can let that happen.
Daiki also seemed to be desperate about the situation, he gripped the spear trying to push it away while petitioning to the guard.
“W…wait, please! We have nowhere to go, please let us in! You may not understand us but you can’t abandon us out here for the monster right?!” –Daiki
“----- ----------- !!”–Guard 1
The guard angrily shouted something and kicked Daiki’s stomach. He fell flat on the ground and holds his stomach while making a painful face after being kicked by an iron boot.
“Daiki!”
“Urgg…Uuuu…I….I’m okay” –Daiki
Damn it, at least looks like there’s no heavy wound but Daiki is breathing heavily. We are already exhausted without having any food or water since yesterday, even the usually robust Daiki couldn’t get up easily after being kicked. Just what are we supposed to do?
While negative thoughts were swirling inside my mind, a carefree voice rang out from behind.
“Hey hey hey ------------- ------------- --------------------------------------“ -???
_____________________________________________________________________________________
[Aldwin POV]
“Hey hey hey, are Reynes’ guards bullying children for kicks nowadays?”
I spoke out to the guards who seem to be in the middle of a commotion with some strangely dressed children. In this era where people clashing against each other in violence is an everyday occurrence, but there’s something about these kids that interest me. I traveled through many places in the continent but I have never seen any clothes like these. Well-dressed teenage boys, yet covered in dirt and sweats looking exhausted in front of the city gate. It’s a scene that perks one’s curiosity.
“Hnn? Oh, is that you Aldwin, are you back from your job already?” –Guard 1
“Yea, it was an easy one, so what’s up with those kids?”
“Looks like they want to go inside but have no identification paper or money” –Guard 2
“Or at least that’s what they “look like”. Since these guys can’t speak Danaan” –Guard 1
“Can’t speak Danaan? That’s quite rare. Even then there was no need to be violent with them wasn’t it”
“Well, that kid suddenly gripped my spear and tried to push his way through so I lightly kicked him. He looks like a fat kid but his grip strength was something else” –Guard 1
“What are you doing getting startled by a kid?”
“N..No…well…” –Guard 1
Haah..really now, I guess this is what happens when what you do all day is to guard a peaceful city gate. While I was thinking that, Beck came from behind me also looking curious.
Beck Coleman, the eldest son of the Coleman baron family. He didn’t inherit the title but instead pushed it to his younger brother and turned to a life of adventuring. He has always been one curious guy and there were many times we were put in danger because of his whims, but there was never a dull day when we traveled together.
“Those kids don’t look like elves. Are they some merchant’s kids from the continent across the sea?
I’m quite interested in which country those clothes are from” –Beck
“Stop it Beck, you’re going to scare them”
“Shut up, the only thing scary here is your unshaved mug” –Beck
This guy, saying whatever he pleases….
Ignoring Beck, I put on my most hospitable smile and asked the kids.
“Sooo, you guys don’t know our language I heard? Or are you hiding something? I promise I won’t hurt you so if you can speak won’t you tell me what’s your situation?”
The fat kid that collapsed on the ground is just holding his stomach while his friend next to him is looking at us cautiously. It doesn’t seem like they want to speak?
Just when I thought the situation isn’t progressing like this, the red haired kid comes closer to us, pointing at him and his friends then make a gesture imitating walking toward the gate’s direction.
“------- ---------- --------“ –Red head
“Hnnnn….. yep, I have no idea what this language is after all”
“What do you think, Cara?” –Beck
“I don’t know, but at least it’s not elf’s language” –Cara
Cara Fionnlas, the last member of our party. Even though elves are conservative and doesn’t have much contact with other races, Cara is quite an oddball among her peers. She’s an Elf but she doesn’t have an aptitude at magic. She left her tribe complaining it was too suffocating and used her skill with sword and bow to climb her way up as an adventurer. With golden hair that reaches down to her waist, a sensual body and an elegant face that can make even princesses green with envy, she draws quite a lot of eyes during our travels. To be honest, it’s hard for me as a man to be in the same party with her. But since I’m the leader I can’t have any behavior that would jeopardize the trust between us. After all, our job is one that treads the line between life and death. In battle we only have our weapons for the enemy in front and our comrades to defend our back.
“There are a lot I’d like to ask them but doesn’t seem that’s possible eh” –Beck
“Putting that aside, old man, them sheltered looking kids is going to die out here if you don’t let them in you know?”
“Don’t make it hard for me, I have a job to do too” –Guard 1
“If anyone can enter freely like that there’s no need to have a gate in the first place” –Guard 2
Well, They’re kind of right.
“If I pay for them it should be fine, no?”
“Huh? you’re going to do that? I’ve never heard of adventurers being lads with a sense of charity” –Guard 1
“It’s only 10 coppers anyway, nothing we can’t spare”
“Normally I guess we wouldn’t but since we are already kind of involved already, leaving them out here to die would hurt our conscience” –Beck
“Conscience? You have some?” –Cara
“That’s cruel, nee-san, I’m quite the compassionate man even if I do say so myself~” –Beck
By the way, Beck calling her nee-san is just him messing around, they aren’t related in anyway.
After paying 30 copper coins to the guard, I beckoned the kids to follow me with a wave. As for us, since we have guild’s identification papers there was no need to pay. The boys widen their eyes in surprise and seemed to be lost about what should they do.
Seeing that, Cara pulls the black haired kid by hand gently while giving a warm smile.
Ooh, it’s super effective, the 2 boys’ cheeks are tinted red and they obediently follow her.
The persuasive power of a beautiful woman is truly a wonder to be hold.
The red head on the other hand, seemed to catch on quickly and has already been following behind me after a light bow. I’ve been feeling this from the start but there’s something different about this kid compared to the other two. Maybe it’s just the way he carries himself seems to indicates that he’s always ready to take on whatever comes his way? Quite a good spirit I must say. I’m interested in what he’ll become in the future.
After we passed the gate, the boys bowed to us and said something. It felt like there were some tears in their voices and they almost choked. I guess they were pretty desperate.
It doesn’t feel bad to be thanked.
Though I don’t understand what they are saying.
They seemed to want to follow me but I hold my hand out and stop them.
“Let’s just say me lending you a hand today was your good fortune. We have no intention to involve ourselves in a stranger’s circumstances any further”
After all, it is our way of life. We aren’t a charity group who concern their selves with other people’s well-beings. Helping the kids today was really nothing more than a whim. Taking care of them is a burden we never even gave any thought to.
“Even if you say that, it’s not like they would understand?” –Beck
“I think the intents were transmitted well enough though” –Cara
“Doesn’t Aldwin just wanted to act cool?” –Beck
You really say whatever you wanted to don’t you.
[Souta POV]
“They’re gone…” –Daiki
“…” –Akio
We gazed at the group of three until their figures disappear into the crowd. They were people that would leave a strong impression on anyone they meet.
The person who talked to us was a 180cm tall, muscular man who seems to be in his late twenties. His face has manly features and was a bit unshaven, which gave the feeling of being easy going but at the same time he exerts the aura of a reliable man.
The nee-san who led us in was so strikingly beautiful it felt unreal, she looked like the fairies and princesses celebrated actors would play on the big screen. Is this what they call an adult’s appeal? She wore leather armor, short sword on her waist and a bow on her back, giving off the feeling of a female warrior.
A beautiful female warrior is truly an iconic image of a fantasy isn’t it?
The other man was a bit shorter than the muscular nii-san, but he’s still around 175cm which is taller than the average Japanese man. He had an attractive face that would probably make the girls go “kyaa!” if he were to dress up in a suit.
“Are..are you sure we shouldn’t follow them?”
“U..umm…but they clearly didn’t want us too….” –Daiki
“One shouldn’t over stay their welcome, let’s just be thankful they helped us in” –Akira
I guess he’s right, they might get angry if we were persistent about it, we’re strangers after all.
“Still…those people were amazing huh”
“Long ears…” –Akira
At Akagi’s remark, I gasped. Now that I think about it certainly the nee-san’s ears looked very different. I was too overwhelmed by her beauty I didn’t realize the peculiar feature.
“Don’t tell me…an elf? Is that why she’s so beautiful?”
“Y..yea, that onee-san was pretty” –Daiki
Said Daiki with his cheek flushed. So even Daiki who normally doesn’t show much interest in love is charmed by her. As I think about it, I realized my face has been feeling hot for a while now.
Uuu…embarrassing.
Calm down, me.
“R..right, they all had armors and weapons with them, it really feels like we’re in a different world isn’t it”
I panicked a little and tried to change the topic.
“Are they soldiers? If this was modern Japan then they’d be arrested due to Swords and Firearms Possession Laws” –Daiki
“Well, with monsters loitering around outside of the city, it’s understandable”
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“This world seems to have a low level of technology development? I mean, they are carrying swords and bows after all” –Daiki
“Swords and bows isn’t it…it’s hard to explain but there’s an amazing aura around those people, like they are some kind of veteran soldiers or mercenaries…
Wait. Or maybe adventurers?”
“Adventurers? Like those in manga?” –Daiki
“Yea, yea”
Adventurers, a word that’d lit up the fire in any man’s heart. For some reason I’m getting excited.
“Um…but that person didn’t seem to be very strong though” –Daiki
“You mean the ikemen? Yea he looked a little thin”
“Nah, that guy looked thin but under his clothes were well-trained muscles” –Akira
Unexpectedly Akagi cut in between our heated conversation. His remark however, was oddly convincing when it comes from him.
.
.
.
Then we fell silent for a while having run out of things to talk about.
“U..ummm….
What are we supposed to do now then?” –Daiki
“Eh?...well, I don’t know…”
I mean… we need food and shelter, right? But how are we going to get them? We can’t even talk to other people…
“Wait, Akagi-kun, where are you going?” –Daiki
“Wherever, It’s not like something will happen if you sit around” –Akira
“Hold on! At least let’s go together”
As usual, Akagi is going at his own pace.
________________________________________________________________________________
We walked the street paved with stones while looking around to find any useful information. The city seems to be bustling with people, though compare to Tokyo the amount of people walking about isn’t even enough to label as a “crowd”.
We passed through a lane of houses into a big square that seemed to be an open market. There are many stalls with fruit and vegetable inside what looked like hand-crafted wooden boxes. Fresh meats seems to be butchered and sold on top of a wooden table, some pig legs and rabbits whole are being hooked on a wooden hangar that’s a bit taller than the seller’s head. It looks a bit unsanitary. Shopkeepers are raising their voices in the usual impossible to understand language to the passing onlooker. Are they promoting their goods?
My eyes are glued to a stall that’s grilling some kind of meat on a skewer. The meat skewers are grilled brown showing an appetizing color. The shopkeeper ossan is taking a spoon full of some muddy yellow liquid and pour it on the meat. The moment the liquid touch the meat they sizzle and bubble up, making a nice sound, are those animal fat? I gulp loudly to the sweet smell of meat that has reached all the way over here.
“Ya ya ----------- -------------- ------------------------” –Meat stall ossan
The shopkeeper seems to be saying something to us, but it’s not like we can understand what he is saying.
“----------- ---------- ------!!” –Meat stall ossan
After staring at each other for a while, or more precisely me staring at his food without being able to say anything. The ossan knit his eyebrows a little and shouted at us in an annoyed tone.
“Uuu… is he angry at us for just looking without buying?” –Daiki
“I’m so hungry”
“Me too…” –Daiki
“How long are you guys going to stay there and stare?” –Akira
Akagi talked to us over his shoulder, then continues to walk forward without a care.
“Ah…Wait for us”
We hastily followed Akagi and come up on a street that’s several times larger than the paths just now. The buildings also become increasingly luxurious as we continue further along the road. There are no street lanes that separate pedestrians from carriages and people would just move out of the way every time there’s a horse rider walks by. The clothes people wear on this part of the city seems to be more brightly colored compare to the area before, the design are still fairly simple however. The men are wearing tunics and trousers, some don a leather vest or an expensive looking cloak. There are armors of all kinds too, from light weight to full plate. The women all wear dresses that fall past their knees. Even though their skirts are so long… why are their tops so revealing? Almost every woman we come past are showing off her shoulders and cleavage. They all had white skin and fairly large burst too, it’s hard not to stare.
For some reason everyone is giving us unpleasant looks however. I wonder what is going on? It’s true that our clothes are strange compared to them but I feel like there’s more to that.
While I was wondering, some guards who wore the same fashion of armors and weapons as the gate guard before came blocking our way.
“Oi ----------- ------------------ ----“ –Guard 1
“------------------ -----“ –Guard 2
“Oi --- ----------- ---------------------“ –Guard 3
Um, what is it I wonder? We haven’t done anything you know? Why are we being apprehended by guards? Their tones and gazes are anything but friendly.
“Guys, we’re going to run” –Akira
“Eh?”
“Huh?” –Daiki
______________________________________________________________________________________
“Huff…huff…did…did we lose them?”
“Haa..Huff…Uuuu….my stomach …is hurting again” –Daiki
We slowed down after the angry shouts of the guards were no longer heard. I try to catch my breath by leaning on the wall while Daiki is sitting on the ground holding his stomach. Is his stomach not yet recovered from getting kicked before?
“Haa…Haa….so, what was that about, Akagi?”
“Huff…what, can’t you understand from how people were looking at us?” –Akira
“Um..Akagi-kun, if you don’t explain then we won’t understand” –Daiki
“Sigh, alright. The people around that area were wearing more luxurious clothes, right?” –Akira
“Y..yea, the houses were bigger too”
“Since this is fairly similar to medieval Europe, I just made a conjecture that it was the housing area for nobles and rich people” –Akira
“Nobles?....”
“I assumed they weren’t very happy that three dirty kids wandered around sightseeing in the noble district” –Akira
“W..wait, Akagi-kun, there were some other poor looking people around weren’t there, though only a few”
“They might’ve been noble’s slaves, there were collars on their neck or feet, but there were none on us, and we were not together with anyone that looks like a master. There’s a chance they mistook us for runaway slaves. Or just suspicious on general consider our out-of-place clothing” –Akira
“N..no way, what will happen to us if we’re caught then?”
“How’d I know, probably be sold somewhere? Thinking about our situation though it might not be too bad since they won’t let us die of starvation” –Akira
“Still … to be a slave..” –Daiki
“Yea… that’s a little…”
“Well, I guess there’s no guarantee that they won’t kill you or hit your do death once you become a slave either” –Akira
I shudder when imagine such a future. How does Akagi saying these things so easily as if he doesn’t care?
“Still, look around” –Akira
At Akagi’s words, we took a glance at our surroundings. It seems that we’ve arrived at a rather run-down area. The roads are dirty and unpaved. The houses… it’s hard to call them houses. They’re just made shift shelters that held together using scrap woods and straws. There’s a couple of people sitting lifeless on the street, they’re covered in rags and tattered clothes, looking extremely malnourished.
Now that I’ve managed to catch my breath there’s a stinky sewer smell floats around too. The smell is nauseating, it’s like a mix of piss, sewer waste and rotten eggs. I cover my nose while making an unpleasant expression. This can’t be a place for human to live, isn’t it just a garbage dump? If you live in this place then you’d be no better than sewer rats. It’s the kind of place that makes one forget their humanity.
“Is this perhaps the slums” –Daiki
“Looks like it”
We spotted a man grilling a small piece of meat nearby, it looks like a 4 legged creature that resembles a rabbit but much smaller.
“That…is that a mouse?” –Daiki
“UUuueee…I want to throw up”
“Well, it’s like that, either you die of hunger or eat that and die of disease” –Akira
The sight of the dirty man with only skins and bones vigorously bite into the grilled mouse is like the future vision of our selves. Will be become like that too? Will we also crawl around this garbage dump, scavenging for lizards and mice while we wait for death to come and release us?
Thinking about such a future I tears up a little.
“Well then, I’m going” –Akira
Akagi said nonchalantly, he didn’t even seem to be fazed by the scene.
“Go… go where?” –Daiki
“Just continuing on my walk” –Akira
“Wh…what about us?”
“Don’t push it, you guys can’t walk anymore right?” –Akira
“B..but!” –Daiki
It’s true, Daiki still seems to be hurt. I can’t just leave him alone here. More over… My legs feel so heavy I can’t get them up. They’re being weighted down by the fatigue in both my body and mind. What good is it to walk around anyway? We’re just wasting our energy uselessly. No one will come for us. And if they come we can’t ask for help even if we wanted to.
What did I ever do? I’ve been in a fight a few times but they were just children squabbles. I’ve never committed any crimes. I’ve never hurt anyone. Why do I have to suffer like this? It’s too unreasonable!
“He’s gone…” –Daiki
“……………yea”
______________________________________________________________________________
Akagi didn’t even come back when evening comes. I wonder what happened to him? Did he run into some trouble? Was he caught by the guards? Or by some miracle he was saved by a nice person?
Whichever it is, he probably won’t come back.
I have never been able to understand him before, and I understand him even less after being acquainted for a few days.
There’re no artificial lights at night, and there’s nothing to do, we decided to go to sleep so we can forget about our stomachs grumbling. If it’s like this then maybe I don’t mind eating mice and die. Or maybe we could try to steal some food… we were able to get away from the guards today after all.
I have an unpleasant premonition that soon enough I probably won’t care about what’s right and what’s wrong anymore.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
________________________________________________________________________________________
“Wake up already” –Akira
“BUHaA!!??”
I rolled on the ground as my body was kicked by someone.
Uuu…it’s… morning? My back hurts. Who wakes people up by kicking them anyway? I don’t remember waking up while rolling on the ground being part of commonsense!
“Morning” –Akira
“Eh?...Akagi? Y-you’re back?”
Looking down on me rubbing my back was Akagi, behaving as if everything is normal.
“Souta! Look, there’s bread” –Daiki
Daiki passes me something, it’s a cold piece of golden brown bun.
Swallowing my saliva, I receive the bread with my shaky hands. I was not able to control my grip well and ended up grabbing it too tightly. The crispy outer crust broke and a little bit of golden dust fell down the ground.
This… there’s no doubt about it… it’s bread!
I devoured my first meal in 2 days greedily while choking with tears.
“UUuu…delivbous..uuu…del.c.ous
…-cough- -cough-”
“Slow down Souta, here, have some water” –Daiki
“Gulp..gulp…thanks, Daiki”
The bread was a bit salty because of my tears, but it was delicious. More than any meat or sweet I’ve eaten in my life. It was not filling enough to sate my hunger but it’s the first thing I get to put in my stomach in 2 days. Feeling a bit regrettable that the bread disappeared too quickly, I lick the crust that stuck on my hand after drinking water from the wooden cup Daiki passed me.
“The one you should be thanking is Akagi-kun, it’s him who brought back the bread” –Daiki
“Eh?...A..Akagi did?”
I send Akagi a dumbfounded look.
“Hmm? There’s no more you know, I only got 3 pieces” –Akira
“No…that’s not it.
…I mean, thank you… but how?”
“Part-time job” –Akira
Akagi curtly gave an answer.
This time not just me but Daiki also tilted his head in wonder. Did he not yet ask Akagi about it?
“So you worked for it right? But we don’t know the language...so…” –Daiki
“Physical labor doesn’t really involve much talking. I followed the guys from the slum and found a construction site that’s doing some maintenance on the city walls. They distribute bread during meal time and midnight, one per person so I got 3 pieces from yesterday’s dinner, midnight and today’s breakfast”
“You worked all night!? Ever since we parted until now!?” –Daiki
Something is prickling my chest. Even though I thought he didn’t care what happens to us. Even though he could just keep all the food to himself… He worked continuously for such a long time when he should’ve been as exhausted as we.
Then what about me? What did I do? All I did was lament about my misfortune and sleep all night…
I’m pathetic.
Why am I such an useless person?
To think I always went on and on about how I’m a grown up, about how I can take care of myself to Shion-nee…
Even though we’re in this kind of situation, even though one of us already died, why can’t I even stand up on my own feet and kept relying on the people around me? I should’ve already realized it when I noticed how ignorant I was to my own childhood friend’s problems… yet still all I think about is myself…
No.
Now is not the time.
If I keep acting on my self-pity like this then it’s no different from before.
I turn toward Akagi and bow deeply.
“Thank you! Akagi..
…and… I’m SORRY!”
“Hah? What are you apologizing for” –Akira
“Haha, leave him be, Akagi-kun, it’s his own way of expressing gratitude” –Daiki
As expected, Daiki saw through me again.
If Akagi insist on asking I wouldn’t know how to answer. I’m already so embarrassed about myself I could die. I wouldn’t want him to look down on me too.
For some reason, already Akagi is someone whom I don’t want to be thinking badly of me.
“Don’t misunderstand now, I only saved your portions because you won’t be able to work being worn down like that.
Obviously, you’re going to work too.” –Akira
“Yea but still, thank you, Akagi-kun” –Daiki
“Yes! Please let us help you!”
And so we start to follow Akagi to the construction site.
“Akagi-kun, even though you said it’s just physical labor, how were you able to even register anyway? Don’t they give instructions while you work too?” –Daiki
“Hmm? Well, all I did was to squeeze myself in the line of laborers that go to the site, there was no registering. There were instructions once in a while but I just paid attention to the other workers and followed them.” –Akira
“That’s..amazing”
On the way, conversations somehow happened by their selves. It seems that we’re feeling much more comfortable talking to Akagi now. He might look hard to approach at first but once you talk to him he doesn’t feel like a bad guy. He doesn’t speak when unnecessary but he properly answers our question.
“Yea, you’re amazing Akagi-kun, we almost gave up hope of surviving” –Daiki
“Well, not really, I was pretty desperate myself. I thought if I can’t find anything good then I’d have to risk my body stealing food.” –Akira
“Risk your body…?”
“Hnn…you see, this is like medieval Europe right? Of course this world custom might differ, but in the old times, stealing an apple is enough to get your hands chopped off. There was that French story where a guy went to prison for 5 years for stealing a piece of bread too.” –Akira
“Hands chopped off…” –Daiki
“…for stealing an apple?”
No way right? No matter how you think about it that’s too unreasonable.
For the first time in my life I find the fantasy world a detestable place.
*Note: ikemen = handsome guy