Cycelia walks onto the plaza from one of the adjacent streets and searches for a statue. A quick glance reveals that there is no statue, and where she would expect it to be, is a giant mob instead.

「Huh?」

She furrows her brows, and hurries to check what's going on.

「…Excuse me, what's happening? Why is everyone crowding around here?」

Cycelia gently taps on one of the irate men in the back of the large circle. The man glances over his shoulder at her with a massive scowl.

「This bastard over here destroyed the historic statue of Mercia! We're not going to let him get away with it!」

He replies, and tries to push forward along with the rest of the crowd.

「Huh!? Who would do such a thing!?…」

Cycelia's head perks up, and her brows furrow in a mixture of shock and anger. She tries to peek at the perpetrator over the crowd, but the sheer density of the heads and shoulders is too much.

At the same time, in the center of the mob, in the middle of its rapidly shrinking empty space, Straf looks all around at the angry scowls surrounding him.

「Athea, get down here and tell 'em to calm down.」

Straf casually says towards the sky, ignoring the crowd.

《Are you stupid!? I'm not going to plainly appear in front of so many people! Apologize and make a replacement, I'm sure they'll forgive you!》

Athea replies with a shout in Straf's head. He turns his gaze to a few members of the lynch mob.

「I'll slit your fucking throat, blasphemer!」「C'mere! I just want to talk!…」「I'll cave your fucking skull in for that!」

Some of the people in the crowd shout towards Straf, all holding dangerous implements in their hands.

「…Uh-huh. They're in a real forgive and forget mood.」

Straf replies with an unimpressed, tight-lipped grimace on his face, staring at the screaming crowd with bored eyes.

《Then… Then just leave! You can do that!》

She replies with her voice still raised.

「You're out of your fucking mind, I'm not going to run from a bunch of shitty peasants. I said, get down here, or you're going to be real busy in just a moment…」

Scoffing, Straf shakes his head lightly as he looks around the crowd closing in on him.

《What are you-?》

「Three….」

《Huh!? What do you mean, busy!?》

「Two…」

Unrushed and not particularly bothered, Straf casually continues counting while Athea gets more and more tense.

《What are you counting down to!?…》

She asks hastily in a nervous voice.

「Huh?… Straf? Don't tell me!…」

Cycelia manages to squeeze in through the crowd enough to catch a glimpse of Straf's bored face.

「One…」

Fwoompf!… Clack.

He continues counting. Less than a second later, Athea appears in front of him in a burst of golden light, with a gentle gust of wind that kicks up some of the dust off the street. Her shoes clack gently on the stones beneath her feet as she descends from a tiny, almost imperceptible drop. The angry mob of people freeze in their place, with some even taking a step back in shock.

「That's enough, good people of this world! There is no need for violence! The statue was an exaggerated depiction when I wished for none, and gave this man permission to destroy it!…」

Athea declares, spreading her arms in front of Straf, shielding him from a portion of the crowd. The angry mob, now utterly confused and shocked into utter disbelief, listens quietly to Athea.

「Mercia?…」「Mercia has appeared before us!?… What beauty!…」「We are blessed! We are truly a blessed kingdom!…」

The people's scowls have shifted into delighted smiles, and though they are still holding onto their weapons, there is not a hint of hostility for Straf remaining in their eyes.

「…It's that woman again! What is she doing here!?」

With the crowd now pacified, Cycelia manages to squeeze her confused face in between the people.

「…Please be mindful of the commandments, and the value of life! Do not be quick to thoughtlessly end lives-!」

Tfwap.

「Hyiiii!?」

Before Athea can even finish her sentence, Straf hooks his arm around her waist and bears his hand down on her breast, grabbing it noisily. She yelps, and her blue eyes widen in shock.

「What!?」「How dare you!?」「I'll kill you after all, you bastard!」

As if he flipped a switch in the crowd, the hatred and murderous hostility returns in an instant. Completely unbothered, Straf gropes and fondles Athea's breast, pulling her closer.

「Wha-!?…」

Cycelia stares at the scene with utter disbelief in her emerald eyes, and her jaw dropped.

「…Whyyy!? You were about to be venerated in this city, too!」

Dismayed, Athea asks through her clenched teeth while trying to pull Straf's hand away. He doesn't as much as budge, grinning while groping her in front of the crowd.

「You told them that you gave me permission to do that. Why not just say it again?」

Straf replies with a smug grin directed at her. She covers her mortified face with her hands, thrown left and right like a ragdoll in Straf's grasp.

「C'mere, you fucker! Hope you're reborn as a slug in a world of salt!」

One of the craftsmen tries to squeeze in through the crowd, menacing Straf with his hammer raised. Cycelia watches on, still stunned.

「…Wait!…」

Fwap.

Red faced, Athea spreads her arms again, wincing heavily while Straf nonchalantly continues his fondling. He very lightly raises his brow.

「…I… Gave him permission… To do this too…」

She says in a reluctant, hesitant voice, lowering her head and arms in shame, and breathing heavily.

「What?…」「But!… But how can this be!?」「That's not possible!… Let's kill him, after all!」

Though the reactions of the crowd are mixed, they all stop in their tracks. Some are still furious, some are extremely confused, and some appear utterly despondent.

「Please… There is no need for violence… Even now.」

She adds, clenching her fists, unable to raise her head and look at the crowd. Straf continues his groping, and her heavy breathing continues as well.

「He he… That's right! She gave me permission to do this! You have one kinky goddess!…」

With an ear to ear smug grin and his eyes narrowed, Straf taunts the crowd while pointing his free hand at Athea.

「Hii! Don't do that!…」

Straf pinches, and Athea jumps up with a high-pitched squeak. Her hands immediately snap to Straf's arm, and attempt to pull it away to no avail.

「I'm going to kill you, motherfucker!」

A man runs up to Straf with his hammer raised, clenching his teeth with burning fury in his eyes.

「Oooop! She let me do this! Are you sure you want to be cursed by Mercia for all eternity for disobeying her!?…」

Taking on an odd pose, Straf points his finger at the man's face with a wide, smug smirk on his. The man hesitates, though he's well within striking distance.

「…Go on, take a swing… See what happens, loser.」

Straf further taunts the man.

He keeps his hammer raised and even moves his hand as if to swing it a few times, but the actual strike never comes. His eyes dart to Athea, and the man clenches his teeth in dismayed anger.

「Please… I… Let him do this too…」

Athea holds her palm out towards the man and looks at him, but she stops just short of looking into his anguish-filled eyes, finding herself unable to meet his gaze out of shame.

Clunk!

「Shit!… Shit! Fuck!」

The man drops his hammer to the ground, and after walking a few steps away, collapses to his hands and knees, cursing at the ground.

「Heheheh… Yeah, she's into some real dirty shit! You guys should have seen her in her swimsuit!… Maybe I'll make a new statue of that!」

Straf cackles, shrugging his free hand while the crowd slowly begins to discard their weapons, though none of them are particularly pleased about it.

「Please don't…」

Athea quietly pleads with her golden head lowered.

「Straf!? What are you doing!?」

Cycelia shouts, finally unfreezing as some of the front row collapses and sobs on their knees.

「Noooo!… Why is she here!?…」

Athea snaps her blue eyes to Cycelia's emerald ones for just a split second, and quickly turns her face away, covering it with her hands. Surprised, Straf looks at Cycelia.

Fwooom.

Athea abruptly slips out of Straf's grasp, when she turns into a narrow beam of golden light and shoots upward, leaving him empty-handed. He looks at his hand, then back at Cycelia.

「Lia… I can explain… But it's going to take a while.」

Straf declares with a tight-lipped grimace. He places his hands in his coat's pockets, and moves to exit the crowd's encirclement.

As he walks past the people who fell to their knees, they look up at him with pure contempt on their tearful faces, but none make any attempt to do anything whatsoever, and let him pass.

「Why was that woman there!? Why were you touching her!? Did you break the statue!? Why were they talking about Mercia!?-」

「Look… Let's just get an inn room, and I'll explain some of it, alright?」

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Cycelia begins directing rapidfire questions at Straf. He holds his palm up, halting her.

「…Anything I ask?」

She pouts, furrowing her brows.

「If it has an answer. Come.」

He shrugs, and nudges her to follow with his hand on her back. They leave the collapsed crowd behind to their dismayed whining and sobbing…

…

Less than half an hour later…

Straf enters Cycelia's inn room. With her coat off, she's sitting on the side of her bed, looking at him with a tense expression on her face.

「Alright, I'm back… No one's stealing that fucking thing, especially without an engine…」

He says, and closes the door behind himself. He looks at Cycelia's nervous, slightly uncomfortable expression, and lets out a sigh.

「…Alright. Go on and ask.」

Tfwumpf.

Straf shrugs, hopping down onto the bed right beside her.

「Straf… Who was that woman? Please don't lie to me, Straf.」

She asks, furrowing her brows gently, and looks at him with an intense, green-eyed gaze.

「Hmm…」

He rubs his chin, thinking while looking down at the floor.

「Straf, please, just answer me. Don't come up with an excuse.」

Cycelia leans in, practically shoving her shoulder into his.

「…I'm not. I'm just wondering how to adjust the signal for the receiver… I give up. Do you want a more believable explanation in form of an allegory, or a truth that you won't believe?」

Straf shrugs, and lets out another sigh, turning his tight-lipped grimace back to Cycelia.

「…Just promise me that you won't lie and tell me the truth. I'll believe you, no matter what it is.」

Cycelia pulls back a little, maintaining focused eye contact with Straf. Slightly troubled, he rubs the back of his neck with his hand.

「Tsk… Lia, a lot of stuff I'll tell you will just straight-up sound like bullshit. Are you sure you don't want a more… Digestible form?」

He asks, briefly spreading his arms before dropping his hands down to his lap with a noisy pat.

「No. I'll trust you to tell me the truth, Straf.」

She shakes her chestnut head gently, blinking her emerald gaze at Straf's. He lets out one more resigned sigh.

「Tsk… Alright. But don't interrupt me every five seconds to say「Bullshit!」okay?…」

Straf relents, and shrugs his arms with his mouth scrunched to the side.

「…If you mean the girl who got her titty fondled, that's who you know as Mercia.」

He nonchalantly replies, and shrugs his shoulders, casually leaning back on Cycelia's bed.

「W- What? Mercia? That Mercia!?」

Stunned, Cycelia shakes her head, recoiling back in shock.

「Yup. If that hurts your religious feelings… Well, uh… Whoops?」

Straf spreads his hands with an innocuous grimace on his face.

「Then… Then at the beach!?」

「Yup.」

「…And in the inn!?」

「Yup. Same Mercia.」

Cycelia points her fingers at the door, pointing in some vague direction. Straf nods back, then plops down on his back with his hands behind his head.

「Then… Then when you said that she works with the dead… You meant dead dead!?」

Shocked, Cycelia asks another question with her emerald eyes wide open.

「Yup. That's kind of her thing…」

Straf nonchalantly replies, nodding as he shrugs his shoulders.

「…See? I didn't lie to you. I just kind of…」

He adds, rolling onto his side, and places two of his fingertips on the bed's blanket.

「…Went in a really roundabout way to the truth. You have a face that's kind of difficult to lie to, so I avoid doing that.」

He says, and as if they were a little man, walks his two fingers in a wide arc to Cycelia's side.

「Then… Then Mercia herself is keeping watch over you!?」

「Mhh… Kind of. I guess. She does seem to spy on me from time to time.」

Straf shrugs, resting his cheek on his fist with a bored expression on his face.

「But why?… I know you are special in some way. I knew it since I met you. At first I thought you were just a brave and principled man, but you're much more than that…」

As her initial shock wears off, a slight confusion sets in instead.

「…But now you're telling me Mercia herself appears before you, and you don't find it strange in the slightest? Why? It would be a life-changing event for most…」

She adds, shaking her head slightly in deepening confusion.

「…In fact, why didn't you know who Mercia is? Doesn't she follow you around!? How could you not know her name!?」

Utterly confused, Cycelia spreads her hands.

「Well, y'see, Lia… Turns out Mercia is an alias. I had a feeling that something's not right, but now I figured out why. Mercia is her stage name, so to say.」

He nonchalantly shrugs again, grimacing slightly.

「But why?…」

「If I had to guess, if everyone would go around blurting out her name, it'd probably drive her insane. Imagine having to listen to every peasant convinced that his neighbor cursed his cow.」

Cycelia tilts her chestnut head, and Straf shrugs once more. As he pictures a scenario for her, Cycelia cringes.

「That's… It makes a lot of sense now…」

She remarks, wincing heavily.

「…But… But you still haven't answered my question. Why are you special to her, Straf? A handful of people throughout the history have claimed to have seen once. Why are you different?」

Recovering from the uncomfortable idea, she asks another question, quizzically tilting her head down at Straf.

「Ookay. Here's a big one. I don't believe that you'll be able to take this one in without calling it bullshit. You sure you want to hear it?」

Straf sits back up, smirking slightly at her.

「Yes. Just tell me the truth.」

Cycelia nods, blinking her huge emerald eyes at him.

「…It's 'cause she fucked up pretty bad, and now I'm dead. I'm not from this world, Lia. Literally. I'm not really special to her, I'm just her loudest mistake.」

With a light shrug of his shoulders, Straf calmly explains.

「…What!?」

Cycelia perks up after a few seconds of delay to process his statement.

「Oh boy, here it comes…」

With a smirk on his face, an amused huff escapes Straf's nose.

「You're from another world!?」「Huh.」

Cycelia asks, covering her mouth in wide-eyed shock. Straf furrows his brows at the unexpected reaction.

「…Yeah. You are seriously going to just take this at face value? That's it?」

He nods, and tilts his head in confusion.

「I did say that I will believe you no matter what it is…」

Cycelia shrugs, lowering her dainty hands back to her lap.

「Right…」

Straf nods, narrowing his eyes in confusion as he glances aside.

「…You're really from another world? What was it like? Was it a good place? Was magic more advanced there than here? Was it peaceful?」

Tilting her head, she asks another set of rapidfire questions.

「Sloooow dooooown. If you start asking me about my old world, we'll never stop, so better ask something else first.」

Straf halts her with his palm again, then shrugs his hands, smirking slightly.

「Right… Then… What do you mean by dead, Straf?…」

Cycelia tilts her chestnut head, furrowing her brows in slight worry.

「Exactly what it sounds like, Lia. I'm fairly sure she has an ever-expanding list of people whose time ran out, and it's her job to collect them. Turns out she has dyslexia.」

Straf throws his hands up with a resigned smirks on his face, and drops them back to his lap. Cycelia reaches for his face, causing him to furrow his brows in confusion.

「But… You're here, in front of me. You're warm. I can touch you…」

She says, gently placing her soft hand on his chiseled cheek, brushing it.

「…You're not some sort of a ghost. You're real. How can you be dead?」

Cycelia adds, and pulls her hand away with a confused tilt of her head. Straf looks into her emerald eyes with a tight-lipped grimace on his face.

「…Yeah, I'm sure it seems like it to you, but the truth is, this isn't me. You probably wouldn't as much as glance at me.」

He sighs, and shrugs his shoulders, scrunching his mouth to the side.

「Straf… That isn't true. You're a great guy. Even if you're odd at times, you're kind-」

Cycelia tilts her head with a soft smile directed at Straf. He shakes his head.

「You're saying that in the context of what you know, Lia. It's fine, it doesn't matter anyway. None of it really matters. Want me to tell you a little about my old world?」

Straf shrugs, turning his eyes back to the door.

「…Sure.」

With a slightly hesitant voice, she nods.

「Where do I start?… World War 2- No, wait, it'll be out of context… The first one- No wait… The dark ages- No, actually… The warring states period!」

After a brief moment of intense thinking, Straf grins as he sticks his finger out.

「The warring states?… Is that an important background for your world's history?」

Cycelia tilts her chestnut head, furrowing her brows lightly.

「Ah, no… Actually, the country in question will remain largely irrelevant on the world scale for a long time…」

Straf rubs his chin, a little troubled by her question.

「…But the time period is cool as fuck, and we should start with that! I'll explain the rest by following historical breadcrumbs!」

He exclaims, grinning at her.

「Um… Okay. Go ahead.」

A little confused, Cycelia nods along, smiling at Straf…