"Calm down, Zeikai, Calm down," I thought to myself

The atmosphere got hotter and hotter. I felt my sweat drop down my neck.

Surely, This being will not try to hurt me since there's a lot of adventurers here. If this being hurts me, I'd surely get help. I was calling it a being because I don't know what race it is, but I do know if this being wouldn't stab me since they called my name first instead of stabbing me straight up. I conjured the best response for situations like these.

"Hmm...? What do you need?" I said with a casual voice to not show weakness.

"Zeikai."

Being calmer than before, I heard the voice more clearly this time. This voice had a really emotionless tone, and what was really worrying was this voice belongs to a... girl. Only a part of me enjoyed talking to people, especially girls. The other is just there... existing.

"So, What do you need?"

She let go of her hand that was on my shoulder she then slowly walked towards the empty sit in front of me.

She sat down and rested her face on her fist.

Looking closer. she had dead black eyes. Eyes that had a gaze that was as sharp as a knife. Her hair looked black from afar, but when it was basking under the sunlight, It would look a little brown, which I thought was her true hair color. She had a small braid on her left side. Although not looking as godly as Hanachiryou-san, this girl was a beauty.

She had a dead look showing no personality and no emotion. When I was back in Earth, The other half of me which was Kaideru could basically instantly find out someone's personality and what emotions they are showing be it fake or real, yet this girl, I can't see her true intent at all.

I was attracted to the way she looks, but this mysterious atmosphere made me uneasy.

"Be my party member." She said, breaking the quiet, mysterious atmosphere.

"Huh?"

There was no way someone would want to be at a party with me. I'm wearing nothing but a t-shirt with a jersey and shorts. I had no armor and would probably die in 1 hit by monsters. No one even knows me, I'm new to this world with no relationships nor people I know. that means no one knows what I'm capable of, not even me

"Be my party member." She repeated what she said again, This girl had something for repeating sentences 2 times

Oh no! oh no, oh no, oh no, Crap! My awkwardness and otakuness is seriously affecting how I socialize with human beings, AND on top of all that this human being is a beautiful creature that I fancied. The only saving grace I have is Zei. Thank you for existing, extroverts.

I responded to her hoping to get more information.

"Humu, What do you need from me? Why me specifically, out of all the adventurers out there?"

"When I was on the counter, I saw a glimpse of your card. I see that you are fit to duo with me."

Is this girl really being arrogant? Also, how could she see my card? I only recall passing it to the counter lady, I would definitely notice this beautiful girl!

I could join up with her, but this offer seems like it will lose me all of my pride. I didn't wanna lose my pride because of the reason I had nothing I could do in that certain moment, especially when someone asks me that directly. her offer could also be something that helps newbies... or she just wanted to praise herself by having someone explicitly weaker than her and put herself in a higher positionwhich was something very common in human beings, to seek someone inferior than them.

This put me in an array of thoughts. What would happen if I reject, there's a chance that she can assassinate me outside of things. She wielded a bow and a small dagger. Something fit for assassins. She could be just wanting to help me learn. I looked like someone new and no one knows me, so it was understandable for someone to help me.

"Alright." I said "I can be your party member."

I decided to go against the flow and lose my pride to gain information while learning more about this world and elements.

"Good, Let's start a quest now."

She stood up and was gonna head towards the quest board

I instinctively grabbed her hand

"Wait!"

This girl was quiet. She doesn't look like the type of person to want to do quests and tire herself. She looks like someone that mostly does nothing but when the time comes when someone needs her, she will do her best to help that person. She doesn't look like she's lazy, just... unmotivated. This made me very well confused.

She didn't act surprised at all when I grabbed her hand.

"What?"

Her emotionless tone made me confused more and I was almost at my social interacting limit.

"I want to talk more with you." I said with a serious tone.

I wanted to learn more about her. Why would someone that is that emotionless, do such sudden movements and could possibly want to go outside this perfectly enclosed peaceful town.

She sat down and put her arm on her cheek again and resting her face while twirling her hair.

Usually, people twirling their hair meant they liked the person they were talking to, but I still couldn't see her intent.

I wasn't gonna do a fake act anymore, I decided I'd be honest and tell her exactly what I need.

"I'm from another country, there weren't really any elements there. I don't know how to use elements and I want you to teach me."

"Sure."

"Are you sure you can't~"

"Wait, what?"

"Sure."

My response was ready for a rejection. I didn't expect her to agree so quickly. I don't even know her and she doesn't know me, yet she trusts a stranger this easily. Adding to that, the cute little girl earlier said all countries have elements, and they all get tested, or was this just a lie that the parents told the little girl to hide the cruelties of this said world.

"Your card."

"My card?" I grabbed the card from my pockets

"What do I do with it?"

"Let me see it."

"Uhh, sure."

Earlier she said she saw my card from afar. Maybe that was a bluff or she wanted to have a closer look.

She looked at the card removing her hand from her cheek and stopping the twirling of her hair.

She inspected my cards using 2 hands. This was a sign of respect for me.

"Water...Water."

"Electricity...Electricity."

"So what about them?"

While handing me back my card she said "I will show you when we do a quest."

"Ehh?"

"Elements aren't allowed to be used here."

She stood up again and started to go to the quest board.

I stood up and caught up to her

"Wait! Aren't they all really hard?"

"No"

"What no? Arigifins? Serpent's fang? They're all hard to deal with!"

"Arigifins easily die to fire,"

"What? but I command water and electricity."

She ignored me.

Judging from the quest and her confidence, she's a user of fire.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

I see... That's why Higoyokuhi easily killed the arigifin yesterday. It seems like fire was an extremely favorable element on this world.

"Let's take this one."

The poster asked to kill a group of arigifins with a reward of 5000 Toris per arigifin, and earning an extra 50000 Toris for completing the quest.

"Humu, Well If you say they're easily dealt with, then perhaps I can accompany you."

...

...

...

...

...

Outside on the same hills, I was chased by arigifins yesterday. The sun was shining brightly. the birds sang and the wind blows faintly.

"HELP THEY'RE CHASING ME, THEY WANT MY BLOOD. THEY WANT TO FINISH WHAT THEIR BROTHER COULDN'T YESTERDAY!"

The girl shot a flaming arrow after chanting something.

The arrow hit the Arigifin that was chasing me, piercing through it. The flame spread to the body of the arigifin. Engulfing it in flames after a few moments

"They're all dead"

"Ahh! So embarrassing! I was talking so much about pride, only for this to happen!" I whispered to myself while putting my hands on my head.

That's right, I was talking about pride, and all I could do was run while she killed all of the monsters, Well to be fair, She told me, she was gonna tell me how to use elements. but instead of doing that, she shot a resting arigifin, angering its family causing it to chase us. and me, being defenseless and knowing nothing except punching, only had the option to run while she shot the arigifins. There were about 6 bodies, 4 were black and burnt to a crisp from the raging flames that were unleashed by this calm girl. How ironic.

"Oi, you! Are you crazy? Why would you do that? You told me, you would show me how to use elements. Not rush in into battle without a warning! Wait... Did you just use me as a bait?"

She fixed her gaze on me. She said nothing and I stared back.

This awkward staring contest was ended when she was gonna pick up a part of the arigifin for quest completion, and it's said that arigifin's meat are healthy and delicious.

"Oi, now would you mind telling me how to use these damn elements, so I can go alone in my own ways?!?" I snapped at her, Being fully aware she could just shoot me here and I would die of flames without anyone knowing.

She fixed her gaze on me again. I was trying up to this point to find out more about her, but her emotionless voice and face made it almost impossible to see through her.

I felt the remorse from her eyes. It felt like she wanted to kill me here.

"Generate Aqua."

"Huh?"

"Generate Aqua."

"Say it." She said, "Think of the amount of element you are gonna use."

I closed my eyes and thought of something very little first. Something that would fit on a cup. Concentrating hard. I felt something come out of my hand.

I opened my eyes and saw water pouring down the fire, set by this girl.

That was awesome! The feeling of creating something. Something that you couldn't normally do while on Earth. It only exists here... in this world.

Although this energy would have come from somewhere. You can't create or destroy particles. This energy would have come from my own body. After thinking for a little bit. I conducted that these elements can be conjured by something inside of your body called mana. Mana is produced by nutrition from food. A theory that I can prove by asking this girl or the counter-lady.

She pointed at the fire made by her, making it seem like she wants me to extinguish it as part of my element learning process.

I closed my eyes again and thought of a wave of water, small enough to not flood the land but big enough to extinguish the grass fire.

Water poured down from my hands and some even outside of the range of my hand. Like a wave, it flowed down the small hill from where we were standing and washed away the fire.

I will never get tired of this feeling.

She started to walk towards town again and I quickly followed her while spraying small amounts of water.

...

Back at the adventurer's hall, the sun was beginning to set. My stomach grumbled again. With the reward from killing the arigifins alongside its meat. We had a great dinner. She didn't have too much of an appetite and I sat there eating like a king. I couldn't help myself. I haven't eaten for almost 2 days.

"Do you have a place?" She asked me

Wait... Wait a minute! A girl inviting a man to her place. Wait wait wait... This girl was beautiful undoubtedly, but she's so mysterious and quiet that I don't think she'll be good in a relationship... What was I thinking anyway? This girl probably doesn't have any intentions to be in a relationship with me. She was probably thinking of lending me a place to sleep with the goodness of her heart. Of course! I don't even know her name yet. Her name?

Realizing, I forgot to ask her name even after a full day of being with her. I quickly asked

"I completely forgot." I said "Your name... What is it?"

"Follow me if you need a place."

That seems kinda sus.

She stood up and went outside the adventurer's hall

"Oi! Don't ignore me! what's your name?"

Since she ignored me. She clearly had no intentions of telling me her name. so I kept quiet. Until we arrived at a hotel.

Why does she trust me this easily? We only just met this morning. There's no reason to be with me. I don't even consider myself trustable. So why? Maybe I'm falling towards an obvious trap!

She went towards her room and I followed her.

I felt like a creepy man following a maiden.

She opened the door to what I'm assuming is to her room and gave me no direction

"So, where am I supposed to go. Do I rent out a room? or...?"

"Here."

"Here? Won't you be sleeping here?"

Weirdly enough, there was only one bed, so I thought she'll be sleeping here. I was guessing she'll rent out another room

"Well alright, where will you sleep?"

Ahh damnit! That sounded creepily just then!

"Here."

"What? B-but I thought I was sleeping here"

"We sleep on the same bed."

"Ehh? Ehh?"

Could this be? The heroine of my story? Wait! We've only met this morning, how is progress this fast already! This was definitely suspicious. Why would she want to sleep in the same room? I don't even know her name! She doesn't even know MY name! Either way, I shouldn't be swept away by this.

"I'm going to rent out a separate room,"

Not wanting for this to be awkward I decided to get a separate room despite getting to sleep with such a beautiful girl.

"A room costs 30k Toris"

"Ehh?! Isn't that too large? Hey, are you scamming me? Just so you know, i'm gonna flood this inn with water and top it all off with a thunderbolt if I catch you trying to scam me."

"No, no. Sir, I would never scam my beloved customers." The owner said while clasping his hands together.

This man manning the cashier seems pretty trustable so with the rewards from the arigifins, I decided to rent a room

"I'll take 1 room with 1 bed then."

"Okay sir, let me just prepare the room. Thank you for your hospitality. Thank you for choosing our inn"

"I'll wait here."

The cashier went to a corridor with the rooms, the same corridor me and the girl went in earlier.

He came back after a little while

He had a very disappointed look on his face when he came back. Looking like a bearer of bad news

"Sorry sir, but I checked all the rooms and no rooms are available. I'm really sorry for the trouble." Bowing after.

Of course me, knowing that this wasn't his fault. I decided to let it go. Looking at the bright side as well. I get to sleep next to a girl that I don't even know the name of which can potentially kill me while I'm sleeping. That wasn't bright at all, was it?

I went to the door of the room of the girl and knocked quietly.

"You still awake?"

She opened the door with full awake eyes. She definitely didn't sleep during that. She could actually have planned all this behind my back and she wants to kill me here.

"Nonononono, you are definitely overthinking Zeikai! It's just a friendly offer", I thought to myself.

She went to the bed and my heart started to flutter.

ME. THE ME going to a bed with a beautiful girl. What if I do things forbidden out of curiosity? Zeikai, Zeikai. Get a hold of yourself. It's okay Zeikai. You're just gonna sleep, with a beautiful girl that may potentially kill you or potentially be your future girlfriend. No need to be flustered.

I lay down to the bed barely fitting us both. Judging by her posture. She was already fast asleep. How? It's been like 2 mins and she's already asleep?

I could do some very bad things to her right now but as a service of justice. I would never. This girl is so lucky, I would never dare cross the line.

Unless... It's just a touch...

My heart kept beating faster. Her skin glowed while lit by the moonlight. Her black hair lit by the moonlight reveals its true colors. As a growing adolescent boy, I was a curious guy, If it's out of curiosity it's fine right...?

"NO!" I slap the hand that was going to touch her.

"You know the guy that kept being perverted in an anime. Then he got completely rejected by all the girls and everyone started calling him scum and trash. I would be that guy if I do this right now." I debated to myself

"But that scum almost has a harem because of him being perverted"

"That's impossible! that's just in anime. If I do this right now. Hating to admit it. I would lose my only hope for information."

"You're right you're right. Okay, Zeikai just sleep normally. Close your eyes. Don't overthink anything. She won't stab us or anything. She's already asleep. You're safe."

Talking to myself made me calmer, this world was already cruel enough. The only person I can trust is myself.

She faced me and let out a sigh. because of our height difference, her breath pierced through my neck. Sending chills all over my body. Her constant, steady breathing made my heartbeat. It felt like it was gonna explode out of my chest, and it felt like my heartbeat echoed through the room.

This is bad, This is bad!

My body was getting hotter and hotter until I started to sweat.

Doesn't this girl know that men can't handle this? Even if we've only met for a day. It already feels like there's a relationship between us. I'm at the prime of my adolescence and she's joking around like this? Seriously, I should have just slept outside.

I talked to myself again to make myself calmer

"Zeikai! Get a hold of yourself. You've only met this girl for a day. You don't know her name. So stop thinking of an anime scene and just sleep and get ready for tomorrow!"

I closed my eyes and let out deep breaths. The sound of our synchronous breaths danced through the night sky. The steady, cold breeze from the window contrasted with her warm breathing.

This was like a perfect moment, just like in anime. Without context, we would definitely be like lovebirds. Which I'm totally not ready for.

Why are things developing so suddenly? What does this girl want from me? WAITTTT~! There's this one guy in anime that got baited by this 1 girl and then at the end, she just betrays the guy almost making the guy be executed. WHAT IF THIS IS THAT SCENE! Nonononono! You're overthinking Zeikai. It can't be, right? RIGHT?

Zeikai, Let's uhh. let's try changing the subject. You know what I really love and would never betray me? Anime

I love light novels as well, oh ohh! Games are great too, and especially watching shows.

I remember a thought I always had, When a guy is always cornered by a beautiful woman, he dares not lay a finger on her. Why can't he just touch? the girl is all lovey-dovey with the guy anyways, nothing will happen.

I totally get that now. I apologize to every Rom-com protagonist I roasted. I'm begging you please tell me what to do when a girl, probably my age, more beautiful than almost any girl I've met in my lifetime, is sleeping beside me. Oh also, This girl, I don't know her name and she has a chance to kill me or trap me when I wake up... or betray me and get me executed..... or siphon my life energy because she's a succubus....

That self-talk didn't make me calmer at all.

Alright, Zeikai, I didn't wanna use this, but I have to.

This was the time, I talked to myself so fast. That even my thoughts had trouble understanding.

"Zeikai this person right now doesn't even know your name, you don't know her name, you've only met for 1 day, the only reason you're sleeping with her right now is this bed is because she is lending you a place to sleep instead of you sleeping in the streets like a loser. one more reason is there's no more room so shut the hell up, stop overthinking this situation, go to sleep and conserve your energy for tomorrow so you can practice practicing your elements and then after you've developed a relationship with this girl then you can start to think like this. ok?" I thought to myself

As I lay there, arguing with myself. The breeze of the wind started to get colder. she hugged me very tightly. Feeling her soft, warm body. Her subtle and warm breaths were closer to my neck than before. Making me feel warmer. My heart beat faster and louder.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me here, just when I recollected my thoughts"

I removed the hug that was tightened to me. I didn't wanna cause any more awkwardness if she wakes up and I didn't wanna lose my only information about this world. There was only one thing I could do.

"Alright, I'm sleeping on the floor."