"Goodbye Forever!"

The girl waved her hand while running away from me.

I knew I was dreaming at this point, I don't have an idea why this girl showed up

She felt familiar but she's definitely not the girl I met yesterday

I didn't mind it much. since this dream can be just a regular dream without any meaning.

Feeling my cold body on the cold hard floor, I wanted to have a blanket and sleep warmly. It felt like I was freezing to death.

I should have just stayed at Hanachiryou-san's inn. I want warmth again.

Alright, I know what to do, With the money from yesterday. I can eat a warm breakfast, buy a little bit of clothes and then spend the rest of the day at Hanachiryou-san's inn.

That sounds like the perfect day.

I opened my eyes

"AFEFEFUFHAHSDFEFE"

My mouth was taped shut.

I tried to move my body and struggled.

"AFGEGEFFGEFEFE"

Shouting for help didn't help at all.

Even while half asleep, I realized my body was tied.

Damnit! I should have known I would be betrayed by this girl. DAMNIT DAMNIT! Is this how I'll end. If that girl were to report at the adventurer's hall. They would chop off my head in an instant. I don't have anything to defend myself with, I'm no one special. DAMNIT! I should have trusted my instincts

Rage slowly building up, I burn myself with hatred. The cold weather and my hot body conflicted with each other. I didn't even know if It was hot or just cold.

All the regret of not trusting myself suddenly went into my head. My body heated up and my mind lost it's calm composure.

As disgusting as it sounded, I first removed the adhesive on the tape by licking it.

After a licking the tape a few times. A part of it finally came off

"Is anyone there? Help me!"

After screaming for help a few times, No one came to my aid.

This was normal for me. I always do things alone. This was nothing... Right Zeikai?

I probably have less than 30 mins to escape from here and run away before adventurers catch me.

Even if the adventurers don't kill me. If I don't escape from here, I'd certainly freeze to death!

The binds on me was sealed tight. If I struggle to break free. It would do more harm than good.

Ahh damnit! I should have known. Lost in thought, desperately struggling. I felt my own life drain out of me. It was freezing cold and my body temperature was dropping.

"To die in a cheap trap like this. I should have known. What people would do for money..."

That was when, I finally remembered something. It was Zei's memory. He had a girlfriend for a couple months. She took a lot of money from him, only to be replaced and left.

Disgusting... To actually fall for a cheap trap like this.

I kept blaming myself over and over.

How could I fall into something as cheap as this...

"Hehe" I couldn't help but chuckle at myself for being naive.

With nothing to long for anymore, knowing I have no purpose. Knowing I would probably die here. Even If I escape, Adventurers might be looking for me.

Even then, I couldn't die tied up, right?

An Idea popped into my head. I just needed to remove the bind from my hands and I can untie myself.

With the only element I know right now, with water... What can I do...?

There was only 1 thing I could do

I concentrated and thinked of something sharp, a small sharp line. A line of water small and thin, but with a lot of pressure.

A strong pressure of water. Concentrating as hard as I can. A line blasted out of my index finger, controlling it using my index I quickly did a fast swinging blade motion.

The pressure of the water was so strong that it hit the roof, but didn't pierce through it. Luckily.

Doing that made me felt weaker, It must be the resources it's using from my body

The water cleanly chopped the bind of the ropes.

With my hands being free, I quickly untied the binds on my foot

"Hehe"

A small mischievious smile lit up my face.

"an eye for an eye" It's something I believed in for a long time now.

I was wondering what I could do to this girl before I get killed.

Ahh! I can't help but laugh quietly when people don't know the crap that's about to happen to them.

But, knowing from certain circumstances, this might just be an understanding. I have to calm down first.

Knowing the binds are loose, My brain started to boot up.

I checked the room for any signs of the girl and whatever she did to me.

"Money? It's still here? Why?"

The money was still there, untouched.

Why would she tie me up and not do anything to me.

I slowly regained my calm composure. My mind working to it's fullest again and my desire to get revenge, gone.

"Weird... So she tied me up after inviting me to sleep with her, After waking up, she binded me tightly with a rope. Knowing that I can't move, She didn't do anything to me. She didn't even take my money."

What's even weirder was, how didn't I feel the rope being binded to me. Normally, I would feel it. Was it a magic spell?

She also didn't go to such lengths and called any guards or adventurers or else they would all be here ganging up on the door right now.

This made me confused as hell!

Either way, I have to be cautious and keep things lowkey to avoid attention from others.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

I slowly opened the door, being on guard against any attacks.

I went towards the adventurer's hall with my head down to avoid any contact.

No one gave me hard looks going towards the adventurer's hall.

I entered the hall and it was the usual,delicous food was drifting from within. I was hungrier than usual and my body felt weaker.

The hall wasn't too full of people, The weather was at a freezing temperature so people would most likely stay inside tucked inside their blankets... How nice~ I couldn't help but let out a sigh.

It was when I saw a girl on the lonely table I sat at yesterday, it's a dark and gloomy spot, and there's a few seats unoccupied. This girl should be one of my "people", someone who likes to be alone in the dark.

Halfway there, I realized something...

It was the same girl that tied me up. THE SAME GIRL THAT BETRAYED ME. SHE WAS, SHE WAS—

Eating, like nothing happened. She was eating peacefully as if nothing happened.

I felt my anger build up

Knowing there isn't that much people, I snapped at her.

I grabbed the neckline of her clothes while she was eating.

I couldn't control my emotions and spontaneously did it without reason.

"Oi, you..."

She looked at me

Her eyes full of emotion...

Surprised by this I instinctively let go of her.

This girl who was as emotionless as a robot yesterday. Her unseeable intent. Her deadly gaze. All gone. Her hair was messier than usual without the braid going down her right shoulder. Her eyes was still there, but it had more life and emotion.

Her presence wasn't like yesterday. It was livelier today.

"Who are you?" She said

"Huh?"

"Who are you"

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT? YOU TIED ME UP AND LET ME SLEEP ON THE COLD HARD FLOOR! I ALMOST FREEZED TO DEATH BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"Ohhhh~, You are that guy at the hotel. Well I didn't know you so I tied you up. I had no idea it would be this cold."

She put her hands together and said "Sorry, that was my bad."

"HUHHH?"

My confusion meters just skyrocketed.

Wasn't she the one to invite me to sleep with her?

At this point, I wasn't even mad anymore. Just confused...

"Wait here." I said with a deadly serious tone.

My knees felt like they were going to give up and I could barely stand. I ordered some food to restore energy.

"..."

The seat was filled with silence while me and her were eating. She was eating happily and was eating more than what she ate yesterday.

"So, who are you" She questioned me nonchalantly

"What? Didn't we meet yesterday? Are you dumb?"

"I don't recall seeing you around here."

She put a thinking face on, stroking her chin.

"What? We literally spent the whole day together! You even taught me elements!"

"I did? Really? I couldn't have known. I probably forgot."

Why was this girl full of emotion and talkative today. Her right now and her yesterday are like polar opposites. Did she get possessed or something? Wait it's possible to get possessed?! Looking at the bright side, this was a great oppurtunity for more information

"Wow, you must have a bad memory"

"Really? That's what most people say, They always say bad things about me. Even though it's not actually me..."

Her tone started to get sadder.

Hoping to cheer her up again, I offered her a drink.

"Really?! Thanks"

"So, Since we just met, We should know each other's name right?" I said "My name is Zeikai, I came from another country and currently just learning elements."

Wiping the drink, she just finished off her mouth she said "My name is Karisuki, I use fire and i'm an archer.."

"So, Karisuki, Right?" I asked her "Do you mind me asking, why did you become an adventurer?"

"Well, Uhmm, My quest is to find someone important."

I was hoping to get an answer like "People have to be adventurers to defeat the demon king" or something so that I can finally know my purpose on this world

"You're not here to defeat a crazy king or a lord or something?"

"W-well, People take the adventurer job because it's an easy way to get money when you're good with magic. Some people commission quests of their own, or commissoned by this town. They give a decent amount so it's usually money they go for. I don't really know much too."

That gave me no clue whatsoever on what my purpose to be sent on this world was.

"Say, Zeikai, Want to do an adventure together?"

"Ehh? I don't want to, It's freezing cold and it's still too early. I wanna spend a leisurely month at a warm inn"

"Werl, chuu see"

"Stop stop stop, atleast finish what you are eating first!"

"Well, you see, I've been kinda running low on money... hehe... you know..."

"What do you mean 'hehe!' I'm not lending you any cash."

She averted her gaze from me and said'

"Okay then" and pouted her face.

I have to say. This talkative girl was better for information than yesterday. Did she actually get possessed? Now I feel bad...

Right now, I wanted to know more about her, I was incredibly curious about who she is, and what happened to her yesterday self.

"Karisuki"

"You said that people kept saying bad things to you right? Even though it's not you."

"Yes"

She quickly locked into my eyes.

"How do you know that it's not you, and who is it actually?"

"Well, It's not actually me because I cons-"

"Calling all adventurers, Calling all adventurers"

Alarms started ringing, and one of the counter lady called us

"There's an emergency right now outside of this town. Arigifins is currently attacking, We need the help of fire elementalists to remove the problem." She said.

Guess they really are favored in this world.

"Water users... Please standby to help cleanup after the fire."

What! They just want me to cleanup the mess the fire elementalists made! What is that! I was not doing any of that. Whatever you offered me... Unless it's 1million toris.

Karisuki who was an archer and uses fire, went out to help kill the arigifins. I decided to stay in the guild to enjoy my leisurely time.

I was guessing they're fine. I only have met a few people and they were already competent. Now times that to about 30x people and you get an army of competent people. The odds are mostly in our favors.

I just read magazines offered by the guild, as they can have a source of information, and stared at strangers, figuring out what they are doing.

After a good while. I was just spending my time at the guild hall when the adventurer's came back. There wasn't alot since it was cold and stlll pretty early.

The reward was sent to them for helping at 100000 Toris per person. Even the water elementalists got some. Maybe I should have helped...

Karisuki who was sweating and panting really hard. It almost looked erotic, had come back and bought me a drink

"Sorry, But I don't really like drinking."

"Heh? Really? I thought you would. Well, more for me then."

She chugged the beer like it was ordinary water

I decided to bring back the topic about her.

"You were saying earlier, right? Why it's not you and stuff."

"Well, It's because I consider that girl to be my sister. She's not exactly me but she's me. To this day, I still don't know how to explain it" her head lowered a little bit.

I decided not to push the topic further

Weird. I do have my theory, but it seems controversial, atleast for now. I'm gonna gather more intel, before I decide to conclude it.

"Zeikai? Do you still wanna do a quest?"

"Huh? Aren't you tired from doing the emergency quest? Also you already got money from the arigifins"

"Hoho, Don't tell me you just want an excuse to hangout with me" I followed up.

"Uhh, uhhmm Uhmmmm~"

Hehe, Classic tsundere stuttering. I liked this.

"No" She said that with such a straightforward voice.

Nevermind, I didn't like this. Although, Zei alone would like this.

'I wouldn't, by the way' A small voice from the left side of my head echoed.

"Hmm, I kind of do need some money aswell, I guess we can do a quest... Although there's a slight problem"

"Hmm?"

"As you can see, I am wearing almost nothing. It's freezing cold outside, and I still have no weapon. It's probably gonna snow soon aswell"

"Oh oh! I know! Let's go shopping together!"

"That is a good idea, but I'm running short on money."

I recall only having 50000 moris, If it costs 30000 to stay in a hotel for a night. It would probably cost more to buy equipment.

"I got you covered Zeikai! Leave it to me!" She said excitedly and happily

"Didn't you just say, you had no cash? Wait, Why do you even have no cash? Aren't you like a strong adventurer. You shot down those arigifins yesterday with ease."

"Like I told you. That was not me at all."

"Don't worry, Zeikai, With the money we earn from adventuring, we will be fine!"

She struck a small pose with 1 leg on the bench.

"Then, let's mark tomorrow our shopping trip!"

"O-okay" I said confusingly

Hearing her this happy. I almost forgot about the incident earlier. Was it really her intention to kill me or tie me like that... Who is this girl, and what does she want from me. I also almost forgot that she was a dead emotionless robot, and now she's actng like the heroine of some story. Like a friendly goddess from an anime. Either way this was very good for me. I hope she won't stab me in the back. Literally and figuratively.

I explored a little bit of town with my free time.

I successfully borrowed a map from Higoyokuhi-san. He was actually a guard incharge of protecting the town from attacks.

The sun was going down and surprisingly, nothing happened out of the ordinary. Finally! My luck was turning for the better.

"Idiot! You just set up a flag again!" I heard from the right side of my conciousness

Until this happened

"I'm just stating the fact that WE did nothing out of the ordinary today. Also, It wasn't just even me!" I heard from my left side of my conciousness

"What do you mean it wasn't just you! It was just you!"

"Are you dumb?!? Our day was going sooooooo great and you decide to ruin it! you dumbass!"

"Idiot! want some food before we sleep?"

"Yeah, sure."

I went to Hanachiryou-san's inn and stayed the night there. I was weirdly looking forward to shop with the weird girl. Was it because of her attractiveness...?

Either way. I got to chat with Hanachiryou-san a little bit before I hit the hay. It definitely felt like a nice day today. It felt like a nice peaceful day is gonna go by tomorrow aswell.

I went to bed pretty late at night

Part of the reason. was because I was pretty excited. Tomorrow, I'm gonna go shopping with a weird, but beautiful girl.

I know, I know. Just this morning she tied me up to freeze to death and scared me until I lost every bit of my humanity seeking to avenge myself before I die, but just now she seemed trustworthy. Her eyes didn't lie. It seemed like she was telling the truth just from her eyes. It wasn't clouded or anything. It felt like... She wouldn't betray me suddenly.

Knowing this. I grinned a little before sleeping.

My eyes closed shut, and I end the night off with peaceful thoughts.