"Good Morning."
A girl with a small voice said to me, while peeking over the bed.
It was the girl that I slept with yesterday. Having slept with this girl for a bit now. I almost don't feel uncomfortable being with her. It was still weird how she can sleep with a guy this easily though. Isn't she scared to be harassed or something... Don't tell me... She's a psychotic mastermind that already figured out my personality and how I move... Or even worse, she knows I pose no danger so she can kill me with 1 swipe of her finger!
"Morning."
Ahh... Waking up again in this cruel world that I wasn't even prepared to be transported to.
All I know is I slept with the weird girl from yesterday... She was cheerful and full of emotion for the past 2 days. Karisuki was it?
The first time I met her, she was as dead as a rock. barely talks and emotions that was non-existant.
I was still half asleep when I opened my eyes. My mind was still barely working.
"It's cold. Want to stay here for today?" She asked me quietly and calmly
I thought the weird girl would ask me to finish the arigifin quest again, but instead she wanted to stay at this hotel. What was up with this girl.
"That's fine, but are you sure you don't want to finish the quest?
I normally would have accepted to just stay in this room, but knowing after this day, I couldn't possibly afford to stay in another hotel after a few weeks. I wanted to bring her up on the quest. Damn! If only I was transported here with some crazy protagonist power. I can one shot monsters and earn ez money. I won't even need to rely on others.
If only I could live somewhere that doesn't cost too much... But I would definitely not sacrifice comfortablity for cost.
After some time, "......Quest?" She asked me, which was weird because she was clearly the one who brought me along to do a quest. She was pretty forgetful so maybe she's actually just an airhead.
"We accepted a quest yesterday, remember? Dealing with the leftover arigifins that attacked this town?"
"But... we already completed those." What was she talking about.
"Karisuki, listen—"
"I'm not Karisuki." She...
SHE...! This was when realization shocked me.
Now that my brain finally started to boot up. I can see everything. All the possibilities of the world has been opened up to me.
Her eyes weren't the same from yesterday. Her aura... It's all different!
Who the hell is this girl! Wait, a shapeshifter? No no no no, can't be, right? An impostor? It's true that some blobs of slime can mimic other people's faces. This must be the reason why she's so 'dead' today. Wait! Who even is the original girl. It should be the girl from yesterday right? No one can be this dead in real life. I— No, Kaideru, not even Zei who has lots of people as friends and know many people, has never met anyone this dead.
While I was overthinking about her. She just looked confused and stared at me.
Either way, I had to salvage this situation. There's no need for overthinking. This girl was my only information about this world. I couldn't risk to lose it.
"You're Karisuki..."
She paused for a bit and said "I'm Shizaku"
The first time I asked her name, she didn't answer me, and now, she answers me without hesitation.
She also told me her name was Karisuki two days ago. Seriously, what was up with this girl. I'm regretting my life choices, why was my life this complicated. I'm glad to have had someone teach me about elements, and help me know this town better. but for how much confusion and stress I've accumulated, I don't think this is worth it.
We could have easily did a quest clear yesterday, if she atleast shot half of her arrows, yet the first time we fought together. She had the accuracy of a trained sniper. This girl was complicated as hell. Complicated or... unreliable and inconsistent. Ehh... She might just have had a bad day. Wait... A bad day where she was happier than usual. Of course not! This was not normal human behaviour.
"Kari— Shizaku. You might just be hungry. Let's go to the guild and buy some food. I also have some arigifin meat from yesterday if you want."
"Okay." She still looked confused, but she accepted my offer anyways.
...
At the adventurer's guild. We were just eating. Observing her closer, her actions and speech patterns has also changed. This wasn't any normal behavior.
"So how is your day going so far?"
I asked her a question to further analyze her.
"Fine."
She always talked when her mouth was full, but now she waited until she chewed everything before she talked.
She combed and braided her hair first before we went to the adventurer's hall. It was obviously neater than yesterday when she was 'Karisuki.'
Her eyes were dead, and she only talked when I asked her a question instead of bringing up any kind of topic.
I sighed... I just have to accept things as it was. As sad as it was. I still had no reason why I'm here. I can't overthink such unnecessary small facts. All I know of what I have to do was survive and live. It would be nice to have a goal... Was there really no demon king that threatened this world driving it into its extinction or... a demon king attacking or... save someone from dying... or waves of monsters that's gonna destroy the world... My thinking voice got smaller and smaller. Thinking about these things makes me depressed, honestly.
Well, What I have to do first is atleast make a stable living. Maybe I could survive off of doing quests, but that is dangerous and would possibly kill me. In games, a party of 4-6 was very stable and we could possibly do quests safer than having only 2 members and instead of relying on each other, we could rely on others. I don't plan on getting rid of this girl, she wasn't particularly useless, but inconsistent. The thing about this was, if I got more party members, Kaideru's introverted side would show more. I'm fine with just 1 person, but it's hard if there's more. Also, If I would actually get more party members, I don't really want to get closer to them. Knowing that I would leave...
"Yo, Shizaku."
"Hm?" She took her last biteof her meal and faced me.
Even then, To survive in this world, I have to... They'll accept it if I leave, right? I could always show a cold personality so they won't try to open more doors towards me.
"We should do a party of 4 right? We would survive easier and make money quicker. You are pretty powerful yourself, as a fire user. I think people would have interest in you."
"No."
"Huhhh—"
"I already tried."
"Bu-but you're pretty powerful and reliable in situations..." That last one was a lie. She was powerful but just can be unreliable...
"People party with me for a week, then they kick me out."
"Would you mind elaborating..."
It seems like that provoked her a little. She seemed like she wasn't too particular in talking about this, and talking in general, but she mustered up the courage to talk to me about it more.
"In the first 2 days. We do good, and the next day, when I wake up, they give me weird looks."
Maybe it's because she whiffs all her arrows? It's true it has been 2 days when she had this happy personality of hers, that has now changed to this... quiet lonely girl.
"Any leads to why?"
"1 person is ruining things."
Her dead, clear voice made me a little scared, was she referring to me?
But, hey! Atleast this girl could talk when I needed her to. She's just... not particular about it.
"Ohh, Who?"
"Karisuki."
"Karisuki?"
Wait, she isn't Karisuki? She might be an airhead but I don't think people could be this dumb...
They look the same though...? Similar powers, similar looks, similar... Hmm? I guess that's it. Maybe they aren't that similar afterall.
"Then who is Karisuki."
"My sister."
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Sister? I get to party up with 2 awesome girls?
'Oi Zei, suppress your pervertedness.' A conciousness at my right side said
'No you, you suppress yours!'
"W-Well, we can add her to the party, right?" I asked her
"No."
"Okay then..."
Honestly, I would have liked to be partied with someone I already knew, but if she doesn't want to... I don't want to pry any longer.
"Either way, we have to get party members, You said I have a really high water and electric stat, right? It won't be that hard to get recruits."
"No, Water is used for cleaning after fire users. Electric is too loud and attracts monsters."
I really shouldn't have talked to her. Quiet, but straightforward, huh? Interesting.
Hearing these words made me depressed though. I was basically just a lousy janitor that has the ability to attract monsters...
It would break my pride and heart if I knew that was the case. No one probably knew how to utilize them to their fullest potential. I won't let a thing like this break my will.
"It's fine, don't worry." I told her.
We went to the recruitment board to look at people that can possibly party with us.
I didn't want to put a recruitment paper, since that would attract too much attention.
Since we already have fire and water, I don't think earth will be good. Electric and light would probably blind the team when used considering I'm already an electric user. Humu, humu. We need something that can compensate us with sneakiness. As of now, 2/3 of our elements are flashy that attracts monsters. A dark user would be a good user to party up with us here.
We thoroughly searched through the recruitment board for the perfect user, and didn't find anyone that had a fairly good dark stat that could compensate with our current party. They all looked like crazy fellas to be honest, I didn't want to deal with more weirdos
*BANG* The door of the Adventurer's hall suddenly slammed open. Revealing 3 men and a small petite woman with them.
They were panting like crazy, covered in snow.
"Please, please, find another party, I can't do this anymore!" A big man said, while kneeling down and had his hands together. how ironic that him being that big has been reduced to tears by a small girl.
"Please find someone else. I don't think you're good for our team." A tall, slim man with a sheated sword behind his back said to the same girl.
The last guy was just staring into the corner of the hall looking like he's completely done with this world. He had a bow to his side.
From what I'm seeing here. These people were not novice adventurers, and they look like they're pretty experienced.
The girl that was seemingly just kicked out of the party was kind of cute. Maybe she's strong... She was holding a staff and her luscious brown hair falls down. She was a small girl and her brown hair was more noticeable than Shizaku's.
"Oi Kaideru, you damn lolicon. You just want to add her to the party because you're into lolis, huh? You damn loli loving NEET!"
"What do you mean NEET! We literally go to the same school, dumbass."
"Also, don't tell me that you don't want to party up with her aswell."
"N-N-No..."
"Closet pervert"
"You're a secret loli loving NEET!"
"Pshh"
As the 2 souls residing within this created body argued. The girl sat towards a table and ordered some food. She looked sad, but she was still forcing a smile. If I didn't have a person, that can read emotions within me. I wouldn't have seen this forced reaction.
I wanted to make sure she's okay, and she could be a potential party member. I know how it feels when people reject you for not being good enough. If I didn't have a person that can talk to actual people within me, I would have failed this task.
"Right, Kaideru? You introverted loser" We argued between thoughts
"What'd you say!?"
Me and the weird girl, that was currently Shizaku, was approaching the recently kicked out girl. Shizaku didn't seem to understand the situation and didn't see what was wrong with the girl, so she looked confused. I understood this though.
"Alright, Shizaku, that girl right there can be our party member, let's see if she is fit for our party,"
She gave me a slight nod, she still looked confused, but she continued with me to approach this girl.
After reaching the table, She initiated the conversation first.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha! Why do you want to party up with me?" She went close to my face... way too close for my liking then struck a pose forcing an incredibly convincing face of happiness. It almost convinced me aswell.
"Ahh! Sorry, I was too close...!"
What a tsundere.
She then sat down on the bench opposite of us while still munching on her food. She looked like she was really hungry.
'Munch munch munch munch munch'
Shizaku, who still had a dead aura stared at her. I knew I couldn't rely on others to ask her, so I did it myself.
"Hmm, We have to take a look at your stats first."
"Okay! That's fine with me" She said with a grain of rice in her face.
She was still looking as happy as can be, but I couldn't be any happier knowing she's only forcing it.
Me and 'Shizaku' asked for her card and took a look at her stats.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rein
Fire : =
Water : ==
Earth : ====
Dark : ================
Light : ==
Electric : ===
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It seems like her dark stat was her highest, which means that's her aptitude element.
Karisuki did say to me yesterday that people usually only had an aptitude in 1 element. Her having fire, she doesn't use the other elements since it's either too weak or she can't control it... but Karisuki hasn't used her element yet and she said she couldn't use it... but Karisuki is Shizaku isn't she, and Shizaku burned those arigifins alive, right? Even if Shizaku told me Karisuki is her sister, I still wouldn't believe it.
"Perfect!" I thought to myself.
This girl is a dark elementalist. Oh, how much this world loves me... Thank you for your support world!
"Well, I think you'd be a great fit for our party. Glad to have you aboard!"
I was glad that I didn't have to post up a poster. I don't want too much people to notice me...
Rein. who was now done eating, and still had some grains of rice on her face, had a slightly happier face, although her unnoticably sad expression hasn't changed.
...
"WEIRD GIRL! PLEASE HELP... I THINK WE KILLED TOO MUCH OF THEIR FAMILY. THEIR BLOODTHIRST HAS GONE UP MORE THAN YESTERDAY!"
She stared back at me while in a pinch, getting pinched by the Arigifin's crab claw.
"AHH!" I said while dodging a swing from the hungry arigifin's crab claw.
We decided to take out the girl for a test run sort of, we strategized behind a hill where we could see the arigifin but it couldn't see us.
Since Kuree was specialized in magic and Shizaku being an archer, I could distract them while my long ranged supports kill the 3 remaining arigifins... But...
But instead, the weird girl decided to rush in at the 3 arigifins. She ran down to the 3 arigifins. Her performance was good the first time, but them being awake instead of asleep must have mattered alot. She was caught easily.
And now we are in this situation where our supposed to be best party member, Shizaku is now trapped between 2 pairs of claws that are huge. Surprised it doesn't cut her though, maybe that's why arigifins smash you instead of grabbing you and cutting you down.
There were 2 Arigifins chasing me while 1 pinched Shizaku.
"Darkness of twilight, don't keep thy darkness bottled. The unsighted night will strike. This attack will leave my enemies before me!"
This must be it, she's chanting a spell. What will we see? An explosion in the sky? The arigifins being gobbled up by darkness?
Them being blinded?
"CALIGNOUS TWILIGHT!" She shouted and aimed her staff at the 2 moving arigifins
She just shouted 2 cool words. It must be a powerful spell, right?
A small dark beam emitted from the staff of Kuree. This is the power of a dark user. The spell she cast had no noise. All that was released was a mass of dark colors.
It was going straight to the arigifins and...!
"Ha-ha-ha! It seems as though... I have gotten myself into a bad situation." She said panting between every word while getting chased by the arigifins. Hey, atleast she was a pretty fast runner.
The small dark beam got the attention of the arigifins for sure but that wasn't what I was expecting for.
I sighed. How come this world hates me aswell...
I have to do things by myself again. although this time I was more confident with a sword and all. The arigifins' targets wasn't me either. They tend to be weak when distracted.
"WAIT FOR ME!"
...
"Everything is in order. I've confirmed that your party has cleared out the remaining arigifins. Here's the reward for clearing the arigifins. 90000 Toris. Good work!" The same counter worker I went to when I first got here, said to me
Ahh! Nearly dying for mere money. What a cruel world this is, We successfully finished the arigifin task assigned to us. While the new girl was getting chased by arigifins, I cut down the arigifin pinching Shizaku. After that, Shizaku shot down the 2 arigifins chasing her with incredible accuracy.
It was a pretty big sum of money. or atleast it looked like it...
Even with this sum of money, I couldn't afford to live in an inn or hotel daily.
The best thing I could do was sleep for a couple nights at Hanachiryou's inn.
90000 Toris might seem to be good for a daily salary, but come on. For the cost of dying. I can barely afford 3 wooly blankets!
Splitting it with the weird girl would yield 45000 Toris each. and splitting that with the new girl would yield to 30000 each person. That's barely enough for a standardized living! Not to mention that we also had to pay 5000 toris to deliver 3 bodies of the arigifins.
Having a 4 man party would mean... 22500 Toris. It might look good but risking your life for this kind of money wasn't ideal.
If there was atleast 2 more arigifins that showed up, or even 1 more chasing me while the others are in a pinch themselves. I probably would have died.
Yep, It wasn't easy surviving in this world. This isn't what I wanted. I was forced here. Yep, definitely.
"Good job Zei. You dumbass, you set up a flag again about wanting to go to another world, and now we are stuck here almost dying,"
"My bad. Geez, you don't have to shove it in my face."
We sat down a nearby table to split the money. The new girl's head sunk down deep into the table. She probably knew she was gonna get kicked out after her horrible performance.
"Oi."
"No, It's okay, I'll see myself out." She was still smiling forcibly, she then stood up and was preparing to leave.
(Kai, I know what you're thinking. This situation is bad and if we put her in the team. It would be a bad balance and we would lose all fights, but hear me out. She deserves a second chance, Right)
There was no split or confirmation. This just means both of us agreed.
"See you then."
Ehh? Wait, I didn't say that?! I didn't even think about it!
"Ehh?"
She probably thought that I was gonna accept her to the party after her sad testimony.
(You're so heartless, Kai! Letting a girl like that alone in the winter!)
I guess one of the inhabitants of this body had a different plan.
"No, no... Umm, I was joking. Please, add me to the party! I'll be a great asset for your team please!"
I wanted to say something that can relieve her, but there was a part of my body not allowing me. I still couldn't read each others intent. There was still memories that was missing from one another. It feels as though, I have only gotten 50% of each bodies memories and other traits. I'm not completely 2 people residing within a body. It feels like though I'm half and half of 2 people. Maybe a little bit more.
Why does this girl want to be added so much though. She already has money... I think... I mean from the way she was eating before with some big dishes. Has no one accepted her yet?
"Tomorrow, We will do a quest. If you can't prove yourself by then." "I am sorry." I put on a deeper voice than my usual talking voice.
"I got it!"
Shizaku, who was beside me. basically had half of her clothes cut down. Her belly is showing, but she seemed like she didn't mind. Kind of erotic...
No no no, No perverted thoughts here. I am a man of justice...ful acts... My thinking voice got smaller and smaller again.
She looked at me and went towards a table and sat down. Kuree had already left the adventurer's hall.
I followed her and ordered some food to end off the day. We had some arigifins' meat from where we stayed and just ordered pretty cheap food.
After Karisuki and I ate peacefully with arigifins' meat, we went back to the hotel that we stayed in.
This time, I decided to sleep on the floor. I still couldn't read her emotionless face. It's still as dead as usual and hasn't opened up to me yet. Maybe in the future I could actually see her motives.
It was still cold as crap. Why did I have to start this world at winter! What the hell! This is bullcrap logic. Atleast give me a summer to practice my new abilities and not freeze to death, you damn universe!
While I was dozing off to sleep, The weirdly fast sleeper who was on the bed beside me had already fallen to slumber. She looked comfortable with that bed... and... blanket...
I didn't have any lewd thoughts today about her. Weird... It feels like, I'm at peace. The floor was damn cold but the wooly blanket we bought really helped.
It's really rare to find peaceful nights like these...
I stuffed my face in the pillow to let out a deep sigh that removed all my anxiety and stress. I turned so my back faces the floor again and finally started to doze off.