“Entertainment!? Had that guy gone mad or something!? I don’t even understand why he created something as powerful as me and now he sent an angel here with the sole purpose of being his toy and not because it had attempted to betray him. This is getting ridiculous.”

The loud sound of his voice echoed throughout the barren land of hell. I could see the wild demons observing from a far, looking at this creature with fearful eyes and then back at me now with the eyes of a predator stalking his prey from afar.

I remained composed before the creature that can set ablaze an entire world in a week and looked at him straight in the eyes. His large body could barely fit through the cave and could only enter if he retracts his wings closely to his body. I noticed that this creature has a tail which remained steady this entire time.

“So now, what’re you going to do, lil angel? Can’t hide forever now, could you?”

Plans? I haven’t thought of that. I’m so worried for my own survival that I didn’t think that I need to do something about it. 

“…I don’t know.”

“Then get out of here. This is my place to sleep.”

The flying behemoth covered in scales produced a flash of light so bright that it could melt one’s eyes upon a glance but I’m used to this. Heaven is after all, a place where darkness doesn’t exist. This light, which eminated from his body slowly started to dim down.

As my eyes started to adjust, I could see a form taking shape. From the looks of it, it’s the form of God then slowly reaches to resemble the shape of a woman.

Soon enough the light dissipates and reveals the said woman. 

“…I thought that you’re a male.”

She has a crimson hair tipped with orange, like the colours of the flame. With a fair complexion that rivals that of the skin of an angel and a beautiful face accompanied by two horns at the side of her head like the very horns that she previously had possessed, wearing nothing but a brown robe covering most of her body, it can be said that she is crafted by god with care.

“Why did you think that? Hmph! I don’t care anymore now leave before I turn you into crisp.”

But I didn’t react nor did I listen to her words. In fact, I didn’t even hear her. I just continued to stare at her with eyes filled with confusion.

Just then, he glared sharply at me whilst showing her fangs. Her mouth opened so wide that her own head could fit in it and then a ball of flame formed, suspended above her mouth. The ball of flame grew larger, lightning covered its surface and sparks of flame shoots out and immediately goes down like the arcs of flame of the sun. Eventually it stopped once it reached the width equal to her own head.

A ray of flame instantly comes out of the orb, directed towards me.

When I came back to my senses, I tried to doge it but it’s too late. The ray of flame, as soon as it came out of the orb, hit me.

♦

“WAAH—!”

“Are you alright?”

Oh… It’s just a dream. 

Now that I remember it, it’s a continuation of the visions that I’ve gotten before. 

Who’s that angel anyway? Why’s this vision appearing so suddenly and unexpectedly?

I can be sure that that other one is some sort of dragon which that idiot made and given it the power to change its form.

If these visions are true then this dragon might be the most powerful creature that I’m supposed to kill?

Maybe but the Demon Lord is a candidate for that also.

Like I can do that.

I slumped my body back down and laid there on the tattered bed, thinking about it. Currently, I’m in her house. By her, I mean the weird girl who took me in, a two horned who is scorned in society and whose very existence is taboo, Bulrom.

When I arrived here in her home, she requested that I lay down since she thought that I’m very tired which is true anyway.

The instant that I entered her home, I immediately searched for the bed. Come to think of it, it was kinda rude but she didn’t complain so I guess it was fine.

For a deadpan young woman such as herself, she is oddly nice to two horns. I expected that the youth would be more influenced in regards to the racism towards two horned demons but i guess she's an exception. 

Her home isn’t small but it’s not large either. I could barely fit in 3 rooms. One is the bedroom which I can see the kitchen through the window, the other one is the restroom or the bathroom.

I looked around, checking my surroundings and there I saw her in the kitchen by the corner, preparing a dish I think. I still wonder though, where do they get their water?

And so I bluntly asked that.

“So where do you get your water here? Surely a place like this with a boiling temperature and an ocean filled with fire, water is hard to come by, yes?”

I faintly heard a sigh coming from the other party. Though gladly she didn’t ignore me, but replied half heatedly. 

“What are you, an alien? Ha… Water is found deep underground. There’s a large reservoir deep within the regions of the ocean of fire so it’s quite difficult to get to it. In the past, water isn’t something we needed since we’ve adapted to this kind of climate. If you didn’t know, we sometimes drink lava as an alternative.”

“That’s surreal. Don’t you think?”

“Really. Water is only used for miscellaneous tasks like washing the dishes or taking a bath and of course, we could also drink it but it isn't really necessary. Although, it is also used as an ingredient in wines and more like it but only the rich could afford that.”

So that exist too in this world, huh?

Well, I got the gist of it now.

Rather than being found in the surface, water is acquired using I’m guessing pipes of some sort to extract the water underground and deliver it to the public. But how do they even discovered that there’s water is astonishing. 

“Also, somehow, water makes our skin smoother when we bathe in it. It sort of feels like magic.” 

“Is that so? Sorry for asking you this obvious question. My memory is a bit fuzzy at the moment.”

I scratched the back my head as I said that whilst keeping an eye on Bulrom. 

She glanced at me shortly then resumed what she’s doing. 

“I don’t mind.”

I continued to seat there in the bed, looking through her house. 

It’s quite messy and the walls are a bit damp to say the least. Due to the stone walls which aren’t even painted, it gives of a vibe that she’s living in a cave. 

In terms of furniture goes, she has plenty. Only the ones that were needed. A bed which I’m currently sitting on, table in the living room with three chairs, and a bookshelf with only 4 books stored. Since she doesn’t have any closet to put her clothes in, she just stacks her clothes on one of the chairs.

 “Food’s ready.”

Oh so she’s cooking? 

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

She looked at me through the door with absolutely no emotion on her face. I don’t know what to make up with that expression.

“Ah, right. Sorry for the trouble of cooking for me.”

I hurried towards the living room and I saw her placing the dishes on the table.

I wonder how they cook their food in this world.

It’s plain roasted meat with steam still coming from it. She also put herbs and spices to it, mostly to lessen the smell of it. Even when it’s roasted, it still stinks like the guts of a pig.

As if she’s reading my mind, she spoke.

“Even though it stinks, it’s quite a delicacy in this town. The quality of meat isn’t that good so I apologise.”

Eh?

“You don’t need to apologise. I’m truly grateful that you even cook something for me. Thank you really.”

I raised my hands in the air as surrender and she smirked at my reaction. I couldn’t but feeling like she planned this just to see me like this.

Soon after, she moved her lips.

“Anyway, this food is still good despite the smell. Please try it.”

Apparently she doesn’t have any utensils so I grabbed the piece of meat with my own hands. Before eating it, I glanced at her for a second and she has a slight smile on her face.

I don’t know what to consider that smile of hers. It could mean that she’s excited to for me to taste her cooking or she’s smiling because I’m about to eat something really disgusting.

My thoughts are conflicting. One side of me says that I should drop the meat and ask her to go first while on the other hand, I should just take a bite since it’ll be rude of me to refuse the food that she prepared for me.

Crap. Whatever. I’ll just take a gamble and eat a portion of it.

I took a bite and chewed it a few time. It’s a bit stringy and slightly sour but other than that, it tastes just like pork.

Here I am worrying about nothing.

“This is good.”

Her smile widened but not as wide as a normal smile would.

“Glad you liked it.”

She then ate hers. Ha… I’m getting a bit paranoid by this.

After eating our food in silence, she lets out a sigh as if she’s frustrated about something.

“What’s troubling you? Ah, if it’s because of me then please tell me about it.”

I lowered my head in respect however when I glanced at her, she didn’t even react to my statement. Her expression still is emotionless.

“What’re you going to do now? No, let me rephrase it. What will you do now? If you aren’t feigning ignorance this entire time then that would mean that you completely lack the common knowledge of this world.”

I straightened my back and looked at her but still lowering my gaze at the table. Upon seeing me so, she also straightened her back.

“It is true that I don’t know anything and it would only burden you to ask for help so I plan to learn much from this town before leaving. But the act of leaving this town is really difficult I heard so I might have to plan for that as I go along with it.”

Once I finished my statement, she started to clean up the table then going off back to the kitchen which I presume is where the sink is.

“What a stupid plan.”

She said bluntly while she’s still in the kitchen. Although her distance may be a bit too far, I could still understand her words.

“Well, I’ve only arrived at this place with absolutely no knowledge on how the world works so what do you expect for me to do?”

Of course, I also have the power that god had given which is only useful on very unpredictable situations which I still haven’t found myself in but I don’t need to tell her that. It might cause some kind of dispute regarding religion.

“You do seem to have forgotten a lot of things. There aren’t many cases that a two horned demon having to suffer from mass memory dump from which they literally forgotten the ways of the world but nonetheless, you still have your intelligence intact which is reassuring.”

She glanced at me for a second then resumed her work.

As a response, I merely gave her a smile.

“I wouldn’t consider myself intelligent though. I only know of things which are for the most part, really useless to use here.”

I said so nonchalantly but I didn’t expect that she’ll look at me with a gaze that so cold that it could freeze this entire planet in seconds.

“I didn’t say you’re intelligent so don’t get ahead of yourself but what you said made me curious—“

Her gaze at me grew softer until eventually she looked back towards what she were doing previously. 

“—What do you mean by useless knowledge?”

So it came to that. I really don’t want to talk about it because people will look at me with strange eyes, which they already do but what I mean is those people who looks at me like they are my equal or just people who are comfortable to be with which the only person that I know that has at least one of those characteristics is her, Bulrom. 

But I guess I have no choice. If I didn’t speak about it, I might lose her already small amount of trust for me which then most likely will result to me being ratted out by her and eventually being sold off to the slave market.

So as cliche as it is, honesty is the best policy for this situation.

“I’ll tell you but please keep an open mind about it, won’t you?”

Not reacting at all she responded:

“Very well.”

“Though not that practical in this place, I know knowledge about photography. You know of it?”

“Not so. Please explain.”

Ha… looks like something like photography isn’t invented yet in this world which, to be honest, gave me a relief since I will be the pioneer of it but I couldn’t say that I mastered it though. That also means that no one in this world knows of it which will give me some leeway if I were to be using it in some of my actions in the future. 

It sort of gives me a bit of edge in this world but not to the extent that I’m overpowered. In most cases, it’s quite useless. 

After taking a deep breath I explained it so.

“You see, photography is probably still isn’t invented yet so I guess you could say that I have knowledge of something that still doesn’t exist but anyway, if I were to explain it in simpler terms. Photography is a form of art that uses an enclosed dark box of sort and light to capture images currently being presented in reality. Basically, it takes pictures that mostly looks exactly like the scene that you angled a device towards.”

“Hm.”

With her short response, her house is now filled with the noise of running water. 

I looked restlessly towards wherever my eyes gaze upon at the very moment. I now noticed a few things which caught my attention like a golden coloured trumpet that’s hanging on his wall and a taxidermied viper like animal also hanging from the walls. 

Not that important but...

As I looked towards those objects, I heard that the water stopped which means she’s probably done washing the dishes which didn’t take much time at all.

“What you said, do you really think that I'll believe you?”

She said as she walked towards the table and calmly sat on the chair but the words she spoke means otherwise.

“No but I did hope that you’ll keep an open mind to it.”

Looking at me with knife like gaze, she spoke:

“If I’m saying it correctly, you said that photography is an art that lets you capture images from the world that we see in to what I assume, a piece of paper or something like that?”

“More so, yes but you would need a device like a dark box in order to achieve that.”

She grudgingly listened as I explained to her while she’s massaging her forehead with clear annoyance on her face.

“So firstly, I need you to explain to me how you learned all of this.”

“I can’t explain that in words that you’ll be able to grasp so I’d rather not explain it.”

If she’s having a hard time understanding what I just said, she’ll most likely have an even more difficult time understanding to how I was in another world which already has a technology like that advanced to the point that the very act of it is as easy as pressing a button so I refused to explain.

“Fine then. If you don’t want to then don’t tell me. So what’s this dark box you speak of?”

Thank god she dropped it immediately.

“It’s actually called camera obscura which translates as a camera meaning enclosed room but doesn’t necessarily have to be a room and obscura meaning dark. Essentially, it’s some sort of enclosed or vaulted chamber with a tiny hole in the center of one of its walls, essentially creating images inside the chamber but inverted vertically—.”

She reached out her hand and covered my mouth, consequently stopping my long-ass speech about the very first camera used.

“So what you’re basically saying is that this camera obscura or dark room you speak of is a shallow object which I presume doesn’t have to be necessarily a box in shape with a tiny hole on one of its sides, correct?”

“Yewbs, dwats bewsiwcaly iwt. (Yes, that’s basically it)”

She removed the gag, which is her hand, from my mouth and gestured me to continue.

“Like I said earlier, this device could fashioned and used as a photographic camera which uses the images formed inside the chamber and light sensitive materials to print out the said image but it would take a lengthy time for the image to form on the said material.”

She crossed her arms, nodding slightly on certain words.

I hope she understood it. I’m really bad at explaining it.

“That’s interesting and all—“

She looked up to me again with a hint of suspicion as if she’s a police interrogating a criminal.

“—But do you know how to make it? From what I heard, it isn’t very convenient to use which is fine and all but putting aside how you acquired such a knowledge, you should know how to make it.”

“I do but it isn’t easy. Why do you ask? Surely you aren’t thinking of asking me to create one right now, are you?’

Her gaze at me grew even sharper. One more misstep and I might fall into ditch full of spikes.

“Don’t be stupid. I won’t ask you to create one. I’m just asking if you know how to do it that’s all.”

She lets out a sigh a seeing her do this, I let out a short sigh myself.

“Sorry.”

“No need for apologies. Although I wonder, do you perhaps know how to create it more compact? You know, to the point that one can hold it.”

What’s with that sudden question? Even though there are old negative cameras that are easy to hold in the past, they’re still hard to make.

“Sort of.”

“Sort of?”

She’s really interested in this. Too interested for my comfort. Well I’m glad she listened to me though.

“Something like that is really hard to make. Also, there’s something that one needs to make it. Does lightning ring a bell?”

“Yes. I’m not that ignorant to not know what that is. But something like that is really rare. Only a handful of people actually see one, mostly in some mountain ranges.”

That’s good to hear. So lightning do exist in this world. Then that would mean that electricity also. Though I’m not an electrician or whatever they are called, I do know some fundamental information regarding electricity.

“You see Bulrom, lightning has a special property in them that would make the device, which is called simply as camera to work. But I know some models that doesn’t require it.

I only noticed now but she’s a bit closer this time than before. She looks like a kid listening to their grandparents tell a story but unfortunately, I’m not that old.

“Then can you make those models that don’t require the power of electricity?”

This time her face is really close that if I were to even slouch slightly, I would hit her forehead with mine.”

“Like I said, it isn’t easy and the materials for it are really hard to come by.”

She pouted at my statement and thankfully, moved her face away from mine. 

“Well that’s fine. I’m really intrigued by it and I would like it if I saw you create something as wonderful as that but unfortunately, you don’t have the means to do it. I understand.”

Her tone is contradicting to what she’s saying…

“Well, you don’t have to be that upset about—“

Before I can even finish she strikes me with her usual sharp gaze and made me stop immediately.

“Who says I’m upset? I don’t recall saying that I’m upset. You must be hearing things or perhaps, interpreting my expression wrongly which I don’t think is the case since I always wore such a normal expression so it must be the former. Really, the disease of your kind is something else.”

“…”

I just stayed silent. 

I don’t even want to speak since I can see a mile away how the conversation will go to. 

I’ve read too much novels to be able to know how this will end up.

Classic tsundere.

After a few seconds of awkward staring and me without even moving a finger, she lets out a frustrated sigh.

“Like I said, it’s quite unfortunate but it can’t be helped. Now back to relevance. You said that you want to get out of this town, correct?”

“Ah yes. Are you going to help me?” 

I spoke pitifully but her answer surprised me.

“It’s troublesome to keep you in here so I would help you move out of town.”

Finally a saving grace! Any town is better than here since my appearance is still unknown there and I can assume that if I hid my identity well enough then I could somehow get some momentum going. 

Having someone’s help will surely make my life easier. Not to mention that I have someone that I could be comfortable with to ask for more information about this place.

Information is really important on anything that I know of.

But if i do get to escape from this place then that would mean that I'm on my own now.

“Thank you! I really appreciate it! Please, if there’s anything you want, I’ll do it.”

Just then, a smirk formed on her face like a villain having to find a great opportunity to enact their plan.

Not like that analogy has anything to do with her.

“Then my request is simple. You must do as I say, for the more effectiveness of the plan of course. Also, more information regarding this photography you speak of. It would also be better if you can create the camera obscura you speak of but I’m not forcing you. To compromise, I shall be taking you in for the time being until you get to successfully escape from town. Are those conditions good enough.”

“That is fair. You are my benefactor anyway so why would I refuse.”

Her smirk grew wider but I didn’t think any of it. I can trust her, right? She’s the only one that I know that has the heart to not rat me out to the hospital and all so this is fine. Completely fine. I can surely rely on her.

“But I’m surprised, you already got a plan?”

“Of course. Did you already forget that I took in some two horned demons like you? Chances as it is, at least one of those would ask for my help to move out of town but though they did get out of town, they shortly got caught and sold off to the slave market. But I don’t think you would be like them. You seem intelligent enough but quite ignorant to the world.”

“Well that is true.”

I stood up from my seat and bowed my head deeply.

“Again, thank you for lending me your hand. I’ll do my best to whatever you ask of me.”

Thinking about what I just said, I feel like I declared that I would be her servant.

Like she thought the same, she chuckled.

“You’re quite obedient are you? That’s fine. Now for the first course of action—“

She stood up from her seat and grabbed a dress of some sort from the stack of clothes lying around. 

Upon turning around, I’m surprised to see that the very dress that she took out…

Is a maid uniform.

“—You’ll be helping me in my work.”

“Work?”