Aryens POV:
I finally reached the village after all that nonsense; I don't know what I was expecting these villagers to have as houses, but I seriously wasn't expecting this. Their houses were not in any particular pattern like modern housing. Their houses are more of a scattered cluster of houses made of wood, bamboo, and stones.
To be honest I was kind of expecting these guys to have huts made of straws. Like a certain little piggy. But seeing their houses now I think I grossly underestimated these villagers. I can't help but think If I can figure out how to use my building abilities, I can make better houses for everyone. But doing this would literally basically be telling everyone that I have powers. But is that so bad?
While I was in my thoughts I didn't notice when someone suddenly appeared behind me and put their hand on my shoulder. Naturally, I got scared then screamed like a little girl. Getting caught off guard like this on top of someone witnessing me screaming like a little girl did a critical hit to my pride as a certified crocodile fighter semi-immortal skull-bashing badass.
Turning around with dark lines on my face. I see the snickering face of the brat that gave me directions earlier. Seeing his mocking face, I try to suppress my intrusive thoughts from taking over and just decide to let him off for now and then get him back later.
That said, now that I have a better look at the boy, I realize he kind of looks Asian but almost Mexican at the same time with a tan complexion. Trying to think where I might find someone of this particular ethnicity the only place, I can think of is the Philippines on Earth does this mean I'm still on earth or maybe just a parallel Earth? However, it's at this time I see the boy shifting in place then I finally realize I was staring at him a little too long without speaking. So, before he has time to think of some kind of misunderstanding, I Straighten up and introduce myself.
I extended out my hand and said my name. I assume he realized what I was doing because moments later he grasped my hand and said Abaday. Now knowing his name, I let go of his hand and try to disrupt the awkward silence by pointing in the direction of the village.
Following my pointing finger, he slightly widens his eyes for a moment and then says syempre sumunod ka sakin then starts walking towards the village.
A/N: Syempre sumunod ka sakin means of course follow me in Filipino.
I guess that means follow me or something. As I start to follow him, I realize that Abaday simply disregards the fact I'm a stranger and leaves his backside open to me.
Me, not one to let a chance pass me up, I quickly take advantage of this rookie mistake. Then lunge at him and slap both his shoulders simultaneously hoping to get a scare out of him so I can try and recover my pride as a man.
Of course, not expecting the sudden attack He also screams like a little girl watching someone delete her TikTok account. However, Abaday quickly recovers and swipes my hands away. It's almost like he has experienced this before. At this time Abaday tries to look away from my shit-eating grin, so I can't see his embarrassed face. However, this does not work out for him Because I already saw his expression, so I let out a quiet chuckle but also loud enough for him to hear basically telling him I got you back and I saw your blushing face.
Now that I have asserted my dominance, I internally give myself ten points in pride. Soon Escanor won't have a thing on me. But it's at this moment I start to notice the gap Abadays starting to make between us. So, in petty retaliation, I started to speed up as well. Of course, my provocation escalated quickly, and the next thing I knew we were racing to the village.
While I was running, I realized I'm genuinely smiling and can't stop because I see the happiness in the boy's eyes as well. That's when I start feeling all squishy inside and come to a new conclusion, I'm going to help these villagers out, and dam the consequences.
Of course, I could have easily won the race but because I was feeling generous, I gave him the win and it wasn't because I was feeling sympathetic to the boy and his shitty village without plumbing.
As expected, when the boy arrives before me, he looks back at me with a smug face as if he thinks himself superior to me. With a tick mark on my face, I calmly walked up to him and slowly put a hand on his shoulder to remind him who's boss. Abaday was confused at first why I put a hand on his shoulder but soon he realized that I'm increasing the pressure on him. So, while I'm looking at him over his shoulder, I tell him I let you win punk. I know he doesn't understand me but I'm sure he understands what I'm trying to tell him.
When I think he's had enough I let him go. It's only then that I start to see the villagers starting to gather around me. Processing this I concluded that these guys must not have that many visitors, especially good-looking manly ones like me.
Finishing another one of my internal monologues, I notice the villagers are muttering with a slightly nervous air to them. A little while later everyone is now completely around me silent. It was at this time an absolute unit of a man starts to walk toward me. He is about my height 6'3 but with more muscle than me in pretty much every aspect hell this guy's fuckin hands look like they got six packs. He must be their village chief or just a random beefcake.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
With a scrunched-up face, I show my dislike of the man staring at me, However, it doesn't take me long to start comparing myself to him. It's almost like the longer I look at him the smaller I get. But of course, I don't outwardly show this. When the beefcake is finally directly in front of me, I notice a slight curvature at the end of his lips.
Seeing his not-so-subtle smug expression I decided to put mine and his strength to the test. So, I slowly put out an arm towards him. All I get back is a watered-down batman stare but instead of grasping my hand, he grasps my forearm. Not expecting this turn of events, I quickly tried to play off my surprise by tightening my grip on his forearm.
With slightly narrowed eyes the unit of a man begins to also tighten his grip around my forearm. and so, a battle of wills began. While the tension of my situation starts to cause uneasy feelings in the air around us the villagers start muttering again and just when a villager is about to start something.
A squeaky arf comes from my front pocket, then when everyone looks at my front pocket and doesn't see anything they stare even harder but then a little head pops out and completely shatters the tense situation. Then as if in sync everyone falls backward with a gushing nosebleed. Including the village chief. However, I don't because the author said so.
A/N: This situation happens when there is a dead serious situation occurring then something ridiculous happens.
When the cuteness overload dies down. Cookies' slightly bloodied figure jumps out of my front pocket and splats on the ground letting out a small cry. Not expecting this sharp turn of events, I couldn't catch her in time.
But because my reaction was too slow Cookies were already in the arms of a sticky-fingered little brat. At this time everyone has recovered and is back on their feet wiping their noses but now all the attention was back on Cookies.
then as if someone gave all the kids permission to move first. Like a bunch of curious monkeys, all the kids started to protest about wanting to hold cookies. Just when I think I'm going to have to start sending little brats to the shadow realm. Cookies teleports right in front of me at chest level.
Not expecting this I fumble around with Cookies as if I got butter fingers. However, soon I got a hold of her. It was at that time I noticed all the commotion stopped once again and everyone was looking at me with mouths gaping disbelieving looks on their faces.
ignoring everyone else's dumbfounded stares all my attention is on the little girl that snatched cookies up before I could do anything, I'm looking at her and she's giving me puppy dog eyes but in little Lolita form.
Just like before my unbreakable will shattered into a million pieces under the no-jutsu puppy dog eyes. Uncontrollably my manly figure starts approaching the Loli and reluctantly I give my precious Cookies to the unknown loli.
After I put Cookies in the Lolis embrace, I noticed I still had the crowd's attention. So, with the most serious body posture and facial expression I've shown so far, I point at Cookies and say her name for all to hear. After this, I get a couple of strange looks but think nothing of it. I think maybe they don't understand so once again I shout Cookie's name while pointing at her.
This time I didn't get strange looks. This time I unknowingly got something much worse. I got the new name Lalaking anak.
A/N: Lalaking anak means man child in Filipino.
When I see fingers being pointed at me and parents taking their children away from me, I immediately know something isn't right. But I don't think much of it and just point at myself and say Aryen. But no one listens and they just continue to call me Lalaking anak.
I don't know what that means but something tells me it's nothing good.
It's at this time I finally see the village girl of my dreams, like a bride walking down the aisle she has straight black hair and an Oval unblemished face with a tan complexion. And button nose, with big lips and a perfect slender hourglass figure, dressed in a traditional blouse. But of course, she doesn't give me a second of her time. Because she already had a goal in mind and that goal was being beside Cookies but more accurately, she was beside the loli holding cookies.
So, imagine my surprise when I notice that there was another slightly older temptress staring at me from the direction My Future wife came from. As my eyes widen in realization the woman staring at me now is likely the mother of both the Loli and my future wife. This thought is only further reinforced when my future wife starts taking the Loli and cookies back in the older temptresses' direction.
Me seeing all this happening directly in front of me has already decided what to do with the rest of my life and that is to gain the mother's favor so I can more easily be seen in a brighter light by her beautiful daughter.
Now that I have a plan in mind, I ignore all the stink eyes I'm receiving because of my ogling at the beauties. Again, not being one to miss a chance I advance toward my future family in the best manly posture I can muster. My resolve slightly cracks when I see that the whole family of beauties is looking at me in what I can only assume is interest if their wondering eyes tell me anything.
I suddenly feel like I'm the one being analyzed like I'm some kind of packaged goods. But me trying to make a good first impression I try to keep an indifferent face on the outside. As I approach the seemingly incomplete family, I actually get serious and throw all my playfulness out the window then shut it. So, by the time, I'm about a meter away from them all that's left of my former self is my muddy figure and all my genuine interest in themselves. Without any more delay, I stop and slightly bow to introduce myself again.
When I finish my slight bow, I move closer and extend out a hand palm up to my future mother-in-law. With interest, the mother puts her hand in mine, and as smooth as butter I lightly peck the back side of her hand then gently let go. Then do the same for my future wife except for her I pull out the beautiful flower I had in my inventory as expected the village girl loved it.
Externally I may be a stoic statue but internally I'm skipping in a flowery meadow with my future wife and kids. And I could've sworn I could have seen a ghostly figure of my father nodding as if he approves of my present actions.
Now last but not least I kneel to the Lolis eye level and do the same as before and guide her free hand to my lips and give it a small peck. Then with a last glance at Cookies, seeing enough I stand back up. and lock eyes with the mother hen and wait for my fate. With a small exhale my future mother-in-law gives me a small nod and my future wife also gives me a blushing nod. But then the brat shatters the serious atmosphere and looks at me while stroking cookies and gives me a sagely nod as if she endowed me with priceless knowledge from another dimension.
Scene Brake-