Unknown Memories
Monika's room was bathed in the reddish light of the evening sun. The white and green walls were now painted in warm colors, as was the large bed she was lying in. It was a four-poster bed whose four extended bedposts rose to a height of about two meters, the crossbars connected to the posts were adorned with a decorative green blanket to provide protection from draughts and make the room climate more pleasant.
Anna, who I had asked to look after Monika and nurse her, was standing at the bedside with a small tub and a white cloth floating in it.
"You're all sweaty. Come on, I'll wipe it off."
Monika didn't react to Anna's words and continued to sleep. However, Anna couldn't let her lie in her own sweat, so she had to get a little rough.
Anna rolled up the sleeves of her red dress, then pulled the blanket Monika was wrapped in to aside and took the girl's upper body in her hands and straightened her up so she could wipe her upper body properly.
Monika wobbled a little while sitting, but suddenly she remained calm, and Anna was able to start.
She took the wet white cloth from the small tub and wrung it out.
But no sooner had she started wiping her back, a metallic clink sounded.
In that second, the bucket full of water slipped out of my fingers and water splashed onto the wooden floor, but I barely noticed.
"My hero."
No... way...
There was no tattoo on her back. So, Monika wasn't the murderer. In fact, it was hard to believe how wrong I was. My painstakingly constructed image of her as a cold-blooded murderer had just shattered into a thousand pieces before my eyes.
The certainty I had felt was replaced by an unpleasant feeling of shame and uncertainty. I was on the wrong track.
But then it hit me like a punch in the gut. A realization that pulled the floor out beneath my feet. Monika wasn't wearing anything... She was sitting on her bed, completely naked in front of my wide-open eyes, with Anna sitting behind her.
I was frozen. My eyes were still fixed magnetically on her back. Her flawless, pale skin almost seemed to glow in the subdued light, every curved line of her body was far too clear in front of me at that moment.
My cheeks were burning, my thoughts were racing, I couldn't think straight. I knew I should look away, that I should have left the room out of respect, or shame, but my legs refused any movement. Instead, I stood there like a complete idiot, staring at her.
Like a pervert...
"I-I'm sorry!!!" I eventually stuttered when my brain was halfway functioning again. Without another moment's hesitation, I turned and ran through the already open door.
My footsteps echoed on the wooden floor as I fled the room as if the devil himself was after me. I could still feel my heart pounding like crazy and my thoughts spinning in circles.
How on earth did I get myself into this situation? What should Monika think of me now?
I heard a soft rustling behind me, followed by voices. Even before I reached the lower floor, I knew that Eiko and Reiko were following me. Of course they were. They rarely left my side.
"Papa why are you running like a headless chicken?" asked Eiko when she caught up with me. Her voice was teasing, almost mocking. Her horns, which grew elegantly through the silver hair on her head, shone in the light.
Beside her trotted Reiko, with the same expressionless face as always, but she opened her mouth to utter a single, devastating sentence...
"Papa you pervert!" she stated wryly.
"Papa you pervert!" repeated Eiko immediately, this time with an amused tone that sent a shiver down my spine.
They seemed not to know the meaning of this term, but were rehearsing it anyway.
"Where... where did you even learned that from?" I asked, out of breath.
I stopped in front of a cozy looking, luxurious sofa downstairs and plopped myself on it. My head was pounding from all the events of the last few minutes, no hours!
I felt like I'd been through a whole battlefield. Well, I was.
Eiko and Reiko sat down next to me, and I only now realized how much they had grown. Their horns had grown longer, and their bodies looked less childlike than they had this morning. It was only a few days since they hatched from that gigantic dragon egg, and I still wondered why they already looked like six or seven-year-old children. But now they were more vocal, they moved more confidently and sometimes they almost seemed to think like adults. At least that's what I had seen today when they saved my life.
But at that moment they were nothing more than two cheeky little girls, testing me with their snappy comments.
"Jeez, Papa. You know, you could have at least knocked. Do you know how embarrassing that must have been for Monika?" Eiko stretched her legs out on the sofa as an annoyed sigh sounded from her little mouth.
"Embarrassing? But what about me? I didn't know she was..." My voice broke off as the memory of her bare back flashed in my mind. Immediately, I felt the blood rush back to my face. "Ahh, just give me a break."
The two girls giggled. It wasn't a malicious laugh, but it still made me realize that I would remain the pervert dad in their eyes.
Despite their mockery, I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened.
Monika was not the murderer. There was something liberating about this thought, but it also left a new question unanswered. Who was it then? The real culprit was still out there and I had no idea where I should start searching. All I had was a burning desire to find this person.
But... What should I do with Monika now? I had done something unforgivable. Not only had I suspected her, but I also saw her naked.
Normally she would have beaten me up on spot, but because of her fever she can't think straight. But her skin... it looks so soft and supple.
"Papa."
I wish I could touch it.
"Papa."
Haaa...
"Papa!"
"Eh?"
"Papa?" asked Eiko when she noticed my thoughtful face. "You're all red again."
"I'm not red! Stop thinking things up," I replied quickly, but it was too late. Reiko leaned forward, her eyes sparkling curiously and she whispered softly. "Pervert."
Of course.
"All right, then. What do you want from me? You seem like you've got something on your mind."
Eiko then pulled a crumpled sheet of paper out of a small brown bag, which they must have gotten from the maids, and held it in front of my eyes.
"Here. Take a look."
I took the paper in my hand and smoothed it out carefully. It was a flyer, the paper itself was slightly brownish, like it was dipped in coffee, and the pictures were colorfully painted, with big squiggly letters saying something about a festival.
"A festival?"
"Yes." Eiko confirmed, nodding eagerly. "Reiko and I want to go there. Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" I read the details more carefully. It was a family festival in the neighboring town of Nuil. I had heard about this festival from the maids before, but never seriously considered it. They said it was a festival where families come together to celebrate and enjoy time together.
I turned from the flyer to the twins, who were looking at me with expectant eyes, so I couldn't help but smile.
It was the first time they'd ever asked me for anything.
"Sure." I said, the relief on their faces almost palpable. "A festival sounds good. But we should ask Anna and the others if they want to come with us."
"NO!" Eiko suddenly shouted, surprising me with the vehemence of her reaction. Reiko nodded in agreement and said quietly.
"We want to go there, just with you."
"Just with me, huh?" I shook my head with a smile. "You two... Okay, it's okay. Don't worry, I get it. Let's go to the festival tomorrow together. As a family."
"Hooray!" shouted Eiko and Reiko at the same time, and I couldn't help but laugh. Their enthusiasm was infectious and for a moment I forgot the worries that had been weighing me down before. Maybe a little relaxation was just what I needed.
But while I was still talking to them, another worry entered my head. I wondered again how I should face Monika after this embarrassing situation. My head was suddenly full of images again, images of her soft, supple skin, of her elegance, even in a moment of vulnerability.
"Papa, what are you dreaming again?" Eiko suddenly asked me, I realized I had been staring into space. Reiko joined in with a simple, "Papa you pervert." and I knew I'd had enough for today.
The next morning, the air was fresh and cool.
The first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon and bathed the world in a warm, golden light. As I packed my bag and prepared Shia, our trusty ride, I could feel the excitement in the air, not only for me but also for Eiko and Reiko. The twins were already jumping around me impatiently, their faces beaming with anticipation.
It was the first time they had asked me for something so directly and I wanted to make this day unforgettable for them.
"Papa, hurry up! Let's go!" shouted Eiko energetically. She jumped up and down, her little hands on her hips like she was trying to show me how serious she was.
"Papa, you're so slow." Reiko added, her voice quieter but not authoritative. Her arms were crossed.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm almost ready." I mumbled as I tightened the last strap of Shia's saddle. "You really have the patience of a cat before feeding time."
"Patience? Cat?" Eiko tilted his head and blinked at me in confusion. "What do you mean, Papa?"
I grinned.
"Oh, nothing. It's just a saying. Just forget it."
Eiko frowned before deciding to accept the explanation and instead went back to her anticipation. Meanwhile, I swung myself onto Shia's back and helped them both up.
They both sat behind me, their small hands clutching tightly at my black coat, and I could feel their trembling hands. But not from fear of riding the horse, but from excitement.
The ride to Nuil went smoothly. Shia's leisurely pace and the peaceful countryside made the time fly by. But the closer we got to the town, the more clearly, we heard drums, laughter and shouts.
Soon we saw the first colorful flags fluttering above the walls of Nuil.
The town was in a celebratory mood, as we could see from afar. The main square was a sea of color and movement. Stalls were lined up close together and traders were loudly shouting out their wares. The aroma of roasted meat, sweet pastries and exotic spices hung heavy in the air.
Children ran through the streets laughing, holding handmade toys or enjoying some sweets.
Cheerful faces could be seen everywhere and the music of a band mingled with the general hustle and bustle.
"Wooow!" Eiko opened her eyes and clapped her hands enthusiastically. "This is enormous! So many stalls! So many people!"
"So loud." Reiko commented quietly, her brow furrowed slightly, but even she couldn't quite hide her curiosity. Her eyes wandered over the crowd, then I noticed her clinging to my back.
"Don't worry, I'm with you."
We got off Shia and took her to a small stable where we could put her up for the time being. It cost me about five silver coins, at first I thought it was quite cheap, but the owner said there was a discount because of the festival today, so we were lucky again.
"Stay here, girl. We'll be back later." Shia snorted in response.
Then, as we made our way to a large street, the twins didn't know where to look first.
Eiko pointed to a man walking through the crowd on huge stilts. "Papa, look! He's two meters tall!"
"Those are stilts." I explained with a smile. "He uses them to make himself look taller. It's part of his show."
"He's a giant!" exclaimed Eiko, not really paying attention to my explanation.
Reiko, on the other hand, looked at the man with a critical eye. "How is it possible that he doesn't fall?" she asked quietly.
"Practice. And probably a good sense of balance," I replied.
Eiko already had her eye on the next target. "Papa, someone's painting on other people's faces over there!" She pointed to a small stand where a woman was sitting on a wooden stool with a brush and some paint in her hand.
Reiko frowned. "So mean! Why is she doing that?"
"It's art. People pay her to paint pretty pictures on their faces," I explained patiently.
"Ohhh." Her curiosity seemed to be piqued. Eiko grabbed Reiko's hand and pulled her to stand. "Come on, Reiko, let's try this out!"
"Hey, not so fast!" I called after them and hurried to follow.
The painter was a young woman with gray eyes and blonde hair, which she wore in a loose braid. Her apron was covered in paint stains and looked very friendly as she looked at the two girls.
There were many motifs to choose from at the stand, such as animals, plants, monsters and so on.
"Which motif would you like?" she asked Eiko, who was sitting excitedly on the stool.
"A butterfly!" shouted Eiko enthusiastically.
"Alright." The painter smiled and began to run her brush over Eiko's cheek.
This day reminds me a lot of my pre-school days. The time before my father suddenly changed and became someone like he is now. We were a normal family, without any great features.
We even went to a lot of festivals because my sister and I had always begged to go, that time was so much fun. Except... The one time the ice cream slipped out of my cone and plopped to the ground. It was like the end of the world for me, but now I don't consider it so dramatic, but it's still sad and I would even start to sulk.
When I think about family, I wonder what the family of the person whose body I have taken possession of is doing. God said I would get another body, but I didn't expect to use someone else's body. I have no memory of his family, nor of himself. Or could it be that the person is already dead. When I woke up after my second reincarnation, was it just by chance that I was in the same town?
Or did God play a part?
Within a few minutes, a delicate blue butterfly appeared on Eiko's cheek.
It was Reiko's turn next. "What would you like?" asked the painter.
Reiko hesitated for a moment, but then she said something I didn't see coming.
"A tiger."
I had to stifle a laugh when I heard her words.
A tiger?
It somehow suited her.
The painter nodded and began to paint a detailed picture of a roaring tiger on Reiko's cheek. When she was done, I looked at them both.
"You look fantastic. Reiko, the tiger suits you perfectly. And Eiko, your butterfly is beautiful."
The twins beamed with joy and giggled softly.
After I gave the painter sixty copper coins as payment, we moved on and let ourselves get carried away by the cheerful atmosphere of the festival.
At one stall we ate grilled meat, at another one we tried sweet cakes, the twins were thrilled by the many games and attractions.
But then they suddenly stopped in front of a table and looked thoughtful.
"Reiko, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Reiko nodded seriously. "Mhm."
"What's going on?" I asked, following their gaze.
They were staring at a gold pocket watch lying displayed on a jewelry stall. The watch was ornately decorated, with engravings depicting streams of water and mountains. There was also a small blue glass ball hanging from a golden chain.
"We want that," said Eiko.
"A pocket watch? What are you going to do with it?" I was very surprised by her choice.
"Can't we?" Reiko looked at me with wide, pleading eyes, and Eiko joined in with an almost identical look.
"Please, Papa." At the same time, they looked at me with their puppy dog eyes.
Ngh...
These two were just too good at making my heartbeat faster. "Alright." I sighed and pulled out my pouch with the dimensional field. "This pocket watch, please."
"That'll be forty gold coins."
Forty gold coins??? A little expensive for a watch, I think. But well, when I take a closer look at the watch, it looks quite valuable. I just hope that the seller doesn't rip me off and makes Eiko and Reiko sad.
I took exactly forty gold coins out of my bag and gave them to the grim-faced man.
The twins cranked and took the watch. But instead of keeping it, they held it out to me.
"Huh? Is that... For me?"
"Yes," said Eiko. "For the best Papa..."
"...of all time." Reiko added.
Suddenly I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I turned away and hastily wiped my tears, but it was no use.
"Th-thank you both." I murmured and pulled her into a tight hug. "You really are the best that has ever happened to me. I'm glad you're my daughters."
"Papa, you're squeezing too tight." grumbled Eiko.
"But I'm so overjoyed!"
"You're exaggerating!" Loli suddenly intervened, but I simply ignored her.
Instead, I was busy admiring the pocket watch more closely. This was the very first gift I had received from them, even though I had paid for it myself, I would treasure it.
At least that's what I thought.
Just as I was admiring the watch, a running person in a cloak bumped into me, causing the watch to fall to the ground, the lid broke off, the glass of the watch shattered, and the clock hands had stopped.
This moment looks familiar for some reason...
Eiko and Reiko saw the broken present lying on the floor and started sobbing and crying.
I knelt down in front of them and tried to calm them down.
"Don't worry. We'll get the clock fixed, it's simple. But we'll get to that later. Please wait here for me, I'll be right back." I straightened up again.
"Papa? Where are you going?" Reiko asked me.
"Oh, I'm just going to... kill someone!"
"Like I said, you're exaggerating!"
The wind blew coolly through the narrow alley, dimly lit by sunlight. The smell of damp stone and stale water, from the previous cold night, lingered in the air as the sounds of the festival gradually faded in the distance.
Only the sound of our hurried footsteps echoed in this narrow alley. My eyes were fixed on the guy in the black cloak running ahead of me.
He was running fast, far too fast. Despite my recently learned passive Skill
"Stop right there, you bastard!!!" I yelled, my voice echoing between the walls. My legs worked like machines, each step pushing me forward. But he ignored me.
In fact, as I shouted, he glanced over his shoulder, but I couldn't see his face.
"What the fuck does he want?" I heard him mutter.
You know exactly what I want, I thought through clenched teeth. You made Eiko and Reiko cry. You broke the gift they gave me with all their hearts. I will not forgive that. Never!
"I'm going to kill you!!!" I screamed. My voice was raspy, laced with anger that had built up deep in my chest. I could feel my fingernails digging into my palms. My heart pounded in a furious rhythm that only intensified my desire for revenge.
Every step I took sounded like an impending thunderclap, heralding the end of his escape attempt. He turned sharply to the right, and without hesitation, I followed him. My body reacted instinctively, like I had spent my whole life in alleyways like this one.
The person's cloak fluttered like the wings of a black bird desperately trying to escape.
I followed him with grim intent, never taking my eyes off him. My entire focus was on him, my instinct as a half-man-half-wolf was awakened. Everything else was meaningless. The festival, the people, the joy, none of that existed anymore.
There was only him.
And me.
Hunter and prey.
Suddenly I saw him stumble, just for a moment, but it was enough to make him slip up.
I've got you now, I thought. But then he turned off again, this time into a side alley. An uneasy feeling came over me. It was a typical escape move, he was trying to lure me into a trap. But I knew this kind of trick. This time I wouldn't be caught so easily.
"You can run, but you can't hide!" I shouted after him.
But when I reached the corner, I realized that he had manoeuvred himself into a trap.
"A dead end?" he murmured quietly. His eyes darted around frantically, looking for an escape route, but there was none. The walls were too high to climb, and the only way back was through me. His body stiffened. He turned slowly, his back pressed firmly against the wall.
"I've got you now!" I said with a dark satisfaction in my voice. I was breathing heavily, sweat running down my forehead. The sunlight illuminated my form, and I knew that at that moment I looked like a hunter who had cornered his prey. My eyes blazed with anger, my lips twisted into a feral grin.
"You made my daughters cry." I summoned my demon sword Demon Tears and rested it on my shoulder, pretending to let it rest for a moment.
But that was just to heighten the tension. "You will pay for this... with your life!"
The guy with the cape shook slightly, his knees gave way, he fell on his butt with a dull plop. His hands seemed to be shaking, sweat dripping from his forehead.
I remained unimpressed. "Do you hear that noise?" I asked in a gloomy tone.
He mumbled. "H-huh? W-what noise?"
I swung my sword back and forth in front of him without touching him, but the blade cut the air with an ominous whistle. "That's the sound of your last chance slowly shattering."
"A-aah!" He pulled his head back and raised his hands like it could ward off my sword.
But suddenly I heard footsteps behind me. The clatter of armor and the crackling of lantern flames. Two men in armor entered the alley. Their heavy boots echoed on the stone slabs. They wore the crests of the Kingdom of Veilchenblüte's guards on their breastplates.
"There she is!" one of them shouted. He pointed at the guy in the cloak. "We've got you now, you thief!"
Thief? Who do they mean? I thought and turned slightly towards them.
"And who are you? Are you an accomplice?" shouted the other guard. He eyed me suspiciously.
Me, an accomplice? Pfft.
I gave the two guards a single look that hit them like a blow. Their gazes stiffened and they visibly gulped.
"Get lost!" My tone was sharp as a knife, accompanied by my skill
"W-what kind of attack is that...?" asked one of the guards, trying to stand up, but without success.
"Was I not clear?" My grip on the sword hilt tightened. I was aware that they couldn't move due to the previous skill, but I didn't care.
"L-loud and clear!" shouted the other. For some reason, he was able to dodge the attack more or less, so he wasn't completely paralyzed. He grabbed his comrade by the arm and left the alley as quickly as possible.
Cowards.
I turned back to my prey and approached him, my sword raised in my right hand. When I was only centimeters away from him, my left hand pushed him against the wall behind him.
"Any last words before I...?"
Huh?
I felt something in my left hand. It felt weird and was bigger than a tennis ball.
"What's that?" I squeezed it several times and noticed how elastic and soft it was. Maybe a pillow?
Suddenly I heard sobbing in my ears. At first I thought it might have been Loli, sobbing for some reason. But this sobbing came directly from the person in front of me. His head was down, his face unrecognizable because of his cloak.
Now that I think about it more carefully, his voice does sound a bit higher than you'd expect from a man...
...Wait.
"Y-you're... A girl?"
My left hand quickly detached from her and I took several steps back.
"Papa!"
Before I could even sort out my mind, the next unexpected thing happened when I heard a familiar voice.
When I turned around, I saw Eiko and Reiko. I approached them, surprised.
"Eiko, Reiko? What are you doing here? I told you to wait for me."
"Here."
Eh?
"It fixed by itself." Reiko whispered.
What...?
My heart skipped a beat when I saw the pocket watch that broke earlier was in my hand, like new.
"Fixed by itself?" I repeated as I looked at the gold pocket watch in my left hand. The lid was back in place and the glass was flawless, like it had never been scratched. It shone like it was freshly polished. I checked every edge, every mechanism. It was indeed the same watch. Not a fake, not a replacement. It was... my gift.
But how? I remembered exactly how it broke just before I had taken up the chase. How could it suddenly...?
"Fixed by itself, you say?" I asked with narrow eyes. I raised my eyes and looked at my daughters. Reiko nodded with a serious expression, her silver eyes looking directly into my red eyes.
"Yes, Papa. We didn't do anything. It suddenly lit up and then... it was fixed." said Eiko. Her little hands gesticulated wildly to describe the phenomenon.
"Lit up?" I glanced at the watch in my hand. A strange feeling rose up inside me. Maybe magic? But this was no ordinary magic. Magical items don't repair themselves, not without a spell or a special ability. This isn't normal.
"Papa, who's that girl?" asked Eiko suddenly, pointing her index finger at the person under the cloak.
"I'd like to know that too," I said quietly and approached her carefully. "Show me your face. Quit messing with me."
She didn't move for a moment, but then she slowly lifted her trembling hands and reached for the hood which she pulled low over her face. Her fingers hesitated briefly before she slowly pushed it back.
White hair fell over her shoulders. Furry gray-white wolf ears. And red eyes...
"A half-wolf... Like me." I whispered.
She looks just like me. Her eyes, her ears, even the slight shadow of her features... like I was looking in a mirror, only a few years younger.
Impossible. Was that a coincidence? Or...?
An image flashed before my eyes. It was a blurred image.
A little girl with white hair, smiling. Her eyes were full of hope, her small hands stretched out in front of her. Next to her stood two adults whose faces I couldn't recognize.
"What...?" I placed a hand on my forehead, my eyes narrowed. The image disappeared as quickly as it had come. My head was pounding.
Memories... no, these weren't any of my memories.
"Hey, can you hear me?" I asked, crouching down in front of the girl. She flinched slightly, as if she was afraid I was going to touch her again. "Say something. Who are you?"
The silence was uncomfortable. The light wind blew through the alley, bringing with it the distant sound of festival music.
Suddenly the girl blinked, as if waking from a dream. Her pupils dilated and for a moment it seemed as if she recognized something.
Her lips opened slowly. Her breathing quickened. Her red eyes glittered like she was about to cry.
"Brother..."
My heart stopped.
"Big Brother!!!" she screamed and jumped forward to hug me. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck, almost causing me to fall backwards. Her fingers clawed into my shirt as if she never wanted to let me go. Her body shook like a leaf in the wind, her warm tears dripping onto my shoulder.
"I've missed you sooo much, big brother!"
Brother? ...BROTHER?!
"Wait... wait, wait, wait!" I grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her away from me so I could look her in the face. "What do you mean 'big brother'?"
Her red eyes looked straight into mine. The way she looked at me... I knew those eyes. The eyes full of familiarity. But why?
"Have you forgotten about me?" She blinked away her tears and smiled through them. "It's me... Rin. I'm your little sister."
Suddenly, the world around me stood still.
"Rin...?"
Suddenly my head began to hurt. A searing pain, as if someone was piercing my skull with a red-hot iron. "Argh...!" I grabbed my head, the world began to spin. Images flashed before my inner eyes. The girl I saw earlier. The white hair. Those eyes. Her smile. She had the same look.
Kids' laughing. A female voice calling for us, <"Rin, *** , come in, there's food!">. The sound of the door being opened. A warm, cheerful scene that I had never experienced.
What... is that...? I gasped as the memories rushed through my head like a stream. Images that weren't mine. Names which I didn't know.
Shortly afterwards, this whole scene disappeared and I found myself in a white, comfortable room.
The diffuse white around me was so intense that I felt like I was in a cloud.
At first I thought that Loli had invited me into her sphere, but this sphere felt different. It wasn't Loli who brought me here. No, it could only be this one person I knew.
This warm, soft glow that enveloped my body was the same feeling before I came to this world.
In front of me was a small brown wooden table with two steaming cups of tea on it, the fine aroma rising to my nose. Automatically, I inhaled the air through my nose. Mint? No, perhaps a mixture of mint and camomile. I frowned and let my eyes wander. There was nothing but emptiness around me. Infinite vastness. A room without walls, without a ceiling, without a whole floor, except for a few tatami mats and the cushion beneath me and...
"Nice to see you again, Yuuji."
That voice. Scratchy, old, but full of authority.
My head went to my counterpart. He was sitting there. An old man with a long, white beard that reached his chest. His face was kind and wrinkled. His body was covered in a wide, snow-white robe that resembled a kimono.
There he was.
"Old man!" I exclaimed with relief.
"Don't call me old man!" he thundered, his eyes flashing briefly. A rumble like distant thunder echoed and I flinched involuntarily.
"A-ah, I'm sorry. But... what's going on? Why am I here again? Have I died again?"
Panic rose inside me. My hands searched for my body. No wolf ears. No black claws. No beast features. Instead, I felt the fabric of my old school uniform, the one I hadn't worn since my time in Japan and before my second reincarnation. It felt strangely nostalgic.
God shook his head, his long beard bobbing with the motion. "You're not dead, calm down. I only brought you here because you saw something you weren't supposed to see."
"I saw something I'm not supposed to? You mean... That memory? The one of that girl? Oh yeah, couldn't you have just left me in my body for that?" I hissed back, crossing my arms.
God took a sip of his tea and calmly put the cup back on the table. "That memory isn't yours."
"Yes, I've already realized that. But if it doesn't belong to me... then it must belong to the boy whose body I took over, right?"
He nodded.
"That's right, Yuuji. You've seen the memories of the boy whose body you possess. A memory that was deeply embedded in his soul. Normally, your soul should never have seen that memory, but somehow... well, it happened."
"Wait a minute!" I slapped my hand on the table, which remained surprisingly stable. "Then why did I even see that memory? I thought you said I was going to get a new body! But you didn't say I'd be put into the body of a dead guy!"
God sighed deeply and stroked his beard. "I didn't lie. But yes, perhaps I should have made it clearer to you. The body you now inhabit belonged to someone else. Someone who got reincarnated, just like you."
"Reincarnated...? Tell me... how many people have reincarnated into this world anyway?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that." God folded his hands in front of his face. "He was a boy who was born as a normal baby and lived a normal life. But he was special, even at a young age he had mastered four of the six elemental attributes of magic, and his fighting skills were outstanding. When he reached the age of fourteen, he decided to go on an adventure, and after two years he arrived in Aldère in the kingdom of Buchenberg. But the night you died in your inn room, he got poisoned and died too."
"Poison?!" I widened my eyes. "He was poisoned? Why? Who wanted to kill him?"
"Those are questions to be answered by yourself, Yuuji." God looked me straight in the eyes. Through his long eyebrows, I could see a slight glint of his golden eyes. "But I can tell you that his death was not random. It was planned."
"Pl... Planned?" My fists clenched on the table. "So he was murdered? And then you just put me in his body like it was all some kind of game?"
"Calm down, boy." God raised a hand. "He was already dead when I put you in his body. His soul was already gone, I purified the body so you could use it. It was the only way to give you another chance."
My heart was pounding hard. "So... I took his body from him?"
"No." God's gaze softened. "You didn't take anything from anyone. He was already gone. You only left behind what he no longer needed."
His words left me silent. But the feeling of acting as an intruder wouldn't go away.
"So why is his past popping up in my memories?" I gripped my temple. "Why do I have to go through this? Are those his feelings I'm sensing?"
"No. That memory was a fragment. Fragments of strong emotions can burn themselves into the body, even if the soul no longer exists. What you saw was a piece of the past that was too strong to be forgotten."
I leaned back and rubbed my face. "Ahhh, what do I do now? Should I just go on like nothing happened?"
"That's up to you." God put his hands in his lap. "But there's something more important you need to know. One thing I want you to remember, boy."
"And that would be?"
God leaned forward, his half-closed eyes twinkling. "Remember the code name Number Four."
"Number Four?" I raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to tell me? ... Wait, has it something to do with that organization??"
"You'll understand when the time has come. Take good care of yourself, boy."
The light swallowed me up and I fell into the endless void. My body spun, the world rushed past me like an endless vortex of colors and lights.
I opened my eyes again.
"Brother, are you all right? You're so quiet."
Eiko, Reiko and Rin looked at me with worried eyes.
"Y-yeah... I'm fine." I gasped and lifted my head. Rin, who was right in front of me, looked very worried, tears still streaming down her cheeks. She crouched in front of me like a child.
"Rin..." I whispered and reached for her hand. She didn't even hesitate, she immediately placed her hand in mine. It was warm and her touch was firm.
I blinked several times. This warmth... felt so real.
"Are you alone in town?" I asked softly. "Or... Are mother and father here too?"
Rin's face brightened. She nodded eagerly.
"Yes! We all came here together! Mom and Papa are here too! I can take you to them!"
I felt my breath catch in my throat.
Mom and dad, huh. My parents... No, not mine. His parents. His family.
I took a deep breath and let go of Rin's hand. "Alright." I stood up slowly, patted my knees and looked to Eiko and Reiko. "I'm sorry, you two. Today we were supposed to spend our time together as a family, but..."
Eiko shook her head. "That's important too, Papa." she said gently.
"Yes, we totally understand," Reiko added.
I smiled at the two of them before looking to Rin. "Please lead me, Rin. I want to see them."
"Okay, brother!" she called out, grabbing my hand.
My steps were heavy. An unfamiliar feeling throbbed in my chest.
What am I getting myself into...?
The air smelled sweetly of freshly baked bread. That smell... it was so familiar, and there was a strange warmth in it that tickled the pit of my stomach.
In front of us was a small, two-storey half-timbered house with a wooden sign that said 'Louvan Bakery' in the language of this world. The sunlight fell on the windows at an angle, causing small specks of light to dance on the ground. The window panes were slightly steamed up, and behind them you could see the silhouettes of loaves of bread and sweet pastries.
"A... Bakery?" I mumbled, blinking in confusion.
Rin, the half-wolf girl with white hair, turned to me with a wide smile. Her red eyes sparkled vividly, as if she was about to announce a big surprise.
"Yes, this is our home. We've lived here for almost two years," she explained proudly and pushed the door open with a firm tug.
A small bell above the door rang in a bright, cheerful tinkle that made me pause for a moment. It wasn't a loud noise, but there was something homely about it. Somehow reassuring.
As soon as I crossed the threshold, a wave of warmth enveloped me. It wasn't the oppressive heat of a forge or the flickering warmth of a campfire. No, this was different. It was the warmth of a building, the warmth of a home.
The inside of the bakery was smaller than I had expected, but it still felt... big. The air was heavy with the smell of yeast, sugar and butter. Freshly baked rolls, pieces of cake and something resembling a croissant lay neatly on a large table. Everything was neatly lined up like a big party was about to begin. The floor was made of cleanly scrubbed wood, and small hand-carved decorations in the shape of bread loaves and wheat ears hung on the walls.
"Mom, Dad! I'm back... and I've brought someone with me!" Rin called into the room.
Her voice echoed in the quiet bakery, but no one answered. The only sounds were the ticking of a wall clock and the soft cracking of wood stretching in the heat of the oven.
Suddenly, soft footsteps sounded from the back of the bakery. A woman stepped out, she had white, shoulder-length hair and her red eyes looked like Rin's and mine, her wolf ears twitched slightly when she noticed us. She wore a simple apron over a brown dress, while in her hands she held a large tray full of steaming loaves.
"Welcome back, Rin. How was the fe-"
Her eyes drifted to me. Her voice stopped abruptly. The tray in her hands tipped.
There was a loud clink as the tray hit the floor. The steaming loaves were rolling in all directions, but no one paid any attention. Her eyes widened. The edges of her lips trembled. Time seemed to have stopped for a moment.
"... Gyuren...?"
Her voice was barely more than a whisper. Her red eyes filled with tears that made their way inexorably down her cheeks. Her hands covered her mouth forcing herself not to scream, but her body shook.
'Gyuren'... that's what she called me. So that was his name.
"Mom?" Rin whispered cautiously, unsure if she should come closer. Her ears twitched nervously and her eyes wandered back and forth between me and mother.
Then someone else came. This time it seemed to be faster footsteps that got louder and louder until a tall man stepped out from the same direction as the woman. He was strongly built, almost like a lumberjack, but he was wearing white baker's clothes. Light brown, tousled hair, gray eyes, and... no beast ears.
A normal person? Was that the father?
"What happened?!" he asked in a booming voice, looking at his wife, who was still trembling.
His gaze then rested on me, I could see the emotions mingling in his eyes.
Damn... What should I do now?
"Uh... hey." I raised my hand slightly and waved with a wry smile. A clumsy attempt to lighten the atmosphere.
"Gyuren!!!" Rin's mother rushed forward. Her footsteps echoed on the wooden floor like thunderclaps, before I could react she grabbed me by the collar and pulled my face so close to hers that I could feel her wet tears.
"Where have you been all this time? What were you thinking, to just disappear?"
Huh? Disappear? ...What is she talking about?
"Calm down a bit, dear. He's just came back, let him rest for a while." suggested the woman's husband.
Following his advice, we sat down at one of the wooden tables that are usually reserved for guests. The twins sat next to me, while Rin and her mother were sitting on the other side. Rin's father went back to the kitchen to serve us a few snacks. But as soon as he returned with a trolley containing hot tea and small plates of small cakes, the whole dilemma started all over again. While the father was handing out the cakes, the mother opened her mouth.
"Now tell me, where have you been? What were you doing till now? Do you even eat regularly? Are you injured somewhere?"
"Don't ask him so many questions at once, dear."
"But..."
"We should rather be glad that our son has returned to us safe and sound."
After hearing his words, the mother remained silent for a moment to calm down again. She wiped the tears from her face and looked at me again, smiling gently.
"That's right. It's good to have you with us again, Gyuren." She giggled.
For a moment, I was relieved that she had stopped asking. Maybe this moment would be a good chance to tell them the truth. That I am not that Gyuren. Normally, I would and should keep my identity as a secret, but... This is his family. According to the mother, this boy disappeared two years ago and went to someplace. However, God said that he decided to explore the world and go on an adventure. Unfortunately, I can't put together which story is correct.
It stayed quiet for a few more minutes, Rin took a sip of the black tea, the children took a bite of the apple pie and looked happy, but I still sat tense on the chair and didn't move a bit. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know how to start.
Unexpectedly, the father spoke, noticing the tense air between us all.
"By the way, Gyuren. Who have you brought with you? Why are these two lovely girls with you?"
After that question, I knew I'd be screwed if I gave them an answer. I have to say something now...
But I was too slow...
"I'm Eiko."
"Reiko."
"We're Papa's daughters."
I'm dead...
Appearing to have been struck by lightning, Rin and her parents were paralyzed and fell silent. They were quite shocked by this answer. No wonder. Who wouldn't be shocked if their child returned home after an eternity and then suddenly brought their own children with them? Even though I'm not their son, I still knew I was screwed.
"And where is ... your Papa?" mother asked cautiously, her voice faltering.
Naturally, the twins clung onto my arms.
Suddenly, veins were visible on their foreheads. Her voice echoed in my skull like a war horn being blown right next to my ear as she held me by the collar again.
"WHO have you knocked up! I want to see her NOW!!!"
"How could you, brother?"
"My son has become a man." Unlike the other two, Rin's father was surprisingly proud, so much so that he even cried.
The situation had really gotten out of hand. And my nerves were starting to get a bit frayed. I couldn't hold back any longer...
"LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE!!!" I shouted from the bottom of my throat, my voice drowning out the din. Everyone fell silent. Even the father, who was still blubbering proudly a few seconds ago. The air was so tense that I felt like I had to count every breath.
I remained silent for a moment as I looked at Rin and her parents with their widened eyes, searching for words. Words that I had thought of long ago and just had to say, but my voice couldn't make a sound.
I looked depressed at the delicious-looking cake and the black tea next to it, the steam diminishing minute by minute.
In this brief period of silence, I tried to look back through the time I had spent so far, both in this world and in the other. I searched for a moment when I had experienced a scenario similar to this one, to figure out the best way to start my sentence and how to continue.
However, in my memories, I never had such a moment, such a serious conversation. Except for... the day after my first night here, in this world. I don't know how, but at that time, when Monika was facing me, I was able to talk to her about it normally, even though we didn't know each other personally, she listened to me, which calmed me down.
However, this situation is a little different, unfortunately it's not Monika sitting in front of me, with her sparkling emerald green eyes reassuring me, but the family of a boy whose body I had taken over. I was desperate and only wished that Monika was next to me.
A long time ago, I realized how much and how often I have been thinking about Monika since we first met. It was love at first sight, but I realized that very recently. Love can be really misleading, I thought to myself then. There are times when you can only achieve something together, not just fighting monsters, but also sticking with each other, helping out when you have problems.
I could really appreciate that help right now...
"I... I have to tell you something," I stuttered. "I'm not who you think I am."
Mother looked at me questioningly. "What do you mean? Are you okay, Gyuren?"
"... I'm... not Gyu-..."
Before I could finish my sentence, the earth shook and a loud bang almost burst my eardrums. The walls shook, the window panes cracked but didn't shatter, and a quick glance outside through the glass window might have given me a glimpse of the cause. But all I saw was a large, dense cloud of dust.
What happened? Was this town under attack now too? I was worried, worried that the same thing would happen today as yesterday in Alderè. But was it really? The thought and the possibility that he, my father, might also commit an attack today is by no means out of question. Or is it possibly another member, for example this Number Two?
The walls calmed down again, just like the floor, and I looked anxiously at the twins, who I quickly took into my arms to protect them. I was relieved to see that they were unharmed, then I looked up at the three people in front of me.
Nothing happened to them either, apparently. Like me, the father was protecting two people, Rin and the mother.
The chair I was sitting on slid back when I quickly got up and walked towards the exit. I carefully opened the door with my left hand, the fingers of my right hand curled like I wanted to scratch someone or something with it. I was ready to use the Skill Super Claw in case of an attack.
The door was now open, but when I took a quick look at the entire street, I saw nothing unnatural. Okay, there was something unnatural. The music of the festival, that had been blaring throughout the town until recently, fell silent and only anguished, loud voices could be heard.
I ran out quickly, followed by the twins and the others. I looked to my right, where a running crowd of people could be seen.
I couldn't get the question of what might happened out of my head, and the uneasy feeling that it was another attack by the organization made my stomach churn. But then my ears picked up a decisive word that this crowd was shouting incessantly.
"MONSTER!!!"
Monster??
Seconds later, I saw something strange. A moving shadow. At this moment, it is normal for many shadows to move at once, but it is not the shadow of the people in front of us, but the shadow on a house.
A slender, lizard-like creature was clawing at the outside wall of a house. A second later, it showed its dark, shimmering skin, which startled me.
No wonder he could hide in the shadows.
His eyes glowed green when he saw his prey, the humans in front of him. "Chrrr... khhhsss..." A rasping almost rattling hiss sounded from its large mouth as a dangerous looking black mist slowly came out of its mouth.
I knew I had to do something quickly to protect the townspeople. If the guards or another adventurer were anywhere nearby, I would have to keep the lizard on its toes for the time being until possible support arrived.
My plan was set, but for some reason my legs weren't moving and my hands were shaking slightly. But why? I didn't know the answer to my own question.
More or less, I already knew that I was about to get into a fight, whether it was monsters, or members of the organization, or whoever. However, something deep inside is holding me back... It's fear. Fear that I'll make a mistake, that people will get hurt or die again.
Yesterday I ate this suspicious purple flower, which gave me strength and allowed me to level up a lot. But the levels in my status are nothing more than numbers, they don't indicate whether I can win or lose against someone. I'm either strong or I'm not. In this case, I'm probably not...
"We have to get out of here as soon as possible!" shouted the father, taking Eiko and Reiko's small hands, intending to run in the other direction, down the street behind me.
"Chrrr..." Another hiss went through my ears, and I slowly turned around with widened eyes.
"Kyaaaaaaahhh!!!" Mother and Rin screeched loudly as another dark shimmering lizard appeared in front of them.
Damn it! There's two of them?!
Now I was useless, I didn't know what to do. If I fight one of the two lizards, then no matter what, someone will get hurt, but if I do nothing, then everyone is dead.
Dead... that thought again. All I've been thinking about lately is death. No matter where I am, that word haunts me everywhere, it scares me. I can't get the images of my own corpse and those of the people I've seen so far, like yesterday's, out of my head. Bloodied, lifeless bodies before my eyes, people I could have saved if I were strong enough. ...No, if I had the courage! The courage to break out of my cocoon of cowardice! ...Then... Then I surely could have helped Monika.
"Papa!" a childish voice calls for someone. She's calling for me. My eyes turned to her, it was Eiko. She and Reiko were looking at me grimly. No, they weren't grim, their eyes were blazing like fire and shone completely, unlike mine.
"We'll take care of this monster, please save the people of this town!" said Reiko.
"Huh?" I was taken aback. I didn't know what to say in response. Of course, I could have said that this was an insane, suicidal idea. But somehow, I could trust her words. Of course I could, they saved my life yesterday after all.
Somehow, I'm embarrassed that my children were the ones who woke me up to reality. But I don't have to be embarrassed at all! Because I knew I could count on them!
"I'm sorry, Eiko Reiko. I'll hurry to help you. Protect Rin and your grandparents, okay?"
"Got it!"
"Grandparents?!"
"Rhoooaaaar!!!" A roar burned from my throat as I charged at the lizard with glowing green eyes. The black mist from its mouth became thicker, causing the others to also notice the monster behind them. Agitated, they ran in all directions, unclear in which corners and alleys.
To stop this mist, I used a Skill based on the Wind attribute, Silent Blow. Silent but strong gusts of wind swept through the street and blew the mist away, more or less. The lizard noticed me and stared at me. I didn't mind its frightening gaze and the clash of its claws as it turned its body towards me, and I kept running, my left hand stretched forward to activate the next Skill, Chain Prison.
Out of the paved stone path long big metal chains broke their way through, chaining their target, while my left hand was with releasing and completing the Skill, my right hand glowed in a purple colored fire, this fire manifested into the shape of a longsword with a curled blade, my beloved demon sword Demon Tears.
The black blade of the sword began to vibrate and glowed in a green color, after activating a weapon enhancement skill, also called Weapon Skill, both my sword and my whole body moved all by itself, as if it was controlled by a system.
I jumped off the ground with all my strength, my sword over my right shoulder. Followed by a quick movement from top right to bottom left, straight afterwards, a cut from top left to bottom right, creating a green shining X.
This was the two-hit combo of the One-Hand-Sword category Bound Edge.
After finishing the Skill, I landed on the brown roof of the house next door and saw the big black lizard, covered in blood, rub against the wall of the house and fall down. Thereupon the chains disappeared.
But now was no time to hesitate, I quickly turned to the other lizard, the one that was held at bay by Reiko and Eiko.
The monster hissed while a black mist protruded out of its mouth as well.
"Watch out for the mist!!!" I shouted to them. But from the looks of it, I needn't have worried.
The dragon twins were standing side by side, a few meters in front of Rin and her parents, they seemed to be breathing deeply, causing their cheeks to puff out. Then with one pull, they both simultaneously opened their mouths as wide as they could and let out a huge fire.
This fire blazed in the same white as the flames that had protected me yesterday.
When I saw this, I was surprised again, realizing what the two of them could do, and it made me proud in some way, leaving a slight smile on my face.
"Crrrrr..." The monster turned its head to the side and the mist from its mouth disappeared, instead it suddenly moved its whole body.
At first, I didn't understand what it was up to, but after looking at its rear half, I figured it out. Unlike the lizard I had just defeated, this lizard had two long, whip-like tails, allowing it to slaughter anyone with a single blow.
The twins seemed not to be aware of it, since they were still in the middle of their attack and probably couldn't see through the dense flames.
The curled blade of my longsword, again over my right shoulder, was surrounded by several long purple veils of darkness, drawing a line behind it.
Jumping off the roof with all my strength, the glowing blade became three times longer, and with a diagonal sword slash, with high speed and precision, I was able to slice the large body of this black lizard in half.
After a final soft hiss from the monster, it finally fell silent, my sword reverted to its original form and then disappeared in small pale flames.
"Papa!" The twins jumped towards me, followed by Rin and the others.
"Brother!"
"Gyuren!" the mother finally called out. "Are you all right? Are you injured?" she asked worriedly.
I reassured her with a smile and said that everything was fine. But she didn't really seem to believe me and palpated me completely, even if I refused. However, she seemed to be stronger than she looked like, at least her grips hurt a lot when she pulled me towards her.
After a short while I was released, but that wasn't the end of it.
I couldn't get the thought out of my head that there might be more of these lizards in this town. So I asked the three of them, along with Eiko and Reiko, to go inside while I, along with the soldiers and adventurers of this town, searched for more monsters.
In the end, three more of these lizards were found, but they had already been defeated by someone whose identity was unknown.
I wondered who this someone was, but we couldn't find any clues about this person. All I can say is that all the bodies had their heads sliced off with one clean slash.
I was stunned when I saw that cut, it seemed like the fighter didn't have to use a Skill or anything to kill three of those lizards.
Unlike me, I had to use the strongest Weapon Skill I knew so far, Dead End. Even though it was an exceptional case because I had to hurry, I couldn't defeat them without using a Weapon Skill.
After three hours, the investigations were over and I went back to the bakery, where not only Reiko and Eiko were waiting for me, but also Rin, mother and father, to whom I still had to convey the truth about my identity.
Even though I'm still unsure how to explain it to them...
The sky turned red when I was standing in front of the bakery entrance, hesitating to open the door.
I swallowed briefly, trying to gather my courage to open the door. After a bell rang, I took a step inside and looked at the whole room, but there was no one visible.
Shortly afterwards, I heard a slight crack of burning wood coming from one of the back rooms.
So I walked through the corridor with heavy thoughts until I saw a flickering light coming from a room. When I arrived in that room, I found myself in a living room with a flickering fire on the opposite side of the room. In this room there was also a long sofa, a couch and a small table in front of it. On the couch sat a tall man with two little sleeping girls with different colored hair on his lap. Two other figures with long hair and animal ears were sitting on the sofa.
After stepping into this room, I heard a soft creaking of the old wooden floor, which attracted the attention of these people.
"Oh, welcome back, Gyuren," said the mother.
"Gosh, brother, it took you so long," Rin sulked.
I remained quiet and said nothing, my eyes wandering to the brown wood under my feet.
The flickering shadows of the fireplace cast a warm but oppressive light on the living room.
The silence that surrounded us was almost overwhelming. My throat was dry, my heart was beating like a drum roll in my chest.
Would I really dare to tell the truth? This question suddenly flashed through my mind.
Mother's voice broke the silence, so gentle and yet full of concern. "Is something wrong? You look so depressed."
Her narrow, questioning eyes fixed on me. There was an innocence in her eyes that I would prefer not to destroy. But that was not in my strength. Nevertheless, it was time to reveal everything.
I had no other choice...
"I..." My voice trembled. "I have to confess something."
A nervous smile appeared on her face. "Confess? What could it possibly be that sounds so serious?"
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It felt like I was jumping down a precipice. "I'm not who you think I am. I... am not your son Gyuren."
Rin laughed out, a shrill, nervous laugh that filled the room. "Hahaha! Stop joking around, brother! It's not funny, haha!"
But I remained serious and raised my eyes to meet her gaze. Her uncertainty was reflected on her face when she realized I wasn't joking.
"Rin... The only reason I asked you to bring me to our parents was to tell you guys the truth. Your family member, Gyuren... Is no longer in this world since more than four months."
The words hung heavy upon the air, like they were made of lead. Rin's eyes widened, her lips trembled when she tried to say something, but no sound escaped her lips.
Mother sat rigidly, her hands clenched in her lap, while Father continued to sit on the couch with a serious expression.
Then the façade broke.
"My son is..."
A soft whimper escaped Mother, her shoulders began to shake. "Gyuren... my little..." Tears running down her cheeks, she hid them with her hands.
Rin pounded her fists on the small table and jumped up. "Lie! That's a lie! Brother is alive! I mean, you're standing right in front of us!" Her voice was shrill with desperation, but fear shone in her eyes.
I lowered my head again. "That's because I took over his body. This body may belong to Gyuren, but his soul... is already gone."
A soft, almost resigned sigh came from father. "I thought so."
All eyes turned to him. Mother looked over at him with teary eyes, her voice trembling. "You... you knew about this, darling?"
He nodded slowly. "I realized just by holding and wielding your sword, that you were not our son."
His voice was calm. "You know, when Gyuren was a child, he often asked me to practise sword-fighting with him. But he was so clumsy that he kept falling on this nose and could barely hold his practice sword. But you..." He scrutinized me. "You're the exact opposite of him. The way you wield your sword, and your skills could equal the strength of the golden lioness Elaine."
A wry smile flitted across my face. "Heh... hehe. Was it really that obvious? Hehehe." It sounded more like a desperate laugh than genuine humor.
But a storm was raging inside me. I wanted to scream, I wanted to throw the burden of this revelation off me, or so I thought...
Suddenly, I felt arms wrapped around me. It was mother. Her embrace was warm and trembling at the same time. "Thank you." she whispered softly.
I froze. "Huh?"
"Thank you for showing us his face one more time." she said as her tears dripped onto my shoulder.
My heart contracted, and before I realized it, a strange liquid was leaking from my eyes.
Are those tears? I... I don't understand. Why am I crying? Why? ...Is it because Gyuren died? Or is it... this hug? This warmth... feels so nice.
I think... I have longed so much to be hugged like this by someone.
Father stepped forward after carefully placing the sleeping twins on the couch and placed a hand on my shoulder. "We will not accept his death just like that. His death is a great loss and a great shock to us. But this reminded me of a sentence that a young man once taught me when I was a child. No matter how sad you are, keep smiling, because that's the only way to succeed in this world."
Rin, who had been holding back her tears all this time, sniffled and managed a shaky smile. Her eyes were red, but her lips formed a gentle smile.
In that room, so heavy with grief, there was nothing but the faint sound of sobs from all of us. And yet I felt something change. Some of this crushing weight seemed to lift from me.
Perhaps... I had finally found a place where I could belong.
The hours passed and the darkness wrapped the houses in this street.
Suddenly, a storm raged outside. The rain pattered against the window, a monotonous, reassuring pounding.
Looking out of the window, I was worried about Shia, but she was safe in a stable and the staff assured me that our horse was in good hands, which relieved me a little.
However, due to the storm, we have to spend the night in this town. It would be too dangerous to set foot outside the town walls at night.
The others in Almone are probably worried about us, especially Anna. Knowing her, she would make her way here despite the storm. Even if that is a bit exaggerated...
Rin was curled up in a corner of the sofa, her eyes half closed. Mother had gotten up at some time and retreated to the kitchen, perhaps to calm down. But Dad was sitting on the couch again, after we had put the twins in Rin's bed together, watching me in silence.
"What are you going to do now?" he asked suddenly.
I lowered my head. "I'm... We're going to leave the town tomorrow morning and make our way back to Almone. There are people waiting for our return."
"I see... Kaito... or whatever your name is now. You're here right now. And as long as you're with us, you're part of this family."
I looked up in surprise. "You would accept me even though I'm not Gyuren?"
"We accept you because it was you who told us the truth. That takes courage. In this world, courage is often more important than blood," he said.
These words were reverberating in my head like the echo of a gong that wouldn't stop. Courage... more important than blood? How could that be? How could someone like me, an intruder, a stranger, ever earn the right to be part of something I had so abruptly disrupted?
I stared into the embers of the fireplace, which were slowly threatening to go out.
The storm outside grew louder, the winds howled through the night, and the rain pelted harder against the windows.
Those were the only sounds I heard that night...
The next morning, the three of us were ready to make our way back. But first, of course, we had to say goodbye to mother, father and Rin.
The previous night was very tense, but today they seemed normal again, like nothing had happened. At least they made it look that way...
"Thank you for letting us stay here overnight... and... I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize." Mother said gently.
"Right! A true man knows no sorrow!" said father encouragingly.
"If you need anything, don't hesitate and come by any time."
I nodded and wanted to walk away slowly, hand in hand with the twins. But then Rin's voice suddenly rang out. She hadn't made a sound since last night.
"Brother. You may be someone else, but this is still my brother's body."
"Yeah, I know."
"So, whatever soul may be in his body, you are and always will be my big brother!"
"Rin..." I was surprised and didn't know what else to say.
"... Brother. Would you please close your eyes for a moment?" she asked me. I looked confused and didn't know what she was up to. Her hands were hidden behind her back, not knowing if she was holding something or not.
"What? Why?" I asked cautiously.
"Just do it!" Rin got loud.
"Okay, okay." At Rin's request, I closed my eyes, which somehow gave me a deja vu, a sensation from not too long ago.
Then I felt it... something warm, soft, but also slightly ticklish on my left cheek. I immediately remembered the situation from back then, the moment when Loli had suddenly kissed me to make our contract.
Luckily it wasn't on the mouth this time! I said to myself, but it was still unpleasant. Especially because mother and father were standing in front of us. Mother's face was red, and she was holding her hands in front of her eyes, but she was peeking between her fingers. Meanwhile, Dad stood there with his mouth wide open, not being able to process the moment.
So did the twins, who were next to me, watching in horror. Like someone had stolen their important moment.
For my part, I turned bright red, opened my eyes and simply screamed loudly...
"EEEEHHHHHHHHH???"