After the handshake, Heinkel led Alvaro through the interior of the place. Heinkel then led him to a building near what was called the Astrea manor. Apparently it was the manor of the House Astrea which is a noble house in the Kingdom of Lugnica.
Originally Heinkel offered Alvaro to stay inside there, but Alvaro declined opting for a smaller place to reside. It wasn't like Alvaro dislike fancy places, it was just that they remind him way too much of back home.
Living in luxury while not being happy.
He didn't want to relive his past memories. As such, he chose to stay in a more humble looking place. Plus he liked to work for the things he wanted. During the whole tour, the nagging pain he experienced each step had gotten worse. The wound had been opening. Luckily, he rested once the tour was over.
Heinkel had left on some business, so Alvaro was left all alone, resting on a bed. Due to the time being consumed by the tour, it was already night. Not to mention that Alvaro couldn't go to sleep. He slowly pushed the covers off as he struggled to stand properly.
Heavy steps were taken, Alvaro trudged through what seemed to be quicksand just to leave his room. Since it was the middle of the night his neighbors were asleep. Taking heavy breaths, Alvaro gazed at the sky. His actions were abnormal. He knew that yet he still did it anyway. For what reason? Even he didn't know himself.
Even though it was night, the moon shone so brightly because it was surrounded by darkness.
Truly a beautiful sight.
Now that Alvaro had survived, what was next to him? The only thing that could've possibly guided him disappeared by his own hands. Alvaro bit his lip, gazing at the sky. He desperately looked around as if trying to find something only for naught.
Alvaro used all his strength to keep walking.
To an unknown future.
Pain filled his body, the white bandages were painted red as the bandages absorbed the newfound blood. A persistent emotion that once lingering was more present than ever.
Guilt.
Stop it. Please…
He hated this. The guilt ate everything inside him, making him feel more pain than any physical torment. Alvaro ran his nails up and down his arm, deeply peeling off skin. All of this to get rid of it.
"Please! I hate this! My family is dead! Why was I the one to survive?! Please someone tell me!" Alvaro shouted, stretching his arms.
"Why was I brought here?! I know there's someone who can tell me! Tell me! Please!"
In the middle of the night the shouts of a man could be heard throughout the area.
His throat dry, adding to the horrific sound of him shouting. There was no anger in his voice, only desperation.
Alvaro's outburst would be remembered around the area, but nobody would ever identify him.
That's if he lived that night.
Once his energy depleted, Alvaro could only give one last cry.
"To return by de—-"
Alvaro never finished the sentence as an invisible force crushed his heart. It was as if the entity got annoyed by his screaming and decided to shut him up.
"Ah…"
Alvaro collapsed on the ground. His eyelids wide open in confusion. He could no longer struggle as his life flickered in and out. As a candle being blown, his life went out just as fast.
Alvaro woke up clutching his heart in immense agony.
He gasp for air like a fish out the water.
"Haaah…"
When observing his surroundings, he found that he was in the same place before leaving the place due to his outburst. Soon the pain subsided as if never was there in the first place.
Alvaro had a longing expression present.
There was definitely something that summoned him yet it wasn't for the reason he thought of. From the mysterious entity perspective he was nothing more than a guinea pig, being a subject to whatever they wanted to accomplish.
He could only mutter a single word.
"Why?"
A single word that has been used so many times by him ever since coming into this world.
All of his questions were shrouded in mystery, mocking him of his failure.
Alvaro no longer had any energy in him, and he quietly laid down.
I wonder, if this unknown thing that gave me this ability liked me what would the outcome be? How much better would it be?
Whether Alvaro's assumption was right or wrong at the end of the day he got the same ability by the thing that crushed his heart.
I don't feel any physical pain, but the fear is engraved in me.
His teeth clatter.
The amount of fear was equal to the amount of hate he felt for this thing that took away everything precious to him.
Hahahaha…
What are you going to do when you find your next victim?!
I bet in your twisted logic you'll find a way to make them suffer!
What? Let some teenager go through this?!
You're going to let an innocent person go through this?!
I better be the only one summoned in here. But of course you won't listen to that. Even if I beg you to not let them experience this amount of suffering.
Just who is behind this?
Well, probably a fucking bitch who will make her loved one's life hell. Heh, that's if it can even feel emotions.
You have my sympathy, fellow people forced into this world.
Although he felt resentment, he let it go for just this time. He couldn't afford to be against the thing in control. Plus he has more important things to do than to just insult it.
As such, he drifted off to sleep.
He awoke to the sunlight shining through the window nearby. Rubbing his eyes, Alvaro sighed. He somehow got a hold of some alcohol and drank. In reality it was water, but Alvaro couldn't care less.
"¿Qué estoy haciendo con mi vida? Cada pinche día me pregunto lo mismo, lástima que nunca hay una respuesta para ayudarme."
Finally, one of the spirits appeared. The fire spirit flew in a circle around Alvaro, making it seem like a red ring appeared.
"Isn't it the middle of the day, shouldn't you get up."
"La neta no tengo ganas de hacer nada. Deja me descansar, morra."
Witnessing this Sol called the other spirits.
"Is he okay?"
"I mean, he got stabbed yesterday."
"But why is speaking another language?"
"Ocho en punto y como siempre. Parecía un día normal. Dos hermanos, un destino. Una madre y un papá. 7 años tenía el niño. Del que les vengo a cantar. Pero voy a regresarme. Una semana para atrás."
"Oh, now he's signing."
"He's drunk."
"How?"
"I don't know, but he is!"
Poor Alvaro was so depressed that he drank some water and did his best to activate the placebo effect. Luckily it worked for him.
"Y ese día fue el final. Que mi hijo el más pequeño. A la escuela iría a estudiar. Los carteles de la mafia. Cuentas iban a ajustar. Y con una bala perdida. Me destrozaban mi hogar."
"La sorpresa es fatal. Que mi hijo el de 18. Muy involucrado está. Con la muerte, con las drogas. Participa en la crueldad. Y en la muerte de su hermano. Fue el autor, intelectual."
"Soy otro en la suma nada más. Que es víctima del diario. En la corrupta sociedad. Todos sabemos de alguien. Que hace daño a los demás. Y sus errores yo solía solapar. Y hoy vengo a delatar. Al matón que anda en la calle. Forma parte de mi hogar. Uno menos que ande suelto. Al mundo le servirá. Si tú conoces, un hijo igual al mío...Por favor, denuncia ya."
"Oh, he finished."
"Go check on him."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Now go."
"Pedro y Pablo eran hermanos. Y amigos inseparables. Quedaron abandonados. Cuando murieron sus padres. Pedro, el mayor se decía. Que a Pablo nada le falte. Pedro habló con entereza:– Tienes que seguir la escuela. Tienes muy buena cabeza. Yo me voy aunque nos duela. Yo trabajo y tú estudias. Al cabo que el tiempo vuela."
"Wait, he's starting again!"
"Wow, a new song."
"You're impressed by that?!"
"Así termina la historia, no queda más que contar. De otro paisano que arriesga la vida y que muere como ilegal. De aquel José, que mil sueños tenía y que a casa…Jamás volverá." Cantó con todo su corazón, pero al terminar él empezó a llorar.
"What's going on?! Why are we switching languages?"
"Aren't we supposed to understand it?"
"What?!"
"¿Quieren escuchar algo chistoso? Tenía un compa que tuvo un hijo debido a que no se puso condón, ¿Y sabes que lo llamó? ¡Solovin! Jajajaja, ¡solovino!"
"Is he really going to be okay?"
"That's a good question."
"I wonder."
"Yeah, this isn't going to work," Alvaro sighed.
"Wait whaaaat???"
"Woaaah."
"Hm?"
"I thought you were drunk!"
"Nah, I was just pretending to be."
"I guess I can't just sit around and do nothing," Alvaro sighed once again.
The best possible analogy currently was when you didn't want to do anything, but external forces forced you to do it. Alvaro knew he couldn't live like this, there was no form or way he could support this kind of lifestyle.
"Time to start the day," he sighed, wincing at the slight pain.
A knock could be heard outside the entrance. Approaching the door, Alvaro opened the door to reveal the figure of Heinkel.
"I'm visiting to check if you're fully healed," he said, holding a few apples or appas which was what they called it here.
"Yeah, I'm fine now," Alvaro lied.
"That's good, may I enter?"
"Go ahead, make yourself at home."
Now, why did Heinkel believe Alvaro's lie? Well, the one who healed was the best healer in the country. While it's common for the patients to experience pain, it will gradually go away.
However unbeknownst to Heinkel, although the wound was healed Alvaro still experienced severe pain every step he took.
This wasn't the fault of the healer by any means. For some reason something prevented Alvaro's body from fully healing, a curse placed by the unknown entity.
Of course, neither Heinkel or Alvaro could grasp the significance for the time being.
Whatever brought Alvaro into this world, held no regard to his well-being. In a sense Alvaro was correct, he was no more than an insignificant person in the eyes of it. It was after something else, more specifically a certain person.
"Here. These are for you," Heinkel somewhat forcefully handed them to Alvaro.
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
Biting into the juicy apple, Alvaro could tell these were of high quality. Savoring the taste, Alvaro finished the first apple.
"Heinkel, I was wondering if there are any jobs hiring people."
"Shouldn't you rest just in case the wounds open up?"
"It should be fine, I can't take advantage of your goodwill."
"Hmm…" mused Heinkel.
"Okay, fine. I'm going to see what I can do, but only under one condition."
"What is it?" Alvaro wondered in curiosity.
"You're going to rest until then," Heinkel ordered.
"…Fine," Alvaro accepted with hesitation.
"Make sure to rest properly!" Heinkel said as he left.
"Oh, I forgot he got duties," Alvaro muttered.
For a moment Alvaro smiled happily, though it soon vanished. He didn't really get what was going on. He was still new to this land.
"I guess, we're all alone?" Alvaro addressed the floating orbs.
"I guess so."
"You could say so."
"Perhaps so."
"Are you doing that on purpose?"
"Of course not."
"Definitely not."
"No."
"Forget it, I'm going to sleep."
This was all an excuse to just stare at the ceiling. It wasn't even entertaining at all, yet he couldn't feel bothered to do anything else.
This is why Alvaro kept himself busy all the time. So much so that he could be considered a workaholic. When working all his thoughts could be repressed, and much more important. When not visiting his family in his free time, the little free time was spent working out. For some reason, he felt a bit happier after each workout.
I miss home.
I want to go back.
But…
Do I have anything to come back to?
Everyone is dead, my family, my friends, everything I care for is now gone.
So, is there a purpose in going back to my original world?
Yet…
Why do I want to go back!? To my land, to my country!
I think I know why.
I simply want to be happy. To experience happiness once again, to do that I want to return to my homeland to feel some sort of accomplishment on being back.
Then, that means I should find a purpose in this world. I'm already blessed to have met Heinkel. He's one of the few people who has helped me without expecting something in return.
I need to repay him by being as much a friend to him as he is to me. Quite strange that I already consider him a friend after only meeting him for a day.
Still, if I'm going to fail, at least I'll be struggling.
A/N
Poor mc suffering. At least he resolved himself at the end!
Also, in the future with the mc being actually happy. But I won't say how long that will take or how long it will last.
To that one reader, yes this story takes place before reinhard was five years old. In fact it takes place before he was even born.
