Many thanks to TheColourPurple, author of Pride's Greed; and Pidgie, author of The Price of Hatred, for beta reading this.

Also for the vitual headpats because I really do need those.

We have art now! Made by the great AOUI. /a/C9fg1Ev (pretend it's an imgur link because is a bitch and breaks links)

Now that chapter 1 has been rewritten, next thing to be published should be either the fanfic for the december exchange, or Stars that form the Future 5.

re:kids, more like re:kys if you're gonna ask for it, heh

It was a regular evening in the Natsuki household. The sounds of soft humming and the sizzling of meat being cooked filled the kitchen in familiar harmony.

A middle-aged woman of average height stood in front of the stove, wearing an orange apron with white stripes and holding a spatula in her right hand. Her hazel eyes, focused on the fire, held a look of displeasure. However, anyone who knew her could tell that her eyes betrayed her intentions, for that gaze was nothing but gentle.

Hearing someone rushing down the stairs, she snapped back to reality. She had lost herself in her thoughts and forgot to flip the hamburgers she was cooking.

"Natsumi? Where are you going?" she asked, flipping the three hamburgers one by one. Luckily, they were just a little burnt, a great improvement over her three out of three pitch-black meat record.

A few steps to the left of the staircase stood a teenage girl of above average height, heading towards the hallway leading to the main door. With a hairband tucked between her lips, she had stretched her arms behind her back to tie her hair into a high ponytail. She pulled the band tight, pulling on strands of jet black hair until it fell neatly around her neck and collarbone.

Her hands and mouth now free, she pulled her bangs to the left so they didn't cover her eye, before fixing her gaze on her mother.

"I'm going to the store real quick," she said, her tone as cheerful as always. She pointed at the fridge a few steps to the right of Naoko and continued, "We ran out of mayo at lunch but I was too busy studying to go and buy some."

Naoko let out a soft 'oh' as if the reason for her daughter to go out couldn't have been more obvious. She realized that her daughter had, once again, been too careless about her own appearance, and called her out as she kicked off her slippers.

"Now? In those clothes? You can't go out in pajamas, what will everyone think of you?" she said, putting her hands on her hips and frowning. Her daughter was too carefree in some aspects, and her appearance was one of those. It looked like her wedding would be the only time she would see her in a feminine way.

Rolling her eyes, Natsumi let out an exasperated sigh.

"Come on Mom, the hamburgers are almost ready. If I don't go out now they'll be cold by the time I come back." She grabbed the hem of her black shirt patterned with orange stripes before letting it go. "And these clothes aren't that bad. They're comfy enough to go outside."

Naoko kept frowning for a while before giving up and sighing. She walked up to Natsumi, grabbing a handkerchief along the way and wiping her hands.

"Do you have your wallet? Your phone?" she asked, knitting her eyebrows in concern.

Natsumi inserted her hand into her back pocket and took out a plain wallet and a white smartphone with a sticker of a white-haired girl on the back, waving the two objects before her mother's eyes.

Naoko looked at her with a slight mirth, her eyes denoting a slight tint of worry. Seeing her mother's reaction, Natsumi slipped them back into her pocket.

Crouching down, she picked up a pair of gray sneakers from the floor and put them on, tying the shoelaces together. Standing up, she grabbed a pair of keys from a short table near the door and faced her mother for one last time.

"Take care," Naoko said, waving her hand. Her eyes were closed and her lips curved into a smile. Seeing her mother's warm, gentle smile, Natsumi felt her heart tug, as pangs of guilt struck at her chest. Clenching her hand, she silently turned away. She twisted the door's handle and whispered,

"I will."

With those words, Natsumi closed the door behind her and set off into the night.

Little did she know that she'd never keep her promise.


Now outside, she headed towards the nearest convenience store, just a few streets away. She took out her phone, checking the time: 8:42pm. Looking at the starry sky, she sighed. Tonight would be a long study session.

"Perhaps I can buy some snacks as well…" she mused.

Tapping the calendar's icon, just as she had done every day for the past few weeks, she took yet another look at the date of her impending doom.

January 14th, the day when the entrance exams for the local university began.

"If I pass I'll be one step closer to achieving my dream," she spoke to herself. "Dad and mom will be happy, right? Her tone was soft and weak, like a scared child. "I'll go to university, graduate, and work in the NAOJ. Maybe I'll even discover a new star and name it!"

She kept walking, not paying attention to the street she had walked on for the past seventeen years, losing herself to the depths of her mind.

"On June 21, Mitsuhi-" she started whispering, repeating word by word what was written in her textbook. Her thoughts came to an end once one of the lamps went haywire and flashed a few times in quick succession.

Natsumi's eyes widened, and she took a step backwards. Realizing she had been scared by a simple light, she put a hand on her chest and took a deep breath. It was then that a quiet and smooth voice whispered into her ears, as if the wind itself was speaking.

"...Love you…"

She spun back around, her breathing agitated. Her eyes darted around, looking for whoever said that as a chill ran down her back.

However, the street was empty aside from her. The only sounds were the flashes of the broken lamp and the howl of a soft breeze. Whoever had said that had disappeared… Or perhaps was never there.

But that wasn't enough for Natsumi. If anyone was on the street, perhaps they had spoken from behind a corner and simply walked down another street to play a prank on her. Or maybe it was something worse… What if someone was stalking her?

She had to know.

She walked up to the nearest turn, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest. She dug her nails into her knuckles, the pain keeping her centered and not letting her mind wander to dangerous thoughts.

By the time she reached the corner, her breathing was so fast it seemed like she had just finished running a marathon. She hugged the wall, her entire body trembling with fear. Was someone really there? Or was it just a prank of her imagination?

She mustered all the courage she could find and turned the street's corner. What she saw was… nothing. The street lamps were lit and light came from the windows of some houses, but no one was there.

She was hit by a wave of relief. Her shoulders hung low and her heart rate returned to normal.

"Did I imagine it? Yeah, that must have been it. Who would stalk me anyways? What was I even thinking…" Dejectedly resuming her short trip to the store, Natsumi let out a dry chuckle at her stupid thoughts.

"I must have imagined it." She reasoned out. "The exams must be getting to me, but I can't stop to rest when they're so close."

Despite having cast away the idea of someone playing a prank on her… or worse, she quickened her pace until she finally arrived at the convenience store. Stepping inside, she made her way to the fridge where mayo bottles were kept and picked one up.

Instead of going directly to the cashier, she headed to a corner of the store and picked up a few snacks for munching during her studies: the usual package of ramen, some chips, and chocolate bars. It was then that she noticed a particular manga on one of the literature shelves.

"Oh, it's 'Under the moonlight'! I was waiting for the next volume! The last one finished right after Shizuku and Haru finally kissed…" She was taken out of her trance by a loud cough coming from the clerk, who was giving her an annoyed look.

Realizing she had gotten too excited and spoke out loud, Natsumi hung her head low while going to the cash register.

"Good evening, Tohno-san," she said as she handed all she was carrying over to the middle-aged clerk.

"Good evening, Natsumi. Did you rush here because there was no mayonnaise back at home?" Natsumi nodded and smiled while Tohno let out a short chuckle.

"That reminds me of how your mother often came here late at night because she forgot to buy something."

"My mother can be a bit of an airhead," remarked Natsumi. She did her best to ignore all the memories of Naoko almost burning the house down in her clumsiness. Good thing she had learned to cook. Though leaving dinner to her while she studied all day in her room didn't give either her or Kenichi a lot of confidence...

"Just a bit?" He raised his eyebrows. "You're lucky you're not like her in that aspect. Poor Kenichi would spend more time keeping you two in check than working." The clerk laughed again at his own comment. He handed over a plastic bag with everything Natsumi had bought.

"That'll be 1658 yen," he said, opening up the cash register. "How are your exams going?"

Natsumi took out her wallet and took a few bills out. She gave them to the clerk and answered, "The exams start on the 14th and my studies are doing fine."

Tohno handed over a few coins, which Natsumi took in a rush as she turned back and started walking towards the exit.

"Sorry, but dinner is almost ready so I have to go." she excused herself. "Have a good night! I'll try visiting your father after I'm done with the exams!"

Leaving the store, Natsumi sighed, annoyed at her past decisions. She rose her hand and clenched it into a fist as she thought,

"Visiting an old man, what has my life turned into?" She asked herself, looking at the ground, dejected. "I should have tried to make friends at school."

Staring up, her beautiful brown pupils reflected the night sky which was sprinkled with countless radiant stars, their shapes looking as if they were jumping straight out of a painting, shining ever brightly.

"The stars sure are pretty today," she whispered under her breath, her eyes holding a misty look. As her eyes began to water, Natsumi felt the brisk wind brush against her face, her jaw clenched as her emotions began to take control.

"What am I even doing anymore?" She whispered, her tone so low that even the gentle breeze muted her words. It's not like anyone would care. Who would pay attention to what someone like her would say? Someone so weak and pathetic.

Left alone with her thoughts, Natsumi felt the wind pick up as she balled her fists, her knuckles beginning to turn white as her nails dug into her palms. The pain snapped her back to reality.

"Well, there's no point reminiscing about the past. I still have an exam I have to study for."

Slapping herself back awake, Natsumi set off on her journey home.

However, as soon as she stepped off the pavement, she didn't see the familiar sight of her local street.

What she saw instead was a completely different world.

A chance to stop being Natsuki Subaru, the destined-for-greatness daughter of Naoko and Kenichi.

A chance to be herself.


Natsumi winced as a bright light hit her eyes. She covered them with one hand to protect herself from the harsh lighting that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. A few sounds reached her ears: shoes clacking against the pavement, a multitude of people talking among themselves, the clinking of coins right next to her…

Blinking her eyes in quick succession, her pupils gradually adapted to the sudden change, and she was able to see what had happened. Her eyes went wide, her mouth gaped, the arm she was holding above her head fell limp, and her bag was dropped to the ground.

What greeted Natsumi's eyes was not the neighborhood she grew up in, but rather a bustling foreign marketplace. Instead of the asphalt streets of Japan, Natsumi stood on roads paved with golden bricks which reflected the light from the harsh sun. She was surrounded by buildings built of sand and mortar, archaic in structure, reminding her of old European buildings she had seen in her history books.

Humanoid figures walked the golden roads, conducting their business at the plethora of stalls that sold various foreign fruits and products. Some unpacked boxes full of spices from a carriage drawn by a hulking lizard.

Now that her eyes were fully adjusted, she made out the finer details of what was in front of her. Among the various masses roaming the street, most had colorful hair that she had only seen in anime, and a few people wore armor that only served to enhance their fantasy look. Upon closer inspection, the people unpacking boxes weren't human at all. Their entire bodies were either covered by greyish fur or green scales.

Blinking a few times in quick succession, the realization had finally begun to hit her. Holding her head, she loudly exclaimed,

"I've been summoned to a parallel world!?"

Her scream garnered the attention of everyone in the street, who looked at the woman as if she belonged in a mental ward. Embarrassed about her outburst, Natsumi hurriedly picked up the plastic bag on the ground and scurried away from the judging eyes of the public.

Disappearing into a nearby alleyway, she began to ponder about her current situation.

"I was isekai'ed? Into a parallel world? I pinched my cheek so it must be true… Who would dye their hair green or blue? Giant lizards, beastmen, people with leather armor and swords… This must be a fantasy world!"

Realizing the truth, Natsumi fidgeted with excitement. She was in a fantasy world like those of her favorite stories, full of tropes like magic, swords, animal races, and demons!

"But what's my task… Defeat the demon lord? And shouldn't I have been summoned in the castle or have a goddess explain my powers?"

Unsure of who or why she was summoned, Natsumi took the next logical step: Learning about her powers. She focused on the mental image of a videogame menu in front of her and then proclaimed in a low voice:

"Status! Hm, it doesn't work? Skills! Menu! Hm… Sage! Analyze!" Despite her efforts, nothing happened.

"Perhaps this world doesn't have skills. Maybe it's something different, like ki or nen?" Natsumi imitated her favorite shonen, focusing her mind and looking inside her body. To her dismay, she felt nothing. No ki, no chakra, no nen, no stands, nothing. She was powerless.

"I'll discover my powers later. But still, no one explains anything to me?"

Disheartened, she left the alleyway and started her adventure in an unknown city. Dressed in clothes she used as pajamas, and armed with the terrific weapon that was a plastic bag full of food, Natsuki Subaru started her life in a different world.


Stepping back onto the avenue, Natsumi looked to both sides of the road. No one batted a second look towards her, so it seemed that everyone had forgotten their previous outburst. Breathing out a sigh of relief, she started walking down the road, engraving all details of this fantasy world in her mind with a big smile on her face.

The marketplace was busy as tons of people strolled in both directions, some stopping every so often at one stall. She was careful not to hit anyone, stepping aside whenever someone walked nearby.

"I can't hear a thing with so many people… Do people even speak Japanese here? I hope so… whoever summoned me here must have given me a translation skill or something. Not being able to communicate in another world would be a shitty plot."

After a few minutes of walking, she still wasn't out of the market. It seemed endless, infinitely stretching up to the horizon. It was then that she heard her stomach rumble.

"I haven't eaten anything since lunch…" She took out her wallet and opened it. Only a few coins remained inside.

"I hope I can buy something…" She shifted her gaze to the bag she was carrying before looking at both sides of the road.

She couldn't see what the stalls were selling on the other side due to the multitude of people walking by. However, she noticed a stall selling apples not far away on her side.

Walking up to it, she faced a green-haired merchant with a rough face.

"Yo," he said. Natsumi froze upon hearing him.

"Yo? Isn't that what Americans say in movies? They don't speak Japanese!?"

"Ya want an appa?" He followed, picking up a red, shiny apple from a bunch and handing it over to Natsumi.

Hearing his words, Natsumi relaxed. Her worries were wrong. She nodded and picked the apple up and took her wallet off with her other hand. As she was taking the few yen she had left, she stopped and asked,

"How much is it?"

"A copper coin."

Taking a single 100 yen coin, Natsumi paid for the apple, not daring to meet the merchant eye to eye. Whatever unit they had in here, yen was surely not an adequate way to pay for anything. She silently stood in place as the shopkeeper examined the coin.

"What kind of coin is this? It ain't Lugunican or Vollachian."

"It's the one from my hometown…"

"Your hometown? Are you from Kararagi? But I haven't heard of Kararagian coins being like this…" he said, holding the coin just above his eye, checking every detail. "And black hair is more common in Gusteko, but the coins over there are squares."

"Ah, uhm…"

Natsumi found herself in a dilemma. She had no idea of what any of those names meant, should she lie to him? Or just give the apple back?

"It's not like I'll see him again, right? Lying a little can't hurt if I'll become a hero later on…"

"Yes, I'm from Kararagi."

The stall owner frowned at Natsumi, who was averting her gaze while playing with the apple in her hands. In the end, he sighed and said,

"Whatever, keep the appa. But don't go around telling people I give food to anyone who comes with foreign money!"

"I won't!" Natsumi replied with enthusiasm before embarking back on her journey.

Her enthusiasm was quickly cut short. After around two more minutes of walking, Natsumi finally left the busy avenue and stepped onto what looked like a residential street. While not empty by any means, the road might as well have been when compared to the market.

A few women walked along with their children while holding bags full of the food they had just bought. Some kids played tag along the street, running between the housewives while other children pleaded with their mothers to let them play.

The stone pavement rumbled as hulking lizards carried wooden carriages full of wares, dashing at incredible speeds. It seemed that horses weren't as common as back on Earth, or perhaps don't exist.

Natsumi took a final bite out of the red apple before holding its core in front of her eyes. Her gaze darted around, looking for something, before she sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"Of course there won't be any trash cans nearby. This is a fantasy world, after all," she said, moving her attention back to the apple core. "But then, what do I do with this?"

She frowned at it before simply putting it inside her plastic bag, making sure to remember to look for any place to throw that in.

She strolled down the pavement without any destination in mind, merely passing time and exploring this beginner's city. She still hadn't heard any rumors of a Demon King in the north nor any calamity striking the land, which began to worry her as to what was her purpose upon being summoned.

Natsumi hung her shoulders low. "Shouldn't I have been summoned inside the castle? And have the king beg me to save this world... "

"Castle? Big Sis, are you a noble?" a child-like voice rang out from her right. Turning her head, Natsumi saw a short green-haired kid no older than six, looking at her with sparkles in his eyes and a wide smile plastered on his face.

"No, I-" Natsumi cut herself off as a thought came to her mind.

"Wait, what if something went wrong during my summoning? The castle is over there, perhaps they're looking for me… Oh well, might as well pass some time. They won't find me if I keep moving around."

She smirked and then held her hand close to her mouth. She did her best imitation of an arrogant princess laugh.

"Ohohohoho! That's right!" She bent down slightly and dropped her plastic bag on the ground, still covering her mouth. "Now you shall pay the price for interrupting my rich self!" She lunged forward with her arms wide open, but the little kid moved out of the way. He stuck his tongue out and taunted Natsumi before dashing towards a group of kids.

Natsumi performed some quick stretches before following behind. Once the green-haired kid reunited with his group of friends, he said a few words Natsumi didn't hear due to their distance.

Soon, everyone but a dark-haired girl scattered in various directions, taking advantage that no carriages were passing by to invade the road as well. Natsumi headed straight for the lone girl before following to catch the other kids in a quick game of tag.

Around ten minutes later, Natsumi rested on the ground with her back to a building's wall, surrounded by a group of taunting kids. While their clothes were pretty similar: brown shirts paired with pants; their hair colors varied wildly. Two of them were blonde, while the rest had green, blue, and even purple hair.

"It seems Big Sis doesn't have the stamina to keep up with us," the green-haired kid said.

"Of course she doesn't! She spends all her time eating like a rich noble!" Someone followed, caressing his belly to further taunt the so called noble.

"Mido, Beld, y-you sh-sh-shouldn't do this." A trembling girl stuttered out. She had been the only one Natsumi had managed to 'capture'.

Now that she was right next to her and she had the time to take a look, Natsumi managed to spot two cat-like ears covered in black fur on the top of her head.

"Wh-wh-what if she calls the knights and w-we get into trouble?" Her eyes darted around, wary of her surroundings. She took a step backwards and her feline ears retreated, almost disappearing under her hair.

Hearing her, everyone's bright smiles and smug faces transformed into a collective grimace.

"Oh crap, we forgot about your dad!" In unison, they all turned to Natsumi, doing their best to put on a smile.

"Uhm, Young Miss, you won't do anything, right? You won't call the knights or arrest our daddies? We're just kids playi-"

"You seem to misunderstand something." Natsumi cut off the pleading children as she stood up and looked at the group from above with a piercing gaze, inspiring fear in their hearts. "The game isn't over!"

She quickly lunged forwards and managed to trap three kids in a tight hug.

"I'm not as weak as you think!" The trapped trio was stunned in shock, before attempting to free themselves by throwing a tantrum. As much as Natsumi wanted to rejoice in her victory, holding three youngs in place was too much for her. She had no option but to leave them.

"Not fair!"

"This doesn't count!"

"We won first!"

They glared at Natsumi, pointing at her and stomping on the ground while complaining about her win. The previously scared girl giggled at her friends being tricked.

"Did you expect me to be this tired after running for a few minutes?"

"You lied, so it doesn't count! Play fair!" The kid in the middle shouted. Natsumi bent her knees until she was at the eye line of the group of children.

"I'll accept that I lost with one condition, ok?" The kids looked at each other with confused faces before nodding. "You see, I'm travelling and I just came to this city. So can you tell me something about it?"

"You're from outside!?"

"Can you tell us stories?"

"Where are you from?"

After Natsumi's proposal, a barrage of questions was launched her way as the kids straightened in excitement with their eyes wide open. The dark-haired girl's feline ears perked back up, and if she had a tail it would surely be swinging from side to side.

Hearing a distant rumble, Natsumi moved her head to the side and saw that carriages were once more driving along the road. With a wave of her hand, she ordered the group of excited children to come closer so as to not be accidentally run over; they sat in a semicircle around Natsumi.

All except for one.

Just as Natsumi silently warned everyone, a motherly voice rang out from the other side of the street:

"Mary."

Turning back, the feline dark-haired girl saw a woman of average height carrying a wooden basket full of vegetables. She waved at her before turning back again and saying,

"My mom is back from the market, so I have to go. Will you tell us stories tomorrow?" She pleaded, grasping her hands together. Natsumi had to resist the sudden desire to pat her head and play with her fluffy ears.

Seeing the cute display that threatened to destroy her heart with how sweet it was, she had no option but to nod. Mary looked at both sides of the road with a wide smile. Seeing the incoming carriages were still a few dozen meters away, she started crossing the street, her mother warmly smiling at her from the other side.

However, as Mary was halfway through the road, a crackling sound resonated across the street along with a roar. She made the fatal mistake of stopping to see what the sound was. Turning her head to the right, she saw a massive green lizard carrying a wooden carriage speeding her way. Her mother couldn't say a word as she dropped the casket and covered her mouth with her hands.

Mary froze in place, her legs trembling as her eyes widened, observing the animal growing larger and larger in size as it approached her, too stunned to take a single step.

Natsumi, however, didn't stay still. She dashed away from the group of children, stepping onto the cobblestone road ready to save the young girl. Her instincts took over her, and she didn't even consider what could happen to her.

Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or even the possibility of impending death, but as she came closer, she managed to see more and more details of the carriage about to run two innocent girls over.

The creature's dark green scales were covered in mud and earth, as if it hadn't received a bath in months. Most had white dents on them which, paired with a few scars under said scales, proved it hadn't received the best of treatments. Its eyes were bloodshot and it was gritting its teeth so hard that they could break. It didn't even look at the two girls in front, fully focusing on the road in the distance.

Meanwhile, the carriage driver was a man in his forties with a long, refined, dark blue mustache ending in two twirls at both sides, and not another speck of hair on his head. He was wearing an expensive-looking blue shirt and was holding a black whip in his right hand. He too didn't spare a glance at the two girls either.

As Natsumi was mere inches away from Mary, she knew deep down that she wouldn't make it in time. Even worse, it was too late to stop; the carriage would run over both in less than a second.

With no other option left, she did the only thing she could: risk everything she had. She jumped forwards with her arms extended in a desperate attempt to save the little girl.

A myriad of thoughts ran down her mind, but she silenced them all as she managed to grab Mary inches away from being run over. Holding the girl tight to her chest, Natsumi rolled a few times on the road as the carriage continued on its way, the driver unfazed by the event.

Seeing the carriage drive away without a sign of stopping, she let go of her grip on the young girl and spread her arms to the side. She felt a faint ache all over her body, and she let out a long sigh of relief.

"Mary!"

Hearing that worried voice, Mary swiftly broke down into tears. Her legs trembling, she barely kept standing, only saved from collapse once her mother came to her side and brought her into a tight embrace.

Smiling, her act of bravery finally hit Natsumi's mind. One second she was asking some children about one thing, the next she was flying through the air to save a child. She hadn't stopped to consider anything, she simply… did it.

Why? Not even an hour had passed and she had almost died. She didn't instinctively learn how to use her powers. No magic circles appeared from thin air nor did she say mysterious words to cast magic. She hadn't stopped the carriage with sheer force. She had simply run, just like…

Just like anyone would have.

All of the carriages having passed by, she noticed a group of kids running at her, sniffling and worried. She forced a smile on her face and, wiping some dust off her ruined clothes, she stood up.

Her shirt was tattered, many small cuts revealing small parts of her skin along with a big one exposing her navel. She had a few bruises along her arms and leg, with one particularly bad leaving a trail of blood running down her right thigh that she desperately tried to wipe off. Thankfully, her shorts survived untouched.

"Are you fine Big Sis?" Mido said with worry in his voice, a few tears running down his cheeks. It was clear he was trying his best to suppress more.

"I'm fine, you don't need to worry, see?" She struck a pose, raising her finger high in the air. However, as she did so, she felt a sharp pain coming from her right ankle. A groan died in her throat; she couldn't let the children worry too much about her.

The group of children looked at Natsumi posing before one of them stepped forwards and asked: "Will you come back to play?"

Natsumi ruffled his hair as she answered, "Yes. I'll try to come back, so don't worry, ok? Now go back to your families." The group of children gave a last look to Natsumi and the sobbing Mary before turning back, crossing the road, and entering their respective houses.

"Allow me to thank you for saving my daughter."

Natsumi turned to face Mary's mother. She was patting her daughter's head as the girl continued to cry into her mother's long plain brown skirt. Her lips were turned into a slight smile and her eyes were full of gratitude.

"My name is Anne." She introduced herself, still head patting her daughter. "How can I repay you?" she asked.

Natsumi winced and frantically shook her head and hands from side to side. "Y-You don't need to! I did what anyone would have done, that's all!"

"No, I insist. Few people would go to such lengths to save a demihuman," Natsumi glanced at the sobbing girl and took note of her animal features.

"Demihuman? Is that what those weird animal people are called?" She then looked at the woman's head, expecting to also see cat ears, but nothing was there.

Her act didn't go unnoticed as Anne explained, "Mary is a half-demihuman. Her ears come from her father."

Natsumi didn't fail to notice the depressed tone in her words, as well as her eyes, which held a sorrowful look. She shook her head as if casting some thoughts away.

"I insist. Allow me to repay you in some way," she observed Natsumi's figure from toes to head. "You don't want to walk around dressed like that, right? Allow me to give you a spare shirt of mine."

Now that the kids were gone, Natsumi could finally relax. She nodded at the woman's offer, covering her stomach with a faint red tint on her cheeks.

"Yeah, it's… a bit embarrassing," Natsumi concurred. Turning back, Anne and Mary started walking towards their house, with Natsumi following behind.

However, as soon as she took a step, Natsumi felt that same sharp pain again. Not bothering to hide a groan this time, she sat down in the cold street and inspected her right ankle. It was swollen, and touching it stung a little.

"Natsumi?" Mary asked, hiding behind her mother's dress. Her ears hanged low.

"Ah, it's nothing, it's just that…" Natsumi deviated her gaze from the young girl.

"Should I tell her? I don't want to make her worry too much, she's just a child… I could say that I was tying my shoelaces but… I'll get busted, won't I? There's no way I can pretend I can walk just fine."

"I think I twisted my ankle back there," she admitted, not daring to look at Mary.

"Mary," Anne spoke. "Be a nice girl and carry this home for me." Mary looked at her mother and then Natsumi before giving a faint nod. She picked up the basket full of food and gave one last look at Natsumi before heading towards a nearby building and disappearing inside.

Meanwhile, Anne approached Natsumi and extended her hand. Natsumi grabbed it, and Anne helped her stand up before lending her shoulder.

"Thanks," Natsumi said, and the duo walked to the same house Mary had gone to. Thanks to her help, Natsumi didn't need to put weight on her injury and had little problem walking.


Arriving in front of her house, Natsumi paid attention to all the details. Her house, and all the others in the street, had gray, lifeless walls. It seemed that this was the poorer part of the city.

Stepping through a wooden door, she was welcomed by a long hallway. At the end of it was a big dining room with a wooden table and a gray, frayed rug that had seen better days… Probably back when Mary's great-great-grandmother was still a baby.

On the left side was a short hallway, no longer than a few steps, that led to a closed door. Meanwhile, on the right, there was a stone counter with an ancient looking kitchen behind it.

Of course, there were no fridges, microwaves or any other appliances as she was used to. All she could see were a few pots, kettles, dishes, a stove and a pair of buckets that were probably full of water.

Natsumi, who was standing near one of the walls of the room, used it as support for standing up while Anne walked into the short hallway to the right. Passing next to a wooden table in such good condition that it looked out of place, Anne picked up one wooden chair and left it next to Natsumi before heading back to the short hallway. It had a makeshift cushion made out of straw and it creaked when Natsumi sat on it. It wasn't comfortable, but better than staying up.

Anne soon returned with gauzes and a slimy substance on a cup, its smell making Natsumi wince. Pouring the slime in her hands, she spoke, "Remove your shirt."

Natsumi reluctantly obeyed, revealing a well toned stomach and a tight black sports bra. Anne passed her hand through Natsumi's various cuts and bruises, eliciting a short moan from Natsumi.

Hearing her, Anne retreated her hand and asked: "Is something wrong?"

"No, it just stings a little. But if it does it means it's working, right?" Anne chuckled and continued disinfecting her injuries.

Having finished with her injuries, Anne started spreading the slimy substance across the gauzes. She looked at Natsumi's right ankle and gave a quick nod, then Natsumi carefully removed her sneakers, making sure not to move her ankle to avoid any pain.

"Uhm, Anne, are you sure this antiseptic will help me walk? Won't some anti-inflammatories and ice be better?"

Anne tilted her head to the right. "Antisetip? I don't know what that is, but this," she held the coated gauze in front of Natsumi, "can heal almost any injuries. From small cuts to stab wounds."

"Stab wounds? Couldn't you have used a more pleasant example?" Natsumi asked. Surely the stab wound part was an exaggeration, right?

"You have to be careful when you live a few streets away from the slums. My grandmother would have died if not for this." Before Natsumi could reply, Anne enveloped her ankle with the gazes, tying them with a knot.

She had to suppress a groan. Not only did it sting, it was also cold and smelled terribly. And the binding was too tight.

"Did I do something wrong?" Anne asked, a hint of panic in her tone. "Too much force, perhaps?" She started untying the knot but Natsumi interrupted her.

"No, it's fine, really. It needs to stay in place even with my shoes on, so it works. It's a little tight but I can deal with it."

Anne stood up with a slight smile on her face and headed towards the door on the left while Natsumi picked up her shoe again. Carefully, she put it back in. The binding made it more difficult than taking it out, and she couldn't help but wonder if this would actually work.

By the time she finished, Anne had returned with some thread and a needle. She dragged a chair and sat to the left of Natsumi and started sewing shut the cuts on her shirt.

A few seconds later, it was obvious Anne was concentrated on her task and had no intention of distracting herself by speaking. Natsumi started playing with her hair and looking around the room, tapping the floor with her left foot. After a minute, she couldn't keep up with the awkward silence and turned to face Anne.

"Uhm, Anne…" The housewife stopped sewing and turned her head to the right. "How's Mary doing?"

Anne's lips curved into a smile as she started working back in fixing Natsumi's torn shirt, although at a slower pace than before.

"Mary is still a bit scared. I told her to go to bed and rest even though the sun will still be up for a few hours. She needs it."

"Hhm," Natsumi nodded and gave a faint sound of approval. "Why… Why did that guy not stop?"

"Mary is half demihuman." She heaved a sigh. "He must have seen her ears and thought there would be no problem."

"Why? Is it because that bastard was rich?" Natsumi tightly gripped her fists.

"No. Had something happened to Mary, it would have been her fault." She cast her gaze to the ground, and softly whispered, "It's just the way things are."

"WHAT!? That-" Natsumi stood up with a scowl and her fists tightly closed. However, as soon as she stood up, she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her injury. Holding her foot, she sat back while muttering.

"How could that have been her fault?" she growled, caressing her ankle. The pain had gotten duller. "He saw her and sped up! The blame is his! What kind of socie-"

Noticing that Anne had stopped sewing and was now staring at the floor, Natsumi cut herself short.

"The kind of twisted society that treats demihumans like inferior beings." Her tone was full of resentment and anger. "Demihumans don't even count as citizens to them. No one learned a thing from the war."

"How stupid can I be?" Natsumi thought. "I had to go and butt my head into something I shouldn't have."

"I followed her so that Mary wouldn't worry about me. She offered to heal me and fix my clothes, and now I have made her angry."

"Any excuse will work to get you arrested, and no one will bat an eye if you're assaulted. What a joke the knights are. They're supposed to protect the people, but demihumans don't even count as the ones they're supposed to protect." She tightly gripped her fists until her knuckles went white.

"If only they had bothered to check… My husband would still be here and not sleeping in some random cell, away from his family." A few tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"Why did I have to mention this? I'm so stupid. She's being so kind towards me, but I..."

She forced a smile on her face and wiped off Anne's tears while averting her gaze.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked about that." Anne stared at Natsumi for a few seconds, before putting on a smile of her own and apologizing as well:

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have started ranting myself. Forgive me."

Anne gave a quick bow as an apology, and then returned to stitching back the shirt.

"If you don't mind me asking…" Anne started speaking. "Where do you come from, Natsumi? Black hair is very rare in Lugunica, and I've never seen clothes like this."

"I come from Kararagi."

"Better stick to the lie I told before… I don't even know what this 'Kararagi' place is like."

"Kararagi? Do you work for the Hoshin company then? They're the only ones who could make this shirt. I don't even know what it's made of."

"Hoshin Company? More things I don't know about… Well, I can't go back in my word now. Better go with it."

"Yes. Boss made me come here for some business stuff so I took the chance to walk around for a while. And, speaking of shirts…" Natsumi hugged herself, trembling slightly. "How long do you think this will take you? It's getting a bit chilly."

"It's going to take me a few more minutes." She stood up, leaving the shirt, thread and needle on the nearby table. "Wait a moment, I'll go pick up a shirt meanwhile."

Anne turned the hallway, and a few seconds later Natsumi could hear her and Mary having a short discussion. Then, they both returned to the sitting room. Anne hid herself behind her mother's dress, her feline ears hanging low and avoiding looking straight at Natsumi.

Natsumi put on the grey shirt that Anne handed her over, and then Mary left her mother's side. Fidgeting, she asked:

"Uhm, Big Sis, are you fine?"

"Hm." Natsumi nodded and started patting her head. "I'll be fine in just a few days. You don't need to worry, ok?"

"But…" She weakly protested. "It was my fault that you got hurt…" She started sobbing. Natsumi picked her up and made her sit on her lap, wiping off her tears.

"It wasn't your fault. That bas-" she cut herself short and shook her head. "That guy sped up when he shouldn't have." Having wiped her tears, she patted her head one last time. "Now be a good girl and rest like your mother said, okay?"

Anne nodded and hopped off Natsumi's lap. She headed towards the hallway, turning back one last time to meet her mother's smile.

"You're very good with children." Anne commented.

"Hmm?" Natsumi pointed a finger at herself. "I am? I never thought about it…"

"Yes. You were playing with Mary's friends, right? Not many would do that. You're so kind, I hope Mary grows up to behave like you."

In response to the sudden praise, Natsumi deviated her gaze to the ground while fidgeting, a slight blush in her cheeks.

"It's done." She picked up the shirt by the sleeves. The tears had been fixed with grey thread, ruining the original shirt. Instead of black and orange stripes, it was now black and orange with random patches of grey. At least it was better than before.

"You said you had a few minutes left…" she said, removing her borrowed shirt and putting back her own. Thanks to the wall's support, she was able to stand up.

"Guess I'll be going then. Thanks for your help, Anne. I really appreciate it."

Anne left her seat and lent a shoulder to Natsumi. She didn't object, and the duo walked up to the main door.

"Are you sure you want to go? I'm sure your family will understand if you stay here for the night."

"A place to sleep? Can I… Can I really accept? She has already repaid me by healing and fixing my shirt…"

"I wanted to know more about this world and only ended up making her angry. If I stay, will I do it again?"

"I have some important matters to take care of, so I'll be heading home now." She didn't have the courage to look at Anne.

She remained silent for a second before answering. "I see. Will you pass by once you recover?"

Natsumi answered as she stepped outside. "Of course." After waving her hand, Anne closed the door, leaving Natsumi with a small dilemma.

"Now… where do I go now?"


After a few minutes of strolling down the street Natsumi realized that she had gone in the wrong direction. Instead of the busy marketplace, she found herself in what looked like a ghost town.

Abandoned buildings surrounded her on all sides. The walls had holes, the roofs were missing tiles and the place smelled of rotten wood. She could see a square in the horizon, as well as some alleyways leading to god knows where. She sure wasn't taking a single step in them.

Heaving a sigh, Natsumi turned backwards and started walking towards the other side of the street, hoping to find the marketplace again. The sun dipped low out of the sky, casting a nice orange glow in the street.

"I should find a place to sleep before the sun sets..." The image of Mary and Anne briefly passed through her mind before she shook her head and dismissed it.

"I did nothing special, I just…" The realization of her words hit her. "I just ran towards a carriage in motion to save a child."

She hadn't thought twice about it. With the speed the carriage was going, the poor kid would have easily been trampled to death, yet no one moved a single step. Only she, an ignorant from another world, did something to save her.

Nothing special, yet no one cared to do anything. It sickened her. A kid would have been turned into a bloody splat in the street. A mother would have lost her children, left with no one to tuck into bed at night. A father would return home just to find out his daughter had died.

"It… It doesn't feel real."

The world around her seemed to fixate on the high fantasy elements of novels she'd read in one sitting whenever she had the time. Brilliant titles of romance and adventure, with an underdog protagonist becoming the hero, slaying the dragon and winning the damsel in distress.

It should have been like that.

"I could have died but… It never felt real. Like a dream. But this… This isn't a dream, right?"

Of course it wasn't. The pain was real, and so was everything else.

"I don't have powers. The king isn't calling me a hero. There's no demon king to defeat. This is just a world with racism where people can die at any point."

Like Earth. An inferior version of her home, where she didn't know a single person.

Ripped away from home for what? So her parents would never know how much of a disappointment she was?

"I…" she slipped her hand inside her pocket, taking out her smartphone. Tapping the gallery icon, she tapped on one photo of her, Naoko and Kenichi. Her primary school graduation. She was so cute as a child.

"I want to go home…" She wiped away a damp streak rolling down her eyes.

Too focused on her phone and thoughts, she stopped paying attention to the street and tripped. She flailed her arms around, somehow keeping balance and not falling to the ground. However, she lost hold of her phone and it went flying towards a nearby alley.

"Please don't be broken, please don't be broken, please don't be broken…" She muttered as she rushed there as fast as she could.

The alley was almost empty. There were a few barrels and wooden boxes that reached her waist, but nothing else. The buildings to the left and right had some holes in the walls just like every other house nearby, but there was a door at the end of the street.

She didn't take long to find her phone. It had slided across the ground and ended up in between two barrels, around ten meters away from where she had tripped. Picking it up, she quickly examined it, thankfully lacking any noticeable cracks.

Booting it up, it worked just fine. No cracks in the screen and it was still functional. She held it close to her chest while muttering: "Thank god…" After that, she put it back in her pocket.

Looking around, her attention focused on the mysterious door at the back. Approaching it, she tried to turn the handle but it wouldn't budge.

"It's locked… What kind of building has a locked room on the back? Maybe so-"

"Hey you!"

She was distracted from her thoughts by a voice calling out to her. Turning backwards, she saw three men approaching her.

On the left was a short man, not much taller than a kid. He had large black eyes, his iris covering almost his entire eyes. His brown mushroom hair, along with his bags, pink cape, low stature, and a smile appropriate of a kid playing a prank didn't make him look dangerous.

His companions, however, seemed far more threatening. The thug in the middle of the trio was around her same height and had grayish-blue hair with pink highlights. He was wearing a gray shirt and had chains around his wrists and throat as if he had just escaped from prison.

Finally, a tall man almost twice as wide as her stood on the right, behind the other two. He had a gruff-looking face with plump lips and a short black beard, and a bandage covering the top of his head with a few purple dreadlocks slipping away. He was wearing a green vest and also had some bandages on his wrists.

She didn't have a good feeling about their appearance. She held a hand close to her chest, wary of the trio.

"Give us all your money if you know what's good for ya!" said the lanky thug in the middle, pointing at her while glaring with his snake-like eyes.

"Money?" She took a step backwards, sharpening her gaze.

"Are they going to mug me? But yen are useless in this world…"

Running was impossible. She had her back to a wall, and attempting to dash past the trio was practically impossible. And that's assuming her ankle was fine and she could run to begin with…

"What can I do?"

"You know what we want!" shouted the child-sized thug. "Don't act dumb!"

"I-I don't have any." She spouted out. She kept gazing at the thugs, paying attention to anything they might do. Her instincts told her that this was anything but a good situation to be in.

The dwarf and ex-convict looked at each other with confused looks, before erupting in laughter. "Good attempt, Miss," the slim thug said in between chuckles. He straightened up and took a deep breath before glaring at Natsumi with a mischievous smile.

"We saw you coming here looking for a metia. You're one of daddy's girls, aren't you?"

"A metia? I don't know what you're talking abo-"

"Don't act dumb! We've been following you for a while! We know you have it!"

His sudden outburst made Natsumi shiver in fear. Following her? For how long? Since she left Anne's house?

A chill ran down her back. She was about to get mugged… Or worse.

"I-I don't k-know what y-you're talking about… I d-don't have any m-metia…" she cried out, her legs wobbling.

"Are you fucking with me!? We saw you with that shiny thing!"

"A… shiny thing?"

"Does he mean my phone? But… I can't give it to them. So…"

"What will happen to me…?"

What a useless question. She was powerless. She had no money to pay them. She couldn't hand over her phone, her only connection to her parents.

The answer was so obvious yet... Yet it felt so fake.

A few hours ago she was studying for an exam. Now, at the mercy of three men at the back of an alleyway, with no one to save her.

She was distracted from her thoughts due to the tall thug grabbing her arms, holding them above her head. "No!" she shouted, attempting to weasel her way out of his grab. Meanwhile, the other two had caught up to her, and started frisking her clothes, starting with her pants.

"Now, where did you hi-" the short thug started talking before Natsumi kicked him away. He rolled twice in the ground before standing up, clenching his jaw.

"Found it. Good job Camberley, you distracted her real good." He showed off the smartphone in front of Natsumi's eyes. "Hey Gaston, how much do you think we can get for this?"

"Hm…" He snatched it away from his friend's hand and held it in front of his eyes. "Around 30 holy coins, maybe?"

"Give it back." Natsumi's voice distracted both thugs. They turned to her, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Give it back," she repeated, her voice so quiet they could barely hear it. "Please…" she sobbed.

"It's very important to me… Please… Give it back…"

Rachins took the phone from Gaston's hands, holding it in front of Natsumi's eyes with a taunting smile.

"You want it, huh? Well, perhaps we could have a deal. Gaston, leave her alone."

He obeyed, letting go of his grip on Natsumi's hands. She fell to the floor, and before she could stand up, Rachins squatted with one hand behind his back.

"You see, surviving in the slums is quite hard. Selling your metia to that old man could give us the money we need to leave this shithole, so…" He took a knife from his back, spinning it with his fingers before putting it in Natsumi's throat. Her sobbing slowly died and she couldn't take her eyes off the blade.

"We could make a deal. You come with us, and we ask your daddy for a ransom."

"Please don't hurt me," she weakly muttered in response.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll keep your metia and we won't hurt you, though…" He took his eyes off her face, ogling her body. His gaze moved from her neck to her chest, stopping for a few seconds. Then down to her stomach and legs, giving her thighs a quick squeeze. "... perhaps you'll lose something else."

Natsumi closed her eyes. This wasn't real.

She was at home, lying in her bed, not in a dirty alleyway.

She was eating hamburgers at home, not with a knife to her throat.

Naoko and Kenichi were congratulating her for passing her university entrance exams. She wasn't being threatened to be raped with no one to hear or save her.

Out of nowhere, a loud clang resonated as a loose tile hit the floor, breaking into many pieces.

"Even the loot house's roof is more stable than this!" a young voice said.

Opening her eyes, Natsumi looked up to her only hope. She was a petite girl, probably no older than sixteen. Her golden hair shined with the setting sun behind her, and her crimson eyes seemed like two polished rubies. She was wearing a brown vest with a black top, as well as torn leggings that left her left leg exposed.

She was currently looking at the roof with a grimace while she clicked her right foot. She then took notice of the group below, and her gaze met Natsumi's. Seeing her, she smiled and said,

"Oh, if it isn't the useless trio? Did you get tired of being simple thugs stealing some coins and moved onto something else?"

"Hah? The fuck are you saying?" Rachins asked, standing up and leaving Natsumi's side while spinning his knife.

"Oh, nothing. I just never expected that you would follow up on your threats and attempt to rape someone. I wonder if Old Man Rom will want to keep negotiating with you if he learns of this." Her lips curved into a smug smile.

"Are you threatening us with that dying old man not buying from us anymore? All for this girl you don't even know?" He clicked his tongue. "How far have you fallen, Felt?"

Hearing his words, Gaston buried his face in his palm while Camberley kept glaring at Natsumi.

"Hey, don't insult Old Man Rom like that!" Felt tightly gripped her fists before taking a deep breath. She then smirked at the group below and said, "Someone help me! I'm being raped!" in the most high-pitched tone she could.

Natsumi rose her head, her eyes full of hope. The petite thief turned back, said, "Live strong!" and left as quick as she came, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

However, that hope was quickly shattered as Rachins turned back to her, not caring about the thief's words. He noticed her heartbroken expression and taunted her.

"What? You thought someone would come? No guards will bother coming near the slums." He bent down, holding the knife in one hand and the phone in the other. "Now, what will you choose?"

Natsumi looked at the knife, her eyes widened in terror. Then at her phone, and back at the knife.

What was more important now?

"I…" she started muttering. "I cho-"

"That's enough." A determined voice rang.

The trio turned back in unison. Gaston cracked his fists and Rachins took a second knife from his back, spinning both of them and dropping the metia to the ground. However, their attempts at intimidation fell short upon seeing who stood in front of them.

Their sights first set on his clean white uniform without a single stain or even speck of dust. It then moved to his waist, every detail of his sword engraving in their minds. Finally, their gazes moved up to his face.

His eyes were as blue as the azure sky, striking fear into their hearts, but not as much as his flaming red hair. All this amounted to them instantly recognizing the stranger despite never having seen him before.

Rachins' two knives fell to the ground as he deadpanned, "You have to be fucking kidding me."

"THE SWORD SAINT REINHARD!?" they shouted in unison.

"YOU WENT TOO FAR RACHINS!" Camberley screamed as he dashed past Reinhard, his friends following behind.

"I JUST WANTED TO SCARE HER INTO GIVING US THE METIA!" Reinhard didn't attempt to stop them as they left the alley. Instead, he focused on Natsumi.

Seeing the white-clad figure approach, chills ran down Natsumi's back. She trembled in place and attempted to escape. Putting her hands on the cold floor, she tried to drag herself away from the new stranger. The three thugs had already scared her into submission, only God knew what someone who scared them away just by standing there would do.

However, fear took the best of her. Her entire body was trembling, and she couldn't put any force in her arms. She held her legs close to her and closed her eyes, curling into a ball.

"Forgive me," Reinhard said, "I believe this is yours."

Opening her eyes, Natsumi saw the red-haired knight kneeling in front of her, holding her phone with one hand. She looked at her phone and then at his face, which had a slight smile on.

With her eyes widened and mouth gape, Natsumi picked up her smartphone. Reinhard stood up, extending his hand towards the black-haired woman he had found assaulted by three thugs.

"Are you alright, my lady?"

"Who… are you?" she asked, holding her hands close to her chest, her confused gaze changing into wariness.

"My name is Reinhard van Astrea, Royal Knight of the Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica." He introduced himself with a wide smile on his face.

Something about the man made Natsumi relax. Perhaps his perfect smile. His white clean uniform, making him look like a prince straight from a fairy tail. Or perhaps his status as a Royal Knight.

Did the others run away because they knew who he was? In that case, she could trust him, right?

In the end, Natsumi grabbed his hand and Reinhard pulled, helping her stand up. However, she put weight on her injury as she did so. With a grunt, she tumbled onto Reinhard's arms.

"Is something wrong?"

"My ankle…" Reinhard helped Natsumi stand with her back to a wall, then bent down to inspect her ankle. He held his hand above it for a second before standing up again.

"If only Julius or Ferris were here…" he muttered. "May I offer to escort you back home, Miss…"

"Subaru."

"Then allow me to guide you home, Subaru-sama." He extended his hand towards Natsumi with a faint smile. Instead of taking his hand, Natsumi looked to the side, taking her gaze away from the dashing knight.

"I don't have a home… I just woke up in this city and then I got lost and my money was worthless and then those three came and-" she blubbered out until Reinhard called out to her.

"Subaru-sama. If it's not too much trouble, I know a few places willing to take you in."

"But, my money…" Natsumi began to slowly move away from the knight. Something about him felt off.

"Do not fret, I can pay for you to stay a few nights."

"Why does he keep offering? Does he also want to take advantage of me?"

"Why? What do you want of me?" Natsumi said, taking another step towards the exit. She kept her gaze focused on Reinhard, tightly gripping her fists in a poor attempt to stop trembling.

"I desire nothing of you, Natsumi-sama." He kneeled, looking at Natsumi straight in her eyes. "It is my duty as a knight to help every citizen of this country."

Natsumi opened her fists. "You won't hurt me?" she pleaded.

"I won't."

"You swear?" She gazed at Reinhard straight in the eyes.

"I swear in the name of the Astrea family."

Natsumi softly nodded and Reinhard stood up again. "Then guide me. Thank you, Reinhard."

"It is my pleasure." Natsumi grabbed Reinhard's right arm, using it as support. Like that, the duo left the damned alley.


Reinhard's suggestion was around twenty minutes away by walk, a tavern in the middle block of the city named 'The Tamed Dragon'. He and his friends often went there to drink, he had explained.

To get there they'd need to get through the marketplace up to a set of stairs leading to a small terrace, and then a short walk to the entrance. Strolling down the busy street, much of the previous rumble was gone.

With the sun low in the horizon there were less people buying food from the stalls, and some had closed early. Seeing the shopkeeper who gave her a free apple, she waved her hand at him. He couldn't have looked more surprised, looking at her and then at the knight at her side with sweat running down his face.

He was the only one who acted like that… Was Reinhard that popular? Everyone stepped aside when they saw him, making the short hike a bit lonely. The street wasn't as busy as before, but everyone was leaving the road all for themselves.

Was this due to fear or respect? All his words couldn't have been an act, right?

No, no, no, they couldn't have. He had sworn on his family name. The Astro something. That had to be important. And there was his knight-like behavior… He wouldn't look out of place rescuing a princess from an evil dragon.

He was helping her. Everyone seemed to like and respect him, there's no way he could be tricking her.

"Subaru-sama." Reinhard's voice woke Natsumi from her daze. Taking notice of their surroundings, they were standing in front of a set of stone stairs. "Do you require assistance? I can carry you if needed."

"No, it's fine. I can do this." Letting go of her grip on Reinhard's arm, Natsumi hugged the wall as she climbed up the stairs. One step at a time, she made her way up to halfway through, all while doing her best not to let a groan out.

However, she lost her balance upon taking a step, making her stumble backwards. Thankfully, Reinhard caught her in his arms in time.

"Are you alright, Subaru-sama?" He asked, helping her stand again.

"Yes. I tripped, that's all. Thank you, Reinhard."

A few seconds later the pair finally reached the top, a sudden breeze making Natsumi's ponytail flutter in the wind. Noticing a bench just a few steps away, he let go of Reinhard and sat on it. She relaxed against the cold stone, her feet left dangling in the air.

"The breeze feels nice… Wanna sit, Reinhard?" Reinhard took up on her offer, sitting next to her with his legs closed. Even his posture screamed 'I am the very embodiment of being a knight.'

Natsumi stole a glance at Reinhard while he looked at the horizon. The trip had been mostly silent, and she was thankful for that. She needed some time to think.

This hadn't been the best first day in another world someone could have, but perhaps everything could improve from now. She had already hit rock bottom, the only way left was up.

And Reinhard… His presence let her calm down. He had even offered to pay for her so she could have a place to sleep for a few days. Even if she wanted to, it was too late to say no.

"Subaru-sama?"

Reinhard's voice brought her back to reality. Realizing she had been staring at his face for some time, she turned away with a faint blush. After a few seconds of awkward silence, she spoke.

"I know! Reinhard, come here." She patted the stone bench, indicating the knight to sit closer to her. Then Natsumi turned back, the sun now behind her, and Reinhard followed.

"Today is a special day for me. I want a good memory of it, so help me out, okay?"

Reinhard nodded, and then Natsumi took her phone out of her pocket. Seeing himself and Natsumi reflected on the weird device, Reinhard opened his mouth to speak. However, Natsumi poked him with her elbow.

"Smile for me, okay?"

As she finished, she made a peace sign with her other hand, leaning into Reinhard's chest for support. Reinhard imitated her gesture, and then Natsumi took the picture.

Reinhard with his shining blazing red hair and Natsumi with her jet black ponytail fluttering in the wind, with the sunset in the background and a wonderful view of the city below.


Natsumi examined the recently taken picture before being distracted by the clink of some coins.

"Forgive me, but please take this." He handed over three golden coins, one bigger than the others. "I'll be going now, I must report to Commander Marcos. Turn the street and you'll arrive at the tavern." He stood up and headed towards the stairs leading down.

"If you'll excuse me." A few seconds later he had already disappeared from her sight. Natsumi hid the coins she had just received in the same pocket as her phone and started walking towards the street at a slow pace.

After a long day… Or two, technically, exhaustion was finally creeping up on her. Things had finally relaxed and she let out a long yawn.

It sure had been a hectic day.

"I'll have to find a way to pay him back one day," she muttered. Standing up, she took a last look at the sunset before turning towards the street.

A few seconds later, a cold breeze spreaded across the street. She hugged her body to stop trembling from the cold. Her warm breath escaped her lips, suddenly visible.

She kept walking, hoping to reach the pub before the weather got worse. However, after a few steps, a burst of freezing vapour covered the street along with a booming voice.

"This world no longer needs to exist."

The burst of cold froze the street, covering the ground in a slippery blueish layer of ice, making Natsumi lose her balance. She tried not to fall, but after hearing a loud crack she fell head on.

Lying on the cold floor, she moved one hand to her forehead. She didn't seem to have any injuries. She turned her head back towards where she had taken that photo with Reinhard and started talking to herself,

"What's go-" before her words died in her throat. Standing in the horizon was a massive feline figure, towering over the lower part of the city, surrounded by a giant snowstorm. It turned its head, and she could swear she saw two shining yellow eyes focusing on her.

Her instincts took over and she attempted to stand up and run from it. Whatever it was, it was causing all this cold. However, she fell to the ground once more. Taking a second look at the beast, now looking in another direction, she noticed something in the edge of her vision.

Her left foot, clad in a layer of ice. Slowly trailing her head further down, with her eyes wide open in shock, she noticed that everything below her left ankle was gone. Separated, lying in the street.

Her breathing and heart rate accelerated until her heart was threatening to burst out of her chest, and she opened her mouth to scream for help. The moment she did, her mouth became full with frost and flurry. When did it start snowing?

She couldn't even scream for help. To beg for someone to save her. Her arms crackled under her own weight and cracked into pieces, making her lie on the floor yet again.

She had lost her foot and arms, yet it didn't hurt. Just a numb sensation where they used to be. Isn't this supposed to hurt? Why did it not hurt? Why wasn't she feeling anything?

She was about to die. A frozen statue buried under snow, never to be found, away from everyone she knew.

"Mom…" she managed to mutter.

She couldn't feel the rest of her body anymore. What even was left? All she could sense was herself getting more and more sleepy.

"I'm… sorry…" A single tear threatened to slip off her eye, instantly freezing when exposed to the freezing storm. Despite having her eye stabbed, she couldn't feel a thing.

Just a sense of absolute failure. She wouldn't see her parents smile again. Play with the kids she had met today. Repay Reinhard for all his help.

The little energy she still had left her body, and her mind finally shut down.

Natsuki Subaru, the young girl who had been summoned to another world against her will, became nothing more than a frozen statue buried under a thick layer of snow.