BEN 10: RISING OF THE SHIELD HERO
CHAPTER 30: THE KEY
Kazayama Kizuna desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
The reason why I don't include Japanese honorifics in ROSH writing is Ben doesn't really understand what they mean. On the other hand, Bad Ben (of BOWDG) and Ben 2041 (Omni-X) are knowledgeable enough to understand those honorifics (like San, Kun, Sensei… etc.) On that note, I am not Japanese, I just happened to learn Japanese a bit.
"Aw, you are the hunting hero, huh…"
Rex and Aria give her tons of calculating looks as soon as they first meet the little girl.
"I am Rex Salazar, Ben's teammate and… known as Claymore Hero: Orange Demon. I am not a vassal wielder or anything like that, though. Nice to meet you, Kizuna."
"I am Aria Brambila, Sir Ben's fiancee."
Kazayama raises her brows at Aria's sudden confession. I also get a genuinely surprised look from Rishia.
"Oh… Nice to meet you, Miss Brambila."
After a fortunate meeting with Kazayama, we returned to the underground prison where Rex and Aria were taking a nap. We found out that this prison is also a shelter for Kazayama who has been isolated on this "inescapable island" for some time. I didn't ask for the details as I didn't want to accidentally hurt her feelings.
But she was overjoyed when she met us… It's been a long time since she talked to someone.
"Sir Ben…" Rishia gives me an alert to stop them. But I don't bother. "They are acting creepy…"
"Yeah, you can't believe she is 18, right?"
"You are really cute, Kizuna," Rex bluntly comments. But his actions don't really suit his words. He narrows his eyes and stares into Kazayama's eyes.
I can't deny she is cute… but no matter how you look at it, she is just a middle schooler. But age-wise, Aria, Rishia, and I are younger than her.
Uh, Fantasy world… no, she isn't from a fantasy world. She is Japanese…
"I don't mean it, Sir Ben…" Rishia looks anxious as she witnesses Aria flipping Kazayama's garments. "Stop her!"
Kazayama is embarrassed by Aria's thorough examinations… and Rex… can't take a break from maintaining eye contact with Kazayama for some reason.
Can't help it, huh…
I walk toward Aria who is kneeling on the ground and flipping the girl's skirt, and gently poke her head.
"Don't bother her, woman."
"But, sir," she looks up at me with puppy eyes. "Before I can allow her around you, I must investigate her thoroughly for your safety!"
"Cut it out, will you?" I know she is acting.
"Has she seduced you already?"
"Who would be seduced by a middle schooler— ah, ah, ah, you are hurting me…"
Kazayama grabs at my ear and pulls it to her face. She is shorter than me so I have to kneel beside Aria.
"Stop! I am helping you out here!"
"Says the guy who says I am a middle schooler."
Women are certainly difficult to understand. Well, it's not like I can understand them even if they grant me hints.
She finally releases my ear and turns around to see Rex and Rishia.
"Ahem, I really want to make you dinner but it seems… you all had a meal a while ago."
"You really had spied on us, Kizuna," Rex looks back at Rishia. "I think those two who went on an expedition have used up their energy. You can cook them some food."
Kazayama turns her gaze to me who is sitting on the floor. "Give me a hand then."
"Yes, sir!" I jokingly say and stand up. Then I grab Aria and drag her after Kazayama into another chamber. "Come with me, you're gonna help her."
Aria pretends to sulk. However, she didn't refuse to help Kazayama with the cooking.
"You've got some nice ingredients there."
Kazayama shows us some vegetables and roots she possibly found in the forest.
"Is that really edible?"
I cautiously ask, picking up root-like plant material and sniffing it.
"I have that one for breakfast every day. It has a refreshing fragrance."
Can't disagree, just sniffing the root recovers my non-statistic energy.
I leave the job to the two girls who begin to throw vegetables and roots I don't know into a pot and pour water into it. Then Aria places the pot on the fireplace and Kazayama starts the fire.
"Hey, is that really okay?"
The ingredients in the pot are in chaos as Aria starts stirring the seemingly vegetarian soup.
"Feel it, the smell… isn't it wonderful?" Kazayama happily says.
"I… have a mixed feeling about it," I reply as I sniff the smell that is swirling around in the room.
Uncharacteristically for Aria, she has always been a good cook, probably thanks to that Chronos guy who worked at their manor as a chef. But now in front of me, she is stirring the soup like crazy. Like a mindless woman.
Disappointed, I rush out into the hallway and walk back to the prison chamber where Rex and Rishia remained.
Let's skip some frames.
Now we are having "dinner." Rex and Aria also, however, joined the feast as if they had a second stomach in their belly.
"Now then… Could you please tell us how you ended up on this… island?" Rex asks Kazayama. She nods at us and begins.
"I did plan to tell you guys. Actually, this isn't just an ordinary deserted island."
"What do you mean?" Aria asks.
"This is a never-ending labyrinth dimension."
My teammates and I exchange confused gazes.
Never-ending, huh… That explains why I couldn't find the land in the ocean even after traveling for enough time at a supersonic speed.
"I've been trying to find a way out for years… And never found, anyway. I don't even know how long it's been since I was thrown in here—at least a few years, though, I'm sure. When I tried to count the time, it just made me sad, so I stopped. You guys are the first people I've talked to after several years."
We gasp at her story. Living alone on a deserted island without anyone else for several years… Oh, man, it would certainly drive me crazy. Even living for a few days on Null Void can make you insane.
"Sorry… Kizuna…" Rishia looks like she's going to cry.
"It's okay…" Kazayama replies with a light tone. "Don't worry."
Seems that she is already used to being alone. Man, it will also bring me to tears if I think more of it—
"Go on," Aria says nonchalantly. Kazayama gives her a nod and continues her story.
"I am from a country called Japan."
"We know," Rex and I respond in unison. She giggles at us.
"Apparently, everyone who was summoned to another world is from Japan… except for us," Rex remarks.
"Japanese has it rough…" I agree with him. Imagine every hero summoned in any fantasy world is from Japan… There they'd have a long list of missing people. They were summoned after their death, though. It's also the same for every hero except for me and Rex.
And till now, it's a mystery why Rex was transported to this world. He isn't a vassal wielder or a hero. But his power is pretty strong for an adventurer.
"Where are you two from?" She asks curiously.
"America?" Rex and I look at each other and shrug our shoulders. "I don't think that matters anymore," Rex adds. I nod in agreement.
He leans toward me and whispers. "Do you think we should tell her about our private lives? Like, how I am an EVO, or about your Omnitrix?"
"I don't think it's time yet," I whisper back. "But we can tell her when we know her better."
"It's a good answer," he mumbles and returns to normal posture, only to see the hunting hero's curious eyes.
"What? Are you keeping secrets from me already?" She asks suspiciously.
"No, it's nothing like that, hahaha…" Rex laughs awkwardly.
"Forget it," she rolls her eyes and proceeds with her storytelling. "I heard about this island before I ended up here. They say that once you enter, you can never leave. The labyrinth is basically a world in and of itself. I've spent a long time exploring it, and I've gotten pretty far."
"No way out, you say…" Rex smirks and shoots a glance at me. I flinch and mess with my hair.
"What?" But apparently, it got Kazayama curious and excited. "You have… a way out of here."
"This guy here…" Rex says nudging my shoulder. "Has a way for every problem."
Oh, no, this again! This! Ben Tennyson — a universal-purpose man. Trust me, it's not a sweet title.
"Really?" She approaches me in an enthusiastic manner. "You know a way to escape this place?"
It's really uncomfortable to see a cute but middle-school girl's face this closely.
"Haha… are… are you sure you don't wanna try other ways?"
"I've tried every way I can… I'd even thought to kill myself…" she admits. Man, it's depressing.
And then the savior interrupts us. As usual, Aria drags Kazayama away from me muttering "You are bothering my Ben. You are bothering my Ben."
I sweatdrop and glare at Duke Rex who is giggling. Rishia gives us a troubled look, not knowing what to do.
"Alright, alright, let's get outta here, okay?"
"Yay!" She cheerfully says.
I give her an assuring smile, then raise my left wrist and roll up my sleeve to show her the Omnitrix.
"A watch?"
"A super-advanced one at that…" I don't wanna elaborate on this subject at present. When I tap the screen, a holographic ring pops up. "Come forth! Deejay… EMCEE!"
With a flash of green light, I become a green-skinned Ben Tennyson with a pair of antennae.
The hunting hero can't help but be curious. She leans toward Rex and asks him a precious question. "Hey, does he always shout like that?"
"Yes, uh, sometimes he does, and the other times he doesn't."
"Oh…"
I ignore them and concentrate my mind to get a better look at the geography of the surroundings, channeling my energy. Then I flash and disappear from their sight.
My body becomes the embodiment of the energy that travels at a speed faster than light… But… when it stops and materializes to become my body, I find out I didn't get anywhere. This is… my original position, surrounded by Kazayama and my gang.
"Got any problem?" Rex gives me a concerned look.
"Yeah… I couldn't find a way out. I mean, it's just…. Nothing. This is a space surrounded by nothing."
"What does it mean?" Rishia asks.
"It means we are in an enclosed dimension," Rex answers.
"I don't even know what a dimension is," she replies, disappointed.
This is strange… Deejay Emcee has a teleportation range of the size of a galaxy. But… Hmm, it probably means this dimension isn't the size of a galaxy but they used some tricks to make people believe this is a universe by itself. Anyway, it's impressive work.
But you can shut others in. Not me.
"So… are we hopeless?" Kazayama says, saddened by my failure.
"No, it's too early to give up," Aria replies. "I trust Sir Ben. So you must also trust him."
I am not some random cult leader! Aria sounds intimidating more than kind. However, Kazayama nods at her, accepting her kind advice and cheering herself up.
"I've got no choice, huh… Alright, here goes nothing!"
With another flash of green light, I become…
No, I got teleported into a pocket universe — inside Alien X's mind. This is the holy court of Alien X.
Characteristically, Bellicus has a tensed-up face and Serena looks like a kind mother.
"Glad to see you well and alive, Tennyson-kun," Serena greets.
"Whatever does "KUN" mean… It's only been three days since I talked to you guys."
Bellicus turns toward Serena. "It's a Japanese word. She watched some movies and got into the habit of saying it, you see."
"Oh, that aside…" (me)
"Are we doing it?" (Serena)
"Seriously?" (Bellicus)
"Yes, we are doing it," I reply with a dark voice and turn around to face the great monitor that shows what's happening around the universe. One of the tabs shows the group of Kazayama and my gang.
"Alright… 3, 2, 1…"
"ALIEN X!" We say the name out loud in unison.
"Aw, he is talking. I thought he's gonna be a statute forever," Kazayama comments bluntly.
"Well, he's got some company there. So he has to consult them before doing anything," Rex explains.
"Aw…"
"You need us to transport you out of here?" Bellicus asks.
"Yes," I reply. "Let's push the debating business to a later time."
"We also have information on this world," Serena says.
"But I don't think you'd need it for the time being," Bellicus nods.
"It's okay," I say with a smile.
Being able to do anything one can imagine is not just a blessing, but also a curse. I'd rather not rely on Alien X's powers.
"Then we will transport you to the most appropriate town. Oh… on that note…"
Bellicus tells us an important secret.
"MOTION CARRIED!"
Alien X teleports the party and Kazayama out of the dimension and reverts to my human form.
"We… we are really…" Kazayama gasps as she spins around to take a good panorama look at her surroundings. "Outside!—"
I quickly block her mouth before her voice gets really loud. The attention of the people around is all directed at us.
"Sh.. quiet," I whisper. "We are outside. You might get captured once again."
She nods in my hand. "Sorry… and thank you."
"First we should go somewhere with privacy," Rex says with a wink. Then the party and I leave the spot we were teleported to.
"This is… Mikakage," Kizuna says as she looks around. Seems that she knows where we are.
According to her, we are in the capital of the country that captured Kazayama — Mikakage. I don't know what Bellicus and Serena were thinking… It's best to trust that couple.
"It sounds like Japanese." "It sure is."
Rex and I think the same but it'd be embarrassing if we got it wrong.
It's already the time of the night.
"Rex, let's find a place to stay for the night. We can talk later." (Me)
My party agrees and so we set off to look for an inn to stay in.
"Do you guys have money on you?" Rex asks.
"Um, I think it'd be pretty much useless even if we had," I reply and continue to scan the area around us as we proceed.
"Sir Ben, can't you make some money?" Aria says with a usual expression voice.
"Am I a money maker now? Learn how to work, rich girl," I complain. At the time, it was Rishia who first found a large, beautifully decorated inn.
"You know… I've got bad feelings about this," Rex says looking up at the signboard. "I can't read it though."
The people around us are all kinds of people… Spirit people, elves, and others. I don't know what's got Rex this worried—
"Oh, it costs a lot even for one night," I mutter after visiting the reception.
"This place sure has eastern vibes, huh…" I comment, my eyes scanning the insides of the Japanese-style inn.
"Um, now you mention it…" Kizuna seems to agree with me.
I lean toward the receptionist and whisper to her. "Could you show me the way to the… restroom? I've seriously got issues, you see…"
"Ahem," she fakes a cough out of embarrassment, then gets up to show me the way. "That way."
"Thanks."
My party members except for Aria give me a curious look. Aria, she knows what is coming.
"You are quite welcome. Please clean up properly after using the place, though," the receptionist warns me. I wave at her and rush my way toward the restroom.
Ha… this is…an ancient restroom! Uh, whatever, that's not my problem. I came to the restroom to transform in a place away from people. Seriously, I am grateful that she didn't seem to notice my ulterior intentions.
"Here we go! DIAMOND— ha, I should say it out loud here."
I quickly put on the ID mask just in case and hastily create crystals in my palms.
"This should do the job."
This is how… I've always made money out of nowhere.
At that time, Partner's holographic figure pops up on my screen.
"What's up?"
"Just to remind you that a new DNA sample has been collected since we arrived here."
Then tabs showing three different species appear on my screen.
"This is… an elf?"
The first figure is an Asian-looking man with pointed ears. On that note, the figures don't really represent people. They are just 3d models created by AI based on their stats.
"I am sure it's not human…" he replies.
The second figure shows a man with a piece of jewel embedded in his forehead.
"And this must be… A jewel man!"
"Yeah, I already have a similar DNA though. I don't remember how I got it," Partner claims.
The third picture is of a pale man with translucent skin.
"I believe this DNA is similar to that Glass woman's…" Partner says. I raise my brows.
"Spirit man, huh… They aren't exactly spirits."
It's strange yet familiar… Having seen a variety of different species, I am not fazed by this level of weirdness.
"Then I leave the analysis to you." (me)
"I'll do my best, Sergeant." (Partner)
"Cut it out."
After he disappeared, I left the restroom and dashed to the reception area and put the crystals on the counter.
"I…" my eyes notice her surprised reaction. "I properly cleaned what I used."
"Oh… that… that was quick," she looks down at the crystals. She wants to ask what these are for but… it's awkward to ask a person who just returned from the restroom with a couple of crystals out of nowhere.
"Can I pay for the cost with these?"
"Oh… yeah. I think it's okay." She hands me a key.
"Then give me two double rooms."
One for the guys and the other for the girls.
"You needn't return the change."
And so I solved the problem of having no money.
I walk back to my gang who has been waiting for me in the reception area.
"Problem cleared. Are you guys hungry? We can grab dinner here."
"No, we are full," Aria says with a monotonous face, chewing some kind of snack wrapped in paper. Maybe some local snacks.
"Yeah, you sure eat a lot."
I earn an elbow blow in my guts from her for that speech. Sold well.
"Let's… get… Some rest…"
When we arrive in our room, duke Rex drops himself onto his bed.
"Grr, dude, gonna sleep."
"Wait, weren't you sleeping an hour ago?"
"I've got nothing to do. Oh, take your girl out shopping. She'd like it."
He must mean Aria. I don't really want to do what she likes, ha, so weak.
"... okay."
In front of the door of the girls' room, I take a breath and knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Aria says.
"It's me."
I hear her footsteps rushing toward the door in the room. Then it opens pretty quickly.
"Oh…"
"What is the matter, Sir Ben?"
"Uh, Rex said I should take you out shopping in the town…" I internally blame Duke Rex as I force a smile on my face. "What do you think?"
"It'd be great to go out…"
"It's already dark, though…"
I shoot a glance into the girls' room out of curiosity. Rishia is already sleeping on a bed. And I see Kazayama coming to us.
"Let me accompany you guys, then," she speaks up.
"Hmm, do you want to come with us?" I ask. Aria pouts at me.
"No, no, I feel like you will be lost in the town if you guys go out."
What's with that reason? Uh, doesn't matter, she wants to come with us… So…
"Is it okay to leave her like that?" I say, pointing at the sleeping greenhead.
Man, isn't Rex sleeping, too? These two are something else…
"It's okay," Kazayama claims. "Why not have some trust in your comrades?"
"No, it's not… Like that…" Damn, I feel like an overprotective father who took his children on a camping trip. "Alright, alright. Let's just go."
She giggles, probably thinking she has won the round. I don't even know what we are competing for.
As she rushes toward the door, I remember something. So I immediately stopped her.
"Hey, wait… uh."
"Um, what?" (Kazayama)
"Partner, can you make some ID Masks?"
I don't know the full capabilities of the Omnitrix but reducing the clothes to the molecular level and reconstructing them is a notable function of the Omnitrix. I don't doubt it can replicate things if it has enough energy for molecular breakdown and reproduction.
ID Masks. It's for Kizuna's safety. As a former prisoner of this very country we are in, I don't think it's wise to just wander around in the capital. Kazayama seems to be carefree about that. Well, it's not like I can understand or blame her — she had been a prisoner for years until the last two hours.
Partner appears and gives me a nod in affirmation. "Right on the spot, Sergeant."
"Whatever it means. Just give me two copies already."
"Two copies of New York Times?"
"ID Mask! Two copies of ID Mask."
"I can do it… But the ID Mask doesn't have a function to disguise people as anyone but your future self."
I almost curse myself. Damn, why did I forget it? To disguise yourself as another person, first, you have to insert the physical attributes of such a person. It doesn't really take time but…
"Uh, whatever, forget it," I say it out loud, surprising Kazayama.
"Huh?"
"Sorry, nothing."
I look back at Aria. "Wanna wear a disguise?"
Aria is a different story. She has already been disguised as Arian multiple times before.
"Why are you on edge, Sir Ben?"
"I… Sorry."
I don't want to run into Kyo during our peaceful trip. Not at this time. I am sure I'm gonna punch the heck out of him when I meet him again.
"Please don't think much about work… Everything will work out."
"Yeah… Alright! We shouldn't waste any more time. It's already dark, let's go!"
It's how we finally went out on a "shopping" trip. Initially, it was to please Aria. Despite being a descendant of a rich noble family, she has always been following me… Sometimes, Duke Rex comes up with crazy ideas. Ha, he should take a break, too.
"Wow… Everything has an eastern look… Even clothing and buildings…"
I don't know much but this sure looks like an ancient Asian town. The outfits of the people are also similar to the Japanese clothes Julie once showed me. The people themselves are mostly NOT human though.
Some have translucent skin, whom I note as Spirit people. Some have pointed and long ears, who I think are elves. The others have jewels embedded in their bodies… In their faces, hands, and other places. Those must be the jewel people.
"Hey, Ben, do you really have money on you?" Kazayama asks. "This is a shopping trip, right?"
"What's with your unbelieving look? Of course, I have money."
I quickly take some greenish-blue crystals out of my pant pockets. "Let's find a shop to sell these, first."
After selling the crystals…
"Kizuna…" I point at the men with pointed ears. "I've been wondering for a while but are they… elves?"
"Hmm, they are called grass People… or just Grass."
Oh, man. I don't want to say it out loud, worrying I'd accidentally insult the race. I am not even surprised. Yeah, sometimes I myself become a plant-man. I'm unfazed by people born from grass.
"And…" when I point at the people with jewels and spirit-like people, they give me a weird look so I quickly retract my hand. "Those are jewel people and spirit people?" I whisper.
"Yeah… You guess it right at one try," Kizuna replies. Yes, Captain Obvious. I am even more surprised that I guessed the Grass wrong. "Some people call them spirits."
The biology of humans being sexually compatible with pretty much many sentient species makes things amazing… at least in my homeworld. I can't imagine what kind of evolution stages result in these races— Wait, I lived in a world with demi-humans and beastmen, what am I to be surprised?
"My best friend is also a spirit person!" She eagerly says.
"I'd love to meet them someday," I laugh with her. Aria suddenly breaks us apart and takes the gap between us.
Crap, I totally forgot she was with us! Top ten reasons why I am bad with girls.
"Um, Aria, is there something you want to eat?"
Pretending to sulk, she, however, points at a stall that sells ball-shaped snacks. It looks like some sort of fried food.
"Uh, okay, let's eat some."
Today's chapter is filled with gourmet scenes. Need to change the genres.
"Oh, it looks like takoyaki!" Kizuna says, excited as she leans forward to take a good look at the snacks.
The man at the stall smiles when Kizuna eagerly looks at his delicious food.
"Takoyaki?" I ask.
The shopkeeper is a middle-aged jewel man. He wears a waist apron and there is a jewel on the back of his left hand.
"Yeah. Takoyaki is a Japanese food— uh, mister, can you pack this for us? Yes, I will take three cups."
Oh, no, this is seriously turning into gourmet fiction.
"One is for Aria."
The night market of the capital is really peaceful… People of different races wandering around the town without disturbance is also a great sight.
We found a stone bench and decided to sit there as Kizuna and Aria had to enjoy their food.
Receiving a hostile look from Aria, I reluctantly ate the snack ball Kizuna fed me. After that, Aria also competed and fed me, too.
Oh, man, this must be what Harem means… hehe.
"Kizuna…"
"What is it?" She mumbles as she chews her food.
"Are spirit people weak to soul power attacks? I mean, I once fought a powerful spirit woman and she became really weak after I unleashed a soul sucking attack on her."
The powerful spirit woman I mentioned there is the beloved Glass from this world. I don't think she'd know Glass since she had been imprisoned for years.
"Yeah, their powers…" she mumbles. "Are based on their spirit energy. Unlike us humans or some other species, they don't have levels. So the more spirit energy they have, the more powerful they can be."
"Hmm… Thanks, Kizuna."
That's why… Understandable.
"Let's get back after shopping a bit more."
Before it entirely turns into a gourmet episode.
After returning to the inn,
"Rex, wake up. We've got a strategy meeting."
"… Brr, what strategy?"
He gets up from bed with a flip. We gotta hold a strategy meeting tonight so that we can do something tomorrow.
"I think it's time to tell her what she needs to hear."
Rex narrows his eyes and gives me a nod.
We gathered in the girls' room.
"As you know, we are from another world," I begin.
"Yeah, what about it?" Kizuna asks cluelessly.
"We were actually pursuing a criminal who committed mass murder to obtain power," Rex explains. "It's very dangerous. If he gets his hands on that power, many worlds will be in danger."
"That's…" She becomes speechless.
"That aside, I'm gonna punish that man as soon as I find—"
Rex whispers to me. "Wait, if we're gonna search for him, can't you just pull some tricks and find him? How did he outrun you in the first place?"
Gosh, seriously, is he thinking I am some kind of almighty power wielder?
"Well, it won't be interesting if things end that quickly."
"And you should be worrying about Filo, too."
The disappearance of Filo really makes me anxious. But even so, I should keep my calm and do things step by step. After all…
"… Uh, could you guys tell me about… that criminal?"
I turn my gaze toward Kizuna.
"His name is Kyo. He is a book vassal wielder… I don't know how that kind of person becomes a vassal hero…"
"Oh… so he is powerful, right? I can't imagine how powerful he is if he escaped from you."
You, too? Seriously? It was just a bad matchup. Even Diamondhead has substances he can't cut.
"… yeah…" I mutter with a depressing tone.
"We also worked with the heroes who came from this world…" Rishia takes over the explanation. "L'Arc, Therese, and… Glass. Right, Aria?"
"Mm," Aria nods.
Kizuna suddenly gets worked up at the mention of their names.
"L'Arc… Therese… and Glass? Wait, what? You know them? You know L'Arc, Therese, and Glass?!"
"Er…" Rex and I look at each other. Rex shrugs his shoulders — meaning I should handle it. "Sorta. I don't think… we are friends… I just encountered them on the battlefield…"
"Wow, so you were comrades?! Amazing."
My left eye twitches as I think to lie. But…
Halt your mouth. I don't know whether I will get slaughtered if I say we are enemies. That spider string attack she used to slay those old-man monsters was so scary… No joke.
"Not… exactly comrades. We are… Uh, they and I are…"
"Enemies," Aria speaks up, causing Kizuna to flinch.
"E-enemies?"
"Oh, don't worry. Haha," Rex enters the conversation again to help me. "You see, no one would stay quiet if someone invaded their world and tried to destroy it."
The most rational speech I've heard in a few days. Splendid job, Rex dude.
"That's right. Haha…" (me)
Wait, why are we laughing?
"So… how did you come to know Glass?" Rex asks.
"I told Ben before… She's… my best friend. We met on a quest. Something big. After knowing her, I also came to know L'Arc and Therese."
"Oh…"
I can't really imagine Glass getting along with a middle-school girl. But last time I saw her, she was really, you know, feminine. It's not like strong women don't look feminine. Some girls just don't like to be.
"… such a… great friendship."
Kizuna is too eager and absorbed to notice the facial expressions of me and Rex.
"Also, you know, Therese is a jewel girl."
Hold up, I thought she was a vassal wielder — jewel hero or something like that. Aren't only vassal wielders able to invade the other worlds?
"It's…" (me)
"… unexpected." (Rex)
"Therese, huh…" Rishia says. "I've never thought she is another species."
You have only spent, like, half a day with her. We spent the entire day of the expedition and party time with her but failed to notice who she was.
"L'Arc? What is he? He is also not a human?" I ask, but now with anticipation.
I'd not even be surprised at this point.
"I… think he is human," Kizuna replies with an uneasy smile.
"Yeah, he looks like just a dude with a scythe," Rex agrees.
His scythe is a cool weapon, though.
"What are we gonna do tomorrow?" I ask Kizuna.
We know nothing about this world so we have to rely on Kizuna. Although she had been imprisoned for years, I hope nothing much had changed.
"We will use Dragon Hourglass to teleport to the country that summoned me — Sikul. There is this skill called Return Codex that allows holy heroes and vassal wielders to teleport to another checkpoint."
Using the Hourglass to teleport, huh? Come to think of it, we also used the Hourglass to teleport to where the waves happened.
"So waves happen in this world, too," Rex comments.
"What waves?" Kizuna asks with curious eyes.
"The waves of calamity. Those where the monsters drop to the human realm." (Me)
Kizuna looks clueless but it surprises me and the gang. Wait, does she not know about the waves?
"Hm, you don't know?"
"Uh… never heard of them. Sorry."
"The heroes are summoned to fight the waves," I explain. "So why did they summon you?"
This is a complicated and unexpected plot twist.
"Hm, I wonder… Anyway, so this timer I've been seeing is the time before the waves? 10 days as it says…"
I widen my eyes as I remember the previous world also has the waves business unfinished. But I wouldn't worry with three idiot heros (if they regained their consciousness), Horai, and my clone left behind.
It'd be too optimistic to say my clone is enough to protect the world.
"Don't worry. We'll help you when it comes," Rex says confidently. But Aria doesn't seem to be satisfied with the idea. Uh, whatever.
"So… we have to get to the Dragon Hourglass tomorrow."
END OF THE CHAPTER (30).
I considered adding more, original scenes in my story. I mean, most of the scenes are just character-inserts with Ben in the place of Naofumi. Aria is also a character born from an original story.
At first, I wanted to make a heroine who needed Ben's protection, unlike Raphtalia who became strong and grew to be Naofumi's sword. But Aria turned out to be a barbarian… Her character was, at first, a weak girl with a traumatic past — her knowing the true face behind Idol Rabier (her dad) but unable to reveal because she didn't want to destroy the relationship of her parents that was already weak. It changed in the later chapter where Ben saved Rihana and Keel but Aria never knew the cruelty of Idol Rabier.
I dropped the idea after considering the screen time and number of words. And now, I honestly don't know how the story would change if Aria knew what her dad actually was beforehand. It would result in a similar character like Raphtalia but likely, more brutal. She would also hate the sword and use only the rifles Ben made her.
Thanks for reading and writing reviews on my chapters. See you next chapter.
Christopher Paradox Chronos.