"Nii-chan, better wake up!"
SPLASH!
"Blurghrghgh!"
I'M DROWNING! DROWNING!
His body's senses slowly returned, but the first to work was his mouth.
"Cof, cof, cof… Han, what?!"
Opening his eyes in fright, Kazuma began to stare at everything around him, wondering if he was still dreaming. The water ran over his hair and got into his eye, making it itch.
What the fuck, am I in heaven? God? Womens? Where is my dear little sister?!
He looked like a frightened animal, hugging his body as he felt the cold drain away and heat fill his body. If it weren't for the bucket of water in his face, he might be hyperventilating right now.
The sensations, the sounds, the smell, everything came back little by little... Or rather, everything was there from the beginning, it just depended on Satou Kazuma accepting that he was there, alive and breathing, without any problems.
Is this an illusion? Powerful magician, will you arise for me?
The fear. The pain. Everything disappeared in an instant. But it was still strange.
The only heat he felt before returning to normal was that of the shadows hugging his poor body, a unique feeling, an incredible feeling. However, it seems that there was no such thing as "love" involved, it was like a person offering a hug to a poor guy, showing affection to the one who left young for the afterworld…
Or that's what should have happened.
I'm not dreaming, it's really all over again.
The sun began to increase the heat in his body, while drying the sugar embedded in his clothes.
The terrible pain I felt in the front of my teeth returned.
Feeling the air return to his lungs, he decided to test his voice once and for all:
"I went back. I went back. I'm back, I'm back, I'm back—", he shouted desperately, but was soon silenced by a large hand.
His eyes returned to the gentleman in front of him. It took a while to finally realize he was there. His face was really wrinkled, showing that he was already an adult, as well as short greenish hair covered by a kind of mini beret. His biggest feature was the scar that marked a large part of his face.
It appears that it was this man who also woke him up with the water. The bucket was in his other hand.
"Are you crazy after waking up?!", embarrassed, he shook his head "Listen, you better go find one of the guards and solve your problem. Just don't scare away my customers!"
"I'm dead, am I alive?"
Pushing Kazuma back, but not intending to hurt, the man stood up, placing the bucket to the side.
It took the boy a while to realize that he was next to a crowd of people. Thousands of looks of disapproval and curiosity surrounded him, all because of his scream.
Some whispers also appeared, what Kazuma could hear was at most questioning why he was wet...
Wait.
"Serious? I got wet again…", taking off his coat, he quickly wrapped it around his waist, covering that stain on his pants. "Are you sure I came back just like that? The hell, I thought it would be all right, well, where is the lucky aura?"
It seems like he completely ignored the man next to him.
"You… Sighing.", he put his hand on his face. "Strange boy."
"Sorry, old man, I was just excited to see everything again…"
"Old man? I'm not even in my 50, kid!"
"Oops, oops, sorry. Should I call him sir…?", seeing that the man clearly had enough strength to easily beat him, he placed his tail between his legs.
"You know what? If you're already cured of whatever it is, you'd better get out of here. It's disturbing the clientele."
Kazuma looked around once more, noticing a small tent parked right next to the wall. It seems that the main content was a red fruit similar to an apple, where exploring more about this world was discovered to be called appa.
"So it's a salesman, I see. I respect people who want money to live their lives. Good one, sir!"
"Interesting words… But then, is there anything you want to buy?", completely changing the tone, the man pulled Kazuma's collar, lifting him up. "I accept clients of any type."
"Do you accept credit cards?"
"Card of what?"
"ARRIVEDERCI!" he shouted, saluting.
Turning his body 90 degrees, he took the first exit he saw, running as fast as he could to escape any problems. He didn't want to face merchants angry because he was completely broke in the other world, so the only option was to get out of there.
If you have the option to escape, then click on it as quickly as possible!
The man remained unresponsive, even letting the small ear of wheat fall from his mouth.
"...Broken boys, why does everyone act like this?"
He spat into the bucket next to him.
2
Don't worry
He died, he clearly remembered the feeling of helplessness when he was unable to do anything in his final moments. But here he is, breathing, seeing, and moving his body freely.
The shopping bag, the toothache…
With everything calming down, the feelings he had at the beginning of his journey returned. The wet fabric on his pants, the pain in his tooth from the crash, even the sugar stuck to his clothes from the soda, everything came back.
It had been wiped clean by Puck previously, and now it all came back.
Everything came back, from the beginning, everything came back…
"...What a great power to give to a summoned person from another world..", after losing his ghost pursuer, he leaned against the wall. "I thought I was going to have an amazing restart, but it was worse than I thought."
Getting his head straight, Kazuma began to think better about what to do from now on.
According to events, he met with the main heroine, wasted time in the capital exploring the city, found the location of her lost insignia, and then…
"This script is very shallow. Did I just come back from the beginning?", biting his molars, he seemed angry, but at the same time, scared about the resolution of everything. "Who the hell gets summoned for something like this?"
His hand rubbed his belly, clearly feeling his body working perfectly. There were no insides hanging out, no blood spilling out of the orifices in his body, and much less that agonizing pain that surrounded him until he lost his life.
"What a joke.", spitting on the floor acting like a badass, he hit the wall with his hand.
If I went back to the beginning, then in short, everything I did fell apart. And I still stink. Considering that my meeting with the main heroine was in an alley, and just when she was robbed, this event must be something necessary for the continuation of the story. Does this power work depending on the route I take?
Living his life like a simple visual novel, he walked in circles, trying to get his head to work.
Let's see, my initial equipment is a bag full of nothing, pockets with just a cell phone, and wet clothes... It's a survival starter kit. BUT THERE IS NOTHING OFFENSIVE!
Falling to his knees, the fact that he received nothing as summoned shook him.
The only reward he had when he died was a phantom pain that occurred in his belly, in addition to bad memories.
It means that first time I also died. I didn't save that strange child, I couldn't save the main heroine... What a great start to the campaign.
Standing up with the greatest effort possible, he traced the path he took previously in his mind. It seems like your place of checkpoint it would always be the same, and as something can always get worse, its current state is precarious. How could he get out in this realm like that?
However, Satou Kazuma had a plan.
Well, if starting over means that everything that happened will disappear when I die, can I commit crimes? No no. Thinking this way will tarnish my as-yet-uncreated reputation…
Sitting down with his legs bent, he crossed his arms. It seems that some force majeure is interfering with the way he wants to act. If dying makes him come back to the same place, then he should do something to change, right? If not, in the worst case, whenever he died, he would always return to the same checkpoint.
It would be hell trying to do it all over again. It must always be a phase change. If I can do something amazing, I move on to the next thing.
Come on, think, think, think! What could I do… Puck commented that I might be capable of being a spiritual arts wizard. Can I do this in at least 1 minute? If I received a buff, it would be a prodigy, right?! Furthermore, this world has guards among other things, wouldn't it be better to get a whole squad to help me instead of facing something dangerous?
Also… My heroine is walking around, looking for the person who stole her. If everything goes the same way as before, will she be able to survive when she goes to the mansion with stolen items?
Putting his head to work, he began walking to where he thought the right place would be.
Instead of just wandering around looking for the missing item from the main quest, he also obtained some information about the kingdom of Lugunica. Even though much of the knowledge came from Emilia, it's easy to see how things work just by looking. It is not possible to read the letters of this world, but it is possible to see certain similarities with medieval times, in addition to being very similar to classic isekai cliche anime, apart from the fact that demi-humans walk together, without prejudice.
I had to think intelligently…
I can no longer make rash decisions without thinking about the consequences.
"I could find Emilia and tell her to be careful. It's a friendly option that may lead to some problems… Now, the hard part is finding—"
The unintentional script made his eyes meet a beautiful silver-haired woman walking through the crowd. There was no way to be mistaken, it was really the half-elf, heroine, Emilia.
Kazuma was left without a reaction after realizing the luck that fell into his lap. Certain things seem to come at the best time for him...
It's not good to rush, but to miss an opportunity like that? The world moves at my will.
Approaching like a ghost in the crowd, one of the hikikomori skills that Satou Kazuma obtained in this life was:
Passive skill, invisible aura.
Passing through all the people, squeezing past others, he got to the point of almost putting his hand on the woman's back, but stopped himself. Thus, with kind words he said:
"Emilia-chan.", he whispered.
" — — — ", feeling her body freeze upon hearing her name, the girl turned her back, facing Kazuma. "What…?"
She looked scared and also surprised. Perhaps it was the first time he had heard his name called in public. Even more so by a stranger with strange clothes.
In the half-elf's head were questions like "how does he know me" or "why is he dirty?"
With the two standing in the middle of the promenade, the crowd began to disperse to the sides.
Approaching Emilia to the point of facing her, Kazuma said:
"I'm sorry to arrive like this out of nowhere, but how about we have a little chat. hehe~", massaging his hands, he didn't look friendly at all. "
"A conversation…?", his face went from curious to tense. "Should I listen?."
She seems a little angry. How scary. How cute. Elves are really different.
"You don't know me, but I know you— Wait, I sound like someone bad like that. Cough, cough~", forcing a cough, he began gesturing with his hand. "Look, I'm just stopping by to let you know that you better pay attention to your belongings. It's full of pickpockets around here."
"Pickpockets? I-I don't understand what you're talking about… But, my belongings?", understanding the warning, she put her hand in the hidden pocket of her dress. "They are here."
"Great, great. So keep it safe and don't take it out—"
Then everything froze.
What…
In fact, as if time passed slowly.
It was a kind of "dramatic scene". Kazuma tensed at what could come from this.
Don't tell me...
While chatting calmly with Emilia, a golden-haired ghost ran through the crowd.
Her speed was such that the slightest blinks made Kazuma miss the girl's movement, until she finally appeared in front of him.
It was a young girl. Golden hair and red eyes like fire. Canines that appeared above his lips, giving the impression of a mischievous person. Perfect short clothes to help with mobility, and of course, a huge red scarf that flew through the air while running.
"Emi—"
Before he could warn, the girl made a clean movement with her hand, immediately picking up a small object with golden ornaments and a large red gem in the middle.
It looks like he was glowing.
Emilia was robbed again.
And Kazuma participated in that.
FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE!
"A-ah!", putting her hand in her pocket, Emilia made a shocked expression. "No…"
"Did she get it? That fast? I thought—"
"You… Are you her companion?" Raising her eyebrows, it seems like the half-elf was really angry. "I was caught in a slip…"
"Wait a minute, number 1. I have nothing to do with this!"
"It doesn't matter. Thank you for the words… Strange.", passing by Kazuma, no glances were exchanged at the end.
But the last word hit Kazuma hard.
The hero was purged...
Running after the girl, Emilia stretched her arm forward, causing two pieces of ice to appear.
The thief was skilled enough to climb onto rooftops without any difficulty, but could she escape projectiles?
"Please give it back to me!" cried the half-elf, looking with both hands.
Should I go after…?
Running between the rooftops, it was clear she wasn't going to stop.
"Huma!"
Then a projectile was thrown.
The girl jumped to avoid it, causing the tiles to be hit squarely, dispersing the debris. Its speed was greater than the speed of the projectile.
"I need to go after it!", running while escaping the crowd, Emilia chased the thief.
Meanwhile, Kazuma remained planted in the middle of the boardwalk, watching the entire scene with his mouth open.
The first impression he had was:
It doesn't look like she was the one who killed us in the favela.
Then he felt some eyes turn to him.
"Uh… Okay?"
It seems that the people who were caught by Emilia's shots also realized who caused the problem: Satou Kazuma.
Yes, he arrived to warn Emilia, but the way he did it was as if he were saying "Look, she's here! The time has come to start the plan!" I just wanted to help.
Maybe luck comes in bad times.
"So this is how it's going to be? Alright, fuck it then!" Stepping on the ground, he faced the crowd's disapproving looks and walked aimlessly.
Emilia's shield? Help the heroine? Screw it all. If Kazuma ever gets a reception like this again, why would he humiliate himself so much for a cute girl?
Of course, men usually do things for beautiful women, Kazuma himself would say that he would "move mountains" for them… But, Emilia doesn't seem to be anyone younger than him, so the heroine's mission calling him Onii-chan or something like that, was thrown in the trash.
"If I'm going to lose my life, let it be with someone who is clearly going to become number one."
Emilia also seems strong enough to deal with people like that thief, she has that talking cat after all. Why was I so worried?
Deciding to go the opposite way to Emilia, he entered deeper into the royal capital.
I should pursue another goal... Find a way to sleep tonight.
There was no need for Satou Kazuma.
3
Magic Is Really Amazing
Having decided that you would follow the opposite path to what the world chose, it's time to look for something interesting to do in this new world.
After moving away from the busy region of the capital, he found himself in a more chic sight, possibly entering the noble area of Lugunica.
He could beg for a few coins, or even offer manual labor. Seeing what this incredible new beginning would be like, it was best to try and try a little of everything until you were satisfied. But before—
First, a place to sleep.
Second, basic nutrition.
Third, figure out how to contact a lesser spirit… In fact, why not do that first?!
"I should have asked Puck for more information. From what he told me, do I have an easy time being a spiritual artist? Am I so attracted to these little fireflies?" Scratching his chin, he tried to remember.
Let's see... Emilia sighed deeply and started to say some words that I didn't hear, then several of these lower spirits appeared. Can I try? Although she talked about an explosion…
His leg shook with the fear of dying again. Getting in touch with inferior spirits was like pulling the pin out of a grenade. You might be able to hold it in your hand for a while and live, but if you slip up, BOOM, it's over.
"I feel like I have more of a connection to normal magic— Ah! Why didn't I ask Puck to measure that portal of who knows how many?! Damn…" Kicking the ground, he shook his head. "Calm down, I can't lose my mind over something that has already happened. If I bump into Emilia at any point, I'll go straight to talk to Puck."
Considering the common elements of a world, it is capable of having fire, earth, water and air. If this is an expanded world, we can also include grass, thunder, shadow, iron, light, among others... I hope it is complex, the greater the range of skills, the better it can be for me to level it myself!
Starting to gain confidence, he walked until he was far from anyone, trying to understand on his own how this world could work:
"Let's see… Emilia-chan referred to the portal as something you have inside you. If I have something like that, just think of a way to pass the mana out, right? Like in a game— No, this is real life, it can't be that simple."
"If I were a mage who had at least one element within me, I would try to mentalize a spell in the palm of my hand and would try release. But I don't know if the workings also apply here... Right, it's better to test everything at once.", stretching his hand forward, he closed his eyes and started thinking about something hot. "Think, think, think."
Sun, Volcano, Magma, Embers, Fire. Everything that could generate heat he thought. If Kazuma could at least channel these thoughts into the palm of his hand, perhaps he would be able to unleash some magic. If you're lucky, you might get it the first time.
Is it necessary to say something for its activation?
Imagining his mana passing through an imaginary gate, he felt the tingling in his palm. His mana seemed to be following steps to finally release a spell. A true prodigy!
"...FIREBALL!"
Opening his eyes, imagining that a ball of fire would appear in front of him... Nothing happened.
"...Ice Spikes! Great Air! Shockwave! Lightning Burst! Hellsoul! Pure Soul! Bite the Dust!", he tried several spells he remembered, but nothing happened. "What's wrong with this world?!"
Punching the wall behind, he felt frustrated… However, a memory came to his mind.
Emilia threw those ice projectiles saying Huma, or something like that. I don't know what this was supposed to be, but it seems that the voice is really needed to activate the magic, channeling the mana into words and also, into the palm of the hand. If I have to do something similar, just imagine something like ice?
Let's see, if the elements of this world are something basic, ice could be just water at minimum temperatures, right? So I should think about this point. Not only that, there is healing magic that apparently starts from the same principle. Do the elements have different functionalities depending on the situation?
Water serving as something offensive and also defensive, is a great way to use the same dated elements with different uses.
All right, Kazuma, let's try this. You want to become a hero, don't you? Then…
Confident that he could do something, he extended his arms forward again. He took distance this time to avoid being hit and aimed at the furthest wall he saw. He repeated the same movement as Emilia, aiming with the same hole she made with her hand.
Water, water, water, ice, ice, ice!
Imagining the flow of mana passing through his gate, he felt his body become lighter. Inside him, something felt a little heavy, but he ignored that feeling and focused on the wonders of becoming a wizard.
The confidence he gained also brought with it the possibilities he could achieve.
Blood was also water. He imagined that this red current passing through his arms was also ammunition for the magic to work, and finally got an answer:
"They are."
SWIUM!
"Ah…!"
Opening his eyes in fright when he heard the sound of clinking glass, Kazuma was caught by a small blue sphere appearing exactly in the hole he made with his hands.
PIU! TIM!
However, the surprise of finally channeling magic in this world distracted him, leaving the small fragment to be thrown against the wall. As it was small, it only dented the wall a little, but nothing more, similar to throwing a marble.
"I achieved…? Damn, of course I did it, it's magic!"
Smiling, he jumped like a girl in love.
"I'm not useless, I'm not trash, I'm not weak!", stopping, he raised his arms up. "They will have to swallow the prodigy Satou Kazuma! Be ashamed and pay attention to me—"
"SHUT UP, KID!"
"Guh…", caught off guard by a scream coming from inside one of the houses, he shrugged his shoulders.
Better not to get too excited, I still have a lot to do today. I'm glad my luck is up to date—
When he took the first step, he felt the strength that supported him disappear, falling with everything.
DRINK!
Something cracked when the head hit the ground.
"NGGHHHHHHH!", feeling the pain appear on the front of his face, Kazuma tried to roll from one side to the other, but only managed to put his hand over his mouth.
Drops of blood ran down his lips, while a chipped part of a tooth appeared. It appears that he fell face down on the ground, and without the strength to withstand the fall, the force of gravity did all the work to crack his dental arch.
Damn, of course there would be consequences…
It seems that using the portal without being properly trained really had problems.
Even though Kazuma had controlled his mana and expelled it out, as he never had proper training, he ended up expelling more than he should have. His terrible control over his own energy left his stamina at square one. The projectile he released, even though it was the size of a marble, he used all his mana just to channel that magic.
My luck was thrown in the trash...
Are you sure I'm going to faint here? Impossible, I couldn't even enjoy the day properly…
"Onii-chan?"
RUMBLE
Widening his eyes, he had the strength to turn his head up and see a child with green hair and blue eyes.
"You…", even with blood dripping between his lips, he managed to speak.
It was instantaneous. Kazuma immediately realized that this was the same child he and Emilia helped in the past life. It seems that some things really repeat themselves…
The child looked down on Kazuma with sad eyes. It seems that she knew the pain the boy was feeling, and with timid words, she said:
"Onii-chan… Are you… Hurt?"
"A little, a little. But more than that. Why are you here?" Looking at the path he took, this place was much further away from when he found her. "Where are your parents?"
Could this child have become even more lost? What would happen if he didn't help her in the past life?
"I… I…" then tears welled up on her face.
I'm the one who's all broken, but someone else is the one crying...
Kazuma was confused. Why just now did she appear to him? How, of all the people in the royal capital, would Satou Kazuma be the first person she would meet? Is luck really on your side?
"Wait, don't cry. Look here, big brother can make some faces, Nuu— AArgghhh…!", feeling the pain of the chipped tooth, he lowered his head.
What a pathetic way to appear.
"Onii-chan is toothless.", even with tears on his face, she managed to show a comical smile.
"...You could say yes.", he said smiling, showing the hole between his teeth. "It's still daylight… Better look for your parents."
The pain was intense enough for Kazuma to pass out, but he summoned all the strength he had to keep up with this child. He couldn't leave aside the person who finally called him her brother... And like in the past life, he would hand the child over to his mother.
"Do you know where your parents live?" he asked, extending his hand to the child.
" — — — ", she shook her head in denial.
It took a while for the girl to trust Kazuma. How would you look at a man who just a short time ago was on the floor with a chipped tooth? Not only that, his clothes were still dirty, clearly showing that he hadn't cleaned himself all day...
But a child's innocence spoke louder, and she grabbed his hand.
That's the right way to start in another world.
Smiling through broken teeth, he followed the path back into the crowd trying to find the girl's parents.
Even though he wanted to continue resting and then test how good his magical affinity was, he couldn't deny help from someone who placed trust in him... Who am I kidding, he is just a siscon.
He even went back to get the broken part of the tooth.
4
Good Deeds Bring Good Appas
"My name is Satou Kazuma, but you can call me Kazuma-onii-chan, or just onii-chan. If you always want to call me brother, I would love to!"
"Onii-chan, then?"
"That, that, if you want, you can repeat it three times!"
"Your mouth is missing teeth. Did you fight anyone?"
"I don't want to talk about it…"
Walking through the capital's alleys, it would only take a few seconds to reach the busiest area. When he and Emilia helped the child, they handed it straight to the mother who was searching everywhere, so it wouldn't be difficult to find her.
The two were holding hands and walking side by side. In Kazuma's mind, it was just like an older brother helping his younger sister around town. If he could, he would like to continue this for a while longer, even if he had a very busy day afterwards.
Taking into account the time, Emilia may already be trying to seek help from the lower spirits. I can try to help you in another way if I'm lucky. he thought, creating a plan.
"We are back in the crowd. So where could your mother be—"
"Papa!" Leaving Kazuma's side, the girl ran until she jumped into the arms of a green-haired man.
"Ahh, there's my little girl. Where were you… Hun?!", looking ahead and noticing the ragged boy, he stood up. "What were you doing with my daughter?"
It seems that an angry father really can completely change his aura. Kazuma swallowed hard as he tried to find some excuse... Although, it was just telling the truth.
"I-I helped your daughter, sir! That was it! I found it somewhere, and I gave it back to you!", trying to hide the broken tooth, he put his hand in front of his mouth. "Don't worry, I didn't do anything wrong to your daughter."
"The more you talk, the more suspicious it becomes. Sit down.", pointing to the floor, he ordered.
"He?"
"Sit down," he turned his eyes to his daughter. "If you did anything to her, I will knock out the rest of your teeth."
"Did you notice? Only people from this world…", removing the hand that covered his mouth, he sighed. "Everything I do I get in trouble, tsc…"
Following the old man's order, he sat down. If he tried to run now, he would probably fall flat again, without strength. He managed to walk until now only because of his incredible willpower to help a younger girl.
"Come on, my flower, say it. Did this bum do something bad to you?"
"Hmm…", the child began to think.
Are you kidding me? I just needed to accuse myself of something I didn't do!
"Onii-chan helped me find Papa, while I was lost.", smiling while telling truths, Kazuma felt a huge relief.
"I understand, I believe in my little one.", turning his gaze to Kazuma, the man pointed to the bar behind. "Get up and come over here. Just don't run away this time."
Even though he was suspicious that the man could do something to him, he decided to take very slow steps until he got closer.
The man it exploded tongue seeing Kazuma's state. It seems that his appearance has deteriorated even more since when you last saw him.
"Okay, I think that's enough." taking a bag and placing some Appas inside it, he walked over to Kazuma.
"I don't completely trust you, but I don't deny that you helped me now. At least my wife can rest easy for the rest of the day."
"A-ah… Food?"
"You don't have money to buy it, do you? A poor guy like you doesn't even seem to have a place to sleep today."
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the humiliations, sir— Oops!"
Hugging the bag of Appas that was thrown at him, Kazuma blinked a few times, staring at the man.
"You better find a place to stay. Good luck, Nii-chan.", turning his back, he hugged his daughter and returned to the tent."
Kazuma, on the other hand, remained planted in the middle of the boardwalk until he realized that he had finally completed one of the missions in this world: Obtaining food.
Picking up an Appa, he tried to take a bite…
I can't eat this without teeth.
"Sigh, I better do what that old man said.", so he began to walk towards a region favorable to finding better conditions.
Emilia-chan will be fine, she has Puck, I don't need to worry about her at the moment...
Not at all, I have a clear conscience. After everything is over, I'll ask Puck to help me control my portal.
Exactly, the heroine wouldn't die from one moment to the next just because I didn't do anything…
…Shit.
Stopping, he thought better about the decisions he would make.
"I'm not in a position to help, but what if I ask others to help me...?", turning his gaze to the child's father, he had an idea. "I just need to ask!"
5
Solve Problems Using Words
Then, the scene changed, and Kazuma was in front of a large building, differentiating himself from the rest of the surrounding houses.
"I have something that may interest you.", he said.
After thinking a lot about what to do, he decided that the best option was to do what a normal person would do. Instead of ignoring the problems that Emilia would be going through now, she decided to use the rights that a normal citizen would have: call the authorities.
Kazuma was a person who always looked for information wherever he went. Even though most of his attention was on how fantasy the world was, paying most of his attention to details like magic, language, and strange animals, he could also pay attention to small pieces of information. Lugunica is one of the largest kingdoms in this world, and being in the largest city, the royal capital, it was obvious that there was some organization made by the kingdom to solve problems of the citizens, and also of the nobles themselves. Since it was a medieval world, the chance of having authorities wearing armor walking around was huge, and it was because of this that Kazuma found himself here.
The Royal Knights' HQ, housing most of the police and military-like authorities, was perfect for asking these people for help. After all, they were here precisely to solve other people's problems.
First, he thought about talking about the wave of robberies that happened in the region, and reporting one that happened on the perimeters, but he soon gave up on that approach. When it came to the royal capital, it was obvious that the knights had complaints like this…
In the background, he thought about giving Emilia's description and saying that an important person was robbed, taking something similar to an insignia, but he also ruled out that option. Emlia didn't have a family name, and she didn't seem to attract much attention when she walked in the crowd, sharing information about her would also be a waste of time.
So, he decided to go to the third level.
"I know about an assassination attempt that's about to happen.", how about attracting attention with a homicide?
At first, the guard who was talking to Kazuma started asking several questions, as if trying to make him prove that he wasn't paying lip service. It seems that a homicide report was actually something more aggravating than a simple robbery, which is why he managed to get the attention of the nearby guards.
It felt a lot like an interrogation, but Kazuma maintained a serious appearance until the end. Perhaps the delay was due to his broken teeth, but it seems to have given the guards more reason to rush to help. Considering that he participated in a fight, or was just beaten, it was easier to believe his words… Luckily, Kazuma also cleaned himself up in a nearby public bathroom, so at least he didn't exactly look like a beggar. The only problem could be the bag appas that he carried.
"In the suburbs…?", repeating what Kazuma said, the guard seemed to be conflicted.
"What? What was the problem now?"
Now, another problem arose, and it was right when he mentioned where the crime could happen.
"You know, kid. We can't just leave our posts to… Well, go that far."
"B-but… Damn, how complicated. So are you just going to leave this aside?", opening his arms, he asked: "The police are the police, shouldn't they be the same for everyone?"
" — — — "
"I am the one who defends everything equally. I thought the authorities were here to help others—"
"Wait a minute.", being interrupted by a different voice, Kazuma looked back.
A shoujo manga hero?
Wearing a different outfit than the other guards, a man with short lilac hair and yellow eyes like gold appeared. He was wearing something like a white cloak that covered him from his shoulders to his feet, as well as a tight black shirt, probably to help with mobility. In his holster, there was a sword with some arts on the pommel that went to the base of the hand.
It was clear that this person was more important than the other guards, even the feeling of someone more powerful surrounded Kazuma's head.
"Sorry for the intrusion, but I couldn't do nothing when I heard what you said.", his gestures, voice, everything was exactly like a heartthrob. This made Kazuma feel a little inferior, but nothing that phased him.
"Great, someone who accepts what I want to say. Listen, handsome, I have a serious complaint."
"I heard most of the conversation between you two." Looking at the guard next to him, he nodded, as if to say that he would take care of this problem. "An attempted murder is a crime that is impossible to go unnoticed."
"So you believe me?"
"I would say that I have my suspicions, but I cannot go against the opinions of those who are always by my side." raising his hand, about six shiny balls appeared, one of each color. "If I'm undecided about something, I can always trust them."
"I-inferior spirits. So you are a spiritual arts mage?!", all that prejudice against handsome men that you had in your mind disappeared, and only an incredible and powerful man emerged. "Amazing, incredible! It will be perfect like this! My name is Satou Kazuma."
"Kazuma then... In fact, I wouldn't say exactly that, because I can't do anything without them, I was blessed to get them. Even though I trust my swordsmanship, I have some tricks that can help me. In fact, you're not much different from me."
"Yes, I'm Kazuma, and I know I'm handsome."
"...? I mean that the inferior spirits also seem attracted to you.", dispersing the spirits in his hand, they floated around Kazuma, as if they were analyzing him. "I seem to like you a lot, I feel a little jealous. Wait a minute so I can help that chipped tooth of yours."
"So it's quite noticeable, huh…"
A small blue nether spirit went straight for Kazuma's face, as a transparent ball appeared. It's the way to heal this world, apparently using water magic. Before long, the pain soon followed, but the spirit remained there.
"Affinity with magic, with spirits, what's next? Martial arts? I knew I had something to prove my luck! Ah, thank you little blue ball.", he tried to catch it with his hand, but the inferior spirit moved away.
"Continuing with the other subject… Can you better retract what you said before? I would also like to know where Kazuma came from. Your clothes are a little different, but your hair is pretty common around here."
"Brown hair is common everywhere, the normal thing would be for me to have something similar to black, but my parents' genes are strange."
"I wouldn't exactly say that… Black hair usually comes from people descended from the South."
"Oh, some lore for me! How about talking about the world map?"
"Kazuma doesn't seem like someone that far away from here."
"That's right, I come from a place where there are metals with wheels, metals that fly, metals that make food, all amazing… And metals that can compress images to show you—"
"Calm down, Kazuma. I'm glad you want to talk to me, but let's focus on the problem we mentioned before. You think a crime will happen, don't you?", completely changing his expression, it seems that he has become someone focused on work.
"Oh yes. Let's talk more about magic and spirits, all that later, how about that?"
"...Kazuma is a very friendly person. I will try my best."
In this way, Kazuma began to explain exactly what happened and what could happen if there was no change. Julius's eyes were focused from the beginning of the story, but when the word "insignia" was said, which is when he changed his stance:
"A robbery and an attempted murder of someone so important… It's impossible for me to leave it alone.", looking at the guards on the side, he signaled them to enter. "It's more serious than I thought. Also, could you tell me the name of the victim?"
"Of course. A beautiful woman named Emilia, I think she suits you."
"...This took on even greater proportions." Placing his hand on Kazuma's shoulder, he caught the boy's attention. "Listen, I want you to enter the Police Station and tell what you know, you can say that Julius Euclius ordered it."
"Julius, then? A name that matches your appearance— But wait, am I going to be interrogated even more?!"
"Any crime that focuses on a real candidate, I cannot stand still.", again, the lower spirits appeared in the palm of his hand. "I want you to tell me where Emilia-sama is right now. Go.", like that, the shiny balls dispersed in the air.
"W-wait a minute, -sama, royal candidate?"
"It seems like you really didn't know, Kazuma. But, I'm counting on you, thanks for the information!", moving away from Kazuma, the knight known as Julius walked in another direction, while some guards went inside the Police Station. It seems like something big was about to happen.
"Was I caught in the middle of the shooting? I just wanted to live in peace…"
The more he dug, the harder it became to get out of the hole.
You can eat the Appas now.
7
The Cold That Freezes Your Teeth
"There's a lot of movement around here." After leaving the police station, he walked again on the sidewalk.
After about an hour of interrogation, it was finally over. He said everything he knew, or learned, in this world so far, but things started to get worse when they asked more about Kazuma.
He didn't know how, but every time a lie came out of his mouth, the guard in front of him would look at him more seriously. When he realized that he was just creating a fanfic in his head, he gave up and started telling the truth, it was at that moment that Kazuma wanted to hide his face and lock himself in a room alone.
As he had no problems saying that he came from another world, it was even strange how the guards acted that everything was fine. Are there others summoned in this world?
Apparently, it seems like there was a limit to this world known as great waterfalls. Kazuma didn't quite understand if this part of the globe had some kind of border with other continents, or if it was really a completely different world, and this land had a strange shape.
As this was a problem to think about the future, he left it as is.
"It feels like I stayed here until dark…", the sun was slowly falling over the horizon, turning the landscape a dull orange.
I hope Julius was able to help Emilia. He must be strong as hell with those spirits.
Raising his hand, the feeling of having a lesser spirit nearby was hard to forget. It was as if he had a companion by his side, one who could share feelings and conversations, even without opening his mouth.
"I should try to catch a spirit for myself…"
Walking back to Appas' tent, Kazuma needed a place to spend the night, so he thought about asking that man for a little help.
The kingdom was quite large, but it didn't seem to have a place to house homeless people. Aside from the suburbs, the only place Kazuma could sleep today was on a cold floor.
Wanting to meet that man again, her dreams were crushed when she realized that his tent had already been dismantled. Apparently, most traders, like in some parts of the world, just place what they want to sell on the sidewalk and, at night, remove it, leaving the stall in the same place.
"I don't think he would mind if I at least sleep under this tent.", holding Appas' bag tightly, he used some of them as a pillow, placing it on the ground and laying down.
Using the cell phone to see, it didn't take long for some lights to appear, like streetlights. It seems that on each post there was a stone similar to the one Emilia mentioned in her previous life. Lagmite, was his name.
This world is quite technological. Considering that there are even public bathrooms with toilets and sinks that work just like they do in my world, I think things here are very different from a clichéd medieval one.
I missed the opportunity to find an adventurer's guild while I was here, now I have to settle for searching tomorrow...
Has my life in another world finally begun? Even if I'm on a cold floor, with just my sweater as a blanket, it's from below that you start to climb.
Better not to think about it too much. Tomorrow, I will begin my training with magic, then I will try to connect with some inferior spirit. If the man in that booth is nice to me, I can ask to work with him, and then I'll start to have something in this world.
Just wait now, and don't give up too soon...
I just don't want to have to use that weird power again. Die and come back? How bizarre. Who would like to suffer in death and then return? I would try a quick suicide option to resolve these things.
Ahh… I hope Emilia-chan is okay at least…
Many thoughts were going through Kazuma's head, until finally, his mind rested.
Lying on the cold floor, this was his first night.
But-
"Ugh, is it getting colder than usual?" Clutching his body, he felt a freezing breeze.
Unable to sleep, he got up, looking for something to cover himself.
"...I'm not scared of sleeping on the floor, it's really cold. But how did it get like this? It was hot as hell in the morning, and out of nowhere I'm in freezing temperatures? What a bizarre night!"
Hugging his own body, making the same movement as when he woke up after dying, he tried to warm himself using the friction of his hands moving on his arms, to see if at least he wouldn't sleep frozen.
However, something started to chill Kazuma's spine directly.
I have a bad feeling.
"Eat, that's what I'm going to do. At least it might make me more relaxed." Taking the remaining Appas from the bag, he took a few bites of the fruit.
NHAC! NHAC! TRUN-
"A-ah, han?"
Feeling his tooth hit something hard, Kazuma looked down at Appa in his hand.
That fruit with the red skin now had a kind of blue layer around it, as if it had been frozen.
His tooth hurt precisely because he bit into something that looked like ice.
When he tried to let go of the fruit, his hand seemed stuck next to Appa's, as if the two were frozen together.
"Are you kidding me, how cold is this?!"
Getting up, he tried to get Appa out of his hand at any cost, until he decided to hit the fruit against the wall.
Impact
It did the trick at first, making the fruit explode into a few pieces. The problem was the state in which his hand was left… Raw.
"FUUUUUUuuuuuuuuck!", controlling his voice, he bit a part of the coat and ripped it off, bandaging the palm of his hand. "Damn, damn, what the fuck?!"
His skin peeled off along with the ice that shattered. The raw flesh in contact with the cold air began to cause terrible pain, making Kazuma let out some tears in response.
Picking up the rest of the Appas, he noticed that the bag was also heavier than normal, letting it go at the same time... All the fruits inside were frozen, even the bag seemed to have become hard.
"Cold, very cold…", trying to find a warmer place, he left his supplies behind and started walking on the boardwalk.
It was strange how silent the place was. He only saw a few people walking before going to sleep, but at the moment, there was only him on the street. The houses were closed, and the sky was completely pitch black.
"I just need to… Find a place to sleep."
The cold began to hurt his eyes and the joints in his hand. Even though he was wearing pants, his legs were shaking as the temperature affected his body. I wasn't used to living with such strong cold, even in Japan.
"Some spirit, magic… Something…"
The tears on his face froze, along with the ones that ran down his nose.
Hot air coming out over his mouth and disappearing into thin air, he walked for a few more seconds until—
"What…?"
He fell without support forward, as if something had been lost along the way.
I couldn't feel the sensations in my body properly. The pain from falling forward again was literally zero, the cold prevented him from having any reaction.
It looks like something happened to your leg.
Struggling to look back, he saw what looked like a stake standing in the ground.
It was his leg, completely frozen.
"Ah— AAAAARRAAAAAAHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!" Even though his throat hurt, he expressed his pain in a scream.
In fact, he didn't feel any pain at all...
The leg! Damn cold, son of a bitch! Why is this shit happening to me?
Death seems to be chasing me, wanting my contact.
This shit, why was I summoned to this crap?
I want to be someone capable of using magic, of having a cute maid who always says "Kazuma-sama".
A little girl who calls me big brother… Why does this have to happen to me?
RUMBLE
Scared by everything around him, Kazuma managed to look up, even with his eyes frozen. His retina began to slowly form a block of ice around it, making it impossible to close his eyes.
Far away, in the furthest part of the capital, a huge being that blended into the darkness appeared. It seemed to be covering the moonlight, turning a part of Lugunica completely pitch black, also affecting Kazuma.
It was hard to see, his vision started to get blurry, the tears were like razors that penetrated his skin, stretching it and turning everything to raw flesh as he forced himself to move.
Lying on the ground like a block of ice slowly forming, he managed to spend these last few minutes just watching.
A great beast, a monster, a likely future boss.
From the distance, it seemed to come directly from the favelas. It was also clear that it was the being that caused all this wind. Little by little, the houses next door also began to freeze, as if he wanted to kill everyone around him because of his fury.
I didn't know why, but I was also being blamed.
However, that monster with glowing blue eyes looked straight ahead. To Kazuma, it was as if he was staring directly at him.
With words similar to those of a being he heard in the past, he heard:
"There's nothing worth more in this world if Lia isn't here."
Little by little, Kazuma's body began to lose strength. The blood inside him was like a needle trying to pass through his veins.
Little by little, he could no longer even feel the ground on his face.
Little by little, little by little, little by little.
His vision was trapped in a window of ice.
At that same moment, a bolt of lightning, like a kind of red thunder, flashed across the sky. Crossing the darkness like a crimson line, a man wielding a sword in his hands proclaimed:
"I won't let you do anything else.", his voice reverberated throughout the capital, reaching Kazuma's ears firmly.
Just by swinging that blade once, an aura caused the surrounding houses to have all their windows broken. The clouds in the sky split apart, as a scarlet light was hammered towards the being.
"You took your time, Reinhard."
" — — — "
But, Kazuma was unable to see the end result of this "fight".
All he could see in the end was a redhead looking sadly at the situation around him.
I don't want to die again, not now.
I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die.
It's cold, very cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, cold—
Then the ice entered his lungs and froze his head.
Satou Kazuma was dead again, and not knowing what happened.
" — — — "
The feeling of heat inside his mouth was the first he had.
All the feelings came back at once... But the blow was so big that Kazuma could only stay planted in front of the fountain.
"...What the hell was that."
This time, it didn't die to a mere assassin, now, a much larger being affected the ENTIRE royal capital, completely freezing all the people, and killing Satou Kazuma in the process.
I'm warm, but I still feel the cold inside...!
Tightening his coat, he squatted down, breathing steadily and shivering from the "cold".
Not only did this happen, but a man appeared and solved everything with just one blow, but he arrived at the most time consuming.
How can a hero arrive after everything is destroyed?
"I'm not the protagonist here, am I?"
"Hey, Nii-chan, are you good?"
Trembling, he looked up, seeing a lizard man staring at him.
"I think I'm going to faint again…"
"A-ah, what?!"
Falling onto his back, he felt his head hit the base of the fountain before everything went black.
Satou Kazuma's day would take a long time to end.
Tomorrow is far, far away.