fics I read

"This sucks, I'm tired..." Felt crosses her arms while laying down on a bed. It's understandable why she's feeling dead, we trained all morning, and studied through a big part of the day afterwards.

I'm feeling the same as her of course, though thankfully Reinhard didn't lie about his teaching Divine Protection. I could definitely feel myself both growing stronger and growing smarter constantly... Sadly he doesn't magic, so he can't teach me that.

I smile, sitting on a chair. "Hey, where did that enthusiasm from before go? You were talking about spiting Rein's dad and stuff." Right now most of Felt's fire has been diminished... I guess that's what hours of hard work do for you.

It feels nice, to have a clear goal besides getting money and surviving. I'm preparing for the next big step of my life, and I'm having the help of the best, of the best to do so. Now all I have to do is avoid disappointing Reinhard, and I feel like he's a hard guy to disappoint, he's way too nice.

Felt pouts as she kicks her legs up and down. "I did work hard though. It's fine to complain about it after I've done it, isn't it? And I'm doing it tomorrow too, and after tomorrow, and... you get the idea." I guess that's true. In the end she did walk the walk after talking the talk.

I nod. "You're right, but if that's the case..." I loudly yawn. "Man, I'm beat...! I kinda want to nap." Well Felt is obviously occupying the bed in my room, so maybe I should go find another place to sleep. Maybe on her room? That sounds perverted, and it is!

Her pouting face is now aimed at me. "What bro, you wanna kick me out of the room? Then say it outright, pussy." Now that I think about it, Felt sure swears a lot... Well, I have nothing against it I suppose, in fact I'm used to it. But it does feel a bit weird to talk with someone so crass after spending hours with Reinhard.

I chuckle. "Nope, you can stay... you should stay. Just scoot over so I can in the bed! Let's nap together!" I'm not some idiot, so my hands won't wander around where they shouldn't. Even so, it would be super nice to sleep with a cute girl like Felt.

A blushing Felt sits up in a flash. "No way...! Have some common sense bro!" I do, and my common sense was telling me you were gonna reject me, nonetheless I was still hoping for a miracle. "That said, you shouldn't be napping, lazy bones." You were the one laying down on a bed one second ago!

She continues. "It's gonna mess up your internal clock you know? And then you're never getting used to training..." She sighs. "If you're feeling sleepy, just go beg Carol for coff or something." I don't want to abuse her kindness though.

Still, I raise an eyebrow. "Hey Felt, what's coff?" I never heard of it before, so I'm assuming it's some weird delicacy exclusive for this world... Which means I really want to try it! I might abuse Carol's kindness...

She sends me a surprised look. "You guys don't have coff back in your homeland? It's like... a black drink that wakes you up, I think it's made with beans...? It's rich guy's stuff, so I never tasted it." Isn't that just coffee?

Then again, I'm pretty sure I heard people here calling apples appas, so maybe it's a weird language quirk? It's strange that it's manifesting for food of all things though. Does that mean maybe mayonnaise exists here and it's just known under a different name?

I make a thinking pose. "I think you're talking about coffee... it does exist back in my homeland, but as you just heard it has a different name." A much better one. "By the way, it's bitter, not that good." I much prefer tea, or anything else really.

She hums. "Really...? Well, I can't comment on it's taste." She makes a thinking pose. "I'm surprised you ever got to taste it Iori, as a fellow street rat, I'll be disappointed if you went out of your way to steal it." Stealing coffee huh? Talk about effort for something meh.

I shake my head. "Nah, a... friend of mine bought it for me once. He... really helped me, basically took care of me." I met him when I was already fairly old, but I'm grateful nonetheless. "His rep was also useful on the Yakuza." Once people knew I was affiliated with him, they stopped fucking with me. Even if he didn't actually want me to join in the first place.

Felt smiles. "Oh, I actually am in a similar situation! I gotta introduce you to old man Rom eventually!" She then tilts her head. "By the way, what's an Yakuza? Is that a gang name?" In a way, yes.

I nod. "Yep, but it's a massive one, like a... country spanning gang." Her eyes widen, I'm guessing they don't have that here. "I was a debt collector for them... well, it's more like I followed the debt collectors actually, I don't exactly look intimidating." I'm too young...

She nods back. "So you were one of the aggressive ones huh? Yikes, I tend to avoid you guys." That's fair enough. "Gotta say though, a country spanning gang... Your country has gotta be a even bigger shithole than Lugunica." Nah, it's definitely better.

I like this place better though, at least here I had experience living when I showed up. Back in earth everything always felt unfair, and if it wasn't for me eventually meeting my benefactor, I would have probably died. I can't blame Felt for thinking that though, she was born here, so it's the reverse for her.

I wave her off. "It's an okay country, I can't complain too much about it." Besides we make kickass media. My eventual goal in the Yakuza was making enough money to become a NEET I'll have you know... that's probably off the cards now though.

She frowns. "Hey Iori... you miss him? The guy who took care of you...?" Ah, that's a complicated question, one I'm not sure about how I want to answer to be honest. Mostly because I have not been thinking about it at all.

I shrug. "Yeah, but it's fine... I think. I need to put my thoughts into order before I give you a real response, sorry Felt." In the end I don't regret appearing here, but there's no doubt he did a lot for me... Still, he would probably like that I left.

The room is now silent, and so I'm locked with my own thoughts... I choose to ignore them so I can keep stealing glances at Felt's legs instead. She's not as unbelievably sexy as Priscilla of course, but it's still a very nice sight to see.

Eventually Felt gets up with a hop. "Hey Iori, you know what's a good way of waking up? Stretching your legs! Let's move, 'cause I wanna see old man Rom!" Must you call him old man everytime? You're probably breaking his heart...

I smile. "Sure. So at what part of the mansion does he stay in?" It's kind of weird that Felt is acting so melancholic about him, when she can go see him anytime she wants, but that's teenagers for you... Ah, I'm also one!

She grins. "He ain't in the mansion, this place is too stuffy for people like him. He's in the slums, so let's go there before that annoying asshole perfectly good at everything comes to check on us." Oh boy.

I shake my head. "No way, I'm pretty sure I'm like... in house arrest or something. If I leave I might get hanged or something." I'm fine with dying, but I won't seek death either, specially because of something this stupid.

She pats my shoulder. "It's fine, it's fine. Reinhard already confirmed you're super special and everything, they aren't gonna execute you!" She nods to herself. "Besides, both that bitch Priscilla and I can vow for you... And big sis Emilia too, I guess." Oh? Interesting lore!?

I raise an eyebrow. "Big sis Emilia? I wasn't aware you guys were acquainted." Actually I'm pretty sure Reinhard said the candidates couldn't interact with each other before the selection at all, and the beginning of the selection was yesterday.

Her face goes pale. "My story with big sis is... complex, I'll tell you later. I really gotta go see old man Rom, you probably didn't see, because you were on your little trip, but he tried to enter the palace back in the royal selection, and it didn't go well." I see, so she has probably been worried for a while...

I sigh. "I... fine, let's sneak out Felt, but if I get executed, I'm coming back and haunting you as a ghost... a curse even. Yep, I'll become the king of curses just to spite you." It will be like what she's doing to Heinkel, but a thousand times worse.

She sends me a thumbs up. "Got it, don't worry bro!" She looks cute. Damn it, I'm a weak guy.

"I'm getting executed for sure..." And then it's haunting time! Seriously, as soon as we sneaked out, Felt told me I should feel free to explore because she didn't know where the guy was in the first place and needed to gather information.

Did she forget I'm not from this world damn it!? Now I'm completely lost and without money, but I'm actually dressed rather nicely, courtesy of Reinhard... Which means I'm liable to get robbed. I might not survive long enough for my execution.

As I wander around, eventually I look into an alleyway. "You have to be an real idiot to enter there...!" Which is why I'm so surprised I'm seeing a real idiot who is there! And it's a girl, getting robbed by three guys.

I can hear her gritting her teeth. "Really!? Really!? You three never learn do ya!?" When she says it like that, it makes it sounds like she's the one doing something bad. Am I misreading the situation here? I guess I might as well watch it unfold for a little longer.

One of the maybe thieves, the one with blue hair snort. "Yep, we are... persistent fellas. Now give all your valuables, there won't be any Sword Saint to save you this time." Reinhard saved her before? Then I guess she's the victim here.

I step inside the alleyway, I can't quite fight with a reinforced body yet, in fact I'm still getting used to my new natural buffs, but... "That's enough of that!" I steal Reinhard's catchprase as I make my entrance, I'm a hero now, so I can't ignore shit like this.

They turn towards me with a shudder, and I see the girl widening her eyes. That doesn't matter now though, it's not talking time, it's fighting time, so I get in the fighting stance Reinhard has been drilling into my head the entire day.

Contrary to my expectations the guys take one look at my... shoulder? And then turn around and sprint away. "Fuck that...!" Those are the last words given to me, and now they're gone...

It takes me a moment to realize why, but it's fairly obvious. Reinhard's family descends from a important hero, and on my shoulder there is the crest of the Astrea family. I'm no Reinhard, but they probably think I'm his brother or something... or a servant working in his manor, considering my exotic looks. Only a dumbass would not recognize the Astrea symbol after all.

I wave towards the girl. "Yo! Is everything okay Miss?" She actually looks Japanese, just like me... But she could be from another country, Reinhard said people like me normally live in Gusteko. So she's either a tourist, unlikely since the country is closed, or she descends from them.

The girl hesitantly nods. "Yeah, I'm fine... This is what I get for frustratingly walking away from Rem." She sighs. "Now I don't know if this alleyway is blessed or cursed, I'm going with cursed though." She gives me a shaky smile. "So what's your name Mister Knight?" If given the chance to look cool...!

I point at my shoulder. "Does this not make it clear enough?" I could just answer my real name, but I don't know if I should be spreading that around. I know the election went public, but I'm not sure if the same applies to my hero deal... I don't want her squealing about how she wants a autograph or something.

She raise an eyebrow. "No...? I kinda recognize it, but I can't quite put my finger on it though." Ah, an absolute dumbass has been found! Specially since she apparently met Reinhard before. He's hard to forget you know?

She then sighs. "It doesn't matter, I guess. Sorry for bothering you..." There's something strange in her eyes... It reminds me of when Priscilla is mad about something, like that time she was about to chop Al's head off.

In that case... it's hero time? "Um... having a bad day miss? Wanna talk about it?" I'm pretty sure heroes are supposed to do this. Since the big dragon has given me the chance to be one, I can't fuck it up.

She looks down and a shout escapes her mouth. "A bad day...!?" She then sighs. "Yeah, I'm having an awful, awful day. I shouldn't talk about it with a stranger who I don't even know the name off though..." She shakes her head. "Still, thanks for the offer, I appreciate it." Um...

I smile. "Hey, it's exactly that we are strangers that you should feel comfortable talking with me you know? We are never gonna see each other again after all, it's like talking with the wind." I make a thinking pose. "But if you need a name... how about a fake one? Feel free to call me Musashi." My real name is Iori, so it sort of makes sense.

She weakly chuckles. "Musashi huh...?" Then she sends me an equally weak smile. "Then feel free to call me... Natsumi!" I guess with that I have gotten permission to talk with her about whatever is her problem.

I sit down one a step of stair and pat the empty part besides me. "Okay then Natsumi, sit down here and cry all you want!" Ah, hopefully Felt doesn't come back while I'm doing something so embarrassing...

She sits down next to me and takes a deep breath. "So... where do I start? The truth is that I can return b-" She suddenly grasps her chest, it makes me immediately worried. "As expected...!" That's not expected at all!

I send her a concerned look. "You have a heart condition? That's gotta suck!" There's not much more I can say, thankfully I avoide that and grew up fairly healthy. Good genetics I guess.

She frowns. "Not exactly... I... I'm new to this place, to Lugunica in general." So she's from Gusteko. Did she escape the closed borders? An illegal immigrant huh? "And ever since I got here, I only found trouble." I'm sure her story is something that has happened to many people.

She grits her teeth. "It's just... damn it, why can't people appreciate what I do more!? I have been busting my ass from hell and back, and no one gives a single shit...!" Tears are appearing in the corner of her eyes. "Of course I'm angry and murderous damn it! Who does that bitch think she is!? Of course I'm willing to become a pig, who cares about licking some feet!? O-of course I'm naive... give me a fucking break...!"

She suddenly stops. "Ah, sorry. Maybe I went too far, I shouldn't be telling this to a stranger." It's fine, I got literally nothing of it, except for her emotions, they are blazing, so of course I understood that.

I shake my head. "It's fine, you're trying and not running away from whatever your problem is... as long as you're trying you can complain all you want." In the end I modified Felt's words so they sound nicer.

She clenches her fists. "Who cares about trying...!? I just want to give up damn it! I just want to give up and complain, but it's way too fucking hard!" She's full on crying now. "Why can't I even give up...? Don't I at least deserve that?" I feel like I should just stay silent and keep listening.

Her voice is shaky. "I mean, it's fine that I can't succeed! I get it okay! If this is some sick lesson about how I'm worthless I get it! But... stop throwing how worthless I am straight into my face." She covers that very same face. "Of course people aren't noticing my efforts, even when I try hard I'm a piece of shit, so... it's only natural."

A little laugh escapes her mouth. "It could have been different you know? I could have been a heroine you know? I got good genetics, I was a smart kid, I was a popular kid, but I... I got too cocky, everyone kept praising me as some genius, so I just assume they were right." I feel like I... stumbled onto a complicated person. "The truth is that I'm not. I'm not trying hard either, I'm just lying. I lie to everyone, I even tried convincing them that I was going to school... I wanted to die when I got caught." She went to a school? A low ranking Guestekian noble then?

She continues. "I never learned how to work hard, and now I can't when I need to. I wasted all my chances, this pathetic pile of shit you see is the amazing effort of eighteen years of concentrated patheticness. That's right, I rotted for eighteen years because I only care about being praised, because I hate myself."

I nod. "I see, sounds tough Natsumi. I hope you get better." There's not much I can do for this girl in the end. There's a wall we build around each other, Musashi and Natsumi are strangers to each other.

She sends me a confused look. "Is that it...?" Then she looks down. "Ah, I'm doing it again, begging for praise. Hey Musashi, do you hate people like me?" That's a tough question to answer, and one I'm sure people like Felt and Priscilla would have immediately responded with a yes, but...

I shake my head. "Nah, being lazy and cowardly isn't a crime, it just means you had it good and then lost it. Everyone should get the opportunity to be like you to be honest, it's just that it doesn't work out that way sometimes." I shrug. "I'm a hard worker, so I can't really understand you... I don't hate you though, I'm completely neutral towards you." Well, I do feel pity, but it would be cruel to say that.

So instead I send her a smile. "Want a lap pillow or something? I didn't bring you any money, so I can't buy anything for you right now." I don't have money in the first place... I wonder if I could beg Rein for a paying job? That was my initial intention towards Priscilla...

She blinks in confusion. "Um... why...?" A understandable reaction really.

I shrug. "You said you're a girl who only cares about compliments, and that makes you trash right?" She nods immediately. "Well, I understand your perspective, but I'm feeding you a little, because people like you need a careful balance between compliments and apathy... No one gets better by being called scum."

She snorts. "I can't change, it's too late for me remember?" Even as she says that, she drops her head onto my lap, it's almost like she's used to lap pillows... Is this girl some sort of reverse-playboy?

I pet her head. "There, there you worked hard. So stand proud Natsumi, you acted strong for a little while." I don't know if she's the self-hating type, or if I just caught her in a horrible mood, maybe both?

She pouts, even though she's still crying. "I didn't work hard at all...!"

"You did."

"I. Didn't."

I smile. "The measure of working hard is different from people to people you know? A fat guy's hard work threshold is way lesser than a muscular guy's, but it's still worth the same... at least if he works hard the next day too."

I'm met with silence for a while, but eventually she responds. "I want to give up though! It's just that it's way too fucking hard to do so! If I could I would so...! So even if I did try, it's worthless, like I said."

I smile. "Well, but you can't give up right? Maybe because the stakes are too high?" She hesitantly nods. "I see, but didn't I tell you that it's fine to complain? As long as you're doing it... Actions are what matter, not thoughts, words sometimes do of course, but... You're just talking with Musashi, a stranger." I look towards her crying face. "And one more thing, many people who work hard tend to so because they can't give up. It's the same thing for me, there's no shame in it." And that's that.

Yet again she pauses for a moment. "I could give up you know? It's hard, not impossible, but I could just run away... I'm sure I would do better then. If only I could start from zero...!"

I sigh. "Geez Natsumi... I won't blame you for wanting to start from zero, because some people start at less than zero, but... are you sure? If giving up is even harder than working hard, then why pick the first one?"

She trembles. "Because I'm lying to myself again, giving up is easier. I have no idea on how I win this damn thing... There you go, have I convinced you that I'm pathetic now!? Can I go now!?"

I shake my head. "I knew you were pathetic from the very beginning, I just didn't hate you for it. I see you Natsumi, but I don't think you're unsalvageable. That's all I can say to you, you're a woman who can be liked by Musashi." I suck at helping people...

Her lips tremble. "Really...? I...! Is it really okay to believe, that... people can grow to like me?" I nod immediately. "I... some bad guys are gonna attack the place where I live." And suddenly this got serious! "But I don't have any proof... Which means to everyone I must be some crazy bitch rambling about nothing." So that's the problem huh...

I sigh. "I see, that's definitely a hard situation to be in... But I believe you, I don't know a lot about you, but you gained enough rep with this amasing Musashi that he believes you." Also I'm a summoned hero, I can't ignore this.

She takes a deep breath. "I see... I tried asking for help a bunch of times you know? I met that Duchess Karsten, but she said it couldn't be done, and now I'm her enemy because I left her mansion. She's probably gonna make the girl I like hate me too." She can meet up with Crusch!? This is definitely serious...! And Crusch didn't call her a liar... even though she's a lie detector...

She continues. "The girl I like... she will believe me, but she left me here because I'm sick, and we won't be enough. I tried asking for help from a merchant, but she called me naive and swindled me...! Then I met with that Baroness Barielle, she kicked me, it-it hurt!" Ah, Priscilla huh... this girl has some crazy connections.

At least she isn't crying anymore. "Then I tried to go to the knight in shining armor himself, Reinhard Van Astrea." My eyes widen. "But some asshole bearded guy told me he was busy and then made me and Rem leave...!" Probably Heinkel huh...

I mutter. "She's gonna be pissed..." It appears I'm leaving Felt behind for now, but I'm sure she will go back to the manor eventually, besides she left me behind first, so it's fine. Probably. I might lose a bunch of Felt points.

I clear my throat. "Let me tell you a secret that this Musashi knows, but make sure to forget about it right afterwards Natsumi...!" She sends me a confused look. "I work with the Astreas, I can get you and this Rem person there, and Reinhard has a power that knows when someone is lying... He's way too nice too, so he will listen to you, differently from Karsten." Probably.

I immediately receive a hopeful look from Natsumi and I respond to that with a smile. "Be glad, today you pushed yourself a bit farther than yesterday, and that's was just enough for someone to hear your pleas for help." I nod to myself. "Please work hard tomorrow too." For a while I'm met with silence.

Until that silence breaks. "Musashi is... is... a major angel...! MMT!" That's what I like to hear!