You'd think after eighteen years of my own dreams being squashed, I would learn at some point that reality really does have it out for me.
A sudden splash of liquid landing on his face interrupted his pleasant nap given to him by the alleyway thugs. It was like being ripped straight out of a peaceful dream by his own body mistaking the small instance of water on his face as him drowning.
"--guh!"
Ren's eyes shot open, meeting with the existence of a grey, stone-lined ceiling sitting above him. Turning his aching head to the side to check for whoever was the source of the rude wake-up--of course, it was Adelaide.
"Did you use water magic on me or something?"
"No, just a bucket of water."
The golden-haired young woman lifted up the wooden bucket as if backing up her own words. There wasn't an ounce of remorse or empathy on her face, not that he expected any by this point. As he sat up on the bed, he noticed the clothes he was previously wearing were replaced with a dirty, baggy, olive-colored tunic. For his pants, he was now wearing grey trousers covered in stitches containing different shades of gray like some sort of Frankenstein of pants.
"What are these? What happened to the clothes I came here wearing?"
"Well...after those thugs knocked you out, they took what were the spoils of battle. Not after knocking you around some more first. By the end of it, they left you naked in the alleyway."
As she explained what happened, it seemed to get worse with each word. Just the image of those events that appeared in his mind made him want to crawl into a hole and die.
"And you came out...totally unscathed?"
"Mhm. They know better than to lay their hands on me."
"--I would've appreciated some backup, ya' know?"
"I assumed you were trying to impress me with a show of bravery."
That rotten personality of hers counteracted all of her cute charm. It was obvious she could have probably prevented the entire encounter, but probably got some sort of entertainment from it.
"Agh...whatever, where are we anyway?"
Ren asked, wincing as he touched his bruised chin. They definitely did a number one him--his chin, ribs, cheekbones, all tender to the touch.
"This is my home."
"--I see."
It wasn't shoddy or anything, but the home was devoid of decoration or wealth, in contrast to the girl herself. All that sat in the room he was in was the bed he laid on and the chair Adelaide had sat in.
"Adelaide, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Why did you summon me?"
"To combat the demon--"
"--No, I mean, why did you summon me? It's one thing if I was brought here by priests protecting a kingdom or something, but you're just a girl, living in a humble village like this. I just don't see why it would be your responsibility..."
The widening of Adelaide's eyes told him she wasn't prepared for such a question. Her lips moved slightly as if she was about to answer but stopped herself, gripping onto her silken robes.
"If I'm being honest--you just don't seem like someone interested in the well-being of the world."
Through his short time with her, that was the conclusion he came to. She was dismissive and uncaring, especially to someone she dragged into this world without consent, someone who she claimed is supposed to be a "hero".
Ren looked at the pale-skinned girl, who was now staring down at her lap as she searched her head for a response.
"I understand your confusion, and your suspicions...up until now, I know I've been cold to you. If I'm being completely honest with you, the reason I summoned you...I thought, if you were to become a famous hero who saved the world, then it'd bring fame and prosperity to Franseid."
"--I think I understand it, is that what that thing was with the guards earlier?"
Ren asked, watching as Adelaide nodded her head in affirmation, fiddling with a strand of her gilded braids.
"As part of the adventurer's guild of this village, I'm responsible for looking over it and making sure all is well. That's why I have to check up on certain things--like making sure we're taxing merchants who come and go."
"I see...well, Franseid already seems well off to me, I don't think you have much to worry about."
"It's not enough...Franseid must become much larger than this. That's why I need you."
For once, Adelaide seemed genuine when speaking about Franseid.
"Am I really up for that though? Becoming a hero and all--against those thugs, I felt...normal, nothing had really changed with me."
"That much is expected, it can take days, weeks, months, even a year for your body to become fully acclimated to this world."
Adelaide raised her head, brushing her silky, well-kempt hair behind her ear as her gaze met with his. It was the first time he noticed that look in her eyes, that ever-present determination she held in her verdant gaze.
"I wish you would've told me that before I went in so hot-headed against those thugs…"
Ren chuckled quietly, ruffling his own hair before he decided to get up from the bed at last. The serene orange sky, devoid of clouds meant the sun would soon set, marking his first day in this world soon coming to its rest.
"I'm not your caretaker...but I suppose you're no more capable than a child in this world, so I'll try my best to keep you out of trouble then."
"That goes both ways then."
He gave her a confident smile as she looked up at him with a confused look plastered on her fair face. It was hard not to blush like a madman as Adelaide looked at him with those damp jewels of hers.
"What do you mean by that?"
Adelaide's question left her light pink lips softly, watching him as he walked to the center of the plain room, adjusting the sleeves on his tunic.
"If you choose to support me then, I'll be the hero you need me to be. I was already planning on saving the world or whatever, so I don't mind being the "Ren Nakamura, Hero of Franseid". It has a nice ring to it, no?"
It seemed the confident words he spoke, conjured by mimicking a charismatic main character from visual novels, had actually worked. He managed to earn a genuine smile from Adelaide, as her emerald eyes glistened with joy.