While I was lying in the flower field, trying to make sense of what had just happened, I suddenly heard a voice.
"Well, that was quite something," said the mysterious voice.
I got up, surprised by the sudden voice, and asked, "Who are you? What do you want?" I wasn't expecting to hear anyone else around, and I was curious about this unexpected presence.
"Who am I? I'm the person you took the ring from. My precious ring" said the mysterious voice.
Ring? I couldn't remember taking any ring. Was this going to turn into one of those situations where an old guy with a long beard tells me to take the ring to a volcano or something? Wait, I recognized this voice.
"Truck-Kun, is that you?" I asked, feeling curious.
"Who else would it be? Of course, it's-a me, Truck-Kun," he said with a casual tone.
"What are you doing here all of a sudden? Wait, were you watching everything the whole time?" I asked, my eyes wide with surprise.
"Ehh... not exactly. I was just listening in the whole time," Truck-Kun replied nonchalantly.
"What? That's an invasion of privacy, you stupid hunk of metal!" I responded to his carefree tone with anger.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. So, tell me, how did you do that?" He completely ignored my complaint and asked with curiosity.
"Do what? What did I do?" I asked, still confused.
"You know, I thought you were dumb and foolish. I was already shocked when a girl proposed to you, and I nearly fainted when you rejected her. I got curious, and I have to say, I was quite surprised by how you handled that," Truck-Kun told me with a mix of emotions.
"What was that, you scrap metal bastard? Who are you calling dumb and foolish? Do you think I'm just going to let it slide because you said that along with some other words?" I asked, my tone seething with anger.
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. But tell me, how did you manage to handle Ember like that?" Truck-Kun apologized and asked me curiously.
"Hmm... How should I put this? I may be new to love, but I'm not new to life," I replied with a shrug.
"What? What the hell does that mean? I thought you were just clueless when I saw Ember hitting on you, but now it seems you did it on purpose and were quietly observing everything. Why did you do that?" He bombarded me with questions.
"All right, all right, I'll answer your questions. Truck-Kun, do you know that before getting isekaied, I used to be a university student? Do you have any idea what my major was?" I asked Truck-Kun.
"Well, to be honest, I have no idea. I never cared about such things," Truck-Kun replied with a shrug.
"I majored in Human Psychology. As a psychologist, things like observation are very important. That's why I usually observe everything. But at the same time, if you let it show on your face, you'll lose the element of surprise," I explained with a sly grin.
"Human Psychology? I just thought you were a loser in life. That's what Goddess Megami said as well, you know, 'The bigger loser you are in reality, the more heroic you become in the world of Fantasium.' But to think you were such an amazing person like this. Tell me, how did you end up choosing Human Psychology?" He asked me, a hint of admiration in his voice as he expressed his curiosity.
"W-well, I actually wanted to become a doctor, but my grades weren't good enough, and the only available program was Human Psychology, so I had no choice but to choose it," I replied with a stuttering voice.
After hearing my explanation, he fell silent for a moment before speaking again.
"Forget about what I said about you being an amazing person. You are nothing but a loser, just like Goddess Megami mentioned. I was the foolish one to have hope in you, to begin with," he said with a snort.
"What was that, you scrap metal bastard!" I retorted, my voice filled with anger.
After our heated exchange, I grew weary and returned to lying on the flower bed. As I stared at the night sky, I noticed the two beautiful moons hanging overhead. This world had two moons, unlike Earth's single one.
Just when I thought the conversation was over, Truck-Kun unexpectedly started talking again.
"Say, DoDo, why did you really reject Ember?" Truck-Kun asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Hmm... What I said was true. She didn't genuinely love me, and I don't want to be with someone just because they proposed to me, especially not someone who only loves me for being a hero of the legends," I explained honestly.
"I see. Aren't you being a little prickly about this?" He asked, still curious.
"Maybe I am, to be honest. Ember was really pretty, and you could say she's even my type. But if I had accepted her confession back then, it would have led to too many complications. I couldn't truly go anywhere far away because I would always be worried about her, and enemies could use her as a hostage against me, Since I am a hero and all they will definitely try to do that. Plus, I don't even know if I can return to Earth or not. What if I end up going back to Earth? I don't want to leave her here alone and I don't know if she wants to come back to earth with me," I explained to Truck-Kun.
"I see. Does that mean you'll never love anyone here?" he asked, curious.
"Not exactly. I'll love someone who loves me for who I am. Someone who accepts all parts of me, both the Dokuta Doyama and the hero. But I doubt anyone like that exists," I replied with a serious expression.
*sighs*
I sighed and continued, "Enough about that. Let's go back to the inn. I'm hungry and tired, and we should leave for the capital tomorrow as well, so let's go and try to get some sleep," I told Truck-Kun. Then I stood up and headed to the inn.
…..
After a few minutes, I reached the inn and went inside. The teenager from before greeted me, "Hello, welcome back, Mr. Doyama. By the way, someone from Firebrand Smith came by and asked me to deliver this to you," he said, handing me the pocket watch 'Lucid.' It appeared that the old man had personally delivered it. He may be a stubborn old man but, he was indeed a kind-hearted person.
"Thank you. By the way, how do you know my name?" I thanked him and asked with curiosity.
He looked at me strangely for a moment and replied, "Well, it is written in our registry, so I know your name along with some other basic information."
Right, that makes a lot of sense. Sometimes I wonder if I truly am dumb or not
"I-I see. By the way, I'm very hungry. Can you bring some food to my room? Here's the money," I said, handing him the payment.
"Certainly, someone will bring it to you as soon as possible," he replied.
I thanked him and returned to my room. A few minutes later, there was a knock on my door. I opened it to find the teenager standing there, holding something in his hands.
"Hello, I've bought your food," he said with a cheerful tone.
"Thank you," I replied, taking the food from him. I proceeded to enjoy the delicious meal he had brought. Afterward, I decided it was time to rest for the day.
…..
In a dimly lit room adorned with countless books, a mysterious figure sat near a crackling fireplace. The room exuded an air of ancient knowledge and secrets, waiting to be unveiled.
"Ah… you are back," the figure spoke, its voice carrying an enigmatic timbre. "It's been some time since we last crossed paths. 'Who am I?' you ask. I lack a name or a place of origin. You can perceive me as a guide or a storyteller. I observe and weave narratives. I am the Puppet Master, leading you to experience the tales that unfold in our vast universe."
"No one knows this as of now, but today marked the birth of a legend— The legend of a hero who's mastered two completely unique types of magic: Blood and Grey Magic. They call him 'The Hero of the Crimsonsteel.' And as for his extraordinary companion, well, that's none other than Truck-Kun, a Legendary otherworldly summon, which has earned him the nickname 'Sliver Automaton.'"
"This may be the beginning chapter of our beloved hero and his loyal companion, Truck-Kun, but unfortunately, this also marks the end of volume one. But please don't be disheartened, as I always say, the end of one thing often paves the way for the creation of another."
"I hope to see you all in volume two."