Chapter 8 - Magic Eyes

"Engy, the operation is done."

"Dr. Phoenix...how are my eyes?"

"Hmm. Success. Open them slowly."

I slowly open my eyes. 

With the eyes that saw an unknown world, I'll now see my world. Joy, sorrow, anger. I'll see this tumultuous world.

Please, don't let it be cruel.

"What the hell is this!"

The eyes from Roots weren't normal. Where I previously saw nothing, various things now filled my vision.

Mainly visible from Phoenix and the others, but also faintly floating in the air like mist. 

The new world was cruel.

"What's wrong!? Engy!"

Adjusting imaginary glasses with his wings, Phoenix asks.

Never mind that, I've no composure to entertain you now.

While blankly looking around, Roots chuckled.

"Bastard, what'd you do to me!"

"Sorry, sorry. You can see the magical power leaking from me and Bird-kun faintly, right? That's magical power. The world I always see."

Magical power, huh. This stuff? So this same colored mist in the air is magical power too?

Does Earth not have this? Rather, I feel like I see various other things, what's up with that?

"What's this besides magical power?"

"Well, I dunno. It's fainter than magical power, so don't mind it." 

You'd mind it. Since you don't know, could it be like oxygen, nitrogen, that stuff on Earth?

If I'm seeing something like that, it'd be too bothersome.

Can't turn this off? Anything to erase you?

As I call out to that thing swimming the digital world in my head, Roots explains.

"You can't make magical power invisible. This is one of my innate skills, Magic Eye. But you can stop seeing other things by not channeling magic into the eye."

I realize it now. From opening my eyes earlier, I've flooded this right eye with magical power. 

Not used to it, I must have done so unconsciously.

Stopping the flow, I now only see magical power.

"Seeing this stuff, is there some benefit?"

"You can run from people with strong, scary magical power."

"That's it?"

"Yup." 

That's all you can think of now, huh. Should be more uses... Huh, is this good?

I try thinking for a while, but no effective uses come to mind.

Well, it's fine. In a savage, magic blasting world, escaping dangerous guys is good. Yeah. Super useful.

Forcibly convinced, I stand up.

"Anyway, I'm off. Thanks for everything this time. The eyes are...yeah, much appreciated." 

"I'll treasure Engy-san's eyes, don't worry."

I never agreed to give them to you. If we happen to meet again, give them back. 

I'll return these weird eyes too.

"Oh. Where are you headed now, Engy-san?"

"Well, we'll move away from around here for starters. Even if presumed dead, directly running into them would be bad."

Deciding to head for a distant town, I hadn't made other plans yet. So, what to do?

Might be good to study magic more in this different world. 

"What about you? What will you do?"

"I want to try all kinds of new experiences. Do things I couldn't before, one by one."

"I see."

Things you couldn't do before, huh. He must have some circumstances, but I shouldn't get more involved.

He's trying to walk his own path now. —Oh, that's right.

"Roots, one last thing I want to confirm."

"What?"

Despite his words, one thing bothered me, so I decide to check.

"You're definitely a guy, right?" 

"Yeah, that's right."

Want to check—without pause, he brings my hand to his crotch.

Feeling something soft expand in my hand.

"I said I'm the demon king's son, right? I have it, don't I?"

"I guess so."

Um, hey. Could you stop? 

I only asked casually, a yes would've sufficed. 

Guys touching each other's crotches, that's only till you're an immature brat, right?

Feeling a bit unpleasant, I say my farewells.

"See ya...take care."

"You too, Engy-san. Hope we meet again somewhere!"

And so began my new otherworldly life.