"School really sucks, but…"
But after their talk, he promised his father that he would do his best to overcome his fears, issues, and immaturity… and promised his mother that he would make her proud and stand proud. These were promises that he truly meant.
He felt like it was the only way to atone for being such a lousy scumbag of a son for so long—the only way for him to value himself again.
So, first thing first: he had to go to school.
It was the root of all his ills. He would have to face solitude for a while there, but it can't be worse than getting bullied, right?
Subaru hadn't been there in months, so of course, he was hella stressed. He was sure that mocking and judgmental looks would be thrown at him, but that would be his punishment—a reminder not to make the same mistakes.
He was ready to face it and accept it.
❝You can't ignore or run away from your problems when you want them to be solved. No one can solve your problems for you. That's why you have to be strong.❞
His father's words. And as simple as they were, they were like a slap to the face. A wake-up call.
Stuff like this seems so easy to do when you hear it, but it's so damn hard to do when confronted with your own mistakes and fears. That's probably why it's called ❝fighting back your demons.❞
—Now that I think about demons…
Looking up, he gazed at the sky, trying to find the Perseus constellation. One of its stars, Algol, was named the Demon Star. A behenian fixed star.
—It's normally hard to see it to the naked eye, but it's shining… a lot? Almost as if it's gonna fall…
He decided to go out sooner than expected from his house just to stargaze on his way. It was always a hobby of his—something he inherited from his old man.
Constellations.
Astronomy.
Astrology.
Stars.
Out of everything he liked to do in the past, it was the only thing he was still passionate about. Maybe he should become an astronomer or something akin to it…
✱ DING ✱
The notification of his brand-new iPhone 4S that his father brought for him to motivate his ass made him stop daydreaming. It was rare for anyone to send him a message since he had no friends, so it could only be his family.
But… nobody sent him anything, yet he still received a notification despite everything being muted. Looking at the hour on the password screen, he sighed.
He'll have to take the train soon.
[07:12]
[07:13]
Blinking at the exact moment a minute passed, a rush of air and noises made him wide-eyed, but he got dazzled by the sun as if it had suddenly risen in the sky.
It was high noon.
The sun was at its zenith, and the air was warm, too.
Everything changed in a mere second. From early morning to noon and from late autumn to spring.
The buildings around him were made of wood and tiles instead. Carts and carriages. Huge lizards. Shopfront letterings he couldn't read. And some people had animal ears.
—This… This is… Why now…⁈
Of all the words that came into his mind, this was the only question he could ask himself. Why now? How could this be? Not even two weeks ago, he was still a grueling mess who skipped school and shunned his parents. So, why does this have to happen when he finally gets the courage to do something with his life⁈
He wanted to be mad. To only feel anger and nothing else.
But he just couldn't.
For him, it was like a dream. And for many people, it would also be like a dream. He knew that. Being mad about his situation would disrespect everyone wishing to get isekai'd. A lot of people want to be somewhere that is not here. The grass is always greener elsewhere… Or at least, it's what we make ourselves believe.
To be fair, just a few weeks ago, he would have been ecstatic about being sent to another world. However, he made three promises—two to his parents and one to himself. Being here meant he would never be able to fulfill those promises. And he would never s–
"This looks like any other parallel world fantasy…" He muttered, looking at a knight rescuing a girl from getting hit by a carriage. "Medieval setting, heroes in armor, demi-human… So there's probably magic… And bad guys. It doesn't seem that bad, but…"
Well, it doesn't seem. Or rather, that's what he wanted to believe. That said, he knew that believing that wholeheartedly would be just plain stupid. So, he preferred to think that this world was dangerous. Better safe than sorry.
Given his circumstances—penniless, lost, illiterate, and with no trace of the person who summoned him—he knew his best chance of early survival was to get a job. That's what survival games taught him.
Even if he had to walk kilometers to find someone looking to hire, it was all he had. It's that, or he'll have nothing to eat.
And ain't no one will show charity to someone like him, after all.
His clothes—a school uniform—made him stand out a bit too much. He looked like a total foreigner or a tourist, and it seemed that people didn't like that very much. Some passers-by also dropped him some pretty nasty, bombastic side-eyes.
He had no clue why people were like that, but he decided the best course of action was to lay low.
Approaching a market stall full of apples run by a guy with green hair, he cleared his throat, a bit stressed.
"Hm? Yeah, what d'you want, punk?"
"Hi… Um, nothing much… I wanted to know if you were looking for someone to hire or if you knew someone who was…"
The man raised an eyebrow and looked at Subaru's frame in silence. He was a little dubious about giving him an answer, especially after glancing at his hands. They weren't the hands of a laborer but of an aristocrat.
Someone like that would struggle on the job for the first few weeks and be a hindrance until he had calluses on his hands…
"Eh! You're muscular enough for your age, boy."
"So… It's enough for me to get a job⁈"
"I like your attitude toward work, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we?" The man chuckled, touching his beard. "What I'm conflicted about is your clothes. Aren't you a noble?"
"A noble…? No, no… This is just how we dress in… well, where I come from."
"What's your name?"
"Subaru."
"Not common, too. You come from Kararagi or somethin'?"
"Yeah…"
"Well, right now, we don't need workers, but in a few weeks, I can guarantee you a job in an orchard of mine. The harvest is good this year, and we'll plant new shoots, too, so try building up calluses. Sound good to you?"
"Thanks, but I… I need a job right now."
"…You're penniless?" Looking at Subaru's blank face, he sighed and threw an apple toward him. "Tch! Here. Take a appa. You're as pale as a blank canvas… Now, if you want some quick money, you can sell some of the stuff you have with you."
"You mean…?"
"I mean your clothes. I've never seen anyone wearing the same stuff and probably never will again. And I've seen a lot of people during my life as a merchant and seller." He shrugged with a smile. "Quite sure if you sell them, you could get a fair amount of coins. Enough to buy more clothes and a bedroom in an inn until you start working."
"I see… But… where can I sell some of my stuff then?"
"Where, huh? Merchants. You can find them all around. All of them will have their own prices… and since you're a foreigner, they'll try to rip you off or undervalue your stuff. Y'know the drill. Business is business. It's the safest option, though."
"Safest? You mean I could sell that to some shady guys?"
"Yeah. There's a place in the slums where someone amasses looted and stolen goods. They might be more generous. Things that seem out of place sell well on the black market."
"The black market, huh…"
"Alright, that's it, boy. I have some customers. Best of luck."
"Um, yeah! Thank you!"
Walking away in an alleyway to catch some shade, he sat on a crate. He was okay with selling some of his stuff. It's not like he had much of a choice anyway. His school bag was packed, so it wasn't an issue. He had a four-color pen, an old fountain paint he bought years ago with several ink cartridges, a pen with a laser on the back, notebooks, a history book, and his phone… that said, it was one of the only things he was reluctant to sell.
It was a gift from his dad.
Of course, he knew it would be the thing that would give him the most money. Maybe sentimentality is stupid at a time like this, but…
"Should I really sell it…?"
Typing in his password to at least try to call his parents, he only heard white noise on the other end. And, of course, no 3G. At least, he tried. However, picking his interest, an icon he'd never seen before was displayed on the main screen. It seemed to be the same icon that had appeared when he had received the notification on his phone.
The icon was a simple star.
[✦]
The app had no name. No description. No anything.
His curiosity got the best of him, and he clicked on it without thinking. After a short loading screen, his phone screen exuded a strange sparkly powder that emerged from it, but he couldn't take it in his hand, and it started forming letters and numbers.
—No way…
◉▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰◉
『Title: None』
『Class: None』
◉▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰◉
❖——❖———❖——❖
◉▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰◉
◉▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰◉
"Is this, like… some kind of RPG game or something? I guess it kinda makes me special, then…"
"Oi, oi, what are ya muttering about… Damn foreigner."
Turning to his right, Subaru froze after feeling the cold sensation of metal against his throat. It was a rusty yet sharp blade. A second one was left hanging in the hand of the same guy who threatened him.
The guy had long, unkept grayish-blue hair with some pink strands. The chain around his neck and wrists and the piercing on his elongated tongue clearly proved he was a hooligan. He kinda… reminded him of Randall from Monsters Inc.
Two guys were behind him—a short dude and a stocky one.
The Subaru from a month ago would have probably thrown himself to the ground, prostrating himself for mercy, but… he promised to stand proud.
Swallowing his saliva and trying to appear calm, he tucked his phone away in his jacket pocket.
"Y-Yes?"
"I think the blade conveys exactly what we want. Give us your meteor, and we're off."
"My meteor…?"
"Oi! Stop fucking around! You know what I'm talking about. Don't waste our time–"
"Hey, move, move, move! You're in my way!"
The girl pushed the three guys to the side to clear the way as quickly as possible before gazing at Subaru wide-eyed after seeing the blade pressed against his throat as a bead of blood trickled down his shirt.
However, she just leaped forward and kicked the air to climb onto the roof of another building as she looked one last time at him.
"Man, really, like, this is crazy, but–"
A punch to the face sent the hooligan crashing to the ground. It was the most opportune moment to act. The three assholes were distracted and startled.
—It was now or never!
"Oh! Come on, brother, you can do it! Live strong!" As she disappeared, a small ice spike hurled toward her, crashing into one of the roof tiles. "Oh! Shit!"
Subaru lost no time and kicked the small guy, sending him flying. Taking one of the blades that had fallen on the ground, he readied himself and turned it to the non-edged side.
There was no way he would give them any of his stuff. He had some pride to his name, after all.
However, before he could try anything, the large man tackled him against a wall, expelling all the air in Subaru's lungs before punching him in the face. His vision went white for a second before returning to his senses.
Using his school bag as a shield, he blocked another punch and kneed the guy in the balls before using the backside of the blade to strike him in the head and push him to the ground as he grimaced.
He also slashed toward the guy who threatened him as he was standing back up, forcing him to hold his face after scarring him.
Truth be told, he was pretty confident in his physique. He had been training every day for two years now. One of the only ways he could keep busy was when he was hanging around at home and bored with video games.
"What do you think about that–"
That said, his triumphant thinking was short-lived.
A sharp pain made him stop everything. He could already see blood coming out of his lower stomach. A blade pierced his flesh from his back and came out the other side, staining his school uniform in crimson.
"Aargh–!"
"Ya fucking ASSHOLE! You throw fists at us and use my weapon against us⁈"
"Hey, hey! Rachins! Don't kill him!"
"Won't kill him! But he started it!" He yelled, his face bleeding. "He might have killed us too!"
"This one needs a good beat down." The big guy grunted, rubbing his head, his forehead bleeding a little. "Fucker…"
—Is this really gonna be the end…?
In here. In an alleyway? In pain? Alone? With no promises kept? And a life full of regret?
He couldn't afford that. Nor could he accept it. This was…
"Eat this!"
Removing the blade from where it was plunged, the guy punched him at the same exact spot. A few seconds later, he was on the ground, bleeding and taking a flurry of kicks on the head, back, and stomach despite his complaints.
They were relentless–
"HEEELP! HEEEEELP MEEE!"
The three guys froze. Where did he have the strength to scream for help like that? And why would he do that? Does he have no shame?
But, as they were ready to return to pummel him, a few footsteps stopped their bloodlust.
"That's enough, villains."
Subaru had no idea whose voice it was. He didn't even have the strength to roll over onto his back. His vision was blurred, and he could only focus on the pain.
"I won't let you run amok like that. Stop at once and give back what you stole."
"Huh...?"
"Oi, oi!" Upon looking at this girl, the hooligan behavior did a complete 180. "Wait, wait, wait! Do you know this guy or something⁈"
"No, I just want to get back what you stole from me."
"From you…?"
"Please. It's really important. I'd let go of anything else, but not that. If you return it now, I'll spare your lives."
Though her words were only that of an entreaty, the last few were clearly filled with anger. She seemed on her last legs. Stressed and out of breath. She has been running for a while.
"W-Wait! …Um, perhaps there's been some kind of mistake?"
"…What?"
They pointed to Subaru, which was still under its boots and bleeding. He was grimacing and tried to look at the girl, to no avail.
"So, um, you're not here to save this guy, right?"
"…This guy? Hm… What strange clothes he's wearing. Perhaps there's been some internal strife among you? But ganging up on him like that, with knives, is sooo cowardly… But no, I have not any sort of connection to him…"
Perhaps thinking they were trying to distract her, she clearly became irritated. Flustered by this, the men started talking in a hurry.
"Woah! Wait! Wait! About whatever was stolen from you, it was probably that girl from earlier!"
"Ah, right! The girl from earlier ran up the wall onto the roof!"
"Yeah, over there! She's probably five streets away by now!"
"N-No way!"
Now flustered in turn, the girl freaked out a little. Five blocks away? Had she wasted her time? She had no time to waste! This thing was too precious. Losing it would be the end of everything! She had to go after this girl they talked about…
However…
"However, villains, I cannot overlook what is going on here… and what you did to this poor boy."
"W-What?!"
"You heard me. I might be in a hurry, but I can't pretend I didn't see someone bleeding on the ground."
"This has nothing to do with you! Why do you even care for a foreigner?! These guys only come here to benefit from the kingdom while there's no one left at the reins!"
"Please, leave at once. Be some good boys and–"
"Good boys?! Enough bullshit, half-devil! Do you think you can go one versus three?! Fucking pisses me off! Go away before we cut your ugly elf ears!"
Visibly shaken, the girl stepped back, not knowing what to answer and avoiding the thugs' eyes.
"What is ugly is your honor. You have none. Going three versus a girl? Now, that is ugly. Let's make it fair, two versus one."
A small cat manifested itself, floating in the air as if defying gravity. Something like this would generally be cute, but this little fur ball emanated an angry and powerful aura.
"―A spirit user!"
"Correct. If you withdraw right now, I won't pursue you. Think fast. I don't have time for this, especially after insulting Lia like that."
"…Tsk! You think a measly spirit like you can stop the three of us at the same time?! Guys, take your weapons, we teach them a lesson, and we're out–"
"I am sorry, but I cannot let you do that."
A soft, masculine voice made everyone jump. A gloved hand held the hand of the hooligan who was about to throw one of his blades at the girl.
Red hair. Blue eyes. A large, ornate sheath for a sword just as big. White knight dress code. The perfect hero.
"I sincerely apologize for taking so long to arrive."
The elf girl seemed a bit surprised to see this knight here. After all, he was supposed to patrol around the castle. If he was here, it meant he came here real fast… Like, really, really fast.
"You are…"
"T-The Sword Saint! Why?! What? How?!"
"I simply heard this young man plea for help, but it seems like I arrived too late…"
"I… I should be able to heal him."
"I see." He smiled, looking at the girl. However, his attention soon shifted toward the three men. "I am sorry, but after what you did, I will show you your cells. This isn't your first misdeed."
"Wait! Wait! He also hurt us! You can clearly see it!"
"Judging by the wound you have, it was made with the blunt side of a blade. With the tip. As for you, you stabbed him in the liver. I will hear him out myself when he will be able to stand back on his own two feet."
"N-No, this is–"
Silencing the three of them with a single blow to the neck, they collapsed to the ground. It happened so fast that the elf girl thought she had dozed out for a second and missed something.
"Oh, yeah! I need to heal him!" She exclaimed, pushing Subaru onto his back. "He lost a looot of blood!"
"Lia, you sure this is a good idea? What about the insignia? We can drop him next to a hospice."
"The insignia?" The red-haired man asked, carrying the three thugs with ease. "Something happened?"
"Mhm… Someone stole it…"
"…Very well. I will land you a hand, Emilia-sama. I am coming back in a minute."
"This isn't necessary–"
"He's already gone, Lia."
"Geez…"
Subaru couldn't understand much of what was happening. He wasn't out cold, but the pain, the bleeding, and the head trauma he suffered were actually quite severe. He wasn't feeling anything, though. It was like floating on water on your back and gazing at the sky.
The sky.
Yes, the sky.
He could see them. The stars. In broad daylight.
Eyes fixed on one of them, it began to move, then as if hurtling towards him from the skies. A shooting star. A wish upon a star.
—My wish… what I lust for…
Brimming with color, the star descended toward him with increasing speed. He widened his eyes, an irrational fear taking control. Algol.
Toward him, it was…
Crashing down…
Hurtling…
Closer…
And closer…
Until…
[✦]