2.5
A city opens up before our eyes. The castle is located on top of a hill, so as I stand at the exit gate, I can see the whole city expanding beneath. Only houses. Some with taller buildings, but nothing to the likeness of skyscrapers and such. Just by looking from here I can`t see the end of it. It would take some good hours if I tried to explore it on foot…
Since the Goddess is living here, then this is probably the capital, right? Are there other cities? Are they as big as this one?
Anyways.
Looking back, it doesn't seem like anyone else came with us... I guess the others decided to stay, which was probably the best option they had. I mean, I don't even know what to do right now. I'm starving already, and have no idea of what to do in order to get some food…
The sun is shining… It was nighttime back at home. I wonder if there is any difference in the passage of time here… Are there days and nights? How long do they last? Too complicated, I'll just assume it's something before afternoon right now.
Ah, I just remembered, but I hadn't even had dinner yet… I'm also tired from walking all the way back home… I'm tired and hungry… *sniff* I also desperately need a bath… But honestly, I'm still not sure what everyone's problem with my face was…
Out of everyone, I had to be the one summoned with 'Demon Lord' in my status… Couldn't I just have been a hero and lived in that huge fancy castle with everyone else…?
Ahhh!!! So unlucky, damn it!!!!
Why would someone throw all of that away and just leave? I look at red hair and it seems she is still thinking about what to do... Though she hasn't stopped walking yet.
I-I guess we should work together for now? How should I approach her?
Let's see, what would an isekai protagonist do in this situation…? Wait, do they even have to do anything? Usually they just join up through some plot device or something, right…?
Wait, in my case, since I'm the 'Demon Lord', then it's easy right? I just have to invite her to destroy the world together: 'Join the evil side, and I shall give you half of the world'… If someone offered me that, I would only accept if they also gave me some cookies…
...
No, seriously, what should I say to a girl I don't know when it's just the two of us? I don't remember learning any pickup tactics in like, ever…
Let's just follow her while I think of what to say…
…
…
…
We do this for about 15 minutes, until she suddenly stops and says without looking back.
"What is it? Did you leave just so you could follow me around everywhere I go?"
Uah, she caught me off-guard!
Oh... Now she must think I'm a stalker... A-and she`s not completely wrong… I should have said something, like, way before... What can I say, the longer it took the harder it got… My bad…
"N-no… Sorry about this… I-I was just thinking *mumble* And since we're in a similar situation… *mumble* What we should do now…?"
Well, I did what I could in this situation… I hope the message got across.
"Hmph. I'm not sure about you, but I was planning to find a guild, like the ones they have in games and stories. Since it seems we have some sorts of superpowers in here, then we should learn to make use of them."
Now that seems like an isekai plan! I'm getting excited!
"Yeah! We are in a fantasy world after all, so we should be able to find places like guilds and such! If we're lucky, we could even find some easy jobs such as collecting stuff and earn some money! It's way better than my plan of finding a charity institution and asking for help, since we're basically set on living at the streets right now…
I was even resigning myself on finding a bridge to sleep under for today, but… Are there even any bridges in this city?
She finally turns around to face me.
"But have you figured out how to use these powers already? I mean, I have no idea yet…" I ask.
"Of course."
Oh! This girl might be an even greater help than I'd initially though!
"Really!? How do we use them!? Could you teach me too?"
"They'll come out when we need them to."
Huh? Is she stupid?
"Huh? Are you stupid?"
Oh, crap, I was so surprised I ended up blurting out what I was thinking.
She crosses her arms and frowns her eye browns. Directing an angry look at me.
"Do you stop breathing when you're asleep? Does your heart beat fast when you're scared? Even a bird needs to get thrown out of the nest in order to learn how to fly."
That doesn't seem like a reliable plan at all… I fell a lot before learning how to ride on the bike, and I learned how to swim on the kiddie's pool… Even if what she's saying turned out to be true, wouldn't I already be inside a monster's belly before I learned how to use magic…? Though I guess that could work out if it was against a titan… Either way, it's not something I'm confident on trying without actually dying first…
Does she think she is the protagonist of some series, huh? Her status clearly said 'summoned by accident'! There aren't any protagonists like that--- Wait, actually…
Either way, this is this and that is that!
I try to convince her to rethink her plan a little.
"A-anyways, it wouldn't hurt if we could gather some information first, right? Maybe we could talk to some more people before jumping to more… Drastic conclusions, don't you think?"
"Sure. I suggest we separate and meet back over there in five hours." She points at a nearby park. "I'll look for information on how to use this 'mana' and about other fighting systems of this world; meanwhile, you look into where things such as guilds and shops are, how they work and the monetary currency."
Sounds like an actual plan this time. But the way she told us to separate in such a subtle way is something I would do in order to get away from someone… Surely, that's not the case here, haha…
"You… Didn't just say that in order to ditch me politely, right?"
And… She just made a face as if I saw through her plan... Seriously now?!
"Heh. So you saw through it. Fair enough. Who knows, maybe it would be a good idea to ally with someone for now. Then, let's follow the plan. See you later."
She just admitted to trying to ditch me, and is doing the same again… She can't possibly expect me to believe her now, right…?
Ugh, whatever. If she ends up collaborating, this plan might save us both some time. But it's nothing we can't do by ourselves later. If she just didn't like me, then there's nothing I can do, it's her choice. In the end, it doesn't really matter whether we end up forming a party or not, we're both only newbies anyways.
Actually, that might even be the safer bet for her; I am the Demon Lord after all. For now, my biggest focus is to get as far away as possible from the Goddess and the heroes…
Besides, going solo is all the rage nowadays, right? Just going around as an OP lone wolf… It certainly beats having to go through the hassle of having to form a party first, just so you'll get betrayed later, only then go solo, and finally get your cheat powers.
Yeah, just skip to the part where I go solo, get super OP and get myself a harem---
Whom am I even trying to convince here… I probably won't even last half a day if I try to take on a quest by myself… And finding a party at the adventurer's guild? I couldn't even form groups at school without the teacher's help…
Also, I won't find anyone else with the same common sense from my world.
Well, I'm already fucked anyways; being dumped now isn't even that much in comparison.
A fart is nothing to someone who's already covered in shit…
"Sure, alright…"
"Farewell."
She says, before walking away. I doubt she'll come back…
Considering there wasn't any background music, I'd say we didn't end up forming a party after all…
…
We head in separate directions. Meeting back here in five hours, huh? Should I even come if I'm suspicious she won't show?
It's better just to place that in the back of my head for now. I walk to the guild--- is what I would like to say, but I have absolutely no idea if one even exists.
…
"Oh… Ok, thank you." I ask a passerby for directions.
Turns out an Adventurer's Guild does actually exists in this world. I head for the city's central plaza, where it should be located.
I arrive there after another 15 minutes of walking. My phone still has about half it's battery, so I can still check on the time at least. 2am… I'd better not even check on the pictures, it would seriously break me down right now.
Anyways, it makes sense that the central plaza is positioned close to the castle. That lone castle atop the hill does make for an impressive sight from down here. I wonder how the citizens must feel living close to a god…
…
The central plaza. It's a great circular open space that looks like a bazaar, filled with many tents, and surrounded by a variety of buildings that appear to be stores. There are also many people, creating a noisy and lively space. The smells of food fight against those of herbs and perfume… I wish I had the money to buy some street food…
There was a single building visibly placing itself apart from the others. It was considerably larger, about six-story high and with many windows. There was a large sign written: 'Adventurer's Guild', next to a huge wooden door.
How odd… The writing isn't in any language I know, and yet I can easily read it and make out it's meaning. Now that I think about it, isn't it weird that everyone I met so far spoke the same language as me? Even the other heroes… I could've asked for their nationalities when I had the chance…
Well, be as it may. My time is limited, so let's leave those kinds of questions for later.
I walk inside the building.