Ken hadn't expected this world to be paradise.
And yet, it was.
Surrounded by beautiful women of all ages that crowded his table with bowls and baskets of food, it truly was paradise.
It was almost alarming how beautiful everyone was.
'Is it that this world has only hot, beautiful women, or is this village special somehow?'
Indeed, even the aunties looked fabulous.. The younger women looked like they'd been drawn by a generous artist. He caught himself staring, then looked away, then stared again. One of them was particularly intriguing. If it weren't for her gray hair, Kenwould have never guessed that she was-
"You should try this." Aria said, shyly picking up a bright red berry. "It's a Soonberry. They're really good."
He stopped himself just when he was about to reach for it. Instead, he leaned in and opened his mouth.
Aria froze. Color bloomed in her cheeks. With trembling fingers, she brought the berry to his lips and fed him.
The crowd around the table ooooh'd, appreciating where this was going. One of them clapped. Another even whistled.
Ken bit down. "That's so good!" He said, surprised.
Aria smiled brightly. "I-I know right?"
A moment later, someone pushed through the onlookers at a half-jog, breathless and apologetic. "Sorry, I'm late. So many patients…"
"Laos!" Aria brightened.
The villager's healer knelt and gently examined her ankles. He looked at the punctures, then at Ken's sleeve, still stained at the cuff. "You extracted the venom."
"Yes." he nodded.
Laos thought for a moment, impressed. 'The Swelling is down… Circulation looks good. He doesn't look like he's suffering from anything. Masterfully done.' He brought a hand to Aria's sprained ankle, and a greenish light started shining. "You'll be fine in a bit." The healer said a moment later.
Ken scratched his cheek. "So many patients, he said?" He asked in a low voice."
"Yes…" Aria's smile faded. "That's why I went out for herbs. We were… Attacked.."
"By…?"
"Ants," she said softly.
It was obvious to Ken that the ants that Aria was referring to were Monsters, and not normal ants.
The table had quieted. Faces fell, the festive buzz dimming.
Aria went on. "They tore through the fences and… Dozens are wounded. It's not the first time too. It's a perpetual cycle. By the time that we build back up, they..." She clenched the edge of the bench, lips pressed thin. "Anyways, I thought I could help if I brought more herbs, for the wounded."
Ken started noticing things he had previously missed. There were clawed gouges in beams, patched palisade logs, clawed walls and doors, destroyed houses… The village wasn't in tip top shape.
Laos tied a knot around Aria's ankle. "We hired Insect Hunters," he said, bitter. " They took our coin and promised to return with reinforcements. I suppose we were fools to trust them." He exhaled through his nose.
"They didn't return, huh?" Ken muttered
Murmurs of frustration spread. Someone spat into the dirt. An older woman cursed softly.
Ken scratched his chin. "Insect Hunters…?"
Aria looked at him, puzzled. "Yes," she sighed. "Even Adventurers with E-Rank Classes can turn out to be… Well, anyways…"
'E-Rank.' Ken's fingers drifted to his collarbone, remembering the dirt-scribbled window he'd glimpsed before it was erased. 'SSS-Rank Insect Exterminator versus E-Rank Insect Hunters… Doesn't that mean that I have my chances?'
He thought for a bit longer before,
"I might be able to help," Ken muttered.
The villagers blinked. Then stared. Then collectively held their breath.
"You… You would do that?" Aria's eyes filled with worry.
For someone to offer help so casually when it meant risking one's life...
Her hand found his sleeve and squeezed, and Ken felt his mouth answer before his brain could make any calculations.
"Maybe," he said. "I think so, yeah-"
"Aria!"
A voice broke, raw with panic and relief. A broad-shouldered man barreled out of the lanes, leather armor stained with dirt and sweat. He scooped Aria into a hug, then held her out to check her face and ankles.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, dad." Aria said, almost annoyed at her father for treating her like a child. "I'm okay."
'The Chief.' Ken thought to himself.
Minutes later,
"Are you sure you can do that?" The Chief asked.
"Maybe." Ken answered.
Aria, still by his side, was staring at him with wide eyes, touched by the fact that someone was willing to help strangers, even if it meant endangering one's own life.
"Will you really?" She asked, squeezing his arm with a hand.
"Yes." He nodded. "I'll just need her help." Ken said, pointing at the Angel.
"Huh?" The Angel raised an eyebrow as everyone suddenly turned in her direction.
To them, of course, she was just a radiant, beautiful blonde, not an Angel.
"We make a team, you see?" Ken explained. "We're Adventurers. We just had… A temporary falling-out."
The villagers stared at the Angel with wide eyes, waiting for confirmation.
She immediately felt an immense pressure.
Refusing to lose face, the Angel flipped her hair nonchalantly. "Yes, I guess you could say that." The Angel answered, arrogantly.
"So the two of you can...?" The chief could barely finish his sentence.
A silence filled the air for a bit.
"Thank you, Laos." Aria said, her ankle now fully healed.
'The venom was masterfully extracted.' The healer thought. 'He must have used magic to do so. I guess they really are Adventurers.'
The chief stared at the healer, as if waiting for confirmation, and the latter nodded.
"Well, then! We welcome you into our village! I can't thank both of you enough for saving my daughter! We shall have a feast! We can discuss things further at a later time. I'm sure the two of you must be tired. Sina, get rooms ready for our guests! And show them to their-"
"I can do it!" Aria interrupted without meaning to. "I can... Show them to their..."
The villagers laughed, and Ken thanked them before following Aria.
'Wait, can't thank both of you enough for helping...?' He glanced to his right, and there was the opportunistic Angel, proudly following Aria as well.
"..."
"Are you alright, Ken?" Aria asked.
"I'm great…" He answered through his clenched teeth.
Eventually, they reached a small guest house with a clean mat and a clay pitcher of water waiting.
Aria stopped at the door and turned, suddenly formal, suddenly shy again. "Rest. Please."
"We will," Ken said.
"T-There are two beds… Unless um…" Aria gulped. "You would prefer um… Maybe-"
"Nope." Ken interrupted. "Two beds, always."
"Oh… Ah…" Aria, relieved, smiled despite trying not to. "Okay, then."
"See you later." Ken said with a smile.
"Yes, later." The blushing Aria nodded and waved."
The door closed behind her.
"Hehe." The Angel chuckled, raising and lowering hey eyebrows. "She likes ya."
Silence.
Ken slowly turned around, his gaze cold as ice.
"Don't talk to me."
"Oh, come on."
"Get me my Status Window on a piece of paper, and every other piece of information I'll need, then leave. Jump out of that window."
"HUH? WHAT DID I DO?"
"She thought we might need one bed. You're bound to mess things up for me."
"I WILL NOT!"
"Get me my shit and fly back up to heaven."
"I DON'T HAVE MY WINGS ANYMORE!"
[Status Window:
Name:Ken
Race: Human
Class: Insect Exterminator [SSS-Rank]
Level: 0 (100XP to Level Up)
Stats:
-Strength: 10
-Agility: 11
-Perception: 12
-Endurance: 12
-Vigor: 10
-Mana: 20
Skills:
Poison Immunity [S-Rank]
Venom Immunity [S-Rank]
Pest Sense [A-Rank]
…]
"Finish up writing the Skills down and go."
"Oh, come on! I can do a good job!"
"I doubt it." Ken sighed, taking a seat on his bed.
"In the first place," The Angel pressed her lips together as she looked away. "Since you don't have a System…"
"Yes?" Ken raised an eyebrow.
"Well, your Items, you know…"
"No way." He gulped. "You mean that my Inventory…?"
"Yes." The Angel nodded. "I'm your Inventory as well."
"How does that even work?"
"Huh?" The Angel tilted her head, as if it was the most obvious thing ever. "Well, through my System I can…"
"...?!"
"Oh, I know what this looks like. Me having a System and you not, but it's actually a very normal thing that I can explain-" The Angel's words were interrupted as a pillow suddenly collided with her face. "Hey!"
Ken lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, life slowly leaving his eyes.
"Even my System has a System…" He muttered. "And I have none…"
"I CAN HEAR YOU, DICK!"