6 A Genuine Idiot
"I'm... home..."
Oi! Who said that?! Wait! Someone was standing by the door all this time?! And it's the girl in the photo?! Did she hear me? Why the hell did I say that out loud?! She'll probably get the wrong idea, and if that's the case, well, I'm done! I should explain myself! But what if they don't understand me? Yeah, right! She was speaking in English!
It's too late... she probably thinks I'm some weird pervert, so I should apologize and clear the misunderstandi-
I glanced at her, and something feels off... She looks exactly like the woman in the photograph, but she appears to be beaten up, and something red is all over her body. If that red substance is what I think it is, then forget saying thank you! I'm going to return a fraction of the favor now!
My body raced on its own. The red substance is dripping on the floor. Should I dip my fingers in it? Of course! No way in hell I'd be able to tell!
"..."
The viscosity, the smell, and the color... it is blood! This woman has lost so much! It's a miracle she's even standing! If things stay like this, she'll die!
"I'm okay, here, eat thi-..."
She collapsed! She looks so frail with a thin frame and an innocent face. This girl looks like the type of person who is too nice for her own good, and she went through all that trouble just to bring me food?!
What the hell is she thinking?! Why go that far for a man you never met before?! I have to nurse her back to health! If I don't return the favor now, there won't be any favors to return later, but all I can do now is stop the bleeding and carry her to bed... Carry a girl to bed?
Carry this cute, undefended girl to bed?! Fuck me! My lack of social experience in the previous world is backfiring! I have to overcome this hurdle, or else she'll die! But when she wakes up, this woman will probably panic and get the wrong idea... But now is not the time to be thinking about that! So, screw it!
Even though my body is still in pain. I picked her up and held her as gently as I can.
"Argh!"
My body still hurts! I could just drag her to the bed, but I have to be delicate with her like I'm holding a newborn baby. Good thing she's light, and what is this sensation?!
This soft, tender, and pillow-like sensation... It's like I'm touching the clouds in heaven. My hands are reaching places beyond my imagination! This may be the last time I get to touch a woman!
That sounds so wrong...
Anyways... I should put her down gently. My paranoia paid off! I came to this place with a first-aid kit! I've overcome one hurdle, and now I have to face more. First, I need to find the wound...
This is strange... and scary too. The amount of blood on the floor and this girl's clothes are enough to fill an ocean, but I can't find a wound...
Removing her clothes and check for injuries not visible from plain sight would be the logical choice right now, but t-that's just... too much unholiness for me to handle! Maybe just the chest area, but certainly not the crotch!
|...|
I've been searching for three minutes, but to no avail! I guess it's not absurd to say she doesn't have a wound, but with that amount of blood?! The only sensible reason for that is... this isn't her blood?! That's petrifying! She looks like the type of person who is too nice for their sake! Just what the hell did this woman go through?!
Fuck it! If there isn't any wound, I'll just leave her alone in bed to recover! But first...
With all gentleness, I placed my hand on her forehead to check for her temperature... it seems normal to me.
|...|
An hour has passed since this woman showed up, and I hit sleep mode. I woke up a few times to check on her, but she's dead sleepy. I guess I should follow her lead.
"Ahhh! Sleep is the best!"
|...|
It seems like an hour passed again... That was good sleep! Even though I slept on the floor. And what is this relaxing sensation on my head? This delicate, pillow-like sensation on my head... If I could sleep in this position for the rest of my life, I'd be satisfied with it. This heavenly feeling is similar to when I held the girl. What caused this?
I opened my eyes and then... Eh...? The first thing I see is the face of the girl from earlier, and judging from this distance... A lap-pillow?! I'm lying on her thigh?!
"AHHH!"
Great! I scrambled away from her and let out my inner virgin scream... I won't be surprised if she's frightened.
Seriously! Men are going to get the wrong idea if she did that to anyone else. But that doesn't matter! I should apologize!
"I-I'm S-Sorry..."
Now she's in the corner covering herself in a blanket. I'm surprised it took her that long to be scared of me. Now that I've recollected myself, I can proficiently construe this predicament.
The first step is cleared. My mind is functioning like usual, and my emotions are controlled.
The next step is to check on this girl. Judging at the way she hides and by the movements of her feet, it's evident that this girl is scared, but this girl is not as frightened as I imagined. Her body shakes as if she's seen a ghost. I don't blame her for being disturbed, but her eyes... look eager and excited?
Why the hell is she excited?! That's mad! And who the hell gets thrilled in this situation?! There has to be a reason for this, but I have to calm her down for now. It'd be best if I switch to that persona.
I only use it if necessary, but... Enough about myself. I should switch to it and calm her down!
I whispered underneath my breathe, "Three...two, and one."
This is odd... I can't switch to it. Perhaps my mind and heart cannot shoulder more depressing thoughts.
Of course, it can't! I'm still recovering from my parent's deaths! Although being transferred to a new world improved my condition, it'd be best to stop shouldering regret. Now all I have to do is comfort her! But in my current state, I don't know how.
I don't know how to approach her. I don't know what to say. I can easily read people's thoughts and emotions like a book, but I don't know what to do with it. It's like reading a sci-fi novel with onerous words and ideas beyond my comprehension. I can read it accurately, but I don't understand.
If I'm going to approach this girl as myself, what can I say to comfort her? How do I approach her? And more importantly, how do I be myself? How do you be yourself? Whenever people try to surprise someone, there's always one person saying, "act normally," but how do you act normally? Is it this difficult to be who you're supposed to be?
"I-I'm fine... A-Are you alright?"
She talked! Her body isn't shaking anymore. All that's left is her eager and excited eyes. How ironic... I'm supposed to be the calm and collected type.
And more importantly... that child-like voice. It's so damn soothing. No wonder this girl calmed me down! I don't know why but it feels nostalgic.
I've recollected myself, so now I need to ease the situation!
"Uhh... yeah, I'm fine, and y-you?"
I don't know why I'm hesitant... no, that's not it. I'm anxious. This is the first time I've talked to someone outside my parents without using that persona, and that someone is a female. No... it's something more prominent than that. This is my first contact with the inhabitants of this world, so I have to be anxious, and who wouldn't be but, something is missi-
"Riaru!"
Riaru? Is that some word native to this world? If that's the case, I don't know what to respond, but I have to or els-
"Riaru... is my name."
Her name? How do I respond to that? Do I tell her mine? Is that even a question? Of course, I have to! So with every ounce of confidence...
"M-Miles... is mi-... mine."
Even though it took all my confidence! A damn voice crack had to get in the way! Every single cell in my body screams anxiety! At this rate, I won't even last a conversation! Somebody, please cast a hero summoning spell on me! I don't want to be here!
"Miles?"
"Y-Yes?"
Damn! That voice still gives me goosebumps! It tickles every hair on my body, and who knew someone else saying my name could be the cutest thing I've experienced!
"T-That's a nice n-name."
Stuttering? Looking at her right now, she's like confusion incarnated, and there's a variety of emotions I can tell from her body movements.
She wags her feet like a dog eagerly wagging its tail, but her arms tremble as if they've been in freezing water, and her face is constantly switching between fear, excitement, relief, and discomfort; all of these dissonant emotions clashing within.
She somehow reminds me of me when I first got here... not like I've been here for long, though. Perhaps we'll get along fine. Looking at her suffering gave me all the confidence to continue the conversation, and no, I don't savor watching people suffer. Or maybe I do? Who knows?
"Y-Yours too,"
She shrieked little and, she sounded like a child!
With a smile that bewitches even the coldest of men, she said, "T-Thanks!"
"..."
Fucking adorable! The first thing this world sent to greet me is a smile I must protect at all cost! I already love this world! If I were to choose between seeing the curvature of this planet and seeing her smile again, I'd probably choose the latter of the two.
Alright! That's enough simping, Miles! Time to investigate her!
"Ria...ru?"
"Y-Yes?"
She's still nervous. If I start asking questions now, I'll probably never get any answers.
I have a lot to query, like how did she find me? Where am I? And more importantly, Why was she in such a bad state? It'll probably take some time, so for now, I should try to gain a fraction of her trust...
"Miles?"
The tone of her voice, the way she paused after speaking, and her worried face tell me she remembered something substantial, something in my name?
"Wait here!"
Her tone sounds like a child restlessly waiting to open their Christmas present. She jumped off the bed and raced towards the closet from earlier...
|...|
Now she's desperately trying to reach the top of the cabinet and humorously fails every time...
|...|
It's been a few minutes, and I won't even bother trying to help! She looks like a tiny dog reaching for its snack. From this distance, her height might be 5'6 or 5'7. This moment is too adorable to end.
"Miles..."
She pointed at the top of the closet. Now she sounds like that one friend desperate to pass the exam and asks you for answers. Does she want me to help her? It appears now will be the end of her adorable struggle, but I want it to go for a few more seconds, so...
"Use that."
I pointed at the chair... hopefully, that won't piss her off!
Well, this is interesting? She didn't complain and went straight to the chair. She is either too nice or too stupid!
|...|
Finally! She got it! She barely managed to reach the object she was grasping for, and that object is a book? It doesn't look familiar to me, and more importantly, how is that related to my name?
"*Thunk. Ouch!"
I hear a thunk! Riaru?! I took my eyes off her few a few moments and, this is what happens?
"Miles... i-it hurts."
Is this the answer to my question earlier? Is she too kind or too stupid? She's an idiot! So my life is indebted to this woman... I can see it now! An agonizing road to repay my debt!
It appears she fell after getting the book. The height she fell from isn't that high, but it may give her some injuries, and she was in such a grave state earlier!
I raced towards her and snagged her left hand...
"Are you a-alright?"
"M-My hand."
She sprained her left wrist!
My paranoia paid off again! I brought bandages for sprains and such!
"You're an idiot, and you should've asked me to do it..."
"But I did..."
"Oh."
Oh! I did. Now I'm the dumbass, and what was that earlier? My body moved without thinking when I saw her wrist, and those words just now subconsciously left my mouth. I should apologize...
"S-Sorry."
With that same smile from earlier, she said, "Hihi! Here miles... it's fine!"
Oh my God! Too fucking cute! That smile and giggle!
"Look here..."
She handed me the book... What does she want me to do with it? It's just a regular child's storybook.
"Miles, read the title."
"The man in the room in the sky."
