Don't Worry, You'll Exist In This World

At least, it was supposed to be until Linkin remembered one frightening and terrifying fact about his current self.

'I... I can't read or write!'

Linkin had a gloomy look on his face as he appeared defeated. In his excitement, he had forgotten that he was unable to read or write the language of this new world.

Being the con artist-... The natural and honest businessman that he was, Linkin understood that one would never reach the greatest of heights in his line of work without knowing how to read or write.

While instinct and experience were important and irreplaceable factors, in the end, there were still some basics that could not be abandoned or ignored. Not only that, but he still did not possess a good enough understanding of how this world's currency worked.

Linkin slowly turned around and walked back into the inn with his head hung in shame.

Lal'Kita's ears perked up as Linkin reentered the inn after just leaving. From the sound of his footsteps, he appeared to be dragging his feet across the floor. She peeked from out of the corner of her eye and suddenly saw that Linkin's head was lying on the countertop in front of her.

"Lal'Kita, forgive this lowly one for his foolish joke. It will never happen again. I'm sorry, forgive meeeee. Waaaah..." Linkin whined with his face resting on the countertop, and his body was slouched over in a lazy manner, making a strange noise. It sounded like the mix between a fake cry and a painful groan.

Lal'Kita shook her head helplessly as she released a small sigh. Seeing Linkin's current state and given that he had apologized, how could she stay upset with him? Plus, she started to become embarrassed and her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink as people were beginning to stare in their direction.

"I've already forgiven you, so there's no need to make such a scene! If you keep it up then I'll get angry, dear customer." Lal'Kita pouted.

Linkin immediately stopped and stood up straight as he reached forward and grabbed ahold of Lal'Kita's hands and took them into his own.

"What are you-" Lal'Kita was surprised when Linkin suddenly grabbed her hands.

Linkin then began to recite a poem in a passionate manner and loud enough for everyone to hear. The words flowed naturally and elegantly from his mouth. It drew in the surrounding individuals and everyone stood frozen in awe as they listened to his words.

𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘺?

𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦:

𝘙𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘺,

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦:

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘺𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴,

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘮'𝘥;

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴,

𝘉𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘮'𝘥;

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘦

𝘕𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵;

𝘕𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳'𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘦,

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵:

𝘚𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘦,

𝘚𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦.

When Linkin finished reciting the poem, Lal'Kita stood there speechless at a loss for words. She wanted to say something but had no idea how to respond. Her face was burning red from embarrassment and she felt her heart racing like never before. What was this strange feeling?

There were even some people who teared up after listening to the beautiful poem. They had never heard words spun in such a magical and transcendent way. What a mesmerizing poem!

Some of the women nearby felt their hearts racing as they listened to Linkin's words. There were even some who were jealous that Lal'Kita was the target of those words rather than them.

'Don't worry Shakespeare, you'll be sure to exist in this world. Of course, they don't necessarily have to know that it came from you.'

The poem Linkin recited was William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? and just as he thought, it was well received. If the late poet knew that Linkin was shamelessly claiming his work as his own, he would roll over in his grave!

"I have a very sensitive topic to discuss with you... Would you mind accompanying me so that we can discuss it in private?" Linkin asked.

"Y-yes..." Lal'Kita nodded in response. She was in a trance-like state and agreed without even realizing it herself.

Soon after, Linkin and Lal'Kita headed towards his room as the doors closed behind them. The people at the front of the inn was still in shock. Did he truly just win over a beauty with words alone and even got her to "talk in private"?

The words of the poem were etched into their minds and they would never forget this day!

As Lal'Kita entered into the room with Linkin, it appeared that she finally snapped out of her dazed state and realized what was going on. Did she really just follow him into his room without thinking?

"Now about that private matter..." Linkin said as he moved closer to Lal'Kita, which made her heart pound like someone beating against a drum.

She felt as if it would leap out of her chest at any moment! As Linkin moved closer and closer, Lal'Kita felt herself becoming lightheaded. However, she was frozen in place!

"W-wait, my heart isn't ready yet... W-we've only just met and-..." Lal'Kita spoke in a soft and quiet voice.

However, what Linkin did next left her standing there with a blank expression on her face.

"Can you please teach me how to read and write?!" Linkin got on his hands and knees and bowed down as he shouted out his request.

There was an awkward silence that filled up the entire room until, finally, Lal'Kita broke it with one simple word.

"What...?" Lal'Kita muttered softly.