05 - You are my Ramiel (1)

"Mrs. Grith, how is Eros? Is Eros okay?" (First neighbor)

"Eriu, where is Eros? If you see Eros, invite him to have dinner with us! Of course you will." (2nd neighbor)

"Eri, I, I really like Eros!" And this was the umpteenth time the neighbor boy expressed his feelings for Eros. Eriu, hearing this statement for the umpteenth time, pretended to ask a question with the intention of teasing this child, "Why are you telling me this?" 

Soon this boy would cry.

The boy who heard the question looked down, "That, that..."

"That?" The boy immediately screamed and ran away crying, "Because you're a person he's in love with! Huaaa!"

That's it.

It's not the umpteenth time that little kids, from girls to boys, have come up to me and said that.

You know, I've been feeling this for over 5 years now.

In other words, Eros and I are 10 years old, and soon the Anastasi ceremony will begin, the ceremony that will determine whether or not you are chosen by the gods and goddesses.

But this game world is really strange, where men easily express their feelings for the same sex, and it would probably be very strange if I didn't look inconspicuous and even react with disgust. 

A long time ago, during high school, my friend confessed to me that he liked a boy, and the boy he liked was a handsome, popular boy who was always loved by people. Because he didn't have the courage to express his feelings, he kept it to himself until we both graduated.

After that, I didn't even see him.

Eriu, who was called to the farthest place from the playground by the boy, went back to look for Eros. Realizing Eros wasn't there, Eriu approached the gathered children.

Eriu tapped the shoulder of the girl closest to him and asked, "Linda, have you seen Eros?" Her two friends, hearing this, replied immediately before Linda could speak.

"We just saw Eros talking to an adult." 

"That man looks like a rich man, doesn't he, Nois?" Nois nodded, "Absolutely!"

"Hey, stop you two." Linda nudged them to shut them up. Even though they didn't like it, they still obeyed Linda, probably because Linda was the daughter of the village chief and the two of them didn't want Linda to hate them.

Eriu just smiled, "It's okay, you two can tell me where the old man is taking Eros?" Before Nois could answer, she suddenly grabbed her stomach, "Uhh... My stomach hurts so much..." 

Linda and her friend immediately helped Nois, "Reni, quickly take Nois to her house! It could be a relapse of her illness!"

"Ah, okay!" Reni helped Nois walk and the two of them left, leaving Linda and Eriu alone, "Eh, your friend, Nois, is she going to be okay?" 

Hearing this question, Linda nodded, "Maybe..."

Linda was silent for a few seconds before returning to answer Eriu's earlier question, "I saw Eros and that uncle seem to be going to the village gate, maybe he asked for directions."

"Thank you, you really help me a lot."

Eriu thanked her and the two quickly said goodbye. 

"She's lying." This child, Linda, is obviously lying. Really, you should never try to lie to someone who is good at lying.

She really bad at lying.

If I follow Linda's words now, I'm sure I won't find Eros or this mysterious 'uncle'.

"Haa..."

But where had Eros been taken? 

Bang!

Eriu looked up at the sky, where black clouds with pink lightning were approaching. In an instant, a dark pink cloud covered the entire village with the sound of thunder.

The sound of thunder grew louder and louder. 

Hearing this, some people immediately went out to check the situation. However, when they saw the situation outside, they closed the door, Just seeing the strange pink cloud covering the entire village gave some people goosebumps.

And those who could sense magic could feel their mana fluctuating. Worried that something bad might happen, some of them hid in their houses, others went out to look for their children, and half of them, worried about the situation, went out and tried to find out by following the sound of thunder and lightning.

Ariadne, who was worried, ran out before being stopped by Louise who said he wanted to follow her, before Ariadne could refuse, Louise said immensely that he was worried if something bad happened in his absence.

"Do you know where they are?"

"Eriu seems to be looking for Eros because he is in the forest..." Louise, smelling the burning smell, frowned and suddenly picked up Ariadne.

"What, w-why?"

"I can't smell Eros!" Ariadne immediately panicked, "Quick, let's find Eri first and then we'll look for Eros together!"

If Eros' whereabouts were unknown, it meant that something really bad had happened. Eros had told her and her husband that he was the last surviving race of Phoenix. The Phoenix race itself became extinct after the ancient gods who lived here left this world.

Therefore, if Eros were kidnapped, he would become a spectacle for influential people, and only for their pleasure.

"Tree, right, right!" Ariadne, who was afraid that Louise wouldn't know that there was a big tree ahead, told him. She didn't want her and Louise to die stupidly because they were hit by a tree.

Louise nodded and changed direction. Even though he couldn't see, Louise could still see the object in front of him. He just didn't want to hurt the feelings of his wife who wanted to help him.

Ariadne want to use her power boosting magic to help Louise run faster, quickly noticed the mana fluctuations, "Why is the mana fluctuating all of a sudden!?"

While running into the forest, Louise replied, "That lightning contains pure mana."

"It seemed like the pure mana of a god."

***

"Eros, where are you?" As soon as he saw the lightning with the characteristics of the protagonist, he knew that Eros was in danger.

Only in this game, every time the protagonist is kidnapped or his life is threatened, a strange cloud will surround the place where the protagonist is. Because of this, the harem immediately realized that the protagonist was dangerous and rushed to save him.

At the beginning of the prologue, the protagonist is kidnapped and 'Eriu Grith', who realizes just by looking at the cloud, will immediately save the protagonist. But after his death, the protagonist struck the person who threatened him with lightning.

I think 'Eriu Grith' is really similar to him. From his tastes, to his way of speaking, to his narcissistic loner nature.

There was no way that Eros, who had probably lived and met 'Eriu Grith' many times, would not be aware of the very significant changes in the current 'Eriu Grith'. What's more, Eros even knows his favorite food. On my last birthday, Eros himself asked his mother to make him spicy food and cakes flavored with green tea.

At that time I was really scared when I found out that Eros had chosen my food.

"Eros, if you can hear this, scream!" It felt like my voice would soon run out if I continued to scream. 

Eriu noticed that the smell of burning was getting stronger and stronger.

It's like the smell of a burned human being.

It smells similar to that. That strange burnt smell that I used to smell every time I climbed a new floor.

"ARGHHHHHHH-!!!!" The sound of screaming resounded, and crows flew in flocks as if they heard the sound of death. Eriu immediately ran after the crow.

The more he smelled the stench, the more he remembered that day.

The day when the hell began.

His heart was beating so fast that it seemed to explode. Fear and anxiety haunted him to this day.

Where did it all start?

What's wrong with my choice?

I just want you all to live!