Chapter 2

Where did it go wrong?

What made them looked at me like I'm a fool?

Was it because I told them about how this house will fell into ruin so I wished to be disowned in order to survive?

Or was it because I told them stories about how my foolish sister died over and over again? and how my brother led an army to burn down the capital.

Ugh, I guess I'm really stupid. Who would get panic over a dream? it's not like I could tell them that this world is just a game and I'm not the person they used to know. Hell, I would be lucky if they didn't burn me in a stake.

Even though magic exist in this world, something like a prophecy could only be received by the Saintess or the Pope. Anyway, only people who worshipped the gods and loved by them could see the prophecy.

Rain Scarlet was just a good for nothing who spent his days either lazying around or reading books. He doesn't have any special traits. Just a mere mob. So, there is no way I could use prophecy as the reason for my stories.

Damn, my head hurts. Maybe I should throw everything away and sleep. Who knows if all of this was just a dream.

With such irresponsible feelings, I threw my self onto the bad. I didn't have any willpower to organize my thoughts. I closed my eyes hoping everything will be normal once I woke up.

However, just as my mind was about to drifts away, the knocking sounds on the door pulled back my consciousness.

"Come in"

A young girl with red hair dressed in black dress. I realized her identity as soon as I saw her appearance. It was Irina.

"Rain, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, sis"

"But, you look pale. Are you sure you're fine? should I call a doctor?"

"No, I just need to get some more sleep"

She looked at me with doubtful eyes.

"I'm really fine sis. I just didn't have enough sleep today"

"Well, if you say so"

She seemed a little relieved by my reply.

Looking at her worried expression I felt guilty. But, it's not like I could tell her that I possessed Rain's body.

I wondered why she came here for?

"Is something wrong, sis?"

"Nothing. I just came to see you"

Well, even if I didn't consider my self as Rain Scarlet, the people around me still consider me as him.

"Say, Rain. About the stories you told earlier, it was just a dream, so please don't think too much about it, okay?"

I nodded at her so as not to make her worry.

"Hey, sis. What do you think about someone who died for the sake of someone else?"

"What's with the sudden question?'

"Just answer it, please"

"Hmm, a cool person I guess? at least no lame person will be willing to die for someone else"

She titled her head and answered after pondering something.

"Even if that person die for the sake of evil?"

"Yes"

"Isn't that foolish? why would anyone willing to die protecting evil?"

"Who knows, because everyone have things they want to protect. Even a bad person have things the want to protect at the cost of their lives you know"

"For example?"

"A demon king who invade the humans in order to get more land and resources for his people to survive"

"Ugh, you're making it sounds like the demon king is a hero worthy of respect. If someone from the church hear you, they definitely think you're a heretic"

I let out a wry smile.

"For the demons, he is a hero. Of course, for us humans he is evil"

I guess she was right. For humans, the demon king is evil. And for the demons, the hero is evil. There is no right and wrong in a war. But, what about the hero and the villain? which one is right and evil between the heroine and the villainess?

"What about you, sis? is there something you want to protect even at the cost of your life?"

"No. Why should I throw my life to protect something? We have big brother whose job is to protect people. So we only need to live happily in peace"

She shook her head and let out a smile as she said so.

"So, you're not going to protect me?"

"Isn't it shameful for a man to ask protection from a girl?"

"But, I'm your little brother. So, it's fine isn' it?"

"Can you be a bit more manly?"

"Why should I? it's the youngest privilege to be protected by their older siblings"

I smirked at her.

"Fine, fine, big sister will protect you!"

I was only joking, but she patted my head with a smile on her face. One thing that I learned from Rain's memories was that the siblings have close relationship.

In the game the relationship between Irina Scarlet and Rain Scarlet was not mentioned. Or rather, the only thing known about Rain Scarlet was only his name, and his scream when a monster pounched at him, then he died.

It's weird for me who was the only child in my past life, but for the sake of surviving, I will accept this sibling relationship.

"Sis, can you hold my hand?"

I said it as a joke, but....

"Okay. Should I sing a lullaby to accompany you sleep as well?"

She leaned forward and held my hand as soon as she said that.

"Stop it, I'm not a kid"

I thought she would refuse, but she just held my hand as it is. I mean, back in Japan, people at my age hates their sibling due to their rebellious phase or so I heard. I could feel her soft hand grasping mine. Her hand was warm. Her body let out a faint smell of flower. It was a light yet nice scent.

She is just a set of data created by the developer. Her thinking was controlled by the AI following the scripts, and her appearance was created by the illustrator.

At first, I thought so. However, the warmth on her hand clearly told me that she was a living person. No technology could transmitted warmth from a set of data. Even with VR, it could only affect the player vision. No sense of smell or warmth could be transmitted. This realization struck my mind as I accept the fact that this is my reality.

She hummed with a gentle voice even when I told her to stop. But, well this was not a bad treatment. I don't know the way to go back anyway.

The uncomfortable feelings I had at first slowly disappeared as I accepted my situation.

It might be weird for me whose mental age is 27 years old getting comforted by her who was like 10 years younger than me.

But anyway, as long as I'm shameless enough, it was not me who is embarrassed.

"Thank you, sis"

Her warm hand gave me a sense of peace, and my exhausted mind weakened under the comfort of the warm blanket. Soon, my consciouseness went dark as I fell asleep.

∆ ∆ ∆

The cold tatami mats with trash loitering around. Cup ramens stacking on the computer table, the fan rotating slowly and the faint smell of cigarettes.

This place is my old apartment.

"What happened?"

The familiar scene surprised me. I looked around the place and everything is the same as my memories.

I looked outside the window and see the familiar busy city with tall buildings all over the place. The sound of train passing by resounded in my ears.

"Did I come back?"

I was dazed for awhile.

"So, it was all just a dream"

I feel relieved somehow. Although being reincarnated sounds cool but it also accompanied with danger.

I went to the bathroom to refresh myself. However, instead of shower, something else refreshed me.

When I was about to turn the water, I saw my reflection in the mirror. My face was place like blood was drained from my body. My eyes was empty without any light.

Looking at it made me stiff.

"What the hell is this?"

Shocked runs through my mind. I quickly touch my face and it felt cold. It was like touching a corpse who has been dead for for awhile.

"Fuuuuck!!! So, after experiencing a short reincarnation, now I became an undead!?"

Despair fills my void heart. As I was lamenting about my fate, I heard the faint sound of someone's crying from the door.

"Is someone crying? it's not a ghost, right?"

I contemplated for a while, then decided to check it out.

I grumbled as I walked towards the front door to see what happened. As I'm getting closer, I could hear the crying more clearly.

I opened the door and then....

Instead of the apartment complex, I was in another room instead.

There are many people wearing black dress inside the room. On the center of the room, there is something like an altar with incenses being lit. In front of the altar, a man wearing priest robe was chanting some scriptures.

"What the hell is this?"

I was dumbfounded and shouted unconsciously.

Oddly enough, nobody paid attention to me. Normally, If someone barge into a funeral ceremony, they would turned around to see who comes.

Noticing the weird atmosphere, I walked into the altar. As I get closer to the altar, I saw some familiar faces.

"Why are these guys here? Whose funeral is this?"

I muttered, but no one paid attention to me. It was as if I didn't exist here.

And then....

When I was 5 meters away from the altar, I saw something terrifying.

Om the center of the altar, there is my picture. It was a picture that was taken on my university graduation.

"What the fuck!?"

I was shocked and yelled loudly.

And yet, the people around me still paid no attention to me.

"Hey, hey, is this somekind of a joke!? Although I looked like an undead now, I'm still alive here!"

I shouted, but no one responded.

In frustration, I ran towards the altar to ruin all this bullshit.

However, when I was about to ruin the altar, my hands went through it instead.

Seeing my hands had became transparent, I panicked.

When I turned around, I saw my mother was crying bitterly while holding my picture. Next to her, my father was doing his best calming my mom with red eyes.

I could tell that he was holding back his tears.

"Mom, I'm still alive here! I promise to be a good boy and always listen to you. If you want a grandchildren, then I will find someone to marry as soon as possible. So, please stop crying and look at me!"

I knelt before her, but no matter how I tried, she never looked at me and keep crying.

"Father,, I won't waste anymore time and money on games, so please stop all this nonsense! I promise I will find a job with high salary as long as you stop this mess!"

However, just like my mom, he never looked at me.

I turned to the other side and saw my friends were weeping as well.

"You bastards! Stop treating like I'm already dead!"

"Ryuji! why the hell are you crying!? Stop it already! I will pay all the money that I owe, so stop it!"

"Hiroki! I won't tease your sister or ridicule you as a siscon bastard anymore, so just stop it!"

"Kazuma! I will give you my secret collection, so snap out of it already!"

I rushed towards their side and called my friends one by one and started cursing at them. I was like a brat who was throwing tantrum because I didn't get an ice cream on my birthday.

"Alright, it's my lost. So, please.... stop it. It's about time you guys laugh and end this joke already"

After shouting for awhile, I knelt down. No matter how many times I shouted and cursed, no one paid attention to me. It was like I didn't exist in this place.

I, who didn't shed a single tear when my ex cheated on me was having a mental breakdown at this moment.

Just like a dam that had been broken, tears flowed continuously. I, who already forgot how to cry since a long time, started crying.

Tears dripped down my cheeks, and I could feel the salty taste on my lips.