Day Fifteen: Tom Vinceral

Pant... Pant... Pant...

「Alex: Why is this hallway so long?!」I thought as I dash through the castle's hallway, I turned left, then turned another left. The castle's hallway is quite big so even after running through it, it would still take me 5 mins to get back due to the numerous pathways.

「Alex: No one's chasing me...?」I thought as I looked back, the hallway back was empty and all I could see were furniture.

「???: H-hey! Look out!」

And before I could turn my head back in front a startled voice echoed out the hallway, then all of a sudden my vision turned dark.

「???: Uwha-!」

「Alex: Agh!」

I bump into the startled person, and before I knew it, I was already lying on the floor.

I immediately sat down and looked around and saw a familiar face, he was also sat down and caressing his reddened forehead.

「Alex: It looks like I head-butted him...」I thought as I stood up and went near the person.

「Alex: I'm truly sorry... are you okay? Did I injure you somewhere?」I asked as I reached out a hand towards him.

「???: Ah, no worries, I'm alright...! eh?! S-sir Hero?!」the man's eyes widened as he accepted my hand, he then looks at my face then at the hand he was holding, before shooting himself up to his feet.

「???: Ah! I'm truly sorry Sir Hero! Please forgive my impertinence!」 the man spoke as he bowed deeply.

I was startled, the man's reaction was truly out of my expectations

「Alex: aren't I the one who should apologize?」I thought to myself.

「Alex: No, I should be the one who should apologize, I'm the one who wasn't looking, so... I'm sorry, I truly am」I spoke as I hid my startled expression with a bitter smile.

「???: N-no, sir hero, I was the one at fault as I wasn't able to adapt to the situation, I still lack training! So, sir hero wasn't at fault at all!」 he yelled, his eyes were brimming with enthusiasm as he spoke.

Shivers run down my spine as I watched the man in front of me, who's burning with determination.

「Alex: If you say so...」 I answered, judging that bringing the fault back to myself would only make things worst.

I then changed the topic as I looked at the enthusiastic man.

「Alex: a-anyway」I called out.

「???: hmmm...?」the man immediately looked at me as he cocked his head to the right.

「Alex: You looked familiar... Are you the soldier that princess Eleonora's assigned to us?」I asked, as I remembered earlier's scene back at the hero's quarters.

「???: I'm honored to be remembered by you sir hero, and yes I was the one assigned to you heroes earlier by second princess Eleonora」he answered.

「???: I am 6th Unit's Tom Vinceral, it's a pleasure to meet you, sir hero」 he said as he put his right hand to his chest and the other to his back and made a small bow.

「Alex: I am Alex Mendez, current representative of the heroes, it's also a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tom Vinceral」 I replied as I mimicked his actions.

「Tom: Sir hero, you don't need to use honorifics on a lowly soldier like me, please call me Tom or any anything you want」Tom spoke as he slightly raised his hands.

「Alex: Then Tom it is, I wouldn't be disrespectful as to call you something you are not, also please call me Alex, I'm not really accustomed to being a called Hero, you see...」 I answered as I lightly scratch my cheeks.

「Tom: It would be my honor, by the way, Sir Alex, why were you running earlier? it's as if you were running away from something...」

「Alex: Sir Alex? No, that's not the issue right now... I need to create a reason, I can't let them know I was listening to the princess's conversation earlier」I thought as I immediately crammed my brain to come up with something.

「Tom: Sir Alex?」He asked as he took a step closer and peer into my face, cold-sweat was pouring down my back as I turned the gears of my head.

「Tom: Are you alright...? You don't look so good... Did you see something terrifying?」He asked, and from his words, a solution struck me like a thunderbolt.

「Alex: y-yeah, I don't know what it was... But it was truly terrifying... So I ran away from it...」I answered, the quivering of my voice was totally noticeable and my eyes were moving from left to right and right to left continuously, I was nervous.

I looked at Tom who wore a concerned look on his face, and after a few seconds, he sighed.

「Tom: haa...」

I was once again startled, I didn't know what the sigh was for, and I couldn't perceive anything from his actions.

「Tom: You're quite a terrible liar, aren't you, Sir Alex?」Tom's words were honest and there was no trace of malice either as he spoke, which itself made his words more painful.

「Alex: ...」I was silent, I couldn't deny his words, It was true after all, I was never been able to create any convincing lie since birth.

「Alex: Sorry...」 I sincerely apologized as I hung my head.

「Tom: It's fine, everyone lies so, it's no big deal at all, also I already know why you were running-」My eyes widened at Tom's words, and immediately cut him off to confirm it.

「Alex: Y-you already knew?!」I yelled.

「Tom: Well... yeah... I was there actually...」He spoke, his words keep trailing off as if he was embarrassed to talk about it.

「Alex: You were there? But I didn't see anyone there- wait... Don't tell me... you were Mr. Soldier? The one inside the princess's room earlier?!」I asked as I looked at Tom with wary eyes.

He then cocked his head before speaking.

「Tom: No Sir Alex, I was in the same hallway you were, I was supposedly going to report to princess Eleonora back then, but I saw you doing that... So I immediately left...」he scratches his cheek lightly as he spoke and averted his eyes from me.

And as if to shift the topic, he squinted his eyes and looked at me with sharp and serious eyes.

「Tom: By the way, sir Alex」he called out.

I looked back at him as he spoke.

「Tom: You said there was someone else inside princess Eleonora's chamber right?」

I cocked my head in confusion as I nod.

「Alex: yeah, I did... Would it be a serious matter?」I asked.

「Tom: That depends...」He answered as he trailed off his words.

「Alex: Depends?」I asked, wanting to get an answer, but Tom immediately cut the topic off.

「Tom: No, forget about it sir Alex, you and I shouldn't go any deeper into that, it's princess Eleonora's personal life afterall」he spoke as he shook his head.

I wouldn't dig into someone's private life, it would be disrespectful of me, especially if it's a princess's life we're talking about.

Agreeing to his words, I nodded my head.

「Alex: Yeah, It would be disrespectful wouldn't it?」

「Tom: Sir alex」He called out.

「Alex: What is it?」I answered as I looked at him.

「Tom: Might there be something bothering you?」he asked, the look on his eyes shows sympathy as he looked at me.

「Alex: ...」I smacked my lips tightly as I heard his words.

「Tom: It seems you're terrible at hiding your problems as well, Sir Alex」Tom spoke as he wore a gentle smile.

「Alex: Yeah... I'm not really used to keeping my problems as bay you see, I always try to solve it as soon as it emerges and if I can't do it alone, there was also someone who would help unconditionally...」I spoke as I reminiscent on the past.

John Kaiser, he's someone I could call my best friend and a childhood friend as well, I've already said it before but, he's truly a kind guy, always helping those he deemed needing help, and at the same time teaching them along the way.

「Tom: It seems, you're reminiscing a pleasant memory, sir alex」he spoke, the gentle smile on his face was still there and his eyes were filled with sincerity.

「Alex: ...yeah, a very pleasant memory of a very kind friend... Come to think of it, you're almost as perceptive as him... It truly reminds me of the past」I said as I looked at the sky, specifically at the ceiling.

Tom's words might not be as harsh as him but his perceptiveness and his kind eyes are almost the same as him, that said I wouldn't just think of anyone the same as John without any basis it's just, Tom's attitude almost reminded me of him as if-

「Alex: He was someone greatly influenced by him」I thought before shaking my head.

John wasn't summoned by the people here so he wouldn't be here, there are also no traces of him here either, Unlike Mia who I've met in my dream.

「Tom: There you go again Sir Alex, that expression you have, truly shows that something is troubling you」

He truly has seen through me, well anyone would, Alex Mendez is like an open book after all.

「Alex: ...」I was silent and didn't answer, aside from the fact that I couldn't trust Tom, I also don't want to bother him with my own problems.

「Tom: Good. It seems Sir Alex isn't naive enough to tell others his weakness」Tom's tone was sincere as he spoke, I could perceive that he was truly glad.

「Tom: Although It's fine to hide your feelings, Sir Alex, pretending to be strong is as well is alright, trying not to cause problems to others is commendable, and wanting to do everything yourself was also fine, but...」he trailed his words off as he looked at me, he was serious.

「Tom: But, sometimes you will caused more problems to others. If you hide your feelings, no one will know what you want. If you pretend to be strong, everyone might think that you're alright, even if you weren't. And if you tried to do everything yourself, there would always come a time where you wouldn't be able to do anything」

My eyes widened as I looked at Tom, this time I was greatly disturb.

「Alex: Was it a coincidence?」I asked my self.

The words Tom let out was the same exact words John told me along time ago. It was back in middle school, the time when I was extremely depressed.

----

As I was sitting alone on the schools bench, a boy with short black hair and sharp brown eyes approached me, he was my best friend John Kaiser.

「John: Hey Alex, something's bothering you right?」He asked as he stood in front of me.

「Alex: John... No, I'm fine nothing is bothering me...」I answered.

「John:: "I'm fine" Heh, it would be nice if that word could hide everything...」 John scoffed at my words as he heard, I then looked at him.

「Alex: What do you mean...」I asked him.

「John: Think for yourself smartass」

John's words were harsh from the beginning, but the timing of his harsh words didn't do anything good as anger immediately swelled up inside of me.

「Alex: Y-you...!」I called out, as I looked at him with blood-shot eyes but that was all, I didn't have the courage nor the strength to back my anger up.

「John: Truly, you're pathetic」He said as he stared at me, his eyes shows disappointment.

The anger inside of me now overflowed, I couldn't contain it anymore as I stood up from the bench and grab John's colar.

「Alex: Y-you...! What do you even know?!」I shouted at him as I gripped his colar tightly.

「John: ...」John didn't answer as he looked at me.

「Alex: You don't even know anything! Do you?!」I howled.

And John was just looking straight into my eyes silently.

「Alex: Do you think you can do better than me?! huh John?! Have you ever experience almost losing someone precious to you!! huh?!」I screamed, but no matter how loud I get John didn't change his expression.

「John: ...」 He just silently stared at me, and that made me realized something,

「Alex: Y-you! Tch!」I growled as I let go of his colar. I now understood what his earlier words meant.

「John: Have you calmed down now?」He asked as he fixed his uniform, his tone from earlier didn't change at all.

「Alex: haa... somewhat」I answered as I sat back down to the bench.

「John: It isn't that hard to get the answer right?」He spoke as he also sat down on the bench.

「Alex: It would be better if you console me in a normal way you know」I spoke as I looked at the orange sky, the sun is already setting.

「John: You should know, that I don't know how to do that」He answered.

I smiled, I knew how he do things, yet I was still caught up to his action.

「Alex: I'm truly pathetic...」I muttered, and as if he heard it, he nodded his head.

「John: You know Alex」He called out as he closed his eyes.

「Alex: ...」I silently nodded at his call.

He then lifted his head towards the sky, before opening his eyes again.

「John: It's fine to hide your feelings, pretending to be strong is alright, trying not to cause problems to others is commendable, and wanting to do everything yourself was also fine and all, but...」John trailed his words off as he spoke.

「John: But, sometimes you will caused more problems to others. If you hide your feelings, no one will know what you want. If you pretend to be strong, everyone might think that you're alright, even if you weren't. And if you tried to do everything yourself, there would always come a time where you wouldn't be able to do anything」he said as he shifted his gaze to me.

-------

「Alex: Truly, haa...」I though as I sighed.

「Tom: ...? Is something the matter Sir Alex?」Tom asked.

「Alex: No, nothing, I was jut surprised that's all, I didn't expect those same words to console me even after going here in another world」I answered while shaking my head horizontally.

「Alex: Also It's fine, I think I'd be able to handle this problem on my own, if not... Then I'll taking that offer if it's still available」I added.

「Tom: It will be available Sir Alex!」 Tom answered with enthusiasm as he smiled.

「Alex: Well then, I'll be heading back to the quarters, thanks for the offer, I'll be relying on you if something came up」I said as I put a hand on his shoulder before walking straight back to the quarters.

「Alex: I need to find some more information... If Mia is here... then I should move as soon as possible」 I thought as I increased my paced.