Our Reveal

"How did you know? That I can't taste things," I asked, suspicious.

"As I said, I've seen that look before. An old friend of mine had the same look while eating a long time ago. You've never tried demon realm's food right?"

Of course not. You never know how precious being a human is until you aren't one anymore. Even though I'm not a human anymore, I don't like being seen as a demon either. I didn't choose to be like this... I didn't have a choice. All I did was waking up one day with wings I never asked for.

Just because I have those wings... doesn't mean I would ever eat demonic foods...

"Your right. I've never had those,"

"You are just like him aren't ya?" Alfie mumbled while getting something from her bag. A few seconds past by...

"Found it! Took a while huh?" She continued as she sprinkled something into my cake.

Poison? I've never seen poison in this world before... but the powder can probably be an easy to create poison. S-Should I...

Frick it! It's Alfie! If I die because of poison then... at least I'll go before Hiroto!

I quickly thrust my fork into the cake and shoved it into my mouth, fully expecting that I'll start choking or something and...

I did... kinda.

My eyes widened. I started choking. I... can't believe it...

I actually tasted something! Sweet... so sweet.

"What's that?!" I tried grabbing the container that held that weird powder, but Alfie pulled it out of my reach.

Alfie started smirking and presented the container like it was gold, "Sugar. Made from your realm, it's extremely rare and expensive, but I feel like you'd say wh-"

"Whatever the price is, it's worth it!" I shouted out instinctively.

"Some people are so alike, it scares me," Alfie mumbled and sighed.

"Dang! Never have I been so glad I could taste a cheesecake! This is amazing!" I couldn't stop smiling and shoving the cake inside my mouth.

"Can food really be that good?" Fay asked, confused from my over exaggerated expression.

"Try some," I offered a spoon full to her, still smiling.

"No thank you,"

"Come on! Just once, okay?"

"Is that... an order?"

Here we go again... my smile started to fade. You know... for a few days... I forgot where we were. I forgot what this world did. I forgot what it did to Fay. I forgot what it did to me.

"No... just an offer, no pressure," My voice and face became colder and more distant.

Seeing my expression, Fay took my spoon and ate it with a light smile. Dang... she's just like a little kid. A part of me finds this cute but knowing what she might've gone through to be like this... I can't really feel any certain emotion wholeheartedly.

Before I could decide on what emotion I should've felt, I heard something. A keyword that triggered my ears to listen, 'Hiroto'. His name was said from another table so I gestured for everyone to be quiet and listen.

"Oh, that hero? Heard he got an empty title advising the 3rd prince. I pity the guy, given a position to advise someone with no guts to act at all. I mean the king's just a kid... what can a little ki-"

"Shh! Do you want to be arrested? Anyways giving useless positions to useless heroes ain't the worst idea,"

Did. That. Dude. Just. Call. Hiroto. Useless? Bro... my job.

I'd love to see what they can do about being summoned into our world... m-maybe they'd even get a PHONE! That would be SO hard.

"I'd LOVE to show them what these 'useless heroes' can do," I said with a grin, slowly getting up from my seat, still holding that beautiful creation called a cake.

As I started to head to the trash talkers' table, Alfie chopped me on the neck.

"Ouch! What was that for?" I glared with childish bitterness towards Alfie.

"What will you do after that? You know you CAN get arrested again right?" Alfie raise an eyebrow and continued to nag me about being more cautious.

I wanted to roll my eyes, but she was right... I was being too impulsive. Former me would never even consider pulling this move... what kind of idiot have I become? I had an annoyed expression on my face, but I honestly didn't mind Alfie's nagging, maybe... I'm just annoyed at myself.

What changed?

All I could do in response to her continuous monologue was to stand there and take it.

"Sorry," How many times will I have to apologize? How much more will they take? How much more can they take? How long would it take for my apologies to mean nothing anymore?

It's only a matter of time... till they can't stand it like Shin. It'll all repeat again.

"You know what? I'll accept your apology when you finally decide to tell me everything. I don't understand why both of you do what you do... and it's frustrating. So?" Her voice was always cold, but this tone... she's kinda scary.

Alfie... she doesn't seem dangerous... she's not bad... right? If I told her... she'll never see me as this decent person again. Does it matter? I've never been a decent person anyway, right? She has the rights to know.

"Not here..."

We headed inside one of the rooms. With paper-thin walls and the small size, I asked Fay to guard the outside to lower the chance of people eavesdropping on us and Shin told her everything.

It was risky, but it felt like a mountain was lifted off of my chest. I didn't say a single word from my own perspective... but it wouldn't justify my actions anyways.

The room fell silent.

We gave her some time to make sense of what she just heard and I'm sure she'll never be as friendly to me again. She tried to act normal at dinner, but we knew. I knew. She kept having this cautious glare at me.

Sensing that the tension would only grow, I yawned and said, "Welp, I'm gonna go crash. See y'all tomorrow then," I tried to sound as natural as possible. I really do hope they bought it.

There in the darkroom, I sat alone, staring at the beautiful night sky.

What will I do tomorrow? Are Misa and the others alright? What should I do?

I have no purpose.

All of my actions were done for either survival or Hiroto's safety. I don't know where he is and nothing is threatening me at the moment.

A purpose is made from a goal and a goal is made from a want. What do I want more than anything?

"I wanna go home," I spoke quietly.

It was the first thing I could think of wanting. I just want to get back from school to watch some new anime of the season with Hiroto. Argue who the best girl was and over analyse everything a cool character says.

In isekais, most main character's purpose is to go home. I never understood why since they always seemed to be way happier in another world. If only my isekai was like isekai smartphone's.

It'd be so easy.

Or am I lucky? Lucky, I'm not in Re: Zero. Lucky, I'm not in Grimgar. Lucky, I wasn't Naofumi in the first few episodes.

Do I even have the rights to complain?

Thinking about these things now... time to steal me from my own thoughts. I just need to do something. Anything to distract me.

I wandered in the moonlight again, looking for a distraction before finally arriving in front of the palace's gate again, but this time I was in the shadows.