"Chapter 90: Valerie and the New Acquaintance Sebastian"

Alex held Rebecca's hand as they stepped out of the bathroom. One thought kept circling in his mind—what to do with the child? If he had his own home or at least a bigger apartment, he might consider taking the child in, in case their parents didn't come looking.

But unfortunately, Alex hadn't earned enough money for a new place yet. On top of that, he now needed to save up for a ticket to the Moon to help Gloria.

"Everything is so complicated," Alex sighed, lost in his thoughts.

Rebecca, feeling his sigh, glanced at him thoughtfully. However, her own mind was occupied not just with the rescued child. She suddenly tugged on Alex's hand, catching his attention. When he looked at her, she spoke.

"Next time, we need to bring Lucy with us," Rebecca said, looking directly at Alex.

Alex raised an eyebrow, not understanding how Lucy came into the conversation.

"You want to bring her along to another shootout?" he asked in surprise.

Rebecca looked at him as if he was missing the obvious.

"No. I mean, you should invite her out for a ride," she clarified, giving a slight huff and tugging his hand again.

Alex still didn't get why that was necessary. Hadn't he already taken Lucy for a ride while they were making deliveries around the city? Noticing his confusion, Rebecca continued:

"Lucy's a distant person. It's hard for her to connect with others. She's suffering from 'bird in a cage' syndrome," she explained with a faint smile, as she had known Lucy much longer.

Alex pondered, wondering if such a syndrome even existed. Judging by the name, Lucy must feel trapped in this city and wants to escape.

He thought it made sense. The city was like a cage—easy to enter, but difficult to leave once you got involved in something.

"I'm not sure that syndrome exists, but I think I get what you mean. I guess I wouldn't mind taking both of you for a ride, outside of work," Alex said with a slight smile.

Hearing his answer, Rebecca instantly cheered up and started bouncing with joy, happily swinging his hand as they made their way down to the diner.

"But why was she so sad when she saw that child?" Alex wondered, looking at her happy smile.

He decided he would ask about it later, or maybe Rebecca would tell him herself. For now, they needed to figure out what to do with the child and find a way to ensure she stayed safe.

When they reached the diner, Alex saw the child sitting at a table, eating chocolate cake, her cheeks smeared with chocolate. Alex took a closer look and realized it was a teenage girl.

"And here I am again, saving a girl in trouble," Alex thought with a slight smirk.

"It'd be funny if her fate turned out to be like Lili's or Haruhime's," a thought flashed in his mind with a light smile.

The teenage girl, munching on cake, noticed someone coming down the stairs. Her eyes lit up when she saw the girl with green hair and the man who had saved her. She remembered that when she woke up in the basement, it was too dark to see him properly.

The second time she saw him, he was covered in blood, and all she noticed were his rainbow-colored eyes and black hair stained with blood.

Now, seeing his face clearly, she nervously started trying to clean herself up, only to smear the chocolate on her cheeks even more. Realizing she was only making things worse, she couldn't stop.

"Damn, I'm just making it worse," she thought, looking at Alex, who had already approached and sat down in front of her.

Alex looked at the nervous girl, who was trying to wipe the chocolate off her face but only ended up smearing it more. Smiling, he handed her a stack of napkins.

"Here, take these. They'll do a better job than your hands," he said kindly, pushing the napkins closer to her.

The girl, embarrassed, took the napkins and began wiping her face. Alex didn't rush her, waiting until she finished. When she finally managed to clean up, Alex noticed she still missed a spot. He took one of the napkins and gently wiped the remaining chocolate off her face, making sure not to mess it up again.

"All set now," Alex said with a soft smile, looking at her.

The girl blushed from Alex's kind gesture, and from the way he looked at her so tenderly. Even her own family had never looked at her like that. To them, she had always been just an extra mouth to feed, a burden.

"Thank you," she whispered, lowering her gaze.

Rebecca, watching how gently Alex wiped Valerie's face, as if afraid of hurting her, felt a slight pang of jealousy. But remembering that Alex had once mentioned his family, she guessed he might see Valerie as a younger sister. This thought calmed her a bit, and she too smiled, focusing her attention on the girl, who still shyly stared down.

"Well, I guess it's time for introductions. I'm Alex, and this loud gremlin over here is Rebecca," Alex said with a light smile, first pointing to himself, then to Rebecca.

Hearing herself called a "gremlin," Rebecca angrily punched him in the side, but Alex just laughed, not even feeling the hit.

Rebecca huffed and turned away, knowing she couldn't beat him right now, but deep down, she was already planning her revenge for the teasing nickname, plotting to make him fulfill his promise later.

Valerie watched their playful banter with a hint of envy. She wished she could be part of such a warm group.

"My name is Valerie," she said quietly, finally looking back at Alex.

Alex paused for a moment, as the name seemed vaguely familiar. But considering that before his reincarnation he hadn't paid much attention to the events of this world, he decided not to dwell on it.

"Nice to meet you, Valerie. Tell me, how did you end up in the hands of those scumbags?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Valerie lowered her gaze, and a shadow of sadness crossed her face. Alex immediately realized that she had gone through something terrible. She took a deep breath and began to speak.

"I wasn't kidnapped... My parents sold me," Valerie said with a bitter smile. She had long since come to terms with the fact that this could happen.

Alex's smile didn't falter, but under the table, his hand clenched into a fist. It was the answer he had already suspected. But before he could say anything, Rebecca, visibly shaken by what she heard, slammed her fist onto the table.

"Damn it, how could they do that?! If I find those bastards, they won't get away alive!" she shouted furiously.

Alex placed his hand on Rebecca's head to calm her down. She looked up at him, waiting for him to say something, but seeing his calm expression, she cooled off a bit, though the anger still simmered in her eyes.

"Listen, Valerie, is there anywhere you can go back to?" Alex asked gently, trying to figure out what could be done for her.

Valerie looked at him with pleading eyes, as if seeing him as her last hope.

"No… I have nowhere to go," she said in a voice filled with despair, unable to tear her gaze away from Alex.

Alex sighed heavily, placing his hand on his forehead. If this had been his world, he would've already found a way to help. But in this world, his financial situation left much to be desired. He barely had any money, certainly not enough to rent a bigger apartment, and he didn't want to complicate Gloria's life, who had already decided to help him.

"Maybe Gloria knows someone who can take Valerie in," Alex thought, hoping for this option.

"This is so complicated," he muttered, removing his hand from his forehead.

Rebecca and Valerie watched him with concern, waiting for his decision. Alex stood up from his chair, deciding to call Gloria, and stepped outside to smoke at the same time.

"I need to make a call," he said, getting up from the table.

Rebecca noticed his movement and grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"Who are you going to call?" she asked suspiciously, gripping his hand tighter.

Alex turned around and saw that Rebecca was holding his hand, looking at him with worry.

"I'm going to call Gloria to see if she knows someone who can help us with this situation," Alex explained his plan.

Rebecca nodded and let go of his hand. Alex stepped outside and immediately lit a cigarette. His mind swirled with thoughts about how money solves so many problems and how hard it is to help without it.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the number. After a few rings, Gloria answered, surprised to hear from Alex at this hour—he usually only contacted her during her breaks.

"What's wrong, Alex?" Gloria asked when she heard his voice.

"Hey, Gloria. There's a bit of a situation…" he began, explaining about Valerie.

As Gloria listened, she gradually relaxed—at first, she thought something bad had happened to Alex. But as he described how he and Rebecca ended up in a situation involving Valerie, her anger grew. As a mother, she despised people who sold or kidnapped children. When Alex mentioned that Valerie's own parents had sold her, Gloria cursed so vehemently that Alex could barely believe such words were coming from such a kind and caring woman.

Alex waited for Gloria to calm down. After taking a deep breath, she finally asked:

"So, what do you plan to do?" her voice still carried concern.

Alex scratched his nose, thinking about how to ask for help. Gathering his thoughts, he replied:

"Do you happen to know anyone who could temporarily take Valerie in until I get back on my feet?"

Gloria fell silent, considering his question. After a moment, she remembered someone who might be able to help.

"There might be someone, but I'm not sure if they still do that," she replied uncertainly.

"Thank you. I'd take her in myself, but we're cramped in a small apartment, and there's no one to watch over her—I'm working on jobs, and you're constantly at the hospital," Alex added with a tired tone.

Gloria was surprised that Alex was willing to take the child in, despite the difficulties. She knew he was kind, but his readiness to help a stranger's child impressed her even more. She was touched that he said "we have nowhere" instead of "I have nowhere"—there was something deeper in those words that gave her warm feelings.

"I'll try to get in touch with my friend. If he agrees, I'll give him your number," Gloria promised.

"Thanks," Alex replied with a slight smile.

After Gloria said goodbye, Alex lit another cigarette, waiting for news. Only a few minutes passed before the phone rang. Alex saw an unfamiliar number, but he decided to answer, guessing it might be Gloria's friend.

"Hello, is this Alex?" an elderly voice asked.

"Yes, it's me. And who are you?" Alex inquired.

"Apologies for the lack of introduction. My name is Sebastian Ibarra. Gloria explained the situation to me, and I wanted to let you know that I can help," Sebastian introduced himself.

Alex sighed with relief, glad that a solution for Valerie had been found.

"Thank you for agreeing to help," he replied sincerely.

"Don't worry, boy. Gloria told me you were ready to take the child in, but your circumstances don't allow for it right now," Sebastian said, his voice warm with kindness.

"Where should I go?" Alex asked.

"Come to 'El Coyote Cojo'. I'll be waiting for you there," Sebastian responded.

"Thanks, see you soon," Alex said, tossing away the cigarette.

Alex said goodbye to Sebastian and threw away the cigarette. He felt a bit more relaxed, relieved that a temporary shelter for Valerie had been found.

He rubbed his face to relieve the tension and decided to share the good news with the girls. When he entered the room with a smile, Rebecca, who had been chatting with Valerie, immediately understood that the problem was resolved.

"Did Gloria help?" Rebecca asked, glancing at Alex.

Alex sat down next to her at the table and replied with a slight smile:

"Yes, her friend agreed to help. He will provide Valerie with temporary shelter."

Valerie, upon hearing this, visibly saddened. She looked at Alex, trying to find the right words, and finally said:

"Can't you take me in?"

Alex felt a pang in his heart. He was also upset about the situation, but he knew it was impossible under his current conditions.

"I'm sorry, Valerie, I'd love to, but I'm staying with a friend right now," Alex said with a strained smile.

Valerie lowered her head, her gaze growing even more sorrowful. Alex couldn't leave things as they were and decided to comfort her.

"As soon as I can find more suitable housing, you'll always be a welcome guest. I promise, I'll come back for you," he said softly, drawing Valerie's attention.

Valerie looked up and asked with hope:

"Do you promise?"

Alex smiled:

"Of course. I'll find a decent apartment—then I'll come to get you right away."

Valerie sighed with relief, but then, realizing what she was doing, bashfully looked down. Rebecca watched their conversation with a smile, but she was still curious about where Alex planned to take the girl.

"So, where are you going to take Valerie?" she asked, tugging at Alex's sleeve.

Alex paused for a moment, trying to remember the name of the place Sebastian had mentioned. The only thing he could recall was the word "coyote."

"Um… I think it's called 'Coyote something,'" he mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

Rebecca laughed:

"You forgot the name?"

"Well… not exactly forgot, just slipped my mind," Alex defended himself, looking away.

Rebecca couldn't help but laugh, seeing the embarrassed Alex. She was used to seeing him confident and composed, but each day she discovered new, more human sides to him.

"Very funny," Alex grumbled with mild irritation. "Now, let's go; we still need to get Valerie to her destination."

Rebecca, still smiling, nodded, and Valerie followed them, though with a touch of sadness on her face. Outside, Alex opened the weapon compartment so Rebecca could put the shotgun inside.

Seeing Alex's motorcycle, Valerie curiously began to inspect it, particularly intrigued by the weapon compartment. Rebecca stuffed the shotgun inside and turned to Alex, asking:

"Aren't you going to take your 'Jeff'?" she reminded him, referring to the brick he had used in the last shootout.

Alex heard Rebecca's question about Jeff and, straining his memory, tried to recall where he had left his brick. When he finally remembered, a crooked smile appeared on his face. Jeff had been stuffed in the mouth of one of the child kidnappers—Alex had used it as a form of punishment.

"No, Jeff completed his mission. He punished the unfaithful heretics and completed his journey. It was his first and last adventure. He was a good friend, but as always, life takes the best," Alex said with dramatic flair, gazing sadly at the sky.

Rebecca looked at him as if he had lost a true friend and remembered the moment she had seen the brick sticking out of one of the kidnappers' mouths. She couldn't help but smile but decided to play along with his act.

"Don't worry, Alex. You'll definitely find a new Jeff," she said, pretending to be sad, squeezing his hand.

Alex looked at Rebecca, whose eyes also expressed "sadness," and realized she was playing along with him. Deciding not to stop, he continued:

"No, Jeff can only be one!" he added with a dramatic tone, almost shouting.

"I understand. It's hard for me to lose him too, but we need to look forward," Rebecca played along, continuing her "sadness."

Valerie, who had been inspecting the motorcycle, noticed their strange dialogue and decided to intervene:

"Who is Jeff?" she asked, drawing their attention.

Alex and Rebecca exchanged looks as if trying to find a suitable answer. Rebecca, not wanting Alex to come up with another story, took the initiative:

"Jeff is a brick that Alex found in an alley and used to save you," she explained with a smile.

Alex puffed out his cheeks and gave Rebecca a disapproving look—she had spoiled his plan to tell an epic story about how he found Jeff. Valerie, hearing that Alex had gone into a shootout with a brick, was puzzled.

He seemed serious and responsible to her, and now... She was curious about what had motivated him to act that way, but she decided to save her questions for later.

"Alright, enough already, you two," Alex grumbled with puffed cheeks.

He got on the motorcycle and offered the girls to take their places. A silent spark passed between Rebecca and Valerie—they seemed to be competing for the front seat. Not wanting to waste time, Alex quickly lifted Rebecca and seated her in front of him, thus settling the dispute.

"You'll ride up front next time," he promised Valerie with a smile.

She nodded and sat behind Alex, holding him tightly around the waist. Starting the motorcycle, Alex entered the address given by Sebastian and began the drive to the meeting place. Upon arrival, he saw a strange building that resembled a bar combined with a dormitory.

While he was studying the sign, a voice called out to him. Turning around, Alex saw an elderly man in simple clothes—black pants, a shirt, and a gray sweater. The man had tattoos on his hands and a cross hanging around his neck.

"You must be Alex," the man said with a smile.

"Yes, and you must be Sebastian, judging by the voice," Alex guessed, extending his hand.

"Exactly, boy," Sebastian chuckled, shaking his hand.

He glanced at Rebecca and Valerie, who were standing nearby. Valerie nervously clung to Alex's coat, avoiding Sebastian's gaze. Noticing her embarrassment, the man smiled gently.

"You're Valerie, right? Gloria told me that you don't have anywhere to go right now. You'll be fine here," Sebastian reassured her.

Valerie cast a questioning glance at Alex, as if seeking confirmation. He looked at Sebastian carefully, assessing his sincerity, and then nodded to Valerie, indicating that everything was okay.

"I'll go with her, and you can stay here for now," Rebecca suggested, taking Valerie's hand and leading her inside.

Alex watched them go, then turned back to Sebastian, wanting to ask a few questions.

"Thank you for agreeing to help," he thanked him again.

Sebastian listened to Alex's gratitude and a kind smile appeared on his face.

"It's all right, young man. Although I'm no longer a priest, I still can't stand to see children suffering," Sebastian said with a sincere smile, glancing at the entrance to the bar.

Alex looked at his companion in surprise. He was struck by the fact that faith, or at least its remnants, still persisted in such a world. But he was even more surprised that a former priest stood before him. He hadn't imagined that the cross hanging around Sebastian's neck was more than just decoration. Noticing Alex's astonished gaze, Sebastian laughed.

"I haven't seen such a reaction in a long time," Sebastian said with a smile.

Alex coughed awkwardly, feeling that he had revealed his surprise.

"May I ask… do you still believe in God?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Alex was curious whether Sebastian had maintained his faith despite everything that had happened in the city or if the Bible had merely become a reminder of the wrongness of sin. Sebastian thought for a moment but had an answer.

"Faith is a gift from God. For a long time, I didn't understand this, but one day I found the answer to my question. Yes, I believe in God, and I hope that when my time comes, He will believe in me as well," Sebastian said calmly, his face lit by a gentle smile.

Alex nodded in response, contemplating how differently faith could manifest. Some shout about divine retribution, others condemn those who live differently. Everyone believes in their own way.

Some pray, others just try to be good people, helping others without expecting rewards. An atheist doesn't have to be immoral, just as a religious person isn't always exemplary. Sebastian watched Alex thoughtfully and asked the next question.

"And you, young friend, do you believe in God?" he asked with curiosity.

Alex looked at Sebastian and was about to share a lot, but sometimes knowing the truth doesn't bring peace.

"I believe that after death, we face retribution for everything we did in this short life," Alex replied, lighting a cigarette.

Sebastian nodded, agreeing with this thought. Sooner or later, everyone must stand judgment.

"Do you think, Alex, that God has abandoned this city, or does He simply not care about people's suffering?" Sebastian asked, looking at him intently.

Alex exhaled smoke through his nose and answered, giving Sebastian a bit of truth:

"God has never abandoned people. He gave them the greatest gift—freedom of choice. Some have used it and become bad people, while others have remained true to their principles. A parent doesn't abandon their child; they simply give them the freedom they deserve," Alex said with a gentle smile.

Sebastian smiled thoughtfully.

"An interesting perspective, Alex. It surprises me," he said.

The conversation continued until Rebecca and Valerie returned to them. Alex nodded apologetically to Sebastian and turned to the girls:

"So, how was it?"

"It's a pretty good place. I figured out where we were when we arrived," Rebecca replied, looking at Alex.

He looked at her in confusion, waiting for an explanation. Rebecca smiled and continued:

"This place is run by Mama Wells. She's a good woman who helps children like Valerie," she explained, glancing at Valerie.

Alex nodded and looked at Valerie, smiling.

"Listen, Valerie, if anything happens, feel free to call me. I'll come immediately," he said softly, placing his hand on her head and gently patting her.

Valerie looked up at him and nodded, then stepped closer and hugged him tightly. Alex smiled and embraced her, holding her close. When they let go, Valerie quietly asked Alex to lean down, as if she wanted to ask something in his ear. Alex didn't immediately understand what she wanted but eventually leaned down.

"I heard that cool guys always have a nickname. Do you have one?" she whispered with curiosity.

Alex couldn't help but smile. After all, a nickname alone doesn't make someone cool—it's about living up to it. He decided to share his nickname from the DanMachi world.

"I'm usually called the Demon King," he said, smiling wider. "I'm the one feared by everyone who does bad deeds."

Valerie looked at him in surprise. She knew that demons were usually associated with something bad, but it seemed like Alex was someone who punished the bad guys. Her face lit up with a wide smile.

"I'm going to get a cool nickname someday too," she said enthusiastically.

"You don't have to wait. I'll call you Vi. Now you just need to be cool enough to stand up for yourself," Alex said, ruffling her hair.

Valerie laughed at his gesture. She hugged him again and, with a cheerful smile, ran back into the bar. Alex watched her go and smiled.

He then turned to Rebecca, who was already holding his hand. He looked at Sebastian, realizing it was time to say goodbye now that Valerie was safe.

"Thanks for your help, Sebastian. If you ever need anything, just call, and I'll be there," Alex said, getting on his motorcycle.

Sebastian smiled in response.

"If I need extra hands, I'll be sure to let you know," he said with a slight smirk.

Alex nodded and set off, taking Rebecca home. On the way, she tugged at his sleeve, catching his attention. Alex slowed down and turned his head toward her.

"What's up, Beca?" he asked, giving her a glance.

"When you go to see Valerie, take me with you," Rebecca said, looking up to meet his gaze.

Alex smiled and nodded. He didn't mind. Besides needing to earn for a ticket to the Moon, which wasn't too important, he was also thinking about finding a decent place to live to accommodate Valerie.

It had only been a few days since he arrived in this world, and so much had already happened. The work clearly wasn't going to lessen. Alex eagerly anticipated what was next and what challenges he would face.

To be continued…