Chapter 2 I Picked It Up (Malik’s POV)

Today, I left the guild in my subordinate's hand and went to the lake in the forest near Pedrell City to go fishing. I put my fishing rod, lure and my favorite sword inside my magic bag (the flow of time in this bag is different, the things that put inside won't rot or age).

Now that I thought about it..

I rarely go fishing, but for some reason I felt like going fishing today.

When I reached the lake, suddenly I felt the presence of other people here.

In the past, I used to be a decent adventure so I was pretty good at detecting people's presence.

I looked behind me to make sure I was not being followed and proceed carefully.

".."

And then I saw, a boy with silky smooth black hair was murmuring something to himself as he scooped the water from the lake and drank it.

I cannot see his face because he was facing the other way but his outfit was strange, I never saw that kind of outfit around here.

In Alsar, black hair was really rare, if there was a person with black hair I surely would had noticed.

Perhaps he was a traveler?

He seemed to be alone, I think it'd be hard for him to travel by himself with such lithe body.

Maybe he was a magician?

I was curious so I called out to him.

"Huh? Someone's here?" I nonchalantly said.

Now I could let my presence out and approached him.

The boy turned his body around when he heard my voice.

He was very beautiful.

His shoulder length black hair looked amazingly delicate.

His big slightly upturned eyes looked so innocent and pure.

His slightly pink tinted cheek added a slight of bashfulness in his expression.

His small lips that was slightly wet with water was really enticing.

I had lived for 47 years and had seen lots of beautiful people but he was one of the most beautiful person I had ever see.

With that alluring face, he looked at me and tilted his head.

I was utterly mesmerized.

"Umm…" He started.

Of course the boy would had feel bothered, I was blatantly staring at him.

I didn't want him to feel scared so I introduced myself to him quickly.

"It's okay, I'm not a suspicious person,boy. My name is Malik. Malik Cleva. I'm the guild master from the adventure guild in Pedrell."

"A-ah.. My name is Himukai Ren. May I ask where is this exactly? Pedrell ? Where is that?"

What?

Himukya? Ren?

I couldn't catch his name properly.

And he didn't know about the adventure guild?

Was he a sheltered noble son?

But he didn't even know about Pedrell City…

This lake was really close to Pedrell City, the next closest city would be the Imperial City but it'd take 3 days by foot to reach it and 1 day with horse.

"Himukya? Umm Himukya, right now we're in a forest by the Pedrell City."

"Please call me Ren, Malik-san. Actually I was sleeping in my house but when I woke up suddenly I ended up here?"

I guess because I couldn't pronounce his name correctly he told me to just call him Ren.

And he told me he didn't know how did he get here.

When he woke up, he suddenly was already here?

Maybe this was fate?

It'd be nice if we were fated together..

"I don't quite understand but I guess you're lost, huh? Anyway are you hungry, Ren?"

"A lost child? I guess I am. Thank you for the offer! Though, is your house close? Actually I really need to pee right now, is it okay if you wait a little while I go do my business first?"

It looked like it was very embarrassing for him to say it because his face was really red!

He looked like a small animal, so adorable!

"Well it's a little far. You can go pee first, I will wait for you here."

I sat down on top of a rock by the riverside. This rock was my usual spot for fishing.

I was planning to fish but I guess I need to postpone it today.

Right now, Ren was my priority.

The boy came out from the brushes and called out to me,"Thank you for waiting, Malik-san"

"Ah. Don't worry about it. Come on, let's walk. We have so much to talk about."

I restrained my walking speed so I could walk in the same pace as Ren. He didn't look like someone who was used to walk in a forest.

He was barefooted too.

But it was normal I guess, to not wear shoes when you went to sleep. Afterall he did say he was suddenly transported here.

He seemed to have a hard time walking, even though I already tried to restrain myself, I guess the difference in our size was simply too great.

I was afraid he would be full of scratches by the time we arrived at my home.

As we walked to Pedrell, I had finally understood that Ren was from the other world.

He told me he was from Japan. (I think I've heard another other worlder said they were from Japan as well.)

What surprised him the most was about the fact we use swords and magic though.

But still, his eyes.. Now that I looked at it properly, his eyes was so black! Not even a hint of grey, his eyes was pure black like an onyx!

There was no one in Alsar that had such jet black eyes like Ren did.

And it seemed like Ren was speaking in Japanese, the language from his original world. But to me, I heard Ren speaking in Alsar's language.

Well I didn't really get it but it was a good thing that we could communicate properly.

Ren was surprised with my age as well, he thought I was waaaay younger than I actually was.

Me on the other side, was equally surprised that Ren was already 21 years old !

The legal age in Arsal was 18 years old and to be honest, Ren didn't look like 18 at all, he looked like maybe 15 years old at most.

It seemed like all otherworlder looked younger than they actually were and 175cm was considered as tall in the other world.

The average height in the other world was really short, huh.

Ren was shocked when I told him I was slightly below average in Alsar even though I was 198cm tall.

The average height for male in Alsar was 200cm, compared to that, the 170cm Ren didn't look like an adult in the slightest.

We talked about a lot of things that I didn't realize we finally reached Pedrell City. I held Ren's hand gently as we walked to the gatekeeper.

"Malik-san who's that child? He's soooo cute, introduce him to me please !" One of the gatekeeper called out to us.

"Nope, no way!" I vehemently refused.

Ren was a stranger and he didn't have any identification paper on him so the gatekeeper was wary of Ren but I was the guild master of this city, I had high authority in here so we managed to get past the gate checking easily.

"My house is not that far anymore, stick close to me so you won't get lose. Okay, Ren?" I called out to Ren who was looking at the city in confusion.

I guess he got overwhelmed. He didn't reply to me but I didn't mind it.

I felt like a father protecting my son from bunch of hungry wolves as we walked toward my house.

We were apart by 26 years afterall.

Back when I were young, I used to play around and never got attached to anyone.

I guess it would be strange if I were to suddenly come into the town with a son in tow.

"Sorry, I haven't prepared anything since I didn't plan on receiving guest today. Please take a seat anywhere you want while I make some tea for you."

We arrived at my house and ushered him to sit wherever he wanted.

"Ah thank you. Please don't bother yourself with me."

He was a really well mannered and nice kid.

While he sat, he tried his best to looked around secretly, so cute!

Really, anyone seeing this wouldn't have guessed he was already 21 years old. He looked so adorable!

I put the mug filled with steaming tea in front of him, but he didn't take it. I heard this was what people from the other world drink, but maybe I was wrong? Did he hates tea?

He felt me staring at him, he looked like he was having an inner turmoil but, after a few moment he finally lifted the mug with both of his hands and blew at the tea to cool it down.

"Ah! It IS tea! Delicious!"

His face lighted up at the taste of familiar beverages.

"I'm glad you like it. Actually this 'tea' was brought by an other worlder too, like you. People will feel more at ease if they experience something familiar to them, right? I hope it will calm your nerves."

"Ah.. yes.."

I was glad he liked it.

I guess the drink in Alsar suit his taste perfectly.

Next, I should try to give him some food to see whether it suit his taste or not.

It'd be really bad if he hated the food here..

He would've feel depressed if he kept eating the food he didn't like.

I felt really relieved seeing Ren gulped the tea enthusiastically.

Now that he had calmed down, I tried to talk to him about otherworlder again.

"Ren, the thing that I told you before, about other worlder, do you understand it now?"

"Umm, when I first heard it I'm feel skeptical afterall to me, you seem to be speaking in Japanese. I thought I might be dreaming but the urge to take a pee, the thirst, the tiredness after walking, everything is real. After seeing the city, it finally sinked in. I guess I am in other world now."

Wow, it was amazing that despite being faced into unknown world he can assessed the situation calmly.

Seemed like he was good at adapting in any situations.

"It's okay to take everything slowly. I've met a couple of other worlder that hurt themselves because they were confused and overwhelmed when they first came to Alsar."

"I am confused but I have no other choice but to give up and just accept it, right? I'm really blessed to be able to meet Malik-san from the start, thanks to you explaining things to me, I can let the reality sink in."

He said that while smiling so sweetly with a blush on his cheek.

"Ah well, you're actually my type, of course I would be willing to help."

But he was too young to be my companion so that kind of relationship seemed unlikely between us.

"Pardon? What did you say?"

"Nothing! Don't mind it! Anyway, you're welcome to stay here while you get used to your new life. I live alone anyway and I have lots of empty room for you."

"Eeeeh? To trouble you anymore than this.. I will look for work that provides a live-in space for their employee, please I would feel bad if I were to intrude on you."

Wow, he was very high spirited.

But it was dangerous to live by himself in an unknown world.

What if he was attacked by bad people? Or get mugged?

"You really are very high spirited huh. Well there's an unspoken rule that the first person that found an otherworlder are required to take care of the otherworlder until they settle down. After all it's not everyday you find an otherworlder. So don't mind it."

In the first place no matter which country, the first person that found an otherworlder were required to take care of the otherworlder until they settled in.

But that way, if the first person that found them was an evil person and tricked the otherworlder, everything would be literal hell for the otherworlder.

Though the otherworlder can go to the government office to report it and the criminal would be subjugated accordingly.

There were some cases where people tried to commit fraud and said they were an otherworlder even though they were not but there was various way to confirm whether they were the genuine deal or not.

The process was rather tedious and the result was precise so the fraudster often got caught eventually.

I also added,"And the people from the other world is much much smaller than the people in Alsar. Ren you look like 15 at most or maybe 6 years old! Even though you look like a child, you look really seductive! You're bound to get in trouble if I were to left you alone. That's why, it's okay for you to stay here until you settle in."

No good.

Even though he looked like a 15 years old, but the way he talked was so mature.

Well that was given because he was actually 21 years old.

But still, to talk like an adult despite looking like a child.. The gap moe was too unbearable! So sexy!

"Se-seductive? I don't really understand but if there's such unspoken rule like that, for now I will be in your care."

Thus, it was decided that Ren the otherworlder will stay with me for now.