Chapter 49

"Hmm, it's so unlikely for you to be out a few times a month. I know you for your extreme social allergy."

It's another day outside, away from my bed. Since no one can hear Master anyway, she doesn't communicate through her mind anymore, though I still use it most of the time. I couldn't even deny my Master's words, as they're not far from the truth. After all, it took me a year to finally step out again; Gramps almost dragged me out that time.

With a weary sigh, I responded to my master beside me through my mind, due to the quantity of people passing by. "If not for Bernard forcing me to come back, I wouldn't even greet the light of the sun just to go home empty-handed."

My master, who was floating beside me, poked me on the cheek. "Hey, don't say that; some of them were actually legendary items."

"That's true, but most of it needs elemental power and other affinity requirements; it's useless to me. On the other hand, it just shatters to pieces."

"All of it was an extravagant item that common people wouldn't be able to touch." Master's face flinches in disbelief, holding her temple for a bit as she points her finger at my chest. "But that little monster of yours keeps breaking everything. I'm glad it's asleep now."

I remember the day I sold three magic stones. In the end, we couldn't get any items. The reason was that, just as my master says, any item that comes into contact with Cilestia keeps obliterating beyond saving.

After that day, Bernard asked me to come back every week, though each time he presented a new item to me, it either shattered to pieces or turned to dust. I said I'd pay for it, but he refused. 'I wouldn't accept it until I provided the best service.' He said with such conviction that I didn't try to ask how much I owed anymore.

"Well, I'm sure Cilestia didn't destroy his resolve, but last week he said he'd just contact me to return if he got the best items." I shrug, looking at Master with an awkward expression.

Master pushed her head with her hand. "Ain't that mean..."

"Ahhh!"

"I'll make a secret organization this time, and watch the world behind the shadow ....Urgh!"

My conversation came to an abrupt stop as a sudden force hit me. It wasn't enough to make me fall, though the same couldn't be said for the latter. In front of me was a boy; if I have to guess, he was a little younger than me, maybe 5 years old.

He's wearing a common cloth, though it's not that different from what I'm wearing right now: long sleeves and pants, and for my feet, a pair of slippers. In the middle of sunny days, nothing unusual.

However, his black hair makes me remember some irksome individuals. Groaning for a bit, he looks up. He has uncommon shark-like teeth; however, his blood-like eyes caught my attention. As I look past his eyes, I sense his soul.

He's a…!!

Before I said it in my mind, Master had already blurted it out. "So you notice it as well; this kid in front of us is the same as you. He's reincarnated."

According to masters and gramps, reincarnated individuals can somehow sense the irregularity of the reincarnator's soul. Though Arlan doesn't know about it yet, he couldn't tell I'm a reincarnator until I said it.

What about this guy? I sense the irregularities in his soul, and at some point, a splitting image of a young man resurfaces behind him. If I have to guess, it's around the same age as I've been in my past life. If the world had the same common sense as Earth...

With that in mind, I held out my hand. "Sorry, about that; I'm not looking in the way."

Knowing that he's not a kid inside, I'll refrain from calling him a kid. Scratching his butt, he didn't think twice and took my hands.

With my help, he rose from his feet. "No, I should be the one apologizing; my mind was somewhere else."

Yeah, to the point, I catch what you're saying before bumping into me. Though he seems to be acting as if he didn't say anything, one thing is for sure: he's one of my people.

"I'm Carus." Since our hands were still linked, I took the incentive to shake his hand. "You have a great dream; leading the world behind the shadows was certainly awesome as fuck."

His eyes shine brightly. "You get it! Nothing beats becoming the strongest in secret. Ha, ha. I don't want to cause a scene, so that's best in this life!"

As I thought, he had a severe case of 8th-grade syndrome. He even put an ironic tone in his words. But won't this guy think before speaking?

Yet it didn't take a while before he took his hand in realization, "Ehem, I'm Azazel. I forgot that I got a little excited."

Azazel is its common name, but none of the cast has a name like that. as I thought he'd be an outsider like me.

"It's my first time seeing you here. Do you live around here?"

As I utter those words, Master throws a sarcastic comment beside me: "It's natural; you mostly lock yourself in your room."

Azazel didn't seem to realize my master's existence and respond normally. "No, I'm actually from the neighboring world; we travel here in the hope of finding a cure for me."

Without him revealing anything, his problem is in plain sight to me.

"My magic circuit was in chaos, which prevented me from using magic." Azazel's eyes were filled with determination as he gripped his fit in front of his chest. "We heard this place was unmatched with magic proficiency, so we traveled in the hope of finding someone who could fix my mana circuit. For my plan, I..."

Those words make me certain that he has no knowledge of the game or the novel. After all, he doesn't have a clue. No one can help him with his condition right now. Looking within him, there's nothing but absolute mutilation; I can't even call it a magic circuit.

Some were entangled, but they were so lacking that they couldn't accommodate his body. It needs to be rewritten entirely, though only a hand-pull individual can pull that off. Though I can sense a unique element and a good amount of mana, it's totally a pity if it's not taken care of.

A person from the novel was cursed with the same thing, though it's one step closer to being dead. No, that person died; no one was able to save that person. A character whose purpose was a false hope to drive depression and character development. Would I be able to save someone like that?

I guess that is something to think of later. But for this guy in front of me, he's not suffering from a vegetative state. He might get cured after spending decades of treatment in the capital with the best of the best equipment and people.

Though that will cost an astronomical amount of money, I'm certain that this guy in front of me possesses nothing of that. Traveling to different worlds is not cheap, but it's fairly common.

Breathing a bitter sigh, I decided to tell him that bitter truth.

.......

..........

"I see, I can't reach my dream after all…"

Azazel's face contorted, greeting his teeth, while his hands were tight to the point they might bleed.

We couldn't discuss sensitive topics on the road, so I pulled him into a secluded place. It's away from the eyes, though it's one of the covers used in the novel. We have the castle, where the royals live, floating in front of us. As protection, the castle also floated in the middle of a floating city. It's anchored in the ground with pillars and giant structures similar to chains.

And we were in the corner of one of those pillars.

"I thought I could finally have a better life in this life."

Maybe the shock was too much for him; he couldn't contain words that would reveal he was a reincarnator. Just what kind of sin did you commit to have such an unfortunate body in a fantasy world...? Wait a minute….Did I also enact atrocities?

Master floating in front of me held back her giggle from hearing my thoughts. "Want me to tell you what you did~?"

"I guess I'd cancel my plan today," I mumbled, ignoring my master's comment.

"Disciple! What are you planning?!" As though to realize my intention, she raised her voice.

I give my master a soft smile before turning to Azazel. His eyes were almost dead, though he decided to meet my eyes.

"Azazel, I can cure you, though you can't let a word get out about it." I release a portion of my power, causing Azazel to flinch. "—or else I'll kill you right here right now."

His body is quivering in pain, and immense pressure comes from my mana. Though hope came back to his eyes, "Please... help me, even if I need to exchange my life for it. I want to live a better life."

Taking those words, I lightly bumped his chest with my fist. This guy trusts me like that without knowing anything about me; that's just how desperate he is. I don't know his past life, but his words hold truth.

Trust should be awarded with the same trust; only then will you gain the real truth.

Blue light coming from the magic circle and rings enveloping him illuminates the surroundings.

This'll be the first time I use magic circles, and I hope it's the last time as well; it's hurting my head.

Closing my eyes, I enter the world within Azezel. It's a familiar feeling I got when I first got my hand on my pocket watch. When I tried to fix my pocket watch at that time, I passed out. But this time, I'm certain I can pull this off.

This place can't be compared to space, like the vastness within my pocket watch.

In my will, the circuits move in the direction I command while I write new circuits. Before erasing anything that may clog the circuit inside Azazel, I make sure to make his mana flow properly through his body.

It's modeled after my magic circuit; no one can call it second-rate. As I see Azazel's mana flow in harmony, I come back to the real world.

As I opened my eyes, I found Azazel with tears in his eyes.

"I can sense my mana flowing."

"You just need to properly learn how to maintain your mana and circuits; you should be fine." I decided to give him some peace of mind. "Remember, control was everything."

In the next second, a heavy impact hit my abdomen.

"My liege, I'll worship you for my entire life!! I won't forget your kindness!!" Since I'm taller than him, he plunges directly into my stomach.

I move away from him, holding my belly. "You don't need to go that far; just make sure to keep this a secret."

"As you wish, I'll keep to myself; even my parents wouldn't know anything."

Seeing him enthusiastic, I sigh heavily.

Please let this be the right choice, or else I might really kill him.