Motel? (2)

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Can I have some of these leaves? These leaves are edible."

"O-Oh, please just take that cloverleaf. Are you okay?"

"Thank you."

Taking some clover leaves from the house, I left after thanking her.

Many citizens have left because they are safe from the monsters that have been defeated. The weather was back to normal, the sun was shining brightly on the city, and there was no more the red moon and the monsters.

Along this street, several greens, reds, purples blood spots mixed, giving the street color and smell. Whether it's whose blood, monster's or human's blood, the streets are a mess, many buildings have cracked walls, even the road surface is uneven.

I ate the cloverleaf she gave me while walking and looking around me.

"Umm, destroyed… Damage is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions. It seems the government—I mean, the king of this country must be busy rearranging the city."

Along the streets no one suspected me, even though I was so suspicious of a human being, wearing a flashy t-shirt and shorts, and a black cloak that covered my jet black hair. It's as if I can move freely here and there without needing to think about my identity.

I stopped for a moment to look at the clover leaves in my hands.

"This way, I'm quite full for the time being. I can't just eat this in this world, otherwise, I'll vomit it up again. It's a shame, even though the girl gave the food away for free, I threw it up instead."

Continuing my journey in search of a place called "home", I walked along these ruined streets.

"Hurry, hurry, don't let anyone be late."

Seeing several people wearing armor that looked so heavy, I tilted my face.

"What do they want?"

After asking myself for a while, I just passed them without their suspicions.

"We must prevent the appearance of the third Red Hot Moon."

"Um?"

Since that person said that, I turned around with the intention of eavesdropping.

"Captain, report!"

"Yes?"

"The number of not survivors from Red Hot Moon is only 2 people."

"Good. I'm sorry for the deaths of those 2 people, but this is a good result for us. This way, we can minimize the number of casualties when the second Red Hot Moon appears. Unlike the first, the victims reached 30 people who died, the second time only 2 people. This is a great result. Praise the God. In that case, we must quickly prepare for the third Red Hot Moon to appear."

"OK, do it."

After that person left, the man wearing heavy armor with a sword and shield spoke to himself.

"Thank God… In this way, I can help ease Pelastaja's burden. Praise the God. Thank you, thank you very much, God."

After that, he went to catch up with his friends.

"He was so happy, even though he should have thought of himself more than anyone else. Is he not aware of the wound on his neck?"

There was a scratch wound on his neck, it was visible to me even though it was covered in cloth.

"Well, as long as he's happy, it's better for him. I'd better not bother him."

Turning back, I resumed walking while eating the few remaining clover leaves.

Every corner of the city, I pay close attention. None of that surprised me, even though I was in a different world right now. Quite simply this world, that's what I value.

If you ask why I am not surprised to be in this world, then the answer is that my experience of surviving in several countries is much more difficult because of having to engage in wars between humans. So in this state, a state of war that resulted in a lot of damage, I couldn't possibly be surprised.

After all, whenever there is life, there is bound to be a living being. So why am I surprised by this world? This world is the same as the world I lived in before, both have a life with oxygen as the most important role.

I know, I know, beings in this world are different, so maybe that will surprise me. But in reality, creatures like them didn't surprise me. Because maybe since childhood I liked reading books full of imagination, and it turns out that they exist, I prefer to think of them as humans too, rather than seeing them as a threat. If I think like that, I have no trouble communicating with them, and that would make the world clear.

My principle is only one, "life or death". As long as I still have that principle, I am free to choose whether I should die or continue my life.

Even though in the previous world I had decided to "die", but when I meet her and some people and discover some interesting things in the world, maybe I will stay alive for a while in this world.

In the meantime, I've had a goal I'd like to try. If I succeed and find a new purpose, I will continue my life in this world. But if I don't, I will die.

It's as simple as my principle but has a deep meaning for me. No one should break my principles, not even for my former subordinates.

"This time, it must be an inn."

Entering the building that wasn't affected by that, I was sure that this building was a motel or so-called fantasy inn.

"Welcome, Sir."

A black-haired woman with a hat like a witch's hat greeted me, but I stayed and instead looked around the interior of this room.

Having an all-brown design and even the deer's head is dyed brown, this is not an attractive place for those who hate the color brown.

"Welcome, Sir."

She had to greet me twice so that I would be aware of her presence there and told me to stop looking around the room indirectly.

Walking up to her, when I arrived in front of her, I saw her from toe to tip of the hat she was wearing.

Disliking me to see, she smiled forcefully.

"Welcome, Sir. Can I help you?"

"Is this a wood factory? Or, this place is a chocolate storage area?"

"No, Sir. This is an inn. The design of this place is like this, full of brown. In that case, I wanted to make a place that looked old and not as flashy as your clothes."

"I see."

"So, is there anything I can help you with, Sir?"

"First, I want to rent a room here for me."

"This is indeed a place to stay, Sir. Plus, you came here alone, so there's no need to tell you that you're staying for you, Sir."

"Secondly, I want some information."

"Information? What information is that, Sir?"

"Where is Rojali Forest located?"

"Eh? Why do you ask about that dangerous place, Sir? You don't know, that place has a lot of aggressive monsters, it's almost like the appearance of the Red Hot Moon."

"I don't know, and I don't care. You only need to tell the place, so don't order me…"

"Sir, you are so cold. It's not good like that, you will be hated by the girls later, Sir."

"It doesn't matter either. I just want to know where that place is, you don't need to care about me so much."

"Ugh... W-Well, I didn't mean it like that, but it's a place that's forbidden for anyone to go to, even for adventurers, Sir."

"Oh, I see. If you don't want to tell me where the place is, I'll just look for another inn."

The moment I turned around, she stopped me with her resigned face, smiling but forcefully.

"Okay Sir, I'll tell you where it is. Tch, you arrogant boy."

Even though I heard her last sentence, I pretended not to hear it.

"So where?"

Explaining in detail the location of the forest, giving me a room to stay in after I paid for it, I lay down on this bed with the window open after arriving in this room.

This room is so simple, there is only a mattress, a wooden chair that doesn't know what it's used for, an inscription "Don't rape me, Sir" in abstract language on the wall, nothing that interests me.

"Ah~ I want to smoke…"

Lying sideways on this mattress makes my body feel relaxed.

As if forgetting what had happened to me, being fired into the army just because of the selfishness of superiors, killing my father, my eyes slowly closed with my hands cuffed into a pillow.

"Mom, Hinata..."

***

"I think some of the calories from that food are still in my stomach. I need to get rid of those remaining calories."

Staggering after getting up because of the need to defecate, out of this room, I went to the toilet.

Arriving at the toilet door, knocking on the door a few times to make sure no one was there, and getting into the toilet and successfully expelling the substances my body didn't need, I returned to my room.

Looking at the open window, I realized that it was nighttime.

Unlike the night that suddenly appeared, this time there was no red moon in the sky.

"With less light, the stars are so bright in the sky. It's quite beautiful up there, quite different from down here."

When I was about to close the window after making sure the moon was no longer red, I saw several guards standing by.

"Well, it should be like that. For the safety of this city, every corner must have guards watching. If they have the spirit of chivalry, they must not be careless to look after the citizens. This simple thing, they should have realized."

After I said that, I saw a man wearing heavy armor standing there.

"How? Is it safe around here?"

"Safe area, Mr. Havertz."

"Good work. Let's guard this place with all our might."

"Ready, Sir."

Judging from the face of the man called Mr. Havertz, it looks like he is still young, probably 20 years old. At his age, he seems to be a leader in a small group.

Although his body is not big, he can move freely while walking wearing his heavy armor, sword, shield, maybe his fighting ability is great. But I wonder, was his bright blue hair colored?

To be honest, it's not just Havertz who has brightly colored hair, the humans here too. Even if it doesn't matter, it seems that this world has hair colors other than black, blonde, brown, and crimson. Most likely, they have different genes, so their hair color is brightly colored.

"Better continue-"

When I was about to close the window, I saw a girl I knew.

"Catrine, where are you going?"

"Don't touch me! If you can't, I'll just go there."

"O-Oh… this world seems so small. I'll see her again."

Canceling the intention to close the window, I saw they were fighting there.

"No do not! You don't know how dangerous that place is? If you go there... you will..."

"I don't care."

When the man wanted to calm the cat girl, the catgirl pushed the man's hand away.

"I will still save my imouto. Don't stop me!"

"No, no, Catrine. I forbid you to go there."

"Why did you forbid me? Who are you? You gave me hope, but in reality, you only wanted me to serve the king. You are cunning, Drake. I think with your help, my imouto will survive. In the end, you guys were just toying with me."

"Sorry, Catrine. I don't mean it like that, but it's just, it's a dangerous place. Come on, you better-"

When the man wanted to say cruel things to the catgirl, the catgirl slapped the man in the face hard.

"You're going to say that my imouto's life isn't important? You are a bastard, Drake! I'm sick of you! I'm going there tomorrow, so don't try to stop me! Goodbye, the boy who cares about his own life."

Leaving the man, Catrine walked away with a burst of emotion, and the man just stood there and contemplated what he had done.

After closing the window slowly, I took a deep breath.

"It turns out that the world is the same, there are still many people like that."

Saying that languidly, I walked over to the bed and lay down relaxed.

"Tomorrow? I have to find breakfast first before going there."