“Wakey-wakey, sleepyhead.”
I awoke in a strange place. A half-sheep woman crouched to the ground beside me and whispered in a gentle voice for me to get up. Books were littered around detailing information about monsters. Oh, I was still in the library.
“Looks like you dozed off. The library’s not a good place to sleep.” She reached out a hand for me to grab.
I wiped the drool from my cheek. “I wasn’t sleeping. I was just listening to what the floor had to say.”
The sheep chuckled out of courtesy. “For someone who was listening, you were doing a lot of sleep talking.”
“I was? What did I say?”
“You said a lot of things. Like ever since you came to this world by means of summoning, you said you’ve been disgusted by the immorality that plagues it. You said you have a large debt that you need to repay. You also spoke about a smoking fire mage, retorts for a professor, freeing slaves, wanting a different colour for your System, sympathising with monsters, playing darts, acupuncture needles, and getting enough sleep. Oh, and you were celebrating winning the lottery.”
“Goddamn, was I giving a sleep speech? How long have I been out for?”
“I’m not sure, but it’s currently 6PM.”
I stretched my shoulders and heard a popping sound. My whole body felt sore. “I think I better leave.” I got up and put the books around me back in their places with the assistance of the sheep girl. Seeing half-humans was still strange to me. The way the woman’s body was covered in furry wool was so bizarre. The way her horns jutted out of her head, the way her pupils were rectangular, everything about her was interesting.
“You’re going to make me blush if you keep looking at me like that.”
Could sheep blush? There was no hint of embarrassment in her voice, so I knew she was being facetious, but it did pose a question in my mind. “Ms Librarian, are you discriminated against?” I got the feeling that people stared at her often. In a world like this, I didn’t doubt they had hatred for those who were different. On Earth we could prejudge someone based solely on their colour, with half-humans I bet the problem was exacerbated tenfold.
I saw a look of profound and deep sadness in her eyes. She gently put one of the books away. “Yes. I have been discriminated against many times. Once on a class trip, a half-cow girl made fun of me for baaing.”
“Baaing? Like letting out a baa?” I assumed that her sheep blood came out at times. It was something she couldn’t control. “That’s not very nice. Why would she say something like that?”
“Because I made fun of her for mooing.”
“Eh?” I dropped one of the books I was holding. “So, it was your fault? Why are you telling the story as if you’re the victim?”
“But I got my revenge by making the whole class nickname her Leaky Udders. Apparently, she was called that for the entirety of her school life.”
“What the heck? You are a horrible person. Do you have an ounce of regret for what you did?”
“I still send her hate letters.”
“How long are you going to hold a grudge for? Have some mercy. That poor cowgirl.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head. I really should’ve learned to spare my sympathy till hearing a story in full.
I got up and walked to where I thought the exit was. The signs in this school were far too sparse. I wandered into an open area with a path leading out of the school gates. The sides of the path were decorated with flowerbeds. The sky was still blue despite evening having just started. Many students made use of the benches to relax and chat after their classes.
Up ahead, I saw Loftus with an arm around the shoulders of a young girl. What a sly fox he was. I never imagined that us Earthlings would be interested in each other. Everyone I knew was fascinated by the people of this world to an obsessive degree.
“Hey, Loftus!” I called out.
He turned around and greeted me with a smile on his face. “Yarm, you survived your correctional class?” He raised his free hand for a high-five.
I didn’t leave him hanging. “Just about. Who’s your new friend?”
“This beauty is Penrin.”
The girl giggled at Loftus and then gave an uninterested curtsy to me. I looked above her head. “Wow! You’re level 27? You’ve been working hard, haven’t you?” How many monsters did she have to slay for that, I wondered?
“It took moderate effort.” The girl looked annoyed. She must have been irritated that I was interrupting her time with Loftus.
“Moderate? We’ve not been in this world a week and your far ahead of the rest of us. You’re an exemplary Earthling.” Exemplary to the royal knights maybe, but not to me.
Loftus and the girl gave each other a confused look. Was I overstaying my welcome? “She’s not from Earth, Yarm. She’s a noble from this world,” said Loftus.
I looked above her head and lo, her age was ten.
“You should know, we have already been acquainted,” she said. “We met at the slave house.”
I did not register a word. My mind was running faster than Usain Bolt.
Loftus squeezed her shoulder. “Penrin here was teaching me all sorts about the school and this world. I encountered her this morning, and we’ve become good friends in just a day.”
I stumbled backwards. “What are you talking about, Loftus? Why do you have your arm around that girl?”
“I just told you. She’s a noble and well I’m a hero. That makes us both of high esteem. We were planning on going for a walk to get to know each other some more.”
I didn’t know what to say. I just blinked while staring at the text above the girl’s head.
[Age: 10]
“Loftus, what am I looking at?” I found it hard to keep myself standing. I felt like I was going to faint. “What’s going on? Explain yourself.”
The girl clicked her tongue and stomped her foot. “I am aware that the two of you seem to be friends but if you have nothing to say other than repeating yourself, please leave us be.”
Then I understood. I regained my balance and slapped my hands together. “This is all a joke, isn’t it? You’re pranking me. Haha. You got me. Jokes over.”
Loftus was at a loss for words. He turned to the girl and then back to me. “This isn’t a joke—"
I screamed, “Then why the hell do you have your arm around a child?” The surrounding people all stopped speaking and looked over to see what was happening.
Loftus bore a genuine look of innocence on his face, as if he had no idea what he had done for me to raise my voice.
The girl stepped up. “What are you so angry about?”
“A grown man has his arm around you. Of course I’m angry.”
“Grown man?” She looked at Loftus’ youthful face. By sight alone they both looked equal in their years. “We’re the same age, you know?”
“Same age?” That wasn’t true. “Is that what he told you?”
“Yes.” She crossed her arms and glared at me.
“He’s lying. He’s an adult. Don’t trust him!”
“Yarm, relax. There’s no need to make false accusations because you’re jealous of me getting close to someone else,” Loftus said.
“False?” What was going on? I felt like reality was crumbling around me. I would’ve sworn I was in a dream if I couldn’t taste the blood and pain from my teeth biting my inner cheek. “Loftus, please tell me the truth. What’s going on, man?”
“Tch.” Loftus turned up his lower lip. “If you want me to prove it, I can show you my System.”
“You don’t have to do that,” assured the girl.
“Yes, he does! He offered so let him do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!” I tried to start a chant, but the curious onlookers did not want to join in.
Loftus opened his status page and showed it to me and Penrin.
[Name: Loftus] [Age: 25] [Level: 9]
[HP: 160] [MP: 60] [XP: 1832]
[Body: 3] [Mind: 0] [Soul: 4]
[Titles: Hero, Spellsword] [Skills: Blinding Touch, Arcane Slash]
“Ah-hah! There you go. It says you’re twenty-five years old, plain as day.”
“No, it doesn’t,” said Penrin.
“Little girl, you might wanna learn how to read before you try to contradict an adult,” I said haughtily. The girl kicked my shin. “Ow!”
“His System says he’s ten!” she irritably replied.
“No, it says twenty-five. Say it with me. Twenty—” She kicked my other shin. “Ow!”
“She’s right, Yarm. It says ten.” Loftus smiled at me.
“Your opinion doesn’t count because you’re obviously lying.” I pulled a bystander nearby and commanded him to read the age on Loftus’ System.
“It looks like the number ten to me,” the bystander said.
I pulled the glasses off of his face and inspected them. “Look at how thick these are. What’s your prescription, minus five? Your opinion doesn’t count because you’re half-blind.” I pushed him aside and grabbed another person from the sidelines. “Read this.”
“Ten.”
I shoved them away. “I know! You’ve all been hypnotised by him! Don’t trust your eyes!”
The bystanders started laughing at me. “He’s gone insane.”
“I’m being serious! You have to believe me!”
Penrin snorted and then tried to cover it up as a cute giggle. “Have you ever thought that maybe it’s you who doesn’t know how to read, kid?”
“Kid? I’m forty-five!” My proclamation elicited more laughter from the audience. “Why are you people laughing? Do you understand what’s happening right now?”
Loftus came up to me while I was ridiculed and brought his mouth to my ear. He whispered quiet enough so that only I heard, “Just go along with it, Yarm. I don’t see why you’re so mad. I haven’t even done anything with her yet.”
Yet? I wanted to curse the heavens for giving me the ability to hear that comment. I didn’t think Loftus could get any lower but at every turn he managed to surprise me. He was scum, filth that took human form. He had no morals, no empathy, nothing. I had enough of acting nice with him. My emotions had already taken control of my body. I tackled Loftus to the ground. “Promise me you’ll stay away from her. If you don’t, I won’t be able to hold myself back.”
“Oooh.” The crowd was captivated. “Everyone come, two boys are having a fight over a girl.”
Loftus pulled his knee up to his chest and kicked me away. The force of his kick was more powerful than I expected from a body his size. I tumbled away.
“Get over yourself, Yarm! I’m sick and tired of you being so self-righteous!” He ran towards me with his fist raised. I raised my arms to block but his punch was a feint. Instead, he ducked down into a spinning leg sweep.
I saw the world turning as my body flipped horizontal. I managed to catch myself on the ground. An axe kick came from above. I was just about quick enough to roll out of the way and save my ribs from being cracked. This was bad. Loftus was level nine, and I was level thirteen. Technically I should’ve been stronger, but I never spent any of my level-up points since level three. This was really bad.
I performed an extremely amateurish kip-up before Loftus could land another blow.
“I’m betting on the little one!” someone shouted.
“Dude, they’re both little.”
Penrin grabbed Loftus’ arm. “Stop it. There’s no need to fight. We can just leave.”
Loftus yanked his arm loose. He ran full speed towards me. “Do you think you can impose the law of our world here? Are you trying to turn this place into Earth?”
I picked up a small pebble at my feet and held it between my thumb, index finger, and middle finger. “Earth? Nah, I can do better than that!” I threw the pebble at his face, like a dart. He shielded himself with his arms, and I took the opportunity to use his momentum against him to land a punch to his gut. He keeled over from the blow. He coughed up bile onto path. “I’ll end the inhumanity of this world even if it means destroying it in the process!”
“Never mind, I’m betting on the other one,” the same bystander shouted.
“Again, who are you talking about?”
I could see the green bar above Loftus’ head had reduced by approximately twenty-five percent. From before, I knew that he had 160 HP. That meant that his current health was at 110. Or was it 120? Maths was never my strong suit.
Loftus grabbed my ankle. Through heaving breaths he uttered, “I’m done going easy on you. Eat my Blinding Touch, you sanctimonious prick.”
The world went black. “Oh no, not this again.” I tried to grab Loftus, but he was no longer at the location I remembered him to be. I felt a strike to my back. Then one to my face. Loftus danced around me silently and struck me wherever he liked.
“Ok, for the last time, I bet on the boy,” the bystander said.
“WHO? And bro, you can’t change your bet in the middle of a fight. Who are you even wagering with, anyway? It doesn’t work if you’re the only one betting.”
I felt painful blows all over my body.
“What’s wrong, Yarm? Your HP is going down fast. You not going to do anything?”
I swung my fists around in random directions. “Don’t you feel ashamed? You’re beating up a blind man!”
Loftus smashed his heel into my toes. “It doesn’t count if I’m the one who disabled you, idiot!”
My fists dropped. I was thoroughly beaten, I knew it. He just had to land the finishing blow to my chin and I was finished.
“Since you can’t see, let me tell you. Your HP is currently at around 15%. You’re damaged pretty badly. At 10% you’ll be knocked unconscious. At 0% you’ll die.” Loftus cracked his knuckles. “Let me finish you off with my ultimate move.”
“Ultimate move? There’s really no need for that! Just a normal punch is enough.” What on Earth was his ultimate move? Was it that Arcane Slash skill that he had? Wouldn’t that reduce my HP to zero and kill me? “I guess I’ll add homicide to your list of sins. I’ll be waiting for you in the underworld!”
Loftus scoffed. My eyesight returned. I looked around and saw Loftus crouching behind me with his hands brought together. His index fingers and middle fingers were extended. “Secret Jutsu: One Thousand Years of Death.” My rectum was attacked in the foulest way possible. It experienced a piercing strike that I shan’t ever live down. My clenched cheeks could not protect me well. I fell to the ground, writhing in agony.
The pain was nothing compared to the humiliation of several dozen laughing onlookers.
Loftus put his foot on my face and triumphantly posed for the crowd. “Had enough, Yarm?”
“No.” My voice was muffled by the bottom of his shoe.
“I didn’t think so.”
Penrin came rushing over. “Oh, Loftus are you alright? You’re hurt.” She rubbed his back. “I can’t believe this piece of trash assaulted you without reason.” She spat into my hair. “I’ll go and report him to the guards.”
“There’s no need for that. I’ve already given him his punishment. Let’s go.” Loftus grabbed the girl’s hand and started walking off.
I was unable to protect that child. I couldn’t save her from the insidious vermin that travelled to this world. I was the only one here who knew the dreadful truth, but defeated, I could do nothing to stop them from leaving together. Pitifully, I laid on the hard ground until morning came.
As if! As if I would ever let that happen! With the last of my strength, I struggled. I called upon every ounce of my might to stand. I had to stand and fight. “Get back here!” My legs wobbled like jelly. I looked like a newborn fawn.
The crowd was impressed. People whistled and cheered for my determination.
Loftus spun around to face me. “Yarm, you could die if you keep fighting. Give it up. You can’t even walk. You lost.”
“I’ll save that child, if it’s the last thing I do.”
“Argh!” He grunted in frustration. “Why are you so stubborn.” He walked over to me. “I’m worried that I might permanently damage you, if I take things further, so I’ll leave you with this.” He flicked me in the forehead and I lost all sight.
“C’mon, Penrin.” I heard their footsteps departing.
This blasted Blinding Touch was maddening. It was so unfair. It was ruining everything and I could do nothing to counter it. Wait, I realised I had a skill of my own.
[Cleanse]
[Remove one status effect from a target within range. Costs 10 MP. (Soul)]
If I remembered correctly, his skill gave me the Blind status effect. That meant I could get rid of it!
I cleansed it immediately. I could see again! Hurrah. No one noticed I regained my sight. I stealthily limped towards Loftus and jumped on his back. I wrapped my arms around his neck like a python and began strangling him. “Here’s my ultimate move: the rear naked choke!” Loftus scratched at my forearms.
“Wooo!” The crowd cheered me on.
The oxygen to his brain was depleting rapidly. Loftus lost strength in his arms first and then his legs. I had won. I had beaten the dirty mutt. I achieved victory over evil.
[-572 XP]
[+1 Level Up]
Just before Loftus was about to pass out, I felt a powerful force against my ribcage. I was thrown off Loftus and onto the hard ground again. My status showed I was at 11 HP. I could feel myself fading in and out of consciousness.
I moved my head towards the source of the blow.
“When did I ever ask you to save me?” The young girl had a stern look on her face. Her level 27 fist had bested me. Loftus gasped for air and she knelt down to comfort him.
I was dozing in and out of sleep. I wanted to let the darkness take me so I could rest but my body wanted to complete its mission.
After a minute, Loftus recovered. Penrin wanted him to finally leave for their scheduled walk, but he refused.
“You should go home, Penrin. I want to talk to him.”
“Aww, but…”
“It’s alright. We’ll have plenty of time to spend together, tomorrow, uninterrupted.”
Loftus took a few minutes to convince Penrin, but she listened. Since the fight had finished, the crowd dispersed too. Loftus walked over to my body. I was staring at the sky. My eyes were glazed over. He crossed his legs and sat down by my side.
My perception of reality was so altered that I could not tell how fast time was passing. Had he sat by my side for a minute, for five, or ten? Small white clouds dragged my sight through the sky.
“Aren’t you going to ask me anything?” wondered Loftus. He pulled some grass up and held it aloft. Blades of grass slowly fell over my face.
“How did you convince them that you’re ten?” My voice was incredibly weak. I wasn’t even sure that I had spoken or if Loftus even heard me.
“That’s what you want to know?” he asked.
It wasn’t.
“When the people of this world see our Systems, they see the age of our bodies. Only a fellow Earthling can see our real ages.”
There was a greater bout of silence.
“Why?”
“I’m not sure. I think it’s just a difference in perception of the System.”
“No.” He misunderstood me. “Why?”
He thought long and hard about his answer. I saw the clouds pass by and new ones enter my vision. “Yarm, have you ever seen the meme that says, ‘Reminder that you missed out on teen love and there's no going back’?”
“What the heck’s a meme?”
“Right, you’re tech-illiterate. Let me put it this way: there are many of us that wish we could redo our lives. We feel like we missed out. I’ve never had a girlfriend, I failed my studies, I disappointed my parents. I was a friendless loser. I’ve wished a thousand times to go back to when I was a child, and now it’s finally happened. I can experience childhood romance. I can be popular because of this Hero title. I can excel in my studies. The world’s my oyster.”
“You’re not a child again, Loftus. You’re still a man.”
“To you and ninety-eight others, yes. But to the other millions in this world, I am a child.”
“Are you what others say, or what you know yourself to be?”
“Who cares? In this world, I can experience the love I never felt. I can have a harem, I can have slaves, and with the System I can have power. If you say you don’t want these things, then you’re the only one. The rest of us all know how to make the most of this world, unlike you.”
I stayed silent.
“Think about it, Yarm. A harem. A bunch of pretty women surrounding you while you live like a king. Or imagine owning a slave. You could order them to do anything you wanted and they couldn’t refuse. I’m talking about anything at all. If you don’t see the joy in that, you’re lying.”
I had no more words.
“Everyone else is like me. You’re the only one still clinging to your old Earthly values. At the hall, I was talking to a girl earlier; she said she wanted a reverse-harem full of half-equine slaves. Some guy said he was going to make lampshades out of the skins of monsters. We’ve all integrated ourselves to the culture of this world. So, tell me Yarm, who’s the abnormal one here, me or you?”
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