Chapter 27 - A Place to Belong [1]
"Ugh… this is too hard." I lay down on the marble floor after practicing magic.
Its cold, smooth texture felt comfortable enough to snooze on, making it difficult for me to resist taking a break when I’m tired.
Today is a completely normal day. A normal day about me and my totally normal abilities. A very normal day about a normal person with undoubtedly good intentions.
Today may seem like an ordinary day, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, almost like being pricked in the back with a needle.
"Am I forgetting something...?" I glanced to my left and right, trying to recall something important.
"Eh, it's probably nothing." I pushed the thought aside and decided to appreciate the scenery around me instead.
Above me were structures designed to resemble natural flying cities, glittering like stars in broad daylight. The sun and moon seemed dull in comparison to these mystical buildings.
"Haha, I'm in another world, alright." I scoffed mockingly.
The place I was in was a training facility provided by the Historia family, which also happened to be where I live.
After living life here for long enough, I could sum it up in a few words: another world, another set of problems. Magic can solve many problems in my world, but it also brings its own unique challenges, ones I can barely keep track of.
…Hey, at least magic is interesting. I'll give it that.
"How long has it been again? Ten years? If that's the case, then why isn't my mana capacity growing any bigger?" I flailed around like a fish, venting my frustrations about my lack of progress.
I still vividly remember the moment I was brought into this world; a flood of thoughts rushed through my mind.
Questions were asked, and some remained unanswered.
A world filled with miraculous inventions? Magic that could provide humanity with nearly limitless resources? That sounds great, but what if humanity is facing a culling where 80% of the population is doomed to die a painful death?
Haha! How lovely indeed—no, I’m kidding, I think I'm fucked.
I mean, if I try to take risks, maybe I can survive.
However, the chance of being in the same league as the actual monsters in the novel is a tough hurdle I can't overcome, given how lazy I am now.
I'm not a hero, and I fully recognize that I can be a selfish person. So what if people see me as an irredeemable jerk? What are they going to do about it?
I'm not the kind of person who aims to fight evil, nor am I a god in this world—I'm just a human, plain and simple.
Right now, I live in a household of elites, which helps me avoid the financial strain of being a broke college student. So, I'm content with my current situation.
The only problem I face now is my mana capacity. I was excited to think I had ‘talent,’ but I can’t keep up with the monsters in this household—aka my siblings.
We get along quite well, though, so surely nothing bad will happen—
"Hey, you." A squeaky voice came from behind me, filled with both contempt and comfort.
‘…I really do have a talent for jinxing things, don’t I? I closed my eyes in disappointment.
"Hmm, hmm~" I barely gave them a proper response, too lazy to turn my head around and start a conversation.
"Muu…!" Frustrated that I wasn't elaborating, her cheeks puffed up, and her attitude shifted drastically.
"Fine! If that's how you want to play it…!"
Without a hint of regret, she turned around and did something that took me by surprise—she sat on my stomach as if she intended to crush it.
—Blam!!!
"Guak!!!" W-What was that for!?"
"Hmph, nothing really…"
"If that's true, then please enlighten me why you’re sitting on my— ack!"
She pressed down on my stomach even harder when I asked. Given how empty my stomach was, I could do nothing but try to ease the pain by holding my breath.
“Oh~ is someone talking? I can't hear them at all~!” She placed her hands on her ears and pretended I wasn’t there.
“Ugh, you…!” I put my hand on my hair and shook my head in frustration, angry at how persistent she was.
“You kids are really bothersome to deal with!”
“What are you...?! K-Kyaaa!!”
She tumbled down when I stood up effortlessly from her act of rebellion. She nearly hit the ground until I quickly scooped her up like a cat to prevent that from happening.
“H-Huh…?” She slowly came back to her senses and opened her eyes.
“Seriously, what are you doing in this place, Camellia? Didn’t I tell you that I was busy with something?” I called her by her name and checked the time; it was still too early for them to be coming by like flies.
This little girl—sorry, this gremlin—is one of the sisters I've referred to as "monsters."
Camellia may have a haughty attitude that makes me want to pinch her cheeks aggressively, but deep down, she's just really shy.
"Well, you didn’t want to pay attention to me! You stupid idiot!" Her cheeks were so puffed up that she looked like a pufferfish.
She can be a bit fierce at times, so as her brother, I hope she grows into a decent person… preferably without my help.
It’s hard to believe she could one day be known as the immovable fortress, capable of lifting an entire dome with ease.
"…Pfft.” I chuckled at her strawberry-like face—her red hair certainly didn’t help.
“H-Hey! What are you laughing at!” She scowled and flailed her arms around in an attempt to land a hit on me.
“It’s nothing; you’re just cute, that's all."
“W-W-What?!?!”
—Poke. Poke.
“Haha, see?” I poked her cheek a few times, confirming that she was still processing what I had just said.
Funny enough, I originally intended for her character to be somewhat of a tsundere, but she's somehow become the most attached to me out of all my siblings.
Not that it’s a bad thing; in fact, I prefer it if things stay like this for a long time.
The adults weren’t lying when they told their kids not to waste their remaining days of childhood.
“F-Fueeh!?!” She tried to hide her face; she couldn’t even say anything eligible because of how embarrassed she was.
Having had enough teasing, I gently set her down like a cat and patted her head. She struggled to stand up after her legs gave out.
“I guess if things can be peaceful like this in the future, then I wouldn’t mind going against the world if it’s meant to protect my family.”
"Ah... hehe..."
“…Oh, oops. Wait, you can’t hear me, can’t you?”
I could see that her head was still filled with steam, and her cheeks were bright red. I didn’t realize it, but just like a child, I smiled too.
“Oh, right,” I chuckled softly, smiled and thought about a far future.
In this world, all I need are small steps.
Even if my memories of my mother are vague, I remember that promise she gave me.
I don't need to rush things; I don't have to be someone worthy of being their big brother. If it means protecting them and honouring my mother's oath, then I can continue moving forward in a world I do not belong to, as Kuro Historia.
Someone who didn't exist in the novel, a foreign entity.
As frustrating as it is to think that the main character would swindle the five of them, it ultimately doesn't matter. I’m confident he will treat them better in the future than I have, and I can reassure myself of that.
So, if everything goes in the right direction, I will discover the answer—the truth of what I truly want.
—Crack…!
Break. Shatter. Betrayal.
…What was I thinking after all this time?
—G-Get away from me!
Hate. Isolation. Grief.
My oath to my mother is dwindling. Is this really what she wanted me to do?
—You monster!
Emptiness. Slothful. Pain.
Everything has already gone downhill. I don't even know what to do anymore.
—You are not my son.
Lost. Guilt. Deliverance.
Who truly am I? Kuro Historia, Aria Cyth, or □□□□□?
Ah— that’s right, the truth… yes, the truth. How could I ever forget?
All I ever wanted was to find a place to belong.
“H-Huh?” I gasped in fear, as if I had woken from a short nap; the back of my neck stood on end from the unbearable atmosphere.
—Boom!!!
In an instant, the surroundings turned dark, and the sky turned red. A massive explosion travelled across the distance, and I could feel its tremors.
The flying structures fell like shooting stars, one by one, causing widespread destruction. The so-called training grounds were also obliterated, and the sun seemed like a reminder of Earth's final days.
"Came...llia?" I looked down at what I held under my arms, wrapped around her motionless body.
Before me lay her blood, dripping onto the marble floor. Her hair blended perfectly with the surroundings.
'W-Why am I crying?' I asked myself, feeling as though I were in a trance, the events unfolding in a vague haze.
In this state, there were only three things I could remember—things that I shouldn't have forgotten until today.
That day, I lay down on the marble floor,
Its cold and smooth texture was surprisingly comfortable to rest on.
And lastly—
The sky was painted red.
