“Ahgo, where are we going? I don’t want to go to the city…”

“I explained everything. Your creator, she wants to apologize.”

That had to be a lie. There’s just no way. After hearing the whole story my brain kept doing loops. I felt like I was permanently stunned and it was blocking out my mind, like that mental fuzz I had after beating that catgirl.

“Nyaa-chan was crying and saying he was an idiot. He’s a fool at his core. What crime can he commit?”, Ahgo said.

“I keep forgetting she’s a he. This world is so confusing. You don’t seem fazed by it at all, it’s amazing. I’m glad I couldn’t have killed him for real though, back then. I don’t want to see him.”

“Don’t worry. I will protect you from his foolishness. I can do that much. I am no knight, but I feel a kinship with you.”

I looked up at the towering Hero-King as I followed behind him. I smiled.

“Thanks, Ahgo!”

We got to the city. It’s a strange place, extremely clean and no blood or homeless anywhere. It was like the whole city was a painting. That makes sense though, from the nonsense Ahgo told me about the truth of my existence and this world. I tried to muster up some resources in my mind to sort out what that meant and that thing about that girl but everything felt hazy.

Just following Ahgo around was fun. He trashed a building or two because some groups attacked him, he told me to stay back.

It was the first time I thought I wanted to fight to help someone. There was that one time, but that didn’t end well. Betrayal, I can’t imagine Ahgo doing anything like that. He’s still tore up over his kingdom and that clearly wasn’t his fault.

He’s just holding onto it, but it doesn’t look like it slows him down at all. Like a mountain drifting above the clouds.

We’re technically siblings I guess. The girl’s magic and this world’s technology managed to create us out of her mind, not sure how that works. I’m real, I think.

It’s like a painting. The painting is real, but the object represented by it isn’t on the canvas. I’m at least a painting come to life, who paints. I laughed.

That’s good enough, I think my brains frying. I felt a little burning inside. It wasn’t gone.

We came to the front of a mansion.

“Guild Havesiosi. I’ve moved in out of boredom. The girl, she’s involved with the guild master here. He’s a dependable type, but watch yourself around him. I have no doubt he hides his true motives well,” said Ahgo.

Sounds scary. It’s a really nice place though. Am I rich now? Wait, does it matter if I don’t need food and am a semi-immortal being? I’m confused. No dying, no starving, I get tired though. That doesn’t make sense given what he said about what I am.

“Ahgo, why do I get tired?”

“I talked with an ambitious man named Myalor, stay away from him, he’s dangerous. He explained after examining me that my mind still believes it needs sleep. I imagine you are similar. From testing the limits of this body, I got tired only when I thought I was getting tired and slept only when I was mentally exhausted. It is quite dangerous to overestimate your mental capability to continue, keep that in mind and be aware of your state of mind.”

That must be why I was so tired after fighting Nyaa-chan. I was already worried about the maybe murder, the stress must have gotten to me. Myalor?

“Why is Myalor dangerous? Don’t we not die, even if we die?”

“In a far worse sense. I do not want to burden you with it, the truth there is quite upsetting to me. I’ll do what I can, try not to think of it.”

That was the first time I heard doubt from Ahgo. I didn’t like the sound of that. I shivered. It’s getting worse again.

He noticed even though he was ahead and looking forward, he stopped. What kind of magic is that? Ahgo turned and crouched in front of me.

“I have already failed my kingdom. To promise you I could defy yet another being on par with Granadyr or yet higher would be irresponsible. But there is something you can do that I won’t and can’t.”

Something he won’t do? Something he can’t do?

“Nyaa-chan’s foolishness lies in his belief in beings of your appearance. He has confused a number of feelings, I do not know exactly which, and has placed an enormous amount of hope onto your creation. It was his idea that you were to be made by the girl. He has immense skill with the technology of the real world. I failed to understand his viewpoint. At this point, he has lost hope in his ideal and is a broken man as I am. However, if you are able to inspire his hope in whatever he saw in you, I think you might be able to gain a powerful ally. It will be painful for you, as it will be painful for him. That may be the only countermeasure we can secure against Myalor.”

Ally with Nyaa-chan the crossdresser? There was something I couldn’t let go that he said.

“‘Broken man as I am’? You’re not broken, Ahgo.”

“My nation is broken. That will always be.”

He stood up.

“Your kingdom wasn’t even real…”, I muttered. I regret saying that.

“This world was created by the minds of many. How different is that from my kingdom? How does that excuse my failure, my past, my memories? Do you think I should delete them?”

He said with an even tone as he walked away.

“It is possible. Myalor has told me. In their world, they consider it medical treatment. Because it is mine alone and no one else believes it, isn’t it even more important that I alone remember it? Even if it is painful. Besides, this whole reality shift might happen again, if it’s happened this once. Maybe my kingdom is the real world, and the humans real world is the lie!”, he laughed.

He walked a little more, then turned to look at me over his shoulder.

“Kaub, you are stronger than me now against our greatest foe. Its pains me greatly that there was yet another I could not protect. I didn’t want to tell you, to burden you.”

I wanted to tell him he was wrong, but Myalor sounded nasty. If even Ahgo’s upset about it, what kind of power does he have?

So I need to make friends with that guy. I’d rather just punch him again. I don’t know why. He makes me very angry, like he’s denying my existence and he’s creepy to boot. Well, I did resolve myself to murder him at one point, isn’t it even now? I calmed down a little.

We walked through the gardens with a fountain and into the vast mansion. It was deep and cavernous, with high ceiling branching off into rooms and corridors. There was a tall smiling fellow that I immediately distrusted on sight.

“Iroas, will you let this girl pass without meeting you? She is quite tired and has yet to meet with the girl.”

“Ahgo, why don’t you just call her Shera? I won’t bother you, I was just curious. Take care, Kaub.”

He makes me sick, the way he said that. If it’s living in his place, even if it’s a mansion, I prefer the forest. What about Ahgo then? Ah, forget it.

We made our way up the stairs. I was thinking about what Ahgo said in front of the guild. There’s only one way to end this, for both of the people I have to meet today. The burning won’t stop, but I’ll crush both of them. It’s only conversation after all, I hope. I’ll find a way to convince them. Ahgo needs me to succeed.

A random girl in skimpy clothes peeked out from behind a corner.

Ahgo immediately summoned a blue blade and threw it with immense force at her head.

So cool. She probably deserved it for some reason, but I needed to confirm.

“Ah-”

“There are rats in this place. They are very large. That one is ferocious. I suggest you keep your distance from it as well,” he groaned.

“What kind of magic was that?”, I said with excitement. I’m sure that girl deserved it.

“A blade of ice. Did I not tell you that a few nights ago?”

“I think I missed that part.”

“You remember Granadyr?”

“You said that name earlier, I thought it was strange, am I supposed to know who that is?”

He just laughed.

“Hey! Tell me about Granadyr!”, I cried

“Later. How amusing. The girl’s room is up ahead, she’s waiting for you.”

“I want to meet Nyaa-chan, is he here?”, I asked.

I’m not going to let Ahgo down.

He looked at me.

“You seem resolved. Good. He is purposely staying away from that girl, he believes you have a low opinion of him. How about meeting the girl first?”

“No. She’s dumb. I’d rather not meet her if I don’t have to, but when I heard you talk about her and him I decided I want to get both of them done with in one shot,” I said angrily. Both of them need to leave me alone.

“My impression of her may not be accurate, keep that in mind. I’ll inform the girl you will be late. Wait here.”

I waited outside the door as he went in, there was some woman talking. It was over quick.

He left and started guiding me farther into the building.

“I may have created a misunderstanding. I never was good at negotiation.”

“What?”

“I don’t like dealing with the girl. So I told her you were upset over your fight with Nyaa-chan and wanted to see him first.”

“That’s fine. I was upset by it anyways.”

“Ohh? What upset you?”, he asked.

“I didn’t want to kill him. I never killed anyone before.”

“Understandable. Many green trolls under my command were nervous for their first battle when we had that war with the dwarves. This world uses combat for entertainment though. I suppose you were unaware of that then.”

“I still want to kill him,” I said. That surprised me, I didn’t know I had so much hatred in my voice.

“You are permitted.”

“What?”

“What’s a few hundred or thousand deaths if he’ll still live?”

“He…might get mad though. Just because it’s not permanent, I’m still hurting someone.”

“Wasn’t he ready to kill you as well, from what you said during our journey?”

“That’s...thank you, Ahgo.”

It’s a dumb thing to worry about, now. Back home, people dying was horrible. Guess that changes? Normally, that wouldn’t change. Maybe it’s not death you need to be afraid of in this world. I shivered. Myalor, just what can he do? It’s even more important that I finish this right away then!

He gestured to the door. We had arrived a little before our conversation ended.

“Do you want me to join you? I’ll kill him as many times as you like,” said Ahgo.

“No, no meaning if I don’t do it.”

“Good luck, I’ll be waiting.”