I heard something at work today.
Klein Moretti has quit.
The manager I met on my first day is now gone.
No... no... no...
He's not dead.
Wait, is he...?
Well...
I don't really know.
Either way, he quit today.
Not that it's my concern.
But did he start working as a detective?
He has the same vibe.
Maybe he should change his name to Sherlock Moretti.
...
I'm still getting it wrong.
Sherlock... Meretti?
Moretti...
...
Was it Horeetti?
Damn.
My memory is truly bad.
I've even forgotten a classic.
Life in this world is truly great.
Not only do women in this world not use makeup,
but they are incredibly beautiful.
I actually think that if the larger women in this world lost weight, they would be a 9/10.
Is it like a heavenly restriction of this world,
or something? The heavier ones have the most potential.
Well, who knows?
Should I experiment?
Wait?
Stop....
I fought to push those nagging worries out of my mind; they were like unwanted guests at a party. I turned my head left and right multiple times, as if the motion could physically shake them away. Gradually, the chaos in my mind began to fade until those thoughts were gone, leaving behind a quiet calm.
Be what you said...
A gentleman....?
Yeah, I don't know if I can do that...
"Hey, Twit, get out of the way!"
An elderly gentleman emerged from the bustling crowd and inadvertently bumped into me. As he stepped squarely into a puddle, mud splashed onto the hem of his coat, creating a distinct brown mess that contrasted sharply with the faded fabric.
"Hey, Uncle Quack, I'm busy right now. I'll talk to you later, okay?"
"Hey!!!"
A surge of anger coursed through him at the sound of my voice, and I saw his hands dart forward in a swift, aggressive motion.
He looked as though he was prepared for a fight.
Swish—!!
He aimed to seize my shirt, but his grasp fell short, reaching only empty air.
Thud—!
To my surprise, his hand collided with someone else entirely.
This new figure was more imposing, their bulk overshadowing his leaner frame.
Thud... Thud...
The sound of my footsteps drowned out everything behind me.
My excitement was all I could think about.
I ran quickly. I was currently in a hurry.
To receive something,
it is an exchange of sorts.
Recently, even though it had only been a single day,
Mr. Fool's ability to get things done was incredible.
He gave us the ability to transfer items.
Yeah...
In a twist of words, it sounded like a sacrifice or some ritual.
He may have called it a sacrifice or praised himself, but it seemed like an Earth custom.
Did Mr. Fool originally come from Earth?
Does he know a way back?
....
I hurried home,
ready to perform the ritual. This was my first installment for the Potion of Spectator, and my chance to become a Beyonder finally.
I had 2,500 pounds—the only money I had saved up at my place. It was leftover savings from before.
Awakening? Yeah, that... Who really knows? I don't remember much.
He had asked me for 5,000 pounds, so now I have a 2,500-pound debt. I'm glad he even gave me the potion for that amount. Shouldn't the price be higher?
I didn't really know...
There's something weird about this.
A house here costs around 300 pounds.
How is it that I, someone who should technically have 2,500 pounds if I hadn't taken the Spectator potion deal, am living like this?
So why am I here? Why did I choose to live here? I have three theories:
#1: I'm being hunted by some organization and wanted to lay low. Though that's very unlikely, right? What could I have done to warrant that? It's not like I'm a turtle with a shell being hunted. Wait, that sounds cool—like a hermit turtle. Am I even a hermit? Yeah, I don't think so.
But I don't think this will happen anytime soon.
#2: I wanted to lay low for some reason. Maybe I have some heritage or assets that I don't know about, and my family is seeking them? I did have that weird experience where I couldn't remember my family's names when I was applying for things, so it's possible.
#3: I was saving up for a good house. Perhaps I had a girlfriend I was saving with? That seems very unlikely—no woman has come to this place. I don't even smell any perfume around here. So I doubt that.
No way was I a playboy here too?
Yeah, no way...
Regardless, these thoughts aren't good. Any one of these situations has just screwed me over.
At least I got my hands on this. I grabbed the cup on the table in front of me. With a determined lift,
I raised it to my lips, tilting it slightly to catch the sweet aroma that wafted up from the liquid inside.
Gulp...!!!
Warmth surged through me as I took a deep swallow, savoring every drop.
Gack--!!!!
Cough...!! Cough--!!! Cough...!! Cough--!!! Cough...!! Cough--!!!
Cough...!! Cough--!!!
It was difficult to breathe.
It felt like I was riding atop a dragon, its saddle cloaked in magma and ash filling up my lungs.
Boom—!!!! An explosion erupted from the mountain, the ground shaking beneath my feet.
Thud...!!!!
The air crackled with energy I couldn't fathom,
Badump-- Badump
I felt my heart race as the sound echoed through the valley.
Creak...!!
One by one, the trees started to topple, their massive trunks splintering under the shockwave. Thud...
Thud...
What was I witnessing? A revelation, or maybe a catastrophe?
Wait, isn't this a mental Concept?
Wait, I want to try what Mr. Fool was doing.
think....
Imagine it...
I couldn't help but find this fun.
I remembered that day all too well.
as it had happened two days ago.
The presence he held. The power that made me yield.
Even those disastrous eyes that bore down upon me.
A walking calamity.
.....
Creak...
I felt as if I was soaring through the vast sky...
The air wrapped around me, oddly intimate, clinging to my skin like a second layer. It was as if I had transformed into a plane, gliding effortlessly against the backdrop of the endless blue.
Swish!!!
The chill in the atmosphere pierced through me, biting at exposed skin.
Is this a normal feeling?
Did Mr. Fool feel this way too?
Probably not. After all, he's an almighty one... right?
Gak!!! Gak!!!
A wave of pain engulfed me as I floated through the air.
It was terrifying; an overwhelming sensation of helplessness washed over me.
Gak!!!
It felt as if a thousand needles had been brutally plunged into my skin, each one igniting a fire of agony.
Click!!!
Something twisted inside me... it twisted... and continued twisting.
My vision became blurry, and the surroundings began to twist and turn.
The trees that lay in the crater... were they moving towards me?
Am... I...
Falling?
Thud!!!
----
-
An hour had passed…
"ACK!!!"
He didn't tell me it would be this painful…
His hair fell into his eyes, and he moved his hand to push it back. But then he noticed something unusual.
Wait…
What's this?
Two sharp objects were protruding from the top of his head...
Thud…
He stood up, and the wooden floor groaned beneath his weight.
Thud…
He moved closer to the mirror. On his head were two horns.
They looked pointy, resembling an elephant's tusks. Although they were small, they appeared capable of ramming into prey.
"Why do I have horns?"
What was strange was that these horns were transparent, almost like a membrane.
They camouflaged themselves to match the surrounding area.
Where it was dark, they became pitch black. If the sun was shining, they turned a white hue that was hard to see...
Would anyone else notice this?
Well, I guess I have to go out today…
Of course, it's that day.
the day of my date.
How am I supposed to go out with these things?
I stood in front of the mirror, scrutinizing my reflection as I attempted to tame my unruly hair.
Frustration bubbled up as I tried to style it in a way that would disguise the two stubborn tufts protruding from my head.
Carefully, I parted my hair down the center, letting the strands cascade on either side, hoping to frame my face and soften the sharp angles.
I glanced at the peculiar horns peeking through, wishing my carefully arranged locks would distract from their unusual presence.
Before that, there was another thought I wanted to explore. Beyonders classify those drinks as potions.
How do they digest them? How do you digest a weird-looking drink with special properties? And what does the symbolism behind the other paths signify?
Am I just a spectator?
Does that mean I have to act like a spectator, maybe like a theater kid?
I need to test this out! His excitement ran wild.
well i should test my theory.
let's spend a month doing that. if I notice anything bad, I will stop.
But do these potions have stages? In a video game, you start as a beginner. Is it the same here? Am I now at level 1?
How many levels are there?
I have too many thoughts, but no answers. This is fascinating.
That woman, though.
she might have some answers after all.
She knew about Beyonders.
And the Night Hawks?
Who names themselves after birds? And "Night"? Do they operate only at night or in the shadows?
Either way, I will have to go and meet her.