As I got dragged out by Arthur, the leader of the Holy Knights. I keep struggling to come ask more questions and stand up. When we stepped outside, the outside was painted in orange, the sun had set, casting shadows of us on the wall and ground. Many people in the kingdom start to pack up their stuff to go home. Even though everyone is packing their stuff, they have a smile on their face. The Kingdom is still noisy and bustling.
"Stop struggling, the meeting is already over."
Arthur said, sighing and still laughing at my reaction earlier.
"Ok, ok, I will stop."
I said, standing up, helping Arthur by being pulled.
As I stand up, I look at those people in Market Square and am deep in thought. My gaze softened, yet a lingering sadness still lingered in the depths of my eyes. Perhaps this was the sense of peace I had always longed for.
"They look happy... Do they know the disaster will come to them...?"
I suddenly blurted it out, not realizing that I was saying my thoughts out loud.
Arthur, standing there, followed my gaze and was surprised at my worry.
"No, they don't. The King does not announce the disaster to them, and about your arrival."
He said, a smile on his face as he looked at them, a feeling of relief inside both of us as we watched them.
As we are being dramatic about that peaceful moment, Alice cuts off the moment.
"Can we all go home now?"
She said, a look of prejudice on her face.
I snap at her words.
"Oh, right... home..."
Arthur turns to me before leaving.
"If you need any help, just come tell me. Goodbye."
"Ok, bye."
I said, waved him.
As I'm waving at him, Alice comes near me.
"So I will show you my house, that house will be your house also."
"Oh, ok."
I replied.
Alice starts walking past the Market Square, glances back to see that I'm following her. On the way past Market Square, I deepened my thought.
How did I end up living with a girl in this world? It's so awkward...
I sigh, my expression changed as I think about my future in this world.
...At least God bless me, an introvert living with a beautiful girl like that, hehe.
I thought, a rare smile tugging at my lips.
Alice glances back at the somewhat sleazy face of mine and sighs.
What a suspicious and interesting boy...
She thought, turned her head, and walked faster.
On the way across the market square, many people glanced at me as if I were some kind of strange person; some other people noticed me as a person got kidnapped earlier by the gatekeepers. Their eyes followed me, curious and unashamed, whispering among themselves. Most of them are curious about my current outfit.
My school uniform looks plain and ordinary to me, just something I wear every day. But in this world, it's a completely new kind of fashion that they have never discovered before.
As we both step outside the gate of the Kingdom, I see those two gatekeepers again, talking to some adventurers and merchants.
While they are working, one of them eyes look at me, making me shudder as one of them tells the other, and they both smirk at me.
Man, what are they smirking about?
I thought, confusing at their smirk.
We starts go on a hill near the Kingdom and forest. While we are going up, I see at the top of the hill a small, cozy wooden house. Surrounding the house is a green lawn with flowers and some trees. Some of the trees got cut down, and those logs got stacked next to the house. As I come near, there is a campfire in front of the house; there is no fire, but it's rustic.
When we come in front of the house, she stops at the door and tries to open it. While she is trying to open it, I try to cut the awkward moment off.
"It's a nice house, isn't it?"
I said, with little awkwardness and embarrassment.
She stops for a second before answering me.
"Yes, it is."
A straight answer makes no room for a conversation.
"Oh... okay..."
I said quietly, but somehow Alice caught that.
She hesitated at the door for a second. Her hand paused on the handle. She is feeling a little awkward right now because I will live in the same place as her from now on.
As she opened the door, I could see there was a table with 4 chairs near the kitchen, and a couch near the campfire. A small table between the campfire and a couch. A shelf puts some decoration like books, jars, and candles. But instead of being excited about having a new house, I was surprised by the scene in front of me. The house is so messy, like there is a disaster in this room. I can see many clothes on the floor and on the couch. The dishes are not even clean yet, still on the sink, and are eventually making a tower of dishes. There is also one dish and one cup on the table; the inside of the dish is unfinished food, with a falling cup dripping on the table.
I am speechless at the unfolding scene, try to turn to Alice, who is standing beside me.
"Oh, um... Alice..."
I said, flustered at the scene that was not supposed to be mine.
Alice, standing there, her face already light red, embarrassing of letting me see this. Her cheek is still flushed as her gaze is on me, looking at this scene in this house.
"I-I'm sorry..."
She stuttered, hardly forming an apology.
"It's... okay. I think we should clean up."
I said, give a suggestion to help her not be embarrassed.
"Ye-yeah, you are right..."
She still stuttered, still embarrassed.
I should have cleaned this up before knowing he would stay here.
She thought, keep embarrassing herself.
We start getting inside the house, and prepare to start the cleaning. I start cleaning by grabbing stuff on the floor to easy to walk inside the house, meanwhile, Alice also supports me by grabbing her items on the couch, near the campfire.
While we are cleaning, I start to realize something.
Wait, what if people know that the Demon King is the Hero who came from another world? Am I going to be hated because I'm from another world?!
I am overthinking, Affaired that Alice, who is also cleaning with me, will hate me and be like those bullies from my world.
Hope... That won't come....
I busy myself with cleaning, making myself stop overthinking about the worst scenario that will come.
While I'm doing that, Alice's also cleaning and sees me hard-working on the cleaning, surprised, but a small smile appears on her face as she cleans and watches me cleaning.
As we are busy cleaning, I suddenly grab something.
"What is this?"
I think it's a T-shirt. I'm holding a pinky thing that's lightweight and soft, like a soft T-shirt.
Alice, who has cleaned the couch, is planning to remove the dusts by broom, turns her attention to me. Alice's face starts to turn red as she sees what I am holding clearly. It's her underwear that she made by her own hand. She used the color pink because that's her favorite color. Right now, she wants to steal it and erase my memories.
As I'm trying to unfold and stretch it, a gust of wind brushes past me. The thing I'm holding disappears as I see Alice, who is from the couch, appears infront of me, clutch something at her chest, shield it with her back away from me.
"Oh, Um... It's nothing... I-I think you should go upstairs, find the last room deep inside the hallway... please."
She said, stuttering again, with her face more red than before, and dared not turn to look at me.
"What is that thing? And what about this mess, I should help you clea—"
She suddenly cut me off.
"It's nothing, actually, and I will clean it by myself."
She said without looking back.
I stand there and think. Something snaps me as I think of the clothes most girls hide.
"Oh, that's your panti—"
As I try to finish the sentence, she covers my mouth with her hand, stopping me from completing the sentence.
"Ple-please don't finish that."
"My bad..."
I said, through her hand awkwardly.
She slowly removes her hand, and I start to leave this awkward moment by going upstairs to see my room.
"Oh... Um... see you... later."
I said, avoid looking at her, but my have wave as I started walking upstairs.
"Ye-yeah... see you."
She said with a slight blush on her cheeks.
As I head upstairs, I see there are three rooms upstairs.
"Three rooms? She said the last one deep inside the hallway is mine."
I mumbled to myself, heading to the last room.
As I open the door to the last room in second floor, I am surprised that this room is clean, not messy like downstairs.
The room has one bed, one window with a curtain. Across the room, there is also a closet, and next to the closet are a table and a chair. The room looks insanely old, like this room hadn't been used for a long time. That's why the room was covered with some dust.
"This rustic room is clean, but there is dust inside."
I said, try to grab a cleaning cloth from a table and open the window to make the wind blow the dust away.
As I open the window, some fresh air comes inside my room. While I look outside the window, I have a beautiful view of a Kingdom and a forest with mountains behind as a background in front of me, in front of my eyes. The sunset is making the view of this landscape more beautiful. I have no word to describe it.
"What a beautiful view..."
A small, satisfied smile formed on my face as I looked out at the view—something I hadn't felt in a long time.