Jayka looked at me with disbelief written all over his face.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
I didn't hesitate. I shouted it again—louder this time.
His eyes widened, and he let out a long sigh before speaking in a desperate, almost pleading voice.
"Look, Yuji, I know you want a girlfriend and all that, but that's not the point here. The girl we're talking about is from a story told hundreds of years ago. Don't you think she'd be dead by now? And it's not even real!"
I shook my head.
That didn't convince me at all.
This was a new world—my new world. There was no way something like that wasn't real. And if the story still existed, then so did she.
And honestly… having a girlfriend who doesn't age?
That's a win.
"You see, Jayka," I said confidently, "I don't care if she's real or not. All I know is I'm going to find her—with or without you. So all I need now is some information. Go on… spit it out."
---
Jayka frowned deeply, then turned his back to me.
"No way! I'm not telling you that. And besides, I thank God you lost your memory, because you wrote a lot about her in the book you hid under your bed—"
He froze.
"…Oh, damn it."
He dashed toward the bed.
Too late.
I jumped off, slid my hand underneath, and pulled out a box. Without wasting a second, I opened it.
Inside were pictures.
Pictures of me.
Well… almost.
The person in the photos looked exactly like me—same face, same build—but with pink hair.
"…That's it?" I muttered. "I expected something cooler."
But there was no time to dwell on disappointment. Jayka was already lunging toward me.
Quickly, I grabbed a small notebook from inside the box and dropped the box straight onto his head.
Thunk.
It got stuck on his horn.
Perfect.
While he struggled to pull it off, I flipped open the notebook.
And started reading.
---
"I know Jayka thinks this isn't true, but I still did some research on it, which I call 'My Little Lost Queen.'
During my research, I found out her name is Sharon, and she is the most beautiful girl in the world. However, she was cursed hundreds of years ago by a young man she rejected.
She was sent to one of the Nilelands, known as one of the most dangerous islands—filled with magic beasts and curse magic users.
She was cursed with immortality… and to marry whoever finds her, no matter who they are…"
---
"Give me that!"
Before I could react, Jayka snatched the notebook from my hands.
I reached for it—
ZAP!
A surge of electricity shot from his horn and slammed into me, sending me flying across the room.
I crashed into the wall.
And everything went black.
---
When I opened my eyes again, I was tied to a chair in a completely empty room.
"…Huh?"
For a second, I thought it had all been a dream.
Maybe I got caught by the university guards.
Maybe—
"Hello again. Good morning."
Jayka walked in casually, like nothing had happened.
"You passed out and slept through the whole night," he continued. "So I tied you up and kept you in the basement… just in case you tried something weird."
---
Relief washed over me.
Good.
Not a dream.
That means…
Mission still active.
But there was one problem.
I was tied up.
In a basement.
With a rodent who clearly didn't trust me.
---
Time to think.
…And then—
I smiled.
"But we have school today, don't we?" I said in the most innocent voice I could manage. "So you're really going to stop a poor, innocent boy like me from learning?"
I tilted my head.
"That's kind of mean, you know."
---
Jayka stared at me.
Then, with the expression of someone who had just conquered the world, he said:
"Today is Saturday, you idiot."
---
…Oh.
Right.
I had just arrived in this world.
I didn't even know the day.
My plan…
Completely destroyed.
---
But I wasn't giving up.
"Did you read the notebook?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Then you know what happened to her," I said, lowering my voice. "She's been alone for years… trapped, with no one to help her. Don't you think she needs us?"
I paused dramatically.
"Or are you just going to leave her there… suffering forever?"
---
Jayka didn't even flinch.
"…It has nothing to do with me."
---
Yeah.
Definitely a heartless rodent.
---
I leaned forward as much as the ropes allowed.
"Don't you want to be a hero?" I asked. "A famous one? The kind people talk about everywhere?"
---
He froze.
Then slowly lowered his head.
"…Maybe he's right," he muttered. "If I find her… I'll be famous. Everyone will talk about me…"
He suddenly looked up.
"Okay. I'm going to find her—no, we're going to find her."
He pointed at me.
"I'll let you go. Get ready. We're starting this journey to become heroes."
He turned slightly.
"Daffy, let him go."
---
The ropes around me suddenly dropped to the floor.
I blinked.
"…Who are you talking to?"
Jayka sighed.
"The snake."
I looked down.
The "rope" moved.
"Nope."
It slithered away.
I jumped up instantly.
"NOPE!"
---
A few minutes later, after my heart rate returned to normal, Jayka handed me breakfast and packed supplies into a bag.
Then he unrolled a map in front of me.
It looked nothing like anything I had ever seen.
Bonk.
He smacked my head with a stick.
"Now listen carefully, you empty brain," he said. "This is the map. Since you lost your memory, you know nothing—except your stupid ideas."
He pointed.
"We're here. Cavania."
Then another spot.
"The Nilelands. That's where she is."
I nodded.
"So we just walk there?"
He stared at me.
"…Do you enjoy saying stupid things, or does it come naturally?"
---
"…Both?"
---
He sighed.
"We don't have transportation, and you don't know how to use magic yet. So we'll take a train to Panaj first. From there, we'll get supplies and sneak into the Nilelands."
He crossed his arms.
"Because we are definitely not allowed there."
---
I grinned.
"Got it."
I stood up immediately.
"So what are we waiting for?"
---
Jayka hesitated.
Clearly, he wasn't thrilled about me skipping school or wandering around with no memory.
But…
Fame won.
---
He handed me the map.
Gave me the bag.
(Of course I had to carry it.)
And just like that—
Our journey began.
---
I raised my fist into the air.
"OPERATION SAVE SHARON… LET'S GO!"