Sob Sob
"Please Vireth. You're a MAN , do you still want to trample your mom's dignity?" Mom said to me in a desperate voice , yes I know. Cosplaying a Girl as a Guy isn't exactly 'normal'
But it was something I liked—It was where I felt myself , While not all the time I was often ridiculed for my height , a measly 159cm tall guy or 5.2-5.3 feet , the perfect height for cosplaying girls or the more common term "Femboy"
Once. I dreamed of becoming an F1 driver. But my height and my body was far too small , I had no money , it was a common occurrence , maybe if this was a story then I'd get picked up by an agency that found my talent important…
But reality is in fact cruel , no special somebody came to look for me , there was no life changing event that turned me into a beautiful girl or a handsome tall man , well that's what I thought until—
"Vireth." "Your mom died in a car crash after being drunk yesterday." Dad said in a rather solemn tone , his voice cracking at the end , it was obvious he was filled with sorrow , even if their marriage hadn't been the best.
Was this my fault? That was the only thing on my mind at the time , if I had just agreed to no longer cosplay girls would she have survived? If I had just said yes would she not have drunk-?
"I—I'm gonna stop cosplaying."
Dad didn't say anything as he left my room , I felt empty. My life had no purpose , I wanted to cosplay but—Whenever I think of that time. Guilt overwhelmed me, stopping me from even touching the clothes.
Ah… should I just commit suicide? Was it my fault? I don't even know anymore—To drown in sorrow , that was my first thought , until one day—
"What the…" That was all I could mutter as my face had changed , my body too. No longer do I look feminine , I wouldn't consider myself handsome but I'd say it was good enough.
I've seen this phenomenon before , the organization known as The Silentium called this phenomenon "The Change" where people gain the power of fictional characters—In a way it's a fresh start.
"DAD , LOOK—Dad-?" *THUD
A dull thud could be heard as I saw dad fall , my stomach churning. I could feel cold sweat , of course at the time I didn't know what type of disease , but the words coming from the Doctor's mouth was something I didn't expect.
"Do you know the Vanishing Sickness from Harry Potter?" One of the doctors asked me calmly as I shook my head.
"Well I guess in theory it's similar to Entropy Loss Syndrome from Honkai Star Rail—There's no treatment for this disease , even if there is it would've cost far too much… We're sorry."
—
"Dad! I finally—" Cough* Cough* Cough* His voice had grown even weaker , it was obvious. His time has come.
"It's alright… We'll all die one day. I'm just unlucky." Dad's voice sounded weak as if he had reached his limits , his eyes were already closing.
Cough* Cough* Cough*
"Vireth , my son. Go and pursue your dream , I'm always proud of you. Even if your mother didn't agree on it. Promise me , you'll always help others in need"
He said with a smile on his face as I could only sob beside his bed , those words were the last words he muttered before he went to the other side. And I was the only one left.
—
"Hey I'm Vireth! , nice to meet you!"
"Hello…" said a shy girl wearing a nun outfit, the version one would typically see from a fantasy series , she was holding what seemed to be a staff with a cross.
"I'm Derrick" said a man smiling brightly, he wasn't wearing any shirt , one could tell that he was a berserker or barbarian Remnant.
"I'm Latisha" an elf woman said , however unlike normal elves , she was bringing what seemed to be a 50 BMG which looked kinda funky considering she was an elf , one that should be using bows or spirits and the kind
They were my first party, one could say , I thought they would be my party forever , just like Himmel's Party—However life will always go to unexpected ways.
—
SLAM
"ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?" The man named Derrick shouted at me as he banged me to one of the trees , the other party members had varying reactions , some looked at me with disgust , pity , confusion and many more.
"WE COULD'VE GOTTEN THAT UNICORN REMNANT BUT YOU HEALED IT AND LET IT FLY AWAY?"
"I—I told you I was going to—"
"TO WHAT? NOW WE'VE FAILED OUR DAMN QUEST BECAUSE OF YOU."
"I—"
"LEAVE"
I tried. I tried to explain my powers yet they wouldn't listen no I guess that's the most normal reaction , at the time I thought to myself
—
"Hey! Would you like to—"
"Sorry no."
"Would you"
"No."
That cycle continued for a while , my reputation down the drain , it seems like my previous party had spread rumors , and even when I actually found a party.
"Reana , Assassin" "Caleb , Lizardmen" "Misha , Magical Girl" a different party indeed , maybe this time it'll actually work—
BANG
"Why-?" Betrayed , I was left battered , my things taken.
"Do you expect any normal party to work with you? Bitch please , the only thing you're good for is as a walking money source no that's too high of a praise… A walking meat shield than PFFFTT"
The Magical girl named Misha said while looking at me with a sneer , the others were laughing themselves out loud as I lay battered in the ground
And thus , the cycle continued—Again and again , it was like the world was mocking me for even trying.
Betrayal after betrayal , my things were taken , my presence merely for cannon fodder as my funds dwindled to nothingness , I was now homeless , partyless , I wanted to give up—I'm Tired.
Yet my fathers word echoed in my mind , [ Promise me , you'll always help others in need ] , but Dad. I'm just being used by others , how can I even-? No , I must try.
—Russia , ???
Growl
My stomach rumbled , I no longer remembered when was the last time I had a full meal , the cold was quite harsh , yet I needed to move , I needed to hunt , to survive.
My body battered , my thoughts muddled , I could feel my muscles scream everytime I moved , honestly… Why is my luck so bad? Was I such a bad guy in my previous life that the karma came here to torment me-?
I tried. I left the place and booked a ticket to Russia , yet it seems my reputation had spread far more than I expected , nobody wished to team up with me , they all looked at me coldly like I was trash.
I went deep into a forest where I found a rural village , yet even such a place knew of my existence. I was looked down upon , only told to do menial tasks , yet at least it was something.
The elderly and adults would look down upon me and tell their kids not to get close to me , that was how bad it got for me , yet the only thing keeping me going was my father's word.
To help those in need , no matter how hard it gets.
"Ah it's Uncle Vireth!!!!" "Yayyy!" "Yayyy!!" The voices of some kids could be heard , one could see their scrawny bodies , their bones protruding ,like they were only skin and bones.
Their hairs dishevelled , the 'clothes' they wore were basically just wheat sacks with holes , orphans , that lost their parents , as I've said before and I'll say it again—Reality was Cruel , That is a fact
But just because it's been cruel , doesn't mean that we have to bow down to it. Even when one has nothing , one must try their best to help others.
"Uncle Uncle look what we found!" The kids all gathered around me as they dragged me , trying to bring me somewhere.
"Oh-?" It was a truffle , something highly priced and rarely seen these days. Getting one could get you a good amount of money , it was the size of a golf ball , but it was white in color.
"Ah it's alright you guys found it you should sell it to get money."
"The adults usually take it from us whenever they catch us , they're so evil! , Uncle Vireth is kind so we'll give it to you!" One of the kids said full of excitement I could hear the other kids saying "Yeah! Yeah!"
"Uhm… Thank you" Trying my best to hold back tears , in a way I could escape this place , yet I couldn't abandon these kids here , if I did… They'd be dead ,
"Ah Uncle you're thinking of buying things for us again aren't you?"
"You're always giving us every food you get and you don't even eat any!"
Ah… These kids were truly innocent , even when faced with such cruel conditions they still try to-
—
Cough Cough Cough Cough Cough Cough
"It's ok Uncle…" Cough Cough Cough The endless coughing could be heard as they lied in the cold hard snow.
Why? That was the only thing I could murmur , they were just fine a few days ago and now they couldn't even move , and these adults. They didn't even bat an eye and looked at these kids like they were nothing.
Just like when I lost my father. Of course I didn't know what happened , I wasn't a genius that would instantly know the reason , these innocent kids
—
Shuffle Shuffle
I had created small graves , using sticks and stabbed them to the snow , it wasn't much but it was something.
It had been 4 days since those kids died. The white truffle they gave me was sold for a good amount of cash , perhaps enough for a single ticket , to escape this place , perhaps somewhere serene where people won't judge me coldly…
Japan That's where I wished to go , the serene atmosphere in one of the less known provinces would truly be great , anyways that's a thought for another day.
I was walking in the forest , scavenging and hunting for food , until I saw a silhouette , black in color, a contrast to the surrounding white snow , as it appeared in my eyes , I realized how it looked.
Xenomorph from the Movie Alien. I wasn't exactly a fan of it but—I knew it , it was an iconic movie after all
"WAHHHHHH WAHHHHH WAHHHHH" The cries of a little girl could be heard , her screams attracting its attention even further , my response? It was obvious what I'd do
Thud* My mind went blank as I grabbed a stone and hurled it at the Xenomorph the thud against it's caraspace was swallowed by the stone
"RUN GIRL RUN" I said as the creature's head turned into my direcrtion
SCREEECHHH
As the Xenomorph seemed to look at me , I couldn't tell what it was thinking , but I had obviously caught its attention. Now all I need to do is beat it… yeah easy alright , with nothing but tattered clothes.
And then…
—
"And that's enough for now." I said as I could hear Si-Hyun and Nicole muttering "Awww…"
"Is my story really that interesting?" I asked them as Nicole and Si-Hyun nodded.
"But why do you still try?" Both asked in unison
"Ahaha this might sound quite cliche but-"
"That's what the Hero Himmel would do"
"Himmel? Who's that" Si-Hyun and Nicole's voices filled with curiosity.
"In my world , he is a figure respected by others , a hero." Frieren calmly said.
"What kind of hero is he?" Nicole asked , once known as the Assassin Hero she was curious
"In Frieren's world , he is the hero that defeated the Demon King" Gaby said before continuing her words giving quite an unexpected answer.
"Even when he was still just Fiction he inspired many people here , there was a Taiwanese man who stopped a knife attack in a station , and when asked what made him do it he answered , That's what the hero Himmel would do"
Twitch
Frieren no longer spoke, her ears only twitched slightly, perhaps she was reminiscing the times when she was with Himmel , or perhaps it was happiness , the fact that Himmel had even influenced a different world.