Another weekend, another day where I hope for a normal day

  At least that's what my prayer is after all the shits that had happened

  But after all of that? Even an hour of peace sounds like a blessing now

  That's why I decided to take a walk alone in the park. The only place I believe where I could get that.

  . . . Huff, please let me live normally just for this one moment

  I might never experience this kind of day ever again

  I slowly walked to the spot where I first met my best friend before lying down there

  ". . . Weather today. . . It's kinda sunny"

  As my arm covers my eyes from the sun, I can't help but wonder about my current situation

  . . . I had been attacked too much by the demons nowadays

  First when I'm about to return home from school, then at the library. And now yesterday at the mall

  Does getting attacked by the demons sound rare? No

  In fact, news would feel different if there weren't at least one attack from the demons in a month.

  What makes it different this time is that the attack of those two demons is coordinated. Towards me to be precise

  And now, their lives might be in danger because of me

  Cause they want to protect me from 'him'

  Sometimes I wonder, if they can live happily without me

  If I didn't exist, would they still be in such danger? Can they at least live blissfully if I weren't here?

  I let myself lie down there for a while longer with that intrusive thought before getting up slowly

  ". . . What the hell am I even thinking about? "

  There's no point in hoping for the possibilities that don't happen. That won't ever happen

  I'm already here, living my life with them. Seeing them as my family

  And I don't want to experience what it feels like to lose my family again

  After all, you said it yourself didn't you, Dani? That you'll make sure nothing happens to them

  So you better keep that promise.

  ". . . But how am I gonna do that? When I don't even have any fucking magic"

  . . . Damn it, I'm such a pathetic man didn't I? Can't even fulfill what I promised myself

  I let my thoughts mock me before I hear my stomach growling

  ". . . Huff, all of this thinking makes me hungry. Do I still have ramen at my house? " I say calmly while my right hand holds my stomach

  ". . . Guess I just buy some on my way home. Better safe than sorry"

  As I walk around the supermarket, getting myself ramen that I want, my phone then starts to vibrate

  . . . Now why the hell does Adam call me? I thought to myself before answering it

  "Hey dude, you good? "

  ". . . Yes, why did you call me? "

  "Just want to inform you that I won't be around the state for a while. I'm helping police in another state right now"

  "Oh. So, is that all the reason you called me? "

  "Come on bro, I'm worried for you over there"

  "Worried? Why so? Isn't Farah here? "

  "She says that she is helping volunteers clean ocean rubbish for marine life. I was about to tell you that since she asks me to tell you"

  So, Adam and Farah are helping others in another state, Syed is back at space helping another species and Suraya is studying for her next university exam

  That's mean. . . Today might be the day I'm dead if there's anything happens

  ". . . You both just do your own job over there. No need to worry for me that much"

  "You sure? If you want to I can quicken up my work here"

  "Hmm, I am. And no need to rush, you're just going to waste your mana quicker than you can run"

  "Oi, don't mock me now"

  "I'm not"

  ". . . Hey, if anything is happening over there. Just call me, aight? I'll be there in no time"

  ". . . Alright"

  "Alright, take care"

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  I ended the call calmly before walking over to the cashier, only taking ramen and a big bottle of soft drinks

  As I stand outside after paying for it, my mind can't help but question my day so far

  No sudden robbery like before? No demons appeared out of nowhere? No villain of the week?

  . . . Huh, this day might be norma-

  That's when I see the road in front of me get burned to a crisp, by fire breath from a giant red wild animal in the sky

  You gotta be kidding me. . . A fucking dragon? I thought to myself as I looked at the sky

  The dragon then landed on the ground that enough to shake the city before everyone started running away from it as it opened its mouth and started to devour everything that it had just burned earlier

  Well, I'd better go no-

  "Help! Someone help! "

  My head turned to the source of the voice, where I saw a little girl trying to pull her mother away from the dragon's feet, as the dragon crushed half of the woman's body while busy devouring its 'cooking'

  "Just hold on Mom, I will pull you out" The girl said, as she tried to pull her mother but to no avail

  ". . . Sweetie. . . Run. . . " The mother says weakly, as blood pours out from her mouth

  "No! I will save you! You say that you will stay with me forever! You promise me! " The girl's tears start to pour out as she keeps on trying to save her mother

  I don't know why, but her act and her sounds of crying make my mind feel conflicted before my mind starts talking to me

  Just run

  . . . Huh?

  There's no need for you to help her, you didn't even know her. Why bother?

  . . .

  Did you think she would help anyone in this situation? No. If you and she switch places, she will just run. Like everyone else. So just go and leave her

  . . .

  There's no need for you to risk your life. After all, you did promise to stay alive for them, right? What if you got burned in the process?

  . . .

  Just then, my head started to feel an intense pain again before someone pushed me to the ground in panic.

  I gripped my head hard with my other hand while gritting my teeth before leaning against the nearby building wall

  My head starts spinning, images from the car accident start to flash in my eyes, and my breathing starts to become more frantic from the pain, both physically and mentally

  Fuck. . . Calm yourself down, now is not the time. . .

  . . .

  Get up and just go. There's no point-

  "Shut the hell up, me"

  I take a deep breath to make the headache slowly go away before I slowly turn my head to the girl

  If they were here, they surely would help her. . .

  I'd better not regret this later

  I force myself to get up before grab a perfume bottle on the ground and run towards the girl who is still trying to pull her mother out from the dragon's feet

  As the mother slowly raised her head and looked at me with her watery eyes, she smiled weakly at me, as if she was signaling me for something

  And I know what she means.

  As the dragon turns its head at me, I quickly throw the perfume to mess with its smelling sense before I grab the girl and run away before it can spread their fire breath

  "No! No! Mom! " The girl shouted desperately to her as she saw the dragon start to breathe fire at her mother before eating her

  I quickly hide myself and her behind a car before the dragon could turn its head again and it now focuses back to eating its 'leftovers'

  Huff. . . Lucky me that I found that perfume on the ground, or I'd be that dragon's next meal

  "Mom. . . Mom. . . " The girl murmured to herself, her eyes blank and her voice hoarse, as if she were just a broken recording

  I quickly put the girl down before I cupped her cheeks and made her stare at my cold eyes

  "Hey, kid. Listen to me" I say calmly with a tone as cold as ice

  "Mom. . . Where's my-"

  "Your mom is dead"

  ". . . No. . . No. . . NO-"

  I quickly cover her mouth from screaming to make sure the dragon didn't hear her before I gesture for her to take a deep breath a few times to calm her down

  Although I can't stop her from letting those tears flow from her eyes. Or I rather won't. She just lost her mother in front of her eyes after all

  "Kid, listen to me. I'm sorry for what happened to your mother. But I'm sure you know that she is already too late to be saved"

  "N-No, I know there's-"

  "Half of your mom's body was already crushed under the dragon's feet. It's already a miracle she didn't die right away" I say calmly as my expression hardened a little

  ". . . "

  I look at her for a moment longer before taking a breath and changing my expression to a calmer face

  "Sorry for saying it too bluntly to you, kid. But, sooner or later, you need to face that kind of harsh reality. I just make it quicker for you, that's all"

  ". . . "

  "Act strong, for your mother. You can grieve for her later after we somehow survive this "

  She didn't say anything and just wiped her tears from her face with her palms

  Huff. . . She's better now, great for both of us I guess

  As she's all calm now, I decide to reach into my pocket and get my phone, wanting to call my friend

  Huff. . . Guess I had to trouble them once again

  . . .

  Wait, where the hell. . .

  "Mister. . . What are you. . .? "

  ". . . My phone is not with me"

  I decide to take a peek back from the car, as I see my phone on the ground before the dragon's tail smashes my phone

  . . . Fuck, how the hell did I not feel my phone with me?

  "Well, guess I need to buy a new one later"

  "M-Mister, I-I'm so sorr-"

  "Don't apologize, or I'm going to regret whatever part of me asking to save you"

  If my guess is correct, that perfume should still linger on its nose. So. . .

  "Kid, can you walk without making sounds? "

  "W-Without making sound. . .? B-But- "

  "Hmm, too much for you huh. Then, just walk with as few sounds as possible, can you? "

  "Erm. . . I think I can. . . Why? "

  "I'll explain later. Right now, we need to go to the supermarket over there" I say, as I point my thumb to the supermarket I just walked out of

  She nods her head before I take her hand and slowly walk to the supermarket without raising the dragon's attention

  As soon as both of us enter, the first thing I do is bring her to the magic section and immediately take a potion bottle

  "Erm. . . Mister, can I ask you something? "

  "Just ask" I say calmly as I pull the cork from the bottle

  ". . . What are you gonna do with. . . That? "

  "Pour you with it"

  "W-Why? " She asks, confused by my answer

  "To cover your mana. Dragon had bad eyesight and average hearing senses, however, their smelling sense allows them to smell your mana even from far away"

  "O-Oh. . . I see. . . T-Then, does that mean the act of you throwing that perfume-?!"

  "Yeah, I want to mess around with it smelling sense since dragons rely on it to detect their target. That's why"

  Although, I'm sure that dragon is not here for chaos. . . But still, better safe than sorry

  After I pour at least three potions on her, she looks at me with a confused expression, and a bit worried for me

  "Mister. . . You didn't pour one of them for yourself? "

  "No, there's no need for me to do so "

  ". . . Why? Didn't you say earlier that-"

  "I don't have a gate, kid. And yes, it shouldn't be possible. But, here I am "

  The kid didn't say anything afterwards. But I'm sure she has so many questions about me, she just doesn't have the guts to do so

  ". . . Well, I guess we just wait here until the authority arrives"

  "H-Hmm, ok"

  I then sit down on the floor, before she kneels beside me and just keeps looking down

  . . . This kid gets startled too easily. . .

  ". . . Hey, kid " I say calmly before she instantly turns her head at me

  "You keep asking me questions, so it's fair if I do the same right? "

  "Y-Yes, Mister "

  ". . . Do you get bullied at your school often? "

  ". . .! H-How did you know that? "

  "You easily startled, and you were terrified a little when I mentioned that I was about to pour you with the potions earlier, indicating mental trauma "

  She didn't say anything, just stared at me with her jaw dropping a little, mostly in shock from my deduction

  So I was right, huh? Figure

  ". . . Hey, kid. Want to hear some advice? "

  ". . . Advice? "

  I nod my head calmly before continuing "Next time you meet your bully again, punch their face "

  ". . . Eh? "

  "I mean it, kid. That's what I said to my friend before, now she's the one who bullies me "

  ". . . He. . . Hehehe " The girl starts giggling while covering her mouth

  "Why are you laughing? "

  "Eh. . . Erm. . . Sorry, Mister, it's just funny for me that you say like that about your friend. . . You both must have a great friendship right? "

  ". . . Yeah, you could say that "

  That's when I heard footsteps approaching before I saw a woman with a magic vest and a rifle approaching us

  "There are survivors here! " She shouts, alarming the others

  "Eh? Weird. . . Magic radar shows that there's only one life around this area. . . Is this thing broken? " A man wondering to himself while tapping it with his other hand

  "Oi, you can worry about that later! " He scolds his comrade before turning back his attention to us. "Are you two alright? "

  The girl smiled widely with glittering eyes "Ahh~! It's the policemen! "

  "Quite close. We're from FUC-"

  Before he could finish it, the commander pushed that man's face and talked to the girl gently

  "Basically, we're part of the army that is sent to handle wild animals. That's all you need to know for now, kid"

  That girl continued to look at them with innocent, admiring eyes. Meanwhile, my thoughts are on what the guy was about to say earlier

  Federal Untamed Creatures Keepers. . . Whoever made that name surely has a sense of humor

  The captain then reached for his walkie-talkie and started informing his squad outside

  "This is Commander Helmi speaking. We have two survivors here. Report the situation outside. Over "

  "Situation outside is under control. You're free to escort them out. Over "

  "Roger that "

  He then signals his team before they escort both of us out of the supermarket, where all of us can see an entire unit preparing their magic rifles at the dragon who just stares at them before flying away

  So it's really just as I thought, it's here just for 'lunch'. That explains it

  As the armies start to do their own job afterwards, I walk slowly to my plastic bag that I dropped earlier and check inside

  "Hmm, my food is still fine. That's good " I talk to myself calmly

  "M-Mister. . .! " The girl shouts at me as she approaches me

  I then turn my head to her calmly before talking to her in a calm tone

  "What is it, kid? "

  "Erm. . . I. . . T-Thank you, Mister! "

  ". . . For what? "

  "Y-You helped me a lot, Mister! You helped me from the dragon, helped me stay strong, and gave me advice about my bullying situation! So I want to thank you! "

  ". . . Huh, you didn't grieve for your mother first? "

  ". . . No, after all, you told me to stay strong for my mom earlier"

  ". . . I didn't say that to make you feel better honestly, I just don't want you to cry out loud "

  "Oh. . . "

  ". . . But, I'm sure your mother would feel proud of you, if that makes you feel better"

  "Hehe. . . Hehehe, yeah, I'm sure my mom is" Her tears flowing from her eyes, happy at such a thought

  I then approach her and put my hand on her head calmly and talk to her with a calm but more gentle tone

  "But don't forget to grieve for her in a while. Acting strongly doesn't mean being emotionless "

  "Y-Yes, Mister" She says before wiping her tears

  ". . . Hmm, I take my leave then. Take care, kid "

  "Hmm! You too, Mister! "

  I then turn around and walk away calmly, with my thoughts once again filling my mind

  . . . Don't be emotionless huh? That's rich coming from a cold-hearted person like me

  But. . . If I am, I wouldn't have helped that kid. . . I would have just shrugged it off, gone back home, and seen the news with my ramen ready

  . . . I really can't understand myself huh, how pathetic