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“What?!”

Immediately after hearing the young man’s sentence, Alfred’s face showed astonishment for the first time in years.

Contemplating for a long time at Edmond silently, he responded calmly.

“Mr. Edmond…”

“Is what you are saying true? This isn’t a joke or some kind of scheme, right?”

.

Seeing Alfred make a weird face at him, which possessed both confusion and a stern look. Edmond continued.

“Yes. It’s true.”

“Right now… I am so lost, that looking at the sun to determine my location would do nothing but make me look like a dazed person.”

“I assure you that there is no evil scheme to my plea for help. I am really new to this town.”

.

“…”

Alfred had difficulty believing Edmond’s words. He is a renown scholar, who has published a few thesis in his life. But never before, in his wildest imaginations, would he have predicted that one day a lost man in pajamas would ask him for help to find his way home.

Seriously…

This situation is out of his predictions. This scholar simply can’t believe that a lost man found his way to him so easily, after being lost. Or at least considering himself lost.

“Fine.”

“Instead of having a headache trying to determine if you are out of your mind or simply lost. I will choose to believe your words.”

“For now.” Alfred said.

.

“Thank you Mr. Alfred.”

“My circumstances are a bit unusual. Nevertheless, I will make sure to offer you enough information, so you can help me find my way home.”

Edmond expressed himself while also bowing to the scholar again. 

For now, he has found a reliable man to help him. A man who is willing to listen to his call for help, despite the unusual circumstances he is in.

He thanked god for this and began to feel at ease.

Being in an unknown environment may make people feel quite nervous. And Edmond was beginning to feel a bit stressed.

.

“Well then.”

“By your looks and the way you expressed yourself. I assume this is going to be a very long story.”

“May I invite you for tea Mr. Edmond. There is a small cafe, in the vicinity of the plaza.”

“I plan to hold our conversation there, as there is too much noise in the town’s square.”

“Of course, I will be paying the bill.”

Alfred offered with his hand holding his forehead. He really was trying to take this situation lightly, but his face was failing to keep his usual composure for many reasons.

Reasons that could be spoken about, but there was no need to. As there are too many complications already.

.

“Alright! I would be grateful for that.” Edmond smiled, knowing very well that Alfred had quite the noble heart.

After all, who on this universe, would offer tea to a man in pajamas, claiming to be lost~!!!

‘Jesus Christ! This is is so awkward and embarrassing! But I have to deal with it, if I want to return home.’ Though Edmond, as he hid his embarrassment in the form of a warm smile.

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▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️

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*Clang~!*

“Ring ring~!”

The sound of a door and a bell making noise together was heard in a small cafe, near the plaza of ‘Ledwigton’ town, at 10 a.m. in the morning.

Two men entered. 

One wearing pajamas and one wearing common standard clothes, consisting of brown long pants and a white long sleeved shirt.

.

The men that entered the coffee shop looked around for a while. Once an empty table caught their eyes, they went to that table and sat there, enjoying the tranquility of the shop.

.

After a while, a waitress came by the two silent men and asked for their desired drinks.

“Please order your desired drinks, kind sirs.” (Waitress)

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“Two camomile teas please. Make them extra warm, we are going to stay here for a while. (Alfred)

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“Understood. Two extra warm camomile teas. Please, wait a few minutes until I bring them. (Waitress)

Once the drinks were ordered, the waitress went to the barista and told him to make them. 

The barista understood the order. He started boiling the water, and took out a box full of camomile herbs. Ready to drown them in boiled water any time.

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“Camomile tea?” (Edmond)

.

“Yes. Camomile tea. They help against stress and other harmful effects.” (Alfred)

.

“I like blueberry tea better, but if you insist, I won’t stop you.” (Edmond)

.

“Sigh.” (Alfred)

“Sorry, I will ask for your opinion next time. But for now… bear with it.” 

.

“…” (Edmond)

“Okay.”

.

Silence reigned again between the two men after a brief exchange of words. But that silence didn’t last for long.

Alfred broke the silence after a long time of being in his throughs.

“Start from the very beginning. How did you get where you are?”

.

Edmond looked at Alfred, his face becoming serious. Then he answered.

“Believe it or not, I was teleported here out of thin air.”

“It all started with an ominous looking magic circle, with a star shape in the middle of it. My sister convinced me to enter it and stay there until she finished her incantation.”

“I accepted. Then, without knowing anything else, I found myself in this town. Right in the very square I met you.”

“You know the rest of the story afterwards. How I met you and asked for help.” Edmond explained, as much as he could while omitting the parts that truly mattered.

He didn’t want to reveal his home nation for now. Not unless it’s necessary. For all knows. He is an illegal immigrant, right now.

.

“…Hm.”

“This is quite a lot talk about.”

“Especially the absurdity of it.” Alfred expressed himself and then put a hand on his forehead. Again.

.

“I know how this story sounds to you.”

“It seems as if you are talking to a madman that is telling you magic and supernatural things are true.”

“You should know that I feel your pain too. For I myself would never believe in superstitions or other such bullshit.”

“Nevertheless… Crazy or not. Here I am. Taken to another country, while having no clue of what really brought me here, in the first place.” 

“If it’s proof that you seek, look no further then my pajamas. Does it look to you that I am insane enough to walk with pajamas in broad daylight.” Edmond explained. Then he closed his mouth, waiting for Alfred’s assessment of his sanity and story.

.

“….”

“First of all. You say that were transported here. But we both know that such thing isn’t possible. The amount of energy to do that kind of convenient transportation would require you to die or either be a God.”

“Second of everything. Who told you magic and superstition isn’t real? If someone here hears you speaking like that, you might be treated like a fool. Or worse, stoned to death.”

“Third of anything else. You are no madman. I believe every word you said. For I recognize a sane man when necessary.”

“If I didn’t know how to distinguish the truth from lies, what kind of scholar would I be?”

“I would give up and burn my psychology degree, if I wasn’t good enough to understand people.”

“As such, take it lightly. I don’t think you are a madman. I just think that your situation is quite complicated. And it hurts my head to hear it.”

Alfred told Edmond as he looked at him sternly.

.

“….”

“I get that you believe me somehow. But…”

“What do you mean with this…”

“What do you mean by saying that magic is real?”

The 19 year old, university student from Earth asked as his face become one of utter confusion. 

‘Is this conversation about supernatural shit being true, starting again.’ He thought. 

Edmond had seen enough television shows to understand that the supernatural is nonexistent. 

Nevertheless…

The fact that Jesus Christ in Edmond’s home world, had revived the dead, walked on water and created food for his followers out of nothing. Isn’t something to be taken lightly. As many unusual things that people cannot be explained by science can happen.

Edmond believed in science, but he also believed in religion.

However, if he had to pick a side. He would obviously choose science, since it was better to believe in nature and it’s reactions to elements of periodic table, instead of miracles that can barely be explained.

.

“Didn’t your sister get rid of you, using an incantation from who knows where?”

“That and the magic circle, should be enough to convince you about magic being real.”

Alfred explained calmly… but with a blue vein appearing in his forehead.

‘God of Scholars, lord Ray! Please give me patience!’ Alfred screamed to his God internally as he really wasn’t up for this kind of explanation, to a 19 year old boy, despite being a scholar.

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“…”

“This is difficult to accept, Mr. Alfred.”

“Can you give me proof of it. Since you seem better versed then me about this.” Edmond said. As he needs to know for real, if this scholar wasn’t messing with him.

.

“Sigh.”

“Say the word profile with your lips. You will understand everything afterwards.” Alfred told Edmond. Then he turned his head towards one of the opened windows in the cofe shop. Taking a look at the town’s square view from his seat.

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“Em… Okay.”

“…PROFILE.” Edmond said with a hint of hesitation, for he really wasn’t willing to believe such~

.

— —▪️— —

Profile

[ Name: Edmond Arc ]

[ Race: Incubus ] (Former Human)

[ Age: 19 ] (Lifespan 100 years) 

[ Gender: Male ] (Switch?)

[ Level: 0 ] (Exp X2)

[ Titles: Big Brother, Top Student(Unique), Darkness’s Choosen One (▪️) ]

• Powers

[ Abilities: Bedchamber Arts (Unique), Patience (Legendary), Cultured One (Unique), Cautious (Unique), Life Drain (Lv. 1), Vigorous (Lv. 1), Incumbus’s Demonic Form (Lv. 1),  Life Magic (Lv. 1), Dark Magic (Lv. 1) Charm (Lv. 1), Illusion (Lv. 1), Dream Dive (Lv. 1) ]

[ Equipment: Sleeping Pajamas ](White Long sleeve T-shirt, white pantaloons.)

[ Familiars/Tamed: 0 ]

[ Blessings: Primordial Darkness (▪️) ]

• Status

[ HP: 100% ] (Healthy)

[ MP: 10100 ]

[ Strength: I ] [ Vitality: B ]

[ Endurance: I ] [ Charisma: S ]

[ Agility: I ] [ Luck: A ]

— — ▪️— — 

.

~absurdity…

“Ah~?!”

“What in god’s name is this thing~?!”

The man that came from earth screamed to the man that lives on a different world.

.

“That’s your information window.”

“It’s an invisible informative screen, created and gifted by the Gods to the mortals, since ancient times.”

“The gods judged that it was fine for humanity to know about themselves a bit more, instead of letting them feel like they weren’t special.”

“Many scholars of different ages have been researching on the information window for many thousands of years. But all they understand about this gift, is that it was system given to mortals, so that they could use their talents and traits better in this world.”

“In simple words. The gods’s message is like this:

[ Since you can’t understand yourself due to being an inferior life form, I am giving you the authority to see yourself in a better context. Be sure to accomplish great and glorious feats with this gift. Do not waste your good qualities ].”

.

Hearing Edmond’s question. Alfred explain himself as better as he could. He wanted to give the young man more information about this self-information screen, but he decided to not make his explanation long. Edmond was still new to this, after all.

.

“…”

Edmond fell in total silence while continuing to look at the information window that popped in front of him out of nowhere and hearing Alfred’s description of it..

He wasn’t ready to believe in magic, let alone that this world was actually some fantastic game like world were superpowers existed.

‘Okay… this is so messed up in so many ways, I can barely keep myself calm anymore.’ Edmond thought while continuing to stare blankly at the transparent information window in front of him.

He certainly wasn’t interested to hear about this. Nor interested in knowing that he wasn’t human anymore.

But…

Edmond must face it. 

He has to realize it already.

Realize that this world~

“Is not earth.” (Edmond)

.

“Huh?”

“What did you say?” (Alfred)

.

“Mr. Alfred… It seems that I and you are from different worlds.” (Edmond)

.

“…” 

“Sigh.”

“Despite being a scholar, and thinking that I have seen everything in life.”

“It seems that I still have much to be impressed about.”

Alfred expressed as his eyes became hazy, and he looked like he had aged a few years. He really wasn’t cut to deal with this type of situation. Nor prepared for extraterrestrial interaction.

.

>>>

To be continued.