"...."

No shit, sherlock.

Widening my eyes, I tried to do my best "pardon?" impression.

Analyzing my expression, Rai started to regret his decision. I shouldn't have told him... Why did I do that? That was unusual of me... He thought self-deprecatingly.

I don't even know whether this person is trustworthy or not.... He scolded himself for being foolish. Did I ever even learn anything from my past life?

"Haha, what a funny joke dude."

I pat his shoulder again, laughing loudly. No way in hell am I trying to get involved with you. It'd be better to just stay oblivious...

"...Huh?"

Rai blinked at me blankly in surprise.

"...."

Well, he doesn't seem to believe it anyway. He thought.

"...Yeah, haha."

He replied with an awkward chuckle, making me sigh in relief.

"So, can I stay at your house for the meantime? I'm a bit lost and forgot how to go home."

"...."

I froze in horror. Fuck, what do I do?

"Um..."

I gently scratch my cheek with my finger, hesitating whether I should answer him or not.

Alright, let's see... So I don't want to get involved with him, but he needs shelter right now. I don't want to give him a bad first impression, so I should....

"Su-Sure."

I smiled my best smile. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made. 

I made up my mind and secretly clenched my fists in determination. Project: Get rid of Mr. Transmigrator commence!

"Follow me and don't get too far. This forest is too big and cramped, so you might get lost."

[Are you thinking of making him your companion, Dear Host?]

A blue screen suddenly appeared in front of me, but Rai seems to have not noticed it.

'...What the hell are you thinking. Of course not!'

I wanted to shout that out, but Mr. Transmigrator was here right now, so maybe later.

[Don't even try. This human is too strong for such a weakling like you.]

The robotic voice said with a mocking tone.

'....'

My mouth twitched slightly. You're getting it absolutely wrong.

"...?"

On the other hand, Rai looked at me confusedly and asked,

"Are we going to move...?"

"...Ah."

Brought back upby his question, I immediately answered with a nod and led him outside of the dark forest.

***

"...."

Rai looked up to the sky filled with clouds, stunned by it's beauty. It's been so long since I've seen a sky like this... He thought.

Earlier, he noticed the surroundings around were a little bit strange. A ruined city... It's not that different from my world, I guess. He observed the skyscrapers which were now moss homes, and the fungi and algae that started growing everywhere. Did they also experience the apocalypse?

After looking around even more, he started to recall the friends that he had left behind in his old world.

Aleisha... Joseph... Marina...

His eyes turned empty and dull. Without them, he felt incomplete.

I wonder how they're doing right now...

He shifted his gaze to the young man leading in front of him. He had a little yellow bird on his shoulder, staring at the map he was holding.

Johan...

Johan, the man that shared the same name with his dead friend.

Is it just a coincidence? Or maybe not?

"..."

He smiled faintly. Maybe that's why he told the man about him with no hesitation... Because he had the same aura as that Johan.

***

I could hear a chuckle from behind. Confused, I turned my head to look behind me.

"Haha..."

Rai chuckled softly. What was he even chuckling at? 

I tilted my head slightly before looking back at the map. My home should technically be at the apartments... But if I let him stay there, he's probably going to stay there for a few months or move in completely because of the decent conditions. I want him gone immediately though, so I'll...

"Johan, may I ask what happened here?"

Rai's voice startled me. Jeez, could you stop talking while I'm thinking?

"Well... All of this happened because of the catastrophe..."

I started to explain slowly. Better take notes, Mr. Transmigrator.

"...Catastrophe?" Is that like the apocalypse in my world? He thought curiously.

"It happened 30 years ago... All of a sudden, an entity named 'Vashala' summoned tons of monsters on Earth."

Rai widened his eyes at the familiar word, Earth.

"...Earth? Is that your planet's name?"

"Hm? Yeah."

I casually answered. Mr. Transmigrator, I'm not sure if you realize this but you're not really that good at pretending to be someone from this world you know...

"Oh... I see."

He put his hand on his chin. So this world is similar to that Earth then? He thought curiously.

"...We're here."

"Oh..."

The both of us stopped and examined the small grassy field filled with animal poop in front of us.

Fwoosh— The silent, calm wind carried the foul smell of poop to our noses.

The air is a really great supporting character...

"This is my home."

I smiled enthusiastically with both of my hands on my hips.

"....."

Rai looked at the poop-filled field with no expression on his face, but if you looked close enough, you could see the faint disgust in his pitch black eyes.

'Phew. He's fooled.'

I wiped off the sweat forming in my forehead.

It was hard to find a place like this immediately, but thankfully I had Moderator help me out.

"...You live here?"

He asked in a slightly concerned tone.

"Yep."

I smiled innocently.

[You have no shame.]

The blue screen in front of me stifled a laugh.

[To think you would do this to the transmigrator that's protected by the Record Tree...]

[How shameless...]

'Shut up, would you?'

I sighed deep inside. My plan from the start was to show him a place with the worst conditions so that he'll be forced to leave sooner or later. With a home like this, who'd want to stay over?

I took a quick glance at him. He seemed to be in a daze, blankly staring at the poop-filled ground with furrowed brows.

'...He's not mad is he?' Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. I wouldn't want to offend the transmigrator that's protected by the Record Tree after all.

On the other hand, Rai was actually pitying the poor man next to him. Even in this world, it's still hard to live in the apocalypse. He thought bitterly.

"...I think we should find another place to stay at."

[...It seems that he pities you, Dear Host.]

The blue screen chuckled slightly.

'A month ago, you were acting so much like a professional system...'

I grieved in my heart, wishing for the old Popo to come back.

But I had no time to mourn as Mr. Transmigrator was currently beside me.

"Really? I think this place is good enough though."

I pretended to be oblivious, shocking the young man.

"Good enough...?"

He muttered to himself. Just how worse is it in this world?  He thought.

"What about those buildings? We could set up our base there instead..."

"It's too dirty, we might get sick." I shook my head at his suggestion.

"But it's dirty here too..."

"That—"

I paused momentarily before making up an excuse.

"Th-there's poison inside the buildings. I'm afraid we might die if we inhale the fumes."

I pretended to look grieved as I looked at the grass mixed with poop. Fuck, I just made that up on the spot.

Rai widened his eyes in surprise. Poison fumes? We also had that in my previous world... Maybe these two worlds are of parallel to each other?  Thoughts started to cloud his mind quickly.

How did Johan even survive till now...?

He made eye contact with the young man waving his hand at his face. Just how much horror has he gone through to be able to casually act like this? 

He frowned deep inside as he imagined the sight of young Johan stabbing monsters with a kitchen knife just to survive.

And he's also quite familiar with the forest...

Rai began to think deeply, but woke himself up before he could. Right, I should focus on the present right now. 
 
"...."

I stared blankly at the dazed transmigrator. Hello? I even waved my hand at his face and all he did was look at me without saying a word.

Suddenly, his dull eyes turned lively again, startling me.

"...Ah. Sorry,  I was just thinking about something."

He said awkwardly.

"Oh..."

I gently smiled at him. Just thinking about something? What were you thinking so much about that even waving my hand in front of your face couldn't wake you up? 

"Where were we again... Ah. Right, there might be other grass fields..."

"Oh, that... They're also poisoned with fumes. This is the only one that hasn't been poisoned yet."

I interrupted the young man once again. Let's just hope he believes this made-up pile of bullshit...

"...How long have you been living in here?"

Rai asked as he looked around the city with a cautious expression.

"...I moved here a month ago."

I answered truthfully, ignoring the blue screen that was slandering me.

[Is he actually believing someone like you?]

[Even I could see through your acting.]

[This poor human, he's been swindled by the devil...]

[The Record Tree isn't going to like this...]

"Did something happen at your old home?"

Rai's voice stood out compared to the system's, so it was quite easy to differentiate his voice from that annoying robotic voice that keeps me awake at the middle of the night.

"...Yes."

I said with a calm expression. But to Rai who believed my made-up story, it looked like it was grief instead.

"...What happened? If you don't mind telling me."

"Well... That's a story for another day."

I smiled bitterly at him. I'll tell you once I'm done making up a story for that.

Rai looked at me with a concerned expression. What has he been through?  He thought.

"It must've been hard..."

Rai reached his hand out to my head and stroked it gently. Our height difference was quite obvious, and I could feel his big hand carefully petting it.

....

[?!?!?!??!]

'?!?!?!??!'

I flinched in surprise. What the hell is this guy doing?!

I almost wanted to shout at him, but I restrained my voice.

[...]

"Th-thanks..."

I weakly muttered, making the young man worry even more.

"It's fine now. You'll be fine now."

He said as he continued to stroke my head. Contrary to the scars and callouses in his hands, his hand was actually quite soft.

"...."

[Dear Host, I think I'm about to die of laughter...]

"...."

A vein popped on my head, but Rai failed to notice it.

"A-ahem, all this aside, why don't you sit down? I'm going to go get my cooking equipment."

I coughed lightly and pointed to the ground stained with poop.

"Cooking equipment?"

He tilted his head slightly.

"Yes. You're probably hungry after all that walking, right? I keep my cooking equipment in another place since this grass field smells too foul."

"Oh... Uh... Yeah... I'll just wait here then..."

He said hesitantly as he shifted his gaze towards the poop-filled ground.

'Go ahead Mr. Transmigrator, sit down ^u^'

I smiled with satisfaction as I watched him slowly sit down on the grass with a hesitant face.

"Alright. I'll hurry up, don't worry!"

I waved my hand at him and quickly ran to my apartment. That was a lie, I wasn't planning on hurrying up at all.

***

It smells gross in here...

Although Rai survived the apocalypse, it didn't mean that he would be immune to the smell of poop. He was used to the smell of corpses, not poop.

As he watched the short figure disappear from his vision, he immediately stood up from the ground and wiped his pants. He would only sit again once that blonde man came back.

"....Haaa."

He looked at the poop-filled grass field and sighed heavily.

Has he been sleeping on this ground for a month? He couldn't help but worry about the young man who helped him earlier.

It seemed that he had a hard past, yet he acted so friendly and cheerful...

Rai pursed his lips.

He imagined the blonde-haired man sleeping on the stained grass with a sad expression, praying for a decent home and his family every night.

He must've been hiding his true emotions to not worry me...

After all, He was just a stranger to him. It'd be weird to openly talk to someone you don't even know that much yet.

Rai sighed again.

I'll definitely make him join me once I get out of this place.

He narrowed his eyes slightly and silently promised himself.

To leave such a young man in a dangerous place like this... I'll never allow that!

His dull, black eyes suddenly fired up.

Unbeknownst to Johan, although Rai had a stoic face, he had a heart of a hero who never gives up...

***

"Achoo!"

"...Is someone talking about me?"

I gently wipe off my snot.

[Who knows, maybe it's that interesting human.]

"Why is he even talking about me?"

I raised my brow as I carried a pot in my hands.

[Dear Host, what are you going to do if he asks you to join his party?]

The sudden question didn't even trouble me. The answer was simple, of course that wouldn't happen.

"That would never happen. I'm just a stranger he met in the forest anyway."

I scoffed at the blue screen.

[....]

For some reason, I could feel Moderator's disappointed gaze... Perhaps I'm just imagining things?

[Haa... You're as stupid as your other 5,000 lives...]

The robotic voice sighed and disappeared shortly after, leaving me confused.

"...Pardon?"

I stared at the air with a raised brow. What the hell does it mean by that?