"Asher! Get your butt over here!" I yelled from the terrace. "I swear to God if you didn't see it you gonna regret it!"
"What is i—WHOA!"
"I know right?!" I grinned.
Let me explains. Few things make me threw all dignity out of the window, which are stars (shooting stars to be exact), Music and Song, Cooking, Competition, and Boredom. Tonight, I was reading the book on the terrace. A change of place. Asher fussed on me until I get tired and just grab a spare sheet and proceed to huddle at the corner, reading a book with hot tea in a tall glass, making him threw his hands up and went inside to wash the dishes.
It was by happenstance I looked up in break between the pages and saw silver lines racing throughout the sky. Not only one or two but dozens. In various sizes. There's only one thing to explains this phenomenon.
Meteor Shower.
I am not ashamed to admit I squealed, before yelling for Asher to come in.
His expression was gold. I am going to commit it to memory.
I smiled and turn my face back to the sky. Closing my eyes and clasped my head in a praying motion.
"Master?"
"They said 'Make a wish upon a Shooting Star', and so let's pray. Who knows, someone might hear it."
"Ah, yes!"
My wish is simple. Let me enjoy a peaceful life with people I care about, seeing beautiful and exciting things.
A flash of awkward face briefly showed up in my mind.
Right. If it's possible, I want to meet him again. Maybe a small talk or something.
The Meteor Shower lasted a few more minutes, which we enjoyed to our heart's content. It's not every day you see a Meteor Shower, after all, so enjoy it when you can.
"Nee. Master?"
"Mm?"
"When you said God, which one do you refer?"
Which one? Oh right. I forgot. In this world... there are multiple deities. Thirteenth Major Deities that were worshipped. Kinda reminds me of the Olympians from Greek Mythology. As for the one I refer to... well...
"Noir." The 13th God. The God of Shadow, Underworld, and Darkness in General. Basically, this world version of Hades.
The one who kills me and reincarnating me here.
If people could read my thought, they would be flabbergasted and aghast. WHY would I pray to someone who had once KILL me? Well. For one, rather than hiding away and shifting the blame behind lies, he straight forward explaining it and the circumstances behind it. Considering he was holding back his anger for the whole effing YEAR... I think I had to give him some slack. At least I was being some poor sod who had bad luck being collateral damage rather than a prophecied kid or something. I won't have heavy pressure weighing on my shoulders.
For another, I owe him one. He could have made me born in some random family, or even a doggone poorhouse, or a cold, treacherous household, yet he put me in a warm house, even if an eccentric one, and allow me to meet people like Asher.
"But... Master! He's God of Underworld!"
"Yes? And?"
Asher sputtered. "W-why of all deities, it has to be him?! Why not someone else? Like Lord Ienor, the God of Sky, or Lord Erelas, God of Forest? Why it has to be Noir?"
I frowned. Asher call others with title Lord, while Noir got nothing? It was one thing if I call him without any respect, I've met him and I originally come from another world, but someone like Asher who never meets him before to be such disrespectful...
"Asher. Mind your manner." That, come out sharper than I intended to do. "Why are you fussing about it? What's wrong if I happen to like Noir?" Even if it's because he's the first and only god I meet so far.
"W-well..." Asher wilted like a plant you forgot to water. "H-he is the god of Underworld..."
"And?"
"He rules over the dead. H-he... he can control darkness and shadow! Who would've known where he is because he is so silent you can't sense his presence! And he can read minds!"
That...
"I don't see the problem," I replied. Those abilities sound cool, actually, and very fitting with his role. And isn't reading the mind is a common ability in Deity's list of power? I mean, Psychic exist, cold reading exist, so actual telepathy and mind-reading are not that far-fetched. Especially in the fantasy world.
"W-what..." Asher pales. "How can you be so nonchalantly?! He controls the dead! THE DEAD! He can just take our soul and we can't do anything about it!"
Can he? He's the ruler of the underworld, not God of Death. Are those two the same or different? Because in my opinion they are different yet easily mistaken for one another.
"...He... Noir... I hear he never once have a Priest or Herald... and his temple is abandoned, if not destroyed..." WTF?! "If that wasn't proof he was no good, then there's a story where he harshly punished an entire city because one of the citizens offends him greatly. Even the fellow Deities didn't like him much. Not to mention... in the legend... he was described as a hideous corpse. And there was no story where he is on the Hero's side. No... there are very few stories about him. Why so, if not because he's no good?"
I stared, before sighed.
Wow. Just... wow.
I feel sorry for Noir. It was as if the universe set him up as the antagonist, as the final boss. And we all know what happened to the final boss. They exist solely as a foil to the Protagonist, like highlighting the protagonist's charisma, skill, power, etc. And once they're defeated? They will be forgotten.
I don't know what this world's people view him as, but I don't, can't, see Noir as the Big Bad. The last time I see him, he looks... well, a hikikomori. A lonely hikikomori who's trying his hardest and bottling things up until it blows over. I know. That's how I die. Not saying I completely forgive him. I still want to pull his ear or punch him at least once. But it was an accident. If it was a malicious attack, on other hand...
Also, hideous? Where did that one come from? Scary, I can see it, if the one recording it saw him at the wrong time, like when he was at the angriest point. Corpse-like, well, excuse him if his place didn't have much sunlight. But if my memory serves correctly, his paleness isn't that bad, and that was it. Hideous? Which part? He's handsome and pleasant for eyes. Not to mention he's a decent company, even if clueless and utterly fail at social clues.
Maybe the one who writes it was being very biased. Maybe Noir has a godly arch-enemy, either mutual or one-sided, and the guy who writes the legend was a follower of said arch-rival.
Yeah. That must be it. That made sense.
Still sad, though.
Can someone give the poor guy a hug?
~X~
Mmm?
I was roused awake from my sleep... maybe. Not much. But enough to know something, someone, had touched me.
No. Not that kind of inappropriate touch. Just... small gesture. Someone was holding my hand.
My vision is a blur. I'm not completely awake, and to be honest? I want to go back to sleep. The combination of bed and blanket is so comfy and warm. But then something both cold and warm, yet incredibly soft like butterfly touch, pressed against my hand for the briefest moment.
My eyes opened a little wider. Just. A. Little.
A black blur staring at me with familiar glowing red eyes.
They then disappear in blink of eyes.
Huh.
That was pretty weird-looking for guardian angel... yawn...
Zzzzzz...
~X~
"Did you found where that little shit is?"
"Yes. Turns out he's been living out from the estate with his servant. No contact. Apparently, it was a tradition."
"Damn. So that's why the 'invitation' always comes rejected! Blasted family and blast their tradition." Swore the first man. "What about security?"
"Hmph. The brat is too self-conceited. He didn't place any guard and only has one servant... the servant boy might be trouble."
"A trained guard?"
"No. Worse. A Beastman. Fenris kin, to be exact."
The first man recoiled in disgust as if he's swallowing a bug. "Those asshole consorting with monsters?!"
"They have good taste." The second man replied. "Fenris kin are known for their fierce loyalty. Once you secured their loyalty, they're your guard dog for life. Not to mention they can be trained. I don't mind having one myself."
"....you're sick. Are all mercenaries like this?"
"Haha, no, however..." clink! The second man casually unsheathes his dagger and picks dirt from his nail with it. "We do any jobs for money. Certain kinds, like me, will even take the dirtiest job. Speaking of that, since you got what you wanted, where's my reward?"
"Reward? Don't dream! You're not even doing your job ri—HURKH!"
Stab! The dagger was embedded on the wall behind the first man, who got himself a "shallow" cut on the neck.
"What's with that face?" The second man tilted his head. His smile was akin to a netherworld inhabitant. "Didn't I tell you, there's a certain kind of mercenaries like me. We would do even the dirtiest job, with a considerable price. Murder, blackmail, arson, anything. As such..." he easily yanks up the other man with one hand. "We have quite a temper."
The wind howling and threatening to destroy the room.
"If I don't receive my payment... well... what should I do, I wonder?"
"Hiii..." The first man shrieking. "I-I'll pay! I'll pay! I... I give you double the amount if you bring the boy! I promise!"
"Hoo? Double, eh?" The second man smirked. "Acceptable."
He drops the simpering, shivering, and stinky man. Someone certainly lost control of his bladder.
"I'll bring the kid in three days. Make sure you bring the money with you. If you don't..." The wind lashes out and slashes the furniture, leaving a deep gash in the walls and floor. "...there's a good reason why my contract is always written with blood-red ink."