'These buildings… they look familiar. Like composites or something. For some reason, this village reminds me of the one I lived in thirty years ago.'
'No electric poles. No asphalt roads. A few… yes, if I'm seeing correctly, there's even a horse.God… where the hell did they drag me?'
He still thought he had been kidnapped. He wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed in his previous life either; he fell for every scam, tricked by the simplest schemes. His death had been a natural consequence of that foolishness.
One day, while returning home from work, he saw a man in tattered clothes. The man stood among the buildings, hidden in the shadows. Out of that useless mercy that always tormented him, he stepped into the narrow street and offered the man some money.
The man stared at him briefly, surprised. Then his eyes scanned the surroundings—looking for cameras.
He gritted his teeth.
In an instant, he reached out, covered the man's mouth, and plunged his already blood-stained knife into the man's stomach without hesitation.
Yes…
The man was a hired killer.
He had just completed his mission. The spot he was in was the route of the person he was supposed to kill. After finishing the job, he hid the body. The escape route had been planned in advance.
But there was one thing he hadn't accounted for: our guy.
Suddenly, he became a "witness."
And that promotion led him straight to the cold, underground dirt.
......
And now… here we are.
Our guy didn't even realize he had been reborn. When he opened his eyes, he found himself inside a hut. The surroundings felt familiar, yet something was off.
Wouldn't a person notice if they shrank from two meters to one seventy?
Or that their beard had completely vanished? Or that their waist-length hair now flowed in the wind?Nope. He didn't. He was still busy examining his surroundings.
"Interesting… this plow is made of wood. Where am I, for God's sake?"
He looked at the people around him.
"Their faces… weird. Blonde like Europeans, but this dark-skinned? And those patched clothes… Did a beggar kidnap me and bring me to a village of beggars?"
Still, he didn't notice the weirdness. Or maybe he was deliberately ignoring it.
A massive herbivorous bird had just stepped over him. He didn't notice.The passing horses had tiny horns. Didn't notice that either.It wasn't mere carelessness; it was almost a talent.
He kept walking, until he reached a small irrigation pond near the village.He probably still wouldn't notice… but he paused.
"Wonder if there are any fish here?"
He leaned over.
A wooden sign beside the water read:
"For irrigation only. No fish."
But whatever…
Sometimes stupidity works in your favor.
He leaned in… and saw a reflection on the water's surface.
Long, white hair… a face almost feminine in its features.
He stared for a moment.
"Is… this me?"
He leaned closer.
"Have I… aged?"
Then his eyes squinted.
"Why are my eyes red?"
He stopped.
"No… that can't be."
He thought for a moment.
"…Did I turn into a rabbit?"
No matter how convoluted the path, he would eventually reach the correct conclusion.
"Stop it… rabbits? No… I think I've been reborn."
The fact that he wasn't a rabbit had nothing to do with his rebirth… but hey, the conclusion was right.
"Is this an anime… or a novel? Wait… maybe even a manga."
He paused again.
"Yes… yes! This face… it can't be wrong!"
He didn't remember the anime's name.
Nor the protagonist's name.
But somehow… he remembered the story.
Well, what he thought he remembered wasn't actually the real plot.
The name stuck in his mind:
"Hero versus the Demon Lord."
But that wasn't the story's real title. It was more like an ironic summary of his current situation.
The actual story:
"Building a harem in another world."
Simple. Too simple.
But the point was clear.
And yes…
Our guy had taken the place of the story's main character.
"I remember… the main character's name is Croom."
He looked around.
"I… am the protagonist. This must be Steeldoor Village."
He strained his mind.
"It started from here… then the awakening ceremony… being chosen by the goddess…"
He paused.
"Saying goodbye to a childhood friend… going to the academy… forming a team…"
Silence.
"…Then nothing."
The anime's second season hadn't come out yet.
Actually, the protagonist didn't know that this life came not from an anime, but from some fanfiction.
"Has the Demon King appeared yet? Do I really have to fight him?"
In reality…
Our hero wouldn't fight the Demon King.
He would… add him to his harem.
The so-called "Demon King" wasn't some terrifying being, just a girl lacking a father's love.
Our hero would say a few impressive things… and she too would join his harem.
Would the world be saved?
Maybe.
But first… the harem must be complete.
"I need to go home."
He remembered.
"I was an orphan… and only had one childhood friend."
He entered his hut. Sat on the bed. He hadn't closed the door; anyone could see in.
At that moment, a voice sounded.
"Croom, are you home?"
"Yes, I'm here, Eli."
The girl stepped inside.
"Look, I brought you something to eat."
She smiled.
"What's this?"
"I tried making blackberry bread… might be a bit burnt. But don't worry, it's super sweet."
Croom took the bread. Took a bite.
Paused.
'Tastes awful.'
"Really sweet, huh. I guess it's the love you put in that counts."
He was lying. His expression gave it away.
Still, he kept eating.
Maybe a weird side effect of being the hero.
"When are you leaving, Croom?"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Soldiers… they'll arrive tomorrow."
He answered from memory.
"You won't forget me when you go to the academy, right?"
She stepped closer.
"No. You're my only friend. How could I forget you?"
His words didn't match his face. She didn't notice.
"I'll miss you… please come see me."
"Of course. Every summer, I'll be here."
Stupid. But a good liar.
"Let's make a vow."
"I'll remember Croom for the rest of my life."
"I'll remember Elizabeth for the rest of mine too."
His face showed indifference as he said it.
Croom went inside and closed the door. She stayed staring at it, then slowly turned around.
"I had to reveal myself."
How did she notice me? I was sure I was hidden.
"I've been watching you for two hours," the girl said.
"You were following him. Even while we were talking, you were here."
My shock increased.
"You had something… pushing away those floating things in the air."
My heart tightened.
This shouldn't be possible. I could've escaped. But I didn't. Something inside me said I had to talk to her.
I stepped forward.
"I am Alaric Duskmire…" I said.
"From the House of Duskmire."