CHAPTER 38.5 - I'm a Childish Protagonist.
(Pov- Kei.)
Ah... Yes, I admit it. I'm a cliché.
I meet all the requirements of a cliché protagonist.
I'm very cliché... Too much... But for me, that's good. Protagonists like me always survive and win in the end... I hope that cliché comes true.
When I turned 7, I realized something horrible... I'm a childish boy!
Reincarnation has negative effects on my brain. For example, I liked to play with Mei... We played with her dolls, her tea set... We even played a game called "Family". I was the dad and she was the mom... And I had fun playing! Without lying or pretending, I really had fun playing those childish games.
I became a real little boy... That's why I'm childish... My decisions aren't the most mature... For example, I kill people who have killed, but I don't think that maybe they killed someone in self-defense. And, to be honest, I don't care.
I've only killed bandits. And I've seen with my own eyes what the bandits do. They rape men. They kidnap villagers to sell their organs. They torture people. They kill small children... And they enjoy doing that.
That's why I have no mercy for them. I don't care if they're women, men, or elderly, I kill them all equally, without having any mercy for anyone.
I'm not a protagonist who thinks he's a chivalrous and good hero. I help villages and orphanages because it will benefit me in the future. For example, Eris fell in love with me because I saved her village. That was a strategy I had. If I save villages and help orphanages, there's a chance that a powerful girl will fall in love with me. It's cliché, so I did it. I like to help, but I prefer to help more in things that could benefit me in the future.
But I don't help all the people who need it. If I don't have time, I don't save them.
For example, in the Elven village, when I defeated the demon, there were severely injured Elves... And I didn't use my healing magic on them. Why? I forgot. I remembered when I was bathing, but I was too lazy to go to the village and heal the Elves. Mio has healing magic too, so I asked her to use her magic on them. I'm not afraid of them finding out that she's a half-demon because Mio wears a hooded cloak when she goes out. No one will realize she's a half-demon if they can't see her well. And I doubt that Mio will let her guard down, she's a very intelligent girl, it would be very difficult for her to be discovered. Besides, she looks like a half-human wolf, if they take off her hood, no one would suspect her, she would only be discovered by someone who can sense the magical power of other people. Besides, the cloak is special, it absorbs the magical energy that comes out of the wearer, preventing anyone from sensing their magical power. It's almost impossible for them to find out if she doesn't let her guard down.
... Ah... What a complicated life I have.
If I were a protagonist who believed he was a hero, I wouldn't kill and would always help people. I kill and help people when I can. If a villain kidnapped Mei and forced me to choose between saving Mei or saving 20 children, I would choose Mei. A true hero would try to save both, but I prefer to avoid Mei dying. While I think of a plan, the villain could murder Mei. I don't consider myself a hero because of that. I prefer to save my family. I am too selfish to be a hero.
Well, I'm a hero, but that's what the summoned ones are called.
... Summoned... Heroes... Demons... Demon Queen... Fravi... Ah, what a mess I've gotten myself into?
This life is torture. I spend all my time training, all the pain, the horrible things I've had to see and do, I've become a killer, I use women for my own benefit... I've become a shitty human being.
But it also has very good things. Drin, Eris... This life has given me two women who love me and whom I love. Treka and Mia, whom I already considered my trusted friends, are now something more than friends to me, although we have just started our relationship. It has also given me friends. Mio, Nem, Grisia, Diama... And the most important thing in my life, my older sister Mei.
Mei is the most important thing in my life. The person who has supported me the most. There are so many times she has supported me and been by my side that it is impossible for me not to consider her the most important thing I have in life. My dear older sister... One of the people who... No... The person I love the most in this life. I love my girlfriends, but that is a romantic love, but what I feel for Mei is a familial love, one of the most important loves in this life, even more important than romantic love.
Family comes first.
Mei is a bit strange, and her temperament is the same as our mother's, they even look too alike physically. I'm afraid she'll become a Sei Molfer 2. But she's also very kind to me and has never treated me badly... I really love her, I don't know what I would do without her... But someday, very soon, she'll hate me... When everyone finds out that I'm the hero Kei and that I want to kill Fravi, she'll hate me forever... I have to enjoy the time I have left with her.
My life is crap, but I don't hate it, I quite enjoy it. Before I met Drin, Mei gave me the energy to keep going. Thanks to her, I enjoyed living.
In my original world, Nia gave me the strength to keep going with my life. Thanks to her support, I was able to overcome depression and smile again... And in this life, Mei gave me the strength to keep smiling and not give up.
Mei and Nia are too similar in that regard, and that's why I thank Zius for giving Mei that personality. It makes me feel at home.
I enjoy this life, as it also allowed me to learn a lot that I couldn't learn in my original world.
"It's delicious!"
I, at 8 years old, was cooking a little meat. The family's cook was teaching me.
I'm not like the isekai protagonists who prepare food from their world.
In my world, Nia and my aunt cooked... I knew how to make eggs, but that was it. I didn't really know how to cook.
That's why I decided to learn to cook in this world.
"The meat is perfect... You learn fast, Kei."
"T-thank you."
Mei entered the kitchen and ran up to me.
"Brother, let's play!"
Seeing her smile makes me happy... A sister... To be honest, I always wanted a sister... Nia knew it, that's why she called me "brother". I was an only child... And having siblings in this world makes me happy. Although my older siblings are idiots that I don't even consider part of the family. They treated Mei badly, that's why I stopped seeing them as siblings many years ago, and humiliated them when I had the chance to do so.
"Of course! Yiya, I'm leaving. Thanks for your help."
Mei and I left the kitchen.
Being a little kid wasn't so bad. Except for the infernal training I went through day after day, my life was very pleasant thanks to Mei. I had fun... I felt full of happiness.
"Horse!"
"Eh?"
Mei jumped on my back and hugged me tightly.
"Do you think I'm a horse?"
"Come on, horse! Run, run!"
"Yes, you think I'm a horse! Wow, wow..."
That made me smile... Nia and I played that game... Although it made me a little uncomfortable because I could feel Nia's breasts on my back. Yes, I played that game with Nia even when we were older. We played that game since we were kids... It was nostalgic.
And playing that with Mei made me feel the same way I felt with Nia... The same happiness.
"This life isn't so bad." I thought at that moment.
But happiness doesn't last forever.
•
•
"I suppose my life will end here," I thought, while my body experienced an infernal pain, more than what I'm used to.
Why? Because of her. Near, the hero.
Near had her right foot on my head and was standing on my head, just to hurt me more.
She cut off my fingers and pierced my right shoulder with her sword. The damn Dragon scales are like poison, heating up my whole body to an infernal level.
Her companions just watched without saying anything... Charlotte, Bandia, help me... This is too painful... It burns... I feel like I'm burning... The pain is unbearable... That damn sword... Shit.
If she's going to kill me, let her kill me, I'm sure the Supreme God will allow Zius to replace me. Fravi, maybe you managed to get the heroes to kill me, but you will die. Maybe I won't be the one to kill you, but you will receive your punishment for all the harm you caused to this world.
I can't help but cry... It hurts too much. I would scream in pain, but Near told me that if I did, she would kill Mei.
Endure the pain, Kei, as you always do. Don't scream. Don't complain... Accept your fate... There's nothing you can do about it anymore.
But if I manage to make Mei survive, I will die without any regrets.
"Please, leave my brother alone!" Mei shouted, with her beautiful eyes full of tears.
I'm sorry for being so weak, Mei... It's unfair, but that's life... Real life isn't fair.
The maids were defeated... Mei was crying... She can't help me... I told her not to do anything. She's no match for the heroes... We're no match for the heroes.
"Fufu. I expected more from the famous son of Sei Molfer."
Near destroyed my right eye with the heel of her shoe. E-endure the pain, Kei... Endure the pain!! Don't complain. Mei will die if you complain... Endure the pain... Don't complain!!
"N-no... B-brother... L-leave him... Leave my brother!!"
No, Mei!!
She tried to approach us, but an ice barrier I created appeared in front of her. I knew she wouldn't listen.
"Mei, don't come near!"
"I told you not to speak."
Near started kicking my head repeatedly.
My blood splattered everywhere and Charlotte was trembling. She wanted to help, but she couldn't... Or at least that's what I want to believe. She helped me in the past, she's a good person... I hope.
Near controls them all... No one can help me... This is my end.
"Is that all?! That was disappointing. I expected a little more from the famous Kei Molfer."
The ice disappeared... I don't have the magic to keep the barrier... I don't have any magic left... This is definitely the end for me.
Please, Supreme God, give Zius permission to replace me.
"B-Brother?"
I'm sorry, sister... Forgive me... I don't even have the energy to say goodbye to you... I'm sorry... I love you, sister... Thank you for everything, and sorry for so little... Sorry...
Sorry... Mei...
Goodbye, Drin... Eris... Everyone...
Goodbye... Mei...
•
•
"Uh?"
Near shook Kei's body a bit, but there was no response.
"Tsk. Is this for real?"
Near sighed and walked away, leaving behind a defeated and humiliated Kei, who couldn't do anything against Near's power.
"He's dead. That was very disappointing. Let's go."
Upon hearing that he was dead, Mei's heart stopped for two full seconds, but then started beating again, only this time something different happened in her body.
A small red spark came out of her right pupil, so small that no one noticed.
"N-no... Brother!"
Without caring about anything else, Mei ran towards Kei and hugged him on the ground.
Mei used her healing magic on Kei.
His wounds disappeared... But he wasn't breathing... It was too late. Kei had died.
"Brother, wake up, please! Wake up! Don't leave me! You promised to be my right-hand man! You promised!!"
Luna, one of the heroes, stared at Kei's lifeless body and closed her eyes, clenching her fists.
"Poor guy. This is too cruel," said Sepgrar, one of the heroes, with tears in her eyes.
"Tsk. Damn crazy girl," said Bandia, clearly angry.
Frima felt guilty seeing Mei suffering over Kei's death and approached her.
"He's dead. I can use my..."
"No."
Near stopped her with a single word.
"Didn't you hear what I said? Let's go."
Frima lowered her gaze and nodded.
"Yes... Alright."
But before she walked away, Mei hugged Frima tightly and looked her in the eyes.
"Please, revive my brother! Please! I'll do anything! I beg you!"
"Kill that girl and let's go," said Near.
"Revive my brother, please! It's the most important thing I have!!"
"What should I do?" thought Frima.