Alaric didn't argue. Instead, he nodded, pulling two apples from nowhere and offering one to Medici. "Want an apple?"
"Nonsense!" Medici snapped, snatching the apple and biting into it viciously, as if tearing into someone's flesh.
"Sherlock! Finished the job?" Alaric called out, spotting Klein reappearing in his line of sight and waving him over.
"Yeah, Brody was stuck in a kitchen cabinet. I found him right away." Klein said, nodding. He caught something Alaric tossed his way, realizing it was an apple.
Without thinking much, Klein took a bite, then winced. "Ugh, so sour. What kind of apple is this?"
"You just like sweet stuff too much. I think it's fine." Alaric said, crunching away. He elbowed Medici. "Right, Red?"
Medici shot him a grumpy glance, didn't respond, and turned to head back inside.
Klein, determined not to waste food, kept eating while asking curiously, "Jack, did you and Mr. Red argue again?"
"Not really, just chatting about some novel stuff." Alaric said, shaking his head.
"Novel stuff?" Klein looked puzzled.
"Yeah, mostly about whether the heroine loves the hero for his personality, his money, or his face." Alaric said earnestly.
"Pfft, cough…" Klein choked, coughing before saying, "You were discussing that?"
"Yup, we all love reading novels!" Alaric shrugged. "Personally, I think it doesn't matter. Love is love. If the heroine doesn't love other rich guys but loves the hero, isn't that true love?"
"…Don't get too caught up in romance." Klein couldn't help but retort, then asked curiously, "What did Mr. Red think?"
"He's a purist. Thinks only love for the soul, free of any ulterior motives, is real." Alaric said, straight-faced, spinning nonsense.
Klein's respect for Medici spiked. He glanced at the sunny, carefree student before him, then recalled the sharp, worldly Mr. Red, who seemed like a seasoned charmer. The contrast threw him off. "Wait, don't you two have your views on love mixed up?"
Jack seemed more like the pure romantic type!
"That's just stereotyping! Besides, pure love is a Hunter pathway trait. Don't let Red's tough-guy act fool you... he secretly loves romance novels." Alaric continued, shamelessly slandering Medici.
Klein's perception grew stranger.
Another odd impression added.
"Spread one more lie, I dare you!" Medici, fed up with Alaric tainting his image, snapped from inside.
"See? He's mad!" Alaric shook his head, giving a I'll let it go look.
"..."
So that was all just Jack's nonsense!
Klein couldn't help but laugh and cry. He tugged at his friend's sleeve, whispering, "Don't go too far. Mr. Lucifer's not here. If you really tick off Mr. Red, I won't be able to stop him from thrashing you."
"You're right!" Alaric nodded gravely, then grinned. "Next time I rile him up, I'll just run faster." Admitting fault but never changing... classic.
"..."
That stubborn streak was all too familiar.
Klein didn't know what to say, shaking his head and letting it go.
"Alright, since you're done with today's job, study until the next one comes! Learning's always the priority." Alaric said, nudging Klein with a smile. "I've set up the study next to your room. Go on, get to it!"
"You're not studying?" Klein didn't object... he valued learning too... but he looked at Alaric curiously.
After all, he'd seen Alaric's obsession with acquiring new knowledge.
"I've got to handle some connections in Backlund, so I'm heading out for a bit." Alaric said with a smile.
Klein remembered that, unlike him, a newcomer, Jack already had established contacts in Backlund.
So, he didn't think much of it, just reminded Alaric to be careful before heading to the second floor to study.
Alaric left shortly after, but he wasn't actually handling connections. He wandered aimlessly, occasionally greeting neighbors warmly.
Eventually, he reached a man-made lake. Staring at the water, he saw his reflection... a golden-haired, green-eyed young man with a gentle smile. But those emerald eyes were as calm as the lake, barely rippling.
Just like his heart since arriving in this world.
"Tch, he saw right through me…" Alaric muttered, though he wasn't particularly upset.
Medici's words weren't wrong. His mindset toward this world did have issues, but that was normal, wasn't it?
"I've only been in this world for two months. How could I love it?" Alaric crouched, trailing his right hand through the water.
He didn't deny it. Despite actively learning, making friends, and engaging with this world, he hadn't truly integrated. He'd only just realized it.
His love for this world, for most people, was like a reader or player's affection for a fictional character. It wasn't fake, but it wasn't fully real either.
If there was an exception, it was probably Klein. He was a character Alaric had once adored, with a life trajectory that partly mirrored Alaric's own. This gave Alaric a genuine fondness for him, softening his heart during Klein's major life choices, as if for his past self.
That broke the dimensional wall, making Alaric see Klein as a true friend, not just a beloved character.
And now, there might be another such person... someone who saw through him and dared to call it out.
For the first time, Alaric realized they weren't just set pieces or lines in a book, but people like him.
Because they were people, they could disrupt his plans and do things that surprised him.
"Still, it's a bit embarrassing. I said I'd be a mortal, but my arrogance almost sent me floating to the sky. Good thing I caught it…" Alaric pinched his chin, lost in thought, then chuckled. "But Medici's words are so infuriating. Maybe I should use the Conqueror characteristic to give him a good thrashing later?"
After mulling it over, Alaric casually reached into the air, using a medium from Adam to summon a familiar figure.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Grisha!"
---
Hi guys, Elenea here! I just want to announce that starting now I'll be trying to focus on my own original fanfic, which I've been thinking about for the past few days (lol I really mulled this over briefly for a few days and decided I'm going to make it a full novel).
[Worse Than the Devil (DxD)]
Synopsis:
Devil.
An evil and chaotic creature, born from hell, which are often a scapegoat for humans. Blamed for the atrocities they themselves commit.
"The devil made me do it."
A phrase always uttered by humans after committing crimes, casting blame and responsibility for their wrongdoings onto the devil.
But not all humans are like that, for there is one man who would gleefully commit atrocities that would be condemned by all of human history and accept the blame and responsibility for those wrongs with open arms.
His name is Michael, but in stark contrast to the meaning of his name 'Who is like God' he is not a devout man who draws near to God's embrace. Instead… he is the one who sends lost sheep to meet God's embrace much faster.
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Btw, a quick note before you decide to read, if you have a heart as pure as glass, I suggest you don't read this because it REALLY gets dark to early. The first chapter will give you a little idea of what I might explore later on in this fanservice harem-themed world like DxD.
Adios!