CHAPTER 1- The beginning of friendship.

When I walk through the streets and see couples, I wonder: Will I ever find love? The idea of finding someone special, someone to share my life with, is an idea that fills me with hope and joy. But, at the same time, it also fills me with fear. What if I never find that person? Do I deserve that happiness? I want to have it, but another part of me doesn't feel comfortable receiving something so good.

When I see groups of friends, I wonder: Will I ever have friends? The idea of having a group of friends with whom to share happy and sad moments is something I've always wanted, but after being betrayed by those I considered my friends, it's hard for me to trust people again. Although I have tried to be a good friend to those who have approached me, I have been hurt once more. But I don't lose hope, maybe someday I will find someone I can trust.

And when I see parents with their children, I wonder: Will I have that someday? Having a family of my own is a dream I've had since I was a small and innocent child. The idea of having children and a wife to love is something that has always attracted me, but the thought that someone like me could form a family scares me. Why? Because I'm afraid of losing someone important to me, and that would only bring "him" back. I know myself well enough to be 100% sure of that.

Children, a wife, friends... To be a truly normal person. It's what I've wanted for a long time. To be able to lead a normal and happy life, without worries or fears. To be someone who doesn't stand out in anything, but is happy and has a fulfilling life.

I... Ah... To be honest, it's hard for me to have friends. All the people I considered my friends betrayed me. They didn't hesitate to do it even a little. They regretted it, but I didn't forgive them, or rather, there was no one left I could forgive.

After a long time, I had friends again. I really tried to be a good friend to them and avoided any conflict... But they betrayed me. They didn't believe in me. They didn't trust me. So many years together, but they didn't trust my words. People who don't trust me don't deserve my trust.

I desire to find true love. I desire to find a faithful friend. I desire at least to be as close to a normal person as possible. A normal person who doesn't stand out in anything. As long as I achieve one of those things in this life, I will die without regrets.

After I die, hell will await me, or my soul will simply disappear. Whatever my destiny, I will accept it without complaining because I know perfectly well that I deserve it. I did horrible things in my life, things I regret with all my being, but the past cannot change. Even if I try to change and be a good person, the past will not disappear, what I did will always haunt me.

That's why I will enjoy my life as much as I can because this will be my last chance. And how do I plan to enjoy it? By fulfilling my greatest dream: to be a normal person.

"So... Could you be my friend?" - I asked Yuik, the woman I rescued.

I could see in her eyes a deep sadness, a lack of hope that only made the sadness in my heart grow. It was evident that her life had been difficult and painful, and I wanted to do something to help her be happy.

Your past may be full of pain, but that doesn't mean your future will be the same. The past shouldn't define our future.

"Could you be my friend?" I finally asked her, hoping she could see the sincerity of my intentions.

My heart beats at a dangerous pace, and I swallow hard, trying to calm down. Why am I so nervous? Because I see in her one more opportunity to be happy, and possibly the last one I will have in this life.

She looked into my eyes with hesitation, but finally nodded slowly. I could see the mix of fear and sadness on her face, and I knew I had to do everything possible to help her overcome her difficulties.

"You accepted only because you were afraid to say no to me, I know, but I promise my intentions are good, I swear."

I understood what Yuik had gone through and felt because I had also lived through difficult moments. My life had not been easy, but I was determined to do something positive with this, my last life, and help those who were suffering. But... I will always put my normal life above everything. This is my last chance, I will not waste it.

So, even though I didn't know what was going to happen next, I was willing to do whatever it took to help Yuik find the happiness and peace she deserved.

How did I meet her? Well... First, let me tell you my story.

My story in this world.

•

•

After a certain event that I prefer not to remember, I was born in a fairly normal and somewhat poor village. I never knew my father because the son of a bitch just fucked my mother and left. I understand he was a handsome traveler whose dream was to travel the world, and my mother was stupid enough to spread her legs just for his pretty face. And my mother left the village without me, leaving me orphaned. I was raised by nuns in a very poor orphanage, where we only ate once a day.

However, despite not having luxuries, we always had enough to not starve. I was a simple orphaned commoner without big dreams. I just wanted to live a normal and ordinary life. I never dreamed of being an adventurer or a hero. On the contrary, I preferred to stay away from those topics because they would only bring unnecessary problems, and I wouldn't have the normal life I so longed for. But, unfortunately, fate was not willing to leave me alone. Or rather, that shitty Goddess wanted more fun.

When I turned 15, my life took an unexpected turn. I awakened a "job," which meant I had discovered my destiny. What is a job? All humans have a job. Shoemaker, Blacksmith, Healer, Lumberjack, Swordmaster, etc. In other words, they are the jobs destined for people, and the awakening of these jobs defines the path of each individual in this world.

There are boring, useful, and legendary jobs. Everyone dreams of having a legendary job, but I wasn't one of them. I simply wanted a useful job that would allow me to survive. I was content with a boring job, like being a librarian or a florist. I loved flowers and dreamed of opening my own flower shop to live selling flowers and plants for the rest of my life. But, unfortunately, that wasn't how it went.

"Dreimo, it's your turn," said the lead nun.

To awaken your job, you must kneel before the statue of the God Rauk and ask for your job to be awakened. Since it was mandatory, I had no other choice.

I wanted to avoid it because I had heard that recently several people had awakened the job [Hero], and knowing my luck, I feared it would be given to me.

With some fear, I knelt, closed my eyes, and clasped my hands.

"Please, Supreme Goddess, fulfill your promise," I thought, hoping she would have compassion for me.

But upon hearing the surprised and excited screams behind me, I confirmed what I feared most.

I opened my eyes and saw the great message that shone with a golden hue, which read: [Hero]

I had awakened the legendary job [Hero], the most important and famous job in the world, and my days of peace had come to an end.

"Dreimo is a hero!!"

"A hero has been born in our village!!"

"Dreimo, don't forget us when you're at the top of the world!!"

"Dreimo, Dreimo, Dreimo!!"

While the villagers and the orphanage children congratulated and applauded me for my new job, all I could think about was the death of the stupid God who had given me this job.

"Goddammit! You must be kidding me, Supreme Goddess," I muttered, filled with rage and disappointment. That job ruined my chance at a normal life.

I was planning to escape and get a new identity in another country to avoid working as a hero. But given my luck, if I didn't help, this world would be destroyed, and I would never have the normal life I longed for. However, if I defeated the Demon King, I might have a chance to reclaim my ordinary life.

So, with a heavy heart, I accepted the job and sighed. My days of peace were over, and now I had to face the world of heroes.

"C-congratulations, Dreimo!" said Sallynk, one of my orphan sisters.

"Thanks. I'm going to sleep... Uwaaaah!"

But they didn't let me go to sleep, forcing me to stay at the party.

After accepting my destiny as a hero, my life changed completely. The week following my feat, the entire village was still celebrating, and the most important families in the area offered me their daughters for marriage. However, I rejected all those proposals because I don't believe in marriage without love, much less in a harem. Besides, those families only wanted the status I would soon achieve, and I refused to be used.

Marriage without love, what nonsense. If I ever marry, it will be with a woman I love and who loves me too. I will only marry one woman because I believe in true love and a relationship based on mutual respect and loyalty.

"So? Will you tell me what I want to hear now?"

"P-please, come with us, Mr. Dreimo," said the leader of the Diamond Squad, the most important and powerful group of warriors in the country, and they had been defeated by me.

I had to slap him more than 1,000 times to get him to say that.

Huh? Why did I hit them? They looked down on me for being a commoner and ordered me to get into the carriage. Not even a "please" or "it's a pleasure to meet you." Nothing. They were disrespectful to me because I was a commoner, so I had to give them a little lesson in humility.

And I gave their diamond armor to the nuns to improve the orphanage and have food, with the small threat of killing them if they dared to run away with the money or use it for anything other than the orphanage.

Yes, I forced the elite warriors to be naked for the entire journey to humiliate them. It was a grand entrance to the King's palace.

I met with the King and... blah, blah, blah. In summary, the King forced me to enroll in the most important magic school in the world to become stronger. I must confess that at first, I wasn't very excited about the idea, but as I got to know my fellow heroes, my opinion of the school changed. I had fun being in that place.

During my time at the school, I participated in various tournaments, fought against corrupt nobles, and rejected many women who tried to seduce me because of my job as a hero. But the most important thing was that I managed to improve my relationship with my fellow heroes. I made sure everyone knew we were equally important in the team and that no one felt superior to the others.

Although I must admit that the school didn't teach me much about magic, as I already had a lot of knowledge about it, it did allow me to strengthen my friendship with my companions and prevent any of them from becoming a villain, so it wasn't a bad idea to go to school together. They became more powerful, and I gained friends. However, none of this mattered when my life took an unexpected turn... again.

Once I finished my training at the school, I set off on a journey with my five hero companions to defeat the Demon King. We went through many adventures together and shared unforgettable moments. I considered them my best friends and trusted them completely. But one day, they betrayed me in the cruelest way. The betrayal of my friends left me with a deep pain that made my life greyer. I... really considered them my best friends.

Now I have to face the Demon King without the help of my friends and without knowing if I can trust anyone else.

"You must be kidding me! Are you seriously doubting me?!"

The situation was becoming increasingly tense. My companions were determined to sacrifice me to end the Demon King once and for all, but I couldn't allow it. I had to make them understand that they were wrong and that I wasn't the enemy.

"You're not seeing the truth. It's me, your friend Dreimo, not the Demon King. Please believe me, ask me questions, anything! Just doubt a little!"

In the fight with the Demon King, we managed to defeat him, but the Demon King's soul entered my body and tried to take over me, and my companions decided to kill me to also kill the Demon King... or so they thought.

They fell into an illusion. They were deceived so easily that I immediately stopped seeing them as friends. A true friend would listen to their friend, or at least doubt a little what they saw, but no, they firmly believed what they saw.

"We can't risk the Demon King continuing to live inside you. We must do whatever it takes to protect humanity. I'm sorry, Dreimo."

It hurt my soul to see that my friends didn't trust me. But I knew I had to do something before it was too late. If they doubted a little, we could still be friends, but if they didn't... I had to stop them.

"Stop! Look at what you're doing! Do you really want to kill your friend? I've been with you for over 10 years! I'm Dreimo, not the Demon King! Trust me, please!"

"Dreimo would never cry," said Saraik, the Elf of the group.

"He's already being controlled," said Lineik, the human.

"It pains me to say it, but he's no longer Dreimo," said Lein, the Cyclops.

"You don't fool us," said... Meimik... the friend I trusted the most.

Yes, I was crying because I didn't want to lose my friends. It was understandable that they didn't think I was capable of crying because I had never cried before, but even I can get sad, especially with this betrayal.

"Who wouldn't cry seeing their friends want to kill them without a doubt? I'm crying because I lost my friends!"

It was then that one of them uttered those words that left me frozen:

"I'm so sorry, Dreimo."

I felt my heart stop at that moment. Were they really going to do it? Were they going to sacrifice me like I was a mere tool?

"It's for the good of humanity."

The pain in my chest was getting more intense. I couldn't believe this was happening. Why wouldn't they listen to me?

"Your sacrifice will be remembered forever."

The tears kept flowing from my eyes, even more than before. I didn't want to die. Not like this. Not as if I were a worthless object.

Even though I knew I would survive, I felt like I was dying because once again I had been betrayed by important people to me.

"I want you to know that... I love you. I've always loved you, Dreimo! I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please forgive me! If you can hear me, don't worry, I'll free you from your suffering!" said Meimik, pointing her sword at me.

Her confession left me speechless. How could she love me and at the same time want to kill me? How could she be so cruel? Despite the pain and betrayal I felt, I couldn't hate her. I couldn't hate someone who had been my friend.

It doesn't hurt me that they think I'm the Demon King, what hurts me is that they don't doubt even a little and are 100% sure that the Demon King controls my body.

"I'm not the Demon King. I'm not! Please, let's talk first!"

My voice came out trembling, but no one seemed to hear me. Everything was happening too fast.

They surrounded me, ready to fight.

In their eyes, there was only hatred, sadness, and fury. They no longer saw me as Dreimo; they saw me as the Demon King. Illusion magic exists, they know that, and yet they don't even consider that possibility?

"It's not within me; it was illusion magic! He must be hiding or escaping!"

But despite that, they didn't hesitate and slowly approached me, waiting for the perfect moment to attack.

"Wait! Please, just listen!"

But no one seemed willing to listen to me. They just wanted to end me.

And he, the one who had been my friend, pierced me with his sword. The pain was unbearable in my heart, but not because I had been pierced with a sword, but because I had been betrayed. There was no turning back; our friendship was over.

I couldn't believe that someone I considered my friend could be so ruthless.

"I will take good care of them," he whispered in my ear.

His words filled me with rage. How could he say something like that after what he had just done?

I knew this could happen. All my friends were in love with me, but I always rejected them because I didn't feel anything for them, and I didn't want to get romantically involved with any of them because it would only cause problems for the team. I hate harems; I would never have a harem, and I refused to date them all at the same time. If I dated one of them, the others would be sad, and that would only mean unnecessary problems that would hinder our progress... And he got jealous knowing that they were all in love with me and not with him.

So jealous that he let himself be manipulated by "him."

"... You have the soul of the Demon King," I said, realizing that the Demon King was within him.

I kicked him in the stomach hard enough to send him flying and give myself time to recover, but not physically, mentally.

More than 10 years of friendship, thrown away.

I had the perfect opportunity to kill him immediately, but I didn't dare because I still had some affection for him for being my friend for over 10 years.

But now that I'm prepared, I will no longer hesitate.

"Impossible! I destroyed your heart!" he said, not believing what was happening before his eyes.

When a normal human's heart is destroyed, magic cannot be used. But in my case, there are two reasons why this doesn't apply. First, my body is much more special than that of an average human, even much more than the body of a hero. Second, a simple attack is not enough to kill me. Many have tried before him.

During my adventure, I acquired many unique abilities that I hid because I didn't want them to feel inferior to me. I am immortal; they can only kill me by eliminating my soul. I knew that being much more powerful than them would make them feel inferior, so I always made sure to appear as powerful as they were. They don't really know how powerful I truly am and can't even imagine how powerful I can become.

"You have the soul of the Demon King, Valen!" I shouted, hoping my companions would react and side with me.

"He's trying to deceive us! We must kill him! We saw when the Demon King's soul entered him! He is the Demon King! Don't be fooled! I know you love him, but he is no longer Dreimo; he is the Demon King! Besides, Dreimo wouldn't survive being pierced through the heart! He is the Demon King!"

None of you know me, and believe me, this is nothing compared to my past self.

He created an illusion and deceived them. They believed more in an illusion than in me, the guy they supposedly loved. If they really loved me, they would have seen through the deception, but they didn't.

I tried to convince them, but it was useless. No matter what I told them, I couldn't convince them, and they kept attacking me. They tried to kill me and didn't believe me.

And that made me angry.

I'm not exaggerating when I say I could defeat them in seconds if I wanted to, but I didn't want to because I wanted them to trust me. But I got tired of trying. I stopped holding back and defeated them in less than 5 seconds. For the first time in a long time, I used 100% of my total power.

I didn't kill them, but I did kill Valen, as I had to kill the Demon King. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to defeat him.

"Fufu. I underestimated you, hero," said the Demon King, controlling Valen's corpse.

"N-no, it can't be," said Meimik, looking at me with that expression of regret, realizing that all this time I was telling the truth.

I just ignored her and prepared for the final battle. I no longer cared about their words, expressions, nothing. What's done is done. To me, they no longer meant anything.

The Demon King used his final transformation. He turned into a gigantic black dragon, and...

Do I need to narrate the fight?

Blah, blah, blah. A boring fight later, I managed to defeat him. I must admit it was quite easy to defeat him; the hard part was eliminating him, as he regenerated almost instantly. The only way to kill him forever was by eliminating his soul. I had to sacrifice almost all my power to eliminate his body and soul forever, finally defeating the Demon King and ending our adventure as heroes.

I had to use "that" to eliminate his soul, and since my body is human, I sacrificed almost all my power to activate it. I don't care because I won't need it anymore. The world is at peace now.

After the fight, all my companions gathered with me to congratulate me and apologize, but I felt nothing. I didn't see them as enemies, but neither as friends. They no longer held an important place in my heart.

"We're sorry!"

"We-fell for a stupid illusion!"

"Please, forgive me!"

"I-I don't want you to hate me!"

I was tempted to forgive my former friends to keep their company, but in the end, I didn't. I knew I didn't want them in my life if they didn't trust me after more than 10 years of friendship.

And I took the opportunity to pursue my dream of having a normal life.

"We've literally been friends for more than 10 years, and you didn't trust me. You believed him."

"It wasn't our...!"

"I'm sorry!" I said, interrupting her.

I sighed.

"I'm sorry, I want friends I can trust. It's childish, I know, but it's what I want. Goodbye forever. You can take all the credit; I don't care. I'm going to live in a forest or something. Goodbye."

"W-wait!"

They tried to stop me, but I ran far away and didn't look back. Even though they tried to catch up with me, they couldn't because they were tired.

Since that day, I never saw my former friends again and started a new life.

I finally had what I had always wished for: a normal life.

During my fight with the Demon King, I sacrificed 99% of my total power to completely destroy him and his soul. Despite only having 1% of my power left, I was still stronger than an Orc. If I trained, I could become even stronger, but that wasn't my goal. Now I just wanted to be a normal person with a normal job.

My plan was to work in a library, and I succeeded. I became a boring librarian, but it was a job I enjoyed. I used transformation magic to change my appearance and avoid my former hero companions finding me. I also created a story for my new identity to avoid raising suspicions about my past. Due to a curse, I couldn't change my name, but if everything went according to plan, they would never know I was the hero Dreimo.

I changed my red hair to long black hair that covered my eyes since I didn't like people looking directly into my eyes. Although I now had long hair, like a woman, I didn't care. I used to be very handsome, but I changed my appearance to be more "normal." I became an ordinary citizen, and I finally had a normal life.

If I wanted to have friends or a girlfriend, I knew my appearance was important. Although now I was "normal," I was still attractive. Not as handsome as before, but enough to catch the attention of some girls.

My life was simple and routine. I would wake up, bathe, have breakfast, work, have dinner, and sleep. I enjoyed this new, quiet life and felt more human than ever.

But everything changed when I met her.

"A sex slave?"

My boss entrusted me with picking up some books in another city, and since I was used to traveling quickly, I decided to run instead of traveling by carriage. Maybe it wasn't the most common thing, but this way, I avoided delays and could enjoy the environment while saving time.

On the way, I came across a bandit hideout, and as I always do, I faced them and defeated them, killing them without hesitation... And I found her. A sex slave.

“... Hey... You look terrible.”

It was unfortunately common in this world to find people like her. She had dark skin and was covered in painful scars. Her hands and an ear had been cut off, and she had no teeth. Most likely, they had been removed to prevent her from biting. But the worst of all was that she was blind, with bandages over her eyes, and she had no tongue.

They took her teeth so she wouldn't bite them when... Ah, better not think about that, it brings back bad memories.

Damn it, she has no toes. Sant, I hope you give them the worst punishment in hell.

Blind, mute, half-deaf, unable to walk properly, and without hands.

“They won't hurt you anymore; I killed them. You're safe now.”

I touched her arm to examine her better, but she started trembling with fear. With a simple touch, she was terrified, but she didn't try to escape or scream. She's used to this. She accepts her fate because she thinks there's no way out and that no matter what she does, she'll be harmed.

How long has she been raped and tortured? It was evident she was used to this kind of life, resigned to suffering in silence for the rest of her days.

“... You're very traumatized...”

I could understand her pain, perhaps more than I wanted to admit. Even though my healing magic wasn't very powerful after the last fight I had, I believed I could at least restore her sight.

I gently stroked her head and used my magic to heal her eyes.

“Don't be afraid; you won't suffer anymore. Everything will be alright,” I said, trying to calm her.

Even though I might not be able to use my healing magic for years, I knew it would be worth it to save her.

“All done.”

Carefully, I removed the bandages from her eyes and smiled at her.

“Everything will be alright, don't worry. Hello.”

The woman's expression was cold and hopeless, with a gaze reflecting the suffering she had endured. So much pain that she didn't even feel any faith.

“... Do you have family? Any close or distant relatives?”

She shook her head. She had no one.

She's not lying. She has no family... Was she sold by her parents? Maybe she's an orphan and was kidnapped.

In the orphanage where I grew up, there were several staff members who tried to sell orphans to sell their bodies, both for their organs and sexually. Fortunately for them, I always saved them and killed those employees.

“Friends? Any acquaintances?”

She shook her head again.

“I see...”

She's alone in this world... No friends, like me. No family, like me. She was raped and tortured... like me.

She is... like me... So much like me.

It was as if she were a reflection of my own past. I couldn't leave her alone.

I’ll check her condition more thoroughly.

“I’m going to examine you. [Analyze.]”

[Name: Yuik

Age: 28 years

Overall health condition: Critical

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs):

Syphilis: Advanced stage, affecting internal organs and nervous system.

Gonorrhea: Active infection, with purulent discharge and pain.

Chlamydia: Active infection, causing inflammation and pelvic pain.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Presence of several strains, with visible genital warts and elevated risk of cervical cancer.

Genital herpes: Painful and recurrent lesions in the genital area.

HIV/AIDS: Compromised immune system, multiple opportunistic infections.

Status: Pregnant (approximately 16 weeks).

Condition of the fetus: Deceased, possibly due to physical trauma and maternal health conditions.

Evidence of multiple abortions: 25 detected abortions, with severe scarring and damage to the uterus and reproductive organs due to forced procedures under unhygienic conditions.

Bone fractures: Broken ribs (22 ribs), some fractures poorly healed.

Bruises: Presence of old and recent bruises all over the body, indicating continuous beatings.

Cuts and lacerations: Several untreated wounds, with signs of infection and risk of septicemia.

Scars: Deep cut marks and burns in various parts of the body, indicating torture and extreme violence.

Dislocations: Dislocated shoulders, possibly from forced immobilization.

Signs of malnutrition:

Severe malnutrition: Extreme weight loss, skin clinging to bones.

Anemia: Signs of severe anemia, pallor, and constant weakness.

Vitamin deficiency: Acute deficiency of essential vitamins, affecting cognitive and physical function.

Psychological state:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Recurrent nightmares, flashbacks, and a state of hypervigilance.

Severe anxiety: Panic attacks, constant fear, and difficulty performing daily tasks.

Deep depression: Hopelessness, isolation, and frequent suicidal thoughts.

Dissociative identity disorder: Possible development of multiple personalities as a defense mechanism.

History of abuse:

Prolonged physical and sexual abuse: Clear evidence of physical and sexual abuse over several years.

Human trafficking: Indications of having been a victim of trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Inhumane living conditions: Signs of having lived in extreme conditions of unsanitation and violence.

Compromised immune system: High risk of infections due to multiple medical conditions and malnutrition.

Medical urgency: Immediate medical intervention needed to treat infections, fractures, and stabilize overall health.

Psychological support: Urgent need for intensive therapy to address severe psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress.]

Yuik has endured an extreme degree of suffering and abuse, reflected in the multiple diseases and physical and psychological damage. Her body and mind are on the verge of collapse, or rather, they already are.

Seeing all this makes my stomach turn. So much suffering... When was the last time you were happy?

“... I must do something.”

It wasn't ideal, but it was the fastest solution to ensure her full recovery. I didn't want to go that far, but it was necessary.

“Please, open your mouth. It's nothing bad, I promise.”

She opened her mouth without complaint.

“Don't worry, I won't hurt you.”

I cut my finger with my teeth and put some of my blood in her mouth to transform her into a vampire. As I watched her body regenerate and heal, I assured her there was nothing to fear, to calm her.

“Don't worry, it's something medicinal. Don't be afraid.”

In her status, little by little the diseases are disappearing and her belly is flattening.

As I watched her health improve, I realized I had no other choice. This unique ability I have was obtained when I killed a Vampire Queen and now I have the ability to grant immortality to others. I never imagined I would use it because it might be a bad idea to turn other people into vampires, but I don't think she will use her new power for evil; I don't feel any malice in her.

Turn her into a vampire, so she fully recovers in seconds, with the risk that she becomes powerful and I’m creating the new Demon King, or wait years for her to heal a little, wasting her mortal lifetime... Yes, I made the right decision.

Now that she’s a vampire, she has a special body and the ability to regenerate. All her wounds will disappear and she will be a healthy woman again, although her mental state can't be fixed with magic, but I have hope that she will move forward and be happy again.

She recovered completely. She has her hands, fingers, ear. Her body is 100% healthy.

The easy part is fixed, but the hardest remains: the psychological.

... She’s like me... I can’t abandon her. I want to help you. I want you to be happy.

“... You’ve really suffered... Would you like to come with me...? I want to have a friend... So... could you become my friend?”

She looked into my eyes and nodded slowly. Her teeth had already regenerated, but she wasn't smiling, simply going along with me because she was afraid to refuse.

“You agreed just out of fear of saying no, I know, but I promise my intentions are good, I swear.”

I smiled at her.

“You won’t suffer anymore, I promise. You will soon be better.”

I gently stroked her head. Touching her is a bad idea, but I would have liked to receive a little affection after... Ah, after “that”... Huh?

Suddenly, a message appeared in front of me, informing me about the curse she obtained.

[Curse detected.]

[No communication: Those with this curse cannot speak.]

... I don't know how to remove curses.

People who become Vampires sacrifice their humanity and, according to my research, new Vampires acquire a curse as a divine punishment or something like that.

I'm sorry, but you won't speak again. A small price to pay considering your body is healthy again.

“How old are you? Over 20?”

I already know the answer, but I want to talk to her.

She nodded her head.

“Over 25?”

She nodded.

“Over 30?”

She shook her head.

“You’re 28?”

She nodded. She’s 28. Still very young.

“I’m 26. Nice to meet you.”

I stroked her head and smiled.

“I hope we become great friends.”

Finally, I found a friend in her. Although I know it will take time for her to trust me, I am willing to give her a home and food while she gets used to my presence.

At last, I have a friend, and I hope this time it’s just my friend.

She and I are so alike... I promise you will never suffer again. Never.

I carried her in my arms and started walking.

“I’ll take you to my house and prepare a delicious dinner. Please, don't be afraid of me; I won't do anything bad to you.”

She continues trembling with fear. Yes, it’s understandable. It will take a long time for her to trust me. I'm just a stranger to her, it's normal for her to be afraid of me.

“You know, the starfish east of the Capital are blue because they feed on a blue plant called Lazuk.”

I don't know what to talk about with her, so I’ll tell her interesting facts about this world while I take her home.

I won't ask anything about her past to avoid making her remember bad things. I’ll avoid talking about things that bother her.

For now, I will only give her food and a home while she gets used to my presence.

“The three moons are called Kam, Kem, and Kim after the Triplet Heroes who saved this world thousands of years ago. Cute names, right?”

She nodded slowly, still looking into my eyes with that cold gaze.

“Yes... They’re cute names.”

I promised her she would be happy again and never suffer again. Although I can’t change her mental state, I hope that with my company she can find some peace in this new world that is now her home.

I promise you will be happy again, you will not suffer again. I promise with all my being.

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