alwaysunqualified

  Chapter 54 - Family. (1)

  I was alone in the dark. Nothing around me. No one. Or at least, there shouldn’t have been—until a pair of glowing eyes locked onto mine. My own voice shouted at me from somewhere in the void, but I couldn’t make out the words.

  I took a step back—then someone jumped in front of me. Even from behind, her silhouette was unmistakable. She was trying to shield me.

  My steps halted. I reached out instinctively, grabbing her shoulder to turn her around. But the face that met me wasn’t hers. It was one I hadn’t seen in eighteen years.

  My little sister. A hole torn clean through her chest.

  I scrambled to my feet. All around me, my family y sprawled—new and old, fallen and still. I wanted to scream. To cry. To rage. But I couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Couldn’t even control the body I was in.

  “Is my little prince sulking all alone again?” The gentle, teasing voice pulled me out of the waking nightmare. I blinked up at her smile, soft and warm, as she looked down at me in bed. For a split second, I thought I saw a screen flicker into view between us, then vanish before a familiar voice chimed.

  “Recollection date starto!”

  This st thing I wanted to hear right now.

  “How convenient,” she said, still smiling sweetly. “Is it finally this old, neglected mom’s turn?”

  I pushed the fading images out of my mind and focused on her. Mom and Alice. They were the only ones left. Why had I waited? Neither of them should have the kind of blocks that Angelica or Sakura had. It shouldn’t have taken this long. So why had they been left waiting?

  ‘Excuses,’ The word echoed inside me like a guilty verdict. Had I deyed because as long as I still needed them, I wouldn’t have to think about anyone else? Had I dealt with every girl I was worried about first... and then just stalled with the rest, unless they were right in front of me? Was I really just putting it off because I didn’t want to feel uncomfortable?

  “I did tell you to find a girl who could knock some sense into you,” Mom teased. “But she really needs to work on her aftercare.”

  “I’m not in the mood for this right now, Mom,” I said, my voice dry.

  She leaned over and pinched my cheeks, a sly grin on her face, “aw, is my little boy scared of the big mean girl?”

  I wanted to say yes—but was I really? I’d faced far worse here than just a beating. No, it wasn’t the pain. It was her words. They hit too close to home. I was scared... scared that what she said might actually be true. I was worried about my earth family. Worried about this one.

  Mom’s tone softened as she looked down at me, “if she said something that was true, then take that to heart, if she said something you know not to be, then disregard it.”

  “It’s not just what she said,” I muttered. “She took everyone out before I could even blink. And I still don’t know how. Especially after finding out she’s only at the tail end of tier 4.”

  “Isn't problems like this why you secured your first wife?” she asked, now tugging my cheeks up and down like I was still a toddler.

  “I didn’t secure her...” I grumbled, half-muffled by her pulling.

  “Anything my little prince says,” she hummed, finally letting go.

  “Sir, excuse my interruption, but you have guests,” came a soft voice from outside my room.

  “I’m not in the mood,” I called back.

  “Don’t be like that. Some girls came all this way to see you,” Mom said as she pulled me up.

  “They say they’re from... ‘Earth,’” the attendant added, the word sounding awkward and foreign on her tongue.

  My heart skipped a beat. Was the southern girl already back?

  “Looks like they came from even further than I thought,” Mom said, her voice cutting through my thoughts. They. She used the plural—so it’s likely the other two I met. If anyone had answers, it’d be them.

  “Tell them I’ll be down in a bit,” I said. I wasn’t about to bring strangers into my home—best to meet them at the Adventurers’ Guild meeting rooms.

  “Looks like your poor old mom will have to keep waiting for her turn in your grand tale,” she sighed dramatically, smoothing the wrinkles from my clothes and wiping sweat from my brow I hadn’t even noticed.

  “If you had a part, it’d be nagging me to death,” I shot back, trying for a joke—but my mood refused to lift. I hadn’t felt this off since before the st Breaking.

  “I would never,” she said gently. “Your spark is my world. Now... half to death? That’s another story.”

  She smiled as she finished, her touch lingering on my chest before pushing me out.

  “Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, pausing at the door. “Thanks for trying to cheer me up.”

  I meant it. It might not have worked in the moment, but I knew—especially after st time—that these little reminders, these constant nudges from the people I loved, were what kept things from spiraling into something darker. Even if I didn’t want to hear it then.

  “Go on,” Mom said with a half-smile. “Don’t keep them waiting. And try not to let them bully you too much.” She didn’t sound all that hopeful.

  “Bye, Mom.” I said with a forced smile. It was weak, but I wanted her to know I was okay—at least trying to be.

  As I headed for the door, Alice fluttered over and nded on my head. I reached up and gently plucked her off, holding her in my palm so we were face to face. “You can’t come, Alice,” I told her.

  She tapped her tiny chest and decred with a pout, “Coming.”

  “No. I’ve got guards. I’ll be fine,” I reassured her.

  She puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away dramatically.

  I caught the gleam in her eyes and narrowed mine. “If you’re thinking about secretly following me, that’s no more love points for a year.”

  That got her. Her wings drooped, and she slumped, flying off in defeat.

  “I’m sure you’ll get to meet them soon,” I added, and she turned to give me a tiny, defeated thumbs up. “I’m counting on you to take care of Ruby and the twins while I’m gone.” This time, her thumbs up was firm and sincere.

  Exiting the gate, I ran straight into two familiar faces. The smaller one immediately pointed at me and shouted, “Holy shit, you’re loaded!” Which earned a smack to the back of the head from her companion.

  [Name: Kurayami no Hime (Princess of Darkness)Level: ??? [??? Demon of Darkness]Affection: 22Shrouded in the velvety cloak of eternal night, the Princess of Darkness, known as Kurayami no Hime, reigns from her obsidian throne in the shadow realm. Born under the eclipse of a blood moon, her eye shimmers with the cold luminescence of distant stars, piercing through the souls of the unjust.]

  “Sorry, I’d invite you in, but... we’re kind of dealing with some problems right now,” I said, receiving the exact same information from the smaller girl as before.

  “Really? That bad?” the more responsible of the two asked, concern in her voice as her eyes scanned me.

  [Name: AralynLevel: 74Affection: N/A???]

  “Yeah,” I admitted. Her details were still hidden too—same as st time.

  “Is there anything we can do to help? We’re from the same pce, after all. We should look out for each other,” she said sincerely, while her companion continued rubbing her head and letting her eyes roam over the house.

  “That’s right!” Kurayami finally chimed in, tearing her gaze away from the building. She ran a finger across her face with exaggerated fir as dark fmes shimmered faintly around her. “This dark princess can solve any problem!”

  Dismissing the smaller girl with a gnce, I turned to the more reasonable one. “Actually... that’s part of the problem. Let’s move somewhere better to talk.”

  With a quick signal, I had my guard cloak us in concealment, and we made our way to the Adventurers’ Guild. I didn’t say a word the whole way, but the two behind me chatted cheerfully.

  Once there, we rented a meeting room—not the most expensive, but not so cheap that it cked privacy either. Sure, someone desperate could spy on us, but crossing the guild wasn’t a risk many were willing to take. Even the local nobles gave them a wide berth. Between the guild and the church, both had enough influence to ftten a city—and in the guilds case, had.

  The room itself was spacious—much rger than the cramped one I had back home. It could comfortably host a full party, with cushioned seats arranged around a rge bck table. At the center was a tray of complimentary snacks—candies I recognized from various city shops.

  Kurayami, the smaller of the two, had already made herself comfortable on a taller seat, happily digging into the sweets. I pced a few bottles of soda from back home on the table. Just seeing them brought on a wave of nostalgia.

  Kurayami’s reaction was immediate. She gasped and snatched one up like it was a long-lost treasure. “Is this—oh my god! I missed you so much!” she said to the soda, cradling it lovingly. “The food here’s good, but nothing beats an ice-cold pop. And I don’t even have to watch my figure anymore!”

  “I’m gd you like it,” I said, smiling faintly at her excitement. That’s right—at least I had things from home. They had nothing. No connection. No comforts. Nothing but memory.

  “So, what did you want to talk about?” Aralyn asked, her tone calm and focused.

  “Actually, I met another girl from Earth,” I said.

  “Really?! Another protagonist makes her appearance!” Kurayami lit up—until she got a proper look at my face and immediately shrank back beneath her oversized hat.

  “Not a good encounter, I take it?” Aralyn asked, her tone more cautious.

  I gave them a rough account of what happened. I didn’t go into too much detail—just expined how she effortlessly dismantled everything I tried. Then I added my theory about her being a seer.

  “She does sound powerful… and attacking unprovoked?” Aralyn murmured, clearly thinking it through.

  “She must be the outcast of the group, coming in all edgy and—” the little one started to ramble, but I cut her off, smming my fist down on the table. “This is not a fucking anime!”

  “Ah…” Kurayami squeaked, sinking completely under her red hat this time like a turtle hiding in its shell.

  “An excuse,” her words echoed again. ‘Am I mad because I'm the one still treating this all lightly. Did I really make the same mistake… again?’

  “I know it’s unsettling, having someone like that running around,” Aralyn said, her voice calm but firm. “But getting angry at us won’t solve anything.”

  “You’re right,” I muttered, exhaling slowly. I let my hand slip off the table and sat back, trying to collect myself. “Sorry.”

  “Is that all?” Aralyn asked, her voice returning to its usual calm.

  “She called herself the King of the goddess of truth,” I added.

  “King? Like in chess?” Aralyn tilted her head. “Does that mean there are other pieces?”

  I hadn’t really thought about it.

  “You’ve never heard anything about this? From your goddess?” I asked. I hadn’t either—but then, the one who brought me here loved to ramble about the most pointless things while conveniently skipping over everything that actually mattered.

  “Nope,” Aralyn said with a shrug. “Our conversation was short, and chess never came up. But… does that mean we’re pieces too?”

  ‘Am I the King of the goddess of love?’ I wondered. ‘Makes sense unless there is another poor bastard getting annoyed to death by her.’

  “What is it, Hime?” Aralyn asked, noticing the small girl peeking out from beneath her hat. She gnced at me but didn’t say anything. “Don’t worry—he’s not going to yell at you,” Aralyn reassured her gently.

  “Um, well…” Kurayami hesitated, then gnced at me again. After I gave her a small nod, she finally spoke. “Isn’t she exactly what we need?”

  I saw recognition spark across Aralyn’s face. “Why?” I quickly asked, my guard instinctively rising.

  “It’s connected to why I came here,” Aralyn said softly. “He disappeared years ago… and I want to find out what happened.”

  “Someone important?” I asked, my tension easing just a little.

  “My brother…” she began, her voice distant. “He used to come home and fuss over me—always worrying, always watching out for me. Then one day, he was just… gone. His computer was still on, and the police said no one had seen him leave. They closed the case quickly, but I never gave up hope of finding him.”

  Her eyes drifted, lost in memory.

  Hearing that, I couldn’t help but wonder—had he been taken here too?

  “So if you find her, you think she might have some clue whether he’s here,” I said, following her train of thought.

  “Yes.” She nodded firmly. “I can’t rely on the goddess alone. I have to do what I can, too.”

  I found myself nodding. I could respect that.

  “What was he like?” I asked, my thoughts drifting back to my own family on Earth. I missed them.

  She gave a small, bittersweet smile. “He was always trying to be like Dad. He’d say, ‘Now Jen, you can’t just answer honestly all the time,’” she added with a nostalgic, sad ugh.

  I froze.

  Those words… Straight out of my own mouth.

  “What?” I asked, blinking, my voice coming out dumb and disbelieving.

  “Did I say something weird?” she asked, suddenly worried.

  “Where… where are you from?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady as my heart raced.

  “The U.S.,” she said, still confused. “Why—?”.

  “Where, specifically?” I pressed, already rising to my feet, leaning across the table.

  She answered—but I barely heard it over the pounding in my ears.

  Still, when it sank in, I could only whisper, “Jen… is that really you?”

  “Kevin?” she gasped, eyes wide with recognition. Then she unched across the table, pulling me into a tight hug. “I missed you.”

  “See? I keep telling you—we’re the protagonists!” the third wheel chimed in. “He reunites with his long-lost little sister right after taking a major loss and questioning his pce in the world!”

  I tuned out her delusional commentary. The shock of reality was still sinking in.

  “You really do look different, Kevin,” Jen said, pulling back from the hug.

  “Yeah… you too,” I replied, still half in disbelief.

  “I just grew up. And had the goddess tweak a few things,” she said with a pyful smile. Looking at her, it was true. Her bronze-tanned skin, wavy dark hair, and dark brown eyes were all still the same—but now fwless. No model on Earth could hold a candle to her now. If not for the sheer perfection, I might have mistaken her for the sister I remembered sooner.

  ‘Why didn’t I ever consider they could’ve been dragged into this too?’ I asked myself. But more than anything, I needed reassurance. I needed peace of mind. “How are Dad, Mom… Timmy?”

  “Slow down, Kevin,” she said gently. “Everyone’s doing fine. It was hectic for a bit, but like Mom always says—‘life keeps moving.’”

  “Wasn’t that Dad’s line?” I asked. I remembered hearing it from him every time he talked about Grandma and Grandpa.

  “Who do you think he stole it from?” she ughed, wiping away the tears streaming down her cheeks.

  I wanted to keep asking questions, to catch up, to hold on to the moment but a loud sniffle from the side shattered the mood.

  “Sorry, I’m just a sap for drama. Got a tissue?” Kurayami asked, wiping her eyes with the edge of her bck cape.

  I sighed and spent ten points on a box of tissues. She might be annoying—but she was my little sister’s friend, so that bought her some grace.

  After Jen took a few tissues to dab her tears, we sat down and talked. The more we talked, the more certain I became—this really was my sister. She knew everything about me, down to the tiniest details, with only a few discrepancies caused by how long I’d been in this world.

  Also… thank God I’m not attracted to her.

  I woke up certain I’d just heard a bsphemous statement.

  Looking around, I was tucked in snug and warm in my crib, soft bnkets cocooning me while tiny dolls spun gently above on delicate strings.

  I knew I came here to compin about something—something important. But the way Mommy was caring for me so lovingly… I just couldn’t bring myself to be upset anymore.

  Well, naptime isn’t over yet. I’d better get back to sleep—Mommy might worry if I don’t get enough rest.