Survive in the parallel world, please!

204 Don’t date the crazy one, please! part “Are you ok? I’m not that experienced in dates, but if you’re crying it can only mean this isn’t going the way you wanted”

“No, that’s not it. Today’s been fun and I really like spending time with you, it’s just that, I miss Helena so bad”

Anne said amidst sobs.

“Why don’t you tell me about it? It might help you feel a little bit better”

Ryu said with a complicated expression on his face and Anne reacted by drying her tears with the napkin. She didn’t have a handkerchief and Ryu was too inexperienced and ignorant to even know it was expected of him to offer her one. All Ryu could do was be there for his friend and listen to what she had to say.

“Truth is, Helena and I didn’t part on the best terms. When we were back at Ironwoods everyone loved me and people knew and respected me, I was considered the strongest person along with Bob, but since I saved people using your medicine they even thought I had supernatural powers.”

“Yeah, I remember, I bet it was tough being so popular.”

“Don’t mock me, I know It got a bit up to my head, but what else did you expect? everyone relied on me, even you!”

Ryu shrugged at her remark trying to get her to laugh, yet only a small chuckle escaped her beautiful lips.

.....

“When we arrived at the sacred empire, it was incredible! It looked like a medieval city, but their society was far more advanced than it was on Ironwoods. It felt almost as if we were in a modern city. They had central heating, commodities, entertainment and their society thrived because they even had industries and companies!”

“You seem excited, but why do you sound so sad?”

“Because, instead of me, it was Helena the one being worshipped. She was a priest, a profession considered to be the most sacred, but it wasn’t just that, she was on the right track to become a high priestess so they treated her as royalty. But on this city I was no one, I was weak, powerless and people didn’t even talk to me! It was as if I didn’t exist. Can you imagine how did that feel?”

Ryu thought back on all the times he had been ignored or mocked at, he could relate to what Anne had been through, but at least he had always had Sera by his side.

“It must have been hard”

“Yes, but that’s not half of it. There are so many religious fanatics over there, it’s like a sect. I didn’t have many job opportunities and struggled to survive, while Helena was being taught all the priest skills and was even given an allowance. I tried to talk to her so many times, I just wanted to leave that damned place and you know what she told me? she said I was jealous! Me, jealous! After that we had a big fight and we parted ways, but I was left alone and defenseless in a strange place”

“Uh, so that’s why you left the empire?”

“No, even after our fight I still wanted to rescue Helena from those fanatics, but it was too late. In the end I was chased out of the city gates and told never to come back”

“I’m so sorry Anne, I really am. I know you were friends, but...”

“Ryu, I want to ask something of you”

Anne said with a determined expression as she grabbed his hand.

“I want you to help me save Helena”

“Listen Anne, I wish I could help but if she doesn’t want to leave there’s nothing we can actually do”

“I know she thinks she’s right where she’s supposed to, but I’m sure she’s being manipulated somehow. If you help me, If you agree to do this for me, I’ll be with you. I’ll let you do all the things you want to me, I won’t even mind if you take Sera as a wife or whatever, but please help me!”

“No”

Ryu shook his head breaking Anne’s heart to pieces.

“What do you mean no? am I not enough?”

“That’s not it Anne! you should know it by now. There’s little I wouldn’t do to help you or Helena, it’s hard for me to say it, but the same goes even for Luke. You guys are my family and I wouldn’t abandon any of you.”

“Then does this mean?”

“Let me finish please. Why are you always in such a hurry Anne!? it’s so bothersome, please let people finish talking before you speak”

Anne lowered her gaze as Ryu scolded her, she didn’t know why but a feeling of happiness started to rise from the bottom of her heart.

“This was supposed to be a date, all we had to do was have fun, but now it became too dense. If you ask me to help you, there’s nothing you need to offer me, just say the word and I’ll do my best. But as long as Helena is safe, even if she’s being manipulated, there’s nothing I can do, going there is jus too dangerous! or did you forget what happened before?”

“That’s true, I’m sorry for ruining this for you Ryu”

“Don’t apologize, I’m glad we did this. Somehow I knew that you weren’t really interested in this dating thing and it helped me get some experience”

“Hey! don’t go using me as a learning tool!”

“Didn’t you just try to utilize me too?”

Anne giggled at this, suddenly the tense ambience felt a lot less heavy, enjoyable even.

“Fine, we’re even then”

“You know, I would appreciate it if you gave me some tips”

Ryu did his best to hide his embarrassment after asking her to actually teach him, but Anne was percetive enough to notice. While it did put her in an awkward position, because she still needed to figure out how she felt about Ryu, she was also her friend and felt that it was something nice to do for a friend.

“First, if you see a lady crying you need to comfort her, the least you can do is offer her a handkerchief so she dries her tears”

Anne said reluctantly and Ryu nodded at her prompting her to keep speaking.

“Also, you need to offer her your arm when walking the street, it would have been nice if you held me while using the elevator too! those things are scary. And you need to be more considerate, if the girl you’re dating puts on an extra effort in her looks, the least you can do is put on a shirt!”

“Hey! that’s unfair, I don’t have any shirts and I can’t craft one myself so there’s no way I can teach goblins how to either. And don’t think I didn’t notice you staring right at my chest the whole time, you acted just like Luke the whole time, you pervert”

Both laughed heartily and continued to enjoy their meal in the most impossible restaurant in the whole world.