CHAPTER 12 - Daniela
(POV - Daniel)
Ugh… Well, well… Damn it.
Alright, Daniel, think this through.
I'm getting married to show humans and demi-humans that it's possible to live in peace together again. I'm the only one… Well, there are two others, but for now, I'm the only one on this continent with all types of magic, the supposed reincarnation of the demi-humans' God, and the human hero who's defeated demons in a single strike.
If someone like me marries the demi-human princesses, and we create anti-discrimination laws, it's very likely we can achieve that peace in a short time.
As long as anti-discrimination punishments apply to everyone, regardless of age or social status, humans and demi-humans will be forced to coexist and not harm each other.
At first, they'll hate being together, but over time, that hatred will fade into nothing, and that nothing will become normal for them.
This generation will hate each other, but future generations, with proper education, will live together as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
I'll take the first step by showing it's possible for a human to be married to a demi-human.
My marriage won't have love at first, but for the sake of peace between two species, I'm willing to force myself to love them. After all, the group contract strictly forbids members from dating each other, so my teammates will never love me, and if they do, they're obligated to never ask me out. I'll never have a relationship with them, especially not with Sonia, so I can marry the princesses without fear of ruining my friendship with the others. After all, we're just friends.
I'll force myself to love them. It'll be hard, considering I'm still traumatized by romantic relationships because of Sonia, but given the princesses' reactions and how strict royalty is about their children's education, they'll never betray me. I have to trust them.
Daniel, try to love again, for the sake of others, and don't mess it up this time.
Sonia cheated on me because I didn't want to have sex with her. I won't mess it up this time.
When I truly fall in love with them, I'll try to make them happy, doing whatever they ask. I won't mess it up again. I won't.
… Ugh…
"I really didn't want to get married."
Going this far for humans and demi-humans, even willing to marry girls I barely know and who are younger than me… Why am I such a good person? Daniel, be selfish for once in your life. You hate political marriages! You hate loveless marriages! Why can't I bring myself to say no?
"Why am I like this?"
I want to refuse, but at the same time, I feel like I have to accept.
Why am I so weird?
I know I'm a good person, but this is too much.
"Ugh… Sonia…"
I land on the ground and lie down to rest for a minute.
My head's burning… Damn it.
"Seeing Sonia reminds me of all the pain I suffered from her betrayal. My mother. The demi-humans' discrimination against me… I'm going to marry two girls at the same time without feeling love for them."
I lied to the King, pretending to be the reincarnation of their God.
I'll bring peace between demi-humans and humans through lies.
"Arghhh!! Damn it!!"
… God, can't you really replace me? I don't want to be here anymore…
"But I don't want to leave either."
I want to go, but part of me wants to stay… Why am I like this?!
… Ugh…
"I was born poor but handsome. I lost my parents, but my grandma gave me everything I needed to survive. She gave me the best friends I could've wished for, but most of my male classmates mocked me for being poor and even hit me. I enjoyed my relationship with Sonia so much, but she cheated on me… And then there are the attempted assaults I suffered, but… Ugh, there's no good counterpart to that."
Life always treats me well and badly. God gives me happiness but also so much pain. Am I doomed to be unhappy or happy? I don't understand.
And now that I have my grandma by my side again, it turns out my mother's a demon and she's in this world.
"Why does this happen to me? Why me?"
"I don't want to keep suffering."
… Those suicidal thoughts again, even with my grandma back by my side.
"Mother… why don't you love me?"
•
•
(POV - Cris)
I pat my sister's head, trying to comfort her so she'll stop crying.
Everyone's arguing about Daniel's wedding to the demi-human princesses. Their reactions are pretty obvious to me. "Oh, my prince is marrying another girl. I have to stop it." "Why doesn't he love me, even though we've known each other for a couple of days?" "I'm going to tell him how I feel when he gets back."
They don't say it, but I'm pretty sure that's what they're thinking.
Even my sister's crying out of frustration. Ugh, if she weren't my sister, I'd hit her for being a hypocrite. She cheated on Daniel; she has no right to criticize his choices, much less interfere in his life.
But I do hate Daniel's other teammates, except that little fairy girl; she doesn't seem interested in Daniel that way.
Daniel's always wanted friends who are just friends, but people only approached him for two reasons. Guys pretended to be his friend because they thought it'd help them get a girlfriend, since women were always drawn to Daniel. And women wanted to be his friend to try to win him over.
And now his teammates feel like their man's being stolen, because they see Daniel not as a friend but as a potential boyfriend, and that disgusts me.
Sara, Alex, Rem, and… Well, Rose seems more generally curious than in love; I think Daniel just intrigues her for now. But the others are in love with him, even though he's made it clear multiple times that he's not interested in romance or wanting a girlfriend. He even made a group rule banning relationships between members to keep them from falling for him, but they didn't care.
Daniel's handsome and a really good person; I don't blame them for falling for him. But doing it knowing all he went through because of Sonia and after he made it clear he'd never fall for them fills me with frustration.
They're mad about a decision Daniel made, a decision that shouldn't matter or affect them because Daniel's not their boyfriend, but they're acting like he's cheating on them.
At least Cristina, Daniel's friend, is judging the others with her glare. She danced with a noble yesterday and spent hours talking to him. I don't think she's in love with Daniel, so I think she, Liz, and Rose are the only decent ones in the group. Sara may be smart, Alex a prodigy with earth magic, and Rem… Rem… She's the most useless.
But they'll ruin their role in the group if they let their feelings for Daniel affect them.
… Ugh… I'd better go for a walk.
"Sister, Daniel's not your boyfriend anymore, and it's obvious someone like him would never get back with a girl who cheated on him. But I'm sure he's willing to be your friend. Don't ruin this chance to be friends again by being a hypocrite. You messed up, too bad, but Daniel's just one guy. There are millions of guys out there. Fall in love with someone else and don't mess it up this time. Got it?"
"I know, I'm really trying, but…"
"No buts, sister."
I stop patting her head and stand up from the ground.
"Daniel has a new chance to be happy; don't ruin it by bothering him. Don't be selfish and think only about yourself. Think about what I said."
I leave the house and start walking, no specific destination in mind. I'll just walk.
…
…
…
I feel jealous, huh?
Jealous of not being Daniel, but also grateful I'm not him.
If I had Daniel's looks, would I have tons of girlfriends? I'd probably have taken advantage of it; I won't pretend to be a good guy like him and deny it.
Girls only approached me to have an excuse to talk to him.
A guy doomed to be Daniel's shadow, at least as long as I'm by his side.
Ugh, I know, any girl who approaches us will only want to be with him. I'm used to it, so it doesn't bother me too much.
I look at the people around me… Some stare at me, but not out of interest in me—because I'm Daniel's teammate.
"Is he powerful?" I imagine they're wondering, and the answer's simple: I have no magic or special skills!!
I'm doomed to be a burden to Daniel. What a load of crap, but there's nothing I can do. And I'm not stupid enough to hope that learning to use a sword will make me powerful, because that'd be living a lie.
The enemies are demons! There's nothing a magic-less guy like me can do; I'll just be a burden.
Life's so unfair!
"So I'd better enjoy it as much as I can."
I'm tired of being a virgin; I'm going to a brothel!
I know it won't make me more powerful, but at least I'll do something I've always wanted: have sex.
I'll do everything I've ever wanted before I die. This world's dangerous, especially for my sister and me, who have no magic. Daniel can revive us once, but if we die again, we're gone for good.
I don't want to die, but we don't know how powerful Daniel's enemies will be. Better safe than sorry, so I'll do everything I've always wanted before I die.
Have sex.
Kiss a girl.
Go on a date.
Defeat a villain.
Have a friend who doesn't use me to get to Daniel.
Have a girlfriend.
Skydive.
Try tons of new dishes.
Visit other countries.
And so on, and so on.
But the thing I want most is: a girlfriend who loves me and only me.
That's the hardest goal, because as long as I'm with Daniel, all eyes will be on him, and no one will notice me.
I hope I can pull it off; hope's the last thing to die!
"Let's see…"
I pull bills from my pocket.
I've got 1,000 from the King for expenses, and I hear a quality prostitute charges 100. I'll make my first time an unforgettable night! I'll hire five girls and spend the rest on booze! Come on, Cris, time to lose your virginity!
"Hey, hey."
"Huh?"
Whoa! S-shit, Daniel's right; the King's bodyguard is terrifying. She appeared out of nowhere behind me and hugged my arm like we're old friends.
Is she going to ask me about Daniel?
"Where you headed? It's weird to see the siscon without his little sister."
"Siscon? Get outta here! I don't have mental issues, you nutcase."
"Ooh, sure. I saw you dancing with her at the party, all cozy."
"I don't know, maybe because, you know, we're siblings and love each other like siblings! My sister was sad because Daniel refused to dance with her, and I tried to cheer her up."
"Fufu. Cheer her up? With your fingers or your tongue?"
"You're sick, aren't you?"
"Hahahahahaha! Wow, I thought you'd be like Daniel, but you're pretty blunt. I like you, four-eyes."
"Oh, you like me? I'm so honored. It's such an honor to please you. This is the happiest day of my life," I say, obviously sarcastic.
"Don't get too excited; I'm into women. Sorry for breaking your heart. I know I'm gorgeous and perfect, but you've gotta get over me."
Did she not catch the sarcasm? Nah, she's probably just playing dumb.
"You wish."
"Don't want to get over me? You like me that much? Oh, I'm blushing. I think I got wet. Fufu."
"You're weird, you know that? I like you. Wanna hit a brothel? I'm going to lose my virginity. You're a lesbian, so we could split costs. I'm planning a party at a brothel to celebrate becoming a full man."
"Hahahahahaha! You seriously ask a girl to go to a brothel with you? You're weirder than I thought."
She starts patting my back.
"I like you even more now. It's my day off, so let's go celebrate you becoming a man today."
"Let's do it. On the way, give me tips on how to please a woman so I don't embarrass myself."
"Of course," she says, winking.
She's probably just getting close to me to get info on Daniel, but I don't have anything useful for her. At least she seems fun.
"At least got a decent tool between your legs, or you just gonna make a fool of yourself?"
"You don't need much to please a woman, but if you're so curious, wanna see it?"
"A bold guy, huh? You don't offer that to a lady."
"You act like a lady when it suits you, huh? You're the one curious about my majestic tool; don't hate me for offering a solution to your question."
"Majestic, you say? Hahahahahaha! We'll see about that."
"See? Wanna find out for yourself? How bold of you. At least buy me coffee or sweet-talk me first."
"You wish, four-eyes! Hahahahahaha!"
She hugs my arm tightly as we walk.
"Maybe in my next life, I'll give you that privilege."
"I can wait," I say, smiling.
I hate to admit it, but I like this girl. She's a lesbian, so this could be my chance to make a real friend who's not interested in Daniel sexually or romantically. Cris, don't screw this up!