Chapter 203: New Beginning

Xiao Tao stared at it with a blank expression, as though he had no idea what had just happened.

"Eh? A bathtub? You brought your own?"

"Yep. Pretty nice, isn’t it?"

Qiu Nuoya also took out a bath mat and a simple privacy screen. With a turn of the faucet, the bath was ready.

Ah, things like this are really convenient in this world.

"I’m having a little trouble understanding all this..."

"You don’t need to understand it. Just accept that this is how things work."

Since Xiao Tao had only just arrived in this world, explaining things like magic circles and Water Magic would probably only leave him completely confused. Qiu Nuoya could explain how it worked another time.

"Go ahead and take your bath first."

Qiu Nuoya handed him a bath towel, and Xiao Tao happily hurried off to take a bath. Of course, he was only going to the other side of the privacy screen.

"How’s the water temperature?"

"Having a bath for the first time in ages is amazing! I’ve been filthy this whole time, and when I heard that people in this world use magic to get all the dirt off, I thought, Is that really how they do things? I’m so happy! This feels great!"

Exactly, exactly! I feels the same way.

It was nice to meet someone who shared his way of thinking.

Is this because he was summoned from another world as a Hero, so he was given bonus abilities from the beginning?

In Qiu Nuoya’s case, his wish to steadily raise his levels had apparently been reflected in how his abilities were distributed. Xiao Tao, however, had been brought to this world for an entirely different reason.

If things continue like this, then as long as he learns enough about this world’s knowledge and customs, he should have no trouble adapting and living here. Of course, if Xiao Tao’s ultimate goal is to return to his original world, that’s another matter entirely.

"Xiao Tao, what do you want to do from here? What do you want to do with your life? Do you still want to return to your original world?"

After going over Xiao Tao’s status, Qiu Nuoya asked him the question. Xiao Tao lowered his head slightly and murmured, "I want to go home... but..." He hugged his knees in the bathtub.

"But?"

"I want to go home. I’m sure my parents are worried about me. But... things aren’t really that different in either world..."

"Hm? What do you mean? What isn’t different?"

"I’m just like this by nature, so I was often bullied at school. I barely went to school at all, and honestly, I feel like I don’t really have a place in either world..."

"..."

From Xiao Tao’s halting explanation, Qiu Nuoya learned that he had been bullied at school because of his timid personality. He had been on the verge of becoming completely unable to attend school and had instead been going in a way similar to attending the school infirmary. Xiao Tao said that while his parents would probably be relieved if he returned home, that would not change the fact that he still had nowhere he felt he belonged.

Xiao Tao was fourteen years old, still only in his second year of middle school. At his age, the world largely consisted of home and school, so Qiu Nuoya could understand why he would become pessimistic if he felt he had no place in one of them.

"I’m really useless wherever I go. When I get nervous, I can’t even get the words out. I’m not smart, I’m bad at handling things, and I’m average looking and have average athletic ability. There’s nothing good about me at all, so I really don’t understand what it means for me to be a Hero. But... in this world, do you think someone like me can actually live a normal life?"

"Don’t call yourself ’someone like me’ as though you’re worthless. You have your own strengths, Xiao Tao. You even did such a good job cleaning and filleting that fish earlier. That alone is an impressive skill!"

"Really...?"

"Of course! You need to have more confidence in yourself, Xiao Tao!"

After being encouraged by Qiu Nuoya’s words, Xiao Tao replied hesitantly, "I’ll try my best."

Still, personality was not something that could be changed so easily. Qiu Nuoya might have to help Xiao Tao gradually build up his confidence instead.

"By the way, why am I the Hero? Someone like Wanwan is much more suited to being a Hero than I am."

"Hm? Wanwan?"

"Shangguan Wan’er. She came to this world with me. She’s the Saintess now, right?"

"Oh! Right, right! Shangguan Wan’er!"

Wait, Wanwan? Could it be that the two of them were actually close?

Qiu Nuoya asked Xiao Tao about it, and apparently, the two had been childhood friends since they were in kindergarten.

"Wanwan is the complete opposite of me. She used to make me cry all the time. So honestly, I don’t really want to have anything to do with her. But for some reason, we’ve always ended up in the same class and because the teacher usually put us right next to each other in the attendance list, I can’t really avoid getting involved with her..."

"Oh, I see. So you two are what you’d call old childhood friends who just can’t seem to get away from each other."

Qiu Nuoya had never had a childhood friend like that, so he felt a little envious. Then again, being tied to someone you would rather avoid probably was not exactly something to envy.

As Qiu Nuoya was thinking about this, he happened to glance toward Xiao Tao. Xiao Tao had turned his back to him and was getting out of the bathtub.

"I’m starting to feel like I’m going to overheat, so I’m getting out."

Qiu Nuoya stared at Xiao Tao’s back.

"Xiao Tao, what is that...?"

"Huh? What is it?"

Qiu Nuoya narrowed his eyes.