I Also Have Competition That Wishes Me Dead

Wilhelm led us into the dining room and seated us at the solidly crafted wooden table. He apologized, wanting to warn his daughter about the two unannounced guests. I was a little worried about how smoothly everything had gone. No questions about who I was, unless Renet was trusted in this household, but still… Maybe the host had planned an interrogation over dinner. I felt myself sweating again, because whatever my traveling companion thought of me, perhaps he didn't even care about the details of my person; this meal might be my first attempt to not expose my origin in this world. I frantically thought about how I could avoid giving myself away, and if I failed, how I could explain my presence so they would take me seriously. For a moment I glanced at Renet, but he would find out then too, and how would he react? Would he leave me, or just shrug and continue helping? Too many unknowns! My brain was slowly overloading, my heart rate was approaching its limit, and each breath came harder and harder. An invisible band even appeared, tightening painfully around my chest.

I didn't need an anxiety attack. I could handle it in my world, I could disappear for a while, get worked up over everything bad, until I finally ran out of fuel, my emotions subsided, and I could breathe normally. But here, I had nowhere to hide, nothing to distract myself with. Where were my phone and those funny cat videos? This attack would just be another source of embarrassment, especially since Renet sensed something was wrong.

I felt his eyes on me, studying me, wondering how he could help me, but I suspected he hadn't experienced situations like this before, so he grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Don't worry, they're really nice people," he said with a smile.

"I believe you," I muttered between stabs of pain, but I'd rather judge that later.

Then Wanda stormed in and, for the first few seconds, didn't even notice my presence. Her long, dark-blonde hair was tied in two braids, which only added to her youthful allure and perfectly complemented the image of a beautiful, charming young lady, the focal point of which were her sparkling, energetic light blue eyes. Their expression changed as her gaze wandered from Renet's hand, still clutching mine, to me. At that moment, they only wished me instant death, whether by an unfortunate accident or, preferably, by self-infliction, with a guaranteed immediate effect. I withdrew my hand; nothing terrified me more than a woman under the influence of strong emotions and driven by jealousy. I hadn't been in this world long enough to face her on equal terms; my age, unkempt figure, and very likely gender also prevented me from doing so.

"Renet, what do you think of my new dress?" The girl spun around, and the dress danced beautifully with her, and when it stopped, it draped gracefully over her perfect figure. Wherever I stood, no chance.

"Very pretty," he replied, though he didn't particularly look at her, instead nervously picking at threads on his tattered garment. "It fits you well," he added, as if that was what was expected of him.

"You could have shown the dress later, child," Wilhelm remarked, entering the room with the cauldron, from which steam rose. My stomach churned, demanding the feast begin as soon as possible. "Our family recipe," the old man laughed politely. "It must be made in a cauldron; no pot is up to the task."

How I looked forward to a normal, human meal, and then I happened upon such a delicious thing. Wanda was asked to bring bowls, spoons, and bread. I didn't know what I'd been so nervous about before; the key discovery for me was the fact that they had bread here! The food consumed my entire attention, and I barely managed to keep myself from breaking too many of the good manners one should maintain when dining with someone, especially since Wanda was watching me closely, and I could tell by her mischievous smile that she was just waiting for an opportunity to tease me. Renet hadn't eaten much; he'd tasted a few things, nibbled on some bread, and didn't seem particularly thrilled with the taste, unlike me. Although I had a feeling there was something else behind his lack of humor. I didn't know what spices were used here, but whatever it was, if someone cooked for me every day, life here would be quite bearable, but my heart would ache knowing I'd never taste ramen again.

"Your appetite is still poor, Renet," Wilhelm said to him. I could finally think clearly now that I'd filled my stomach. "Your friend, however, makes up for it." He smiled at me.

"That's the best thing I've eaten in a long time," I replied. "Whoever cooked this is a genius."

"Thank you for the compliment," Wanda interjected. "Who are you anyway?"

"My dear," her father sighed heavily. "I'm sure everything would come out naturally during a conversation, wouldn't it…" He gave me a meaningful look.

"Togawa Kyo," I replied almost automatically. "But please call me Kyo."

"What an unusual name. Besides, what immediately caught my eye is yours..." Wilhelm considered his choice of words for a moment. "A slightly different appearance. Your ancestors must have come from a place really far away, right?"

"Exactly," I nodded, terrified by the old man's fascination.

A history buff had come along, and I didn't know what I could possibly tell him that wouldn't disappoint his expectations. He was the type of person who, based on his existing knowledge and generally without making any misjudgments, quickly makes assumptions, and when they don't match reality, he delves deeper. Renet looked at me worriedly, but he couldn't help me, so he just listened intently. Fortunately, Wanda came to my rescue, of course, unconsciously, changing the course of the conversation slightly.

"What happened to your leg?" she asked bluntly. I could forgive her this time, even if she was just looking for another opportunity to scold or embarrass me.

"I was in the mountains." No one looked at me in surprise; I was silently grateful they had it here too. "I sprained my ankle there." I gave Wanda a triumphant smile, only a temporary inconvenience, and cleared my throat. "I was traveling alone, so I walked along the wall, hoping it would be safest, and at one point I met Renet, who said he would help me."

"Yes, the boy has a good heart. If I had a son, I'd want him to be just like him, unless Wanda finds a way to bring him into our family," he laughed heartily, and this time it was his daughter who gave me a victorious smile.

"Couldn't you just..."

She was interrupted by Renet's coughing. All three of us looked at him worriedly, Wanda even more so; she rushed to him and began to examine his face for signs of illness. I didn't have time to tell her to move away, as he was clearly uncomfortable with it, but Wilhelm suggested he lie down in the guest room.

"I promised I'd show Kyo the city. Can we postpone it, unless we should be on our way soon?" he said sadly; I didn't really care.

"The weather is beautiful; it'd be a shame to waste it. Wanda, take Kyo for a walk; Renet can rest in the meantime, and then we'll all have some tea." If the old man ordered it, it had to be that way. He didn't even let us speak, and I would have protested.