Secrets

The call of his younger brother would abruptly pull the redhead out of his thoughts. He would gaze blankly for a few seconds before giving a gentle smile to his younger brother, who had approached the bed and was now patting his head.

"You were worried?"

"Not at all! Mirai was a little concerned, but I told her that I'd come looking for you if necessary!"

"Haha, that's brave, but don't do something like that until you grow up, okay?"

"Hmm... Okay."

Frank replied simply. He thinked that he would found it somewhat challenging to interact with this young boy, who wasn't really his brother, but the memories of Shin in his mind flowed naturally. He couldn't help but feel affection for the little brother in front of him. Shin would then rise carefully, making sure not to jostle his younger brother, and look at a small clock hanging on the wall of his room. It was early in the morning.

"You better get ready. You have your swordsmanship classes, right?"

"Ah, I don't want to go! They never give us practical lessons, just silly theories."

"Both theory and practice are necessary on the path to becoming a city guardian. Knowledge is power, as they say."

"If you say so, Shin..."

Though somewhat reluctant to the idea, the boy wouldn't argue with his older brother's advice and hurriedly headed to his room to get dressed. Once his younger brother's small figure had disappeared through the door, Frank turned his attention to the little notes on the table by the mirror.

"Today will be a great day."
"You're awesome."
"You can do it."
"Work hard today."

Seeing these notes, memories intrusively entered his head again, almost causing a headache. Frank felt a sense of desolation and crushing feelings, as if he were in the middle of nowhere. It was a strange sensation. Frank genuinely felt sorry for Shin, even though he was now the one inhabiting his body. With curiosity, he inspected the drawer where the mirror and notes were placed. He noticed that the surface of one of the drawers felt loose. Carefully lifting the "surface," he found a black book with thick edges underneath. He took the book cautiously, put the loose surface back in place, and closed the drawer.

"Entry 1

I was recently advised to write things down.

It's been a rather busy day. We were sent to investigate strange cases of disappearance around the city. People seem quite stressed, and if I'm honest, so am I. These cases wouldn't be so alarming if it weren't for their frequency. The only clue we can find is that people hear 'jingles' before someone disappears minutes later when no one can see them.

I hope this doesn't happen near our residence. I couldn't go to my shifts knowing that Mirai and Ein are alone. We decided that this surpasses the local forces, so the case has been handed over to specialized security companies.

I don't know much about these procedures as I'm a Guardian relatively new to the job. But it seems that these companies, who work hand in hand with the Guardians, are efficient and well-versed in various practical and theoretical aspects. They also seem influential in the city since they contribute significantly to the nearby churches."

Security companies... These are clearly the Enchanters, Shin thought. He overheard them talking about the church, so he assumed they had close ties with it. He might conclude that there were several Enchanters within the churches. The whole situation reminded him of a novel. Will I start deceiving people into thinking I'm a god?

Frank couldn't help but smile inwardly at the similarities between this world and some of the novels he had read in his previous life. He tucked away the diary, which he now knew it was, and began organizing his thoughts and the few memories he had managed to recover.

I'm Frank... No, from this moment on, I should be Shin. I'm 23 years old. It seems I live in Cobalt City, one of the three great cities in the Yvan nation, located in the extreme north, bordering with the Kain nation in the south. Sometimes they are trading partners, other times military foes. I'm part of the local Guardians organization, and I've been taught essential knowledge, delving into aspects of combat, survival, geography, and history. These are necessary for the militia here. I've been a Guardian for only a few months, and I've been involved in sporadic cooperation with security companies, which is why I was acting as an 'escort' for Enchanters...

He observed that this world was a fusion of aspects from the modern era and the medieval era of his previous world. This explained the use of medieval weaponry alongside modern clothing, customs, and inventions. It was strange, as if some things were advanced, but others were not.

I have two younger brothers, Ein is 13, and he's attending the future Guardians' education program. He's a fan of legends of powerful warriors and incredible mages. He's picky with food but acknowledges that you can't always get what you want. Mirai is 16 and is studying at a school. She aspires to work in education to influence future generations. She's highly skilled in crafting woodwork, and she believes that one day she could be like our father and start her own business to support a possible school in her name.

While Shin's thoughts flowed as if trying to piece together a puzzle that was his own identity, light knocks sounded at his door. A sweet voice came from the other side.

"Shin, can I come in? Ein told me you've already woken up."

"Of course, come in, Mirai."

The door opened quietly, revealing a beautiful young girl of average height with golden hair that shone like the sun's rays. She still had the youthful figure of a girl, and her simple white dress and shoes gave her a pure look.

"Are you alright? Last night, the security company people brought you home, saying they found you sleeping outside the city..."

Just as I suspected, the Enchanters... "It's true, if I'm honest, we were escorting some people toward the interior of our city with my companions, but we encountered bandits on the wilderness roads. I suppose they had been following us for some time. They attacked us, and during the fight, I was knocked out and can't remember exactly what happened. Luckily, the security company members arrived and saved my life."

Shin had decided to keep details such as the mysterious assassin and magical events out of the conversation. He didn't want his siblings involved in this turbulent affair.

Mirai couldn't help but give her brother a concerned look of surprise. She had no idea that the situation was so serious and inspected Shin for any injuries. Finding none, she sighed in relief but still wore a concerned expression.

"Shin... Soon I'll start working as an assistant in public schools and earn some money. I could make more by selling my handcrafted works, so you won't have to work extra."

Shin was touched by her sister's gesture. He understood that Mirai was worried about her brother getting involved in increasingly dangerous situations. He offered a small smile and said, "You don't have to worry, I have more than enough money, and these situations aren't common."

Mirai nodded at her brother's response and wore a small smile. "Alright, I'll get ready for school. By the way, one of the security company people who brought you home said he had something to tell you. He's waiting in our yard right now."

So fast? I just woke up... Shin would end complaning inwardly, outwardly he maintained an indifferent expression. "I understand. I'll be there in a second."

Mirai bid her brother farewell as she left his room. Shin took a moment to change into a simple outfit, a white shirt and black pants. He left his room, revealing a hallway with a few doors, and at the end was the living room with a wooden table. Nearby was the kitchen, which was clean except for a couple of small stains on some dishes. Shin would make a mental note to talk to his brother about being more diligent in cleaning. He couldn't help but smile at the idea of saying something like, "Good Guardians are good at all household tasks!" Shin's steps were calm, but he was actually quite nervous about facing one of the so-called Enchanters, true mages. However, it seemed that since he wasn't in a dungeon beneath a church, they didn't consider him a criminal or a threat. As long as he answered their questions well, he could avoid any trouble. Shin approached the door leading to the yard, and there stood a young man of about his age, dressed in a long dark blue trench coat, black pants, and dark shoes. He had light chestnut hair combed neatly, and he was flipping a two-faced golden coin on his finger. Upon noticing Shin, he gave a small smile and caught the coin.

"I see you woke up from your nap. You slept quite a bit."

That's exactly the fault of you people..."Yes, I did. Honestly, I don't remember much from last night."

Shin had planned to say these words to make it clear that he wouldn't say a word about magic or what had exactly happened. He aimed to avoid any problems with people who could use magic.

"You're quick. I like talking to fast people. Normally, this would end after a check-up, but this case is quite special because it has many abnormalities. We will need your cooperation. Of course, this will have to remain a secret."

Den showed a gentle smile and a relaxed expression. Shin simply responded with a similar expression and a few chuckles, even though he felt that this was more like an "obligation" than cooperation.

One more secret won't hurt, right? "Sure, I'll be more than happy to offer my support."

He extended his hand to Den for a handshake as a sign of cooperation. Den didn't hesitate and shook his hand. They both laughed softly.

"Great, pleased to work with you, Shin Hin."

Chapter end