I No Clown

A century ago, monsters emerged from the Western Sea that we call the Demon Army, becoming the first wave of a massive attack on humanity. No one knew the cause of their appearance, nor the horrific attack itself.

And since then, this magical world has never been the same.

Phastyna, Uttara, both continents have been turned into hells. No humans lived there anymore... Yeah, except for those who became slaves or whatever was imposed on those who were captured.

The Knights, Swordsmen, Archers, and Mages... they are all now concentrating in Svarnabhumi.

And if, if... this central continent also eventually falls under the onslaught of the Demon Army, then the Dakhsina Continent as well as the Purbha where we live now is only a matter of time before it is destroyed.

It would only be a bedtime story.

"Mathias!"

A man at the age of 27 raised his face. "Y-Yes, Mr. Sami?"

The middle-aged man stared intently at Mathias. "What do you think will happen after that, hmm?"

Mathias shrugged. "Nothing!"

"Nothing?" the Sami looked unhappy and furious. "Oh, you're such a disappointment, Mathias!"

"I'm only saying what's consistent with what you told us, Mr. Sami."

"Explain it to the rest of us!"

Mathias gulped, Mr. Sami seemed to be getting angry with him. What's more, everyone around him seemed to be laughing at his stupidity. Being labeled as a clown is not a pleasant thing, he thought.

"Well, if all human life on the last three continents also perished," Mathias replied innocently, "then there is no such thing as a bedtime story, Mr. Sami. For there are no more humans alive to listen to it."

The laughter throughout the large room only made Mr. Sami more furious with Mathias, and Mathias could only look down with one long breath.

"How old are you, huh?" snapped Mr. Sami. "Five? Bloody hell, Mathias... even ten-year-olds know what to say!"

"You've got a big body, but no brain!" someone said harshly to Mathias.

"You're right, Ryvel. He's so fucking dumb!" another exclaimed. "What a clown!"

And again the room was filled with laughter, a demeanor Mathias had always gotten, not just in that room but almost every time he was in a crowd.

Latter…

"How long have we been studying this?" asked a pretty girl as she accompanied Mathias.

The man glanced at the girl and sighed softly. "Come on, Cindy... Are we going to talk about this now?"

"Listen, Mathias," 25-year-old Cindy held Mathias' hand, forcing him to pause.

"Cindy―"

"I love you and you know it."

"Yeah, thanks. You're the best."

"Oh, God... Mathias," Cindy sighed, touching her forehead. "Is there not one thing you're good at?"

"Hey," Mathias tried to smile. "I don't have any skills like you guys. I've tried, Cindy, you've seen my struggles over the years. But what can I say? I'm... I'm just not good at a lot of things. Maybe being a farmer is just my destiny."

"Stop that, Mathias!" Cindy held Mathias by both shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Please stop!"

She could feel and knew very well how muscular Mathias' body was naturally built because he had always helped his family farm.

Unfortunately, the man had one weakness in learning the various arts to become a Knight, Swordsman, Archer, or even a Mage.

"Listen to me here," Cindy touched Mathias' chest. "You haven't tried with everything you've got. You're not trying hard enough, honey. Do you hear me?"

"No, Cindy. I―"

"Hey, stupid clown!"

Ryvel, 25 years old, the noble prince, and his friends came over to Mathias and Cindy. The smiles on their faces were belittling Mathias' pride.

"You know one thing about your mistake?"

Mathias challenged Ryvel's cold stare at him. "You tell me!"

"Mathias," Cindy tried to push Mathias away, but he stayed where he was. "Leave them alone, come on! Please?"

Ryvel grinned with his chest puffed out. "Born into this world. That's your mistake, clown!"

Just when everyone thought Mathias was going to keep quiet like he had been, they were shocked as the man threw his fist, causing the corner of Ryvel's lip to bleed.

"Oh, you're going to die, you fucking clown!" Ryvel retaliated by punching Mathias in the face.

Not only him but also his friends, they ganged up on the farm boy.

"You think you're better than me, huh?" Mathias punched and kicked the men who attacked him even as he lay on the ground.

"Die, you clown!"

"Hit him until he bleeds!"

"Stop it!" Cindy tried to break up the unbalanced fight. "Ryvel, what are you doing, huh?"

Ryvel grinned and wiped the blood on the corner of his lips with the tip of his thumb. Then spat on the ground.

Without saying anything to Cindy, Riyvel approached Mathias, and his friends forced Mathias to stand up.

"Ryvel!"

But the man pushed Cindy's shoulder, rudely asking the girl not to interfere.

"You know," Ryvel grinned at Mathias as he grabbed his clothes below the neck. "I'm better than you, clown!"

He lifted one hand and it became enveloped in a bluish glow, from his fingertips to his elbow.

"Ryvel!" screamed Cindy. "Don't do that!"

"As a matter of fact," Ryvel kept grinning at the battered Mathias. "I'm so much better than you, farm boy!"

Thud!

Mathias winced and let out a short groan as Ryvel's fist, clad in bluish flashes, hit his chest.

Like getting hit by a bolt of lightning, Mathias was sent flying five steps backward. He hit the ground hard and spewed fresh blood from his mouth.

"You've gone too far!" Cindy glared fiercely at Ryvel and then approached Mathias. "Hey, wake up! Mathias, are you okay?"

"You know," Ryvel told Cindy. "You're just making your beauty and position as a noble princess go to waste by being with a clown like him!"

Cindy glared at Ryvel without a word before going back to helping Mathias sit on the ground.

"Come on, guys!" Ryvel spat on the ground. "It's pointless dealing with trash like him, what a pathetic clown!"

Ryvel and his friends walked away laughing and Mathias could only growl to himself as he slammed his fist into the ground.