I was a Nerfed Hero in Another World

While walking our way towards the throne, my system acted strangely. It produced beeping sounds that alarmed me of something that I needed to check. It was not a dangerous one, since there was nothing that could threaten me.

I shrugged my shoulders and hoped for the best while I checked the system.

"What do we have here…?" I whispered, while pressing the floating buttons of my screen.

"Hey, Arthur…. Aren't you coming?" Green asked, as he peeked through the door. "We have five to ten minutes to prepare. Do you want me to leave you alone… or?.... What are you even doing? It looks like you're fiddling with something... invisible."

"Ah, this?!" I jolted backwards with my eyes widened in surprise. "It's nothing. Don't bother! Just minding my things and my Clarent…. Knight's stuff."

"Oh, right? Got it, got it."

After our exchange, I resumed sliding and hitting buttons on my system. I remembered that the NPCs or people inside this game did not possess the system. Although some non-player characters could conjure spells, none of them could improve their abilities, unlike me, which had a system. But because of the limitations I received upon transferring to this world, I became an inferior character. I could not compare myself with the likes of Merleen, Fenrir, and other villagers who could wield magic better than mine.

[Congratulations! You received the "Inspection" ability!]

[However, because of your low-level character, you could only see the basic descriptions of anything in this world. If you reach a certain level, you could evolve your "inspection" into "foresight]

"Basic abilities? Description? Foresight?" I asked the wall in front, hoping it would answer me. "This wasn't in the game! I mean, yeah, it was. But it was like the normal thing that a character should have! I even completely forgot about it!"

If this system did not notify me about this feature, I would have waltzed through this game without even realising it! But... even if I had this in my skill tree, it wouldn't make a difference.

"I fought against bosses that outmatched me…. I fought battles I cannot win…. And I abandoned those people who trusted me."

Those mistakes I made in the past still haunted my heart and me. There were times that I couldn't sleep during the night because of those memories. Every time those grim thoughts entered my brain, I had to cradle like a baby and bear with the pain.

Even until now, I could still see those disappointed eyes glaring at me. Some villagers of Cornwall died because of my immatureness. Now that I improved myself, it was all too late.

I cannot revive those people to live. And I cannot apologise to them, since they're already dead. These powers of mine also became useless compared to Fenrir and Merleen. They could handle these problems on their own, even without me.

"Maybe I don't deserve this second chance…. Maybe dying from that electric shock would have been the best thing for me."

But before I could even continue my negative thoughts, a warm hug enveloped my back. The silky and aromatic hair, which I could compare like a bouquet back from my world. As I glanced at my side, Merleen's face greeted my eyes, with his lips curling up for a smile.

"I can smell it when you're sad!" Merleen announced, and sniffed my waist. "And you haven't had any showers, Arthur! You reek of dead mice!"

"Buuuuut!" Merleen shook her head as she continued bracing me even tighter. "But I don't care as long as it's you, Arthur!"

All those thoughts that had consumed me fled my body. My darkened and swollen eyes changed into a colourful rainbow glistering between clouds…. It might be too cheesy if someone knew how I felt, but those feelings I had were my genuine thoughts.

And now that I recognised it…. Merleen was always here for me whenever I felt down to Earth. She would always cheer me up when I thought all hope disappeared.

It was as if….

"Are you an angel?" I asked bluntly, without even realising it. "I-I mean, you know…. Metaphor."

Merleen stared at me for a second before reacting. I thought she would walk backwards and widened her eyes in surprise. If the worst scenario happened, she would have left the room because of something I said.

But she didn't. Merleen did not chuckle or say anything that could ruin the mood. Instead, that magical girl maintained her silence and continued wrapping her arms around me.

"Did you know that angels are beings that protect us? Do angels exist in your world too, Arthur?" Merleen asked, with her eyes sparkling like beads of diamonds.

I gave her a nod and replied, "Well, yeah. They're like the protectors of humans. Angels bring good news to people, and become the symbol of holiness and stuff like that. They also protect people from harm, especially bad things that could kill them. But the game developers….. the deities that created your world didn't include them. And instead, made demons and monsters, since players like me asked for those."

"Then do you consider me as an angel?! As someone who has holiness and stuff like that?!" Merleen raised her eyebrows, while staring deeply into my eyes.

"Well, I wouldn't technically consider you as the angels depicted in our…. Anyway, it's a metaphor. It means that you saved me. You're always there for me when I need you the most."

Merleen scooched near me and interposed, "but you're the one who saved me, remember? If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be alive right now…. I would've been saying my name instead of 'me' and 'I'... And I would've kept my powers to myself, since I killed my parents because of it."

"Merleen, I-,"

"No... It's alright! I'm not sad! Not really…. it's because you're here... with me. I learned how to use my powers to protect people from walking the same life as I had. If there's anything that I'd like to do, it's saving everyone who needs me…. Like you."

After our exchange, the world seemed to stop revolving. It was as if time never moved within this frame, creating a chance to strengthen our relationship.

Merleen was in front of me, with our faces nearly touching against each other. And when I finally realised our position, she was right there, sitting on my lap, with my arms entangled around her.

Her breaths became sluggish compared to before, with her eyes slowly touching her eyelids. Merleen and I turned red, but we didn't mind our colour. We leaned against each other and touched our lips, only to get disrupted by someone opening the door.

The two of us unlatched against each other like a magnet with two like-poles. It only took us a split second before splitting up, embarrassed by what we did now that we had a visitor.

"Arthur, you're nearly up. Are you ready?"

Green was the one who barged into this room. Regret flowed into my veins, thinking that I should have closed the door. But now that Green disrupted us, I had no idea if Merleen and I could do that again soon….

"Yeah, yeah... Be there in a minute. Just... going to grab my things," I lied, while scratching the back of my head.

Green never saw through my lie, or the hot scene earlier, which also made me heave a sigh.

After listening to my excuse, Green nodded and left the two of us alone inside the room.

"Be sure to appear in front of the crowd for around a minute or two. Although I'm the mercenaries' leader, I am no king, Arthur." Those were the last words Green said before storming off the room.

"I-I…. better be going. I think you should join me too... I hate crowds, and there's one outside that door," I said, while gazing into Merleen's eyes.

I didn't realise that Merleen's hand gripped around mine throughout my conversation with Green. Despite this scene, that mercenary noticed nothing! He was oblivious to this or our relationship…. Or was he just playing dumb, knowing that I had a chemistry with Merleen?

Regardless of that situation, I slowly unfastened my hand around Merleen's and trundled away. But as Merleen's last resort, she snatched my body back and squeezed me to her. Her soft lips touched mine, with her tongue rubbing against each other.

Merleen's hands playfully caressed my hips all the way down to my crotch. The fabric of my pants got erected, telling the two of us that somebody had been a naughty boy. Merleen also felt that mountain, since her hand was already rubbing my Excalibur.

I was no kisser, and I rarely watched romantic movies back from my past life. And this erotic scene was enough to stimulate a healthy teenage boy! Merleen had the charm of ten idols from my world, and she fell in love with me…. Or did she?

Since we kissed…. we're currently lovers right now?

The waiting crowd couldn't wait for my appearance any longer.