Chapter 3
The first thing Bryson noticed is that he is currently lying on a bed, with a thin blanket covering his body, beneath is his body wearing a patient gown. On his right is a window where the warm light of the sun enters, while on his left is a table with an a.s.sortment of fruits on top, a chair on the corner of the room and a closed door far behind.
"This is... A hospital?" After realizing where he is, relief wash over him, but then, he suddenly remembers something important.
"That's right!! My magi-phone!!" He screamed in panic.
He impatiently tries to get up from the bed when the door suddenly open. "Oh, Bry you're finally awake." A beautiful woman with the same hair and eye color as Bryson enters the room, in her hand is a bag of food.
"Sis! Have you seen my magi-phone?!" Bryson said panicking.
"Hey! Stop panicking Bry, you've just woke up you know!" His sister said angrily trying to calm him down and stopping him from trying to trying to stand.
"B-but...."
"No but buts!! Here, lie down on your bed." His sister insists.
"..." Having pressured by his sister, he obediently lies down on his bed.
"Seriously, first you suddenly lose consciousness and get hospitalize and when you wake up you get so worked up and wants to get up," His sister said while holding her head with her right hand.
"Do you know how much I got worried huh?" His sister put her two hands on her waist, bend her body toward him and look intently at his face.
"S-sorry..." Bryson said looking down.
His sister let out a sigh and said. "You're unconscious for two days you know, so please be careful and stop making me worry."
"..." Still looking down, Bryson open and closed his mouth trying to speak, but in the end, he couldn't say anything.
His sister still looks at him intently, after a moment of silence, she finally speaks. "Well about your magi-phone, Mr. Cole gave it to me when I got here two days ago." She put down the bag and get something out of her pocket.
"Here." His sister stretches her right arm giving him his magi-phone.
"!!!" Seeing that, Bryson's eye opens wide. "D-don't touch that!!" He says with a panicking voice, he s.n.a.t.c.hes the magi-phone from his sister's hand and put it under his pillow.
"Wha!!" Bryson's sister got so shock by his actions that her eyes also open wide in surprise.
"What the h.e.l.l is wrong with you Bry!!" Bryson's sister grabs his left ear in anger and pulls it up.
"Awwwww!! Shooory s.h.i.+s shoory" He said with a pained voice.
After pulling Bryson's ear for a while she finally let go and ask. "Seriously Bry, what is wrong with you today?"
"N-nothing!" He said averting his sister's gaze.
His sister once again let out a long sigh. " If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine, but would you please stop getting worked up from every single thing."
"O-kay..." Bryson said while his sister is looking at him with half closed eyes.
"anyway, I'm unconscious for two days huh? Oh yeah, sis, what did the doctor say?" He said trying to change the topic.
"The doctor said there's nothing wrong with your body, he says what happened might be because of exhaustion, hmmmmp!" His sister said with a pouting face.
"Exhaustion huh? How about school? Am I excused?" Bryson said with worry.
"Mr. Cole said
[Sir Cole said that? Really?] "Oh yeah sis, you have work right?" Bryson said inquiringly.
"I got a permission and said I would be late."
"Really? Incidentally, what time is it sis?"
"It's 10 am." His sister said while eating an apple.
"Huh!? Then it's already past late right?! What are you still doing leisurely eating an apple?!" He said panicking.
"Don't panic Bry I ask my friend to take care of my work for a while, or is it that you don't want me here?" His sister said with half closed eyes.
"N-no nothing like that." Bryson said averting his sister's gaze.
***
Bryson's sister's name is "Alison Brooks", she is currently Bryson's official guardian, this is because their father left them when they were still young and their mother died 6 years after that. After both of their parents died, Bryson's sister takes over the role of their mother and start working as a clerk in the city's "Collectors Guild".
The "Collectors Guild" is an organization that hire combat magi's, these combat magi's job is to kill monsters and collect their magia stones, the combat magi hired by the Collectors Guild are called "Collectors". The Collectors Guild pays the collectors depending on the amount and quality of the magia stone they collected, this is the reason people consider this an easy money job, but in truth, it is a very dangerous job that there are many collectors that have not come back and lose their life without being able to leave any body behind.
Being a collector requires a person to be at least 18 years of age and since being a collector is known to be a very profitable job, many young people apply for the job yearly. This trend results in the guild holding an examination to both determine the ability and screen the applicants.
In actuality, since Bryson is already in his last year in high school and is already 18 years old, he planned to be collector after graduating, of course since his sister works in the Collectors Guild, he knows really well how hard the job of being a collector is, he often hear his sister talks about collectors the she is acquainted with, who doesn't return and is considered dead, but his pride as a man wouldn't let him be in his sisters debt any more the he already is.
Bryson have not said anything about this plan to his sister, since he knows that his sister would insistently reject it, but Bryson have a dream of being an MMO, and being a collector would surely help him gain enough experience and strength to be one. This conjecture is not only Bryson's personal opinion but a well-known fact, this is because there are many powerful collector who became an MMO after acc.u.mulating enough strength and fame, and because of all this reason, Bryson have steeled himself and decides to be a collector even if his sister rejects and deny him for it.
***
After eating her apple and exchanging some banter with her brother, Alison finally stand and starts getting ready for her work.
"Oh, I forgot to say Bry, the doctor said that you should stay here for a several days because they want make sure that it is already safe and want to monitor you for a while, maybe it would be 3 to 4 days." Alison said getting ready to leave.
"Well, if that's what they said I can't do anything about it, Besides sir Cole said himself that he would take care of my attendance so it would probably be fine." Bryson said resigning to his fate.
"Good! And make sure you won't move so much okay?" Alison said strongly.
"Don't worry sis I'll make sure to rest enough." Bryson said dodging his sisters' question.
Alison look at him raising a brow and then she sighs. "Just make sure not push yourself okay? Promise me that!" She insists.
"Okay, okay sis, geez you're overprotective." Bryson finally agrees.
"Of course! no matter how big you become you're still my cute and lovely little brother after all!" Alison said with a beautiful smile.
"G-geez sis, your embarra.s.sing me..." Bryson said blus.h.i.+ng.
"Well then, I'll be off Bry." Alison said turning around, she then walks into the door look one last time in the room, smile at her brother and close the door.
After his sister left, Bryson let out a sigh, he then looks at his pillow and tries to get his magi-phone when----
[Ya' got a loving and beautiful sister aren't ya!] Suddenly, a voice said.
"!!!" Hearing this, Bryson freeze with shock, he then looks around carefully into every corner of the room.
[What are ya looking for boy?] The mysterious voice asks.
"Ahahahahahaha, looks like I'm so tired to even hear an imaginary voice, ahahahahaha" Bryson said nervously.
[Oh, you're not imagining it, that, I can a.s.sure ya.] The voice said dismissing his guess.
"Ahahahahahaha, this is not even funny, I even imagine it answering me." Bryson said dripping with sweat.
[Don't worry boy, you're not crazy I a.s.sure you, and what ya hear is not a voice but a telepathy.] The voice said answering his doubts.
"Are you kidding me!!" Bryson said panicking.
'Don't tell me!!' Bryson finally realize the source of the voice in his head.
Bryson then nervously reach his trembling right hand into his pillow and take his magi-phone under. Activating the magi-phone, he saw on the screen a childlike man with a l.u.s.trous silver hair, two mini horns, fiery red eyes and a rather masculine body for child.
Swallowing his saliva, Bryson nervously ask. "W-who...are...you?"
[Me?] The man on the screen smile and say [I'm the Demon King! nice to meet you, human.]