Chapter 76: Sir Brick Head

Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Sir Brick Head

Lyra stood with the people.

They were huddled together in the plaza. Dozens of them. Families. Children. Old men and women. They were scared. They were crying. They were waiting.

Lyra was pacing.

Back and forth. Back and forth. Her hands were clasped together. Her fingers were twisting. Her feet were tapping.

"Why did they leave me?" she muttered. "Why did both of them leave me?"

She looked at the crowd. At their scared faces. At their trembling bodies.

"I’m not a babysitter," she said. "I’m not a protector. I’m a Gunslinger. I should be out there. Fighting. Helping."

She stopped pacing. She looked at the sky. At the dark clouds. At the fading light.

"Daniel," she whispered. "Where are you?"

She started pacing again.

The men were staring at her.

She noticed. She always noticed. Their eyes were on her face. On her body. On her legs. They were hungry. Lustful.

The women were staring too. But their eyes were different. Jealous. Envious. They looked at her like she was something they wanted to destroy.

Lyra hated it.

She hated the way they looked at her. She hated the way they whispered. She hated the way they judged.

She was just trying to help. She was just trying to protect them. And this was what she got?

She stopped pacing. She looked at the gate. At the exit. At the road beyond.

She could leave. She could go find Daniel. She could help him fight. She could be useful.

But then she looked at the people. At their scared faces. At their trembling bodies.

She couldn’t leave them. She couldn’t abandon them.

She sighed. She started pacing again.

"This is fine," she muttered. "This is fine. Daniel will come back. Fluffy will come back. Everything will be fine."

She tapped her foot. She twisted her fingers. She waited.

Then she heard it.

A shout. Loud. Boisterous. Coming from the street.

"I AM HERE TO SAVE THE DAY!"

Lyra turned. She looked at the street. At the figure running toward them.

He was young. Maybe twenty-one. Tall. Lean. He wore simple armor. Leather. Worn. Practical. A sword hung at his hip. A shield was strapped to his back.

He was running. His arms were pumping. His legs were flying. His face was red.

"EVIL DOERS BE WARNED!" he shouted. "THE GREAT SIR BRICK HEAD HAS ARRIVED!"

Lyra stared at him. Her mouth was open.

The man reached them. He stopped. He doubled over. He was breathing hard.

"Made it," he gasped. "In time. To save. The day."

He straightened up. He looked at the crowd. At their scared faces. At their trembling bodies.

"Fear not!" he shouted. "For I am here!"

He puffed out his chest. He placed his hands on his hips. He struck a pose.

Lyra raised her gun. She pointed it at him.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

The man looked at her. At her gun. At her determined face. His eyes widened.

"Whoa," he said. "Calm down, pretty lady. I’m not the villain."

"Then who are you?"

"I told you. I’m Sir Brick Head. The greatest hero in all the land!"

Lyra stared at him. "Sir Brick Head?"

"Yes!"

"That’s... that’s not a real name."

The man frowned. "It is too. My mother gave it to me."

"Your mother named you Brick Head?"

"She said I was stubborn. Like a brick. And hard-headed. Like a brick. So she combined them."

Lyra blinked. "That’s... that’s terrible."

The man shrugged. "I like it."

He looked at the crowd. At their scared faces. At their trembling bodies.

"Who is the villain?" he asked. "I was around and heard a boom. Then I arrived hearing people crying for my help. So I am here to kick some dicks."

Lyra stared at him. "What?"

"Kick some dicks."

"You mean kick some ass."

The man waved a hand. "Same thing."

"It’s not the same thing."

"It is. Dicks. Ass. Both are bad. Both need to be kicked."

Lyra opened her mouth. Closed it. She didn’t know what to say.

The man looked around. At the crowd. At the destruction. At the empty space where the attackers had been.

"Who is the villain?" he asked again. "I need to know who to kick."

Before anyone could respond, he reached into his pants. He pulled out a book. It was small. Worn. Dog-eared.

He opened it to a random page. He read.

"The villain was the pretty lady."

He looked up. He looked at the crowd. He looked at Lyra.

He pointed at her.

"I knew it was you!" he shouted. "You are the villain! I felt it in my stomach!"

Lyra stared at him. "You mean your guts?"

"Same thing."

"It’s not the same thing."

"It is. Stomach. Guts. Both are in the belly. Both tell you things."

Lyra shook her head. "I’m not the villain."

The man’s eyes narrowed. He opened the book again. He read another page.

"The villain will always say they are not the villain."

Lyra’s eye twitched. "What book is that?"

The man smiled. He turned the book around. He held it up. The title was clear.

How to Be a Hero for Dummies

Lyra stared at it. Her mouth fell open.

"You’re using a book?" she asked. "A book called How to Be a Hero for Dummies?"

The man nodded. "It’s very informative."

"It’s a book for dummies."

"I know. I’m a dummy. That’s why I bought it."

Lyra didn’t know what to say. She just stared at him. At his proud smile. At his confident posture.

This guy was the dumbest person she had ever met.

The man put the book away. He stretched out his hand. He pointed at the crowd.

"Fear not, citizens!" he shouted. "For I, Sir Brick Head, will protect you!"

The crowd stared at him. They didn’t look reassured. They looked confused.

The man leaned toward Lyra. His voice dropped to a whisper.

"Hey," he said. "You know, if you let me see your panties, I might go easy on you."

Lyra blinked. "What?"

"And if you let me hold them, I would let you win."

Lyra stared at him. Her face was a mask of confusion.

"Why would you want that?" she asked.

The man shrugged. "I like panties."

"There’s no way I’m giving you that."

The man’s face fell. He looked sad. Defeated.

"Oh man," he muttered. "Should have picked the villain book. Then I could just steal panties for a living."

Lyra shook her head. She couldn’t believe this was happening.

The man straightened up. He pointed at her.

"Evil doer!" he shouted. "Your time is up!"

Lyra raised her gun. "I’m not an evil doer."

"Because I, the super awesome Brick Head, have arrived!"

He drew his sword. He raised his shield. He charged.

Lyra fired.

The bullet hit his shield. It bounced off. The man kept running.

Lyra fired again. Another bullet. Another bounce.

"Your bullets can’t hurt me!" the man shouted. "My shield is made of the finest wood!"

Lyra fired again. The bullet hit his shield. It splintered. The man stumbled.

"What?" he shouted. "My shield!"

Lyra fired again. The bullet hit his sword. It flew from his hand.

The man stared at his empty hand. Then at Lyra. Then at his sword on the ground.

"Okay," he said. "That was impressive."

He raised his hands. "I surrender."

Lyra lowered her gun. She stared at him. "You surrender?"

"Yes. You’re too strong. I can’t beat you."

"You just got here."

"I know. But I know when I’m beaten." He shrugged. "Also, my sword is gone. And my shield is broken. And I don’t have any other weapons."

Lyra shook her head. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The man walked toward her. He stopped in front of her. He smiled.

"You’re really pretty," he said. "And really strong. And really scary."

Lyra blinked. "Thank you?"

"You’re welcome."

He looked at the crowd. At their confused faces. At their scared eyes.

"Citizens!" he shouted. "I have failed you! The villain has defeated me! But fear not! I will return! Stronger than before! And I will defeat her!"

The crowd stared at him. They didn’t cheer. They didn’t clap. They just stared.

The man turned back to Lyra. He leaned in.

"Hey," he whispered. "If I come back stronger, will you let me see your panties then?"

Lyra punched him.

The man flew backward. He crashed into a wall. He slumped to the ground. He didn’t get up.

Lyra looked at her fist. Then at the man. Then at the crowd.

"Anyone else?" she asked.

The crowd shook their heads. They were silent.

Lyra sighed. She lowered her gun. She looked at the sky.

"Daniel," she whispered. "Please come back soon."

---

The man woke up a few minutes later.

He groaned. He sat up. He rubbed his head. He looked around.

"What happened?" he asked.

Lyra looked at him. "I punched you."

"Oh." He nodded. "That makes sense. I deserved it."

He stood up. He dusted himself off. He walked toward her.

"I’m sorry," he said. "I was out of line. I shouldn’t have asked to see your panties."

Lyra stared at him. "You think?"

"I’m sorry. Really." He held out his hand. "Let me start over. I’m Brick. Brick Head. I’m a hero. Or at least, I’m trying to be."

Lyra looked at his hand. Then at his face. At his sincere expression.

She sighed. She shook his hand.

"I’m Lyra," she said. "I’m not a villain."

Brick smiled. "I know. I was just... confused."

"Confused?"

"I saw a pretty lady and I thought, ’She must be the villain.’ Because pretty ladies are always villains. In the books, I mean."

Lyra shook her head. "That’s not how it works."

"I know that now." Brick nodded. "You’re not a villain. You’re a hero. Like me."

"I’m not a hero either."

"You’re not?"

"I’m just... trying to help."

Brick’s eyes lit up. "That’s what heroes do!"

Lyra sighed. She didn’t have the energy to argue.

Brick looked at the crowd. At their scared faces. At their trembling bodies.

"Don’t worry," he said. "I’ll protect you. Even if I’m not the strongest. Even if I’m not the smartest. I’ll do my best."

The crowd stared at him. Then, slowly, some of them smiled.

Lyra watched. She didn’t know what to think. This guy was dumb. Reckless. Perverted. But he was also... genuine.

She looked at the sky. At the dark clouds. At the fading light.

"Daniel," she whispered. "Where are you?"

[extra long Chapter... You’re welcome]

=============================

[Magic castle = 5 bonus Chapter’s]

[space craft = 15 bonus Chapter’s]

[golden gachapon = 20 bonus Chapter’s]