《Celestaris: Kaito "The Hero’s Journey"》 Prologue – The Sword That Shouldn’t Exist The silence in the hall was so dense one could hear the faint hum of the magical circles floating above the altar. Five young people, summoned from Earth, stood waiting for their turn at the heart of the Lunar Temple. The white marble reflected the emblems of Mizuki engraved into the ceiling. Everything was order. Everything was protocol. The King was not present. ¡ªHis Majesty is currently attending diplomatic affairs ¡ªmurmured a priest in blue robes¡ª. The ceremony will proceed under ecclesiastical administration. No one objected. It was expected. ¡ªChosen heroes, please step to the center of the altar to receive your lunar blessing ¡ªthe cleric continued¡ª. Each of you will be bound to a divine weapon, created by the Goddess Mizuki. At the center of the chamber, the Altar of Lunar Blessing glowed softly. Runes carved by the goddess herself channeled the altar¡¯s power, allowing weapons to be drawn in response to each hero¡¯s soul affinity. ¡ªMiharu Takatsuki, step forward, please. The red-haired girl approached. As she touched the altar, a burst of crimson light enveloped her. Two metallic gauntlets appeared, sparking with living energy. ¡ªAffinity confirmed: Breaker Gauntlets ¡ªannounced the floating panel above her head. ¡ªNext: Hayato Aizawa. The boy with the cold gaze repeated the gesture. A floating grimoire appeared, its pages covered in arcane invocations. ¡ªAffinity confirmed: Chronoscroll Grimoire. ¡ªKouya Arisato. A shadowy bow emerged in his hands. Light seemed to flee from it. ¡ªAffinity confirmed: Shadowpiercer Bow. Even Mio Tsukino, though younger and quiet, was recognized. Her staff was simple, with a golden bell at the tip, yet the energy surrounding her was pure. ¡ªAffinity confirmed: Lunar Veil. Then came his turn. ¡ªNow, the final hero: Kaito Amakawa. The dark-haired boy stepped forward in silence. He took a deep breath. Kaito placed his hand on the altar. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Nothing. An awkward silence filled the chamber. ¡ªIs something wrong? Did I do something outside the protocol? ¡ªhe asked, looking at the cleric, confused. ¡ªJust wait ¡ªthe high priest replied, unfazed¡ª. The altar must be searching for the weapon that best suits your aptitudes. Kaito nodded, though his chest tightened. Each passing second made him doubt more. ¡°Am I going to be rejected¡­ even in this world?¡± Then, finally, something began to materialize. A shape slowly formed in his hand. A sword. Rusty. Cracked. Dull. The blade was broken. The guard had no runes. The hilt, worn from time. His status panel¡­ didn¡¯t react. No aura. No light. ¡ªWhat is happening? ¡ªexclaimed the high priest, both irritated and perplexed¡ª. What is that weapon? Is there any match in the Church¡¯s database? The priests looked at one another. An acolyte checked the floating tablets. ¡ªNo¡­ no matches found. ¡ªWhat does that mean? ¡ªanother whispered. The lead priest approached. He observed the sword closely. For a moment, his brow furrowed. ¡ªNo such weapon has ever been seen. Not in this generation¡­ nor any before it. Kaito listened silently. He didn¡¯t understand, but something inside him stirred. ¡ªIs it a mistake? Or did it fail because the boy is unworthy? ¡ªan assistant murmured. ¡ªResonance failure, most likely ¡ªsaid a cleric with a neutral tone¡ª. No detectable affinity. This weapon wasn¡¯t blessed by Mizuki. The high priest nodded solemnly. ¡ªI see¡­ so this boy is not fit to be a hero. The verdict dropped like a stone. ¡ªKaito Amakawa will be removed from the group of heroes ¡ªthe high priest declared firmly¡ª. Mizuki has not recognized him as one of the chosen. It would be best to report that¡­ only four heroes were summoned. No one spoke. Not Hayato. Not Miharu. Not Kouya. Only little Mio, still holding her staff, took a hesitant step forward, as if to say something¡­ but stopped. Kaito looked down at the sword in his hands. There was no reaction. No response. Only silence. ¡ªI understand¡­ ¡ªhe said quietly¡ª. But then¡­ can you send me back to my world? The priest sighed. ¡ªI¡¯m sorry, boy. We can¡¯t do that. ¡ªOnly the goddess Mizuki knows the ritual of return¡­ and that will only happen once the army of Netheria, or one of its three kings, is defeated. Kaito clenched his teeth. ¡ªSo what am I supposed to do? With this broken sword I won¡¯t even be able to defend myself¡­ Can I try again? The pontiff shook his head slowly. ¡ªYou can only use the Altar of Lunar Blessing once. And it¡¯s already clear¡­ that you are not worthy. An acolyte approached with a tray. On it, five pouches of coins. ¡ªCompensation for your summoning ¡ªhe said¡ª. One hundred thousand gold Yue for each of you. The high priest looked at Kaito with a mix of discomfort and authority. ¡ªYou have two options, boy: you may live freely and do as you please¡­ or attend the Noble Academy in Aldoria as a regular student. ¡ªBut the others will go there as heroes¡­ ¡ªKaito muttered. The cleric interrupted him. ¡ªYes, but you won¡¯t. ¡ªAnd more importantly ¡ªhe added, voice turning sharper as he placed a firm hand on Kaito¡¯s shoulder¡ª you must not tell anyone that you were summoned as a hero. ¡ªMuch less¡­ that you were a failure of the Church. Silence fell over the hall once more. ¡ªIn three days, King Raiden will return¡­ we will present the heroes of Estelaris to the kingdom. ¡ªAnd please, Amakawa¡­ do not show up. The high priest gestured with one hand. ¡ªYou may leave now. The four heroes nodded in silence. A priest led them toward the side door that connected to their quarters. One by one, they left. Hayato. Miharu. Kouya. And Mio, who hesitated for just a moment¡­ but said nothing. Their footsteps echoed across the marble floor. Kaito could not follow them. He remained there, standing, the broken sword wrapped in a white cloth¡ªoffered by an acolyte¡ªresting in his hands. It didn¡¯t weigh much¡­ But the emptiness in his chest did. When the final door closed, the chamber was left in absolute silence. No applause. No divine light. No words of comfort. Only him¡­ and a sword that was never meant to exist. Vol. 1: Chapter 1 – A World Where I Was Never the Chosen One (1) Part 1 ¡ªI got another SSR! Look, it¡¯s the wind archer! Starting level with double passive! ¡ªNo way! That¡¯s some serious luck, wind elves are strong! ¡ªPff, you guys are so na?ve... Behold my SSS character! ¡ªNo way, he¡¯s got the thunder cat samurai girl! ¡ªThat¡¯s right, thunder cats are the best, hehe. The classroom buzzed with energy, loud and completely unnecessary. Kaito Amakawa rested his chin on his arm and stared out the window. Outside, the trees swayed gently in the wind. Inside, everyone was glued to their phones. Celestaris: Gacha Fantasy RPG. The closed beta that had exploded across forums, social media¡ªand now, inside his own classroom. ¡ªThey say only a hundred people in Japan were chosen as testers ¡ªsomeone said. ¡ªI heard that if you make it into the top 10 during beta, you get an exclusive legendary skin at launch. ¡ªMy cousin has a friend who works at the company. They said the game¡¯s so immersive it feels like it literally pulls you in... Everyone laughed. Kaito didn¡¯t. He hadn¡¯t been invited to the beta... And his phone wasn¡¯t even new enough to run the game. So, he went back to watching the wind in the trees. ¡ªHey, Amakawa! ¡ªsomeone shouted from the group¡ª. What class would you pick if you got in? ¡ª...Swordsman ¡ªhe replied without thinking. ¡ªSwordsman? Boring! More laughter. He didn¡¯t reply. He never did. When the bell rang, everyone bolted from the room like they were escaping. Kaito packed his things calmly. It was Friday. And, as always, he had nowhere to go but home. He arrived with his uniform stained and his shoulder scraped, after a fight with a classmate who had mocked his only friend. Kaito wasn¡¯t the kind of person who ran from a fight. On the contrary¡ªhe always stood up for the weak, even though he was one of them. His sense of justice constantly dragged him into trouble others preferred to avoid. He dropped his backpack on the couch, next to the dark TV screen. His mother wasn¡¯t home. Only a note next to the dinner plate, already cold. ¡°Sorry, son. I had to go back to the office. Celestaris development is eating up all my time with upgrades.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you another day. Love, Mom.¡± The food was untouched, still slightly warm to the touch. But beneath the plate, there was another note written in red marker: ¡°I left you a gift in your room. Take good care of it.¡± The TV played a news report about political scandals and statistics nobody cared about. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The house was silent. Empty. Kaito ate slowly. He was alone. But his thoughts weren¡¯t on the food¡­ They were on the gift from his mother. In his room, the glow from his monitor lit the desk. On top, a stack of notebooks, flyers from clubs he never joined¡­ and a single sheet with red letters at the top: Second Term Evaluation: ¡°Kaito Amakawa ¡ª Good kid, no defined potential.¡± He stared at it for a moment. Then sighed. He took off his school jacket. Lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. ¡°Just once¡­ I wish I had a real chance.¡± Suddenly, he remembered the message. ¡ªOh, right¡­ what did Mom leave me? He checked his dresser, next to the perfume bottles, and found a small box wrapped in silver paper. When he opened it, his eyes widened slightly. A brand-new phone. Latest generation. And underneath it, a download code with a logo he recognized instantly: Celestaris. It came with ten free pulls and guaranteed the signature weapon if you got an SSS character, along with extra open-world bonuses. Beneath the code, another note. This one written in his mother¡¯s rushed handwriting: ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been able to spend more time with you, son. Things have been hectic ever since your father left, and we never got to go to the baseball stadium like I promised.¡± ¡°I know this doesn¡¯t make up for it, but I wanted to give you something special. It¡¯s a beta tester pass the company gave us.¡± From his room, Kaito could see the small altar dedicated to his father. He remembered the days when the three of them would go to the stadium together to watch their favorite team. Those were simpler times. Happier times. A complete family. ¡ªMom¡­ ¡ªhe whispered, his voice trembling as he wiped his tears with the back of his hand¡ª. Sometimes I feel like I don¡¯t deserve a mother this kind¡­ Kaito carefully powered on the new phone and used the code his mother had given him to download the app. The screen lit up with a soft blue glow. The logo appeared at the center: Celestaris ¨C Beta Closed Version 1.0.0 The loading screen displayed a brilliant illustration: a silver moon over a sea of stars, and the silhouettes of heroes marching toward an endless tower. Then the text appeared: ¡°The world of Celestaris, blessed by the moon goddess Mizuki¡­ A land of adventure, where heroes rise to fight the shadows lurking in men¡¯s hearts.¡± Below it, a blinking message: Welcome, Tester! Thank you for participating in the Celestaris closed beta. You have been chosen by the moon. ¡ª¡°Chosen by the moon¡­¡± ¡ªKaito repeated softly, with a mix of doubt and curiosity. It sounded ridiculous. And yet¡­ something inside him stirred. He moved through the menus. The design was stunning: animated illustrations, an epic soundtrack, visual effects worthy of a blockbuster. And then he saw it¡ªthe summon button: [Initial Pull ¨C 10 Free Summons] Kaito stared at it in silence. It was just a game. Just a distraction. But for some reason¡­ that button felt heavier than it should have. He placed his thumb on the screen. ¡ªI hope I get something good¡­ an SSS swordsman would be nice, ¡ªhe whispered with a faint smile. And he tapped the button, hoping that, just this once, luck would be on his side. The screen flashed. The sound faded. His room vanished. The entire world¡­ ceased to exist. A white light enveloped him¡ªthick and warm, like ethereal fabric pulling him away from his reality. The next thing he felt was the wind. But not the wind from his city. This was a warm breeze, scented with incense and ancient stone, carrying the faint echo of distant chanting. He opened his eyes. He was no longer in his room. He stood atop a marble circle in the center of a vast chamber, surrounded by crystal columns that reflected the light pouring through a stained glass window shaped like a full moon. All around him, hooded figures whispered prayers in hushed tones. The ceiling arched high above, adorned with symbols he couldn¡¯t understand. Everything smelled of incense, damp stone¡­ and something divine. He was no longer in his world. He had been summoned¡­ to a place unknown. ¡ªWelcome to the Kingdom of Estelaris, heroes chosen by Mizuki, ¡ªa figure in ceremonial robes declared, his voice echoing between the columns. The man stepped forward. His presence was commanding, his face stern. ¡ªMy name is Marcel Delacroix. I am the High Pontiff of the Church of our benevolent moon goddess, Mizuki. Kaito turned his head, still disoriented. In front of him stood three other teenagers about his age¡­ and a girl who looked younger than all of them. Their expressions ranged from shock to confusion¡­ and fear. One of the boys, with dark gray hair and sharp eyes, stepped forward. ¡ªWhat¡¯s going on? ¡ªasked the boy tensely¡ª. I was at home, playing on my phone, and suddenly I appeared in this¡­ unfamiliar place? The others nodded silently, as if they shared the same confusion. The youngest girl, with wide eyes and straight hair, looked down and clutched the sleeve of her hoodie tightly. ¡ªI¡¯m scared¡­ ¡ªshe whispered¡ª. I was playing with my brother¡¯s phone¡­ and now I¡¯m here. I want to go back to him¡­ One of the acolytes approached the High Pontiff and whispered in his ear: ¡ªDon¡¯t you think this is a mistake? The king isn¡¯t present¡­ and these heroes seem younger than the usual summoned. Marcel Delacroix remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the five youths gathered before the altar. Their white robes, their confused faces, their trembling hands¡­ ¡ªWhat¡¯s done is done, ¡ªhe replied softly¡ª. We have Mizuki¡¯s blessing. And the king authorized the ritual. He drew a deep breath. Then, he stepped toward the newcomers with a calm expression¡ªalmost paternal. ¡ªThere¡¯s no need to worry, ¡ªhe said aloud, so everyone could hear¡ª. You have been chosen by the goddess of the moon. ¡ªAnd very soon¡­ you will receive your divine weapon. Behind the altar, a soft glow began to emerge. The ceremony¡­ had only just begun. Chapter 1 – A World Where I Was Never the Chosen One (2) Part 2 While they waited for the Church members preparing the summoning altar, the five teenagers exchanged cautious glances, still processing what they had just heard. After the pontiff¡¯s words, something in their eyes changed... as if, little by little, they were beginning to understand. They had been summoned into the game they had been playing. ¡ªI''m guessing you guys were playing Celestaris on your phones too? ¡ªasked the red-haired girl, her tone curious. ¡ªYeah... this all feels very familiar ¡ªanswered the brown-haired boy, adjusting his glasses¡ª. In my case, I was doing a main quest when a flash of light brought me here. ¡ªI took my brother¡¯s phone without permission ¡ªsaid the smallest girl, a bit embarrassed¡ª. I just wanted to try it... everyone at school was talking about the game. ¡ªWhat¡¯s your name, little one? ¡ªasked the redhead with a kind smile. ¡ªI¡¯m Mio Tsukino... and I¡¯m in sixth grade. ¡ªNice to meet you, Mio. I¡¯m Miharu Takatsuki, third year at an all-girls junior high ¡ªshe replied proudly, then added with a playful grin¡ª. Captain of the karate club. She followed up with a playful elbow to the gray-haired boy beside her. ¡ªYeah, uh... I¡¯m Kouya Arisato. First-year junior high student and captain of the regional soccer team ¡ªhe said, returning the smile with confidence. ¡ªAh, athletes ¡ªcommented the last one to speak, adjusting his glasses. ¡ªI¡¯m Hayato Aizawa, third-year in the science division of high school. ¡ªAren¡¯t you a little young to be in high school? ¡ªMiharu asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡ªI skipped a few grades ¡ªHayato replied calmly¡ª. I¡¯ve always been smarter than most kids my age... A brief silence followed. ¡ªAnd you? You¡¯re awfully quiet ¡ªKouya asked, looking seriously at Kaito. Kaito, who had been lost in thought until then, snapped back to reality. ¡ªAh... sorry. I was just thinking about how amazing you all are. He gave a small bow. ¡ªMy name is Kaito Amakawa. I¡¯m a first-year junior high student, and to be honest... I¡¯m not as special as the rest of you. ¡ªMaybe... this time will be my chance to prove I can actually do something for others ¡ªhe added in a low voice, clenching his fists as the memory of his parents crossed his mind. Mom... ¡ªI need to talk to her ¡ªhe murmured, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The screen was on, but only a loading symbol appeared. No bars. No connection. ¡ªDid you really think you''d get cell signal in another world...? ¡ªKouya said with a sideways grin¡ª. You¡¯re such a dumbass, man. The high pontiff stepped forward, noticing the concern on their faces. ¡ªDo not worry ¡ªhe said in a calm voice¡ª. Everything you wish to know about your world will be answered by His Majesty, King Raiden, in due time. He paused for a moment. ¡ªThe ritual is ready and about to begin. Please step onto the altar when your name is called, to receive your divine armament. The marble altar began to glow brightly, bathing the hall in silver light descending from the central stained glass. The runes etched into the floor lit up one by one, as if responding to a higher force slowly awakening. Each of the five chosen stood before a circle engraved with lunar symbols. Kaito swallowed hard. His heart was pounding. ¡ªNow, you shall receive the blessing of the goddess Mizuki ¡ªannounced Marcel Delacroix, arms outstretched¡ª. The Lunar Blessing Altar will select a divine weapon in resonance with each hero¡¯s soul. Kaito looked down at his circle. It was slightly cracked around the edges, as if the marble had been patched a long time ago. It struck him as odd, but he didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡ªMiharu Takatsuki ¡ªcalled the pontiff. The red-haired girl stepped forward. She placed her hand at the center of her altar, and a burst of red light engulfed her. From that energy emerged two metallic gauntlets that clamped onto her arms as if they had been waiting just for her. Affinity confirmed: Breaker Gauntlets ¨C Combat Heroine confirmed. The murmurs of the acolytes echoed with admiration. One by one, the summoning continued. Hayato placed his hand on the altar, and a floating grimoire emerged in a shower of golden sparks. Its pages turned on their own, covered in ancient runes. A panel appeared instantly. Affinity confirmed: Chronoscroll Grimoire ¨C Hero of Wisdom confirmed. Kouya was next. When he touched the altar, a dark bow appeared, surrounded by a faint aura that seemed to absorb the light around it. The atmosphere fell into an eerie stillness. Affinity confirmed: Shadowpiercer Bow ¨C Hero of Leadership confirmed. Even the smallest one, Mio, was recognized. She touched the altar with trembling hands, and a slender wand manifested in the air. A tiny golden bell at its tip gave off a soft chime at her touch. Affinity confirmed: Lunar Veil ¨C Heroine of Healing confirmed. Kaito smiled. Now it was his turn. ¡ªKaito Amakawa ¡ªsaid the pontiff. The boy stepped forward, took a deep breath... and placed his hand on the altar. Nothing. A second passed. Then another. No light. No reaction. No voice. Only silence. Kaito looked at his fingers, then down at the altar. He pressed again. The marble was still cold. ¡ªIs it... working? ¡ªhe murmured. Marcel frowned. One of the clerics began flipping through an ancient, dusty tome. ¡ªIt should be immediate. There are no precedents recorded in the texts ¡ªhe said, concerned. ¡ªJust wait ¡ªsaid another¡ª. Maybe it¡¯s still searching for the weapon that resonates most with his soul. Then, very slowly, a figure began to materialize above the altar. A sword. Rusty. Cracked. Completely dull. The blade was broken. The guard, plain. The grip, nearly falling apart. No status panel appeared. ¡ªWhat¡¯s going on? What divine weapon is that? ¡ªasked one of the acolytes, confused. ¡ªNo affinity detected ¡ªreported another, staring at the blank screen¡ª. This weapon... it¡¯s not cataloged. A new line floated into the air, written in faint letters: Affinity not detected ¡ª Class unassigned Kaito continued staring at the sword in his hand. He didn¡¯t feel power. He didn¡¯t feel warmth. But he did feel something... A faint vibration. Like a deep echo, pulsing from the center of his chest. ¡ªIs this... a mistake? ¡ªhe managed to say. The high pontiff watched the scene in silence. His expression was no longer solemn¡ªbut severe. ¡ªThis boy... is unfit to be a hero. Kaito blinked, confused. ¡ªAnd... if I wasn¡¯t chosen? Can you send me back home? ¡ªhe asked quietly, barely breathing. Silence was the first response. Then came a phrase that etched itself into his mind: ¡ªOnly the goddess Mizuki knows how to return the summoned¡­ and that will happen only once their mission is complete. Kaito lowered his gaze. Not a hero here. And unable to return there. The words didn¡¯t hit like a blow. They were worse. They fell like a void. Vol. 1: Chapter 1 – A World Where I Was Never the Chosen One (3) Part 3 Sunlight filtered through the white towers of Astralis, reflecting off the silver domes that crowned the temples. The capital of the Kingdom of Estelaris was vast, noisy, alive. Polished stone streets, elevated bridges, carriages with golden emblems, and moon banners waving on every corner. Kaito walked among the crowd, but he wasn¡¯t part of it. He wore simple clothes given to him at the temple, more fitting for an average citizen than a hero. The broken sword hung from his back, wrapped in a white cloth. He was just another face in the sea of people. ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone you were summoned.¡± The words of the high priest still echoed in his head. ¡°And even less that you were a failure.¡± The sounds of the markets and the bustle of people reached him as if muffled, like he were floating in a void. ¡ªAstralis, City of the Moon... ¡ªhe murmured. ¡ªThis all feels straight out of an RPG. Well, I guess the game did say that... though, this is real. I think. Kaito lowered his gaze. Inside his leather pouch were the coins given to him along with the others. The exact same amount. Not a coin more, not a coin less. As if that could erase the difference. He stopped in front of a crescent-shaped fountain. Water fell gently, crystal clear, and in the center stood a statue of Mizuki. The goddess looked toward the sky with a serene, yet distant expression. ¡ªWere you really the one who brought me here? ¡ªhe asked quietly. ¡ªOr did the Church play god without your permission? A light breeze moved his bangs. No one answered. A group of children ran past him, playing with wooden swords and pretending to be legendary heroes. Kaito glanced at them out of the corner of his eye. ¡ªEven the kids have better weapons than mine... ¡ªhe sighed, crossing his arms. ¡ªBut now that I think about it... why can I understand their language? And their writing? He looked up at one of the market signs, listing prices and names of strange fruits. ¡ªCould it be because of the summoning? Or some kind of hero ability? He fell silent. But if that were the case... why was he still here? I can¡¯t go back home. And I¡¯m not a hero. ¡ªSo... what exactly am I supposed to do? His stomach growled. A small, almost comical detail... but enough to pull him back to reality. ¡ª...Time to find some food ¡ªhe said with a sigh. ¡ªRight, according to the tutorial... I should be able to access some kind of status screen. How was it again...? Oh, right. ¡ªOpen status panel! ¡ªhe murmured. To his surprise, a translucent interface unfolded in front of him. It hovered in the air with a soft bluish glow. Though it only showed his name, level, and race, everything else was covered in question marks. ¡ªGreat, just what I needed... ¡ªhe said sarcastically. He scrolled down, searching for the elemental core section. Nothing. No glowing symbol. No element assigned. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡ªNo element... this just keeps getting better ¡ªhe muttered. He tried to force himself to look on the bright side. ¡ªWell, at least I¡¯ve got a clue on what weapon to buy next. A sword, a bow, a dagger, a rocket launcher... Then, a line appeared on the panel with a sharp chime: Divine Weapon equipped. Cannot be replaced. His expression froze. He shut the panel with a quick swipe. ¡ªBetter stop looking at my stats before my only 100 gold Yue vanish too. He walked past the stalls, checking what the merchants had to offer. He listened to fragments of conversations, trying to gather information without drawing too much attention. Finally, he stopped in front of a small food stall run by a man with a wide smile and a booming voice. ¡ªWelcome, young man! Looking for something in particular? ¡ªthe vendor greeted him cheerfully. ¡ªYes, sir. What are you selling here? ¡ªThis one¡¯s the latest from the Satori Company. It¡¯s called takoyaki, octopus and onion-filled balls. I¡¯ve also got meat skewers with veggies, steamed sweet potatoes... all fresh! ¡ªThat sounds fantastic. I¡¯ll take one of each... and something to drink. Water, if you have it. ¡ªAll right. That¡¯ll be two silver coins ¡ªthe man said, wrapping up the food. Kaito nodded and handed over a gold Yue. ¡ªHere¡¯s your change, young man ¡ªhe said, giving him back eight silver Yues. ¡ªYou¡¯re not from around here, are you? ¡ªWhy do you say that? ¡ªYou don¡¯t look like a local. And if you ask me, you seem a little lost. ¡ªAh, yeah. I just got in today from Verdalis. My parents are farmers ¡ªhe improvised, trying to sound convincing. ¡ªI see... Welcome to Astralis. Be careful¡ªthere are lots of pickpockets and thieves hiding in the crowd. ¡ªThanks... do you know where I can find a blacksmith? I brought my father¡¯s sword, but it needs some repairs. The vendor brought a hand to his chin, thinking. ¡ªI only know the king¡¯s blacksmith... Boris Terrafist, I think his name was. He¡¯s famous for picking fights with drunkards at the tavern ¡ªhe said with a laugh. ¡ªSounds like a handful. ¡ªHe is. And I doubt he takes work that doesn¡¯t come from the palace. But if you follow the main street to District Six, you¡¯ll find some good blacksmiths. ¡ªThanks for the info, sir ¡ªKaito said, leaving two silver Yues on the counter. ¡ªThanks for the tip, kid! If you need anything, you know where to find me. ¡ªI¡¯ll keep that in mind ¡ªhe replied, walking away calmly. He spotted an empty bench in the main plaza and sat down peacefully. Despite everything, he was the kind of person who always tried to see the good in the bad. For now, he was calm. No immediate problems... but he needed to think about how to earn money. ¡ªWhat should I do now...? ¡ªhe murmured. ¡ªIf I jump straight into some adventure with this busted sword, things¡¯ll go south fast, and my story¡¯ll end before it even begins... He looked at the folded document inside his jacket. ¡ªI could go to the nobles¡¯ academy in Aldoria. After all, they gave me this noble title and a fake backstory as a farmer. According to this... I¡¯m the youngest son of a Baronet. Sounds convincing enough. His eyes then landed on someone sitting not far away. Hooded, holding a metal cup in hand, silently begging for alms. But the strangest thing was how people avoided him. No one looked at him. Some quickened their pace as they passed. One mother even pulled her child away when he got too close. ¡ªI guess there are people down on their luck everywhere... ¡ªhe whispered, just as he was about to take his first bite of takoyaki. But he didn¡¯t look away The more he watched, the more he noticed¡ªhe was the only person begging in the entire plaza. Then, three teens walked by, laughing. ¡ªThere¡¯s that poor bastard again ¡ªone of them said. ¡ªLet¡¯s throw some rocks at him! Kaito froze, the takoyaki halfway to his mouth. The comment lit a fire inside him. ¡ªI guess I can¡¯t ignore that... ¡ªhe sighed, putting the ball back on the tray. The boys approached the hooded figure. ¡ªGet out of here, foreigner! ¡ªone of them yelled mockingly. ¡ªYou¡¯re not welcome here! He raised his hand, ready to throw a stone. The hooded man barely managed to lift his arms, like a stray dog used to being kicked. But the stone never flew. A firm hand stopped the boy¡¯s arm mid-air. ¡ªIt¡¯s not polite to bother others ¡ªKaito said seriously, looking him straight in the eye. ¡ªEspecially when they haven¡¯t done anything wrong. ¡ªAnd who do you think you are? Bet you¡¯re not even from around here. ¡ªYou¡¯re right, I¡¯m not from around here... My name is Kaito, son of Baronet Amakawa ¡ªhe said, showing the emblem of his supposed family. ¡ªPff, the son of a baronet doesn¡¯t scare me. You¡¯re no different from us. ¡ªI might not be any higher than a common citizen ¡ªKaito replied. ¡ªBut... how about I call the guards? Maybe they¡¯ll see things differently. Or maybe... ¡ªhe added, subtly shifting his gaze toward the visible hilt of his sword. ¡ªTch... a farmer swordsman. Now that¡¯s something you don¡¯t see every day... Let¡¯s go ¡ªthe boy muttered, turning away. The three of them walked off reluctantly. ¡ªUgh... what a bunch of rude brats. ¡ªKaito crouched down. ¡ªKid, are you okay? He reached out carefully. The cloak covered the child¡¯s face, but judging by the size, it looked like a kid. The hooded figure didn¡¯t respond. Still curled up, like he was waiting for something bad to happen. ¡ªCome on, I¡¯m not going to hurt you. I¡¯m not like those guys... or the nobles. I¡¯m just a regular person. The figure stayed silent. The distrust didn¡¯t fade... but then his stomach growled. Kaito smiled gently. ¡ªAh, I see... you¡¯re hungry. Then I don¡¯t have a choice. He took out one of the extra food bags he¡¯d ordered and placed it next to him, along with a bottle of water. He also dropped a small gold Yue into his cup. ¡ªI¡¯d like to give you more... but I¡¯m a really poor noble, you know? ¡ªhe joked. There was no reply. Kaito sighed, stood up, and turned to leave. He took a few silent steps, but just as he was about to disappear into the crowd, he heard something. ¡ª...Thank you. He stopped. He didn¡¯t turn around, but a faint smile formed on his face. The voice was soft, almost a whisper. Vulnerable. Real. Kaito didn¡¯t say anything else. He just kept walking, hands in his pockets, his heart a little lighter. Maybe his adventure hadn¡¯t started the way he dreamed. But that day... something had already changed.