《I died and reincarnated twice》 Chapter 1: I got reincarnated? "You are dead." "Huh?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The blue sky with some clouds towered above my head, but despite this, the sun would not stop reflecting onto the wet tarmac. My gaze, which was enchanted as I looked upwards, watched two singing little birds flying side by side. The sun in Front of my eyes caused my pupils to shrink and I felt a sudden stinging sensation. I was blinded, but my attention quickly switched back to the birds I was watching. Gray-brown plumage with an orange patch on its face extending to its chest and a comforting chirping sound kept my ears from straying away by its tone. The two creatures were perched on a beautiful cherry blossom tree that was right next to me on the side of the road. A gentle breeze brushed through my hair and through the crown of the tree. Scattered, pink-colored cherry blossoms flew through the air and fall to the ground due the force of gravity. This gaudy pink of the blossoms reminds me a lot of my favorite sweet dish. A mochi with a gummy consistency and juicy strawberries inside, we''re talking about strawberry mochi. Taking the first bite of a strawberry mochi is an incomparable experience. The outside is soft and slightly sticky, while the inside surprises you with a sweet filling of a strawberry. The fruity sweetness of the strawberry harmonizes perfectly with the subtle sweetness of the mochi itself. The soft, elastic texture and the juicy, fruity center provide a wonderful contrast which makes every bite a delight. Just thinking about it makes my mouth drool. However, strawberry mochi is not the only thing that comes into your mind when you see cherry blossom, it also represents the spring season in this country. Lost in my thoughts, I unexpectedly heard a melody that resembled bells. These bells were coming from a large building about six hundred meters in front of me. This ringing of bells was always a bad sign for teenagers like me. When I finally snapped out of my thoughts and returned to reality, I stood there like a statue, unmoving. Both in question and in shock, my facial expressions changed until I made a sound. "Damn, I''m gonna be late for school!" Spring, the period of the year that marks a new school year in Japan. In my case, the second year at my high school starts today. If this had been my first school year, I would certainly be excited, which I was last year. As a new student at an unfamiliar school, you''re always excited since you don''t know the teachers or the students, so everything was new. But this year is different. This year I am quite familiar with the school as well as its teachers and students. Despite being in a different class this year compared to the previous year, it doesn''t change the fact that I know some of my classmates from the time we have spent together. But I am probably the luckiest person I could have ever been. According to a message from a friend, I''m in the same class as my two best friends from childhood, Yorihiko and Koji, this school year. Yorihiko is very intelligent, especially when he wears his glasses, and was the best student in our grade last year. But while Yorihiko studies and gets good grades, is Koji the complete opposite. He sleeps almost every lesson, but when he''s awake, he''s an energetic joker who keeps everyone entertained, but in a cool and funny way. Even though they don''t look the slightest bit alike, not even related, you would think that they are like brothers or even twins. At least that''s what the other students say, while I spend time with them like the third wheel. Unlike them, I don''t have any special qualities, my grades are average and I''m not that energetic. I''m basically average. ... By now it was a quarter past three and the school bell announced the end of the first day of school. The windows of the school building reflected the sun, which was still shining, trying to peek out between the gray clouds, and the students leaving the school grounds, either individually or in small groups, through the school gate. After their classes, many students go to their chosen activities, like school clubs, or they go to the cram school to continue studying in preparation for upcoming tests or exams. But neither Yorihiko, nor Koji, nor I had anything like that to do. We''ve never been interested in joining clubs, nor in going to cram schools. Whenever there was a test coming up, we formed a small study group and were taught by Yorihiko. We always tell him that we want to thank him for it, like a meal of his choice for example or something like that, but he never accepted such things because he wanted to prepare for his desired profession as a teacher. Even though he seems very modest, he is still a nice guy. Not just Yorihiko, but Koji too. He always cheers me up when I''m feeling down, and his willingness to help others is also remarkable. No matter how often I think about it, I just can''t stop thinking that I don''t belong to this group. Scattered in my thoughts, the three of us walked home. The school is located in the Kanagawa prefecture in the large city of Sagamihara, our houses are not too far from each other, about a fifteen-minute walk to school for each of us. My small one-room apartment is located near the Yokoyamakyuryo-Ryokuchi-Park, opposite the Sagami Line. Yorihiko and Koji live as neighbors with their parents near a middle school that we attended together back then, right across from the Yokoyama-Park. We sometimes meet at an intersection to walk to school together, but today was a small exception since I overslept today and was late. After a few minutes we arrived at the intersection and from here we parted ways, my friends and I said goodbye and I continued my own route. Without expecting much, I noticed how the clouds in the sky became thicker and thicker until they colored the whole sky into a deep grey. Suddenly something wet touched my nose, sporadic watery drops hit the road, changing the smell of the air. "Rain?" I asked myself. I automatically looked at my school bag, which I had hanging on my left shoulder, and unzipped it. I held the bag open with my left hand while I rummaged through it with my right hand, looking for my umbrella. The roof tiles and bushes around me played their piece of nature''s music through the pounding, rattling rain, like an orchestra, while I was still searching for an umbrella. But through this musical orchestra, muffled sounds of splashing were suddenly added, at first the sounds were quiet, but they grew louder from time to time, as if something were approaching me. I finally found my umbrella, and turned towards these splashing sounds, which were actually footsteps. But before I could really realize what was going on, it happened... In a second, another dull noise sounded, like a butcher stabbing and cutting into the meat with his knife. Unfortunately, this sound was not coming from a slaughterhouse, but from my own body, because somehow... I had a knife stuck in my stomach. The knife blade was more than halfway in my stomach, piercing my skin, my blood vessels and my flesh. A large blood stain was visible on my school uniform and red liquid droplets were dripping from the blade onto the ground. Reflexively, I held both hands close to my stomach as my brain probably thought it would be able to stop the bleeding, but of course it didn''t. Offended and with heavy body movements, I held my head up to see the person responsible for this with half-closed, struggling to hold my eyes open. Unfortunately, I couldn''t see the person''s face because it was covered with a long brown coat and a high collar, and the person was wearing sunglasses and a black hat, so I couldn''t see what kind of person it was. The only guess I was able to make in this short time was, that the stature of the person was clearly a man. My vision suddenly became dizzy, and I was barely able to keep standing. I felt my legs trembling as I tried to stand straight, but my feet slowly went numb until I couldn''t feel them anymore, just like my hands, which were already soaked by the rain and stained blood-red by my blood. I felt like I was going to fall asleep at any second, it was like coming home from a long, exhausting day at school. I lost my balance like a timer was ticking down and fell onto the cold, wet tarmac. My body temperature continued to drop until I couldn''t move an inch, let alone feel anything. All my senses disappeared with a click, like clicking a light switch to turn off the light. I lost consciousness... Or at least that''s what I thought, but no... I died. My surroundings were as black as darkness I told myself, even though my eyes were closed, and I couldn''t see or sense anything. I felt like I fell into a black hole with no return. But the thought of being lost in the infinite darkness didn''t last long. A gentle tingling and flashing opened my eyes, where a small light appeared right before my own eyes at the other end of this darkness. Seizing this light, I raised my right arm and tried effortlessly. But my arm was too short, or the light too far away, but suddenly the light spread out to fill my entire surroundings. Seconds later, the light faded, and I found myself in a white room, or rather a sphere. This sphere was empty, no matter how much I tried to look around, I couldn''t see anything except a white void. Well, I may have exaggerated a little, but it was true that there was nothing around me except what was in front of me. I was sitting on my knees on a small dark green cushion on some tatami mats, with a small brown wooden table placed in front of me, with a small bowl of rice crackers and two teacups filled with green tea on it. One cup was on my side of the table and the other on the other side of the wooden table, which probably belonged to the person sitting on the opposite side. Also sitting on his knees was an old man, or rather a grandpa, since he had a long white beard and a wrinkled face, wearing a white kimono without any knitting. He also has a strange purple-green mark on his forehead, which was discreetly large, but I didn''t mention it to avoid possible danger or general outbursts of anger. I''d better not stare at this spot either. "You''re dead." An old, odd voice interrupted the silence in this sphere. The old man in front of me finally opened his mouth and made sounds that didn''t sound good on my part. "Huh?" I replied, without knowing what was going on. There was another dead silence until I opened my mouth and asked with a raised voice: "What do you mean you''re dead?!!" So, does that mean I really died? Just like that? Who was that guy who stabbed me anyway? Or another important question, what will happen to me? Lost in my thoughts again, I suddenly heard quiet laughter on the other side of the table. "You have such a late reaction time. As I already mentioned, you''re dead. You were cold-bloodedly murdered." said the grandpa. So it is true, I''m not alive anymore. Even though I should be grimacing in grief or shedding tears, yet I remained calm while still asking myself one thing. "Who are you, old man?" After this good, but also stupidly asked question, a dull rumble of anger rang out. His face was red as a tomato and was boiling hot as he screamed demonically. "Don''t call me old man! I''m a god!" My body winced in shock, and I went silent. I shouldn''t use the word old man again for the time being, as it was probably more unfriendly than I thought. But I had never expected the word god coming out of his mouth. A god, huh. In my world there are people who believe in one god, others believe that there are several gods, and still others think that there has never been a god from the beginning, mostly scientists who are more on the side of nature and its development since the Big Bang. But it seems that there is a God after all, because he is sitting right in front of my eyes. His bright red face has not returned to normal yet and his wrinkles are wrinkling close together, he looks like I shouldn''t say anything more, but I still have an unlimited number of questions that I would like to know the answers for. "Can you prove it? That you are a real god?" After my question, his face began to normalize - it was easier than I thought. "You want proof?" he asked me, and I nodded my head in reply. "How about an unknown world?" God asked. I wouldn''t have expected that question even in a hundred years, but here it was. A world foreign to me? Does he mean that I get reincarnated? I''ve often seen this kind of situation in anime or in some light novels, but no one would believe that something like this would happen to me of all people. Is this the beginning of a highly sought-after Isekai story? "An alternate world?" I asked the older man, but he only answered with one word. "Reincarnation." Reincarnation. I already suspected it, but I was still surprised when he mentioned it. When you get reincarnated, you start at the Beginner stage in the form of a baby. It is randomly decided whether you are reborn as a noble or as a commoner, but there is another possibility, and that is being reborn in the slums, people struggling to survive in the worst streets and darkest corners. That would be the least I would wish for. However, there was one thing that should never be left out in the other world. Before I asked possibly the most important question of my life, I swallowed a small amount of saliva that had accumulated in my mouth down my throat. "Does that mean there are also-" Before I could even ask the rest of my question, the bearded man interrupted me. "Absolutely." When I heard what I wanted to hear, I couldn''t pull myself together and immediately thought... of demi-girls. The thought alone made my mouth drip with drool. Demi-humans are a combination of human and animal, a human with animal ears and tail, or an animal that walks and behaves like a human on two legs instead of four. For this reason alone, I want- No! I need to go to this world! I wiped the saliva flowing down from my mouth, placed both hands on my lap and spoke confidently to God, who was taking a sip of green tea on my opposite side. "I agree. Please send me to this world." Setting the cup down and stroking his long white beard, the old man said. "Very well." His left arm lifted as the sleeve of his white kimono hung down a little, his left hand pointing frankly at me. I wondered what he was trying to do, but a moment later I understood it, as his hand shone with a white and gold-colored light. Is that what I think it is? Is this real magic? I wonder if I will also be able to use magic one day when I reincarnate. I''m incredibly tense and terribly excited, so much that even my heart is beating faster than usual. Seconds later, my vision blurred again, and I felt tired. Initially I fell asleep, my whole body felt light like a feather, yet I had no sensation in my arms and legs to enable me to move them. It was almost like floating in the emptiness, until I felt like I was lying on something hard and slightly damp a millisecond later and my back hurts. My ears suddenly heard a buzzing and rustling noise after that formerly quiet place called sphere, but I couldn''t categorize it properly. Bzzt Bzzt were the buzzing noises around me, could they be insects? And this rustling might be leaves, am I in a forest? My eyelids still felt heavy, so I couldn''t open them straight away. Nevertheless, I tried to open them slowly, but I was blinded by a bright light as soon as I glanced, I used my hand to cover the sun and held it in front of my eyes so that they could get used to the brightness here. I''m currently lying on the ground, so I sat up straight and looked around me, the first thing I saw were trees circling a small meadow three meters in diameter. As already suspected, I really am in a forest, and asked myself. ¡°Where... Where am I?¡± Then I briefly looked around me again to possibly gather more information. ¡°Is this really a new world?¡± It certainly looked like it, when I examined the plants more closely, I couldn''t recognize any of them from my old world. These flowers, for example, which grow scattered but multiple times in this small meadow, are unfamiliar to me. They have nine blue blossoms per flower, but the tips of the flowers are white, and somehow, they give me a feeling of longing... But for what? I still can''t believe that I died and now stand in a different world, but somehow, I feel a pain in my chest, such as another knife is stabbing me. Is it perhaps because I''m on my own now? I doubt it, because I''ve been living alone since I was in primary school, or is it because my friends aren''t here? Friends... I looked sadly down at the ground and clenched my hands together. I wonder what they will do now when they hear that I have died. We may never see each other again one day, but I wish with all my heart that we could see each other, even if it''s for a short time. My hands unclenched and slapped both my cheeks to pull myself together and look forward to the future. Even though it''s hard for me, I must leave my past behind me and start living in this world. I stood up, left the small meadow and walked into the shadows of the trees, hoping to meet an inhabitant of this world. Without a map or a compass, I have been walking through a spruce forest for about fifteen minutes. During this time, I hadn''t met a single soul or any sign that anyone had been here recently, so I just kept walking, hoping to finally get out of this dense forest. Finally, after another half an hour, a ray of light shone in front of me, it must be a place where the sun''s rays are not blocked by the treetops. As quick as the wind, I ran wildly towards this clearing, and when I made it out of the forest, I was greeted by a strong breeze. I was standing in front of a vast green landscape, its grasses doing a little dance in the breeze. The air was refreshing, better than in the city where I lived, it smelled so beautifully of the natural surroundings and the gentle breeze was slightly refreshing. I wanted to lie down on this grassy field and enjoy the pleasant silence, I might even fall asleep. But instead, I stretched out my arms wide to catch the breeze, and then looked around me, behind me was the spruce forest I just came out of, and in front of me was the landscape, what I would describe as the outside world. In any case, when I had turned my head to about the two o''clock position, I recognized a small spot far away from me. Perhaps it''s a village or even a town, if I get the outlines right. ¡°Is that... a town?¡± I should take a closer look at it, so I thought. I therefore set off for the long walk, and after an arduous walk of about a kilometer, I found myself standing in front of a large wall with a large gate, where a line of about eight people with luggage and some even with carriages were standing and waiting in front of it. Perhaps they were waiting to be checked by the guards who were on duty in front of the gate to be able to pass. It is also possible that you need to pay an additional entrance fee, I had read something like that somewhere. I have a thousand-yen bill, but I certainly won''t be able to pay with it, I''m sure there''s another currency here. But somehow, I must get into this town to at least be in a safe place without being attacked by wild animals. Although I was still surprised that I didn''t come across any animals in the forest, apart from insects and birds. However, I accept the consequences that will come and lined up as the ninth man as well. While I waited until the people in front of me were done and my turn had come, I marveled at the large wall constructed right before my eyes. I had never seen such a magnificent old structure before, at least not in Japan. This place looks more like the European Middle Ages, which reminded me that I was in a different world. I stepped forward daydreaming as the person in front of me walked on, but then I was woken from my daydream by a loud, powerful voice. ¡°Halt!¡± Shouted a tall muscular man, wearing a knight''s armor and holding a spear in his left hand. He has a helmet on which only covered his cranial head, so you could clearly see his tanned moustachioed face and his dark brown irises staring at me. He doesn''t look very friendly with that gloomy expression on his face, have I done something wrong? Before I realized it, the puffy muscleman was standing in front of me, where you could clearly see the difference between me and him. He was much taller than me, possibly 1.90m, and broadly built, while me, with my puny 1.75m and thin arms, was standing in front of him shaking like a bug. Suddenly his moustache moved, and his lower jaw opened his mouth, where sounds came out. ¡°I''ve never seen you before. Who are you, kid?¡± He looked at me grimly, while I already turned to stone in fear and didn''t moved a bit. But he asked again. ¡°Who are you, boy?¡± Damn, what am I going to do now? No one would believe that I was reincarnated, what do I do now? Should I just say that I''m a student? But which school, are there even schools here? I have no idea! Maybe he will believe me if I say that I''m just a traveler. Exactly! That sounds good! You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Ehm... I''m a traveler... Right, a traveler!¡± The guard''s face approached my face till there was only five centimeters between us. He looked deep into my eyes, cold drops of sweat streaming down my forehead, then he looked down at my body, noticing something I hadn''t considered. ¡°You claim to be a traveler? Where is your luggage? And where are you from? This is my first time seeing those clothes.¡± He''s referring to my black school uniform that I wore before I died. Wait a minute... There is something wrong... No, no, it''s not the time to think about it now, I''m screwed! I have to think about something as soon as possible, think! Then, I thought of the stupidest thing I could ever do. I raised my left arm and pointed with my left index finger in the direction I had come from earlier and the people standing behind me. I shouted loud and clear. ¡°A hot woman with melon-boobs!¡± ¡°What? WHERE?!¡± The bearded man turned, without hesitation with blushed cheeks, in the direction I was pointing. Of course, there was no one with that kind of description. But I took this chance and ran through the entrance gate to the town, like my life depends on it. Strangely enough, the other guards who were also standing at the gate didn''t stop me, judging by the way they were looking, they were probably fooled too. Such idiots, I thought but the tanned guard quickly realized that I was running away and was the only one running after me. ¡°Stop!¡± he shouted. ¡°There was no hot woman with melon-boobs!¡± he added. What!? Did he really believe that? Jerk. To lose him, I ran into a crowd of people on a street as I walked through an alley on the right. I stopped after a while when I noticed that no one was following me anymore. My back hunched forward, I took a little breather, supporting the upper half of my body with my hands on my thighs. I think I actually lost him, but I had never thought that such a tall person could have so much stamina. I suddenly felt like I was in PE class after an endurance run. Sounds like haa haa were just coming out of my body, longing for air now, with a variety of other sounds silencing my own. I was curious to see who could make so many sounds at once and gently lifted my head. My vision, blurry at first, visualized a large number of people walking through a long stretching street that resembled some sort of a shopping passage or market street. I wandered through this passageway with my eyes wide open and my mouth open because I couldn''t hold back my curiosity. Like a summer festival in my hometown, there were several different stalls selling different kinds of food, from fruit to meat, but also ready-cooked dishes such as grilled chicken and, if I saw correctly, weapons, equipment and accessories. I wonder if there are strawberry mochis here? Well, I doubt it, since this world is probably more like the European Middle Ages, there are certainly no Japanese dishes, which I personally think is quite sad. Perhaps there might be a place that resembles Japan. Suddenly, a loud rumbling from my stomach overwhelmed my thoughts. Now that I think about it, I haven''t eaten anything since lunch at school. Speaking of lunch, judging by the sky of this world, it seems to be noon right now. I have nothing against a second lunch, but a snack should suffice, because I can''t think clearly with an empty tummy. Therefore, I turned to a fruit stand to my left and looked for something tasty. Mmm... I can''t read the plates. Unfortunately, it''s written in a different language. Wait, how was I able to communicate with the guard earlier if it''s a different language? Huh? What does it say? I stared at the sign again and suddenly the strange characters changed into my language. 10 copper coins appeared on this plate. I thought it was cool that I could read and speak the new language, but unfortunately, I can''t buy anything without the money of this world and will probably starve to death, I sighed. Then a strange sound caught my attention. Peep Peep A sound not too different from the message tone of a smartphone. However, it couldn''t be my smartphone that was making this sound, since it was in my school bag in Japan. Surprisingly, a blue transparent screen that looks like a display suddenly appeared right in front of my eyes. This kind of display reminds me of games, but also of anime, to be honest I feel more and more like I''m in an anime. This display says that I have received 30 silver coins, but I got money just like that? Maybe God is involved here, if so, then... Thank you God! Proudly, I turned to the seller and said: ¡°Two apples, please.¡± The shop worker took two apples out of the basket and gave them to me after I took a silver coin out of a mysterious pouch in my trouser pocket and pressed it into his hand. The seller then gave me back 80 copper coins, apparently one silver coin was one hundred copper coins, as far as I understood it correctly. That may sound like a lot, but this weird pouch, seems to have some sort of other dimension inside, where I can probably store large items. Quite useful, if you ask me. Anyway, without thinking any further, I turned to the street and walked a little bit ahead, but as I was about to bite into one of the apples with pleasure- I was bumped by someone and all I heard was the dull breaking of an object. My eyes were wide with desolation as I looked at the innocent victims of this crime, both apples lying broken in front of my feet. Devastated, I fell on my knees and propped my body off the ground with my arms. ¡°My food...¡± Feelings of despair and anger mingled in my mind, trying to come up with a plan to punish this bastard! ¡°You''ll regret this!¡± I silently stood up and set off after him, I ran after a person wearing a dark green cloak and shouted. ¡°Wait!!!¡± The culprit ran into an alley on the right, until he noticed that he couldn''t go any further. ¡°Damn it! A dead end! cursed the person in the cloak. Just a few meters away, I also emerged into this alley and said with a squeaky voice. ¡°Now I caught you!¡± The person looked at me and saw that I was, once again, out of breath and dripping beads of sweat down my forehead. Oh God, I should exercise more... ¡°Because of you, I dropped my fo-...¡± Before I could finish my sentence, a slight breeze that somehow came through the alley interrupted me and pulled down the hood of the person''s dark green cloak. That was the reason I couldn''t finish my sentence and instead dragged out that one word. With my mouth open and my eyes wide, I saw who the person was. A girl. She has chestnut brown hair that goes down to her shoulders and is evenly cut, and she has emerald-green eyes that sparkled at me and made me feel like I could see a reflection of myself in them. And her gentle pink lips, which also looked very soft and had a slight shine, put the finishing touch. My breast feels strange, it''s not pain, so it must be something else, but what? It''s the first time I''ve felt something like that. Now I was standing there with a blushing face, staring at this beautiful girl, until she suddenly opened her mouth. ¡°Who are you? I don''t have time for you.¡± Before I could say anything, two more people appeared unexpectedly. ¡°There she is!¡± Shouted one person, followed by the other. ¡°You''re not getting away from us now, girl. Give us back what you stole from us!¡± Who are these two? They certainly don''t look like soldiers, but more like junkies who mess around with young women. The left one is certainly taller than me, but shorter than the soldier from earlier, he''s thin but lightly trained, and he''s holding a shortsword in his right hand and a green glass bottle in his left. The right guy is short and fat so you could use him as a mini wrecking ball, he doesn''t have a weapon in his hand, but he seems to be carrying a dagger around his waist. What did the fat guy said about giving back what she stole? I wonder what it is. ¡°I''m the one who stole it? You were the guys who robbed me!¡± said the girl. Now the two junkies are supposed to have robbed her? I''m confused, who robbed from whom? This situation is easily getting out of control and I couldn''t hold back any longer, I had to do or say something. Yes, exactly, say something... But just what? I pondered until I actually thought of something. Stop! Exactly. A simple ¡°Stop!¡± would do. ¡°Stop!¡± I actually said it, now that I think more carefully about it, it sounded really lame, that''s embarrassing. Why couldn''t I think of anything better, Gosh I''m an idiot! While I was insulting myself in my thoughts and despairing at the same time, there was silence around me. Curiously, I looked in both directions to see what was happening, but they actually stopped shouting at each other. I did it, at least I thought I did. ¡°Who is this guy?¡± asked the fat person. Eh? ¡°That doesn''t matter. We''re just after the prey.¡± replied the tall person. Eeehh?? ¡°If we have to, we''ll finish them both off!¡± he added, walking towards me with his weapon in his right hand. EEEHH??? I thought. I took a step back in fear, closed my eyes and crossed my arms in front of my head to protect myself. But nothing happened... It was quiet and no one harmed me. I opened my eyes again and looked ahead. ¡°Huh?¡± Magically, the two people walked very slowly, it was like they were caught in a slow-motion. Suddenly, a soft chime, like a bell, sounded and the blue transparent display appeared again, out of nowhere. ¡°Uh?¡± Unlike before, the displayed text is different. it said. A Skill? Like a Skill, in all the games I''ve played? Why now? Anyway, I took advantage of this and dashed before the thirty seconds were up. First, I ran to the shortsword wielder and kicked his sword out of his hand, next I took the glass bottle from his left hand and smashed it onto his head, the shards of glass flying around but not falling to the ground, just like the victim. Then I rushed to Fatty, who was currently drawing his dagger out of the sheath around his waist. But I was quicker and pulled it out before him, cutting his belt so his pants would fall down, and tying his legs together with the belt I cut off so he would hit his face. The thirty seconds now ended and the skill, and therefore the slow motion, was over, my actions were effective. Confidently, I asked them straight up. ¡°Do you want more?¡± But neither of them showed any reaction, they seemed to be unconscious. I poked their heads with a stick lying next to me to test them. Both are really unconscious? Well, the tall one is understandable since I hit him with a glass bottle straight on the head, but I don''t understand why the fatso, who just fell on his nose. ¡°Amazing.¡± A startled female voice spoke, that belonged to the girl with chestnut-brown hair. She walked towards me, my face flushed again, and my heart was racing. I still don''t understand what this strange feeling is. Is it a disease or something? What illness could have such symptoms? But before I even realized it, she was already standing in front of me, just a few steps away, her hands hidden behind her body. ¡°Hey you. What''s your name?¡± she asked me, her body leaning forward and her voice soft and smiling. Automatically, like every time I''m greeting someone, I told her my name, even though I wasn''t fully focused. ¡°My name is Yuuji. Yuuji Takahashi.¡± ¡°Yuuji Takahashi. That''s a funny name. Anyway, my name is Monika, nice to meet you. And thanks for your help, by the way.¡± she giggled. So, Monika is her name, a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Wait, did I just call her beautiful again? What''s wrong with me? Wait, how can I be so stupid, it''s quite obvious why I''m feeling so strange. But is it really what I think? ¡°Oh, that was nothing.¡± I said as a little cover up, I mean, if this skill hadn''t suddenly activated, I would already be dead. Again, ironic. But then I heard another grumble, just like before, and my thoughts switched to the feeling of starvation in my stomach. Monika looked at me in surprised and giggled again. She then suggested something to me that I had never expected. ¡°Follow me, I''ll buy you something to eat.¡± she said with a gentle smile. Without hesitation, I asked. ¡°What, really?¡± ¡°Yes, I dropped your food earlier, after all.¡± This girl seems nice. But why is a girl nice to me of all people, is she an angel? Or is this the fate everyone is talking about? Or is this even the beginning of a so-called harem, a group of women who are accompanying me on my adventure? Now I''m all fired up! I''m so excited to see what else this world has to offer me. We left the junkies behind lying on the street and headed to a pub in the western part of the city, where Monika led us. We ate wild boar goulash with some brown bread and a small salad as a side dish and drank mead. Mead is a sweetened honey wine made from honey and water. As it''s an alcoholic drink, I''m not actually allowed to drink it because I''m still a minor, but when I took a sip, a bell rang again and the same display appeared. This time it said . That''s an advantage on my part, but in the case of this drink, you didn''t feel any strength of the alcohol from the beginning since it''s dimmed by the honey. But it was still delicious. The wild boar goulash was also delicious, there wasn''t much fat inside the meat and it''s tender too, so it was easy to chew. A great variety, which you couldn''t compare with other dishes. During the meal, Monika told me some stories about her fights against monsters. It was getting dark by the time I realized it, but before she might leave in a minute, I wanted to know one more thing from her. ¡°What was stolen from you?¡± I asked. But she looked at me questioningly. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Those guys earlier. You said that you were robbed,¡± I continued. Monika seemed to remember that scene, her eyes suddenly widened, and she opened her mouth wide like she was unable to breathe. Her face turned bright red, and she babbled confusedly, which I couldn''t understand at all. I wonder what''s wrong with her. I didn''t go any further into this topic as she wasn''t quite focused. Instead, I thought about what I was going to do the next days. Since I''m in a fantasy world, I need combat experience so I can fight against monsters in case I get into trouble, maybe a hunting ground or something. Maybe Monika knows some good hunting spots. ¡°Monika, do you know where you can go hunting here as a newbie?¡± Monika''s face returned to normal, and she looked at me in surprise. ¡°Hunting? As a rookie, you definitely shouldn''t go too deep into the forest, otherwise you can easily lose your orientation. And I''d also recommend getting yourself some standard equipment, without a weapon you''re not going to kill a monster, or even a wild animal.¡± Equipment, huh. I wonder how much equipment costs. I still have 29 silver coins and 80 copper coins left, I wonder if this is enough. Perhaps, I might get some equipment like I did with the coins earlier, but that might be asking too much. Then the sound of a message tone sounded again... ... Hm, that was easier than expected, at least I have a weapon now to protect myself if something happens to me. ¡°If you still need equipment, we can get you some tomorrow in the morning,¡± Monika suggested. ¡°It''s okay, I already have some equipment,¡± I said to her. Then the girl stood up unexpectedly and said with a grin. ¡°Then we''ll have more time to hunt tomorrow.¡± ¡°It''s already dark, I''m afraid I need go now. I''ll meet you tomorrow morning when the bell rings at eight o''clock.¡± Then, with no further comment, she ran through the entrance and left the inn. Now I''m alone again, wondering what actually happened. Eight o''clock tomorrow, huh. I looked out of the window and saw the gloomy darkness of the night and individual lights from the neighboring houses. I also need a place to sleep, thanks to the money I''ve received, I don''t have to sleep outside on the street, I can just get a room. According to the signs here, single rooms are available for 70 copper coins, I don''t know if that''s cheap, but I have the money. I paid at the reception and went straight to my room, which is on the 2nd floor. I opened the door and saw a small room, but enough for one person. There was barely any furniture, a bed, a table, a chair and a closet. I took off my school uniform jacket and hung it in the closet, then I took off my black shoes, put them in front of the closet and sat on the bed without hesitation. Then I suddenly remembered the thing I wanted to think about. Why am I sitting as Yuuji Takahashi here, at this moment? I mean, I got reincarnated, no doubt, but it''s still strange that I kept my old body instead of being a baby now. I don''t really mind, but it''s quite strange. Another thing that came to my mind was this world in general, it''s similar to a game because of the skills and monsters that exist here, but at the same time it''s different. The citizens of this world are not NPCs, rather they have their own will and behave normally. Nevertheless, obtaining skills and money, and suddenly learning the language, is similar to a game. Huh? A game? In this case, I should have a personal menu or a status window. How do I open it? I tried with a few finger movements, but nothing happened. Then I decided to close my eyes and concentrated to imagine a status window, hoping that something would happen. Seconds later, a sound was heard that was different from the previous sounds, I instantly thought of a xylophone. I quickly opened my eyes again and saw the familiar blue-transparent display in a square shape. Name: Yuuji Level: 1 Job: None HP: None MP: None ATK: None DEF: None CRIT: None ITEMS SKILLS None? What is the meaning of this? How can I have no parameters, especially HP? Apart from the name and the level, there are two buttons for Items and Skills. This must be a bug, I can''t explain it otherwise, and what is meant by job? Probably this job display will change when I add one, if I get one in the future. First, I pressed the item button and checked what items I had. Another square window appeared next to the status window. There were several small squares on the window, which probably represented the individual slots. Five of these slots were occupied by icons which, according to the picture, were the items. Iron sword Iron breastplate Gloves Silver coins Copper coins On the bottom right corner of the icon were numbers indicating the number of items. In this case, silver coins 29x / copper coins 10x. I pressed on the sword symbol excitedly and saw what happened. A light suddenly appeared in front of me and formed an elongated shape. When the light faded, I was holding a real One-Hand Sword in my hands. I stared at the sword with amazement and felt the slight weight on my hands. I wonder if I can wield it. I wondered how I could make it disappear again. I pressed the icon depicted with the sword again. The iron sword lit up again and broke into little stars, answering my question. I actually want to know a lot more about my status and this world, but I should call it a day and think about it tomorrow. I lay down on my back and covered myself with the blanket. A lot of things happened today, I still feel like I''m in a dream, that I''m in a real fantasy world. I closed my tired eyes and fell asleep immediately, while I thought one last time about the girl called Monika and said a second before I fell asleep. ¡°Monika.¡± I was sleeping deeply, unaware that someone had entered my room through the window and was standing in front of my bed like a black shadow. Suddenly I saw a familiar light, which blurred my vision at first. After it got better, I saw a person I had met half a day ago sitting in front of me. ¡°Huh? ... Why am I dreaming ... about God?¡± I said, half asleep. ¡°It''s not a dream, son.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± To wake up, I slapped my cheeks with my hands, which made them turn red. I quickly realized that I was back in the sphere where I met God. ¡°Eh? ... EEeehhh??? What happened?! Why am I here AGAIN?!¡± I lost my cool a bit, but understandably. ¡°Calm down, son. The thing is... you''re dead.¡± God told me calmly. Dead... When I heard this word again, it turned into cold sweat running down my back. So does this mean, game over? ¡°Death, again? But how?¡± I asked God, who answered me as follows. ¡°Your head has been chopped off.¡± I immediately grabbed my neck, on which my pale and mute head was sitting, to check that I wasn''t sitting headless at the small wooden table. Of course I was shocked, mainly because I didn''t know what would happen to me now. Will I... just disappear? ¡°It can''t end like this! I didn''t even live a whole day in that world!¡± I said raising my voice. ¡°That''s why you''ll be reincarnated again,¡± said the bearded man. I can go back again? I asked in surprise, to be sure: ¡°Is that true?¡± God nodded. ¡°That''s just an exception. I''ll send you to the same world, but you''ll get a new body.¡± he mentioned. ¡°A different body? I don''t care! As long as I get reincarnated!¡± At that moment, I didn''t care about anything else, different body or not, I must get back as soon as possible and catch that bastard who killed me. ¡°Alright, but this time you need to take care of yourself. If you die again, you can''t reincarnate any more. If you die, you die permanently.¡± he said seriously. This is my last chance, I should take it and not give up under any circumstances! So I said, with a self-confident and serious expression. ¡°I''m ready.¡± God nodded again and stroked his beard. ¡°All right, here we go.¡± Once again, he held his left hand in my direction, which was already beginning to glow white-golden. I closed my eyes and fell asleep to the pleasant warmth. My body became light again until it lay on something hard. I slowly opened my eyes and saw a dark, starless night sky. Then I stood up and looked around me, I recognized this place because I had just walked here this afternoon. It was the street where the inn is located. I suddenly remembered why I was here in the first place. I have to find that bastard! Without further hesitation, I ran towards the inn, where I suddenly saw a shadow jumping out of the window - if I wasn''t mistaken, it was my room. That must be him, I thought. The suspicious person saw me and fled. I quickly ran after him. ¡°Stop, wait!¡± I shouted. After a short while, the distance between us became smaller until I grabbed his cloak. However, I tripped over the broken road and fell to the ground, but I managed to tear off a small piece of fabric from his cloak. At the last moment, I only managed to see a strange symbol, or rather a tattoo, through the hole on the left side of his back. Far ahead, the murderer disappeared into the shadows of the dark streets. Even if I got up now, I wouldn''t be able to catch him, so instead I went back to the inn and slowly opened the door to my room. This moment I knew that I would see my own corpse, but without knowing what to do in this situation. The room, bathed in the ghostly moonlight, made my heart race as I entered. A feeling of trepidation tightened my throat. The door creaked softly as I closed it and walked to the bed. In front of me lies what I was actually unprepared for. On the bed, which once had a snow-white bed sheet, was painted with a blood-red color, surrounded by the feathers of the pillow and a rumpled blanket, laid my old body. Eyes closed, skin pale and lifeless, and with a clean cut through the neck. It was like looking into a twisted mirror where the reflection of my former life was trapped. I shuddered and my breath hitched. ¡°That''s me,¡± I whispered, unable to look away. ¡°That was me.¡± My mind raced back to the last moments before I died both times. The pain, the darkness, the feeling of letting go. And then- the awakening in this new body, in this new world. It was a miracle, an extra chance, but now, right here in front of my own mortal shell, I was overcome by a wave of fear and doubts. ¡°What am I now?¡± I muttered. ¡°An impostor? A spirit who has deceived the course of nature? Or just a stranger walking in someone else''s body?¡± The questions swirled in my head, incessantly, like a storm that knew no calm. I felt uprooted, lost between two worlds. The sight of my own dead body confronted me with the finite nature of life and the fragility of existence. My old self was accusing me, challenging me to find my place in this new reality. Tears burned in my eyes and an indescribable pain pierced my heart. I had thought reincarnation was a blessing, a chance to do things differently. But now, faced with my own corpse, it felt like a curse. A curse that condemned me to walk eternally between life and death without ever really belonging there. ¡°Why?¡± I screamed into the silence, my voice broken and desperate. ¡°Why was I reborn when I''m going to die again anyway? What is the point of this existence?¡± My knees gave way, and I sank to the ground, my body gripped by uncontrollable trembling. The scream that came from my soul was a wild, primal sound - an echo of my innermost pain and my deepest despair. It echoed through the room, penetrated the walls and merged with the cold, silent night. And there, kneeling in front of my own dead body, I realized the cruel truth. Reincarnation was not a gift, but a burden. A burden that forced me to face my own mortality and the endless cycle of life and death. That night, under the nightmarish light of the moon, I learned the truth of suffering and loss - and the price you pay when you challenge fate. Chapter 2: Reincarnated again? Are you serious? If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Chapter 3: Truth This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Chapter 4: Salamander-Princess Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Chapter 5: Quest Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Chapter 6: Demon Tears The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter 7: Slave Trader This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Chapter 8: Legendary Heroes Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Chapter 9: Twins Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla, or the ''Legendary Heroes'', at least that''s what the entire population of this world calls them. On my journey until now, I had heard about them a few times from various people, but until this point I didn''t even know they existed. According to stories I''d heard, the Legendary Heroes consisted of only three people, two girls and a boy, around the age of a teenager. Seventeen-year-old Elaine, also known as ''The Golden Lioness'', has long light brown curly hair and in combination with her yellow eye color, she was given this name, but not only because of her appearance, but also because of her fighting style. I was told that she discovered an ultra-rare weapon in a dungeon, a longsword , and uses it in ''Berserk style'' to slash and pierce anyone, be it an object or a living creature, like a hungry wildcat hunting. ''The powerfull Gorilla'' Dorilla was, unlike Elaine, a year older and significantly taller than the other members, possibly even taller than Anna, who is already taller than me. Because of his size and his muscular arms and fighting strength, in addition to his ape-like appearance, he was given the names ''Gorilla'' and ''The powerful Gorilla''. I mean, the naming is indeed suitable, but isn''t it a little too specific? I asked myself. I noticed that people like to compare heroes or generally strong people with animals or monsters. ''The Valkyrie'' Alicia, the girl who just recently reached the age of seventeen, was as small as a twelve-year-old despite her age. This concept reminded me of Loli somehow. Alicia is known for her speed, agility and magical talent, especially when it comes to ''flying'', which is probably how she got her name ''Valkyrie''. Together with Elaine and Dorilla, they had adventures that even I haven''t experienced, they trained and fought the fiercest battles that I wished to see. At first glance, you might think these were just tales, but from what I saw in my surroundings in that brief moment, I believed these stories and their tremendous power. This power was real, because they were standing in front of me. Not only did they look elegant in their equipment, you could feel the powerful aura on each one of them. On top of that... they were also able to heal my large and fatal wound and repair my tattered black coat and dark blue shirt. Surprised, my right hand wandered over my stomach, where I had the aforementioned wound a short while ago, and rubbed it a little. I was confused, for good reason. I thought I had died again, for the third time, but thanks to these people, this was not the case. Those three people, my lifesavers, no matter how unbelievable it may sound, were also reborn. Just like me, they came from that world to this one, only with one small but very significant difference... After being ''reborn'', as the name suggests, you are ''born'' again, which means you will be born as a baby in the first stage, grow up in your new body and live your life until you hit the dust again. But in my case, it wasn''t the same, not even twice. On my first night in this world, I was already pondering the meaning of this phenomenon, but found nothing useful, I just thought... that I was a mistake. An error in some system that doesn''t want me here, the thought would also fit to my invisible parameters. I told Elaine and Alicia about it and they looked at me confused for a moment and tilted their heads to the side, except for Dorilla who was still cowering over my statement earlier. Elaine just said, ¡°We can see it.¡± ¡°Huh? You can see your stats???" I jumped up surprised. I would love to see their parameters! I said to myself. ¡°Of course we can see our stats, it''s normal for every reborn. Please don''t tell me you were serious about your status. Can you really see ''nothing''?¡± Alicia asks me, her brow furrowing. "Not exactly. The only fragments I can see are my name, my current level, job and the skills and items I have. Nothing else. The part where I could see my stats was labeled as ''None'', like I had no HP or whatever, like in a broken game," I explained reasonably. ¡°Just that?¡± Alicia''s eyebrow raised skeptically. They both put their fingers to their chins and thought, Elaine just said, ¡°Weird.¡± Weird... "That''s more than just weird! This is depressing! Why... Why am I the only one! Why am I not able to see that? Is this a bug? Am I a bug? Am I... broken?!" I couldn''t suppress my feelings and unexpectedly became loud, unintentionally shouting at her. "Believe me, we''re just as confused as you are right now, but despairing and blaming yourself now is not a solution. You said you haven''t been able to read your stats since you came to this world, right? But you''ve still made it this far! You have survived! If there''s one thing I''ve learned in my years as a warrior, is not to believe those simple numbers of my status. You can be stronger than these numbers by focusing on your own ability. Train hard and always look ahead.¡± Elaine''s words left me speechless. Of course, she was right. So far, I had only focused on my parameters and tried as hard as I could to make them visible, all for nothing. Monika trained me on our path and I felt that I was getting stronger, not only because of my level or the skills I had acquired, but also because of the fights. The fight against the giant salamander or the sandworm were perfect examples of my growth as a fighter. But I hadn''t reached my goal yet, I had to get stronger! I have to train more! At least that''s what I told myself. "Right. Of course, it could also be that the grandpa simply made a small mistake. He probably has his limits too, I guess,¡± said Alicia. ¡°But tell me, what are you going to do now? We saw that you fought Number Six, but you didn''t tell us why you were here," added the blonde girl with a book on her back. Her question was fair, I should tell them about my mission... What was my mission again? I scratched my chin and thought seriously about what I was actually up to, I'' ve become very forgetful lately, I realized. My eyes then fell on the large egg that was as big as Alicia, standing next to her. My first thought was that the egg was really big from a closer view. And my second thought was... "Ahh! I forgot about the villagers!" ¡°Villagers?¡± Elaine and Anna tilted their heads to the side and looked askance. Dorilla listened too, he suddenly stopped sobbing and turned his gaze to us questioningly. We left the empty, ruined room, which seemed gloomy to me at first, after Elaine and the others wanted to help me to save the villagers. We first helped Dorilla to get up again and quickly made our way back towards the place, full of cells filled with unpleasant scenarios and memories. Through Alicia''s magic, we were able to leave through the large hole in the ceiling and found ourselves in a forest of pine trees. The pine forest is dense and confusing, so it''s easy to get lost, like in a labyrinth, but Alicia was our guide, holding a map of the forest in her hands. It is said that this forest is actually called the . I don''t know what the flower has to do with this naming, I can only make assumptions and either be right or wrong. Perhaps the lycoris appears in some part of the maze that you are unlikely to find. I continued to think of possible theories as we walked and made some assumptions, then looked ahead at the three people walking far away from me, leaving me way behind. At that moment, I realize again how special these people are, despite their equipment and their previous fight, they run like nothing happened. Even the dragon egg, floating in the air next to Alicia, is faster than me. I try to run a little faster, but my stamina, unlike theirs, is pathetic. My half-closed and sad eyes can do nothing but watch their backs. After half an hour, we switched from the maze that Number Six teleported us to, to a mixed forest where the building, our destination, was located. When we arrived at the building, I took a step closer to the entrance and looked with relief at the, still, unconscious guards I knocked out earlier. It''s a miracle they haven''t woken up yet, but it''s also an advantage for us to walk through the entrance without further ado. But before we did so, we tied up the two guards with a rope that Dorilla made appear from his personal item box, just to be sure. The corridor, dimly lit by the torches on both sides of the walls, makes me feel uneasy again, the same feeling I had when we rescued the inhabitants. Only this time I can calm down. As far as I know, the danger should be over. The screams I heard the first time I was here have also faded from my mind. A few steps further on, I can hear simple voices instead of loud screams. The voices filled with sanity and fear fill my animal ears. We have finally reached the villagers. I explained to the villagers what happened, while Elaine and Alicia gathered the children, who were still in a room somewhere in this cave-like building. We all went outside together, out to the natural surroundings. The exhausted Beastmen took a deep breath of the refreshing air and gradually calmed down again. The children, who were certainly in shock, were also rolling on the ground or running around. So, I... have freed the villagers from their captivity, but at the moment I can''t think of a way to get them back to their village. I still have my riding companion, my horse Shia, but even on her I can only carry two more people in total. If I remember correctly, Akira said something about cages pulled by horses that brought everyone here. If we use these horses, we can take them all at once. That won''t be nice for the villagers, but unfortunately, I can''t think of any other options at this moment. I went to Elaine and the others and told them about the option I was thinking of, they gave me their answer with a nod and said that they would look around and get the horses ready, but in the meantime I should talk to the villagers, calm them down and explain our plan to them, according to Elaine. I made sure they turned their gazes to me and spoke, ¡°Everyone, please listen to me. We''re currently in process, planning our way home." Before I could continue, I was interrupted by the loud, delighted cheering of the people in front of me. Now it was quite difficult for me to say my next words, but I had to tell them. "What I am about to tell you will certainly not sound right and you might be angry towards me, but... I''m asking you to trust me!¡± I said in an elevated tone. "Whatever it is, we''ll do it." spoke an older man. His hair is dark gray with bangs that completely covered his eyes, and he has small, rounded ears on his head and a long black and gray striped tail on his backside. He seems to be half raccoon. His words make me a little happy, but both he and the others don''t know what I''m about to tell them. "To bring all the villagers back at once, we''ll have to use the same method of transportation as the criminals did before." My words echoed in the air. It became quiet around me, the joy that had been there a moment ago had disappeared. I can''t blame them. If I were in their shoes, I would feel just like them. Depressed. "We have to go back into the cages. Is it that what you want to say?" the older man looks sadly at the ground. I can''t bring myself to let them go through this agony again, but what else can I do? Even in situations like this, I am powerless... What situations can I even deal with, I asked myself, without having found a solution yet. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about?" the warrior with a longsword at her hip spoke, approaching me. ¡°Huh? Nonsense?" I don''t understand what Elaine is calling nonsense. We stare at each other questioningly, but neither of us makes a sound. For some reason, this silence gives me an uneasy feeling the more I look at Elaine and the smile she has just put on. I get the feeling that something is about to explode, at least that''s what her yellow eyes say, burning with ambition. ¡°We just need to change the carriages a little.¡± My body moves back a step, automatically, and I drop my gaze to Alicia and Dorilla, who are standing fifty meters away from us. This bad feeling has come true, the golden lioness Elaine is about to destroy something again... We lined up the carriages, without horses. The villagers stand by the horses and prepare themselves morally for the departure. The heroes and I are next to the carriages, which we have just lined up, and suddenly someone pulls at my sleeve, of my black coat. It''s the little blonde Alicia. She pulls harder so that she can whisper something in my ear. She says softly, "I''d walk a hundred meters away if I were you." ¡°A hundred meters won''t be enough.¡± Dorilla added in a whisper. What''s wrong with them, I ask myself. I don''t really understand their point, but I can somehow piece together what they''re getting at as we begin to stare together at Elaine, who stands in front of the carriages with her hands on her hips. Slowly, she draws her silver sword with gold hilt and parrying rod, adorned with a crystal blue gemstone, on the blade and parrying rod, from its sheath, made of brown leather, at her hip, with a smiling expression on her face. She holds her rare sword, which bears the name , horizontally in her right hand. Her left hand stretches out a little, slightly open, still in front, while she holds the sword on her right side, straight and outstretched. Her left leg is forward, and her body slightly bent. Her long silver blade began to glow green. This light effect looks familiar. It is the same light effect as when you activate a Weapon Skill. With a slight "Ey!", she swung her sword effortlessly from left to right, releasing a horizontal arc of green transparent light that tore through the air and flew towards the carriages. The sound of the sword strike literally rang in my ears, as if the metallic silver blade was bouncing off something. The deafening sound that followed was that of an explosion, causing not only me but also the others, except for Alicia and Dorilla, to flinch in horror. After the smoke cloud that had just risen disappeared, I saw with wide-open eyes the shadow of the person who had just put their special sword back into its brown sheath, making a metallic sound. The smoke cleared completely, and the altered carriages were now visible. Using Elaine''s weapon enhancing skill, she cut through the thick silver metal beams that were attached to the carriage. The beams now lie overturned next to the carriages. Elaine is incredible. This thought echoed in my head. The swordswoman looks towards us and speaks as if nothing had just happened: "Shall we go now?" she giggles. Elaine, Dorilla, Alicia and I were helping the villagers, one after the other, to get on the carriage when suddenly two people, a tall dark brown-haired man and a beautiful woman with long black hair, came towards me as I was helping an old lady. For some reason I recognize that smell. A special scent sticks out through my nose, which I can''t place so quickly, I remember fragilely. It''s the smell that I used as a guide earlier, when I left to rescue them, when the carriage tracks ended. Perhaps these people could be... "Thank you again, you''ve saved us from this terrible suffering," says the tall man with cat ears. I shake my head. "I only came to your village by chance, so it would have turned out different for you. You see, in your village I came across a small, grumpy boy with his little sister with him. We had a short argument, but we quickly became friends, he told me about the incident and asked me for help. So, you''d better thank him, the little boy called Akira who was brave enough to want to protect his family and villagers." ¡°Akira?¡± the man''s eyes widen as he says the boy''s name. The woman next to him holds her hands over her mouth and let wet droplets flow down her cheeks. Trembling, she spoke to the man. ¡°They are alive... Georg, our children are alive!¡± The man nodded to her as he also began to cry, and they embraced. Only now do I remember that familiar smell. As I suspected, this couple are Akira''s and Mary''s parents. Somehow, I can''t help but smile softly. The thought of how happy Akira and Mary will be, warms my heart. I helped them to get on the carriage and realized that they were the last ones. ¡°All the villagers are now on a carriage. We can leave now.¡± Dorilla informed me. ¡°Thank you, you''ve been a great help. Would you like to accompany us? Or will you go your own way?¡± I asked. "Just to be sure, we''ll escort you to the village," Elaine suggested. "True. Thank you.¡± In total, three full carriages for eighty inhabitants. Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla each drive a carriage, while I, on our way back, went to my own horse, Shia, and untied her from the tree. I hopped on her and held the reins with both hands. Now we were finally ready to return to the village. "Well then, let''s go to the village!" ¡°Yeeaaah!!!¡± "Jeez! This guy is taking way too much time! What''s he up to? The sun''s already going down.¡± Monika is getting restless, the thought of Kaito simply going off on his own to rescue the villagers of the Demi-Human village still upsetting her. Four hours have now passed since their arrival in the village and the picturesque sky has turned a reddish-yellow color with a hint of purple on the horizon. The girl with chestnut hair stomped back and forth, her arms crossed and panting like a child who has run out of patience. ¡°I hope big brother''s okay.¡± Akira, the half-cat with black hair, was worried about Kaito. After all, he was the one who asked Kaito to rescue his parents and the others, but now, after the time that had passed so far, he felt a tinge of guilt. He blamed himself for forcing this difficult and dangerous task on Kaito, whom he called his big brother. If something happened to his big brother, such as his death, he could never forgive himself. ¡°Of course he''s fine! We''re talking about my hero here, after all!" replied Anna, the salamander woman, with a big voice. Her trust in Kaito, her hero, was as great as ever, she felt she couldn''t trust anyone better than him. Monika, on the other hand, still didn''t understand why Anna called him my hero, basically there was no reason to call him that, that''s how Monika thought about it before and still does now. "This again." Monika seethed. "Brother, something''s coming." Akira''s little sister, Mary, spoke to her brother. Her cat ears moved fleetingly as she could detect something in the distance, even if it seemed like a small breeze to her, the sound grew louder, and Akira could hear it too. ¡°Now that you mention it. I hear it too.¡± Mary tugged at her big brother''s olive-green shirt, pointing south with the index finger of her left hand. The same direction Kaito was heading. Akira looked in that direction, but there was nothing. But after he strained his eyes and squinted, he recognized several shadows in the rather far distance. ¡°Eh... That''s...¡± one of the shadows waved his left arm at them. At that moment, Akira knew that it could only have been one. ¡°Big brother!!!¡± "Are you serious?!" Monika wondered in a squeaky voice. ¡°Heeey guuuys!!!¡± I shouted and waved to them passionately, while I was accompanied by Elaine and the others. After an hour''s ride, we crossed the south gate of the village and were now officially back. My mission was complete, I had rescued the villagers and brought them home safely. I could already see my group members and the two children Akira and Mary from afar and couldn''t stop myself from waving to them. About eleven meters away from them the horse, Shia, stopped and so did the other carriages behind me, I got off the horse when suddenly a surprise attack sent me tumbling to the ground. ¡°My hero! I knew you would make it!" It was Anna who clutched me and pressed me tightly against her. I could hardly breathe, had Anna always been this strong, I wondered, as her large yet soft breasts crushed my face. "H-Hey, Anna get off of me..." I mumbled as I tried to pull away from her without success. "Oh, don''t be like that." her high, irritated voice was starting to get on Monika''s nerves. If she wasn''t already annoyed by Anna and her personality. I think I''m going to die... Monika help... "Get away from him already!" Monika pulls the red-haired salamander woman away from me like a heroine in need. At that moment, she looked like a heroine, but in my eyes, she... she is like an angel with snow-white feathers and a halo, I was about to pray in front of her, but since I was a little embarrassed, I prayed to her with my heart. "Well, I never thought you''d manage it on your own," Monika added mockingly, not even looking me in the eye, but glancing to the right side. ¡°To be honest, I had a little help. Let me introduce you, this is Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla, they helped me to rescue the villagers." "I knew you couldn''t do anything on your own," Monika added immediately, her arms crossed before I could say or do anything else. She changed her opinion so quickly? Maybe I should reconsider my earlier thought, she may be an angel to me without doubt, but she still has a devil inside her. Anyway, I didn''t go into it any further, but turned, my back arched, to the three heroes, scratched my head slightly and then introduced them to the others. "Um... this is Monika and Anna, they''re kindly accompanying me on this journey." Unexpectedly, Anna approached the heroes and bowed like a proper lady. I was very surprised to see her behaving like a princess for once, in contrast to the previous moments... Why this sudden change, I wondered. Like a switch had turned on inside her again, changing her personality. ¡°I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. I am the second-born princess of the Salamanders, Anna Streligen.¡± Whoa, even a formal introduction. Nothing less to be expected from a princess. Surprised, the heroes looked at Anna, at first none of them said anything, but then the short blonde girl took a step forward and extended her right hand to Anna. ¡°Likewise. Hihi.¡± she grinned and giggled happily. Anna also reached out to shake Alicia''s hand, but before their hands could touch, they were startled by two loud squeaky voices. ¡°Mother! Father!¡± the two children shouted as they ran past us with their little bodies hand in hand. ¡°Akira! Mary!¡± shouted the woman with long black hair, running frantically towards the children, accompanied by a man with dark-brown hair. "Thank God, you''re fine!" The woman, her eyes wet, hugged her children tightly and could hardly detach herself from them, while the man hugged all three of them at once. Akira and Mary were finally reunited with their parents, and all I could do was watching them with a gentle smile. But despite that smile, I felt a strange twinge in my chest and the thought of what it felt like to be in a family that hadn''t been destroyed replayed in my head. I could barely remember the time before it happened that day. Were there even any good memories to me, I asked myself. Apparently not... Otherwise I would remember them. But... If I start a family one day, will I even be able to create beautiful memories? Suddenly, a voice tore me from my thoughts. It was Akira running towards me. ¡°Big brother!¡± ¡°Thank you so much... all of you!¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.¡°Always a pleasure.¡± I smiled at him. ¡°Now go, stay by your family''s side.¡± I added as I stroked his head gently. ¡°Yes!¡± the little boy nodded with a laugh and quickly turned away from me. Our conversation went faster than expected. But I can understand that, he and his sister were very scared during this incident, just like all the other people. Despite the fear and despair that had been on their faces earlier, it had now disappeared. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out deeply to feel the fresh air of the evening sun in my lungs and let it flow through my exhausted body. The air was cool, the sky above me was already covered in a light black, but in front of me, on the horizon, you could still see the mixture of the dark blue sky and the red-yellowish light of the evening sun gradually disappearing. "This kid seems very attached to you." I turned to Monika, who smiled tenderly with her soft pink lips. I looked at her surprised, not because she had suddenly spoken to me, and not because of what she had said. It was because of her soft, tender smile, which I felt I hadn''t seen for ages. Exactly, the last time was probably in Ald¨¨re, the town where I met her. Even then, when the sudden breeze pulled down the hood of her cloak, my heart couldn''t stop racing at her presence, or even at the slightest thought about her. Even now, just by the smile on her beautiful face, with soft cheeks, my own cheeks flushed and my heart warmed. ¡°Do you think so?¡± The two of us, including Anna, the three of us, watched the current scenario in the village. Until suddenly the warrior in her heavy-looking silver armor came towards us, followed by her companions. ¡°Kaito.¡± ¡°Ah, I''m sorry. I wasn''t paying attention to you guys." I completely forgot about Elaine and the others for a moment. How embarrassing of me. But Elaine shook her head and smiled. "I see that you like to help other people, at least that''s what I''ve noticed about the way you interact with the villagers. And that is exactly what is outstanding and remarkable. Therefore...¡± Elaine broke off her sentence, looked at Alicia and Dorilla and nodded their heads at each other. I wondered what Elaine was up to, but what I then heard was unimaginable... ¡°Kaito, Monika and Anna, do you want to join our little group?¡± Join their group, I repeated in my head, stunned. I didn''t know what to answer, of course I could only answer the question in the affirmative or negative form, but even those answers didn''t help me when the question popped out like a punch in the face. The thought of the heroes, the legendary heroes, inviting us into their group was unthinkable, but I felt honored. After all, they are the heroes of this world, I still wonder why they are called ''legendary'', but the people must have decided so. They are extremely strong and have more battle experience and knowledge of this world, compared to me, an amateur, a wimp. I somehow managed to win against the giant salamander with my skills, but then I was powerless against the sandworm without the help of Loli. It''s hard for me to say this, but... Number Six was right. I thought I was as strong as a hero just because I was reincarnated and could gain skills and increase my level, a hero like in a manga, but I was wrong. Number Six was the one who opened my eyes, even if I hate to admit it. This world may resemble a game due to the status system and the ability to level up, but this is still reality, the real world. If you die in a game, you would be resurrected in a town like nothing happened, but here, where I am right now, I can only die and not get reincarnated again, as God explained. Just thinking about this guy, something occurs to me, if he''s the sixth number, does that mean there are even stronger opponents than him? He also has this unforgettable tattoo on the back of his hand, the same tattoo as the bastard from back then. I haven''t been able to ask Elaine and the others about it yet, but I''m assuming that this is a bigger organization, at least that''s what my intuition tells me. If this really is the case, then I have to prepare myself for another fight with them. Heroes or not, this is my business, even if Monika and Anna accompany me, I don''t want to put them into danger, so when the day comes, I have to do it alone to avoid the death of my comrades. Comrades, huh. I wonder if I can even call them comrades. We may be in a group together, but even here I feel out of place. What are we actually? What is our relationship to each other? We are not friends, at least we have never described ourselves as such, nor have we described ourselves as comrades or companions, so what are we then? Both Monika and Anna are very important to me and I cherish them very much, not just as group members, but as real friends. Nevertheless, I can''t push back the fear inside me, the fear that the two girls see it differently. But even despite this fear, I should continue to treasure them, so my answer to Elaine''s question is now clear to me... Wait a minute, if I plan to train hard, my previous training schedule won''t be enough. Maybe Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla can train me and the girls. I''ll have to ask them about that, but first... ¡°We pass.¡± ¡°Huuuuuuuhh???¡± Monika and Anna shouted at the same time, startling me. ¡°Thank you for your offer, but we are already our own group, which I really cherish. We may be a small party, but we will certainly grow.¡± I explained to them. However, before I could say anything else, Monika approached me from the side raising her voice. Anna also joined in, and judging by their faces, they weren''t happy about the content of my sentences. ¡°How dare you, you idiot! Do you realize what you''ve just done???¡± ¡°Unbelievably, I have to agree with Monika this time! Are you out of your mind?¡± Anna asked, also in a high-pitched voice, both of them pushing me back a few steps. I really wondered what I had done wrong again, or not given the right answer. Earlier, I had emphasized that I liked our group and preferred to continue walking this path with them, the three of us. Or didn''t they care? I already knew that Monika could be grumpy and argumentative, but I was surprised that Anna was also on her side, even shouting at me. I really didn''t know what to do next or how to get rid of the scowls from their faces. I looked helplessly at Elaine, who I hoped would say something about my statement. And then my savior came... ¡°It''s all right you two, of course we''re not forcing you to join us.¡± ¡°Right. But if you need anything, just say it, we''ll help you.¡± Alicia kindly suggested. I didn''t think this would happen so quickly, but this is my chance to make my request to train us. I gathered up all my courage and asked her directly. ¡°In that case, I have a request...¡± ¡°A request?¡± Elaine raised an eyebrow and looked at me questioningly, as did Alicia and Dorilla. It felt almost surreal as I faced Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla, my head bowed, and my hands clenched tightly together. The words spilled out of me without control. ¡°It may be rude after I turned you down, but.... I beg you! Teach me how to fight!¡± My voice almost broke, ¡°In my current state... I''m powerless. I can''t do anything against guys like him. And... I won''t be able to protect civilians or the people who are important to me. I''m a weakling! Just weak!¡± My heart beat loudly in my chest, the thoughts of the past moment of defeat and helplessness passed by me like a dark shadow. I looked into their faces. They looked at me like unmovable pillars of strength, while I was lost in my thoughts of self-doubt. ¡°That''s why I want to... No, I must get stronger! Please, train me!¡± With these words, I bowed deeply, my hands trembling slightly. The tension, the nervousness, everything was charged at that moment. My voice had now become louder and as I looked around, I noticed that not only the heroes, but also Monika, Anna and even the villagers were paying attention to me. I was struck by astonished looks. Their eyes spoke of astonishment, as if they had not expected to hear such passionate words from me. At that moment, I didn''t care about any restraint. I had nothing more to lose. It was Elaine who broke the silence. She looked at me with her shimmering eyes, her face adorned with a calm smile. ¡°Alright. We''ll train you. Monika and Anna too, of course.¡± Her words dropped like a boulder into my heart, and for a moment I felt relief spreading like warm flames in my chest. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± I exclaimed, my heart almost jumping for joy. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Monika and Anna joined in. Dorilla grinned broadly and held out her hand to me. ¡°Let''s work well together then.¡± I took his hand firmly and replied, proudly sticking out my chest, ¡°Yes!¡± Now everything could have ended peacefully, but suddenly a strange noise broke through the emerging euphoria. It was a soft, almost unnoticed cracking sound that quickly became louder. Everyone''s attention was drawn to an unexpected source. ¡°Look, the master''s egg! It''s hatching!¡± a female voice called out. ¡°What?¡± I gasped, my eyes widening. ¡°It''s really happening!¡± The shock was audible in the voices of the villagers. ¡°This is a miracle!¡± People crowded around to get a better look, but I had to see it myself. Without thinking twice, I pushed my way through the crowd, curiosity driving me forward. I had to be in the front row. The egg is hatching? I can''t afford not to see it! I said to myself mentally. When I finally got to the front, my eyes fell on the large, shimmering egg. The shell broke slowly, piece by piece, until a white light began to glow from inside. The entire world seemed to hold its breath for a moment. The light enveloped everything around me, and for a few seconds it seemed that nothing else existed. When the glow gradually faded, two figures appeared on the scene. They were small, almost fragile-looking arms and legs, but there was a strange power in their appearance. Two girls. Or rather twins. They looked so similar, and yet each of them was unique. One girl had silver hair that lightly touched her shoulders and eyes that shone in a bright blue, almost like the mid-day sky. Small, gray horns protruded from her head, and a silver, scaly dragon tail completed her appearance. Next to her was an identical girl, but her hair shone in a soft light blue and her eyes sparkled silver. She also wore the small gray horns and a dragon tail that, like her hair, shone in a soft light blue. The villagers cheered loudly, the joy was overwhelming. ¡°There are two...¡± murmured Alicia in amazement. ¡°They''re twins.¡± whispered Dorilla, incredulous. ¡°So cute!¡± Anna blurted out, her narrow yellow eyes shining with excitement. But I was just standing there. Rooted in place. My mind was blank, overwhelmed by what I was seeing. The two girls... It was like a dream. A miracle. I couldn''t take my eyes off them. And then the unexpected happened. ¡°Watch out! Beware of lechers! Hide all your children!¡± The annoying voice in my head that I last heard this morning spoke up again. ¡°Nobody''s talked to you, Loli! And why are you calling me a lecher anyway?¡± ¡°Then why were you staring at them like you were about to.... getting hard down there?¡± Her voice deepened with disgust. ¡°Getting hard dow-?! What''s wrong with you, you perverted loli hag!¡± ¡°Who are you calling a loli hag?!¡± Before I knew it, I got punched on the head. It shouldn''t have hurt, but somehow, I actually ended up on the ground. ¡°Argh... That hurt...¡± I mumbled, rubbing my head. But then I heard something strange. Tap-Tap Small footsteps approached me. ¡°Huh?¡± When I looked up, the two twins were standing right in front of me. Their big, curious eyes rested on me. And then it happened. ¡°Pa-pa...¡± they said at the same time, but quietly. Their small, innocent gaze pierced deep into my heart. ¡°Eh?¡± I couldn''t believe it. ¡°EEEHHHH???¡± the others even less, Anna fainted right away. All that rang in my head was the sound of Loli''s voice ringing again, shouting loudly in my head: ¡°Congratulations!!!¡± Papa?? I could hardly believe it. Did I just hear that right? No, no, absolutely not, I denied mentally. I tried to grasp the reality. ¡°What did you just said?¡± I asked them both cautiously. ¡°Papa.¡± they repeated in the same innocent voices. There was no doubt anymore. Elaine was the first who broke the silence as she approached the two little girls, her silver armor jingling as she crouched down in front of them. ¡°You two think this man is your father?¡± she asked in a soft, calm voice. The twins nodded eagerly. The knightly armor began to clink again as she stood up and placed her left hand on my right shoulder. At first I had thought I was going to get encouraging words from her, but it was the complete opposite. With a broad grin, she said ¡°Congratulations!¡± She was like a copy of Loli, only in a different body, at least that''s how I felt. ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± I shouted almost desperately, while Elaine continued to pat me on the shoulder with her calm smile. Her eyes sparkled with amusement, like this was all just a harmless joke, even though I hoped this was just a joke, but it''s not. For me, it was anything but harmless. I was just acknowledged as the father of two mysterious twins who had hatched from an egg... just like that, without any warning. Alicia took a step closer, her arms crossed in front of her chest as she scrutinized me with a meaningful look. ¡°Oh, don''t be like that, Kaito. Take a look at those kids. You can''t just reject them.¡± Her words touched my heart. I straightened up again and looked down at the twins, who were looking at me with those big, sparkling, innocent eyes that were so full of trust, like I was really their father. But that didn''t make any sense! ¡°But... these are the children of the master of this village, aren''t they?¡± I spoke more to myself, since the answer was already clear, but desperately tried to find a logical way out. ¡°I''m sure the villagers won''t approve it if I take these girls with me just like that...¡± But as soon as I said that, I heard the surprised approval from the crowd. ¡°Have a good trip!¡± shouted an elderly man. A female added, ¡°Listen to your father!¡± I stared at the villagers, stunned. They actually agreed with this?! Had I misheard them, or was this actually the reality? My mind could barely process what was going on. And while I was still trying to come up with suitable answers, Alicia casually stepped to my side and said smiling, ¡°If this is settled now, we can go home without any problems.¡± I blinked several times and stared at her. ¡°Just leaving like that?¡± I asked incredulously. ¡°That''s not possible, Alicia! We can''t just leave without helping reconstruct the village.¡± Dorilla looked serious. Alicia shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Oh, you''re right.¡± Aw man... I could hardly believe, how fast the situation had changed. A minute ago, I was facing an unresolvable challenge, now I was suddenly confronted with a new, completely unexpected responsibility. Two little girls who see me as their father. How was I supposed to deal with that? Suddenly, I felt an unusually strong rumbling. At first I thought my stomach was growling, but that wasn''t the case. It felt like a malevolent aura that sent a chill down my spine. The girl with chestnut hair stepped behind me crossing her arms, her face had become a menacing mask, her beautiful emerald eyes now glowing red like a beast. ¡°Don''t you have something to tell us?¡± she asked, her voice unyielding. She also included Anna, who had awoken from her momentary faint. The atmosphere around us suddenly darkened, creating the impression of an invisible tempest. I felt the icy coldness in her eyes and knew instantly that I was in serious trouble. My throat suddenly felt dry as I slowly turned around. In front of me were Monika and Anna, both with murderous expressions that cut straight to my heart. Their hands were already clenching the air with anger. Oh no... I thought in panic. My heart began to race, beads of sweat forming all over my forehead. I knew exactly what they were thinking. They thought that the twins... No, that can''t be! ¡°Monika... Anna...¡± I stuttered, as thousands of thoughts ran through my head at the same time. I have to explain this. Somehow. ¡°I-I can explain!¡± Monika took a step forward, her eyes penetrating my soul. ¡°I can''t wait to hear your barks,¡± she said coldly as she cracked her fingers. Every sound of her joints echoed through the air like a death signal. Ahhhhhh!!! My insides screamed out as I felt the ominous shadow of my oncoming fate. I realized, there was no way out, no escape. No matter what I did, the end was inevitable. After rebuilding the Demi-Human village, or Beastmen as they are known in this world, there was an almost palpable sense of relief. The villagers were exhausted but satisfied. The legendary heroes, Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla, together with the villagers, had done everything they could to rebuild the destroyed houses, repair roads and give the village a new shine. I was... well, I was lying on the ground most of the time. Monika had beaten me up in a way that I wouldn''t forget in a hurry, while Anna reproached me incessantly. Her words still echoed in my head, as if she wanted to make me realize every time, how deep I was in trouble. To be honest, it wasn''t just the physical tiredness that forced me down. It was also the realization of helplessness. Once I had managed to calm Monika and Anna down a bit, helped by the two children, and my wounds healed superficially, it was time to leave the village. We moved on. The mood was mixed, on the one hand the regret of leaving the village, on the other the urge to move forward, to get stronger, to face the challenges that lay ahead. ¡°It''s time,¡± Elaine eventually said. She seemed composed and strong, as she had when we first met, a natural leader who didn''t hesitate for a second. We may have just met each other, but I admired her and felt a tinge of envy at the same time. She was everything I wasn''t: strong, determined, respected. ¡°Our next destination is Almone, our hometown,¡± Alicia added, glowing with a warmth that was almost touching. Dorilla just shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Three days'' ride, maybe four if we dawdle.¡± His voice sounded a little bored, like this was just a routine trip for him. I, on the other hand, could barely hide my nervousness. Almone, I thought, as we prepared Shia, our horse, and the carriage to set off. The hometown of the three legendary heroes. A place that would welcome them with open arms, while I... what was I compared? A loser, nobody. I was no match for them, that thought gnawed at me the closer we got to the town. The journey itself took about three days, as Dorilla predicted. On our way, I often lost myself in thought, looking at the passing landscape, but inside I felt this constant pressure. I have to get stronger, I kept repeating in my head. It was almost a mantra that accompanied me with every pause, every step, every breath. The twins, the little dragon girls, who still called me Papa, were mostly by my side. Their childlike innocence and constant closeness reminded me, that I not only had to fight for myself, but also for them, Monika and Anna. Even though I had no idea why they saw me as their father, I had a responsibility I couldn''t ignore. After three days on the roads, we finally saw the high walls of Almone looming in the distance. The town stretched majestically out in front of us, nestled in a vast plain, surrounded by flowering fields and forests that sparkled in the soft light of the setting sun. It was an impressive sight, but I felt my nervousness building. ¡°Wow...¡± I said unconsciously as I realized the size of the town. The high walls, the watchtowers and the huge gate that marked the entrance to the town made Almone look like an invincible fortress. ¡°Guys, welcome to Almone,¡± Elaine said proudly, holding the reins in her hands. She suddenly seemed even more upright. Her voice carried a warmth that you only feel when you return home after a long time. As we passed through the massive gates, we were greeted by an incredible scene. The streets were full of people cheering as we entered. It seemed like the whole town were waiting for Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla return. The crowd parted to let us pass, voices could be heard everywhere shouting their names. ¡°Heroine Elaine! Heroine Alicia! Hero Dorilla!¡± echoed from all sides as the inhabitants of Almone welcomed their heroes. Children waved flags, older people bowed reverently, the air seemed to be permeated with reverence for them. I couldn''t help but be amazed. It''s incredible, I thought. The level of worship for this trio. It was almost surreal to see them in this light. Of course I knew they were considered legends, but here, in their hometown, it all became tangible. They weren''t just heroes to me, they were heroes to an entire town, an entire kingdom. And me? What am I? This thought crept back in, gnawing at my self-confidence. Surrounded by thunderous cheers and honors, I realized how small I was compared to them. They had fame, strength and acknowledgement. And me? I was nothing more than a loser who wasn''t even capable of winning against that guy. I can''t stay weak any longer, I said in my mind. After a few minutes of people applauding us, we left the lively streets and finally arrived at a huge estate. A huge mansion stretched out in front of us, nestled in extensive grounds surrounded by manicured gardens and tall trees. ¡°Wow...¡± I exclaimed again as I took in the sight of the house. It was even bigger than I had imagined, almost like a small palace. ¡°So big...¡± Monika, who was standing next to me after getting off the carriage, was also impressed. She seemed hardly believing it. And to be honest, I felt the same way. Elaine stepped forward, walked up the large steps and opened the massive double doors. ¡°Welcome to our home.¡± she said, stepping aside to allow us to enter. We stepped into the huge foyer, which was almost overwhelming. ¡°Welcome back. Miss Elaine, Miss Alicia, Mr. Dorilla.¡± said a butler who was waiting for us at the entrance and bowed deeply. Behind him were several maids who greeted us with polite smiles. ¡°Welcome back.¡± they repeated in chorus, their voices harmonious and professional. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. This is real... This is all real! I thought. A whole host of maids and a butler waiting for us like royalty. It was nearly too much for my poor heart. I''m seeing real maids! I cheered mentally. Of course, I had visited maid caf¨¦s in Akihabara before, but this was something completely different. These were real maids, not just waitresses in costumes. This was... heaven. ¡°We''re home!¡± shouted Alicia happily, almost bouncing her little body through the foyer. Her irrepressible energy didn''t seem to let up. ¡°You even have maids...¡± Monika said in amazement as she approached one of the maids and looked curiously at her uniform. ¡°Your uniform is very nice.¡± she added, obviously impressed. ¡°Would you like to try on a uniform?¡± the maid asked politely, smiling gently. Monika''s eyes lit up. ¡°May I?¡± she asked excitedly. ¡°Of course.¡± said the maid and gestured Monika to follow her. Meanwhile, Elaine turned to the butler. ¡°John, please prepare everything for our guests.¡± ¡°As you wish, Miss Elaine,¡± the butler replied and bowed again before hurrying off with the maids. Meanwhile, I was still completely overwhelmed by the sheer size and luxury of the place. ¡°You three are incredible,¡± I told Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla. ¡°You''ve gained so much respect and even become heroes. It''s just... unbelievable.¡± Elaine smiled a little sheepishly and scratched her head. ¡°You''re much more incredible than we are. I mean, after all, you...¡± She paused and quickly turned to Alicia and Dorilla. ¡°What unbelievable things has he done again?¡± she asked in a whisper. Alicia shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Well...¡± she muttered. ¡°He freed the villagers... Although, we did help him.¡± Dorilla replied indifferently. ¡°That''s okay.¡± I said and waved him off. ¡°You don''t need to try cheering me up.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Alicia apologized and actually looked a little embarrassed. ¡°Cheer up.¡± Dorilla added. ¡°We''ll train you and the others starting tomorrow. Who knows, maybe you''ll surpass us one day.¡± A spark of hope glowed in my chest. ¡°Yes.¡± I said and put a hand on the shoulders of the dragon twins, who looked at me with their curious eyes as always. The training starts tomorrow. Tomorrow I will take the first real step, to become stronger. I will prove, to everyone, that I am not the eternal weakling. This time I won''t lose! Chapter 10: Training This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Chapter 11: Eiko and Reiko If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Chapter 12: Unknown Memories If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Chapter 13: Hero Tournament The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Chapter 14: Who... are you? If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.