《in Another World as an NPC》


 Prologue

    In a dark room, untouched by sunlight, several voices were heard:


    "I challenge my fate!"


    "You will not stop me!"


    For a moment, you might think they were someone''s shouts, but they were just lines coming from the screen of a Nintendo 3DS held by a teenager lounging on his bed. He was deeply engrossed in the game, his face practically buried in the screen.


    After some time playing, the teenager set the device down and sighed heavily, as if he''d just finished a real battle.


    "Whew, Fire Emblem 13 is the best!"


    He said this as he got up and glanced at the date on his phone. His expression changed instantly, and he let out a scream, clutching his face as though trying to tear it off or gouge out his eyes.


    "Damn it, damn it, damn it... How can the vacation end so fast?!"


    This was Laos, a sixteen-year-old teenager and a massive fan of RPGs and light novels. Yet, in stark contrast, he was also the biggest school hater in history. As he often said: "School takes but never gives."


    8:00 AM


    Laos woke up to get ready for school after the end of the vacation. His face displayed the look of the world''s most villainous person. But when he remembered he''d managed to finish Fire Emblem 13 during the break, a faint smile crept across his face.


    "Games are my only source of happiness."


    He wandered aimlessly around the house for a while, his next desire being breakfast. But instead, all he did was roam around, thinking about the release date of volume 23 of The Rising of the Shield Hero light novel. Then, realizing that time wouldn''t wait for him, he dashed off, stuffing a cheese-covered slice of bread into his mouth, grabbed his bag, and left the house cursing school.


    "If there are a billion school lovers, I''m not one of them."


    "If there''s only one school hater, it''s me."


    "If the entire world loves school, then I''m dead."


    He repeated these lines as he walked to school. After a while, he arrived at a path crowded with students. That was when Laos'' expression shifted to one of sadness mixed with a hint of anger.


    "They''re all just NPCs! They don''t deserve to live!"


    When I said Laos hated school, it wasn''t the only thing he despised. The second thing he loathed most was the people around him. He was an aggressive teenager ¡ª no, an aggressively useless teenager.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    I entered the school and quickly approached a group of boys who were in the same class as me. Yes, I knew them well.


    "Hello, you NPC," I said to one of them.


    "I don''t understand what the word NPC means," asked a tall boy wearing a hat. That was Malin, a fellow failure at school like me. But unlike me, he was overly kind, and that''s exactly what I hated about him.


    "I''ve explained it to you 700 times already. An NPC is a useless character ¡ª just a stupid robot wandering around," I answered.


    "Alright, then what''s your use, oh playable character?" Malin retorted as he adjusted his pants, which were on the verge of falling down.


    "Oh my God, we''re running late! Let''s get to class already!" I yelled, just to dodge his question.


    Good, my trick to change the subject worked!


    We entered the classroom, but no one was there except for a few beautiful girls. We sat down and had to wait for the teacher. During this waiting period, the NPCs started talking about that group of girls.


    "Oh my God, Susan looks sexy today!" said Kevin, the wretched bastard. Honestly, I wish nothing but testicular cancer upon him. After that, they began fantasizing about sexual scenarios with those girls.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    To be honest, I had a crush on one of them too: Linda. But I couldn''t bring myself to talk to girls, and I didn''t even know why. All I knew was that I had no attraction to guys either.


    Soon after, another group of boys entered the room. There was Sebastian, the NPC and the biggest son of a bitch; and Tom, another NPC. Although not a son of a bitch, he was the son of an NPB. B for "bitch" of course.


    "God, how I hate these faces. I can''t imagine having to study with them for an entire year!"


    Suddenly, as I was admiring Linda''s amazing ass, the ugliest creature you could imagine appeared before me. Man, he looked like a turd with the facial expressions of a hippo carved onto it. Yes, it was John.


    "Hey, Laos! Do you still think of me as an NPC?"


    I laughed, trying to change the subject, but he kept shoving his hideous face into my view. It made me wish liver cancer upon him and his entire family. After a while, everyone took their seats, and I resumed staring at Linda''s ass. All I could wish for at that moment was to be transported to another world with just her.


    Suddenly, without any warning, a magic circle appeared beneath us, glowing with a powerful white light. It was so bright that I could no longer see Linda''s ass. The light swallowed us whole, and everything went black. Afterward, a serene silence filled the air, one so peaceful it made me consider taking a nap.


    "Welcome."


    When the light faded, we heard a soft and melodious voice. Upon hearing it, we opened our eyes and took in our surroundings. It was breathtaking¡ªa palace you''d only see in beautifully art of an isekai anime. It was truly amazing. But wait¡­ where¡­


    "Who are you?!" John yelled, glaring at the source of the voice.


    When I raised my head, I saw a woman with massive boobs, incredible beauty, and blue hair as bright as the sky. She was seated on an ornate throne, staring down at us teenagers. Wow, this scene was straight out of a Japanese web novel¡ªone where a group of students is summoned by gods to another world to fight demons.


    "You are in the world of Staria, and I am Lunariss, the Goddess of the Moon. You have been summoned as saviors of this world."


    "For an entire year, I''ve received countless requests from King Yarum to summon heroes from another world to protect his kingdom from the relentless attacks of demons."


    "Does this count as kidnapping?" Sebastian asked.


    "You idiot, you''re talking to a goddess," Susan snapped at him.


    "Wait, wait, wait, did the scenario I just made up become reality?!" I thought to myself, unable to believe it. "Oh my god, this is unbelievable. I can become a great hero, have a massive harem in my party, adventure across the world, enter dungeons, and explore dangerous forests. This is unreal!"


    "But how are we going to save the world from demons when we have no power?" one of the NPCs asked.


    Hearing his question, the goddess stood up, looked at us, and then replied, "Just step up to me one by one, and I''ll grant you your powers."


    We formed a line and walked up to her. There were only nine of us, so organizing ourselves wasn''t too hard, except for a few assholes who refused to stand in the front and ran to the back. One by one, we stepped forward, and the goddess examined each of us, granting us our classes, just like in RPGs.


    Everyone received amazing classes: Sebastian got the Mage class, John got Warrior, Malin got Archer, Susan got Lancer, Kevin got Assassin, Tom got Knight, Stephanie got Priest, and Linda got Hero! Damn, how did Linda get that legendary class?


    Then it was my turn. I stepped up the stairs, sweating like crazy, wondering what class I would get: Paladin? Thief? Sorcerer? Or maybe some classic Dungeons & Dragons class?


    I stood before the goddess, the rest of them below me waiting to hear my class. Well, whatever it was, I was sure this was just a dream, but I didn''t want to wake up from it. I stared at the goddess and then lowered my eyes to look at the most amazing boobs I''d ever seen in my life. Then I remembered I was in front of a goddess and quickly raised my eyes.


    "My dear Laos... your class is NPC."


    "Your class is NPC."


    "is NPC."


    "NPC."


    !!!!!!!!


    What the hell is going on? I''ve lived sixteen years and never knew that NPC classes existed. Oh my fucking god, how did this dream turn into the worst thing ever?! Suddenly, I heard everyone else laughing.


    "Look, the guy who used to call others NPCs has become one himself. Hahaha!"


    No, please, not the bullying. No, no, no, no!!


    "Hey, goddess, maybe you''re mistaken. There''s no such thing as an NPC class," I tried to reason with the bitch sitting in front of me.


    "It''s impossible for a goddess to be wrong," she replied coldly.


    You bitch!!


    "Well, since everyone has their class, I''ll send you to your respective jobs. Laos, you''ll work in Princess Tiana''s palace as a servant since you have no skills. The rest of you will be sent to King Yarum''s palace."


    Then everyone started laughing at me. A magic circle appeared beneath me, just like the one that brought us here. Well, I''m the one being sent first. Fuck, fuck, fuck, I''ve never been this upset in my life.


    "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, you all! I hope a hungry snake from the Amazon jungle bites your fucking genitals."


    For a moment, I wanted to raise my middle finger at the damn goddess, like Touka from the Failure Frame light novel, but then I remembered it was just some stupid light novel, and this goddess could throw me into the sun if I did that, so all I could do was punch myself until I woke up from this fucking nightmare.


    "yeah, it''s the irony of fate."


    "I hope this is all a dream."

 am I NPC?

    The air was slightly cold.


    I could feel it¡ªa gentle chill of the wind brushing against my body, compelling me to shift from side to side repeatedly, desperately searching for some warmth. But wait¡­ my room was never this cold before. What the hell was going on?


    That thought jolted me, and I opened my eyes. That''s when I saw it.


    Everything¡ªeverything except my room.


    Alright, this wasn''t a dream. Damn it, damn it, damn it!


    I jumped off the soft bed I had been lying on and took a long look around. The room was bizarre, like stepping into an exhibit showcasing a famous British detective''s Victorian-era study.


    There were shelves stacked with books, a red carpet, wooden floors, and yellow walls decorated with intricate patterns. That was it¡ªjust a bed, shelves, a carpet, and¡­ wait, was that a mirror?


    Approaching the mirror, I noticed something strange. Not about my reflection¡ªno, just my clothes. Man, the outfit was incredible: a white shirt paired with black trousers¡ªdamn!


    But that excitement quickly faded when I realized it was a servant''s uniform.


    That''s when everything came rushing back. That goddess¡­ that damned goddess gave me the NPC class and sent me off to work in some princess''s castle. God, just thinking about that moment makes me want to bash everyone''s heads in with some Soviet scientist''s experimental weapon. Seriously, they laughed at me so hard.


    And now? What could I even do? While I''m stuck here, I bet those bastards are being greeted as heroes by the king himself.


    That moment¡­ it weighed on me more than I could bear.


    Pain overwhelmed me, forcing me to my knees as I buried my face into the bed. I replayed that scene in my head, crystal clear. I was sad, but I didn''t cry. Yeah, I knew this feeling. It was an emotional train wreck waiting to happen¡ªa massive psychological blow followed by a tsunami of depression. I''d been through it countless times, yet I still couldn''t handle it.


    The sadness, the disappointment, the shock¡ªdamn it, I wanted the world to end so I could get another chance.


    Even if I got a support class, I''d take it.


    Would I really, though? Or was I just saying that because I got such a shitty role? Ah, whatever, who cares.


    What mattered now was this: Am I really an NPC?


    Did the gods screw me over as punishment for all the people I''ve bullied? Was this some divine revenge? If so, is this how someone who sees themselves as better than everyone else ends up?


    So many people had warned me about arrogance and looking down on others. But I never listened. I lived life seeing myself as the ultimate being, and everyone else as insignificant bugs.


    But hey, I had my reasons for it. I saw myself as better than everyone else to avoid becoming a reclusive, fearful nobody. Stripping people of their worth and giving it all to myself was my shield against the world.


    In the end, though, I failed. I became both an introvert and an egotist.


    Maybe the answer was to balance people''s worth and not inflate your own. Otherwise, if something ridiculous happened to you, everyone would laugh. No, wait¡­ that''s nonsense. That''s what weaklings say to justify themselves.


    I am the greatest, and everyone else is just scum. Yeah, I''ll keep seeing myself as the supreme being in this world, and I won''t take a single step back.


    I''ve tasted the bitterness of defeat, so why not keep going? After all, I can''t go back and make amends. All that''s left is to move forward.


    Yes¡­ yes, move forward.


    I am the god of this world!


    As for those who laughed at me, even that damned goddess herself¡ªthey''ll all pay. I''ll cut off their genitals and feed them to some wretched hydra, just like that monster tamer did in Skeleton Knight in Another World.


    You''ll all see. I''ll unleash all my hatred upon you and reveal the ultimate villain within me. Yes, right now begins my villain arc!


    ¡­But then I remembered I''m an NPC with no combat skills. I lifted my face from the bed only to realize I had been crying.


    Damn it!!!


    How dare you make the supreme being cry. I will never forgive you for this!


    No, I am not an NPC! This is just a mistake by a fake, wretched goddess. I am not an NPC... or am I? I can''t understand anything right now¡ªI''m in complete chaos. But I''ll take a bold stance: I''ll imagine myself as a hero hated by the gods, who took their revenge by giving me an NPC class.


    Alright, that''s my backstory. I am Laos, the divine hero. But I was defeated in a fierce battle against the Demon God, losing all my powers. This gave the Moon Goddess a chance to step in and turn me into a damned NPC because she loved me, and I didn''t return her feelings. Oh man, that''s perfect!


    After this realization, I raised my head and declared aloud:


    "Yes, that''s my story¡ªLaos, the Divine Hero!"


    At this moment, Laos fell into a massive pit of chaos, falling like a puppet pierced with countless needles, writhing in pain. A puppet controlled by fate, toyed with mercilessly. But as we all know, a puppet doesn''t stay with its owner for long. And also, as we all know... puppets don''t feel pain.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    When I shouted that sentence aloud, I heard footsteps approaching the room. I turned to see the door still closed. After a short pause, the person''s steps halted. I could feel them standing directly behind the door. I quickly wiped my face free of tears and waited for the person to either knock or enter.


    "Sir, are you awake?"


    !! Oh my god, it was a feminine voice¡ªa voice so beautiful that you might think the owner was faking it. Could it be the gorgeous woman assigned to me? Or perhaps the princess herself?!


    "Yes," I answered hesitantly.


    "Well, may I come in?" she asked in her lovely voice.


    Oh my god, just thinking about the fact that she''s a woman filled me with overwhelming tension. After a moment of contemplation, I walked to the door and opened it. The faint creak of the door echoed as I beheld the most beautiful sight my eyes had seen since this whole ordeal began. She was exactly my type¡ªa petite girl with long hair, thick thighs, and a perfect boobs. But wait... are those cow ears?!


    "Thank goodness. It seems you''re in good condition to talk," she remarked, studying my face and parts of my body.


    "...Yes," I replied, still staring at those peculiar ears.


    "May I come in?" she asked again.


    I stepped back from the doorway, allowing her to enter the room. She walked past me and then sat on a wooden swivel chair. Her scent was delightful, reminiscent of vanilla... Oh, and I''m pretty sure I saw her exquisite boobs bounce. Oh my god, maybe being an NPC isn''t that bad after all!


    "I''m Maris, and I''m a servant in this palace. What is your name, sir?" she asked in her melodic voice.


    "Laos," I replied.


    "Sir Laos, Lady Sabrina sent me to prepare you as a servant."


    "Sabrina? Prepare me as a servant?" I asked, as clueless as an idiot.


    "Ah? Apologies, but the goddess Lunariss summoned you along with the other heroes, and I heard that you were given a non-combatant class. That''s why your job will be as a servant in Princess Tiana''s palace," she explained while brushing her hair off her boobs. Is this cow trying to seduce me? If the answer is yes, she''s succeeded...


    "Oh, I understand," I replied after averting my eyes from her.


    "Good, Sir Laos. From now on, you will work as a servant here, with a low rank. So, Lady Sabrina wanted to explain things to you before you start working directly... and by the way, she asked me to change your clothes and explain this so that your adjustment would be quicker."


    Several signs of embarrassment appeared as she repeated her last sentence, but wait!!!!


    "You changed my clothes?!!" I replied, feeling extremely embarrassed.


    "I''m sorry if this bothered you, Sir Laos, but it was an order."


    "You said I''m a servant with a low rank? Does that apply to you?" I asked, feeling my penis getting erect.


    "Yes, I''m of the same rank. Lady Sabrina wanted to create a comfortable atmosphere for you by leaving someone close to your level to speak with you."


    If only I had the courage, I would have suggested having sex in this beautiful room. She''s really an angel. I hope she gathers the courage to suggest it to me because I''m just a coward.


    "Why do you call me sir Laos, if we''re of the same rank?"


    "Well, I''m a somewhat respectful girl, so just calling a hero from another world by his name alone would make me feel uncomfortable," she replied, her gaze dropping to the floor, breaking the eye contact we''d shared earlier.


    "Please, can you just call me Laos?"


    "Alright, Laos," she repeated with a beautiful smile. Man, she truly was the best thing my eyes had ever seen.


    "Now, can you follow me? I''ll take you on a tour of the areas that we, servants of lower rank, are allowed to enter," she added as she got up from the chair and headed toward the door.


    I had received the NPC class, and now I had the worst rank among the palace servants. Well, I''m now directly battling fate. I followed her, my gaze lingering on her beautiful behind. Then, I remembered the cow ears topic. Alright, I''m not that foolish, plus I''m a big reader of light novels, so she''s definitely from one of those demi-human races.


    We descended a long staircase. The place was quiet and somewhat dark, with a little sunlight slipping through the red curtains that covered the windows. I didn''t understand why they didn''t let more sunlight in; it would make the palace look much better. Suddenly, I remembered the moment when I was assigned the NPC class. I gripped my heart as if I wanted to tear my shirt, and I started biting my teeth hard. Fuck, what a scene.


    The place was painted in crimson, and the ceiling had beautiful carvings, with many rooms in every corner. The place was organized and breathtaking. It was a beautiful and typical palace, something you''d see in any manhwa about a girl from another world falling in love with a duke.


    "Alright, this is the second floor, Laos, and this is where you''ll work," Maris repeated as she turned to see me looking down... believe me, I wasn''t staring at your ass.


    "Ah, thank you."


    "From here, you can see the rooms with cupboards filled with utensils, cups, spoons, and a lot of fancy equipment. This is my work area, I''m the cleaner on this floor."


    "Okay, so what''s my job..."


    "After this, you can see this large corridor, which leads to the dining room. Follow me," she interrupted me as I was about to ask about my job.


    "This is the dining room, where not that important guests use it, while very important guests use the first floor."


    "But wait, what is my job?" I asked while scanning the surroundings.


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t know. You''ll know your job after you talk to Sabrina... Oh, these are my friends. Come on, Laos."


    After this, we approached a group of three people playing a card game. They were stranger than Maris, with one of them having cat ears, another young man with Minotaur horns, and the last one was a human girl with short blue hair, but she had a flat boobs, which made me look away.


    "Hello everyone, this is the summoned hero Laos," Maris said, pointing at me.


    "Laos, let me introduce you to them. This is Petal, he is a half catfolk, the horned one is Evol, a half dragonborn, and the last one is Camelia, she''s human like you, and I am Maris, a half cowfolk."


    "Are these races considered demi-humans?" I asked, staring at Evol''s horns, which looked like anything but the dragon horns. Are they kidding me?


    "Yes, Petal and I are from different races, but we fall under the category of demi-humans. As for Evol, he''s a half dragonborn, and he''s also a demi-human."


    "I see."


    After this, the three of them stood up and shook my hand.


    "Nice to meet you, Laos," the one with cat ears said, shaking my hand firmly.


    "Oh, this is the first time I''ve seen someone from another world. This is really rare!" added the Minotaur, staring at my body.


    "Welcome," said Camelia as she waited for the cat-eared one to release my hand so she could shake it.


    "We have a vacation today, so you can rest," Maris said.


    "Alright, I''ll return to my room. Thanks, everyone, and I hope working with you all goes well." Wait, isn''t that a bit arrogant of me? Ugh, I hope they don''t take it badly.


    To be honest, I felt a bit better, but when I think of the moment I was assigned the NPC class, I just want to smash the heads of all these servants. But aside from that cursed moment, the place here has a unique vibe, one that gives me some comfort. When I looked at the others, I saw kind faces, unlike the ones I lived with in my other world... I don''t know, but I like this place.


    Or maybe it''s just...


    I''m starting to get used to being an NPC.

 the Witch

    In a small, charming, and dark room where all the curtains were drawn to block out sunlight, a young man sat on his bed, moving his hand repeatedly. This was Laos, spending his time without gaming devices or light novels. Yes, he was playing with his penis.


    "Ah, ah, I''m done..."


    After finishing the masturbation session, Laos collapsed onto his bed with a sigh. At first glance, his face showed profound depression, and in truth, he was indeed deeply depressed. He couldn''t forget that moment. It replayed vividly in his head every time, making it hard for him to sleep.


    Laos had suffered from depression and insomnia many times before, but this time, the weight of these feelings was much heavier. So much so that it made him consider ways to leave these emotions behind and become a creature without feelings. But how could he do that when he was merely human, governed by countless emotions?


    Laos had spent countless hours in darkness but had never experienced true nothingness. He tried to escape it by fabricating imaginary scenarios, yet at every turn, he realized he was only engaging in futile actions that wouldn''t free him from this void. Still, despite this realization, he continued to run away, accompanied by his fictional companions... Yes, what Laos needed most at this moment was to become a material being, distanced from emotions.


    Laos needed to change his fate, no matter what it took, even if it meant destroying the entire world... After all, the human self comes first¡ªthat was part of Laos'' logic.


    "My God, Maris is amazing in bed..." Laos murmured, trying to distract himself from that scene.


    He rose from the bed and opened the curtains, allowing brilliant light to flood the room, highlighting every corner. He paced back and forth, trying to think about something that didn''t exist¡ªyes, pure absurdity. His thoughts were completely scattered, and there was no escape from this sense of futility.


    "Alright, today I''m supposed to meet someone named Sabrina... My God, why can''t I just talk to men?!"


    After a while, Laos mustered up the courage and left his room. The area outside was quiet. Suddenly, he returned to his room, closed the door, and went to the windows. It seemed he remembered wanting to look at the view outside the palace. So this was what he had been thinking about while pacing.


    He opened the windows, and a beautiful breeze hit him. The scenery was lush green, with shrubs lined neatly in rows. Birds chirped all around, and towering mountains loomed in the distance. Among them, a group of dragons soared majestically. Above them, the sky was clear, and the sunlight illuminated every corner of the area. Yes, this is the another world.


    Wait, did Laos just smile? As the failed teenager gazed at this view, he suddenly opened his mouth, letting out a heavy sigh, followed by a radiant smile¡ªa smile that hadn''t graced his face in a long time... Had he... had Laos just grabbed onto a thread leading to happiness? Or was it merely a fleeting dopamine rush?


    "This is it! This... this is stunning. It''s like the rural villages in Switzerland... My God, I love this," Laos murmured as he wiped away tears. For the first time, Laos shed tears of joy.


    Some might see this breathtaking view and feel nothing, but believe me, Laos felt immense happiness at the sight. So much so that he could stare at this view forever.


    "Wait!... Is this happiness?... Impossible!" Laos spoke with a smile even stronger than before.


    "Yes! I''ve found my source of happiness... It''s nature... It''s nature," the teenager added, wiping his eyes to clear away the tears.


    At this moment, all we can do is thank Mother Nature for offering this simple gift to this miserable teenager. Thank you, Mother Nature. Thank you for bringing joy to the loser, Laos. Thank you for making the ''Divine Hero'' happy.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    "Laos, Lady Sabrina would like to see you," someone called from behind the door.


    "Damn it, I forgot about that Sabrina business!" Laos muttered to himself.


    He then walked to open the door, finding Maris in front of him¡ªthe very person he had been fantasizing about during his masturbation earlier.


    "Follow me, Laos. Sabrina is waiting for you. The vacation is over, so I''ll guide you and then return to my duties," Maris said in her feminine voice.


    The two headed toward a staircase leading upward, clearly to the third floor. After some silent climbing up the stairs, they reached their destination, stepping onto the third floor. It resembled the second floor, with ornate ceilings, windows covered by curtains, and a red carpet underfoot. The walls were adorned with numerous paintings, one of which caught Laos'' attention¡ªa depiction of a warrior being stabbed by a blue-haired woman, reminding him of Lunariss.


    "Hey, Maris, what does this painting represent?" Laos asked as he followed her steps.


    "Oh, that one? It''s a painting by a renowned artist in the kingdom. It depicts the scene of the traitorous hero''s death at the hands of the Moon Goddess."


    The hero? The Moon Goddess? Hearing this, Laos was reminded of the backstory he had created for himself. He began to think deeply before blurting out in a slightly loud voice, "Can you explain more?"


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Not now... We''re here," Maris replied as she stopped before a wooden door painted red.


    "Lady Sabrina, Laos is here," said the cow eared girl in her voice.


    "Let him in," came a voice from behind the door¡ªa feminine voice, but one filled with arrogance and pride.


    Maris then stepped aside, leaving the way clear for Laos, before heading back downstairs to resume her work. She left Laos standing in front of the door, unsure and hesitant.


    "Good luck, Laos," Maris said with a smile as her final words before vanishing from the teenager''s sight.


    Standing there alone, Laos hesitated, scared and confused. What should he do? In that moment, Laos was overwhelmed by embarrassment. For an introvert like him, it would take hours to mentally prepare for such a meeting¡ªwhat to say, how to speak to Sabrina¡ªbut he couldn''t turn back time. The only thing left for him to do was open this fucking door!


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    I opened the door with trembling hands. As I did, my nose was hit by the scent of pleasant perfumes, as if I had entered a French perfume shop filled with those annoying girls testing every scent without buying anything.


    Once the door was fully open, I could see the room.


    It was somewhat large, filled with books and two cabinets. A closed glass window allowed sunlight to stream through, brightly lighting the room. The space was also filled with various natural flower vases that emitted diverse scents, and its corners were adorned with bronze statues of knights and mages, giving the room a fantasy atmosphere. The walls held numerous paintings of that fucking goddess.


    But among all these details, one thing stood out the most: a desk made of oak, behind which sat a woman in her thirties or late twenties. She wore a witch''s outfit, with long black hair, a purple witch''s hat, and a violet robe embroidered with black lines. When I saw her, she was gazing at a wilted flower. Suddenly, she touched the flower with her soft white hand, and without warning, a green light flowed from her touch, revitalizing the flower and making it bloom again. Yes, it is the magic.


    When she finished reviving the flower, she glanced at me with a strange look, then closed the open book on the desk and set it aside. After that, she extended her hand toward an empty chair and said in her voice:


    "Please, sit."


    I stepped forward and asked if I could close the door. She nodded, prompting me to close it. I then sat on the chair and stared at her face up close. Her skin was white, her silver eyes were beautiful, and a small mole rested beneath her lips. She was stunningly attractive, but her robe obscured what, to me, defined beauty¡­ I bet she had amazing boobs. But what was a witch like her doing in this palace?


    "So, you''re Laos. I am Sabrina, the deputy head servant. I assume you''ve heard of me before coming here," she said, gazing directly into my eyes.


    "Yes¡­ Maris mentioned you several times," I replied, staring at a scroll on the desk. But wait¡ªsince when could I read the language of this world?!


    "Well, Laos, the servants of the first floor found you at the palace gates. They swore they saw you appear out of nowhere. At that moment, we realized the Moon Goddess had brought you here. So, I instructed them to take you to an empty room and prepare you for this moment," she added, tucking her hair behind her ears.


    "Thank you," I replied in my introverted manner, barely able to hold a proper conversation.


    "Well, do you know why you''re here?" the witch asked.


    "To know my job," I answered, trying to maintain eye contact, but I couldn''t because I''m a fucking introvert.


    "Exactly... Well, Laos, before that, it would be strange to work in a place you know nothing about, so let me be your guide in the world of Staria," Sabrina said, opening one of the drawers in the cabinet.


    After a while of searching through the contents of the drawer, she pulled out a scroll, then returned to her seat, laid the paper on the desk, and raised her head to look at me again while I was staring at the paper, which was a map of the world.


    "Come closer," Sabrina said.


    After that, I grabbed the chair and moved closer to the desk so I could examine the map more closely.


    "Laos, this is the map of the world of Staria. As you can see, the world of Staria is divided into three continents: the western continent of Bardel, the northern continent of Atekia, and the eastern continent of Sevios... and there are many islands, but we won''t touch on them now."


    "Okay, now our subject is the continent of Sevios, where we are. The continent of Sevios is the second largest after Bardel, and it contains many kingdoms. We are currently in the Kingdom of Yarum in the west, right inside Princess Tiana''s palace, in the far east of the kingdom."


    Sabrina sighed and continued her explanation: "The Kingdom of Yarum suffers from numerous attacks by demons coming from the island of Diablos, which is located in the middle ocean. The demons repeatedly attack the kingdom, so King Yarum, Adalos IV, asked the Moon Goddess to summon heroes from another world to help him in his battle."


    "Can demons think in this world, or are they just beasts that follow their instincts like animals?" I asked, glancing at the map and sometimes sneaking a look at Sabrina''s bare legs, which were stretched out, reaching my view.


    "Yes, demons in Staria can think. They are intelligent creatures, and they can speak too, but we don''t know who rules them, nor do we have any other information about them or their island, except that they constantly attack Yarum for unknown reasons," Sabrina added after noticing that I was staring at her legs. fuck, why didn''t I look away quickly!!


    "Okay, aside from the demon island, the Kingdom of Yarum has other rivalries with its neighbors. Just two years ago, a war broke out between Yarum and the Kingdom of Deryal."


    "What are the reasons for these rivalries?" I asked.


    "Well, there are two reasons. The first reason goes back a long time. Speaking of time, the world of Staria has its own calendar, called the Elder calendar, and we are currently in the year 954 of the Elder calendar."


    "Let''s continue. In the year 213, an adventurers from the Kavaz tribes, a tribe that worships the fire god, Ifrit, came to these lands, which were just empty green lands. This adventurers then founded the first kingdom in the west of the continent of Sevios, the Kingdom of Yarum. After that, the adventurers ruled the region and prevented any people from establishing kingdoms near him, and this is where the enmity began."


    "And now we move to another time, specifically the year 253," the witch said as she shifted her finger to one of the nearby kingdoms to Yarum.


    "After a while, another kingdom was established in the area, the Kingdom of Deryal. Deryal prepared the land for several peoples to establish their own kingdoms, and then prevented Yarum from suppressing them. Thus, the years went by, and many kingdoms were established in the west of the continent of Sevios, but this did not please the Kingdom of Yarum, which wanted to control the area alone."


    "But that means Yarum is the wrong kingdom," I replied as I thought about the story.


    "The answer is yes... and no, but the question of whether Yarum is wrong or not will lead us to another story," Sabrina answered.


    "Okay, what is the second reason?" I asked after looking into her eyes.


    After asking this question, an odd silence spread. Sabrina then lifted her hands off the map and looked at me intently, which added more tension. Finally, she said:


    "Laos, The second reason... is that all the servants in this palace are slaves!"

 Maris Smile

    "... What?!" I asked, trying to process her response but failing to make sense of it.


    "Listen carefully, Laos," she said, returning her gaze to the map.


    "The truth is, the western lands of Sevios weren''t empty as the history of the Kingdom of Yarum claims. They were home to demi-humans, like Maris."


    Wait... I think I get it. Yes, everything is clear now. This is the same clich¨¦ that keeps repeating in most light novels¡ªthe slavery clich¨¦ and the quest to free them!


    "When human adventurers arrived in these lands, they killed and enslaved the native inhabitants. Afterward, they founded Yarum. To this day, the Kingdom of Yarum continues to enslave demi-humans. That''s the root of many conflicts, especially with neighboring kingdoms like Deryal, which seeks to liberate the slaves, as the majority of its population consists of demi-humans."


    "And after the last war between Yarum and Deryal, Yarum announced they would provide slaves with jobs and cease their enslavement. But this was merely a ruse to pacify Deryal. Every demi-human here was once a slave, just like Maris."


    "But... this only proves one thing: Yarum is pure evil in the western lands, isn''t it?! But why are you telling me this if you''re from Yarum yourself?" I asked, feeling a whirlwind of questions swirl in my mind.


    "Yes, Laos. We must overthrow the royal family... and I''m sure you''ll despise them once you meet Tiana. So, prepare to harbor great hatred for the Yarum royal family!" Sabrina declared, her eyes fixed on mine with intense seriousness.


    But I''m just an NPC. There''s no way I could stand against an entire royal family. Why does Sabrina trust me enough to involve me in this coup plot? Damn, the story''s mystery level just shot up!


    "I''m sorry for dragging you into all this," Sabrina said, sighing. "In the end, you''re not even capable of fighting. But I''m a woman who prefers to reveal the truth to those around her. My apologies again," she added, rolling up the map and gathering her legs, which she had stretched out earlier.


    "No... it''s fine," I replied, my mind still racing.


    "By the way, what''s your class, Laos?" Sabrina asked.


    "NPC" I answered.


    "NPC? I''ve never heard of that class before. But if you have any questions, you should ask the Classes God," she said, placing the map back into the drawer.


    "Classes God? What''s that?" I asked.


    "The Classes God is a deity who knows everything about classes. After all, they''re the one who created them," she explained, standing directly in front of me as I sat... My God, her figure was absolutely stunning.


    "Well, it''s time for lunch, Laos. Head to the dining hall where servants of your rank eat their meals. After that, return here so I can teach you the positions."


    "Understood," I replied as I left the room.


    Teach me the positions?!! What does this woman mean? As I pondered her words, the memory of my NPC coronation ceremony replayed in my mind. I clenched my teeth, hatred consuming me again. My God, when will I finally forget that scene? Then I remembered that Maris and her friends were once slaves... What a tragic situation.


    But wait¡ªCamilia is human. Does that mean she wasn''t a slave? As I contemplated this, I found myself descending to the second floor.


    But hold on, there''s a bigger problem¡ªwhere''s the dining hall?


    "Hello, Laos. I was just coming to find you. Lunch is ready."


    As I wondered, a beautiful voice called my name. Yes, it was Maris. My God, just looking at her face brings me a strange sense of joy. Thank you, Maris.


    "Oh... I was looking for the hall," I replied, staring at her kind and beautiful face.


    "Follow me," she said, stepping ahead of me.


    Maris had always been the one to guide me around ever since I arrived in this world. She was also the first person I masturbated to here. So, I hoped she would be the first to lead me to happiness in this strange place.


    After spending a while lost in my thoughts, we finally arrived at the dining hall. The place was somewhat narrow and packed with servants, most of whom were demi-humans¡ªor former slaves, to be precise.


    When I glanced to the right side of the hall, I saw familiar faces: the cat-eared guy, the minotaur¡ªor the so-called half dragonborn¡ªand Camellia.


    Maris and I headed toward them and sat down to join their meal. The dish was simple: a single chicken thigh, some strange salad, and a glass of lemon juice. Not bad, honestly. As I glanced at the others, they all seemed genuinely happy with the food, smiling brightly. Yes, everyone was joyful. After all, being a former slave and then becoming a servant in the princess'' palace was a significant improvement.


    ...Wait, what''s this feeling?


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    For a moment, I felt a subtle happiness while watching their joy. That was strange.


    "Let''s eat!" the cat-eared guy exclaimed, raising his chicken thigh high in the air.


    "Petal! Where are your table manners?" Maris snapped at him, holding her fork and knife properly.


    Table manners? Really? You were all slaves not long ago, and now you''re talking about table manners? LOL.


    After that, everyone dug into their meal, laughing and chatting cheerfully. The minotaur devoured his chicken thigh in one bite, then started eyeing Camellia''s plate. Suddenly, Camellia cut her chicken thigh in half and offered it to him. Damn, she''s so skinny. Flat girl, you really should eat more if you want a boobs as impressive as the cow sitting across from me.


    "So, what do you think of the palace, Laos?" the minotaur asked.


    "I feel good here¡­ At least I don''t have any desire to return to my old world," I replied while taking a bite of my chicken thigh. Oh, wow, the seasoning was incredible.


    "Was life harsh in your world?" Maris asked gently.


    "Yes, it was extremely harsh," I answered.


    "I''m sorry for bringing it up," Maris added, her voice tender and apologetic. Oh, God, how much I adore her!


    "I''ve heard you were all former slaves. Is that true?" I asked while sipping my lemon juice.


    Suddenly, Maris dropped her fork and knife and bolted out of the hall. Fuck, what did I just do? Why did I even ask that stupid question?


    As Maris exited, everyone in the room gave me strange looks. The cat-eared guy shook his head in disapproval as if saying, You really screwed up, man.


    After that, I left the hall as well, following Maris, who had entered her room. Fuck, what should I do now? Should I go in and try to comfort her? That would be the right thing to do, but since I''m a fucking introvert, I had to overthink my decision a million times before doing anything.


    Should I go in? No, it''s not a question of should I go in. I have to go in. This is my mess, and I need to fix it. Come on, go in! Go in, you NPC! Go in, you divine hero! Go in, go in, go in, go in, go in, go in!!!


    I''ll do it!


    The door was slightly ajar, so pushing it open allowed me to see inside. The room was identical to mine, with open windows letting in a gentle breeze. The feminine scent of the room was unmistakable, and in the far-right corner, on the bed, there she was¡ªMaris, with her cow-ears, crying. Yes, I could hear her soft sobs from the doorway.


    Oh my God, how could I make an angel like her cry? How dare you, you Fucking NPC?


    I stepped closer, trembling, and then spoke in my cursed voice.


    "Maris¡­ I''m sorry."


    "No¡­ It''s not your fault," she replied, wiping her eyes before breaking into sobs again. God, how I hate myself.


    What should I do now? Sit beside her and try to comfort her? Should I? Or should I just leave? Fine, I''ll leave.


    I rushed to the door, trying to make my exit, but suddenly, Petal appeared and shut the door behind me, giving me a sly look before leaving. Fuck, did he just lock me in here with Maris?


    As I turned back around, I saw Maris still drowning in her tears. Oh, God, what should I do now? Someone, please open the door¡ªCamellia, Evol, anyone, I beg you! I''m just a socially inept introvert who plays games and reads light novels all day. I know nothing about comforting people. Please, someone open the door¡­ please!


    My heart started racing, pounding harder and harder. I''m not exaggerating¡ªit was beating so loudly I could hear it.


    Suddenly, without warning, I moved closer to Maris, who was still sobbing uncontrollably, and sat down next to her. It felt like I wanted to get this awkward situation over with as quickly as possible.


    "Maris, I understand how you feel. I''ve also been through horrible situations¡ª"


    "You don''t understand anything¡­ Being a slave is the worst thing anyone can experience in this world¡­" Maris shouted through her tears.


    "I understand... but please stop crying," I said, thinking about hugging her, as I had heard that hugs can provide emotional strength.


    "No! You don''t understand anything, Laos... You''re from another world! I was treated like an animal, looked at as if I were just a puppet, a burden on society... I... I... I was raped repeatedly, and my body was treated in the worst ways!"


    Damn! Then I realized one thing, just one thing that shattered my hopes! Maris had lost her virginity! Fuck, fuck, fuck, how dare they take the virginity of an angel like her? I''m the only one who deserves her!


    "They treated me in the worst ways, but I fought and still remained a good girl, never dedicating my life to revenge. I tried to leave the past behind and live a respectable life... Yes, that''s all I want... I want to live a happy life, where I can see the smiles of my friends..." she added, crying harder.


    Such a pure soul, Maris... Maris is the kindest person I''ve ever met. Suddenly, I hugged her, trying to ease the tension between us, and perhaps I succeeded. After I hugged her, her sobbing calmed down, and she was shocked by my reaction... In truth, I was shocked too, and I was sure I would think about this decision for a long time and then feel embarrassed... but this is my fate... I was destined to hug you, Maris!


    "I will smile, I will always smile at you, Maris, no matter the circumstances, and I will make sure we live a happy life. I promise, because we... are friends, right?" I said, gently touching her silky hair.


    "Y-yes, yes, we are friends," she replied, wiping her eyes from the tears.


    Suddenly, she hugged me back... She hugged me tightly, so much that her boobs clearly pressed against me, which made me erect a bit. Well, I''m a guy, and desire is a natural thing, so don''t expect me to be overwhelmed or cry. This is not a dramatic manga about a guy falling in love with a girl who studies at a girls'' school, but a real story of a fucking NPC trying to comfort a girl from another world.


    "Thank you, Laos," Maris said as she released me, smiling a dazzling smile.


    "You don''t have to thank me; I''m the one at fault," I added.


    "No, it''s not you... these are just miserable memories that crept into my mind, and you helped me overcome them. Thank you."


    Suddenly, the door opened, and Evol, Petal, and Camelia entered. Strangely, they started clapping and smiling. What the hell are these fools doing? Instead of comforting your friend, you''re clapping as if you''ve seen the end of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood!


    But wait, they have the right to clap. I did comfort Maris in a great way. Yes! I really succeeded, and for a moment, a feeling of happiness filled my heart. Seeing this pure angel smile made me smile too, and I stared at the trio standing right in front of us, clapping and smiling.


    "Congratulations, it looks like a new relationship is starting in this palace," Camelia said.


    Camelia''s comment made Maris blush, and I also felt embarrassed. The situation was so awkward that we both distanced ourselves from each other. Suddenly, I stood up from the bed, remembering that Sabrina had asked me to come to her after lunch.


    "Alright, I have work with Sabrina. See you later!" I said, rushing out of the room as quickly as I could.


    Yes, I will keep my promise and make sure to smile at Maris no matter what. Then, I''ll gather money, marry her, build a house in a rural area, and have two children with Maris. We can then live a happy life, as I promised her... I''ll do it, I''ll make Maris feel happy... so I can always see that beautiful smile. I promise you, Maris!


    Quest: Be kind to Maris.

 the Beautiful Beast I

    From atop a long staircase, a slightly tall young man with neatly combed black hair, wearing a white shirt and black trousers, ascended to a long hallway. He began to gaze at the hanging paintings. After walking for a while, he reached a closed red-painted door and knocked twice before asking:


    "Ms Sabrina, may I come in?"


    "Come in," responded the person behind the door in a feminine voice.


    He then opened the door and stepped into the room, closing it behind him. Standing upright, Laos spoke to the woman before him as she approached him with smooth, graceful steps. Yes, this was Sabrina¡ªor as Laos referred to her, the witch.


    "Alright, I will now teach you the proper hosting manners and how to welcome guests with the utmost politeness... Understood?" Sabrina said, closing the gap between herself and the shy Laos.


    "Understood," he replied, shifting his gaze to the knight statue in the room''s left corner.


    "Excellent. The first thing you need to learn in hosting etiquette is to smile at the guests... Now, Laos, show me your smile," instructed the witch.


    Laos looked at Sabrina''s face and gave a faint smile.


    "That''s great. Now, smile and say, ''Welcome to Princess Tiana''s palace. We''re honored by your presence.'' Don''t forget the smile," Sabrina added.


    At that moment, Laos felt a bit embarrassed and asked himself, What am I even doing here? Then, he remembered that the gods had assigned him the NPC class. Clenching his teeth with frustration, a wave of hatred surged from his heart. Suddenly, Sabrina''s demeanor changed, and she stepped back.


    "What is this aura, Laos?" she asked, staring at his ordinary figure, trying to detect anything unusual.


    "What do you mean?" Laos questioned, confused.


    "You emitted a slightly sinister aura. Was it not you? No, it must be! No one else is within my sensory range but you!" Sabrina exclaimed, bewildered by the teenager standing before her.


    "I didn''t emit anything!" Laos responded, equally puzzled.


    "Never mind, let''s continue," Sabrina concluded.


    Laos straightened up, then donned his usual smile and said in his voice:


    "Welcome to Princess Tiana''s palace. We''re honored by your presence."


    "Very good. Now, it''s time for postures," Sabrina said as she walked to her desk and pulled out a white handkerchief.


    She returned to Laos and draped the handkerchief over his right forearm, then slightly bent his arm upward.


    "Alright, these handkerchiefs are crucial in hosting etiquette. If you notice the guest is sweaty or dirty, say, ''Here you go, sir,'' and hand them the handkerchief. If it''s a lady, say, ''Here you go, lady.'' Now, start from the beginning with the handkerchief," Sabrina instructed with a faint smile.


    "Welcome to Princess Tiana''s palace. We are honored by your presence¡­ Here you go, sir," Laos recited, standing straight and smiling.


    "Amazing! Carrying out the steps flawlessly is truly impressive, Laos," Sabrina replied, staring directly into his eyes.


    "Alright, now there''s just one last step. After completing all the previous ones, extend your left hand slightly, bow a little, and say, ''Please, come in, sir,''" the witch added.


    Laos straightened up, raised his left hand with the handkerchief draped over it, smiled, and recited:


    "Welcome to Princess Tiana''s palace. We are honored by your presence¡­ It seems you''re sweaty from the long journey. Here you go, sir."


    "And now, please, come in," he added, bowing slightly.


    "It seems you''re sweaty from the long journey? That was a brilliant addition, Laos. It seems you''ve mastered everything," Sabrina remarked with a smile.


    "Why not teach me magic instead so we can overthrow the royal family quickly, instead of teaching me this stuff?" Laos said with a sarcastic grin.


    Suddenly, a terrifying violet aura filled the room¡ªa truly overwhelming presence. Sabrina''s eyes changed from silver to dark violet, an utterly horrifying sight. Laos instinctively stepped back and fell to the ground.


    "I was just joking... It was only a joke," he stammered, shocked by Sabrina''s piercing gaze.


    The witch raised her hand, conjuring a fire spell, and pointed it at Laos with murderous intent. She advanced slowly, flames blazing in her palm, her violet eyes terrifying. At that moment, she was the epitome of a wicked witch.


    "Never speak of this again," Sabrina declared, approaching the trembling Laos sprawled on the floor.


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    "Never... I''ll never say it again!!! I promise!!!!" Laos screamed, closing his eyes and trying to move away from the intense heat radiating from her hand.


    Suddenly, the spell and the ominous aura vanished. Sabrina returned to her normal state, a faint smile gracing her lips as she gazed at the pitiful Laos.


    "You must keep your promise," she said, extending her hand to help him up.


    Laos took her hand, and she helped him to his feet. After this incident, Laos'' demeanor shifted dramatically. He dusted off his clothes, glanced at Sabrina, and asked:


    "May I leave now?"


    "Yes, but first, you need to know that someone important will be visiting my room today. They''ll definitely pass through the second floor, so make sure to greet them in the best way possible," Sabrina replied as she returned to her desk.


    "Who?" Laos asked.


    "Princess Tiana," the witch answered.


    "Understood," Laos muttered softly, exiting the room after opening the door.


    "Who could that aura belong to? A spy from Deryal? Or was it Laos'' aura¡­ No, it''s impossible for it to be Laos," Sabrina speculated, pondering the source of the aura after Laos left the room.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Damn, what''s wrong with this fucking witch? Sometimes she incites me to rebel, and other times she tries to kill me for even mentioning the idea. What the hell is going on in this palace? My God, Sabrina seems incredibly powerful. What a world¡­ But strangely, despite all these moments, I still love this world. At first glance, when I found myself here, I thought I''d consider returning to my world. But I''ve never thought about going back¡­ Is life here truly beautiful? Have I found the right place for myself? Anyway, today my job as a reception servant in this palace begins.


    I went down to the second floor and headed to the reception area. There was one person standing there, with a handkerchief draped over his left arm. He was short, with animal-like ears, which made it clear he was a demi-human. He had short blond hair and wore the same outfit as mine, in addition to being a bit chubby. He looked like a big stuffed bear with a cheerful face.


    "Are you Laos?" he asked, smiling as he looked at me.


    "Yes," I replied.


    After my answer, he quickly moved to a place where several handkerchiefs were kept and brought one. Man, his run was so funny. He''s adorable, like a little bear. How is this guy a reception servant? Hilarious.


    "Here''s your handkerchief," he said, raising it high to hand it to me. Man, he barely reached my stomach. What a little guy.


    "Thank you," I replied as I took the handkerchief from him.


    "By the way, I''m Damiel, the only reception servant in this floor before you arrived. Also, I''m a half pigfolk, which is why I''m so short," he said with a laugh. What a pleasant person.


    "Nice to meet you, Damiel," I said with a smile.


    "I heard we''ll be welcoming the princess today?" I added.


    "Yes. Unfortunately, your first task will be to greet the princess," Damiel answered, noticing my arm almost lowering, prompting me to raise it again.


    "Why?" I asked.


    "The princess is an evil girl¡­ She treats us like puppets," he whispered, looking around to ensure no one was listening.


    "Really?" I added, surprised.


    Sabrina mentioned something about this. I remember her saying I''d hate the royal family once I met Tiana. Is she truly that wicked?


    "You''ll see for yourself," he concluded.


    A long silence followed, making me a bit anxious. Damiel was focused on his work, standing straight with a sharp gaze. He seemed highly experienced in this job. We stood silently, waiting for that fucking princess to arrive. By the way, she had piqued my curiosity, and I wanted to see her at any moment¡­ Just when will she arrive?


    Suddenly, as I waited in silence, I remembered the moment I hugged Maris. Oh, my God, that was so embarrassing! Damn, how did I muster the courage to do that? It was unbelievable, especially coming from a fucking introvert like me. Was this character development? That''s really amazing¡­ Man, I need to be more social.


    Wait... we heard footsteps on the stairs. It was the princess. Our posture straightened immediately¡ªwell, only mine. Damiel was already as straight as a pole. A wave of tension and fear hit me, and I forgot everything Sabrina had taught me! Relax!


    Deep breath¡­ Exhale. Don''t be afraid. Stand straight, bend your left arm with the handkerchief, and welcome the guest with a smile. After that, the princess appeared¡­ My¡­ God¡­


    She was of average height, with long blond hair and a dress in shades of red and orange, resembling a peach, embroidered with golden threads. She wore a silver necklace with a blue gemstone and another with an emerald piece dangling on her head.


    Her face was incredibly beautiful, and given there''s no makeup in this world, she deserves a 10 out of 10 in terms of beauty. Her fair skin and semi-bare legs made her steps down the stairs while holding her dress to keep it from touching the steps. Even though the stairs were spotlessly clean, it was a habit of royal families to be so pompous.


    Finally, we arrived at the critical stage: the boobs. She carried enormous ones, and I''m not joking. Her boobs were so big that I was sure she struggled to walk due to their weight. I loved every part of her¡­ But let''s not judge by appearance and see her personality.


    She finally reached the floor and gave me a terrifying look. Then, she turned to the left, where Damiel stood. Suddenly, she grabbed one of his ears tightly and tried to lift him up. But all she managed to do was make the poor guy cry out in pain. After that, she began laughing.


    "Damiel, you pig, when will you grow taller so I don''t have to lower my head to see you?" she said, holding his ear tightly.


    What should I do? Maybe she''s doing this because he didn''t perform the reception etiquette. Suddenly, I bent slightly and said, nervously:


    "Welcome, Your Highness, to your palace. Please, take this handkerchief."


    She let go of Damiel''s ear and walked toward me, taking the handkerchief. Did I succeed? Suddenly, she slapped me with her hand, along with the handkerchief, and stared into my eyes.


    "Are you the failure summoned by the goddess Lunariss?" she asked as she came so close to me that if I lowered my gaze just a bit, I could see her delightful boobs!


    "Y¡­Yes," I replied, in the most extreme state of embarrassment and tension.


    "This is your first day, huh? Work well, or you won''t get your daily meals," she said as she walked away from us, heading toward the stairs.


    Honestly, it wasn''t that bad¡­ or maybe she just hasn''t done anything to me because I''m a new servant? But poor Damiel suffered during this reception. She was like a beast¡­ but she''s prettier than Maris! At least in terms of appearance, for sure.


    "Did you see that?" Damiel said, holding his ears in pain. Sorry, but that''s really funny.


    "Yes¡­ she''s really a beast," I replied.


    "But that''s strange¡­" Damiel muttered.


    "What do you mean?" I asked.


    "Usually, she does worse than this¡­ but she seemed different when she saw you," Damiel answered.


    "Really?"


    Does this mean she''s fallen for me¡­ ooooh, that would be amazing. I just hope she''s not like Princess Malty from the Rising of the Shield Hero light novel.

 the Beautiful Beast II

    In a spacious room, a woman sat smoking a pipe, her signature hat resting atop her head. It was Sabrina, engrossed in a book titled the Seven Sins of Mana. Suddenly, the door to her room swung open, revealing a woman in an elegant dress with a noticeably large boobs¡ªit was Princess Tiana.


    "Welcome, Your Highness," Sabrina greeted as she closed the book she''d been reading moments before.


    "Before we get to the main topic, whose aura was that?" Tiana asked, settling into a chair.


    "Honestly, I don''t know myself. I was alone with the boy from another world in the room when the aura appeared while I was teaching him the proper way to greet guests," Sabrina replied, setting her pipe aside.


    "Was it from that boy?" Tiana inquired.


    "I don''t think so. He has a non-combat class, and that aura is typically emitted by individuals with high combat strength," the witch explained.


    "As long as it''s not the aura of one of Deryal''s spies, that''s all that matters to me," Tiana said.


    "That''s what concerns me as well," Sabrina added.


    "Alright, I''ll get straight to the point. In a week, I''ll be celebrating my twentieth birthday, and I plan to host the celebration in Spiral City. Use that owl of yours and inform Gaziel that the princess commands his return to oversee the palace in my absence."


    "Understood¡­ but he mentioned that the king tasked him with slaying the Black Dragon that has taken over the valleys. Should he return even if he hasn''t completed his mission?" Sabrina asked, her eyes momentarily wandering to Tiana''s impressive boobs.


    "He killed the dragon two weeks ago," Tiana replied nonchalantly.


    "What?! Then what has he been doing outside the palace all this time?!" Sabrina exclaimed, visibly surprised.


    "You know Gaziel. He''s an oddball and, on top of that, a former adventurer. Exploring new places is a thrill for him," Tiana responded.


    "Very well, I''ll send him a message right away, Your Highness," Sabrina said.


    "Thank you," Tiana added before leaving the room with her signature haughty stride.


    After Tiana''s departure, a white owl appeared from outside and perched on the windowsill. Sabrina began drafting her message to Gaziel. Once she finished, she attached the letter to the owl''s leg and said:


    "Don''t use your power on this journey."


    The owl took off into the sky, carrying the letter securely on its leg. Its feathers were a pristine white, its large blue eyes strikingly vibrant, and a golden necklace adorned its neck. Truly, it was an elegant creature.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Tiana''s POV


    I descended the stairs, carefully lifting my elegant dress to avoid letting it touch the cursed floor. Reaching the second floor, a sudden desire filled me to sit here and play with my beloved dolls. As I wandered the area, my eyes landed on a girl with cow ears¡ªyes, my precious doll, Maris!


    I quickly made my way to her workroom, finding her as she cleaned the cabinets, her sweet smile brightening the space. What a beautiful cow she is. I approached her, raising my dress as I drew near.


    "Oh, Princess Tiana! Welcome," she said, bowing gracefully.


    Without hesitation, I grabbed one of her breasts, gently fondling it. Her cheeks turned crimson, and she let out the most delightful feminine sounds.


    "Princess Tiana! Ah..." she gasped, her gaze meeting mine with a single eye.


    I slapped her face hard, letting go of her breast. She fell to the ground, looking up at me with fear... Yes, yes, you should be scared. Come on, show me more fear. Then, I began stepping on her fallen body, smiling all the while. Oh, torturing dolls gives me such unparalleled joy.


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    "Princess Tiana, please stop!" she begged, tears streaming down her face. What a breathtaking sight.


    "Stand up, you cow!" I commanded, shouting.


    Maris got to her feet, trembling. That fear was precisely what I wanted. Not just her, but every doll in this palace must fear me when speaking to me. I love these feelings¡ªoh, how much I adore them!


    "Take off your clothes, cow!" I ordered sharply.


    "But..."


    "No buts. Strip, or I''ll cut off those breasts of yours!" I threatened, my eyes locked on her lovely face.


    She began removing her clothes, revealing her bare body. It was an exquisite figure, though not quite as stunning as mine. Afterward, I grabbed her breasts, squeezing them as delight filled me, while the cow remained sorrowful and utterly terrified.


    "I heard that members of the Cow Tribe are born with the ability to produce milk from their breasts... So, go ahead and let the milk flow," I said, teasing her breasts.


    "Okay," she replied softly.


    She started squeezing her breasts, but nothing came out, prompting me to slap her face hard again, sending her back to the ground. I resumed stepping on her exposed body with my precious shoes, as she pleaded:


    "Please, Princess Tiana, stop! This hurts so much... Please."


    I''m sorry, but I can''t stop. This sight fills me with indescribable ecstasy. Oh my, how much I love this scene¡ªtears streaming, her bare body marked with bruises from the constant stomping. Such a beautiful soul. A soul that I want to defile, then purify, and then defile again, over and over.


    "Stand up," I ordered, ceasing my stomping.


    "If you can''t get the milk out now, I''ll cut off your breasts immediately. Understood?" I threatened, wiping her innocent tears. Oh my, my ecstasy is nearing its peak without even needing to have sex!


    After this threat, the poor girl squeezed her breasts harder, desperately trying to extract milk. But what a waste¡ªthis fool doesn''t know that milk only flows when someone suckles her breasts. Such an innocent soul, truly.


    "By the way, how old are you, Maris?" I asked, watching her attempt to extract milk.


    "Six... sixteen," she answered, wiping her eyes with one hand while using the other to continue squeezing.


    "What do you think about sex?" I asked with my smile.


    "It''s bad!!" She replied, squeezing her breasts forcefully.


    "But what if it''s sex with someone you love," she asked.


    "If it''s someone I love, I think it''ll be good," she replied.


    Suddenly, while I was contemplating this pure soul, a teenager entered the room with his eyes open, as if he was shocked by the scene. He was quite tall, with black hair and sharp black eyes. Oh my God, he was really my type.


    "What the hell is going on here!!" He asked as he stared at me, who does this doll authorize himself to be?"


    "How dare you raise your voice at me, and what are you doing here, you fucking servant? Go back to your work!" I screamed at him as I approached closer.


    Suddenly, he stepped towards the cow standing behind me, ignoring me as if I didn''t exist, then he asked her to put on her clothes after wiping her tears... How dare he touch my doll?! What a bastard who doesn''t deserve to live.


    "Who did this to you, Maris?" the teenager asked.


    "Laos, what are you doing here... This will get you into a lot of trouble," the cow replied while putting on her clothes.


    "Hey, you damned bastard, you''re just a useless failure, so don''t play the main character role. Bow and apologize or I''ll cut your dick off like I''ll cut her breasts off."


    Suddenly, a terrifying aura spread across the room... An aura similar to the one I felt after lunch, no, it''s stronger... It was a formidable aura, and strangely it was emanating from this teenager standing before me. Damn, how did this person get a non-combat class?! What is this formidable aura?!


    "Why are you doing this to the servants in your palace?!" he asked, staring into my eyes. He was truly terrifying.


    "What do you mean, you bastard?" I asked loudly.


    Among all these strange events, the strangest was that I didn''t want to hit this boy... I had no desire to torture him... This is really strange... Wait! Is this love, could it be that I''ve fallen for him?! Impossible, I am Tiana, the supreme being, it''s impossible for me to fall in love with a failed doll that doesn''t deserve to live like him!


    "Wasn''t the suffering they endured when they were slaves enough for you?!" he asked.


    "This is none of your business, you fucking doll!" I replied as I looked at the cow who was hiding behind him like he was a divine hero.


    At that moment, Sabrina entered the room, looking astonished, clearly she had felt this boy''s aura too. About his aura, it was truly terrifying, an aura even a hero class wouldn''t achieve.


    "Whose aura was that?" Sabrina asked as she stepped inside the room.


    "What aura?" the boy asked, looking puzzled. Did he really not know about the aura?


    Sabrina repeated, "Only Tiana and I can sense the aura, and I sensed the same aura we felt before."


    "It''s him," I replied, staring at his face.


    "Don''t try to change the topic! Why are you torturing your servants, Princess?" He repeated after glancing at me again.


    "That''s none of your business!" I answered.


    "None of my business?... Fine, I resign from this palace!" He said loudly.


    "What''s your name, you?" I asked him.


    "Laos, but what''s the use of my name now?"


    "to strike your name off the list of servants who are entitled to daily meals," I answered with a smile.


    "What do you mean? I''m resigning from this palace!" he added.


    "Resigning from this palace? Oh my, how funny. You don''t understand anything, Laos... When you become a servant in this palace, you''ll just be a slave to me," I replied, launching my evil smile and looking at his face, which showed a hint of fear.


    He''s really amazing, the way he stands, his look, his words... Everything about him I like. And on top of that, he''s my type, and he''s so brave to speak to a princess this way. Oh my god, I''ve really fallen for him. I think... I think I''ve found my next victim."

 Resignation Request

    Oh my God¡­ How did I muster this courage¡­ This is so embarrassing!! What a strange personality I have¡ªsometimes an introvert who can barely speak, and other times a social savior defending his friends. What a contradiction¡­ But the way I stood up and defended Maris was amazing¡­ Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, this is so embarrassing.


    Who do you think you are when you defend a servant in front of a princess, now I''m sure I look like an idiot to the princess, and now she''s laughing at me in her chambers while having sex with her virile guards! I''m such a big asshole... And all I got from this was losing my daily meals until I apologize to the princess¡­ Wait, should I convince Sabrina to help me stage a rebellion? But what if she tries to kill me again like last time? fuck.


    This time, I''ll seriously submit my resignation. But what will I do after resigning? Oh my God, what kind of mess am I in now? If only I could turn back time and stop myself from helping Maris. Speaking of Maris, her body was very sexy, but strangely enough, I have no desire to masturbate on her, is that love?


    Damn it. When I first heard about the idea of being transported to another world, all I could think about was gaining immense power, saving the world, and then enjoying a harem beyond count. I thought I''d be like the protagonists of my favorite stories, like Satou, Hajime, or any of those lucky bastards who end up with endless powers and harems... But unfortunately, unlike them, all I got was an NPC class and a room.


    I hope this changes... I hope the path of the divine hero awaits me. I just want one ability... just one simple skill like Slash or Fire Bolt. Any of those fucking powers. I just want to become someone who can fight. Please, fate, smile at me just once, because right now... I''m struggling! Please.


    Knock! Knock!


    As I lay on my bed, pleading with fate, I heard someone knocking at the door. I quickly got up, making sure I wasn''t crying, and headed to open it. It''s probably Maris, here to apologize to me. Sure enough, when I opened the door, the first thing I saw was a face with cow ears and small horns. Yes, it was Maris.


    "Hello, Maris," I said, smiling at her.


    "Laos..." she murmured, looking at me shyly.


    "Come in, don''t talk outside," I said as I stepped aside to let her in.


    Once inside, she reached under her clothes and pulled out something wrapped in several napkins.


    "What''s this?" I asked.


    Ignoring my question, she sat down and began unwrapping it, her face red with embarrassment. After a few moments, the contents were revealed¡ªa chicken thigh from lunch. She was offering it to me. She''s an angel, I swear.


    "This is my chicken thigh. You can have it as thanks for helping me yesterday," she said, looking up at me.


    "No way. What about you?" I asked.


    "Don''t worry. The others will bring more soon," she replied, handing me the chicken thigh.


    "The others?" I questioned, still refusing to take it.


    "I planned with Petal and the others to gather some thighs and eat them together in your room because we''re friends," she said, pushing the chicken thigh closer to me.


    Suddenly, someone shoved the door open, and three people walked in. Yes, it was Petal, Evol, and Camelia. As I stared at them, I noticed Petal holding a bag. Oh my God, they''re insane!


    "Let the chicken feast begin!" Petal exclaimed, opening the bag as he sat on the floor, grinning like a mischievous cat.


    "Where on earth did you get all these thighs?!" I asked, shocked by the bag''s contents.


    "A little bit of stealing!" Petal replied with a sly smile, biting into a thigh.


    "You stole all this? You''re unbelievable," I said, staring at him in disbelief.


    After that, I accepted Maris''s chicken thigh and gave her the warmest smile I could muster. We started eating, and they were all so happy. Honestly, I was happy too. These are my new friends, far from the cursed world I came from... Despite the struggles I face here, this world has given me things I couldn''t have before. This world means a lot to me. Man, I''ve only been here for less than five days, and I''m already deeply attached. I''m excited to see what the future holds for me in Staria!


    "Will you apologize to the princess?" Camelia asked.


    "You should apologize; refusing will only bring more trouble," said Evol, holding three chicken thighs in one hand.


    "Evol, you idiot! We''re all eating here too. Don''t hog everything for yourself!" Petal shouted, snatching a thigh from Evol''s hand.


    "I think I''ll just ask for my resignation," I said while chewing on the chicken. My God, these spices are amazing!


    "Why?!" Maris asked, looking a little sad.


    "Because I simply can''t apologize¡­ I can''t even imagine myself apologizing to that damn princess," I replied.


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    "And what will you do after resigning?" Evol asked as he discreetly slipped a chicken thigh into his pocket, winking at me as if to keep quiet. What a crafty minotaur.


    In truth, there wasn''t much I could do after resigning. If I had at least one combat class, I could''ve become an adventurer, but right now, I''m just an NPC.


    "I don''t know, honestly. Do you have any suggestions for work?" I asked, reaching for a second chicken thigh.


    "You could assist at a shop or collect goods and work as a traveling merchant," Camelia suggested.


    "And where would I get the money to buy goods?" I asked.


    "Stealing," Petal said, searching for the thigh Evol had hidden.


    "Get away from me, you cat, or I''ll punch you. I told you I didn''t hide anything," Evol said, shoving Petal away.


    "I saw you! Don''t lie!" the cat-eared one replied.


    "Hey, you two, knock it off! You''re not kids fighting over a stolen chicken thigh!" Camelia yelled.


    "You talk a lot about stealing, Petal. Were you a thief in the past?" I asked, realizing how foolish my question was.


    "Yes, when I was a slave, a group of wretched thieves bought me to work for them. Since I''m half catfolk, my agility and speed are better than a regular human''s. That''s when I started my career as a thief," he said, stepping away from Evol after giving up.


    "That''s sad," I replied.


    "In fact, they didn''t just use me for stealing; they forced me to become an assassin¡­ It was a very tough time that changed my psyche and identity, but I gained a lot of strength and combat experience during that period. Like this!" Petal added, pulling the hidden chicken thigh from Evol''s pocket with a smug grin and continuing, "See?"


    "Laos, you told him where the thigh was!" Evol shouted at me.


    "I swear I didn''t," I said, laughing.


    "Well, Laos, I think you should apologize to the princess," Maris said.


    "I can''t. Besides, why don''t all of you resign too? You''re all struggling here, aren''t you?" I asked.


    "Yes, but there''s nowhere else for us to go," Maris answered.


    "Man, we have private rooms here. How do you expect me to resign?" Evol added.


    It seemed they didn''t have it so bad here. So, I had only two options: "Apologize to the princess" or "Request resignation." I had no other choice, so I''ll do it! I''ll choose to resign. I''m on my own path now, walking alone without company, searching for my destiny. Yes, just like I''ve always been¡ªa lone man in a vast world.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    After lunch ended, everyone left after urging me to apologize to the princess. Haha, I''ll never apologize! Or maybe I''ll consider it if I find myself in a real pinch. A while later, I left my room and headed to the first floor. Fortunately, no guests had arrived today, so I didn''t have to work.


    Descending the staircase, I finally reached the first floor. For the first time, I beheld its grandeur¡ªa breathtaking hall adorned with towering statues of legendary warriors and countless paintings. Servants bustled about, their presence almost blending into the crimson carpet that stretched across the floor. The massive doors leading outside the palace were imposing, and candles hung elegantly from the high ceiling. Large, polished windows reflected the light, and diverse weapons, including swords, decorated the walls.


    I walked further, marveling at every detail of this magnificent floor. Soon, a servant approached me. She was tall, with medium-sized boobs and rabbit gray ears that matched her long hair. Her slim waist transitioned into deliciously shapely thighs, her pale skin accentuating her striking figure, and a faintly red-tipped nose adding an innocent touch.


    "What are you doing here? You look like a low-ranking servant. Sorry, but you''re not allowed on the first floor. Go back," she said, blocking my path.


    "I don''t have time to chat. I''m here to request my resignation from the princess," I replied, trying to sidestep her. Yet, she persisted in obstructing me. What''s with this bunny?


    "Are you insane? Requesting resignation directly from the princess when you''re just a lowly servant?" she exclaimed.


    "So what?" I asked, visibly annoyed.


    "Oh my God, you''re really stupid!" she said, placing her hand on her forehead, her eyes closing in exasperation.


    "Bonnie, leave him be!"


    As we argued, a familiar voice interrupted from a distance. It was unmistakably that damned princess. She stood at the entrance of a room, wearing an outrageously revealing outfit that flaunted a significant portion of her ample cleavage. My God, how hot is she?!


    "Come here, Laos," she ordered, her gaze piercing and malicious.


    Reluctantly, the rabbit-eared servant stepped aside, allowing me to approach the blonde princess standing at a distance. As I walked towards her, my heart began to pound uncontrollably. A massive wave of tension surged through me. My God, how am I supposed to talk to her? Step by step, I got closer, her intimidating aura growing stronger. Why am I scared? Her presence is terrifying.


    "Enter," she commanded as she retreated into the room. This is so nerve-wracking!


    I entered the room, which was enormous, dominated by a massive bed that clearly belonged to the princess. Elegant vases filled with flowers scented the air, while open curtains allowed sunlight to flood the space. Several bird cages were scattered around, adding an almost garden-like ambiance to the room.


    "Are you here to apologize?" she asked, sitting on her bed.


    "No, I''m here to request my resignation," I replied, my gaze inadvertently drifting to her thick thighs. How does she have such thighs paired with such slender legs? What a perfect body.


    "Resignation? Are you still clinging to this foolishness?" she retorted.


    "Foolishness? I''m not joking, Princess! I want to resign from working in this palace!" I replied, quickly averting my gaze from her feet.


    "Listen, Laos, in this palace, you can''t ask for resignation if you''re of such a low rank¡­ All the servants outside are shocked right now because I let you enter my room, even though you''re a low-ranking servant. So how do you dare ask for resignation?" she replied, placing her feet on the bed.


    "So, I need to raise my rank if I want to ask for resignation?" I asked.


    "Exactly, but for now, you will be deprived of your daily meals. However, I''ll give you another chance..."


    "Laos, choose: apologize or lick my feet?" she added, pointing her feet toward me.


    Lick her feet?! Has this princess lost her mind? But I have no other choice. I''m like a slave right now. I can''t resign from this palace, and I can''t start a protest either given my situation. It seems like apologizing is the only solution¡­ But what about licking her feet? No, it''s impossible for me to do that. What a fucking princess.


    After some thought, I decided not to apologize. In the end, the others bring my food to my room, so I won''t be deprived of food all the time. But what if they get caught? I''m sure they''ll be exposed quickly¡­ Come on, NPC, apologize! Apologize now!!


    "I''m sorry," I said, bowing.


    "Say it again, while kneeling," she said, moving her feet away from my face.


    I had no other choice, so I kneeled in front of her, then repeated my apology. What an humiliation¡­ I will never forget this as long as I live. And at this moment, I got another embarrassing position I would remember for an entire week. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck¡­ I will get my revenge. I just wish I could suddenly gain some superpower. I swear, I would split this princess in half, after fucking her thousands of times, of course!


    After that, she got off the bed and said with that disgusting smile of hers:


    "Good. you can have your daily meals. Now, get out of my sight!"

 the Heroes

    Four Days Before Laos'' Apology


    Kingdom of Yarum ¨C The Holy Capital of Ethelas ¨C King Yarum Adalos IV''s Palace


    The air buzzed with jubilant cheers and songs. Everywhere, at least twenty people could be seen clapping and whistling with joy. Poets carried their musical instruments, playing harmonious melodies that brought an infectious cheer to the scene. Away from the crowds, at the entrance of a grand palace, stood a man with a long black beard and a stern expression. A silver crown adorned with diamonds rested atop his black-haired head, and a long sword sheathed in a gleaming blue scabbard hung by his side. This was King Adalos IV, known as The Majestic King.


    Adalos stood upright, his broad shoulders draped in a coal-black cloak lined with bear fur. His imposing figure exuded authority. Beside him stood two individuals. The first was a short man, sporting a white hat embroidered with gold, wrinkles lining his face, and a small monocle perched over his right eye. He wore a white robe adorned with blue gemstones and held a golden scepter topped with a pure green emerald. His posture and facial features revealed his advanced age, likely in his seventies.


    The third figure was a younger woman, noticeably younger than both the king and the elderly man. She was of medium height, shorter than Adalos but taller than the elder. She clapped with a gentle smile on her face, her long blonde hair cascading over her fair skin. Her petite blue eyes complemented her curvaceous figure¡ªample bosom and thick thighs¡ªwhich suggested she was slightly plump. She wore a yellow dress embroidered with flowers and jewels, a small golden crown resting atop her head.


    "Today, amidst the cheers of my people, I announce the arrival of the heroes to the sacred Kingdom of Yarum!" Adalos bellowed in his majestic voice, raising his sword to the sky.


    The crowd''s cheers intensified as a group of teenagers walked slowly along a crimson carpet leading to the palace entrance where Adalos stood. These were Laos'' classmates from school. As they walked, the people showered them with flowers of various kinds, chanting loudly, "Welcome, heroes!"


    "This feels like a dream!" Sebastian exclaimed, marveling at his surroundings.


    "This is unbelievable! We''re so lucky!" Tom said, his grin stretching from ear to ear.


    They continued their slow march, stunned by the grandeur around them, their eyes darting to every corner. Suddenly, Malin pointed skyward and shouted, "Are those dragons?!"


    Above them, knights soared through the air on the backs of small dragons, raising their spears skyward and flying in orderly formations over the crowd, adding an enchanting, otherworldly atmosphere to the scene. The eight teenagers were left speechless, their jaws dropping at the spectacle.


    "This is unsettling," Susan muttered, her eyes fixed on the dragons above.


    "Come on, don''t be ridiculous. There''s nothing unsettling here! Everything is amazing. I feel like a god with this kind of welcome!" Kevin replied, gazing up at the sky.


    "Don''t overdo it," John retorted.


    "We''ve arrived at the king. Be respectful," Linda warned.


    After some time walking, the heroes finally reached Adalos. Slowly, they ascended the steps leading to the palace entrance, where Adalos stood. Upon their arrival, Adalos and the blonde woman beside him stopped clapping.


    "It is the year 954, and I, King Adalos IV, alongside my wife, Queen Vinea, and the blessed Bishop August, have placed the Kingdom of Yarum at the pinnacle of the world. A mighty kingdom that has successfully summoned heroes from another world. I thank you. I thank every person in this kingdom who has placed their trust in King Adalos. I thank you all, my dear people. Today is a day that will never be forgotten! A day that will be immortalized in the history of the great Kingdom of Yarum. Yes, today we shall no longer fear the vile demons lurking about. No, we shall not. For today, the protection of the Moon Goddess, Lunariss, has arrived," declared Adalos in his commanding speech, his stern face and deep voice resonating with authority.


    "And now, let the feast of celebration begin!" he added.


    After this, the people let out a unified cheer in praise of their king. Adalos then retreated from the public eye, entering the palace with the heroes. He advanced slowly and sat upon his massive golden throne. His wife and the bishop stood on either side of him.


    Suddenly, the teenagers bowed, feeling the king''s overwhelming presence before them. However, Kevin remained standing, unmoved.


    "Bow down, you fool! Do you want to get us killed?!" Susan whispered sharply.


    "There''s no need to bow. Your status grants you superiority over even the highest nobles of the kingdom. You are sacred heroes who have spoken directly to the great Moon Goddess herself. So please, don''t embarrass me by bowing¡ªstand tall," Adalos said, gazing at the teens before him.


    "Could you introduce yourselves, heroes?" asked August as he sat down on a chair, visibly tired from standing. It was clear his back was troubling him due to his old age.


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    "It would be our honor. I am Susan, a lancer," Susan replied with a serious expression, exuding confidence and dignity.


    "I am Sebastian, a mage."


    "John, a warrior."


    "Malin, an archer."


    "Kevin, an assassin."


    "Tom, a knight."


    "Stephanie, a priestess."


    "Linda, a hero."


    After everyone introduced themselves, a joyful expression spread across King Adalos'' face.


    "My goddess!, you all possess incredible classes. The kingdom is truly fortunate to have you!" Adalos exclaimed with a smile.


    "Now, if you please, the celebration in your honor will commence in the palace. Bring the maidens and maids!" Adalos declared as he rose from his throne.


    Following this order, a group of girls and boys with different animal ears and scandalous and sexy clothes appeared and lined up in front of the heroes.


    "Perhaps you might be weary from your journey, so allow me to offer you a group of individuals who will serve you sexually until you rest," the king announced.


    At that, Sebastian and Tom quickly stepped forward and chose two girls for themselves, but none of the others opted for the sex.


    "Come on, are you scared?" Sebastian exclaimed as he hugged his maid, who had big hips and orange fox ears.


    "You''re sixteen, keeping your virginity would be childish," Tom added, hugging his maid as well too.


    But, no one else accepted, so they separated from the others and went to fuck in one of the palace''s rooms.


    "You don''t seem to prefer sex as a form of celebration, can I compensate you with something else?" Adalos asked.


    "We just want food!" Kevin replied.


    "Oh sure, I was going to offer you meals after you finish having sex, but should I serve you food now, or should we wait for your friends to finish?" the king asked as he returned to his throne.


    "Sex is enough for them, please bring us food, Your Majesty," Kevin answered.


    "Alright, bring in the food, and let the poets begin their songs!" Adalos shouted.


    The remaining six made their way to a long dining table laden with all kinds of food. Just looking at it was enough to make anyone feel full. They all took their seats, joined by Adalos, Vinea, and August. As they began eating, they were overwhelmed by the sheer variety of dishes in front of them. The atmosphere was enchanting, with poets reciting epic verses accompanied by melodious, flowing tunes.


    "My God, Laos is so unlucky!" John exclaimed, stabbing his fork into a piece of seasoned meat covered in red sauce.


    "Laos?" Adalos asked curiously.


    "He''s one of us, but he ended up with an NPC class, so he was sent to work as a servant in the princess''s palace," John explained, preparing a bite of the meat.


    "Ah, yes, I heard one of the summoned heroes was sent to my daughter''s palace because he didn''t possess a combat class," Vinea remarked.


    "I''ve never heard of this ''NPC'' class before. What is it?" Adalos asked, puzzled.


    "It''s something common in video games," Kevin replied.


    "Video games?" the king asked again.


    "Uh... forget it," Kevin added dismissively.


    "What do you mean ''forget it''? Explain to me what an NPC is," Adalos demanded, his piercing gaze fixed on Kevin.


    "According to Laos, an NPC is someone who''s useless in society or just a dumb robot," Malin chimed in, slicing through a golden fish.


    "Robot? What in the name of the goddess are you talking about?" Adalos asked yet again, baffled by their strange terminology.


    "It''s stuff from our world, and you wouldn''t understand it, Your Majesty," Susan explained.


    "Fine, you''ve beaten me," Adalos conceded, leaning back in his chair.


    After that conversation, a long silence spread, and everyone ate quietly, leaving room for the poets who continued to sing in a harmonious and cheerful manner. Suddenly and after a while, Sebastian and Tom returned, then joined the others at the table to eat, repeating several phrases like: "Man, sex is great," "We should repeat this experience as soon as possible,"...


    "Thank you, Your Majesty, for this wonderful celebration," Sebastian said as he chose what to eat.


    "No problem. Now that you''re all here, let me get to the point," said Adalos after placing his knife and fork down, his face now stern and filled with seriousness.


    "A long time ago, a massive wave of demons from the island of Diablos attacked the kingdom. We repelled them on the western coasts, but the fight didn''t last long, so their forces colonized some regions in the far west of the kingdom. This is where you come in," the king said, stroking his black beard.


    "Today, all you need to do is rest in your rooms. Tomorrow, I''ll explain everything about the upcoming battles," added Adalos.


    And at this moment, a group of servants appeared and asked the teens or heroes to follow them to their rooms. They rose and followed the servants. Suddenly, Sebastian and Tom stopped and said:


    "Can we take the maids with us to our rooms?"


    "Of course, Hero," one of the servants replied.


    Then, Sebastian''s former maid, with fox ears, and Tom''s maid, with rabbit ears, stepped forward and followed them to their rooms. After nightfall, everyone was in their respective rooms, eagerly awaiting the next day, feeling a mixture of emotions.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    In a luxurious room illuminated by moonlight, a girl stood by the giant window, gazing at the view outside. She was short, with short green hair and a round face, dressed in the same school uniform as the rest of her friends. Her eyes were filled with sadness as she stared at the moonlight.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on her door, and a voice called:


    "Stephanie, are you still awake?" the voice asked.


    Hearing this, Stephanie walked over to open her door. Linda and Susan entered, then began staring at her face.


    "You don''t look well since we arrived in this world," Susan said.


    "How do you expect me to be okay in this place? I want to go home," Stephanie replied, tears flowing involuntarily.


    "We all want to go home, but try to be a bit more positive. We''re getting a kind of attention here that we never could have gotten in our old world," Susan said, hugging her friend, who was starting to cry.


    "We''ll return!" Linda suddenly said with a serious expression.


    "What?" Stephanie asked, wiping away her tears.


    "Tomorrow, we''ll ask the king to send us back to our world. I can''t stand being anywhere but Earth," Linda replied.


    "But think carefully. This world needs us. We''re here to help them. Think about these poor people, they need us!" Susan said, staring at Linda while continuing to hug Stephanie.


    "And I need my world!" Linda replied.


    At this moment, Susan stopped speaking, realizing that Linda was serious and wouldn''t be swayed. The only thing left for her to do was leave the room and rest to prepare for the next day. Trying to convince Linda would only lead to a headache. Once Susan left the room, Linda walked over to Stephanie, took her hands, and said with a smile and a tender voice:


    "We''ll return, I promise."


    "Thank you," Stephanie answered, as her tears started flowing again, then she ran to hug her friend tightly.

 Stats and Fight I

    Another bright morning dawned upon the holy capital of Ethelas. However, this morning was different. For the first time, the summoned heroes from another world woke up in the Kingdom of Yarum. The news of their arrival was unbelievable, and witnessing them at last night''s celebration felt surreal, leaving the entire kingdom in shock.


    The citizens of the capital were joyful this morning, confident that the demons would be eradicated and peace would return to the kingdom. Everyone wore a smile¡ªadults, children, and even the elderly. Meanwhile, inside the palace, in one of the chambers, the eight heroes gathered to discuss an important matter.


    "We need to go back to our world," Linda declared firmly, addressing her friends.


    "Go back? Ha! Don''t make me laugh, Linda," Tom retorted.


    "She''s right. They distracted us with that grand celebration, and we forgot the most important thing¡ªreturning to our world," John added.


    "Haven''t you noticed they didn''t mention going back at all?! They plan to keep us trapped in this world until we die!" Linda''s voice grew louder with frustration.


    "Well, there must be a way back, but we need to save this kingdom first," Kevin interjected, joining the conversation.


    "That''s what I told you last night, Linda. We need to help this kingdom before we think about going home," Susan added.


    "But what if we die? What if we can''t stand against the demons and end up dead?!" Stephanie suddenly shouted, breaking her silence.


    "God! You''re so pessimistic!" Malin scoffed.


    "It doesn''t matter. Anyone who wants to return to Earth, raise your hand," Susan said decisively.


    At this moment, everyone raised their hands except for three¡ªSebastian, Tom, and Susan. The rest shot their hands up as if under threat, making it clear that most of the teenagers couldn''t abandon their world, even after all the hospitality and attention they''d received.


    "Majority wins!" Stephanie exclaimed triumphantly.


    "Do whatever you want. I swear, I''m not leaving this world!" Sebastian declared.


    "But what about Laos?" Malin asked.


    "That damned NPC? You still remember him? Just thinking about how the goddess gave him the NPC class makes me laugh until I pass out! What a comedic scene, especially when he turned to us. Oh my, it was hilarious!" Sebastian replied with a wide grin.


    "For real! That was insanely funny!" Tom added, laughing.


    "Well, regarding Laos, if they decide to send us back to our world, we''ll consult him about his opinion," Linda stated.


    "So, what do we do now?" John asked.


    "We''ll ask the king to send us back," Linda replied.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Malin rushed to open it. Standing there was a tall servant with a white, spotted tail and silver ears matching his hair. He stood upright and announced:


    "The king calls you."


    "The king is calling us. Let''s go," Malin informed his friends.


    "Alright, let''s execute the plan," Linda said as she headed toward the room''s exit.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Linda''s POV


    The morning air was warm, filled with pleasant aromas wafting across the floor, alongside the sight of numerous servants. But why were some of the servants sporting animal ears? This world was strange. My first impression upon arriving here, coupled with yesterday''s grand reception, made me feel like a protagonist in Tolkien world. It was unbelievable¡ªutterly unbelievable.


    As much as I was a big fan of Tolkien''s novels and fantasy books in general, I couldn''t leave behind the technology of my own world. Most importantly, I couldn''t abandon my family. Oh God, what must they think of me now? I''m sure they''re searching tirelessly for me. It''s truly heartbreaking.


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    After some time walking, we finally arrived at the king''s throne. We stood in a line directly before him, looking at him as he sat on his throne. Beside him were his wife and that old bishop. Oh my God, this is Middle-earth brought to life! If only that bishop wasn''t wearing a monocle, it would have completed the medieval fantasy aesthetic perfectly.


    "Good morning, my dear heroes. I trust you all slept well," said the king, his eyes locking onto mine. Oh God, this is so nerve-wracking.


    "Today, as I mentioned yesterday, we will discuss the upcoming battles in which each of you will participate," the king added.


    What should I do? Should I raise my hand and ask him to send us back? Oh God, this is so embarrassing... What do I do? This hesitation¡ªI hate it so much. Be brave, Linda. Go on, raise your hand.


    "Before that, Bishop August would like to present something to yo¡ª"


    At this moment, I raised my hand, cutting off the king mid-sentence. Shit, how rude! What have you done, you idiot?!


    "What is it, Hero?" he asked me.


    "We want to return to our world," I said firmly.


    A chilling silence enveloped the entire hall. No one spoke, no one whispered¡ªonly silence. It made me feel like a criminal who had committed a grave offense. Oh God, how unsettling this is. I wish a magical circle would open beneath me, like the one that brought me here, and transport me back to my room.


    "Return to your world? There is only one way to do that," said the king as he stroked his revolting beard.


    "And what is it?" John asked.


    "The only way for the heroes to return to their world is... to complete the mission for which they were summoned," the king explained.


    "So... we have to save this kingdom?" I asked.


    "Yes, upon saving the Kingdom of Yarum, you will have the chance to meet the Moon Goddess again, and she will return you to your world," he added.


    "No way! That''s outright exploitation. We didn''t come here willingly. Send us back to our world!!" screamed Stephanie, tears welling up in her eyes.


    "I''m sorry, but that''s impossible," replied the repugnant king.


    I approached Stephanie and embraced her to comfort her. I whispered a few soothing words in her ear to calm her down. Stephanie is dear to me, and having her in this world with me feels like having my sister by my side.


    "Well, if you''re done talking, I''d like to present something to you," said the old bishop.


    Two knights in silver armor stepped forward, carrying a wooden box painted blue. They placed it gently on a tall table and then left the hall. The bishop approached the table and slowly opened the box.


    Suddenly, a brilliant white light burst from the box, forcing all of us to close our eyes.


    When the glow faded, a crystal-clear orb lay inside the box. Within it swirled ethereal blue streams of magical energy, resembling the spheres witches use to predict your future. Are they about to show us our futures? That would be the ultimate fantasy!


    "Here it is¡ªthe orb, the greatest invention of our kingdom''s cathedral, The Blessed Domiar Cathedral," declared the old bishop with a tone of pride. "I oversaw its creation myself, with the help of countless alchemists and mages," he added, clearly boasting.


    "This orb reveals the stats of heroes summoned from another world and grants them permanent access to their stats for examination. This was the most challenging invention we could conceive, but through our faith in the goddess and ourselves, we managed to create such an incredible artifact," the bishop continued with a self-satisfied grin.


    "Bishop August was granted eternal recognition for this invention. It''s one of the kingdom''s greatest achievements. Now, dear heroes, please step forward one by one to see your stats," added the king.


    We formed a line, and Sebastian went first. As he approached the orb, the bishop instructed him to place his hand gently on it, take a deep breath, and exhale before closing his eyes.


    Suddenly, a dark aura erupted from Sebastian''s body, enveloping him completely until he was no longer visible. What in the name of the Moon Goddess is happening?! The aura grew more intense, expanding beyond just covering him and spreading toward us. The bishop quickly pulled Sebastian''s hand away from the orb.


    "My goddess, such terrifying magic power!" exclaimed the king, his eyes wide in shock as he stared at Sebastian.


    "It seems you are a powerful Dark Mage. This is truly extraordinary!" the bishop added, clearly impressed.


    Each of us took turns touching the orb. Unlike Sebastian, no one else emitted such an overwhelming aura. Instead, faint power briefly surrounded them before fading away. Then it was my turn. I stepped forward, my heart pounding. Slowly, I approached the orb and placed my hand on its cool, refreshing surface.


    A gentle warmth rose from my hand, traveling to my chest and filling me with an odd sensation of power.


    Then it happened.


    A golden aura exploded around me, fierce and uncontrollable. Its sound roared like a tempest, and the sheer force made it hard to stand. It completely engulfed me, even more violently than Sebastian''s aura. The pressure grew unbearable, and I pulled my hand away instinctively.


    Then the golden aura vanished as suddenly as it appeared.


    When my vision returned, I saw the king staring at me, his crown on the floor, his face frozen in disbelief. The queen had retreated several steps, and the bishop was sprawled on the ground, supported by knights as he struggled to rise. I felt like a monster, utterly bewildered. What is happening in this world?


    "Oh my goddess, that was incredible!" the king bellowed, his wide grin returning as he clapped his hands in delight.


    "Unbelievable. I didn''t think the heroes'' powers could reach such heights," the bishop muttered, still shaky.


    "You are the one with the hero class, correct?" asked the queen, her voice tinged with awe.


    "Yes," I replied, still shaken.


    "It seems you''re the strongest among them," the king declared.


    I couldn''t help but feel a flicker of pride. To be the strongest hero was a great honor and would surely elevate my status. But more importantly, I knew what I could do with this power. I could protect my friends¡ªespecially Stephanie.

 Stats and Fight II

    Linda''s POV


    "Now that you''ve interacted with the orb, you can simply say the word <Stats>, and a magical menu will appear, displaying all your related stats," the bishop announced.


    <Stats>


    Sure enough, a magical screen materialized, showing a variety of statistics. Damn, it felt like I had been transported to Tolkien''s world, but now it seemed more like I was stuck in some game. This was irritating. As I glanced at my stats, I noticed several categories like Class, Strength, and Magic. Whoa, my strength is impressive!


    After we examined our stats, the king, visibly pleased, spoke with a wide smile:


    "Now, since you lack significant combat experience, allow me to present a series of training sessions I''ve prepared just for you. These sessions will be overseen by the commander of the knights, Arthur."


    A knight with long blonde hair, clad in white armor adorned with golden engravings, stepped forward. He had large, piercing green eyes, stood tall and strikingly handsome, and carried a long sword strapped to his waist. He looked like the quintessential chivalrous knight you''d read about in Arthurian legends. Absolutely stunning!


    "Greetings, heroes. I am Arthur, the commander of the knights of Yarum. It is my honor to oversee your training," he said, bowing gracefully. Truly noble!


    "I had initially planned to discuss future battles, but seeing your extraordinary power has inspired me to begin training right away. If this does not inconvenience you, please follow Arthur," the king instructed.


    We followed the charming knight, all while everyone buzzed with amazement about their stats. After a while, we entered a large chamber¡ªa massive hall filled with countless chests, weapons, and armor scattered all over. Every type of weapon imaginable was there. I''m not exaggerating; there were weapons I''d never even seen before. This was unreal.


    "This is the armory of the palace. Allow me to guide each of you to the weapon most suited to your class," Arthur said.


    "Wow, this place is incredible!" Kevin muttered.


    "Every kind of weapon you could think of is here. Unbelievable!" Susan exclaimed.


    We were all stunned by the sight of the armory. As I mentioned, every type of weapon was present in this grand chamber with its high ceiling and rounded windows. Shields, helmets, spears, swords, bows¡ªthere were even weapons whose names I didn''t know. All of it was here.


    "Alright, who among you has the Archer class?" Arthur asked.


    "Me!" Malin replied, raising his hand.


    Arthur proceeded to assist everyone, providing them with weapons suited to their classes. Then it was my turn. Since I was the Hero, Arthur led me to another room. I followed him, feeling incredibly nervous. The room we entered was small and narrow. Oh my goddess, does this handsome knight want to have sex with me? I would never say no!


    "This is the Hero''s Chamber. The Hero class is sacred, so its armor and weapons are uniquely crafted," Arthur explained, pulling back a curtain to reveal something extraordinary.


    Before me stood a green suit of armor adorned with golden trims, featuring large wings on the back. Its boots extended up to the thighs, and it came with black gloves embroidered with golden details, as well as a lightweight helmet with wing-shaped designs on the sides. Accompanying the armor were two spears: a long spear with a sharp blade and another with dual blades resembling an axe. My goddess, this was beyond epic!


    "This is the Valkyrie''s Gear. A sacred equipment dating back to the Rune Ages, when Valkyrie warriors banished demons to the island of Diablos. Now, it is yours, miss. Once you''ve finished equipping it, please come out," Arthur said before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.


    I suited up and stepped out, greeted by the stunned gazes of everyone in the hall. Some looked amazed, while others couldn''t hide their jealousy. This was incredible. I was standing out so much! Just like my father always said: "You are special, my girl." Yes, father, I am special. Suddenly, Susan started clapping, and soon everyone joined in¡ªeven Arthur.


    "My goddess, this is legendary armor!" Malin exclaimed.


    "You truly are a hero!" Susan added.


    "Thank you," I replied with a smile.


    "You look stunning in that armor," Stephanie whispered shyly as she approached me.


    "And you look great too, Stephanie," I said, glancing at her kind face.


    "Fuck, how does a girl get that kind of armor while my buddy Tom, a knight class, gets a silver armor and a disgusting black-bladed sword?!" Sebastian exclaimed, his face twisted in frustration.


    "He''s right! This isn''t fair!" added his short, obnoxious friend Tom. God, I hate these two¡ªthey''re absolutely insufferable!


    "Sorry about that, but those are the weapon rules," Arthur responded, his handsome face a stark contrast to the two unsightly ones.


    "Alright, follow me. Training begins now," the knight added as he headed out of the hall.


    We exited the palace, marveling at our outfits as we walked. Outside, we found ourselves in a vast garden where noble children played. They looked at us with joyful smiles, shouting, "It''s the heroes!" Their innocent excitement was heartwarming.


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    The weather outside was breathtaking, making me smile instinctively. The grass, the flowers, the sunlight piercing through the trees, illuminating the garden¡ªit all felt magical. We continued following Arthur, excited for the next event, until I noticed the sad look on Stephanie''s face and approached her.


    "What''s wrong, Stephanie?" I asked.


    "I want to go back to Earth," she replied, her voice filled with sorrow.


    Her words reminded me that we couldn''t return to Earth until we saved the kingdom from the demons. The thought filled me with despair, and I felt the sting of tears welling up. My parents, my family, my life, my dreams¡ªall of it felt like it had vanished. Shit. Shit. Shit. But at least... there''s hope.


    "Don''t worry, we''ll save this stupid kingdom as fast as we can and return to our world. Our favorite Korean dramas are waiting for us, right?" I tried to console her, forcing a smile.


    "Yeah," she said, forcing a smile in return.


    As we talked, we reached a massive wall with towering gates guarded by two soldiers. The stone wall was so tall it blocked out the sunlight, casting us in shadow.


    "See this beautiful garden? Once we cross this wall, it will turn into a dangerous forest filled with monsters," Arthur announced, turning to face us.


    The guards opened the gates, and we stepped through the colossal wall. The forest beyond resembled the garden but with taller trees that barely let the sunlight through. What light did filter through was faint, creating a serene but slightly eerie atmosphere. The shadows of the trees mixed with the vibrant green foliage, and the air was warm. Yes, this was the classic fantasy forest setting.


    "Alright, now we''ll search for some goblins for you to fight," Arthur said.


    "Goblins?! That''s so fantasy!" John exclaimed.


    "Yeah!" I replied enthusiastically.


    We continued deeper into the forest, searching. Suddenly, Tom screamed, "Wolf!"


    Hearing his shout, the wolf turned toward us, baring its sharp teeth and charging at Tom with incredible speed. Its claws were massive, and it was nothing like the ordinary wolves back on Earth.


    In a flash, Tom swung his black-bladed sword, slicing the leaping wolf clean in half. My God, that was terrifying. The wolf''s bisected body hit the ground, its innards spilling out as blood gushed everywhere. The sight was utterly disgusting, so much so that Stephanie closed her eyes, unable to bear looking at it.


    "That was amazing, dude," Sebastian repeated, patting Tom''s back.


    "This is the ''Dark Lord''s Blade''. It''s a blade made from the claws of the giant desert Behemoth, a rare species of Behemoth found only in the center of the continent of Bardel," Arthur repeated.


    After that, we continued our progress until we encountered a group of goblins, about twenty in total. They were short, with very, very, very ugly faces and large noses, carrying daggers and wooden clubs, wandering around.


    "Alright, go ahead and kill them all!" Arthur shouted loudly.


    Then, Sebastian raised his magic staff, gathered a large amount of dark magic, and released it on the group of goblins. After that, Kevin drew his two short swords from their sheaths and rushed toward the goblins. Oh my God, where did they get this courage from?!


    One of them tried to hit Kevin with his club, but Kevin parried it with one of his swords and stabbed him with the other. Then, another goblin jumped at him with his dagger, but suddenly that goblin fell away from Kevin as an arrow pierced its head.


    "Whoa, I''m really good at archery!" Malin exclaimed with a proud smile.


    After that, John and Susan joined the battle. Susan stabbed one of the goblins, and then John decapitated him. Suddenly, Kevin tripped and fell to the ground. A goblin jumped on him with its dagger and tried to stab him, but Kevin rolled away quickly, avoiding the goblin''s attack. Then, Tom intervened and killed the goblin quickly by stabbing its back. Even though Kevin avoided the goblin''s attack, he was still wounded in the shoulder.


    "Priest class, heal the wounds!" Arthur shouted.


    Then, Stephanie stepped forward, extended her hand toward Kevin''s wound, and said in her soft voice, <heal>. Suddenly, a bright green light flowed from her hands, and slowly and smoothly, Kevin''s wound healed and disappeared as if it had never been there. He then ran off to continue fighting... At this moment, all I could do was watch them fight fiercely.


    So, this is the another world.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Life in this other world is a mix of awe and thrill, where fates intertwine between moments of glory and fear. The battle against the goblins revealed the team''s strength and determination, but more importantly, it exposed their human sides¡ªtheir fear and courage, their impulsiveness and hesitation.


    Watching Sebastian confidently unleash his dark magic, Kevin charging forward fiercely despite stumbling, and Susan, John and Tom fighting in harmony, offered a glimpse of the team''s diversity. Malin, with his skilled archery, and Stephanie, with her radiant healing, were more than just contributors; they were heroes bearing an uncertain fate.


    As for you, you observe all of this with eyes filled with wonder and questions. This new world is unlike anything you''ve ever dreamed of or read about. There''s no room here for hesitation or weakness; you must prepare to join them, to face the mysteries and dangers ahead.


    This isn''t just an adventure; it''s a true test of your will, your relationships, and even your humanity.


    am I special?


    <hr>


    STATS :


    <table>


    <thead>


    <tr>


    <th>Name</th>


    <th>Lvl</th>


    <th>Class</th>


    <th>Weapon</th>


    <th>Armor</th>


    <th>Attack</th>


    <th>Defense</th>


    <th>Strength</th>


    <th>Magic</th>


    <th>Agility</th>


    <th>Skills</th>


    </tr>


    </thead>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Linda</td>


    <td>1</td>


    <td>Hero</td>


    <td>Poleaxe/Spear</td>


    <td>Valkyrie''s Gear</td>


    <td>170</td>


    <td>129</td>


    <td>99</td>


    <td>80</td>


    <td>70</td>


    <td>Valkyria Slash + Golden Caster</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Sebastian</td>


    <td>1</td>


    <td>Mage</td>


    <td>Staff</td>


    <td>Wisdom Cloak</td>


    <td>154</td>


    <td>170</td>


    <td>40</td>


    <td>95</td>


    <td>33</td>


    <td>Black Wave + Dark Ball + Night Shield</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Kevin</td>


    <td>1</td>


    <td>Assassin</td>


    <td>Two Short Swords</td>


    <td>Light Armor</td>


    <td>149</td>


    <td>70</td>


    <td>69</td>


    <td>35</td>


    <td>99</td>


    <td>Daggers Storm</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Tom</td>


    <td>1</td>


    <td>Knight</td>


    <td>Blade</td>


    <td>Silver Armor</td>


    <td>139</td>


    <td>140</td>


    <td>71</td>


    <td>12</td>


    <td>55</td>


    <td>Slash + Cutter</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>John</td>


    <td>1</td>


    <td>Warrior</td>


    <td>Great Sword</td>


    <td>Heavy Armor</td>


    <td>120</td>


    <td>166</td>


    <td>80</td>


    <td>8</td>


    <td>25</td>


    <td>Crusher</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Susan</td>


    <td>1</td>


    <td>Lancer</td>


    <td>Spear</td>


    <td>Silver Armor</td>


    <td>115</td>


    <td>100</td>


    <td>77</td>


    <td>30</td>


    <td>59</td>


    <td>Fire Stabs + Tornado</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Malin</td>


    <td>1</td>


    <td>Archer</td>


    <td>Bow and Arrow</td>


    <td>Leather Armor</td>


    <td>117</td>


    <td>75</td>


    <td>50</td>


    <td>25</td>


    <td>79</td>


    <td>Wind Arrow</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Stephanie</td>


    <td>1</td>


    <td>Priest</td>


    <td> </td>


    <td>Blessed Robe</td>


    <td>50</td>


    <td>49</td>


    <td>20</td>


    <td>88</td>


    <td>20</td>


    <td>Heal + Light Shield</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 My First Time

    The far east of the Kingdom of Yarum ¨C Rural Fiefdom ¨C Princess Tiana''s Palace.


    "You entered Princess Tiana''s room!!!" Maris shouted in Laos'' face.


    "That''s unbelievable! What was she wearing?" Petal asked with closed eyes and a tone of astonishment.


    "Hold on, it wasn''t as great as you think¡­ I apologized," Laos replied with a disappointed look.


    "That''s the best choice," Evol remarked.


    "A low-ranking servant managed to enter the princess''s room¡­ this can only mean one thing¡­" Camellia murmured as she stared out the window.


    "Laos, the princess is in love with you," Camellia added after leaving the window and gazing at Laos'' face.


    "In love with me?! Really?" Laos asked, bewildered.


    The thought of Tiana loving Laos had crossed his mind since their first meeting, but whether it was true or not played a significant role for this woman-loving scoundrel. At that moment, Laos fell into a long daydream¡ªone of those imaginary scenarios he created to escape loneliness.


    "Well, night has fallen. I''m going to bed," Petal said, crawling toward the room''s door.


    The others followed, leaving Laos alone in his bed as he had always been. A comforting smile spread across his face as he began tossing and turning, indulging in a fantasy where he married Tiana, became the future King of Yarum, killed all his classmates, and lived a happy life with Tiana.


    Suddenly, Laos extended his penis and began rubbing it vigorously, muttering to himself, "But if she loves me, why did she ask me to kneel? Or maybe she''s the dominant type? No, if she doesn''t propose to me, I''ll add her to the list of people I''ll get revenge on!"


    Laos continued to masturbate as he imagined different positions of Tiana in bed with him, and then finally he came and ejaculated so hard that he touched the bed.


    "Fuck," Laos said as he wiped up his spilled cum on the bed.


    Laos collapsed onto the bed, letting out a heavy sigh. He was still lost¡ªlost between desire and helplessness, unable to do anything. Embarrassing moments seemed to chase him everywhere. While his friends were currently training to face the demons, he was lying on his bed, indulging in his shameful habits. A wave of despair washed over him¡­ Laos had lost his sense of distinction. He began to see himself as nothing more than a cursed puppet, trampled by the weight of unwanted circumstances.


    Though he had tried convincing himself countless times that he was happy, he always returned to the same point¡ªand that was sorrow. He wanted to change but found it impossible. He tried persuading himself that life in this palace was good, but he felt¡­ something was missing. There was something he was deprived of, something that drained the flavor of life in this palace. It was something Laos clung to during every difficult moment¡­ ambition. Yes, Laos yearned to achieve his ambition.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Alright, I should get some sleep. I''ve heard that some guests are visiting Sabrina tomorrow, so there won''t be any rest. I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, as the image of my kneeling kept replaying in my mind. What humiliation¡­ a humiliation I''ll never forget. But if Tiana proposes to me, I might forgive her.


    Afterward, I realized the reason I couldn''t sleep was the moonlight flooding the room.


    I got up to close the curtains when suddenly, I heard a voice say,


    "Haven''t you fallen asleep yet, Laos?"


    The door to my room creaked open, revealing Maris. She stepped in, closing the door behind her, and slowly walked toward me. What does she want at this late hour? Her gaze was unusual, and the expression on her face showed concern. She stopped advancing, then whispered softly,


    "May I sit?"


    "Of course, come in," I replied.


    Does she want to confide in me about her tragic past? Dear gods, I have no desire to comfort anyone right now¡ªmy problems are more than enough for me. She sat on the bed, and I sat beside her. A long silence followed, and I waited for her to speak.


    "What''s wrong?" I asked after my patience finally ran out.


    "Laos¡­" she muttered, her voice trembling with evident shyness.


    "What? Speak up, what''s wrong with you?"


    "I want to have sex with you..."


    "Have sex with you"


    "Sex with you"


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    "with you"


    "You"


    !!!!


    Oh my god, her words struck me like lightning straight to my heart. This can''t be real! I swear it''s the best sentence I''ve ever heard in my entire life¡­ Oh my god, I''m trembling. I''m overwhelmed with embarrassment; I can''t do anything. I''m frozen, unable to move, consumed by fear and shyness¡­ I haven''t had sex once... And I''m still a virgin... Is fate starting to smile on me?! Do it, Laos, give up your virginity and fuck Maris! Yes, I''ll do it, my inner voice, I''ll do it!


    "Really?!" I asked, shock plastered across my face.


    "Didn''t you like it? ¡­ Well, I can go back to my room," Maris replied as she began to rise from the bed.


    Without thinking, I grabbed her hand, pulling her back to sit down. Then, in one swift motion, I pushed her onto the bed. This was a golden opportunity¡ªI couldn''t let it slip away. She relaxed her body, gazing at me with a tempting look in her eyes. Leaning back against the bed, she arched slightly, her boobs rising as if waiting for what would come next. I''ll never forget this day, the first time I''ve ever had sex in my life, the thing I''ve always dreamed of watching silly hentai anime is now in my hands... Yes, I can do it! I can fuck a real girl!


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    The sun''s rays struck my face, forcing me to wake up abruptly. Fuck, I forgot to close the curtains last night...


    As I sat up, my attention was drawn to the damp sheets. Then it hit me¡ªI fucked Maris last night. Suddenly, a wave of euphoria swept through my entire body, so overwhelming that a wide smile spread across my face. I opened the window, letting the fresh air in, and stared out at the breathtaking view while reliving the memories of last night. Yes, I remembered it all as if it were happening right now.


    Every scene, every moment¡ªI will never forget them. It was my first time, and it will forever be iconic. But why do I feel as though I now bear a great responsibility... I''m even worried that Maris will get pregnant even though I didn''t ejaculate inside her... No matter, I''m so graceful this morning!


    That innocent Maris, how could she say that line, "I''m sorry for stealing your virginity Laos", huh, who cares about the virginity of a fucking NPC, it''s all about the sex... Thanks Maris, you''re the best thing that ever happened to me in my entire life, I''m going to marry her. Yes, I''m going to marry her!


    While reflecting on last night, I remembered I had work to do today. I left my room, walking happily and whistling. I headed to where the water buckets were kept and washed my radiant face. After that, I returned to my room to prepare myself to welcome the guests. Tie? Done, White shirt? Done, Black trousers? Done, Clean underwear?¡ªNot done! Ha ha ha, what a great joke!


    It¡¯s strange how sex can change a person. I stepped out of the room and made my way to my workplace, where the short Damiel stood waiting.


    "Good morning, Damiel!" I said with a cheerful face.


    "Good morning, Laos. You seem excited to work," he replied.


    "Yes, I can see that," I said with my constant smile while grabbing a handkerchief.


    After a while of conversation between me and Damiel, the guests finally arrived. They were four people: a woman with a goblin-like nose, her even uglier husband, and their slightly ugly children. It was clear they were nobles from their attire. We greeted them formally and nobly, but they ignored us as if we weren¡¯t even there. I hope someone kidnaps their children. They''re truly despicable; they ruined my mood... but no, they won¡¯t. I¡¯m still happy.


    "Do the guests always ignore you like this?" I asked while staring at them as they headed to the stairs leading to the third floor.


    "Yes, nobles are arrogant," Damiel replied.


    For a moment, I wanted to ask him about his life when he was a slave, since I''m quite a curious person, but I couldn¡¯t. That question would hurt Damiel¡¯s feelings, and since he¡¯s a kind man and one of my friends in this palace, I¡¯d never want to hurt his feelings.


    We continued with our work, standing like statues waiting for that ugly family to return for what felt like an eternity. Then I remembered Tiana¡¯s words about rising in rank. I think she said I had to rise in rank if I wanted to request a resignation. That¡¯s very rude, and it also means that even Sabrina herself can¡¯t request a resignation... What a terrifying thought.


    Well, I guess I have to rise in rank... Yes, I will focus on this, and I won¡¯t let it go. From now on, I¡¯ll work to become a high-ranking servant. I don¡¯t care how, I don¡¯t care about anything. I will become a high-ranking servant so I can ask that fucking princess to resign from this palace. But I have to convince Maris to come with me so I can marry her and we can go build our own house. Oh my god, it will be wonderful...


    Suddenly, while I was planning my future plans, that ugly family returned. Oh my god, they looked like freaks from a Freak Show. They ignored us for the second time, then slithered to the first floor. I hope they all burn and never return to this palace. After that, my work was done, so I said goodbye to Damiel and went back to my room.


    The first question that crept into my mind was why Maris chose me for sex, well that''s a simple answer npc, she loves you... Uh-huh just the thought of someone loving me makes me feel responsible, I hate that feeling, yes I hate love... I only like sex, and as I always say:


    ¡°sex is fix¡± -Laos.


    After that, I headed to Maris'' workroom to ask her about an answer to a question that had been bothering me. When I entered the room, there were two maids cleaning, and one of them was Maris. When she saw me, she quickly came toward me... Oh my god, she really loves me!


    "What are you doing? You can''t come in here!" Maris said. Fuck, I thought she ran over because she love me.


    "We had fun yesterday," I whispered with a foolish smile.


    "... Yes, let''s talk later," she replied, with a slight blush on her face, making me forget that she was the one who offered me sex.


    "Okay, but I''m here to ask an important question," I said.


    "What is it?"


    "Have I been kind to you these days?"


    "Laos, this isn''t the right time for¡ª"


    "Just answer, yes or no," I said, raising my voice slightly.


    "..."


    "Yes, you''ve been kind to me, Laos," she answered, her beautiful face showing a slight blush.


    After that, I left the room. I bet she now thinks of me as the weirdest person, but I don¡¯t care. This has been my personality from the start¡ªa weird NPC. Oh my god, I feel so positive right now! How can positivity change a person this much?! I really look like a social person, I love this... Yes, this is my happiness. So, I need to leave this palace and live my own life.


    Quest: Be kind to Maris


    Next Quest: Rank up.

 a Hope

    Maris'' POV


    What''s wrong with him? He''s changed so much¡­ Yes, he looks so different now, I thought he''d hate me if I had sex with him, but he seems happy. Yes, that''s what I wanted¡­ but I hope he loves me¡­ Yet, I''m such a terrible person. How dare I take the virginity of someone so pure like him?! Damn it, the guilt is eating me alive¡­ But it was necessary. I couldn''t let a spoiled princess like Tiana take him from me¡­ because I¡­ because I love Laos so much.


    "Is that Laos?" asked Ferly, my colleague at work, as she swept the floor with her broom.


    "Yes," I replied while dusting the glasses and placing them back in the cupboard one by one.


    "He seems nice," Ferly commented.


    "Really? Well, I need to go clean up; the dust is all over me," I said, trying to change the topic.


    "Bathing now? That''s unusual for you, Maris," she muttered.


    "Well, see you later, Ferly," I said as I left the hall.


    I headed to the bath, which was empty as expected¡ªno one else bathed at this time of day. Slowly, I removed my clothes and sat on one of the stools, then began drawing water from the well to fill the tub. Once it was full, I got in and let the water embrace me. And then¡­ I started thinking about Laos again. Oh, God, he never leaves my mind¡­ I really love him.


    But what if that princess really does love him? No, I won''t let her take him. Even if I have to run away from this palace with him, no one will take you, Laos. No one! After some time, I finished bathing, dressed, and left the bathhouse. I headed to my room to rest a bit, but I knew all I''d end up doing was thinking about Laos.


    But wait¡­ what if he doesn''t love me? No, impossible. he looked so happy when he had sex with me, so it''s clear he loves me. But we need to make it official; we need to confess our love to each other¡­ Oh, God, but why did I choose to start with sex??!! Come on, Maris, it''s the only way to attract men. And besides, I had sex dozens of times, so he''s not a stranger to me.


    I''m sure I must seem wild to him now. Oh, please, Laos, don''t think of me like that. I wish he''d see me as an innocent angel¡­ An innocent angel? You fool, you offered him sex last night with your tongue. Plus, you''re a woman, and the last person who should take the lead¡­ so there''s no way he sees you as innocent anymore.


    After that, I began tossing and turning on the bed, muttering, "No, no, no, no, no¡­" Oh, God, I really regret it¡­ It''s such an awful feeling. After lying there for a while, I got up, opened a drawer in the cabinet, and took out a sheet of paper. Yes, my favorite one¡­ A drawing of my father and mother, with a little drawing of me as a child between them. Dad, Mom, I love you so much. Oh, God, I miss them so dearly.


    "Maris, it''s time for lunch," someone called from outside the door as their footsteps faded away.


    Then I set the paper I had been clutching aside and left the room. Oh, gods, I feel strange. It''s obvious that it''s because I''m about to see Laos. As I walked, Camellia approached me and said:


    "Hey, Maris, we''ll playing cards tonight. A lot of us will be there¡ªFerly and Petal too¡ªand we''ll invite Laos to join us as well."


    "Really?! That sounds amazing!" I replied, already imagining Laos playing with us. Oh, gods, playing cards alone is great, but with Laos joining in? Yoohoo!! No, no, no, I''m sure it''ll be terrible. I''ll be too shy and unable to focus, especially after having sex with him.


    After that, we entered the dining hall and took our seats. Evol and Petal were there, but Laos was nowhere to be seen. Ugh! Where''s Laos? Why isn''t he here? Ever since he apologized to the princess, he''s never missed lunch. What''s going on with him?


    ''Where''s Laos?" I asked as I sat beside Camellia, who had just taken her seat as well.


    "We haven''t seen him," Evol answered while devouring a chicken leg and gulping down lemonade with enthusiasm.


    Maybe something is holding him up. I sat and waited, and waited¡­ eating a bit of chicken in the meantime. But he didn''t show up. This is really odd. What could he be doing?


    "I''m going to look for him," I said, standing up from the table.


    "What about your chicken leg?" Evol asked.


    "Finish it," I said as I quickly exited the hall.


    "Thanks a lot!" Evol shouted after me¡­ Strange how he can eat the same thing for months with the same enthusiasm. Dragonborn-blooded people are really weird.


    I rushed to Laos'' room and began knocking on the door, calling his name. Yet, no one answered. Laos, what are you doing?!! Oh gods, is he dead?! No, no, impossible¡­ Damn it, is he having sex with the princess right now?!!! No, no, no¡­ I couldn''t handle it. Anxiety spread through my entire body as I called out in a slightly raised voice:


    "Laos, if you don''t open this door, I''ll open it myself!"


    Even then, the door remained closed, so I had no choice but to open it¡­ only to find no one inside!! Laos, where are you, by the gods of the moon?! Laos, where did you go? You''re just a low-ranking servant. There''s no way you''d have an opportunity to deviate from your daily routine!! Could he be with Sabrina? After all, he''s someone from another world, so different from us. Maybe Sabrina called him for some mysterious discussion.


    After that, I gave up hope and remembered the cleaning work I had left unfinished when I ran off from Ferly. Yet, the anxiety wouldn''t leave me. The worst part is that I can''t even go to Sabrina and ask her about Laos. Oh, gods, what''s happening all of a sudden¡­ Why am I this worried? Why am I so scared?? What is going on, by the gods?!


    Then I arrived at the hall, and what caught my attention was something stranger than I could have ever imagined: a young man with black hair, wearing a white shirt and black pants, standing in front of the cabinet and wiping the cups I had left earlier this morning. Yes, it was Laos. When he saw me, he glanced my way, gave a faint smile, and greeted me softly:


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Hi!"


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    "What are you doing?!" I asked as I hurried toward him.


    "You had me worried!" I added.


    "Well, Maris, I have a goal now," he replied as he placed the cleaned cups back on the shelf. "I want to get a promotion. So, I asked Maris to add me to the list of servants working extra hours to speed up my promotion."


    "Why do you want to get promoted?" I asked.


    "Simple, so I can leave this palace," he said, staring at the dusty dishes.


    "So, you want to leave," I repeated.


    "Yes, I can''t stay here. I''ve realized that my true happiness lies outside this palace¡­ That''s how it is," he answered.


    "You should have told me! I would''ve brought you a chicken leg," I teased as I pulled out the broom to start cleaning.


    Silence settled between us. Oh gods, why can''t I start a conversation with him? I really want to talk to him¡­ and above all, I want to ask him how he feels about me. Does he love me or not? But should I? Should I ask him? Oh gods, I''m so embarrassed, I can''t do it. Impossible¡­ But wait, he said he wants to leave the palace. This is my chance¡ªmy chance to have Laos to myself and live with him alone outside the palace.


    If he''s determined to leave, he won''t stay attached to Tiana, and she won''t take him away from me¡­ Alright, I need to ask him about his feelings. Come on, Maris, you can do it. He''s just a handsome guy.


    I gathered my courage and softly called out, "Laos¡ª"


    Suddenly, a plate fell to the ground, the sound of it shattering echoing loudly. Oh gods, what did Laos do? I rushed over to see what had happened and found the broken plate scattered across the floor, with Laos holding his finger, blood dripping from it. Oh gods!


    "Give me your finger!" I exclaimed, my voice rising.


    I grabbed his hand and cast a simple healing spell, which closed the wound. When I looked up at Laos, I found him staring at me in shock, as if he''d witnessed something miraculous. Does Laos not know about magic? He kept staring, then inspected his finger multiple times, unable to believe what had just happened.


    "Wow! This is amazing! It''s magic!" he exclaimed, his eyes fixed on me.


    "Is this the first time you''ve seen magic?" I asked, my face puzzled.


    "I''ve seen it with Sabrina before, but it''s never been used on me!" he replied with a wide grin.


    "Maris, do you know magic?" he asked.


    "Not much. I can use a few attack spells and one healing spell," I replied as I started sweeping up the shards of the broken plate. Oh gods, if someone finds out he broke a plate, he''ll get punished!


    "Can you teach me magic?" he asked, entirely focused on the idea of magic, completely unconcerned about the plate.


    "Teach you magic? I learned it from my mother a long time ago, and I don''t really remember how to teach it, but I can explain it to you," I replied.


    "Alright, once we''re done with work, please explain it to me, Maris," he said.


    "Alright."


    Silence filled the room again as I swept the shards into a bag to hide them in my room, where no one would see them. I started thinking about how to explain magic to Laos. This could be a great way to make him more attached to me. Oh gods, I''m so lucky this year!


    We finished cleaning after a long while.


    "When you''re ready, come to my room," I said as I put the broom back in its place.


    "I''ve got nothing else to do. Let''s go now," he said, moving toward me.


    We went to my room. Once inside, I closed the door. Oh gods, it''s just me and Laos in the room. Should we do it again? No, no, focus¡ªhe wants me to explain magic to him. I''d be a beast to ask him for sex right now.


    After we entered, we sat on the bed, and I started organizing my thoughts. Oh gods, I barely understand magic myself. How does he expect me to explain it to him?!


    "Ahem¡­ Laos, what do you want me to explain first?"


    "Healing magic," he replied.


    "Alright¡­ Healing magic. Healing magic¡­ Laos, healing magic is a type of sacred magic commonly used by priests. It''s a divine gift granted by the gods to their loyal and devout followers. Healing magic works to heal wounds and includes other defensive spells. There are several types of healing magic, but I only know two: simple and blessed."


    "The simple type is like the spell I used on you. As the name suggests, it''s straightforward and can be used by any priest or even some people with weak magical power. Blessed healing magic, on the other hand, is a grand form of magic. Only high-ranking bishops can use it. It has various applications, including restoring limbs."


    "Restoring limbs?!" he asked in astonishment.


    "Yes! Blessed healing magic can reattach a severed hand, for instance. That''s why it''s incredibly powerful and rare. Only high bishops can use it, and even most bishops in Westevios can''t. It''s extremely rare."


    "Westevios?" he asked.


    "Westevios is the western region of Sevios, where we are now," I explained.


    "By the way, one of the people who came with me to this world has the class of a priest. Do you think they could use blessed healing magic?" he asked again.


    "A hero from your world? Impossible. Blessed healing magic is far too powerful for someone like him," I replied, staring into his handsome face.


    "And what about other types of magic, like offensive ones?"


    "As for me, I only use two offensive spells, and they''re gray. Well, I know you don''t understand that. Magic is divided into two categories: gray and colored. Gray, or pale magic, is slightly weaker and looks like colorless magical energy. Colored, or radiant magic, is the more common type in Staria."


    "Colored magic relies on various elements like fire, lightning, water, wind, and many others. It''s much stronger than gray magic and harder to learn. However, most creatures are born with a natural affinity for colored magic, which is why it''s the most widespread type."


    "That was really amazing!" Laos exclaimed.


    "¡­ Well, Maris, I''d like¡­" Laos began, hesitating.


    "What?" I asked.


    "I''d like to do it again..." he said.


    What a wild one, he seems to like sex very much, well, after that I lay down on the bed and opened my shirt to expose my naked breasts, then he started touching and squeezing my breasts, suddenly I remembered my previous question, should I ask him now or after we finish having sex?


    He kept squeezing my breasts and then he took off his pants, he''s really wild, well here''s my chance, I suddenly grabbed his hand and took it away from my breasts, then I whispered to him in a sexy voice:


    "Laos... Do you love me?"


    "...!"


    "Yes, yes, I love you so much, Maris!" he replied, looking into my face while I lay on the bed.


    "Alright, let''s do it," I said as I placed his hand on my breasts.


    Amazing, Laos loves me. I knew it, I''ve found my life partner... Life has smiled upon me. This year is the best year of my life. Jurmes the God of Mercy... Thank you so much! Thank you for your mercy. Even though I don''t follow any god, thank you. Thank you for granting me someone who loves me. Finally, I will fulfill my dream¡ªmy dream of building my own family.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    At this moment, Maris was lost in the depths of her dreams. while Laos was fucking her, she continued to imagine a life where they lived together in a private home. This was Maris¡ªa girl who had always run from her past, seeking a source of happiness. Perhaps she had finally found it. As Maris said, maybe the gods had decided to pity her. Despite everything that had happened, this is the girl who continued to be a good girl even after everything that happened to her.


    But being a good girl wouldn''t stop her from claiming her favorite man, no matter who her rivals were. Here was Maris, sinking her claws into Laos and pushing away anyone who dared to get close to him. Or at least, that''s what she wanted¡ªto have Laos all to herself. Maris'' dreams continued as destinies intertwined within this palace. Characters would die, new ones would emerge, with the same body. and the cycle of life would go on. For Maris, it seemed she had changed drastically since she first shared a bed with Laos. She had always loved him, but never as deeply as she did now.


    Will Maris be able to keep her favorite man, or will fate toy with her, as it does with Laos, and tear them apart? Regardless, this moment marks the beginning of the story of an NPC and the Cow-Eared Girl. A bond between two unfortunate servants who endured harsh circumstances. While Maris drowns in her fantasies to taste a fragment of happiness, Laos does the same.

 the Butler

    Outside the palace, in an area we see for the first time¡ªa lush green land filled with hills and orange-laden trees¡ªlies a small forest. Amidst the trees is a straight path leading to another part of these hills, clearly a rural region.


    Within the orange grove, a figure clad in a deep blue cloak walked slowly along the path. Suddenly, he stopped, observing the oranges around him. He reached for one of the trees and picked an orange, then resumed his stroll, peeling it slowly, mirroring his deliberate steps. His face was hidden beneath the hood of the blue cloak, keeping his features as mysterious as his identity.


    As he moved leisurely between the trees, savoring the orange segments, the sound of footsteps echoed behind him¡ªsoft, but laden with a sense of danger. Then, the sound ceased. Yet, the man didn¡¯t react and continued eating as if nothing had happened. Suddenly, the foliage around him rustled violently, and a goblin armed with a wooden club leapt toward him.


    Calmly and without haste, the man removed his cloak, revealing a long blue sword sheathed in an ornate scabbard decorated with gold and blue patterns. The sword¡¯s blade was silver, with a hilt as black as the night. With ease, he decapitated the goblin, continuing on his path as if uninterrupted. The goblin¡¯s lifeless body collapsed behind him.


    His journey was soon blocked by a group of goblins accompanied by wolves.


    "What nostalgia! This scene reminds me of the old days when I got kicked out of the weapon shop because I only had two coins and had to fight goblins and wolves with a wooden sword. Hahaha!" the swordsman exclaimed, his voice loud, laughing as though speaking to someone else, though he was utterly alone.


    "Alright, let me have some fun with you the old-fashioned way!" After this declaration, he placed his sword on the ground, walked to one of the orange trees, and cut off one of its branches. Then, holding the branch, he turned to the goblins and wolves and removed his hood.


    His face was slightly aged, marked by a thin beard and mustache, a scar on his left cheek, perpetually closed eyes, and deep blue hair. His cheerful demeanor, with a constant smile, belied the ferocity of his actions. Despite his seemingly lighthearted face, his demeanor exuded both seriousness and brutality. Raising the branch like a sword, he declared with his eyes still closed:


    "Let¡¯s begin!"


    The goblins and wolves charged toward him, prompting the swordsman to crouch slightly, gripping the branch tightly. Then, with his eyes still closed, he muttered:


    "Two wolves and three goblins..."


    In a flash, he dodged the wolves¡¯ attacks and darted behind the goblins at incredible speed. Suddenly, he swung the branch with one hand as if intending to slice off their heads. A blue aura surged from the branch, slicing through the goblins'' necks effortlessly. Their heads separated from their bodies and flew away.


    With the goblins down, the two wolves lunged at him, baring their sharp, menacing fangs. The swordsman stepped back slightly, waiting for the wolves to come closer. One wolf bit down on the branch, while he kicked the other with such force that it spat out some of its innards. As the first wolf continued biting the branch, the swordsman stepped back once more, spun swiftly, and flung the wolf away with a powerful strike from the branch.


    The two wolves fell to the ground, trembling as life slipped away from them. The swordsman returned to his fallen sword, picked it up, sheathed it, and resumed his walk along the path. Plucking another orange, he muttered as he peeled it:


    "I hope someone cleans up this mess. I might have been a bit too wild. Hahaha!"


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Far from that terrifying swordsman, inside one of the spacious rooms of Tiana¡¯s palace, Sabrina sat on her chair, smoking her pipe while reading a book titled ¡°The Most Famous War Strategies of the Kingdom of Yarum.¡± Suddenly, she heard a fluttering of wings. A stunningly beautiful white owl appeared, passing through the closed glass window as if it were a ghost, before landing gracefully on Sabrina¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Has Gaziel approached the palace?¡± Sabrina asked, exhaling a cloud of smoke from her pipe.


    She then stood up from her chair and left the room after ordering the owl to leave. Walking a short distance away, she descended to the second floor and called out:


    ¡°All servants, gather here.¡±


    At her command, everyone on the floor stopped what they were doing and gathered in front of Sabrina, one by one. Her call always promised a long explanation. Once all the servants had arrived, she began calling their names from a list in her hand. After confirming everyone was present, she addressed them.


    ¡°Gaziel will arrive soon. Naturally, he will inspect the servants¡¯ work, so give it your all to ensure he sees the second-floor servants are diligent,¡± she said while surveying the group. Her gaze then shifted to Laos and Damiel.


    ¡°As for the reception servants, don¡¯t forget to welcome him properly... After Gaziel completes his inspection, he¡¯ll report everything he notices about you to me. So, good luck,¡± she concluded.


    With Sabrina¡¯s words, the servants dispersed, eager yet anxious to succeed in this inspection. Sabrina herself left the second floor and descended to the first, her cloak trailing behind her. Upon reaching the grand first floor, she attracted the attention of everyone present.


    She walked briefly through the floor before stopping in front of a particular room. Standing outside the closed door, she spoke:


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Your Grace, Gaziel will arrive soon.¡±


    ¡°That fool! He¡¯s so late!¡± Tiana¡¯s voice came from behind the door, followed by the sound of her approaching.


    The door opened, revealing Tiana in a nightgown that left parts of her body exposed. Upon seeing the witch standing before her, she remarked:


    ¡°Do not prepare the first-floor servants to receive him. We¡¯ll punish him by denying him a proper welcome.¡±


    ¡°But, Your Grace, this will upset the servants here, and no one will get promoted,¡± Sabrina replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Tiana muttered.


    ¡°Do not inform anyone of his arrival except for the second-floor servants. For now, I¡¯ll prepare myself,¡± she added, closing the door gradually.


    ¡°As you command, Princess,¡± Sabrina responded with a bow.


    Sabrina then left the room and wandered through the luxurious first floor before stopping at the palace¡¯s grand entrance. Her calm presence caused unease among the servants, as her standing by the door meant only one thing: someone important was about to arrive. However, Sabrina had told them nothing, leaving them bewildered in their places.


    Suddenly, in a chilling moment, all the servants fell to their knees as if gravity itself had pulled them down. They collapsed, gasping for air, struggling against an overwhelming pressure. Desperate to rise, they muttered:


    ¡°It¡¯s Gaziel¡¯s aura! Why didn¡¯t anyone warn us he was coming?!¡±


    The massive palace doors creaked open, revealing a tall man in a dark blue cloak. He removed the hood concealing his face and greeted them with a smile, his eyes closed:


    ¡°How are you all?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you a hundred times, knocking on the door is enough. Why do you insist on using your aura to announce your arrival?!¡± Sabrina said calmly.


    ¡°Oh, Sabrina, you look absolutely stunning today,¡± Gaziel replied, his gaze wandering over her.


    ¡°I was hoping for a proper welcome this time. It¡¯s been so long since I last visited the palace,¡± he added.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting nothing. This is your punishment for being late again, old man!¡± Tiana shouted, approaching in one of her elegant dresses.


    ¡°Tiana! You look gorgeous as always! Haven¡¯t you found your life partner yet? And by the way, I¡¯m still in my forties, so stop calling me old¡ªit¡¯s cruel!¡± Gaziel retorted.


    ¡°I won¡¯t find a life partner until you find one, you old geezer!¡± Tiana shot back, glaring at him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think my delay would upset you this much. Besides, I assumed Adalos would have sent one of his heroes to guard this palace. So, I thought a little adventure to reminisce wouldn¡¯t hurt, right?¡± Gaziel said, averting his gaze from Tiana¡¯s angry face.


    ¡°He did send a hero,¡± Tiana replied, stepping back.


    ¡°Really?! I¡¯d love to meet him!¡± Gaziel exclaimed.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a servant and doesn¡¯t have a combat class,¡± Sabrina interjected.


    ¡°What? A servant from another world... so he¡¯s the one with that aura,¡± Gaziel murmured.


    "The aura has appeared since his arrival to this palace... It seems that people from other worlds have their own special auras," the witch repeated.


    "Where is he?" Gaziel asked as he browsed through the servants on the first floor.


    "On the second floor, you''ll find him there," Tiana repeated.


    "The second floor! Why did you place a hero as a low-ranking servant?" he asked.


    "None of your business," the princess replied.


    "Fine, follow me. We have many topics to discuss," Tiana added, stepping away from them.


    "When you''re done, go up to the second floor. I''ve prepared them to welcome you," Sabrina repeated as she also withdrew.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Laos'' POV


    I was standing with Damiel, waiting for that bastard, while I was holding my chest. Just a little while ago, I felt a terrifying aura hit my body. It wasn¡¯t just me; Damiel felt it too. It was horrifying. Man, I almost cried, but Damiel told me it was the aura of that bastard who¡¯s about to arrive, and it¡¯s the way he enters the palace... Fuck him, does he think we¡¯re in Bleach?!


    It doesn''t matter. He¡¯s the head servant, so if I do well, my chances of getting promoted will increase. Sabrina said he¡¯s going to inspect every corner of the floor and observe the servants... Yes, this is my chance, my golden opportunity. I can¡¯t let it slip away!


    As I was thinking about the opportunity, I heard footsteps. It''s him! I prepared my stance, and so did Damiel. We were completely ready. Then the footsteps got closer, but in the end, it turned out to be Sabrina. Oh my god, I got so excited. Fuck.


    "He''ll be here after a while, get yourselves ready," Sabrina repeated as she continued on her way to the third floor.


    I was nervous, just when that bastard would arrive?, after a while of waiting, I was so bored that I forgot all this and just hoped that this reception was over, so I could have sex with Maris again, after all, sex had become my only source of happiness in this fucking palace.


    A minute... ten minutes... half an hour... an hour... Oh my god, where is that bastard? Fuck, I forgot! We¡¯re just low-ranking servants, maybe he¡¯s forgotten about us. What a fucking arrogant guy. If only I were stronger... Ugh, this palace pisses me off the more I delve into it. Then it happened...


    A terrifying aura crept up from the first floor and reached us. It wasn¡¯t as strong as the previous one, but it was still terrifying. Then Damiel said as he prepared himself:


    "It¡¯s Gaziel!"


    This is so tense. I feel a lot of pressure. Why am I so scared? He¡¯s just a man; I won¡¯t suffer if I talk to him, right? Fuck, I¡¯m so nervous. I just want to go back to my room. Then I heard the sound of his footsteps as he climbed the stairs, step by step, until he appeared fully. He was tall, and it seemed he was older, due to some faint wrinkles on his face. He might be in his fifties.


    He approached us, then I bowed to him and extended my right hand, then I said:


    "Welcome back, sir. Please take this handkerchief."


    At this moment, a terrifying silence spread, making me incredibly anxious. My heart started pounding as if I was about to start a fierce battle, but all that was happening was that the head servant bastard stood in front of me with that aura.


    "Are you the hero from another world?" he asked, but I couldn¡¯t lift my eyes to meet his.


    "Me? Yes," I replied nervously.


    "You look very strong. Why don¡¯t you have a combat class?" he repeated as he placed his hand on my shoulder. Oh my god, it¡¯s really heavy. Or is he doing that on purpose?


    "I don¡¯t think I¡¯m good at fighting. I¡¯m weak," I answered.


    "Really! Oh, you look like the people in ancient legends, hiding their power, but in the end, it turns out they hide immense strength and scare everyone! Aren¡¯t you one of them?" he asked.


    "No, no," I answered. Huh, does he think I¡¯m a protagonist from one of those stupid isekai stories? Unfortunately, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m just a fucking teenager who enjoys fucking a girl in this fucking palace.


    "You''re interesting, we''ll talk later," he repeated as he walked away from us and continued his way through the floor.


    After he left, I felt an itch all over my body. Fuck, does anxiety cause itching? Oh my god, I was so nervous while talking to him. He¡¯s really terrifying. Ugh, he reminds me of the traditional stories, where there¡¯s a retired swordsman training the kingdom¡¯s knights. This is so fantasy-like. Yes, I think he¡¯s strong, stronger than Sabrina even! But who cares about this bastard¡¯s strength... All that matters to me right now is getting a promotion, and all of that depends on this terrifying man.

 Goodbye Princess

    The calm spread, and the chirping of the lively birds faded away. After that, the sunlight disappeared, and the moon rose, illuminating the palace garden completely. Inside the palace, the lamps lit up every corner. In a certain area on the third floor, inside Sabrina''s room, Gaziel sat on one of the chairs, directly facing the witch in her usual seat.


    "How was your journey?" Sabrina asked.


    "Not like my adventures before retirement, but it was enjoyable," Gaziel replied.


    "And what about the black dragon you killed?"


    "It was a somewhat enjoyable battle. It reminded me of my epic fight with the Queen of Frost Dragons."


    "The Queen of Frost Dragons¡ªjust hearing her name scares me. She was incredibly powerful, and the thought that she was killed by the man sitting before me frightens me even more," Sabrina remarked.


    "Ha ha ha! That''s funny," Gaziel responded, laughing loudly.


    "By the way, did you come across any spies?" Sabrina asked while flipping through the pages of a book.


    "I encountered two," Gaziel replied calmly.


    "Really! How strong were they?" Sabrina asked after setting the book aside and staring at the swordsman seated before her.


    "Strong enough to kill me," Gaziel answered.


    "Their aura was terrifying, as if they weren''t human. They were truly frightening. Fortunately, they didn''t attack me. Oh, if only I were younger, I''d have crushed them!" Gaziel added, his features growing angry.


    "God, that''s terrifying. Where does Deryal get these spies, for heaven''s sake?!" Sabrina exclaimed.


    "Yes, they were wearing clothes that covered their features, so I couldn''t get a good look at them. But I remember their aura vividly," Gaziel said.


    "I just hope Deryal doesn''t attack until we''ve solved our problems with the demons," the witch muttered.


    "Don''t worry, the treaty is still in effect, and they won''t start any conflict for another two years," the butler replied.


    "Don''t trust Deryal, even if they signed the treaty. They could attack, but the issue is that their power is extremely mysterious," Sabrina said as she picked up a feather from the floor.


    "Don''t you think they might be hired spies from another kingdom?" Gaziel asked.


    "Yes, there''s a high chance they''re from another kingdom. You should inform Tiana about this idea."


    "I''ll see... There are so many mysterious events happening," the butler murmured.


    "Speaking of mysteries, during my journey, I heard that a large number of mushroom monsters escaped from the southern forests, so the guilds there raised the bounty on mushroom monsters... Strange things are happening in the kingdom. Oh my, this piques my curiosity," Gaziel added.


    "The demon problem, Deryal''s spies, and now mushroom monsters escaping from the forests... God, Yarum is in complete chaos," the witch muttered.


    After this, a light silence spread, broken by Gaziel as he said:


    "About that hero, he emits a very good aura. How does he not have a combat class?" the butler asked, rocking his chair.


    "He said his class is ''NPC.'' I''ve never heard of it before. It seems like it''s from another language. Truly strange," Sabrina replied.


    "NPC?? What?, I''d love to go to the Classes God and ask him about this strange class!" Gaziel responded with a smile.


    "The aura is probably just a natural phenomenon from another world," the witch replied.


    "..." Gaziel tilted his head in silence, as if pondering a difficult problem.


    "Oh, I just remembered. Has the sword chosen anyone?" Gaziel asked.


    "No, no one has entered the ruins yet, except for some amateur guards, and they didn''t make it past the third floor. Besides, I believe the spirit is still dormant," Sabrina answered.


    "I thought the heroes would come here, and I assumed the sword would choose one of them," Gaziel responded.


    "One of the heroes has the ''Hero'' class, so yes, if they come here, I''m sure the Spirit will choose them," the witch replied.


    "I can''t even be sure if the sword still exists, which makes me worried about it falling into the wrong hands," the butler muttered.


    "If you''re that concerned, you can send some guards to check on it," Sabrina suggested.


    "Good idea," the swordsman replied as he glanced around the room.


    "So, when will you submit your report on the servants?" Sabrina asked as she rose from her chair.


    "Tomorrow."


    Sabrina approached Gaziel, sat on his lap while he was seated on the chair, leaned close to his ear, and whispered seductively, "It''s been a while since we''ve enjoyed ourselves."


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Inside a dark room, Laos lay sleeping like a corpse, silent amidst the darkness. His eyes began to flutter open slightly due to the noise outside the room. Just as he turned over to continue his sleep, someone shouted from behind the door:


    "Laos! The princess is about to leave; hurry up and come!"


    The princess is leaving? What is this? My shift isn''t now¡­ Oh, that nuisance is going to celebrate her birthday, and we have to bid her farewell. What a disgusting idea! But there''s no other choice. I quickly got up and pulled the curtains open, letting the morning light flood the room. Ugh! A lovely morning, but miserable since I didn''t get enough sleep.


    I suddenly remembered the recurring dream. It''s a strange one where I stand amidst the sea, hearing a girl''s voice calling my name as the waves rise higher and higher, ending with me drowning. It''s happened three times now, always the same way. What is going on in this world? Wait, is it a prophecy? ... Anyway, I have to hurry.


    I left my beloved bed and got ready at lightning speed, as if I were heading to school. Fuck! This reminds me of my school days¡­ Come on, man, it hasn''t even been a month, and you''re acting like you haven''t seen school in years. I stepped out of the room where the quartet¡ªSabrina, Petal, Camellia, and Evol¡ªwere waiting for me. After quickly washing my face, I splashed some cold water and dried off with a towel, feeling a slight refreshment.


    "Did you forget or what?" Camellia asked.


    "Yeah, I got caught up in a long sleep," I replied as we descended the stairs with some other servants.


    "This is your first time, so you should know that every time the princess leaves, we organize a send-off," Maris said.


    "She doesn''t deserve it," I retorted.


    Petal quickly clasped his hands over my mouth and whispered, "Shhh! Do you want to be buried alive, you fool?"


    I nodded and pressed my finger to my lips as if to say, "I won''t speak at all this time!"


    We finally reached the first floor, which was packed with servants of all ranks. Even Sabrina and the head servant were there, along with some guards in special armor and swords. The scene resembled a funeral more than a farewell. That''s when a group of higher-ranked servants whispered a disdainful remark:


    "Look, they''re the second-floor servants... How miserable."


    "Miserable? Really? Your mothers are the miserable ones, you animal-eared slaves. And for the record, I have sex whenever I want! Fuck! They''re ruining my mood," I muttered to myself as everyone stood in straight lines, waiting for the princess to arrive.


    "Everyone, line up straight! Each rank forms its own line!" Gaziel shouted.


    We formed our own row, though it was unsettling how few of the servants were in the same low rank as me. Man, even Damiel is in a higher rank! This is so unfair¡­ or maybe Damiel deserves it.


    "As you all know, I am Princess Tiana''s guard in the palace. Since she''ll be leaving on her journey, her external guard, Sir Beltum, will take over. When he arrives, you must all greet him with the customary phrase, ''Welcome back, Great Mage Beltum.'' Understood?" Gaziel announced firmly.


    "Understood!" the servants responded in unison.


    "Is Beltum a powerful mage?" I asked, imagining what this Beltum might look like.


    "Yes, he''s an extremely powerful fire mage. It''s said he''s fought Gaziel over a hundred times, and the current score is one to zero. Beltum won a single match out of a hundred. Beating Gaziel is nearly impossible, so you could say he''s one of the strongest individuals in the kingdom," Maris explained while glancing at the servants around us.


    "He''s the second strongest mage in the kingdom, after the court mage," Camellia added.


    Oh my God, I''m just a servant, and now I''m meeting prominent figures in the kingdom. This is amazing. Soon after, some servants started blowing trumpets, while others scattered petals on the red carpet. That''s when Tiana appeared, dressed in a crimson gown with long blonde hair. My God! She''s the most beautiful woman I''ve ever seen. She was absolutely stunning as she walked down the carpet, smiling and gazing at the servants.


    When her eyes turned to our row, I quickly averted my gaze. Fuck! I can''t make eye contact with her after apologizing last time. After a while, she reached the palace exit and stood between Sabrina and Gaziel. She truly looked like a princess in every sense, but all she lacked was good manners¡ªshe was downright wicked. Does she have a mysterious past that turned her into a cruel girl who enjoys torturing her servants? That''s quite possible.


    "Now, let''s all congratulate Tiana on her 20th birthday. The young princess Tiana has reached the age of twenty!" Sabrina announced.


    Everyone shouted in unison, "Happy birthday, Crown Princess of the great kingdom of Yarum!"


    They then began clapping, filling the scene with noise. How absurd. They treat her as if she wasn''t the one who tormented them. What excellent actors they are. Poor souls¡ªthey have no choice but to act this way. Honestly, I think all the servants here are masochists, considering how genuinely happy they seem. After a while, we stood waiting while Tiana spoke with Sabrina and Gaziel.


    Eventually, the mage arrived at the palace. The grand door opened, revealing a man draped in a dark black cloak adorned with red embroidery. He was somewhat older but looked younger than Gaziel¡ªprobably in his thirties¡ªwith a faint smile and large green eyes. His height was average. He indeed seemed like a powerful mage, but he resembled a sage more than a mage, especially since he didn''t carry a staff. It was obvious he cast spells with his hands.


    After some conversation between him and the others, they all left the palace. However, before stepping out, Tiana whispered something in Gaziel''s ear. The strange act piqued my curiosity¡ªwhat could she be whispering to him? Then, all the servants began to follow Tiana outside.


    Oh my God, they''re acting as if they genuinely adore her. Maybe this is why Tiana became sadistic¡ªbecause all her servants are weak?


    We moved forward, and for the first time in my life, I touched the grass of this world. Yes, it was my first time stepping out of this fucking palace. The place was entirely natural¡ªa flat green field, flowers, and shrubs scattered everywhere. In the distance, endless mountains loomed, accompanied by ceaseless chirping birds. It was a truly stunning sight, not to mention the refreshing morning breeze that touched my face. Ah! How I love nature.


    Tiana moved ahead with Beltum and several knights. Directly ahead of them was a luxurious crimson carriage adorned with gold, pulled by two massive horses¡ªone white, the other black¡ªwith long, dangling dicks. They resembled the Arabian horses people often bet on. The driver in front wore an elegant suit and had a peculiar twisted mustache. My God, he looked insanely like Salvador Dali!


    It was truly a lavish carriage. After a slow and time-consuming procession, Tiana finally reached the carriage. The Salvador lookalike opened the carriage door and bowed to the princess. She boarded, and Salvador climbed into the driver''s seat, with Beltum sitting beside him. The carriage began to move, followed by several knights.


    Suddenly, everyone raised their hands, waving handkerchiefs while shouting like zombies, "Goodbye Princess! Safe journey!"


    While everyone waved their handkerchiefs, I took the opportunity to raise my middle finger at the carriage, hoping no one would notice. Yes, this is exactly what this wicked girl deserves. Fuck her, fuck her family, and fuck this whole kingdom. When will I finally gain enough power to rebel against them with Sabrina? Then I remembered that I''m just an NPC and lowered my hand, staring at the carriage as it faded into the horizon¡­ but strangely, I felt uneasy knowing Tiana wouldn''t be here anymore. Why? I don''t know. That''s just how messed up my emotions are. Or maybe I''ve fallen in love with Tiana.

 Jiyuda!

    Underneath a sky filled with countless white clouds drifting lazily, their reflections painted the boundless ocean below in shades of blue. The vast sea stretched endlessly, waves rising and falling rhythmically. Yet, there was silence¡ªan unsettling, absolute silence. Even the crashing waves made no sound.


    Amid this infinite expanse of water stood a boy of average height, his black hair whipping in the air, stark naked against the elements. Waves crashed into him repeatedly, but he remained unmoving, unresponsive, staring out into the infinite horizon. Suddenly, a soft feminine voice echoed, repeating a single word¡ª"Laos." Over and over, the name resounded, delicate and persistent.


    The boy turned his gaze, seeking the source of the voice. But all he found was the endless sea and its relentless waves. The voice continued, disembodied yet omnipresent, weaving through the air like the tide surrounding him.


    Just as the boy''s search bore no fruit, a wave unlike any other emerged¡ªa towering, monstrous surge, reaching terrifying heights. Realizing its approach, the boy began to run, his feet splashing futilely in the water. But where could he flee? In a limitless sea, chased by an incomprehensibly large wave, where was hope?


    I don''t know. All I know is that the boy ran and screamed, though no sound escaped his mouth¡ªor perhaps it did, but it was drowned out by the roar of the sea. Exhausted, he fell beneath the surface, consumed entirely by the colossal wave, sinking into the depths.


    Beneath the water, he clung to life, thrashing desperately to resurface. But the sea''s strength was overpowering, dragging him further and further down. His resistance weakened, and as his breath faltered, acceptance of his end began to settle.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    "Oh my god! Hah! Hah! Hah!" I gasped as I bolted upright from my bed, drenched in sweat, tears streaming down my face. Fuck. It was that dream again! Over and over, it haunted me every time I rested my head. What the hell was going on? My heart pounded violently as I gasped for air.


    Wiping the sweat and tears from my face with the blanket, I got out of bed and opened the window. The night was beautiful¡ªor at least I tried convincing myself of that to forget the nightmare. I took deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling, before gazing out at the view outside. It was a sight I had seen countless times yet still admired, even with the annoying chatter of guards echoing in the distance. The stars and the night sky of this world were stunning. Sure, they were the same stars as back on Earth, but here, they felt special.


    This is me¡ªLaos¡ªand it''s just another day in this world. Fuck! Just as I started to rid myself of past troubles, this nightmare kept haunting me. It''s happened more than four times now. What the hell is going on in Staria?! After some time staring outside, I shut the window and pulled the curtains before collapsing back onto the bed.


    "Please, Goddess Lunariss, I won''t curse you anymore. Just get rid of this dream, I beg you."


    Morning finally came, bringing a faint sense of relief. I''ve always preferred the day, unlike the night, which I''ve come to despise¡ªprobably because of that fucking dream. I got up, washed my face, and then went to take a shit. The palace''s bathroom setup was primitive: a box to relieve oneself, which was emptied when full. To this day, I have no idea where they dispose of the shit, and honestly, I pity the servants tasked with dealing with the stench. the smell here is deadly!


    After finishing, I headed toward the hall where I was assigned to clean Princess Tiana''s favorite musical instruments. I take my work seriously and hope for a promotion soon. On my way there, I noticed all the servants moving toward the staircase leading to the first floor. Every single one of them. What''s going on?


    Following them, I saw a servant from the first floor, the silver-haired bunny-eared maid who had stopped me before on my way to Tiana. Was that her name? Bonnie? Anyway, everyone gathered around her, standing in attention, including Evol''s horns that I glimpsed among the crowd.


    "What''s going on?" I asked.


    "Laos, you''re here?" Maris called from behind me.


    "Yeah. Do you know what''s happening?"


    "No, but she said she''d speak once everyone was gathered," Maris replied.


    "Is everyone here?" Bonnie asked loudly.


    "Yes!" the crowd answered, their heads swiveling to ensure all were present.


    "Alright, since Princess Tiana is not here, the Gaziel Break will officially begin," Bonnie declared before swiftly descending to the first floor like someone being chased.


    Suddenly, the servants erupted into cheers, hugging one another, some even performing backflips. Petal executed a flawless backflip, leaving me stunned. What''s wrong with them? It''s just a break, isn''t it? Petal then darted toward me and hugged me tightly.


    "It''s your first Gaziel Break, Laos!" Petal exclaimed.


    "Gaziel Break?" I asked.


    "The break Gaziel grants us whenever Tiana leaves the palace. It''s the most special holiday here because we''re allowed to go outside," Maris explained.


    "Outside the palace? Oh my god, that''s amazing!" I shouted, unable to hide my excitement.


    "Can we leave now?" I asked eagerly.


    "Yes!" Maris replied with a bright smile.


    "Then let''s go together!" I said.


    "Of course, let''s go!" Maris agreed, leading me toward the stairs.


    As we spoke, the other servants had already descended, practically rushing as though being freed from prison. Honestly, this place does feel like a prison sometimes. After they all left, Maris and I followed.


    The palace gates were wide open, and a large group of servants, including those from the first floor, had already exited. Their joy was palpable. Then I saw Gaziel speaking with some guards. Just his presence was enough to send a chill down my spine. His overwhelming aura always reminded me that he was the strongest person I''d met in this world.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    We continued walking until we were finally outside the palace. For the second time, I felt the grass of this world beneath my feet. Raising my hands, I shouted, "Jiyuda!" We ventured further, leaving the palace behind. I ran across the grass until I saw a grove of trees. Beneath the sunlight, I sprinted toward the trees and collapsed under their shade. What bliss!


    "You seem to love it out here," Maris remarked as she approached.


    "Yeah, I''m someone who loves nature," I replied, gazing at the leaves above me.


    "Do you think life would be better if you left the palace?" Maris asked, sitting beside me.


    "Absolutely, it''d be amazing. Of course, it would be amazing!" I exclaimed, lost in thought.


    "I love nature too. I used to live in a rural area when I was a child," Maris said.


    "Maris, would you live with me in a beautiful countryside setting, just the two of us?" I asked before realizing the absurdity of my question. Oh god! I start spouting nonsense whenever I''m happy.


    "..."


    "Yes! I would love such a life!" she answered, her face clearly showing embarrassment.


    Oh my god... Maris likes me! Should I marry her? What is this question! Of course, I would do it once I get out of this fucking palace. I continued my contemplation while lying on the beautiful green grass. After that, two servants approached, and from their attire, it was obvious they were first-floor servants. And they had wolf ears.


    "So, you''re the hero from another world?" one of them said.


    Then, without any warning, one of them jumped at me and raised his fist toward my face, shouting:


    "How dare you enter the princess'' room?!"


    "What''s wrong with you... ?!!" I asked, trying to push him away.


    Maris pushed him off me and quickly stood up. I got ready to fight, preparing my fists, and waited for my fate. Then he finally advanced with his fist raised, and the other came up from behind me. I stepped back a little, but they rushed at me, so I started running too, because after all, I can''t defeat two of them.


    Suddenly, Petal appeared and grabbed one of them. The other blocked his way with Evol. The first one fled from Petal and tried to punch him, but Petal easily avoided it, dropped to the ground, and kicked his feet to knock him down. Afterward, Petal helped him up and said:


    "Don''t be weak, we''ve only just begun."


    Then, he tried to punch again, but Petal grabbed the punch with a mischievous smile, then flipped and kicked his face hard. Oh my god!!! That made him jump up and flee quickly, holding his mouth. On the other side, Evol stood in front of the other servant. Suddenly, he shot some fire from his hand and said:


    "We can''t use combat magic in the palace, but we''re not in the palace now, are we?"


    After that, the other servant followed his friend who ran away. Oh my god, they are so strong, how were they slaves?!


    "Thank you both," Maris said.


    Then, Camelia came over, and we sat together. Suddenly, three cats approached Petal and began playing with him. They sat and talked with him, but what caught my attention was the strength of Evol and Petal. With this strength, they could escape from the palace.


    "Have you two thought about escaping from this palace?" I asked while lying on the grass.


    "As for me, no. I love living here," Evol answered.


    "Yeah, my dream is to become an adventurer, register my name in guilds, fight monsters, and earn money from quests... What a great life!" Petal said while petting the fur of one of the cats.


    "Then why don''t you escape?" I asked.


    "Do you think escaping is easy?" Camelia added.


    "Yes, there are a lot of guards, and don''t forget the terrifying swordsman, Gaziel! Escaping from this palace is almost impossible," Petal said.


    After that, we sat and talked about various topics, like magic and adventure. Then Petal decided to take us to some ruins nearby. Oh my god, ruins! That word gives me a wonderful fantasy feeling. We walked for a bit until we reached a beautiful forest.


    "Do these ruins have monsters?" I asked while walking among the trees.


    "Yeah, but they''re not that strong, just slimes, goblins, and some skeletons in the lower floors," Petal answered.


    Oh my god, this is the ultimate fantasy, I really love this. Why did I get the NPC class? Why, you fucking goddess! We continued walking between the trees, the weather was wonderful, and the forest was breathtaking too. I loved every part of this view. Every day, I confirm that my happiness lies in nature.


    I walked with my party, through the trees, and under the small rays of sunlight that managed to get through the leaves. Oh my god! We look like a party in an RPG game on a quest to clear ruins from monsters bothering the farmers. This is really amazing!


    "Would you like to go in?" Evol asked.


    "Yes, I''m excited!" I answered.


    "Laos, you need to learn how to fight," Petal said.


    "I know I''m really weak, but I think I can defeat a slime with my bare hands," I said.


    "Really? Then show me when we get there," Petal replied while hanging from a tree trunk and jumping to another tree. He was more like a monkey than a cat.


    Finally, after walking for a while, we passed through the forest and came upon the ruins right in front of me. They were on a long hill, built with stone and worn down, with a large number of entrances, and covered in moss everywhere. They were ruins in every sense of the word, ruins that the sun shone upon, with the blue sky behind them. It was a better view than any I''d seen in my life.


    Suddenly, a group of guards with swords and helmets approached and ordered us to leave because they had work to do in the ruins. Fuck! I wanted to enter! Afterward, we turned back, and the guards went to the ruins. Oh my god, why are they stopping us from entering?! Anyway, we returned to the forest and left the beautiful ruins behind, heading back to the palace.


    "It seems they have a mission in the ruins," Maris said.


    "They''re just lying. They want to fight the monsters alone without anyone interfering," Petal answered.


    "Okay, let''s come back tomorrow!" I said.


    "By the way, when will the princess return?" I asked, thinking about how great this holiday would be.


    "Maybe in a week," Camelia answered.


    "A whole week we can leave the palace! Amazing!" I said.


    "Yes, and that''s why everyone loves this holiday," Maris said.


    Yes, you''re right. It''s a wonderful holiday. This outing changed many things in me. I seemed like a fool, talking so much with so much excitement. Oh my god, this is really sad. I''m like a prisoner. Yes, this is not good. If I feel happy just leaving the palace, it means one thing: I have to leave this palace.


    And I bet if I leave, I''ll change. I''ll become a different person. Yes, I''m sure... Fuck! I felt a wave of sadness again, because while I''m here, others are fighting demons and getting celebrations and rewards beyond measure... I envy them, I envy them so much. I wish them death. They should experience suffering. I wish they would die and be resurrected over and over. Just like Subaru... I wish... I wish.


    I wish they wouldn''t be happy.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Laos lay there, staring up at the vast expanse of the sky, lost in the contrast between the beauty of the world around him and the turmoil in his heart. He had always known this life would be nothing more than a cage, but now, as he lay on the soft grass, surrounded by people who seemed to have found their own sense of purpose, he couldn''t help but feel the weight of his own insignificance. The laughter of Petal, the carefree talk of Evol, and the quiet support of Maris all seemed so distant to him, like they were part of a world he could never fully join.


    He had dreamed of being something more¡ªsomething heroic, something capable¡ªbut with every passing day, that dream felt more like a fantasy than a reality. His thoughts twisted in circles, each one a knot pulling tighter around his chest. Was he just meant to be an observer, a bystander to their adventures, forever stuck in the role of the NPC he had become? The thought gnawed at him, consuming him in silence. It wasn''t the world he hated; it was his place in it.


    He resented it, resented how easily everyone else seemed to fit in while he was left questioning his very existence. He wasn''t even sure if he wanted to escape anymore. Maybe there was no escaping the truth of who he was. And that thought, that bitter truth, filled him with a deep, aching sadness. For the first time, Laos wasn''t sure if he was ready to face the world outside the palace, or if he even wanted to. The idea of stepping into the unknown scared him more than the suffocating walls of this gilded cage. Perhaps the only thing he was truly afraid of was himself¡ªhis own limitations, the life he had been given, and the person he would never be.

 Battlefield I

    Kingdom of Yarum ¨C The Holy Capital of Ethelas ¨C King Yarum Adalos IV''s Palace


    In the middle of a spacious, dimly lit room illuminated by a few flickering candles, stood an enormous bed, large enough to accommodate five people, but occupied by only two. Beneath the covers, the two figures were tangled in each other, their heavy breaths filling the air. The room was lavishly decorated, with ornate walls, shuttered windows, and a red carpet that stretched across the entire floor. Two statues of nude women flanked a large, polished mirror at the center.


    The soft moans of the woman on the bed echoed alongside the rhythmic creak of the bed frame. It was King Adalos, indulging himself with his wife, Vinea. After finally finishing, he rolled away from her naked form and collapsed onto his back, exhausted. His hand moved to brush against his chest, which was dusted with hair. His physique was impressive, with balanced muscles and broad shoulders. Beside him, Vinea lay on her stomach, her long golden hair cascading down her back as she gazed at her husband, who seemed lost in thought, a hint of sadness on his face.


    "Tiana has gone to celebrate her twentieth birthday. Don''t you think we should go and congratulate her¡­ or at least, I should?" Vinea asked softly.


    "Hah¡­ We have a major issue to deal with here. I can''t leave the capital, and I won''t let you leave either. Tiana going is enough; I can''t risk you being away as well," Adalos replied, staring at the ceiling.


    "Yarum¡­ Perhaps it wasn''t the best decision to send Tiana away from the capital," the queen murmured.


    "No! Never! Sending Tiana away was the best decision I''ve made. She''s my only heir, and I can''t allow her to die here at the hands of the demons. Sending her to the far west was the only choice."


    "I miss her dearly," Vinea whispered, flipping onto her back.


    "I do too. Tiana is the most mature young woman I''ve ever seen. But it''s fine. I''m sure the heroes will rid us of the demons soon enough," Adalos said confidently.


    "And then we''ll live happily ever after!" the queen exclaimed with a bright smile.


    "I hope so¡­"


    "Do you really think the heroes can save the kingdom?" Vinea asked curiously.


    "I don''t know. Their first battle against the demons begins today, so we''ll see how useful they are. Besides, Arthur is in charge of them, so it shouldn''t be too dangerous. For now, all we can do is pray," Adalos replied, rising from the bed and playfully squeezing his wife''s breast.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    The Far West of Yarum Kingdom ¨C Myria Coast


    The scene was chaotic¡ªwaves crashing against the shore, sand swirling through the air, and the deafening clash of swords echoing amidst the chaos. It was a fierce battle, where arrows and magical spells streaked across the sky and bodies littered the blood-soaked ground. It was a painting¡ªa grim masterpiece in shades of crimson, where countless lives collided in brutal symphony, only to end the same way.


    The valiant warriors of Yarum roared as they clashed with the invading forces¡ªthe demons of Diablos. The battlefield was a place of pure terror: rivers of blood flowed amidst the carnage, and lifeless bodies lay scattered like discarded relics. In the heart of the chaos, a human warrior gripped his sword tightly and charged forward, his blade raised high toward a demon.


    The demon appeared almost human, save for his distinguishing features¡ªtwo long black horns and a muscular physique with pale white skin. He wielded a black spear tipped with a crimson blade. With a swift motion, the demon parried the human''s strike and delivered a punishing punch to his helmeted face. The warrior fell to the ground but held firmly onto his sword.


    As the demon advanced, poised to thrust his spear into the fallen soldier, a sudden blast of water struck him, sending him flying backward. A human mage, holding a silver staff, appeared and helped the warrior to his feet. However, before the brief moment of relief could last, an arrow pierced the mage''s stomach, sending him collapsing to the ground.


    A pack of demons with terrifying, wolf-like appearances emerged¡ªhorned monstrosities with haunting eyes and massive jaws. Unlike the horned demon earlier, they bore no human traits. They carried enchanted bows and loosed magical arrows with deadly precision. The warrior had no time to mourn his comrade; gripping his sword tightly, he charged once more.


    The battle raged on. Fights began, ended, and continued endlessly across the blood-drenched sands of Myria. This was the battlefield¡ªan unrelenting theater of chaos on the coast of Myria, a region occupied by demons for over a month.


    Linda''s POV


    The air was a bit chilly as I gathered with the others inside the tent, waiting for Arthur, who had ordered us to remain here. It had been a long time since we arrived in this world, and I had honed my skills tremendously. I trained under many professionals and worked hard. Now, it was time for the test. Would I succeed and return to my world? Spending time in this world only solidified my true goal: going back to Earth.


    I hated every part of it. Even after gaining the Hero class¡ªa sacred class here¡ªI still couldn''t fully accept it. This world felt like a dream to me, and that feeling annoyed me deeply. At first, I felt a bit of comfort, but now, not anymore. I want to go back. My life, my family, my school¡ªI want to do the things I always did. And for that, I must fight. Yes, I will crush anything in my way!


    "My God! I''m so excited!" Tom shouted.


    "We''re now in the camp, near the battle. That means the demons are close... It''s terrifying," Susan muttered.


    "I... I don''t want to fight," Stephanie whispered shyly.


    Everyone had gained tremendous power during training, but what they hadn''t gained was adaptability. Even with their acts, like Sebastian and Tom pretending to be cheerful, it was clear that homesickness overwhelmed everyone, especially Stephanie. She''s truly pitiable, knowing she''d have to face horrifying scenes on the battlefield and tend to gruesome wounds. Poor girl.


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    "Come on, Stephanie, your job is the easiest," John said.


    "Yeah, you''ll only be healing people. Why so scared? You won''t be fighting anyone," Tom added.


    "Her task is not easy at all; it''s the hardest one in battle!" I snapped, lifting my gaze from the map of the coast to lock eyes with Tom and John.


    "You always defend her. Come on, Hero, stop being childish. We''re about to fight an army of demons, so be more mature," sneered Sebastian, that disgusting guy, as he embraced his fox-eared slave.


    "Be mature? What nonsense are you spouting?" I shot back.


    "You have the most powerful class in the world and still talk like a weak teenager!" Sebastian retorted.


    After that, his fucking slave began laughing mockingly, joined by Tom. Oh, my God! I can''t stand these fools. They''re stupid, obnoxious, insane, fucking bastards! Shit! Shit! Shit! They provoke me endlessly. When will I adapt and become someone who doesn''t care? Oh, God, I want to crush their heads.


    "This is our first battle; let''s cooperate like we did during training," Malin interjected.


    We hadn''t changed much in this world. What had changed significantly was our strength. We now possessed incredible, terrifying power¡ªsomething I had only read about in Greek mythology. Yet, I still hated this world. And I was scared of the fight ahead, even though I knew I was strong. I had defeated a giant golem on my own, but I still felt afraid. I couldn''t believe I''d be participating in a war soon.


    We''d spent some pleasant times in the capital, discovering much about this world and its history. But now, I had to leave all that behind, pick up my weapons, and fight. Yes, because I am "Linda the Special." After this, I''ll return to my world, apply my favorite makeup, watch the dramas and movies on my list, and have sleepovers with girls after exhausting study sessions.


    This world had forced me to do things I''d never imagined myself doing. I had killed and participated in dangerous battles¡ªthings I''d only done in gacha games. Things that began to shape new thoughts in me. Did that mean I had changed? I don''t know. All I know is that this world irritates me; it''s a barrier preventing me from achieving what I want. Shit.


    "Are you ready?" Susan asked.


    "Yes," John replied.


    "One second," Kevin said, casting a spell on his swords.


    "Oh my God, I just remembered Laos!" Tom suddenly exclaimed.


    "Hahaha! Laos, what could he be doing now?" Sebastian chuckled.


    "Probably wiping nobles'' asses," Kevin joked.


    By the way, we hadn''t heard anything about Laos since he was transferred to the princess'' palace. Poor guy. He was such an introverted boy, too shy to speak. Oh, God, I remember when I asked him if he had read The Lord of the Rings. He looked so nervous and embarrassed. He''s truly a good person¡ªand beautiful, too¡ªbut unlucky. I have to bring him back with us once we complete our mission.


    "Laos, oh Laos, that fucking NPC!" Sebastian sneered while groping his slave''s chest.


    "Stop! Why do you always speak so poorly of him?!" Stephanie suddenly shouted, her long green hair flying dramatically.


    "Ooooh! Look who we have here, the lover of the fucking NPC," Tom teased.


    Stephanie rose from her chair, her beautiful white robe billowing, and declared:


    "If you keep this up, I swear I won''t heal you in battle!"


    "Whoa, calm down! What''s with the outburst?" Susan asked.


    Why did Stephanie do that? Does she love Laos? It seems like she does. Oh, my God, I didn''t know this. But wait, I''ve noticed this many times before and didn''t realize it. She always gave him answers during exams and lent him her notebooks to copy lessons. She was the only girl Laos interacted with in class. Of course, Laos didn''t talk to girls, but he always turned to Stephanie when necessary. Wait, were they dating?!


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Inside a large tent where the heroes had gathered, a knight with golden hair, clad in a massive white armor, entered. His sword hung at his side as he raised the tent flap and stepped inside. Moving toward the heroes'' table, he sat with them. It was Arthur, the commander of the knights of the Kingdom of Yarum. Placing his hands on the map, he moved a piece from the sea to the mainland.


    "The reinforcements from Diablos have arrived, but our numbers still surpass theirs," Arthur declared.


    "What about their commander?" Kevin asked.


    "He''s a axe-ranked demon, the most formidable opponent in this war. I''ll leave him to you. If he falls, the demon forces will weaken significantly. He''s the one enabling the use of Myria''s coast."


    "I''ll lead a group of warriors to attack their reinforcements while leaving the eastern coast to you. Understood?" Arthur added, rearranging the map pieces.


    "What about the division of roles?" Linda inquired.


    "Yes, only half of you will handle the eastern coast. Linda, you, Kevin, Malin, and Stephanie will take charge of the east. The rest will handle the west. I''ll send additional warriors with you, so move out!" Arthur commanded firmly.


    The heroes stood and exited the tent, dividing into their assigned groups and heading to their designated areas. Linda gripped her weapons tightly, as did the others. After a long march, they reached the battlefield and stopped, stunned by the grim and horrifying scene before them. Stephanie staggered backward, clutching her mouth and screaming.


    "Stephanie! Don''t worry, I''m here!" Linda reassured her, pulling her into a comforting embrace.


    "No! No! No! I can''t stay here anymore!" Stephanie cried, tears streaming down her face.


    "If you want to go back, you have to fight!" Kevin shouted at her.


    Linda wiped Stephanie''s tears and took her along. Though everyone was shaken, each hero knew their purpose in this war.


    Kevin dashed into the fray with his twin swords, swiftly decapitating one of the demons. Planting his feet firmly, he dodged an attack from a hammer-wielding demon, countered with a backflip kick to its face, and slashed an "X" into its abdomen.


    The demon staggered back, clutching its wound, and hurled its hammer at Kevin. Thankfully, Linda cast a shield spell, blocking the hammer. Malin then fired an arrow that struck the demon''s head, sending it to the ground.


    Suddenly, a horde of demons surrounded them. Stephanie trembled with fear, but Linda placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before launching herself into the swarm. With her poleaxe, she unleashed a devastating golden aura attack:


    "Valkyria Slash!"


    The attack obliterated many demons, though countless more remained. Malin drew his bow, channeling wind magic, and released an arrow that sent a cluster of demons flying.


    Then, a towering demon with a chain appeared. His terrifying face bore two horns where eyes should have been, and his bloodstained body was thick with muscle. A group of human warriors arrived, and one of them shouted:


    "Be careful, heroes! That''s a spear-ranked demon!"


    Linda advanced toward the demon as he raised his chain high and swung it at her. She leaped back, dodging the attack, and lunged with her spear, managing to pierce his left chest but only slightly, causing her face to be splattered with blood.


    Furious, the demon spun his chain wildly in the air before slamming it down. Though the ground shattered beneath the impact, Linda evaded the blow. She then enhanced herself with golden energy, leaping high to stab the demon''s face. However, he caught her spear, dropped his chain, and grabbed Linda.


    "Linda!!" Stephanie screamed in horror, tears streaming down her face.


    Suddenly, the demon''s arm was severed, freeing Linda. Kevin emerged, holding his twin swords, revealing himself as the one who had cut the demon''s arm. Linda instructed Kevin to fall back as she gathered a massive golden aura in her hands.


    <Golden Caster>


    Linda unleashed countless light-infused projectiles at the demon. The resulting explosion created a towering cloud of dust. When the dust settled, the demon''s lifeless body lay on the ground, and Linda stood tall above it, her long golden hair fluttering in the breeze. Gripping her dual weapons, she gazed sternly over the battlefield, embodying the fierce determination of a warrior.

 Battlefield II

    Amid the battlefield, drenched in blood and littered with corpses, stood a man with long blonde hair and a rugged beard, wielding a magnificent glowing sword. Its golden light pierced through the darkness, illuminating the horrific scene of fallen humans and demons scattered across the ground. The blonde knight, with steadfast features and an air of determination, surveyed the scene calmly, ready for what lay ahead.


    At that moment, heavy footsteps echoed across the battlefield, revealing a towering demon with four muscular arms, the fierce face of a lion, and massive black wings. The demon wielded sharp axes and exuded a terrifying aura that sent shivers down the spines of many warriors. He moved forward slowly, decapitating humans with ease, their cries of despair filling the air:


    "It''s their leader! Retreat!"


    The blonde knight, clad in his formidable armor and wielding his radiant sword, stepped forward with unwavering resolve. A golden aura emanated from him, matching the demon''s menacing presence. The demon paused, acknowledging the power of this human who dared to confront him.


    A young warrior with blonde hair, bearing a striking resemblance to the knight, suddenly ran to his side, gripping his sword tightly.


    "Father, I''ll help you!" he declared.


    "Help yourself! This is no ordinary battle. Go back with the others!" the bearded knight shouted at the young man.


    "No, I won''t retreat!" the young warrior insisted.


    Without a word, the knight struck his son in the abdomen, rendering him unconscious. He then called for another warrior to carry the young man back to camp. As his son was taken away, the knight turned to face the fearsome demon with four arms.


    "You''re brave to face me alone," the demon said, preparing for combat.


    The knight didn''t reply. In a flash, he vanished and reappeared directly before the demon, slashing his sword in an attempt to cut him down. The demon, however, managed to evade the attack, using his wings to leap backward and land at a safe distance.


    "So, there''s no avoiding this fight?" the demon said, his tone mocking. "By the way, what''s your name, human? You seem very strong."


    "Uther¡­ Uther Pendragon. And you, demon?" the knight replied firmly.


    "Zabus. Remember that name, Uther-something. Let this be the greatest battle I''ve ever fought since I first set foot on this coast!" Zabus roared, raising his axes high.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Back at a camp filled with injured warriors bearing all manner of wounds, the atmosphere was one of despair. Shock had left many unable to shed even a single tear. Some warriors sat in random spots, praying for mercy or mourning their fallen comrades. Among them, a young blonde-haired warrior struggled against a group of soldiers trying to restrain him.


    "Let me go! I have to help my father!" he shouted.


    One of the soldiers punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground.


    "Arthur, you''re too weak! How do you plan to help the commander?" the soldier scolded him.


    Arthur sat there, stunned. Something clicked in his mind¡ªa realization he hadn''t grasped before. He needed strength. As he sat on the ground, clutching his blonde hair, he looked around at his comrades. They all shared the same fate: sorrow, despair, and utter defeat. This was war¡ªsomething Arthur had yet to adapt to.


    Suddenly, a group of warriors rushed into the camp, carrying the battered body of a knight. They placed him on the ground, and a crowd quickly gathered. It was Uther.


    Despite his body being mangled, with a gaping wound stretching from his chest to his abdomen, Uther was still alive. His exposed ribs hinted at the severity of his injuries. Yet, he fought to open his eyes.


    When Arthur saw his father''s condition, he froze in shock. Overcome with disbelief, he fell to his knees.


    "Father? Father?!" he called out, his voice trembling.


    Arthur''s expression turned indescribable as he gazed at Uther''s pale face. Uther struggled to lift his hand and grasped his son''s. Blood dripped from his lips as he coughed and summoned the strength to speak.


    "Arthur¡­ I can barely see you now¡­ so listen closely," Uther said, his voice weak.


    "Why?! Why didn''t you let me help you?!" Arthur cried out.


    "Plea...se¡­ dedicate your life to vengeance¡­ I don''t want you to die, but I need you to kill that demon. Please, Arthur¡­" With those final words, Uther exhaled his last breath, closing his eyes as a single tear rolled down his cheek.


    "Father? Father?!" Arthur screamed, his voice echoing through the camp.


    Although he shed no tears, his entire being wept. He raised his gaze to the sky, letting out agonizing cries that pierced the night. Surrounded by warriors, Arthur remained kneeling, staring up at the stars as his father''s lifeless body lay before him.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    "Commander Arthur! Commander Arthur!" A soldier called out, standing behind a blonde knight clad in a massive shield.


    That knight was none other than Arthur, who seemed not to hear the soldier''s voice. He remained silent, staring at the battlefield. His expression was stern and sorrowful. Suddenly, he covered his eyes with his hand and whispered softly,


    "I swear, Father, I will avenge you."


    He then turned to the soldiers behind him and shouted with force, raising his radiant silver sword with its golden, ornate hilt:


    "We will not repeat the mistakes of the past! Let us crush the demons. Victory for the Kingdom of Yarum!"


    "Victory for the Kingdom of Yarum!" the soldiers echoed in unison.


    Far from Arthur and his troops, several demons burned in strange black flames. A young man with brown hair and a face dotted with acne stood among them, wielding a wooden staff topped with an emerald. He wore a black cloak embroidered with gold. This was Sebastian, unleashing dark magic to incinerate the demons. Suddenly, a demon lunged at him with a long spear, but in a flash, its head was severed. A girl with orange hair and sharp ears stood nearby, clutching two daggers.


    "You''re incredible, Runari!" Sebastian exclaimed, astonished by the speed of the fox-eared girl.


    "Thank you, Master Sebastian, but a mere servant like me doesn''t deserve your praise," Runari replied, cutting down several demons with her daggers and incredible agility.


    She was of average height, with orange hair and fox ears, a well-endowed chest, and moderately thick thighs. Her swiftness and fighting skills were impressive, leaving Sebastian in awe, especially for someone who was once a servant in Adalos'' palace.


    "How did you get so strong?" Sebastian asked while launching a magical attack at the surrounding demons.


    "I was an adventurer in the past, Master," replied the fox-eared girl.


    Nearby, Tom was cutting through demons without hesitation. Gripping his black blade tightly, he moved swiftly, evading arrows and magical assaults. When a group of winged demons surrounded him and aimed their arrows, he took a step back and shouted,


    <Cutter!>


    A sharp aura burst from his blade, slicing through the demons. He raised his thumb and declared,


    "Easy!"


    Behind Tom, Susan was thrusting her lance into the demons. Though victorious, her expression was clouded with sorrow, so much so that she didn''t notice the demons attacking her from behind. When she turned, it was already too late, and the demons were closing in with their weapons ready.


    <Crusher!>


    Suddenly, the demons exploded, and a warrior with heavy armor and a massive blood-stained greatsword emerged. It was John, a well-built young man with impressive muscles. After obliterating the demons with his ability, he approached the frightened Susan and said,


    "I know killing is hard for you, but it''s necessary now. Be fiercer next time."


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    "I''ll try," Susan replied, noticing the demons retreating from her.


    "They''re the heroes from another world! Where is the support?!" a group of demons shouted as they fled from the heroes.


    The demons retreated from the western region, leaving the west of Myria littered with corpses. The heroes then sat down to rest, drinking potions. Despite their training and growing familiarity with combat, they still struggled to adapt to the horrors of such battles. Their bravery on the battlefield masked the psychological toll that would inevitably surface later.


    "My God, that was brutal!" Tom exclaimed.


    "These demon attacks are terrifying," added Runari.


    "When will this war end, so we can go back to our world?" John asked, opening another potion after finishing the first.


    "It won''t end until we defeat all the demons. Besides, Myria isn''t the only place occupied; there are several other regions under demon control. Right, Runari?" Susan said.


    "Yes, there are three more regions under the demons'' rule," the fox-eared girl replied.


    "My God, these potions taste awful! They looked so delicious in games!" Tom complained, grimacing as he drank one of the potions.


    They continued chatting, but this wasn''t a relaxing break after a long day of studying. It was a brief respite in a merciless war. Just as they began to settle, a human soldier ran towards them, shouting:


    "Heroes! Demons leader Zabus has attacked the other heroes in the east!"


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Linda''s POV


    He was massive and terrifying, with four arms, each holding a sharp axe. He had broad black wings, powerful muscles, and a lion-like face with a bulging eye. His smile was the kind you only see in horror movies. He approached us slowly. Oh my God, if we hadn''t trained to adapt to the aura, we would have collapsed from the sheer pressure of his aura. I just hope he doesn''t know how to use magic!


    Shit, how did things take such a turn? I gripped my weapon tightly and prepared myself, then glanced at the others. Kevin looked scared too, but he didn''t back down and held his swords firmly. As for Malin, he was getting ready... and then¡ª


    "Wait, where''s Stephanie?!" I shouted before realizing she was hiding behind me.


    "So, you''re the heroes?" the terrifying demon repeated after halting his advance.


    "Oh my God, I don''t understand why Diablos won''t just take the Kingdom of Yarum already, you''re so weak," he added.


    What should I do? Should I attack? Oh God, I''m so nervous. This isn''t a game¡ªif I die, that''s it! What should I do, Dad? While I was thinking, Kevin dashed forward after enhancing himself, then jumped and attacked with both short swords, but the demon easily blocked the attack, forcing Kevin to retreat.


    "Wait, wait, you''re too hasty. Let''s get to know each other first. I''m Zabus, responsible for the conquest of the Myria coast. I''m an axe-ranked demon and an leader of Diablos'' army. I''ve lived here for a long time and participated in many important battles, but only one battle has truly impressed me. So, heroes, I''d like to see everything you''ve got," the demon said.


    I don''t know why, but his words stirred something in me. After that, I gathered some light magic into my spear and threw it at him, but he struck it with his axe as if it were a water balloon. Such terrifying strength. We had cleared the entire eastern coast of demons, so it was impossible to defeat him without taking a break.


    <wind arrow>


    Suddenly, Malin shot an arrow filled with an enormous amount of air magic. It was so fast that I couldn''t even see it as it reached Zabus, but the air swept past me and made my hair fly as well. The arrow was so quick that even the demon couldn''t avoid it and tried to block it, kicking up a large cloud of dust. Did it hit him?


    The dust cloud disappeared in an instant, and Zabus advanced at lightning speed towards Kevin. Damn!


    <light shield>


    A glowing magical circle formed around Kevin, protecting him from Zabus'' attack. I turned to Stephanie, still in shock. How did she summon such courage to use one of her abilities? Oh my God, did Stephanie finally realize she needs to fight?


    "Stephanie, that was amazing!" I said to her with a smile.


    "Alright, now it''s my turn," I added, boosting myself.


    After that, I threw my spear with all my strength at Zabus. He tried to dodge, but I hit him in the shoulder, forcing him back as he grabbed the wound, which started to bleed. I retrieved my spear and ran at him. I tried to cut off one of his arms with my poleaxe, but he blocked it, causing a burst of sparks. I stepped back slightly to prepare my next attack, but I couldn''t see him! Where did that fucking demon go?!


    Suddenly, I felt a huge aura behind me. Shit! It''s him. I ran quickly, but he struck me in the back slightly. Ugh, that hurt so much.


    "Kevin!" I shouted as I ran to Stephanie for healing.


    After that, Kevin jumped at him, but suddenly Zabus disappeared again and reappeared behind Kevin, just like he did with me. Oh my God, is this the speed of light or what? Suddenly, Kevin was cut in half, then his body disappeared, revealing it was just a magical clone. The real Kevin was far from Zabus.


    <daggers storm!!>


    Suddenly, a hail of magical daggers rained down on Zabus. He covered himself with his wings, but he couldn''t avoid them, and he was wounded by several of the daggers. After Stephanie healed me, I got back up and ran to continue the fight. While Zabus was protecting himself from the daggers, Malin was also shooting his arrows. Great, we''re really doing well!


    "Awesome!! This is the kind of battle I wanted!" Zabus shouted as he flapped his wings and flew at full speed toward Kevin, then struck him with one of his axes. But this time, it wasn''t a clone¡ªit was Kevin. Kevin fell to the ground and spit out a large amount of blood, then he felt Malin''s arrows piercing his body.


    "Oh my God, I hate archers!" Zabus grumbled as he removed an arrow stuck in his chest.


    After that, he threw an axe at Malin, but I quickly blocked it. Suddenly, he charged at me, and without warning, a warrior appeared with a massive sword and blocked Zabus'' attack. Oh my God, this is like a dream. Then, a huge amount of dark magic erupted from beneath the ground and struck Zabus. I stepped back to see the rest of the group: Sebastian and his slave, John, Susan, and Tom.


    "We''re late," Susan said.


    "Oh my God, this demon, it''s like we''re in a Souls game," Tom said, gripping his black blade.


    After that, Sebastian''s salve ran toward Zabus and attacked him with her daggers, but he easily blocked her and tried to strike back. Sebastian rushed to protect her, but he failed and was attacked by Zabus. Suddenly, Zabus cut off Sebastian''s arm. Oh my God!!!


    "Stephanie, heal him!!!" I shouted involuntarily.


    Stephanie had been busy healing Kevin, but Sebastian ran to her, shouting in shock. After that, Stephanie stopped healing Kevin and focused on Sebastian, using the <heal> skill to restore his arm.


    "Wow, we have people using blessed healing magic!" Zabus exclaimed.


    "Don''t be reckless, Sebastian!!" Susan screamed.


    Then, Tom and John rushed toward Zabus, exchanging blows with him using their weapons, causing a flurry of impacts. Afterward, Tom managed to injure one of Zabus'' arms.


    "Tom, John, retreat!" Sebastian suddenly shouted.


    <black wave>


    After that, Sebastian launched a massive dark magic attack from his staff, but Zabus was able to block it. But how? How?! It seemed like he used a magical spell. After blocking Sebastian''s attack, he smiled a terrifying smile and gripped his axe tightly.


    "Was that magic?!" I asked.


    "No, that''s not magic, it''s Nemesis, and you could say it''s the magic of demons!" Zabus repeated before he flew away.


    Then, he empowered himself with a black aura. Suddenly, Sebastian and Malin launched long-range attacks, and I threw my spear at him with all my might.


    "Come on, all of you, attack!!" John shouted.


    <tornado>


    Susan released her skill and hit him as well. After that, he fell to the ground, covered in wounds. Oh my God, are we going to win? Suddenly, a terrifying aura exploded, so terrifying that it made Zabus disappear inside it. Then, he started laughing. We couldn''t see him, but we could hear his loud laughter.


    "This is a great fight, but my battle against Uther was still better," Zabus repeated after the aura disappeared.


    It seemed like he had empowered himself with that aura to protect himself from the incoming injuries. Then, Tom and John attacked him again, but he struck them with a terrifying blow that made them spit out a large amount of blood and fly away. After that, Sebastian began attacking repeatedly, but Zabus avoided every attack with his speed. Then, he kicked Sebastian, sending him flying far away.


    He then went for Malin, but Kevin suddenly appeared and blocked his attack. Even so, he wasn''t a match for him, so he too fell after receiving a blow from Zabus, then Malin as well. Oh my God, he''s so brutal. After that, he stared at Stephanie, which made me run toward her quickly, and indeed, he advanced toward her. But I cast a defensive spell, and then he attacked with his axes. This time, the attack was stronger, so it broke my spell and he managed to strike me.


    Oh my God! I was hit. After that, I couldn''t bear it, so I fell to the ground. I lifted my eyes to see everyone down as well, except Sebastian''s slave, who kept screaming Sebastian''s name. She was so annoying. After that, he attacked Susan and Stephanie as well, but Susan blocked his attack and then used her <fire stabs> skill. However, she couldn''t defeat him and fell as well, just like the rest of us.


    So, is this our end? But we did a good job. His body is full of wounds... Oh my God, my eyes are closing, am I going to die? Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming aura, a terrifying aura like I''ve never felt before. Oh my God, has the demon reinforcements arrived?! Shit! It''s our end. I raised my head to see the source of the aura. It was a beautiful blonde knight, with massive armor and a long, ornate sword glowing with light. And I will never forget his green eyes, like emeralds. It''s Arthur, he finally arrived...


    "Thank you, heroes, now it''s my turn!"


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    That knight drew his sword and suddenly disappeared. Then he appeared in front of Zabus and slashed with his sword at lightning speed, cutting Zabus'' chest open. Then, Arthur kicked that demon in the face with a powerful blow, sending him flying far away and spitting a large amount of blood. Afterward, Arthur slowly advanced toward him, holding his distinctive sword.


    "Ugh! Who are you?!" Zabus screamed as he got up from the ground.


    "Arthur... Arthur Pendragon, and I''m here to cut you from the top of your chest to the bottom of your abdomen, and to pop your other eye," Arthur replied, disappearing again and appearing right in front of Zabus'' face.


    Then Arthur easily stabbed him, then slashed with his sword, creating a wound identical to the one Uther died from. Afterward, Zabus fell, shocked, then screamed:


    "Impossible, is this Excalibur?!!! The weapon of Elaine, one of the Four Maidens of War?!!!"


    Then Arthur popped Zabus'' other eye and coldly replied:


    "Yes, this is Excalibur, the last thing you''ll see."


    After that, Arthur stood on Zabus'' corpse and stabbed his heart. Then, he pulled his sword out, raised it high, and said, shedding a tear:


    "I''ve fulfilled your dream, Father."


    Afterward, Arthur continued standing on Zabus'' corpse, staring at the sky. This was the Knights Commander of Yarum, Arthur Pendragon, son of Uther Pendragon, the one who fought to pursue his dream, or to pursue his father''s dream. And here he was, finally, Arthur managed to defeat Zabus, a demon of the Axe rank. Finally, Arthur stood on the corpse of the killer of his father, smiling and crying as he stared at the clouds and the clear sky. Yes, Arthur had finally fulfilled his dream.

 the Victory

    Linda''s POV


    My body felt light, as if every part of it was wrapped in something damp and coarse at the same time. I couldn''t see anything at first. Slowly, I opened my eyes but shut them again as the brightness overwhelmed me. Gradually, I opened them bit by bit until I could take in my surroundings fully. The ceiling arched in a dome, and I found myself in an incredibly long hall filled with beds.


    I was lying on a damp bed, covered with a blue shawl. The air was warm, and the atmosphere was peaceful except for the occasional chirping of birds. I reached out with my hands from under the shawl, noticing they were wrapped in white bandages. Ah! We survived the battle¡­ We made it!


    "How are you feeling, Miss?" asked a woman in nun-like robes, her face kind and serene.


    "I''m doing fine now," I replied, scanning the room around me.


    "You''ve finally woken up," came a voice from farther away.


    I sat up slowly and took in more of the scene. There were numerous beds, many of them occupied. I spotted Susan, Stephanie, and even Sebastian''s slave, all bandaged and lying on their beds with nurses attending to them.


    "What happened after the battle?" I asked, focusing on Susan, who was awake.


    "We''ve been awake for a while but don''t know what happened either," Susan replied.


    "We didn''t fight well..." murmured the fox-eared slave.


    "What do you mean? We gave it our all! We even managed to deal Zabus severe injuries!" I said, my voice slightly raised.


    "You shouldn''t have let anyone interfere. You''re heroes! You should''ve defeated him with ease! Only my dear Sebastian fought fiercely among you," she retorted, her voice growing louder.


    "Runari, what are you saying? He was the leader of the demon forces! There was no way we could''ve defeated him with our current experience," Susan interjected.


    Oh, my gods, this fool is insufferable. She irritates me to no end¡ªher and her wretched owner. Looking around, I noticed Stephanie seemed to be doing fine but wasn''t speaking. I hoped nothing terrible had happened to her. Gods, it had been such a grueling battle.


    "How are you, Stephanie?" I asked.


    "I''m... fine," she replied, looking directly into my eyes.


    "Wait, what about the others?" I asked, glancing around again.


    "They''re being treated in the men''s ward," one of the nurses answered.


    I couldn''t deny it¡ªwe had beaten that demon down. I could only hope Arthur had finished him off. Yet, I felt no joy whatsoever. Even knowing I had survived, a heavy cloud seemed to press down on my chest. I was frustrated, as though I had scored second place on a history exam instead of first. Wait, what about my stats after that battle?


    "Stats," I muttered.


    As the word left my mouth, a magical screen appeared, displaying everything. Oh gods! My level had risen by four, and I had gained a new ability, along with increases in my other stats. The battle had been worth it after all. For the first time, I felt a flicker of happiness. It seemed that the way to find joy in this world was through leveling up! After playing Genshin Impact so many times, I doubted I''d have any trouble grinding for levels.


    Suddenly, I sensed a powerful aura approaching the hall''s entrance. I turned my head to see a woman with long black hair and a pure white robe adorned with gold embroidery¡ªa nun''s attire, no doubt. She walked in slowly, and as she did, all the nurses bowed. She was clearly someone important.


    "Greetings, heroes. I am Kaily, daughter of the Blessed Priest August. I''ve been sent by the king to cast a powerful healing spell to restore you all to full health," the nun said as she approached.


    The nurses moved toward us and began removing our clothes. Soon, we were completely bare. So that''s why there were no men here. Kaily raised her hands and started chanting a spell, causing green light to radiate from her. With a smooth motion, she directed the light toward us, and a wave of soothing warmth enveloped us. It wasn''t an uncomfortable heat; it was comforting, like being in a hot bath.


    It felt like warm winds rising from below, erasing the pain and healing every wound with each gust. The process continued for a long while before the spell ended, leaving me pain-free. Kaily collapsed afterward, and the nurses rushed to her side, giving her potions to restore her energy.


    "Thank you, Lady Kaily," I said.


    "I should be thanking you, heroes. Now, get dressed and gather your weapons. Follow me to the king''s palace; a grand banquet awaits," Kaily said with a smile.


    We dressed as instructed, prepared ourselves, and left the hall. The outdoors were pristine and brimming with life. Even squirrels were playing among the royal gardens'' stunning trees and blooming flowers. The sun shone brightly, and the air was fresh. I loved this scenery, but despite the beauty surrounding me¡­ I still felt¡­ I don''t know what it is! It''s as if someone dear to me has died. Wait! Is this a sign from another world? Have my parents passed away? Gods, I''m so anxious!


    We left the garden and made our way toward the palace, where guards bowed in respect as we passed. The interior was bustling with people. Suddenly, that fox-eared slave ran ahead. It became clear why when we saw that the others had already arrived before us. She ran into Sebastian''s arms, and he hugged her tightly, saying loudly:


    "I was so worried!"


    "Are you all okay?" Malin asked.


    "Yes, we''re fine," Susan replied.


    "The blessed priest treated us, but we heard that his daughter was going to treat you, so we were worried about the idea that she might be a novice and wouldn''t heal you properly," Kevin said, his expression changing when he noticed Kaily, making it clear he hadn''t expected her to be present.


    "Ahem, ahem, what do you mean by novice?" Kaily retorted with a frightening expression.


    "Welcome back, heroes," a rough voice echoed.


    Adalos appeared with his wife and the old priest. He sat on his throne, with August and Vinea standing on either side. We approached him and knelt on one knee. Then Adalos said, "Please, stand."


    "This day will be immortalized in the history of the kingdom. On this day, we liberated an area that was under demonic rule, erasing all traces of demonic forms... At last, I can declare that the coast of Myria has been fully liberated!" Adalos added in a loud voice.


    "Now, let the coronation ceremony begin," Vinea announced.


    Several guards approached us, placing golden medals around our necks one by one. The crowd burst into applause, and poets began playing harps. The atmosphere was both grand and serene. At this moment, I felt like an important and invaluable figure in society. Then, Adalos stood and declared:


    "I, King Adalos, hereby bestow upon the eight heroes royal medals of the highest order. From this day forth, these eight heroes shall be recognized as symbols of resistance against colonization!"


    The applause grew louder, with countless servants tossing flowers into the air as melodies soared. Despite all this, I didn''t feel happy. That''s when I realized something was wrong with this world¡ªyes, something was broken. There was a flaw in the emotions circulating in the kingdom''s air. Yet, when I looked around, everyone appeared joyful¡ªor were they just pretending to be happy, like me?


    "Thank you, heroes. You''ve brought us great joy," the queen said with a radiant smile.


    "It''s our duty as heroes, Your Majesty!" John replied nobly.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "Now, let us welcome the Knight of Knights, the Demon Slayer, the Sword of Adalos, and the White Paladin¡ªArthur Pendragon!" Adalos proclaimed.


    Arthur stepped forward in his imposing armor, with his golden hair and handsome face. Holding his magnificent sword, he walked slowly until he finally stood before the king''s throne and knelt on one knee. Yes, it was Arthur, the same person who saved us. But... was he the one who killed Zabus?


    "While the heroes fought valiantly on the battlefield, I cannot overlook the achievements of Arthur¡ªthe knight who slew the demon leader responsible for occupying the coast of Myria," Adalos declared, rising from his throne and approaching Arthur.


    Adalos took a ceremonial sword from the guards, gently placing its blade on Arthur''s right shoulder and then his left. He announced:


    "In the name of the Kingdom of Yarum, and in my name, Yarum Adalos IV, I grant Arthur Pendragon the title of Sword Saint."


    Suddenly, the crowd erupted with thunderous cheers, and flowers filled the air. The title "Sword Saint"? It was clear that it carried immense weight. Still, Arthur deserved it¡ªhe saved our lives. Without him, we wouldn''t have survived that battle. Yet, a sharp pain pierced my chest as memories of the battle returned. That horrifying experience... it was unbearable!


    "Now, let the feast begin!" Adalos shouted.


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    On a vast, quiet balcony far from the party''s noise, a group of young people stood. Judging by their varied attire and equipment, they were clearly the heroes. They stood together, eating and drinking while gazing out at the view from the palace''s large balcony. The moon shone brightly, its light covering the kingdom under the night sky.


    "The battle isn''t over yet. There are still other areas under occupation," Kevin said.


    "I can''t keep going," Susan murmured, staring into the distance.


    "Yeah! That battle was awful. I''ve felt so gloomy since I woke up!" Stephanie exclaimed.


    "Come on, you''re overreacting. It''s just natural shock," Sebastian said, hugging Runari.


    "She''s right! We''re just teenagers who are good at using phones and eating ice cream. We''ve never been used to fighting like this! Magic? Demons? Do you think we''ll ever adapt and live happily? Never!" Linda shouted.


    "It seems things have become clear. I used to think life here was like video games, but I suffered terribly. I''m still suffering now... It''s not just me¡ªI think we''re all going through trauma! But we just haven''t realized it yet!" Tom added.


    That battle made them witness things they''d never seen before. They realized truths they hadn''t understood before. Some of them even matured¡ªor no, perhaps all of them did. After all, these were just humans from another world, who only heard about wars and battles in the news. A battle like this had, and would continue to, leave a profound impact on them.


    "Even so... even so, there''s no way back," Malin said.


    "That''s why we must fight," Sebastian replied.


    "By the way, we lost the battle because of you, Sebas! You and that fox girl were nothing but obstacles in our way!" Kevin yelled.


    "What did you just say, you bastard?!" Sebastian shouted, gripping his staff.


    Runari suddenly stepped forward with an angry expression toward Kevin. Kevin pushed her back, causing her to stumble. She pulled out her daggers and leaped at him, but Kevin dodged her attack and delivered a powerful punch to her stomach. He drew his swords as well. While Runari clutched her stomach and Kevin stood directly in front of her, Kevin was suddenly flung backward, landing on the ground. It became clear that Sebastian had struck him with a magical attack.


    "You bastard! How dare you?!" Sebastian yelled.


    "Hey! We''re on the palace balcony! Stop this!" Susan screamed.


    The noise of the party drowned out the sounds of their fight. Kevin got up and charged toward Sebastian with his swords. Sebastian quickly cast a magical shield to block his attack, but Kevin swept his legs, making Sebastian fall. Runari, her daggers now imbued with fire magic, moved toward Kevin.


    Kevin stepped back slightly as if surrendering, but Runari''s furious expression didn''t change. She leaped at him again, and behind her, a dark magic spell soared toward Kevin, putting him in a pincer attack. Suddenly, John appeared, blocking Runari''s attack with his greatsword, while Linda stopped Sebastian''s spell with a magical shield.


    "You idiots! How dare you fight on the balcony?!" Susan shouted.


    "Remember this!" Sebastian growled as he left the balcony with Runari, who angrily swished her orange tail. The two departed, leaving the others behind to sit in silence on the balcony, trying to process these extraordinary and chaotic events since their arrival in this world. Yes, if there was one problem the heroes all faced, it was "adapting."


    ¡ô ¡ô ¡ô


    Far from the heroes'' balcony, in a luxurious palace, inside a grand room filled with servants, a woman lay resting on her large bed with her eyes closed. Her long brown hair flowed over the pillows, and her youthful face showed only faint traces of wrinkles. Without opening her eyes, she asked one of the servants to bring her some honey.


    "Arthur!" the woman called, still keeping her eyes shut.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. One of the servants moved to open it, revealing none other than Arthur, the Saint of the Sword. He entered the room and walked over to the woman. A servant quickly brought him a chair, and Arthur sat down next to the bed, taking her hand gently.


    "Mother... I''m back!" he said softly.


    "Yes! Yes, you''re back! I''m so happy!" the woman¡ªhis mother¡ªreplied in a delicate voice.


    "Mother, I have wonderful news! I''ve become the Saint of the Sword!"


    "Arthur! Is this a joke?" his mother asked, turning her face toward the wall instead of her son.


    "No, I swear! Here... this is the medal. Touch it, Mother!" Arthur said, his voice trembling slightly.


    Suddenly, tears began streaming from her eyes as she touched the medal. She then tossed it aside and embraced her son tightly, her sobs shaking her body.


    "You''ve avenged your father, haven''t you? Haven''t you, Arthur?" she asked through her tears.


    "Yes! Yes!... I killed Zabus, Mother!" Arthur replied, his voice filled with emotion.


    "Oh, God, how I wish I could see the face of my beloved son," his mother whispered, tears still flowing.


    "Mother! Mother!" Arthur exclaimed, clutching her tightly as a rare smile crossed his face. Soon, his own tears joined hers.


    The servants in the room began clapping at the touching scene. Some even shed tears themselves, and in unison, they said:


    "Congratulations to you both!"


    "Uther, your son has avenged you! Can you hear me, my dear Uther?" his mother cried out.


    "Yes! I''ve done it, Father!" Arthur added.


    Thus ended Arthur Pendragon''s day, with a warm embrace from his mother. But to Arthur, this embrace was more than just a mother''s love for her son; it was the reward for his vengeance. At that moment, Arthur felt a joy he had never known before¡ªa joy he hadn''t even dared to imagine. Yes, this was Arthur''s reward. This was his long-awaited revenge, five years in the making. Finally... he had avenged.


    "Thank you, Elaine."


    <hr>


    STATS:


    <table width="755" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">


    <thead>


    <tr>


    <th width="117">


    Name


    </th>


    <th width="27">


    Lvl


    </th>


    <th width="60">


    Class


    </th>


    <th width="60">


    Weapon


    </th>


    <th width="67">


    Armor


    </th>


    <th width="49">


    Attack


    </th>


    <th width="57">


    Defense


    </th>


    <th width="62">


    Strength


    </th>


    <th width="45">


    Magic


    </th>


    <th width="50">


    Agility


    </th>


    <th width="118">


    Skills


    </th>


    </tr>


    </thead>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td width="117">


    Linda


    </td>


    <td width="27">


    12


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Hero


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Poleaxe/Spear


    </td>


    <td width="67">


    Valkyrie''s Gear


    </td>


    <td width="49">


    2033


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    1501


    </td>


    <td width="62">


    604


    </td>


    <td width="45">


    476


    </td>


    <td width="50">


    404


    </td>


    <td width="118">


    Valkyria Slash + Golden Caster + Sky Wings


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="117">


    Sebastian


    </td>


    <td width="27">


    12


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Mage


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Staff


    </td>


    <td width="67">


    Wisdom Cloak


    </td>


    <td width="49">


    1884


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    2040


    </td>


    <td width="62">


    104


    </td>


    <td width="45">


    677


    </td>


    <td width="50">


    198


    </td>


    <td width="118">


    Black Wave + Dark Ball + Night Shield + Crows Wave


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="117">


    Kevin


    </td>


    <td width="27">


    9


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Assassin


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Two Short Swords


    </td>


    <td width="67">


    Light Armor


    </td>


    <td width="49">


    1341


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    630


    </td>


    <td width="62">


    399


    </td>


    <td width="45">


    315


    </td>


    <td width="50">


    702


    </td>


    <td width="118">


    Daggers Storm + Dark Nightmare


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="117">


    Tom


    </td>


    <td width="27">


    9


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Knight


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Blade


    </td>


    <td width="67">


    Silver Armor


    </td>


    <td width="49">


    1251


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    1260


    </td>


    <td width="62">


    402


    </td>


    <td width="45">


    108


    </td>


    <td width="50">


    495


    </td>


    <td width="118">


    Slash + Cutter + Blades


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="117">


    John


    </td>


    <td width="27">


    9


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Warrior


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Great Sword


    </td>


    <td width="67">


    Heavy Armor


    </td>


    <td width="49">


    1080


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    1494


    </td>


    <td width="62">


    511


    </td>


    <td width="45">


    72


    </td>


    <td width="50">


    225


    </td>


    <td width="118">


    Crusher + Rage


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="117">


    Susan


    </td>


    <td width="27">


    7


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Lancer


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Spear


    </td>


    <td width="67">


    Silver Armor


    </td>


    <td width="49">


    895


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    702


    </td>


    <td width="62">


    300


    </td>


    <td width="45">


    210


    </td>


    <td width="50">


    413


    </td>


    <td width="118">


    Fire Stabs + Tornado


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="117">


    Malin


    </td>


    <td width="27">


    8


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Archer


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Bow


    </td>


    <td width="67">


    Leather Armor


    </td>


    <td width="49">


    936


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    598


    </td>


    <td width="62">


    278


    </td>


    <td width="45">


    25


    </td>


    <td width="50">


    452


    </td>


    <td width="118">


    Wind Arrow + Storm


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td width="117">


    Stephanie


    </td>


    <td width="27">


    5


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    Priest


    </td>


    <td width="60">


    </td>


    <td width="67">


    Blessed Robe


    </td>


    <td width="49">


    250


    </td>


    <td width="57">


    243


    </td>


    <td width="62">


    98


    </td>


    <td width="45">


    451


    </td>


    <td width="50">


    99


    </td>


    <td width="118">


    Heal + Light Shield


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>