Arifureta: Similar Story, Different World

Chapter 3: Similar Day, Different Problems

This day sucked as well.

Specifically for the one boy in the class that walked alone in the hallway to the library. Well, he wasn't alone per se. One of Meld's men was leading the way through the labyrinth of a palace.

"We'll be there soon, Nagumo-sama." The man spoke up. "I ask for your patience."

"No, please," Nagumo shyly replied back. "Sorry to have bothered you with guiding me there."

"Your words honor me."

The man spoke politely, but his eyes and expression as he looked towards Nagumo were those of slight disappointment. It was to be expected. He, Nagumo Hajime, a supposed Apostle of Ehito, was nothing more than a weak Synergist with stats as average as a resident of the world they were supposed to be saving.

He had such high hopes that maybe now, he could change his life around. Maybe now, he could prove he wasn't just a loser as Hiyama and the rest of the Bastard Four, his words, not anyone else's, made him out to be. But nope. Even in another world, he had such abysmal luck. And everyone was going to think of him as a laughingstock for the rest of their time here.

He thought that even if he rolled a fail and got a non-combat class, he could have at least supported those who needed—, well, wanted his help. But even that was a pipe dream at best.

Had he known it would all end in disappointment, maybe he should have followed after Yamamoto in the first place. Maybe it would be better to actually put in some effort to getting back home than playing a dangerous game like a war with Devils and monsters.

No. There was still a chance. He could train himself, to grow better. Maybe it was just the base stats, but if he was able to level up and grow the stats, then maybe he could still turn things around. How hard could it be? The training wasn't so bad, he only collapsed after an hour.

.

.

.

Okay, maybe that wasn't the best example, but still, it was just the first day.

He may have been sloppy with physical training, but there was another way to get stronger. After all, it was a fantasy world with MAGIC. If he couldn't assist the team with frontline jobs, he could at least support them from the back using his magic and knowledge. Then maybe he could prove that immersing himself in a life of games wasn't such a useless thing after all.

There were a lot of 'maybe's in his thoughts but one can't be sure of anything yet. The future wasn't set in stone.

"Excuse me."

"What is it, Nagumo-sama?"

Nagumo decided to break some small talk. The silence had been killing him since he left the training hall.

"Why is the library located so far away from the training grounds?"

"The library is located on the other side of the palace for safety reasons."

"Safety?" Nagumo raised an eyebrow at the answer. "Is there anything that might endanger people in the library?"

"Quite the contrary, really. You see, the training grounds are not only used for training the body. We do other things there as well."

BOOM

A large sound and a bit of an aftershock came from where they had previously been.

"Like magic, is it?" Nagumo answered the obvious.

"Yes." The knight nodded in response anyway. "Heiligh Kingdom prides itself on having a rich history and as we have the Holy Church's Temple as well as God's Mountain to thank for that, the Great Library is still one of the most important assets the world has to thank the Kingdom for."

Well, knowledge centers were a beacon for scholars and philosophers in the past history of Earth. It wouldn't be strange for a fantasy world in the Medieval era to have the same. Despite the magic, humans thrive when knowledge was gathered and shared.

But they could also be controlled by such a concentration through the use of censorship and propaganda.

'… You don't trust them, so do I…'

Yamamoto spoke, or rather whispered, to him as he left for the library with the princess dragging him out. Nagumo felt his hand grip on his opposite arm and thought deeply as he spoke.

He wasn't alone to suspect Ishtar. There was something off about the pope. Especially when he looked so mad at Yamamoto during their discussion after they were summoned. Having sat next to Yamamoto in the table, Nagumo had a clear view of the face the pope was trying to avoid showing to Amanogawa.

Complete and utter humiliation, as well as frustration for a child getting in his way. It might've been the pope's age, but he completely ignored Nagumo's existence during that argument. And even when Yamamoto spoke about his own god, Anima was it called, the pope kept a completely unamused expression.

Whether Yamamoto was actually preaching or not, the pope had stared at the transfer student carefully. Watching, probing for a chink in the armor.

The moment Yamamoto said he would surpass Ehito and find a way home on his own, Nagumo almost thought he'd lost it, until he saw the look on Pope Ishtar Lombard's face. It was only for a moment. But the mention of surpassing his god was the least straw and the old man looked as if he was considering murder.

Then, the moment passed.

And he relented to Yamamoto's wishes. Without a fight, or an argument. Instead, he asked Yamamoto about who Anima really was. The passive look of Ishtar's face never left even after they met the Royal Family. Whatever the old man was planning, it wasn't good. Not for Yamamoto, or anyone in the class.

"That's a scary look to be making."

"Uwah?!" "Nagumo-sama?!"

At the sudden voice, Nagumo nearly jumped out of his skin. He didn't, thankfully, but the knight guiding him immediately had a hand to his sword, ready to draw if necessary.

It wasn't though, as Enou Kousuke just held his hands up, non-threateningly with a forgetfully neutral expression.

"Endou Kousuke, one of the Apostles. I'm on my way to deliver a Status Plate to one of our absent members, Yamamoto Eichirou. He said he was in the library." Endou introduced himself and his purpose so casually even though he nearly startled a fully armed knight into drawing his weapon. "Oh, and you probably didn't notice me because of my Presence Concealment as an Assassin."

Nagumo heard an audible 'tsk' at the mention of his skill. But didn't know where it came from. He was so unaware of the source of the sound that he started glancing about. Endou noticed and added a new item to the list of 'Reasons Why Presence Concealment is Shit'.

"I apologize for taking you as a threat, Endou-sama," the knight apologized and immediately withdrew that hand about to draw the sword. "But please refrain from using your skills within the palace. It would cause unnecessary worry among the guards."

"My bad. I've no control over that skill yet. I apologize for startling you."

Nagumo could feel the irritation in Endou's voice as he mentioned the skill. But as he didn't know Endou all that well, he decided to keep quiet. Maybe the guy didn't really like being labeled as an Assassin. Those were stereotyped as bounty hunters or murderers for hire in most games and films. Some even go so far as to categorize them as mobs in-game.

Personally, Nagumo thought they were cool. Like ninjas.

The knight accepted Endou's apology, and soon there were now three on the way to the library. It was silent. Toooo silent. So silent, a pin could've dropped and you would hear it impact the floor. It was at this point that Nagumo asked himself why he was so awkward at starting conversations.

For one, he knew Endou. Not enough to call a friend. But enough to know he was… there. Or not! Now that he looked around, Nagumo seemed to have lost sight of him. How strong was his Presence Concealment in the first place? God, that was so cool—.

"It's not cool, y'know." "Uwaaah!"

Nagumo jumped once again at the sudden realization that Endou was suddenly back at his side. The knight on the other hand, paused to look back but resumed his lead after he checked and Endou just sighed in response.

"What's… not cool?" Nagumo's question sputtered to a slow when he caught Endou's annoyed glare. It wasn't annoyance that he asked. More annoyance that he wasn't even noticed in the first place.

"Being invisible is such a pain." Endou sighed again and followed after their knightly guide. Nagumo was slow but caught up as fast as he could. "One second, I'm part of the conversation, the next, I'm not even there."

Nagumo really thought it was a useful skill, though.

"You just thought it was useful, didn't you?" Before Nagumo could reply, Endou answered the unvoiced question. "It's obvious on your face, y'know? And after all that happened in the training grounds, I doubt you want to be seen right now at all."

Something caught in Nagumo's throat. Endou hit the nail on the head. Well, he did run towards the library as an excuse to get away from Hiyama's teasing. Had he a skill like Endou's, he probably wouldn't have to run all the time.

"Well, you've caught me," he decided to play it off for laughs. No use denying it when Endou was quite literally a spy in this world. He would have probably learned how to analyze people, judging by how he read Nagumo like a book. "Ah, man. I really wish I could've gotten an amazing class. Now I just feel bad to let you guys do all the fighting. Welp, no helping it. Maybe I can find something in the library to give me a boost."

"…"

For a moment there, he thought Endou had actually disappeared again. But a quick glance to the guy and he saw him staring back. Endou's eyes were actually the widest Nagumo had ever seen them.

"You still plan on fighting?" The Invisible Assassin asked frankly. "Knowing full well just how dangerous the situation you're in?"

Nagumo considered the question for a moment. If it was asked with actual concern, then he appreciated it. It was like Shirasaki-san's but without the whole 'hated by the entire student body' condition that followed. No one else had done at least this much for him until now. Rather than ask if it was concern, though, he'll just keep it to himself. At least Nagumo could dream that there were people out there that didn't completely hate his guts.

Now about Endou's question, there was only one answer to it.

"Yeah, I'm going to fight in my own way."

"Why?" Endou stopped in his tracks. Probably, this was the first time he heard something so incredulous that he just had to stand and wait for a reply. Even their knightly guide stood and waited for an answer. "Why would you go so far? Even though you're severely disadvantaged?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Nagumo just smiled and answered as if it was the norm to do so. "Instead of waiting for someone to save me, shouldn't I do something to help everyone else instead?"

Nagumo resumed his walk. The knight, having heard the answer, and probably satisfied with it judging by the small grin he had on, continued down the hall ahead of them. Endou, meanwhile, stood there and contemplated.

Nagumo wouldn't know until much, much later. But it was at this moment that another person found something to respect in the boy that was judged as the 'weakest link'.

Soon, they had arrived at the library. The knight immediately left as soon as he gave a nod to the guards and directed Nagumo towards the entrance. The moment he opened the large doors, his jaw hit the floor.

Tomes upon tomes of history, magic and many other subjects filled the large shelves. It was a huge, no, Gigantic, no, MASSIVE library! The walls, the next floor above, the shelves lined up neatly and organized. So many books and scrolls surrounded them.

If Nagumo had turned into a book otaku before the Summoning, he might've lost all sense of sanity now.

Even Endou had been dumbed to silence. The place was just that impressive. The floor was polished squeaky clean and could roughly reflect their appearances. The décor of the library itself was exquisite. By a glance, one could tell no expense was spared in the making of this grand knowledge center. It was what all the in-game libraries were designed to emulate, a place of class and sophistication, but instead of politics and cunning, the emphasis was on wisdom and knowledge.

"Iselda-san, could you please put this book next to the second pile."

"Understood."

"This be one of the books you're looking for, Apostle-sama."

"Oh? Another one? This much is plenty now. Thank you for all your help, Madam Caretaker. I really couldn't have found this many on these subjects without your help."

"Your words honor me, milord."

"Ahaha, please, don't be so formal. I'm simply another student of knowledge. As a caretaker of this amazing Library, I must express my gratitude to you for assisting me so much already."

Three voices could be heard from beyond the shelves. Looking forward, Nagumo noticed the large tables separated by a central staircase leading up. Near the staircase, at the end of one of the tables, a large stack of books and old tomes hid the speakers from view. That is, until one of them, one who was dressed as a template librarian complete with glasses, appeared from behind the stack.

"Ara, it seems more of your fellow Apostles have come to the Library," the beautiful lady stepped forward and addressed the newcomers with a gracious bow. "Good day to you, Apostles-sama. I'm the caretaker of the Great Library. How may I be of service to you today?"

"Uh, eh, uhm…" Nagumo was stunned at suddenly being addressed by such an attractive woman. He couldn't think straight immediately. "Erm, I'm here… to look for books on classes… specifically non-combat ones."

The woman looked Nagumo up and down once then bowed in response. The polite smile was there, but the look she gave was somewhat curious. Probably as it was strange to her why a Hero companion would be curious about something almost unrelated to fighting Devils.

"Understood. And how about you, Apostle-sama?" Looking over to the other person before her, the librarian asked.

For once, Endou was surprised at being noticed. But maybe it was due to being so dumbstruck or that he was brushing his hands on some really expensive-looking books that she noticed him in the first place.

"Ahem. I'm looking for one of our fellow Apostle." He spared a glance at the heap of books and could already guess who was behind it. "Yamamoto Eichirou, to be precise."

"Oh? Is that Kousuke-kun and Nagumo-kun?" The librarian didn't even have to speak as Eichirou's voice suddenly spoke from behind the books. "Please, come join me."

"Right this way, Apostles-sama." The caretaker bowed and stepped to the side to allow them passage. And as Nagumo walked past, she added quickly added. "I shall bring a few samples of the topic you requested."

Nagumo bowed in gratitude but made a nervous smile as well. Being in such close proximity with gorgeous women made him nervous. A bad influence of Shirasaki's habit or something else, he wasn't sure.

Just as expected, the moment they got around the mountain of hardback volumes, they saw Yamamoto Eichirou, still well-dressed but now accompanied by a young maid who also bowed to them in respect. Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Eichirou placed down the book he was currently reading. It looked like a book. However, instead of just lines running across in a uniform fashion, the lines of text were running around drawings and depictions of humans and cities.

"Yo, how was training?" Eichirou asked them both casually. "Looking exhausted. Were you made to run marathons or something?"

"Yeah, something like that." Surprising Nagumo, Endou was the first to speak. "And? What have you been doing? Hiding in the library to escape a workout?"

"Eheheh," scratching the back of his head, Eichirou laughed apologetically. "I've actually been studying on Tortus' history. There's a lot of ground to cover so that I can understand this world. I've been looking over their early history and such."

Showing them the book he was currently reading, they realized it was about ancient cities that came before, during the age of gods.

"Apparently, this Heiligh Kingdom is a living monument, built by one of Ehito's progeny. One named Sharam Vaan"

Eichirou suddenly broke out into exposition, explaining all he had covered since this morning. Ehito and his family's supposed origins, the old terror of magic beasts and monsters, the building of the first human cities, the rise of humans and devils, and the fall of demi-humans. The two were amazed at the fact that he had read up so much in such a short span of time.

"That's… quite a lot…" Nagumo could only say.

"Ah, not quite. This was just the history books." Shutting the book in his hands, Eichirou laid it to rest atop a separate stack next to him. It was his height while sitting. The books in the stack numbered in the teens. "I'm done learning about the human history. But I've barely scratched the surface of all this library has to offer."

Gesturing over to another pile of books in front of him, Endou picked one up to read the runic titles.

"'History of Magic: Ehito's Blessing Upon Man'," the Language Comprehension skill worked just as well on written language as it did with spoken words. "You're going to dive into the subject of magic already?"

"I did say I was done with the human history." Neither of the two missed the emphasis on the word 'human'. The maid that stood in attention as well as the librarian paid no heed. "And I did make a promise. I find studying history fun and all but having already checked each and every book on history, I tried avoiding tomes with similar contents and just read the ones recommended by the kind librarian."

Arriving as if on cue, the librarian handed Nagumo three tomes with rough inscriptions. Looking over the top one, it read 'The Study on Classes: Volume 2, Non-Combat'.

"Your words flatter me, Apostle-sama." The maid bowed in respect towards Yamamoto, which the other two boys found extremely weird. Neither have seen such actions from beautiful women to younger men unless they worked in the service industry. Looking back to Nagumo, the librarian quickly added before leaving. "If that is all, I shall leave you to your study. Please remember to lower your voices and, if you need me, I shall be waiting at my desk."

"Thank you again, Madam Caretaker." Eichirou dismissed her and she politely bowed in his direction again. The way Eichirou carried himself was so graceful, Nagumo and Endou both forgot he was their classmate. Next, he spoke to the stalwart maid standing behind him. "Iselda-san, you can take your break as well."

"Eh? Uhm, er… Yamamoto-sama, you will not need my help?"

"Just for now," he waived to the other tomes as well as the two boys. "I have a few books to go over before we start looking for more and I do have to talk to my fellow Apostles about something. So there's nothing I need you to do for now."

"But… I'm under orders by Liliana-himesama—?!" Raising a palm before her, Eichirou politely silenced the girl.

"If Lady Liliana asks, I will explain myself. You haven't had your lunch yet, right? It wouldn't be healthy for you to have to wait on me. So please, take your rest."

Since the maid was on the opposite side and forced Yamamoto to turn away, neither of the two boys noticed the wink he sent the girl. They did see, however, the girl's face as it suddenly glowed a slight shade of pink then back to normal.

"Very well, then. But before that, should I bring you all tea, Yamamoto-sama?"

"Bring my friends some. I shall have some later instead." Without skipping a beat, he nonchalantly added. "It would be rude to break my promise with Lady Liliana by having mine ahead of time."

"… Understood, Yamamoto-sama."

With a bow, the maid immediately left to do her task. Left with only their classmate, the two awkwardly stood there, unable to say anything about the exchange. Unlike the rest of the boys of the class, excluding Amanogawa, Yamamoto spoke normally and didn't stutter when talking to the maids. Like he was used to it.

"Well don't just stand there," Eichirou broke their silence and gestured to the nearby seats while he carefully pushed a few books away to make some space. "Sit down and tell me about your day. I'm guessing you have a few questions about mine already."

He made a sad smile as he said this, denoting that it just wasn't them that were having a rough day. They took their seats, Kousuke next to him and Nagumo across.

"So," the well-dressed lad gestured with open hands to the other two. "Who wants to start first?"

'A few' was not the right term. They had loads of questions about my day, and yesterday to an extent. Well, more from Kousuke than Nagumo. Despite the guy's ultra-thin presence, he was quite at ease with interaction. I would say he was actually eager to have someone to talk to.

He asked more about why I was going to meet up with the princess. I just said we both had coinciding break times. Of course, he didn't buy it. He may be assuming something more, but I wasn't going to deny or accept it. Better to be vague than pick one. If anyone else caught wind that I was meeting with the young Lady, they would assume whatever was more amusing. Give them a specific answer and they might think the extreme. In this case, I was either wooing the girl, a Royal, trying to appease the King or she was latching onto me, an Apostle, to get in the Church's good graces.

Neither were okay at all, but as long as I don't have my answer leaning too much to one side, I was in the clear. Both with the class AND the Church. So I fed Kousuke's curiosity with as much ambiguity as I could. Well, he won't pry much, at least for now.

Nagumo, on the other hand was quite polite but refrained from asking much. While Kousuke was battering me with questions like if I was rich and had maids serving me growing up, Nagumo asked a simpler, more dangerous question.

"Hey, Yamamoto-kun, what did you mean when you said, 'by the guidance of Anima'?"

I glanced at the librarian who was too busy writing documents about a few ten meters away. Then to Iselda, who I still could not put off my suspicion for, making tea at the other corner. When neither seemed to be within earshot, I turned to look at Nagumo straight in the eyes.

Judging by how intense his gaze was, I could tell he knew at least some part of my lie. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot more of the class thought I was lying. The deity 'named' Anima never existed to begin with.

Well, maybe I could trust these two. At least, Endou was invisible to begin with and with a little observation from his perspective, he may find my points actually possible. Nagumo had his suspicions but in the off chance he does something that might ruin me, the impact would hurt less. I may be an outcast now, be he was ostracized beyond belief.

A crude way to look at friends but in this dangerous world, I need to do what I must.

"Well, Nagumo-kun. I meant what I meant." Starting off unclear was confusing, yes. But after making sure my words weren't heard by the other two non-Earthlings, in the library, I began to explain. "If there is a way home, then I pray to whatever god is out there to get us back in one piece." Excluding the one who kidnapped us in the first place. "Having travelled the world for most of my life, I don't really have a religion I center myself with. As our world has so many belief systems, and to make my point with Ishtar clear that my god, if I really had any, would be sorely pissed at Ehito's actions, I decided to play a little game with him."

Endou's brow furrowed slightly at the words, but I made an expression that conveyed I would explain further.

"If that's the case, then fine." Nagumo's expression didn't change. He had already understood I was bluffing, and, to some extent, why. "Just… did you have to make such a big deal out of it yesterday? You essentially made a name for yourself as Ishtar-san and the Church of Saints' obstacle."

"Yes, I did," oh boy, if there was any other way, I would have taken it. "But judging by the circumstances of both worlds, I can't just play it safe anymore."

"Both worlds?"

"Look at where we are." I dramatically waved my hand to gesture around me. "It's a world with magic able to summon us. If there were such paranormal abilities of magic, it could serve as proof that such paranormal beings as a god exist." I leaned in closer to make extra sure we weren't heard. "Do you honestly think such a religion wouldn't rely on their own god to help? Why risk taking from another god's domain?"

"But weren't we the solutions to their problem?" Kousuke asked. Even he was curious enough. "They were desperate, right?"

"Yes, yes we are the solution." I immediately agreed to his questions. "And yes, they are desperate. But the excuse of 'desperate times calling for desperate measures' has a limit as well."

"A limit?" I nodded to his quiet words.

"If they wanted to save their world, they, or at least their god, would have requested help if he couldn't do it on his own. The keyword 'asking' was never brought up to us. Instead, we were just brought into this world. And when we demanded an explanation, what did Ishtar tell us yesterday?"

It was Nagumo who replied in turn.

"'We prayed to Ehito-sama, and you were the "salvation" he sent.'"

"Exactly." I looked over one of the history book's cover that I had put aside. It had the benevolent image of an androgynous being with beautiful features but no warmth in his eyes. "Ehito was the one to bring us here. Not by our choice because we were never given one."

"But," Kousuke spoke up, albeit quietly. "Wouldn't it have been possible that he was given permission by a god in our world?"

"Nah, Kousuke-kun," I responded immediately while wearing a cynical grin. "How many kinds of deities do you think manage our world today? And how many of them do you believe actually exist?"

He didn't speak and neither did Nagumo. Mom was right in saying that religion wasn't really much in Japan. Unlike the schools I attended in India, the Philippines, France, or the Middle East, Japanese high schools were only given lectures on ethics.

"Even if you say that there is a god in our world, judging by the state it's currently in, would they actually give a damn if about thirty non-believers just suddenly disappeared?" In a world with 7.7 billion people, the disappearance of a mere 30 was negligible. "Personally, I think not. About three hundred thousand people born each day and about half die. You still have over a hundred thousand left. In any case, the numbers say we don't matter much to any god that has to manage all those people."

Endou looked a bit downcast at my words. Nagumo just took it in stride. Maybe he had already come to terms that his life was just a tiny decimal when compared to others. Quite a depressing outlook in life, but it's because I had my siblings that I could forget all that. Unconsciously, my hand touched my coat's left chest. The feeling of a photo was slight, but it was there.

"Enough of the depressing numbers talk, there's one thing I did find out from my exchange with Ishtar yesterday. Something I'm absolutely sure about now." Nagumo looked at me in the eyes while Kousuke just sat in silence. "He doesn't know about the deity status in our world and, therefore, is doubting whether harming any one of us will not bring divine retribution."

"You mean," Kousuke was about to say it aloud. Keeping a finger to my mouth and an eye on the librarian saved me explaining why he should stay silent. He complied and spoke in whisper. "You mean he won't take action against us?"

"Not for now, no. But judging by his reaction yesterday, he may try poking some holes in my bluff." I turned my glance quickly to Iselda, who was approaching carefully, tray in hand. "Or maybe he's doing so now by sending spies in the palace to observe me."

Nagumo noticed my gaze, but Endou could only guess from my expression who I was looking at. It wouldn't take a genius to know I was referring to the maid. Both stayed quiet, but I guess it was time to change the subject. It wouldn't make a very good ruse to have to be so damn quiet for too long.

"Well, that's enough of that." I suddenly spoke with a slightly louder volume. "It would be embarrassing if I had to explain why I cried my eyes out before Lady Liliana. We should change the topic. How was the training by the way, Kousuke?"

Although the librarian glanced in our direction, she only took it as me trying to change the topic out of embarrassment. Well, it was embarrassing to begin with. I hope she didn't take it badly. I should apologize and explain during tea.

"Well… the training, uh," Speaking of embarrassing, Endou stuttered slightly at my sudden change of character. Gone was the broody-voiced schemer, out came the enthusiastic tourist that embarrassed himself before the princess. God, I need to remember some self-control. "Training went well. We had to run a few drills, but all in all, a good time—! Oh right. I forgot. Meld-san asked me to pass along something."

"Oh? And what might this Meld want to give me?" Do I even know a Meld? I've only been here less than a day. To answer me, Nagumo spoke up.

"Meld Loggins-san. He's the Knight Commander responsible for our training. He's a little carefree, but everyone respects him."

So there were people that even Nagumo praised. He must be an interesting one then. I hope he's Ehito-free. Wouldn't want another fanatic treating me like an angel or a pope looking at me with suspicion. I guess I'll meet him later if he's such an important man.

"Here you go, Eichirou-kun." Kousuke handed me a reflective plate. It looked like metal but didn't feel like it. Smooth except for some engravings in a corner. "It's a Status Plate. Meld-san was giving them to us this morning. But looks like someone forgot to tell him that you weren't joining us."

"Hmm," I studied the plate in my hands, but I thought about the dubious implication those words have. "Maybe it just slipped their minds to pass me one. I did make the decision to visit the library just this morning."

Both of the guys noticed my words and knew what I meant. Kousuke then explained to me what the plate was for and how to activate and use it. Seeing as how pricking my finger now is a bit impossible without a knife or a needle, I put the 'artifact', as it was apparently called, away in my coat's other inner pocket. I'll have to check what I've been given later then.

"Oh, speaking of which, Yamamoto-kun—"

"Nagumo, you must be tired of saying my surname so many times." I grinned warmly. No need to be so formal when I'm practically going to talk to him every now and then. Might as well keep it friendly. "Just call me Eichirou."

"Ah, call me Kousuke too."

Oh? Weren't they on friendly terms before? Must have been the bullying keeping him away. I wonder what changed his mind to approach Nagumo now.

"Then, Eichirou, Kousuke, call me Hajime."

He spoke my name timidly while nodding to Endou as well.

Seriously, man? Are you such a precious child that you've never gotten close to someone to call them by their given name before? My god, if you were at least three years younger, I'd call you adorable.

Anyway, he straightened himself up and asked.

"Where exactly did you hear about the Great Library from?"

"Oh, that? Funny you should ask." Such a convenient question. Good thing the answer's here right now.

"Yamamoto-sama, I brought your friends tea." Laying out the tray and passing the two a cup atop a plate each, the young maid bowed with respect to my fellow Apostles.

"Hajime-kun, Kousuke-kun," I waved to the maid. "This is Iselda-san. She's the personal maid assigned to me by Lady Liliana-sama for the duration of my study here in the Library. As I'm but one person with only a pair of eyes and arms each, she's assisting me in finding what I need to open a gate to our world. Coincidentally, she was the one to inform me about this place when I awoke early today. Thanks again for that, Iselda"

Iselda, to credit her maid training, bowed once more at my introduction and thanks. Immediately after, she turns to me, curtsies and scurried away to take her break as I ordered her to. Now that I think about it, she was a bit red-faced. She must be exhausted for running around to retrieve the books I asked for. Also, she didn't have her lunch at all yet. Poor girl, having to live in a world without labor laws and the proper contract terms.

Eyeing the books she found for me, I took one and opened it. 'Spells and Prayer: A Record of Ehito-sama's Blessings'. Skimming through as the two tasted their tea, I noticed they were acting surprised and impressed. Must be good tea. Iselda's probably skilled as a maid. As expected, she was under the palace's employment after all.

Still, I should keep a wary eye. Out of all the maids that could have been assigned to me, it had to be the one from this morning. Maybe it was just luck, or maybe Ishtar already assigned her to keep watch. If it was the latter, damn he moved fast.

I should be very careful in how I proceed with Iselda around. No offense to the girl, but I can't run the risk of getting caught.

"…" "…"

Two pairs of eyes stared at me from above their teacups.

"Eichirou-kun… how should I say this…"

"You work fast…"

"Thank you, I guess?"

I looked towards the books next to me and then turn back to them. Well it's true that I read a few books already, but I haven't found much that you could call progress. Maybe this much reading is considered abnormal. I was already past the introduction of the book I currently held and it hasn't even been a minute.

Ara, even the librarian was giving me a knowing look. What do you know? Maybe my reading skill was impressive in both worlds.

Anyway, enough about my reading speed. This book had the basics of calling on magic. Might as well test it out while I was here. Fire was a big no. I just got here. I shouldn't be getting myself kicked out. Worst case, I get executed for it. Water and wind are the same for damages. Earth, maybe not. Although it says here that dust can be considered part of earth magic, I really shouldn't dirty the place. It would ruin my good relations with the nice librarian.

Moving my hand across the pages, I found a passage to light magic. I wonder…

I informed the two my intention to test out a spell. Asking the librarian if light magic would be fine, she assented almost immediately when I said I was only making a small light. Truly, she shows way too much respect for a teenager who was just being polite.

"Let's see here. This is attribute. Put in 'light'. This section is on power. Set to low. Range is just five centimeters off the paper." Following the instructions, I quickly drew the magic circle on a piece of parchment the librarian gave me along with an inkwell and a quill. "This goes here and that is blank. Done!"

Looking at the parchment, it had been filled to approximately twenty centimeters in diameter. Quite large for a simple spell. In the illustrations of the book, the light wouldn't even be much if put to the test and wouldn't last too long either. Quite inefficient, if I had to say, useless in anything that needed quick solutions.

"Amazing."

"So this is a magic circle. How very much like fantasy."

The two teens, amazed by the complexity of the drawing, stared in awe at my artwork. I say that since this piece of scrap wouldn't do much except attract dust if we were still on Earth.

"Well," I held the inked parchment with my left hand. "Here goes nothing."

I read the incantation written in the book and imagined a small light.

"Light up the path of your children. Guide their way through the darkness. Shine, as I command thee. Candlelight."

I felt uncomfortable with the words. It felt… weird. Weird that I needed to say them out loud. If my siblings were here, we could play pretend all day, but doing it in front of friends was slightly awkward. There was that weird.

And then there was the weird that felt… nostalgically creepy. Like that time we were at the temple. The words meant to be welcoming and kind, but empty with not even much warmth. Maybe it's due to magic coming from the shifty-eyed god Ehito in the first place. In that case, ugh. Feels like having to shower using the kidnapper's bathroom. Creepily wrong. Then again, it was similar to what I was doing. In a more, distant and shoddy way of explaining.

For a while, nothing happened. A few seconds later, the magic circle glowed lightly. Quickly after, it flickered slightly and a small fire lit up above the parchment, like a small torch of bluish flame. It looked like a willow-wisp, only it didn't burn or exude heat nor did it start burning the paper it floated above. After a while, the light died.

"Hm," I studied my hand than checked the passage in the book. "So that was light magic. Pretty anti-climactic, don't you think?"

""… … …"" The two stared at me strangely.

"What?" I asked.

"You were able to do magic… … …?" "Just by… reading a book?"

I stared back at them. Was it that strange? The librarian was applauding me as if I had done a miracle though.

"Says here that image is key. That and an aptitude to said magic. Maybe I have an aptitude to light?"

I'm just guessing here, but maybe the magic thing was easier than I thought. Sure I had to draw it out but at least there was something I could do with this as it is. Maybe.

Kinda sucks I don't have a visible mana bar like Skywin though. It would help me in handling the whole minute details during the process. Engraving was a thing, so maybe stuff like enchantments existed. A positive. Those things usually take less out of a person in terms of resource. Maybe I could actually create a literal 'gate to another world'.

I was just musing though. I needed to take this thing carefully and seriously. Wouldn't want to blow my hands off while testing.

And yet, I couldn't shake off the eerie feeling of having to use something that didn't even exist on Earth.

Hm, maybe it was just my imagination. Or maybe someone other than the three people present was watching me. I glanced around to see no one other than us.

"What's up?" Endou asked in concern.

"I kinda felt weird." Thinking on it, the feeling's gone. Maybe it really was just my imagination playing tricks. Looking at the book's paragraph on magic usage, I found something interesting. "'Constant practice could help in expanding mana pool. Magic is also theorized to aid the body's physical growth.'"

Kousuke and Hajime then both happily explained to me what Meld told them about skills and stats and that magic could be eased through the former while it added growth to the latter. They talked excitedly. Daiki was the same when he introduced me to a new game his friends lent him. They probably feel just as excited about the topic as my younger brother did with the game. I guess checking the Status Plate will be my homework tonight.

"Ah, I forgot to ask. How were your stats when you registered plates?" Both fell silent. I sensed a drop of temperature. Particularly in Hajime's direction. Thinking fast, I tried to hand them an escape route. "You don't have to tell me if your embarrassed about it though."

"… Here's mine," Kousuke reluctantly gave me his plate. All the while, he was glancing at Nagumo. "Status Open."

The simple plate suddenly had writing on it. I see. So this is what an 'artifact' was. Neat.

I noticed the class. Kousuke was designated as an Assassin.

.

.

.

Eh? Really? What exactly decided he was that?! I tried asking him but then he said even Meld didn't know and couldn't explain it to them. Seriously?

And to think such a thing was rare and well-sought out for? I mean, I can see the appeal in having abilities that specialize in specific jobs. If Kousuke actually mastered his class, he'd probably make a better Assassin than any of the movies make them out to be.

But to actually be stuck in a profession not of your own choosing? The hell kind of god thought this shit was a good idea?!

WAIT! Focus. Breathe. Calm? Good.

We can overreact on the retardedness of this system later.

The stats were, surprisingly, displayed in a simple table. Even I could understand them just by looking. Well, with my limited game knowledge on these things, I guess Kousuke was fast. If Meld's explanation was anything to go by, Endou Kousuke also had the potential to become faster than any human in Tortus, bar a few exceptions from the class. I hadn't seen the guy run yet as the last P.E. we had was just plain basketball and Kousuke sat that one out. So I can't be too sure and I don't even understand how stats translate to the actual person's body. Even if we say that this world runs on the same engine as any modern tabletop RPG would, there were too many variables to include to be sure. I better test it out when I register my own.

When I saw his skills, however, oh boy. Ooooooooh, boy… Goddamn.

.

.

.

Gotta admit. Ehito's got a nasty sense of humor.

By the look Kousuke was giving the skills box, the one skill in particular, I knew he was seething without even asking. How should I go about this? I mean, I am his friend, right? There should be something I can do to remedy this situation.

Ah, fuck it. Let's try.

"Cheer up, Kousuke-kun. At least you can now put what rarely exists to good—!"

"Better watch what you say, Yamamoto. I'm an Assassin now." Never have I been interrupted so harshly in my life while being threatened with the edge of a piece of parchment. "It would be a shame if you weren't able to talk."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"I see. You've made your point." I held my hands up in surrender as I eyed the papercutting death leave my throat. Coughing once, the entire atmosphere returned from the icy grave I almost dug myself. "Well, thanks for sharing. I'll uh… show you mine later… Once I've registered it."

"Alright then."

.

.

.

Holy fucking shit. I actually thought he was going to murder me. I guess it's true to never fuck with the quiet ones. Heh, go figure.

All this time, however, Nagumo just stared at the books the librarian handed him. He didn't move to open them. He didn't speak about anything either. Reading the books' titles, I could guess why. As far as I know, the contents of his plate were bothering him greatly. But they were also from his plate. Not mine. And unless he shares them to me, it wasn't my problem.

So I didn't pry. Instead, I went back to reading a few more passages about magic while Kousuke chimed in every now and then to make small talk while I wait for my time to join Princess Liliana. Of course, his small talk included some questions about the Princess. But having to act the gentleman, I didn't say much and avoided the topic entirely while playing it safe.

Man, having friends like this really does loosen my nerves. Having been alone with Iselda and the librarian the entire time, I was seriously contemplating what they would do to me if one of them, specifically Iselda, was a spy. It was why I avoided her giving me tea. If I wasn't careful, it could have been laced with poison.

Maybe I shouldn't throw my friends under the bus like that by having them taste test for me earlier, but I highly doubt they would reduce the number of people that actually volunteered to fight in their war. That being said, I do appreciate the talks we have. Better than Amanogawa anyway.

After a while, Hajime started reading his own books. He was quiet and intent on them that I decided to leave him be. This could be him taking the first step to facing his problem. If I really wanted to be a good friend, I should let him be. For now, at least.

I just really hope he opens up, someday. It's going to be hard, living in this hostile place with no one to call friend.

I just hope he thinks of me as one before he loses his mind.

Or maybe I would lose mine first.

Not that impossible really. Considering that I may have caused a misunderstanding with the princess with how I acted today, I really could be in trouble with the King. Even worse, the pope could use this as a means to get rid of me. A scandalous affair of some commoner seducing the young royal would be more than enough to eliminate any chances of me getting out of this hell hole.

I should fix that. Pronto. As in, immediately!

But, of course, I shouldn't be a prick about it. With nothing to do until the Princess' due teatime, I resumed my reading of the magic tomes. If I was to succeed, I should do what I can when I can rather than worry incessantly about the future.

And besides, magic was kind of fun, just that the creepy feeling I got when using it never left me until I took my leave from the Library.

In a corner, behind one of the many large shelves, a pair of eyes watched the dashing young man perform small spells. From simple light magic to basic barrier magic, the young man succeeded every first attempt without breaking a sweat.

'If he was an Apostle, then surely he should see the greatness and majesty of Ehito-sama's plan to fight the devils.' The owner of the eyes gripped tightly on the shelf, threatening to scar the smooth wooden surface. 'Such talent in using Ehito-sama's blessing. But why is it that he wastes his time reading instead of training?'

No one could answer the stalker's question. And every time he tested another spell, the gaze grew stronger, more envious.

Not everyone could use Ehito's blessing of magic. The cursed demi-humans couldn't and the devils and monsters all stole the power from Ehito-sama himself long ago. Only the human race who have been sanctioned by Ehito should be able to wield it in its greatness and even rarer more talented humans were given the right to skillfully wield the elements to their own will.

'So why is it that someone that refuses to join the Hero is able to utilize magic far more efficiently than any of the court mages and Church priests?'

Silently, fingernails left marks on the wooden surface of the shelf. The cause of said marks would never be found. As the Apostle, Yamamoto Eichirou, disappeared from the library to have tea with the First Princess, so did too the spy of the church take their leave.

'I must report this to Lombard-sama.' The eyes of the stalker burned with zealous pride, and a hint of envy. 'If this Apostle succeeds in his mission, they might rise up against Ehito-sama and take over the Kingdom.'

The spy had been observing the Apostles since their arrival. From observation alone, they were just children. Some were dignified, easily manipulated, children. Others were a rabble of troublemakers. Many were as clueless and scared as a demi-human slave child. But there was this one that carried fiery denial in his eyes. One who had no fear in rejecting an honor to serve Ehito. On who would choose to stand up to Ehito if he had to.

'Such insolence. Such arrogance!' The spy internally seethed, keeping a façade as they traversed the palace's halls. 'Such a person should be removed.'

'In the name of Ehito, Yamamoto Eichirou must be purged.'

It was finally time!

The excited mind of a curious young lady ran free as she elegantly walked towards her personal study. Her personal maid opened the door for her, and as soon as she saw the messed-up paperwork on her desk, she halted in her steps.

'Not good,' Princess Liliana thought. 'Such a clutter is unbefitting of a lady. It would be embarrassing to have to show this to Yamamoto-sama.'

Immediately, she ordered her aide and a few others to tidy up the place while she organized the disheveled desk.

'Truly, I mustn't embarrass myself in front of such a noble man. Despite being a commoner, he shows such wisdom in advising against just having the Hero and his companions fight alone. Convincing outo-sama that opening a bridge between our worlds to ask for more capable help, and to even volunteer pioneering such an impossible endeavor? His skill with negotiations and noble goals make him an ideal Hero. Ah, if only he really was, then we wouldn't have to ask them to lay down their lives for a world not their own.'

She continued her thoughts as she worked, unknown to her that for every second she spent thinking of his dashing figure, her progress began to slow.

'I wonder why he would even suggest the idea to connect our worlds. Is it because he has someone worried for his absence back home? His family, no doubt. If so, we have committed an immoral crime to that person. If only we weren't so desperate. I pray Yamamoto-sama achieves this undertaking. Otou-sama may have been slightly surprised that Yamamoto-sama said he would achieve what Ehito-sama could not, but that was why they were summoned in the first place, was it not? Astonishingly, he apologized before outo-sama, saying that he didn't wish to offend a believer of Ehito-sama. It was quite… strange. Yamamoto-sama was one of the summoned Apostle of Ehito-sama. But he held himself in such a humble regard.'

Liliana was now seated with a few stacks of papers left to keep. The other maids had been dismissed by her own. Now, only two remained in the Princess' study. However, only one was actually done with her job. The other was simply daydreaming.

'No, stop thinking such disrespectful things.' She shook her head. 'He may be humble, but he is still an Apostle, someone we should revere. A strong person such as he will accomplish what he has set out to do. I must show him proper respect as he has shown Otou-sama and myself. I must do all I can to support him as he has come to support us in our time of need.'

But the young girl immediately realized something. Other than being a princess, that was all she was. She had nothing to her name other than her studious and hardworking nature. With the title as first princess, she wasn't even an heir to the throne. That left the evident question.

'But then what can I do to assist such a man?'

Her thoughts quickly flew to that moment this morning, one where she was close enough to the young man to hear his breathing, to feel his warmth and heart beating. She quickly shook her head, viciously this time while she glowed red.

'NO! Forget that. Yamamoto-sama was probably just reminiscing something. Maybe he's just missing whoever he was separated from on the other side. Yes! That's probably it! It's definitely not something I should pry into, not at all!'

The paper stack she had been straightening was slightly ruffled. Picking up a few that were left on the table, she placed them in the open desk drawer and closed it. With no other papers left to remove, she sat down in her chair and let her mind wander.

'But… what else should I do? Maybe giving him some assistance in studying history? But from what the maid Iselda reported to the Head, Yamamoto-sama had actually completed that before his break. Should I assist in magic training? But I'm only good with barrier magic. Such a simple thing wouldn't be useful to someone trying to attempt god-tier magic.'

She felt defeated. This was something she couldn't solve with hard work alone. Disregarding that for a moment, she even felt guilty. She actually wanted to enjoy tea with him because he had such an abundant number of interesting stories. Quite a selfish thing for her to ask, especially since he should have been busy with his research.

She couldn't help it. They were such amazing stories.

Her father quite enjoyed the one about the pious girl, Joan of France, the young peasant child that fought for her king, country, and god. It was an example of zealous faith that made a martyr, a hero, and a symbol of one person to rally the masses to fight for what was right. It was a good one, but it wasn't her favorite. She rather enjoyed a previous one. The Knight and the Queen.

She had just asked if there were kings in his world as well. He simply replied that they used to exist until royal bloodlines thinned out and that all that's left were stories about them. When he said that, her father decided to ask what kinds of kings were they. Yamamoto chose to tell them stories related to them.

And the one that stuck to her was the romantic tryst between the Queen of Camelot and the Knight of Loyalty. Such a story wasn't new to Princess Liliana. There were books of the sort written to entertain the masses, albeit the richer and well-educated class. But it was how Yamamoto Eichirou told the story that stuck with her. He didn't speak of their romance as wrong, nor did he say that it was right either. It was just that, simply love that couldn't be fully realized and yet couldn't be contained.

'Such a feeling is impossible under the teachings of Ehito. Once married, one had to devote their all to their partners. But Yamamoto-sama said something about marriage being an invention of human thought. That true love transcended the ideas of man.'

Such a thought was inconceivable to the Princess who grew up with the teachings of Ehito. However, the words spoken during Yamamoto's story sparked a small idea to the girl.

'If Yamamoto-sama felt lonely for being separated from his cherished one…'

One she would normally never think of on her own.

'Should I try… to comfort him…?'

Immediately, her slight red burned into a crimson blush. Her blonde hair, pale complexion and blue eyes all contrasted the red that even her aide thought she might've been sick. But her aide was smarter than that. After having observed her charge since this morning, the maid had already guessed what was on the Princess's mind.

"Ojou-sama, I know it's still early, but should I send someone to guide Yamamoto-sama?"

"Hue?! Eh?! Ah! What about Eichirou-sama? Is he here already?"

The maid sighed and smiled nostalgically. Having taken care of the princess since she was but a child, the maid had grown accustomed to how the Princess acted when she was flustered. This was the first time she had done so with such a red face, however.

'Well, she is at that age.' The maid kept the thought to herself. "Not yet, ojou-sama. I was simply asking if I should send someone over to guide him here." 'As I can't very well leave you in such a state to go fetch him myself. Rumors would fly fast in the palace and cause extensive misunderstandings if I did.'

The maid didn't say what need not be said. She simply wished the young girl would grow some awareness of her surroundings as she was now acting like an open book with her emotions for all to see.

"Ara, please go do that. We wouldn't want Eichirou-sama to waste his time getting lost."

"Understood, ojou-sama."

The maid stepped outside to do her duty, leaving the Princess to collect her thoughts. And to remove the lecherous idea that she just formed.

'Ahem. A princess shouldn't have such thoughts. No matter how much I want to assist Eichirou-sama, there should be a limit to my arrogance.'

However, she couldn't help but wonder 'what if'.

'But if Eichirou-sama requests of me…'

Her finger caressed her lips as her mind raced back to that moment.

They had been so close. Close enough to feel each other's warmth, to hear each other breathe. Had Eichirou simply turned a bit to face her and she reciprocated, they would have… … …

"NO! STOP IT! I shouldn't be thinking such things, dear me. What am I doing? Such shameful… I…" With her hands covering her face of vermillion, she rapidly shook her head left and right, thinking that doing so would get rid of the 'shameful thoughts' she was having. Resting back down on her chair, she sank into it, unable to keep the normal composure she was taught a Princess should have at all times. "Ah, mou. What is wrong with me today?"

She didn't know why it was wrong. But she did know the reason who.

"Eichirou-sama…"

KNOCK KNOCK

"HUE!" she made a strange voice as she jumped in surprise. Remembering her composure, she quickly fixed herself up and asked. "Who… Ahem, I mean, yes? Who is it?"

"Liliana-sama, it is I, your personal aide. I knocked to inform you that Yamamoto-sama has just arrived. Should I let him in now?"

Princess Liliana went into panic mode in under a second and began her strict checklist.

Room cleaned? Check.

Desk cleaned? Check.

Tea and snacks prepared? Check.

My appearance?

She glanced at the mirror. Her makeup was slightly off, but with a quick touchup and a quick run of her fingers through her blonde hair, it was better than it was a few moments ago.

Check check check!

'At least, this way, I look presentable to Eichirou-sama… Not in that way! NOT IN THAT WAY!'

KNOCK KNOCK

"Liliana-sama?" her maid knocked again.

Unable to do anymore to fix up what she still considered a mess, her heart and mind to be precise, she conceded and stood up to welcome her… guest. Yes, that's what Eichirou was. A guest. Just a guest. Nothing more.

'Please stop thinking,' she internally wanted to scream. "Please send him in."

"Understood. Then, Eichirou-sama."

"Thank you for waiting, Princess Liliana-sama."

The door opened and in stepped the man of her daydream—AHEM, the Apostle she accepted an invite to have tea with.

"A good day to have you, Eichirou-sama." Why they were having tea at her venue instead of his, she didn't know. But seeing as she was so eager to accommodate him, more for his stories than taking an actual break, she just had to volunteer her study. "Please, take a seat."

The study was a simple thing. Liliana didn't really like to have things clutter up during her work and studies so she decided that having a simple desk and a few bookshelves were enough. But when her mother, the Queen, stepped in, she had thought it looked a bit drab and decided on bringing in more than a few things.

The tea set was one. The tea table was another. Suddenly she had a few couches to accommodate five guests and herself along with a few music instruments she knew how to use and several vases and simple paintings as décor. And a grandfather clock.

'It's to show your character without you having to introduce yourself,' or so her mother would say.

The musical instruments were at least worth something. She could play the piano or violin when she was not working. Granted, it was more her practicing than actually playing but still, they were worth more than the vases with flowers that died. Those were better off outside or planted in the garden. Or the portraits of no one in particular that took up a whole bookshelf's worth of space. The clock was big, but at least it was a clock.

A few of the things she wanted to remove, namely the vases and paintings, but her mother would add more whenever she had the maids get rid of them. In the end, they just stayed were they were for all her guests to see.

The Princess noticed that Eichirou-sama eyed the piano in particular for a while before he moved on to taking a seat.

"Thank you again, my Lady, for accepting my invitation to tea." Eichirou-sama waited for her to take a seat before taking his own across hers. He knew gentleman's decorum, she noted. "For a while, I thought I would start losing myself with how vast your Library is."

"Ahahah. Surely, you jest, Eichirou-sama." She giggled at the thought, although she didn't understand how she found it so easy to do so when it wasn't even much of a joke. "The Head Maid has informed me that you've already finished studying Tortus' basic history. Your personal maid, Iselda-san informed her during the break you gave her. I must say, that was kind of you to give the girl some time off."

"It's not something too grand, my Lady," Eichirou simply shook his head in response while giving her a small smile. It sent a jittery feeling into the pit of her stomach. "I'm just not used to having people wait on me like that."

'Well, he did admit that he was a commoner in his world.' Liliana took a sip of tea from her cup. Her maid was laying one down for Eichirou as well which he gave a small nod in thanks for. 'Even still, he's too educated, knowing etiquette and more. Too much to be considered a mere commoner.'

The conversation took a turn on education. Liliana started checking whether Eichirou had actually accomplished his deed with Tortus' history books and he, in turn, surprised the princess with his understanding of the Kingdom's past, from its founding down to the current era's 'cold war', he puts it, with the devils.

"'Cold war', you say?" curious of the term, she tilted her head.

"It's a geopolitical term we use in my world that refers to conflict short of open warfare, my Lady." His face was slightly melancholic as he explained. "When countries or peoples silently agree that actual fighting is not good for either side but refuses to absolutely recognize peace between them."

"Has such a thing happened before? In your world, perhaps?"

"Yes, my Lady. And if not for political negotiations, cool-minded decision-making, and a small amount of luck, I would probably not be the one speaking to you about this, nor would any of my classmates be the Hero and his companions you think they would be."

Not a hint of a lie in his words. But not a hopeful tone either. In Liliana's lessons, she had been taught to notice such subtle nuances in a speaker's tone. What Eichirou spoke of could be considered a desperate moment in their world. She didn't understand how grave, but it was enough to send chills down this calm person's spine.

As she listened to his explanation of two nations vying for ideological supremacy, she noted how he thoroughly detailed political stances and each nation's circumstance as well as their leaders at the time. Such a refined understanding of politics and philosophy was surely beyond proof that he was above a commoner's level. He could very well rival a civil official of the country. Deciding to know why that is, she asked.

"You're pretty well versed in noble etiquette as well as a fair understanding of politics," she settled her cup in its saucer. "Even history lessons which took me months to get through, you were able to complete in a mere few hours. Could you tell me why that is, Eichirou-sama?"

"Huh?"

For once, he looked stumped. It was quite amusing for the young lady. One minute, he was speaking in a serious tone as he spoke of 'one wrong decision that could send the world into chaos'. Now, he looked confused, unable to answer a question about himself. It was… strange. At least, the princess thought he was so.

"Hmm. I can only answer two of those things with certainty, my Lady," he spoke with a small bow. "As for the latter, I could hazard a guess, if you would permit me."

"Ara, please explain."

"Etiquette and politics were something I caught on while travelling. You see, my father was quite an eccentric businessman. Ah, it would be the equivalent of a very influential merchant here in Tortus," he added, making sure she understood. "Because we would travel often, it became necessary for myself to understand how to act in front of important guests and respond accordingly. So my father hired a few tutors and specialists whenever we stayed in a certain place for a while."

"But I thought you said you were a commoner?" she asked, slightly surprised that a mere commoner would have the funds to travel the world AND get an education.

"Yes, I am, my Lady," he agrees with a knowing smile. "But in my world, meritocracy is the norm. We can no longer rely on just nobles to manage everything. So we turn to giving everyone, be they commoners or nobles, education. And when they reach a certain point, they can choose specializations, be it arts, politics, architecture, sciences and more."

The answer shocked the Princess. There had been a few countries that were run without monarchies but those were on a smaller scale. Eichirou saying that the majority of his world ran on a similar system would be like saying monsters were tamable by all humans and could be used as work animals or pets. It just seemed impossible.

Her questions on the education system provided on Earth continued. Having traveled his world extensively due to his father, Eichirou would probably know more about it than any of the other Apostles. Therefore, he was a goldmine of information. One that Liliana's every instinct as the First Princess of Heiligh Kingdom couldn't let go of.

Soon, Liliana forgot the original reason she wanted to have tea with Eichirou for, to listen to more of his stories, although, she would have to vehemently deny this. But in a way, he was telling a story. One about how his world worked. It was fascinating for the young girl. A world of such grand possibilities and great achievements. One where any hardworker could be recognized by their efforts in a field of their choosing.

It made her feel small and insignificant. And yet, it ignited a passion in her heart. It felt like a challenge to her very being. One where she had to prove she could do just as well, if not better in Eichirou's world than her own.

It was… strange.

But she had to admit. She liked the feeling.

"Such a wonderful place."

She sighed. Unconsciously, she wished she could experience such a place, to explore and expand her horizons even further. Alas, she was a daughter of a king. And in her very core, she knew that leaving all that would be the same as treason to her country, to the people she had to be responsible for. It was, therefore, a dream.

But it was in her right to dream, was she not?

"I hope I could get to visit your home, Eichirou-sama."

It was small talk. Musings of a bored princess, if you will. She never really expected a reply. It was why she suddenly felt her heart jump when he did.

"If you'd like, Liliana-himesama," his voice was gentle but inviting as well. "I could show you my world once I find a path back."

The selfish request she let slip was being answered by an Apostle of god. How could she not feel gratitude akin to her prayers being answered. She had to contain her excitement of course, but she could at least be happy he asked, right? Right?!

"Ah, that reminds me, Eichirou-sama," escaping was cowardly, yes. But her shame depended on it as she tried to stop her face from glowing. "Do you have someone waiting for you back in your world."

'Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Why THAT one?!' she internally screamed. She had been deep in contemplation previously about how she could assist him, but this was probably going too far. Or at least, her innocent heart thought so. 'Get over yourself, Liliana! He's an Apostle of Ehito-sama. You shouldn't pry into matters beyond your—!'

"Ah, yes. That's right, my Lady," he smiled. "I can be sure that two of them are missing me dearly right now."

"Two?" She asked with a dumbstruck expression.

"Yes, my Lady. Two."

'Two? Why two? I could understand if he had one. But then again, his stories point at the freedom from marriage so would that mean it was okay for more than one life partner? But wouldn't Ehito-sama look badly at that? No wait, this is an Apostle-sama so maybe Ehito-sama wouldn't bother. Does that mean it was fine for two people to devote their life to him as he would to them? Does that mean… Well, I don't want to assume… but maybe I could… Eichirou-sama and I could… we could… NONONONO STOP STOP STOPU!'

"Here you go, Lady Liliana."

As the Princess fought a losing mental battle to her inner desires, Eichirou pulled out a square piece of what appeared to be hard and smooth paper and passed it over the table to her.

"Eh, this is?" Suddenly being handed an object knocked her out of the mental showdown.

"This is a… well, I guess you could say it's a portrait."

"It's quite small," she noted at how thin it was as well. "And lighter than a parchment."

"Technology from my world could achieve such things easily," he stated with the lack of pride one would normally say. He was being humble about it again. "But going back to the main point, these are the two people I spoke off."

Liliana looked down on the image. Two people, a boy and a girl were smiling, as if they were doing it to her. They had a similar face and similarly bright smiles. The boy had short brown hair that wouldn't look off on a knight apprentice. The girl, on the other hand, had long and straight black hair so silky, Liliana thought it would shine under sunlight. To complement their nice looks, they had eyes the color of emeralds.

"They're quite young."

She wasn't surprised. Not at all. As a princess she might even be married off to some foreign prince or king at her age right now. What's one or two more years to political marriage. This one didn't look like it though, with how genuine the two in the image smiled as well as how Eichirou-sama's eyes seemed to glow with warmth.

'I'm jealous,' Liliana threw that thought away. "You must treasure them so much."

"Yes, well. I'm their older brother. How could I not cherish my siblings?"

"Eh?" He said it so matter-of-factly that Liliana paused in her train of thought and her response was similarly numbed. "This is your family?"

"Yes, my Lady," he beamed with pride. "Please, turn the photo around."

She did so, and she noted the family of five. An aging father with a wife and son sticking close to his face, uncomfortably Liliana thought, and two toddlers in the man's arms. She then noticed the son's peculiar eye color behind his glasses. They were violet. Just like Eichirou-sama's.

"You have such a beautiful family," she said while returning the photo.

'I regretfully apologize for assuming your relationship before getting the full story!' She internally screamed within the depts of her heart. 'As the Heiligh Kingdom's first Princess, my arrogance has disgraced you greatly. I humble request your forgiveness.'

Not that she could actually say such things out loud. It would be admitting the guilt to the crime she had yet to make him aware of. Silence is her salvation. And it would be best to stay quiet.

That said, she felt relieved at the news, something she refused to show on her face.

'Maybe… just maybe…'

She didn't get to say what was on her mind. Nor did she ever plan on doing so.

"Yes, my family's great. My siblings are amazing as well. You wouldn't believe how much trouble they bring me but in the end, I can't help but miss them so."

The look on his face as he kept the picture away said it all. He loved his family, adored them so. Then, Liliana bit on her lips. He missed them so. And it was her people that took him away from them. She must've had it written on her face as Eichirou's voice suddenly changed tones.

"Liliana-sama, don't beat yourself over this." He smiled. Even though it should have been he who must've wanted to cry as he did this morning. "Your people were desperate. And maybe, your god was too. There's no one to blame here."

His kind smile as she teared up forced the emotions out of her. The guilt, the frustration, the sadness. She may have been a princess, but she was no stranger to empathy. She was, after all, an older sibling as well.

Had it been her little brother or sister forcibly taken away from her to fight a war, even she would cry and worry.

She never noticed when he left his seat to offer a handkerchief. She only knew that she was using it to dry up her tears.

'How shameless,' she thought. 'To have an Apostle worry about me.'

But she didn't refuse it. She couldn't. Her instincts told her she should have kept her composure. But somehow, somewhere within her, she felt the need to be pampered. The want to be cradled in his arms.

Not that she actually did do it now! She had the sense to keep it from going too far, at least for now.

Teatime ended without another incident.

Her aide, which had put aside the used tea set was now promising to have Eichirou-sama's handkerchief washed and delivered to his room as soon as possible. Eichirou-sama, however, said it was unnecessary to rush and just requested for the maid to take her time. Such a kind man, he didn't feel like he saw himself very highly, but he may have been unaware at just how generous he was.

Any nobleman would have seen it as naivety or weak heartedness to wield power. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. Liliana simply saw a man who relied on his own and refused to trouble others with his problems.

In a way, it was troublesome. For Princess Liliana Heiligh wanted to find a way to repay the Apostle as well as the many others.

Then she noticed. He had glanced once again towards her piano. He had done so since they started and his gaze seemed to flit back there every now and then. The princess then thought that it was something familiar to Eichirou. That maybe, there was something about the piano that reminded him of his world. When asked, he simply said he missed the music from Earth.

'Maybe…' Liliana thought. 'I could ease his heart a bit.'

"Eichirou-sama, before you go, could you spare some time to listen to me play?" she spoke as she gestured over to the instrument. "I would like to have you critique music from Tortus and compare it with your world's."

"Well, if it's your request," he seemed oddly excited, the princess noted. "I'd be honored to, my Lady."

She sat down and lifted the cover off the keys. Soon, he was seated near her, in a separate seat of course. It would be difficult for her to play with him right next to her, for many reasons.

A moment of pause as her hands hovered over the keys.

And then, she played. The song itself was a simple tune. One with a strong melody that balanced between happiness and somber notes. It was an old tune that was used to tell the tale of the Heiligh Kingdom, from its creation to its rise, with its struggles and hardships, along with festivities and celebrations. A national song, it would be considered.

It wasn't her favorite tune, no. But it was one she knew she wouldn't fail to play from memory. Had she a copy of the sheets to her favorite, she would have played it over and over for Eichirou-sama to listen to. But then again, that may have annoyed him if he didn't like it.

Soon, it was done, the last note drawn to the end to signify Heiligh's resolve to fight the devils and monsters under the banner of Ehito and the Apostles he would send. It was a simple song of devotion and pride to the kingdom. She expected praises for how devoted she must be to be able to play it so well.

Clap Clap Clap

What she didn't expect was Eichirou clapping. Softly, not to mock her skill, but as if to gently tell her she played well. His genuine smile said it all. He was really impressed, but not by the song.

"To complete a long tune such as this, without breaking composure and remaining elegant all throughout," he slowly stopped clapping and looked to her with a knowing smile. "My Lady, you must have been practicing diligently all this time, haven't you?"

He was impressed by her. Her efforts to learn and play the song without missing a beat.

Somehow, her heart, which had been beating hard through her performance, was beating even louder. So loud in fact that she thought Eichirou-sama could hear it beat from where he sat, if it was even possible.

"Th… Thank you, Eichirou-sama," she accepted praise were she would receive it. "How… how did you like the song?"

He looked at the piano with a difficult face for a while. Probably thinking of the words to say without offending her.

"It wasn't bad, I would say," he finally spoke up. "Such a song really is suited for the piano, but I can't say it really shook my soul."

"'Shook your soul'?"

Liliana tilted her head, unable to understand what the soul had to do with music. She had been taught that music was supposed to be played to praise and thank Ehito-sama's greatness. The song she had performed was all about such things but mainly how Ehito helped build her country, the Heiligh Kingdom. It was one of the reasons why she knew the song well enough to be able to play it without making any mistakes.

But then, she thought something different. It was how unique Eichirou-sama saw music. He didn't seem to think it was only about praising one's deity. Curious, Princess Liliana made a request.

"Could you please demonstrate it for me," she cutely bit her lip while saying so with determined eyes. "How music could shake one's soul?"

"Well," unaware of just how determined the face she was making, Eichirou had to pause for his answer. "If you wish, my Lady…"

Absentmindedly, Liliana moved slightly on the piano's bench. Enough to give him room to play, but ALSO enough for her to sit next to him as he played. He sat down, taking her invitation, so to speak. He had already started to play that it was too late for her to get up and grab another seat. The song had already started.

"This is a favorite of my siblings," Eichirou explained softly. He was close enough for her to hear him whisper. "It's titled 'Medley of a Lull in the Sea' by someone named Ane Menz."

Liliana heard what could be described as raindrops falling into the sea. A melody so fragile and yet so graceful, it couldn't be anything but. A joyful tune, one of childish fun. Of innocence and curiosity to the vast and wonderful world of water.

Suddenly, the tone shifted. It suddenly turned to a nostalgic one. Like the water had gone from cool to slightly warm. Like the depths of the warm sea enveloping her in a nostalgic embrace. He played with the tune going up and down, gently and ever so warmly like a kind memory.

The next change brought with it a strange feeling. It brought to mind the same nostalgia, but one with a more mature, a more accepting outlook. It was till a happy tune, but one with more life, more future and wishful thinking than the other. To Liliana, such a feeling was new, but it was nevertheless accepted warmly.

The last dropped to melancholy of a cold ocean depth. One that at first seemed to grow darker and darker, until eventually, she was surrounded by colors from the deep. The music brought with it the vibrant colors hidden by the sea. And how lonely traversing such a glorious sight would be. However, she wasn't alone. Playing the song with playful care and a kind expression, she saw Eichirou, smiling as a child would.

The music picked up and suddenly even Liliana felt her heart did too. How he played, how he was expressing himself as he played.

How warmly he was smiling.

It was as if to say he was there performing for it was fun. He had found it fun and was thoroughly enjoying himself with the music.

With her.

She instantly dashed that selfish thought away as Eichirou slowly ended his performance. Slowly, and gently, he let the tune play along until it was silent.

"It's… That was… amazing," her words were limited. Such a vibrant tune, so unlike her own performance which was monotonous and plain. The difference was astounding. But it was also awe-inspiring. "That was… beautiful."

"I agree, my Lady. This song has a story of its own. One of bewildering romance, harmonious innocence and the bittersweet flavor of growing up." That piqued her interest. As much as she liked the music, she could never quell her want for stories. "If you'd like, I could share that with you next time."

She agreed. Wholeheartedly agreed. Actually, forget next time, they should discuss it now—!

BONG BONG

The grandfather clock chimed in with the time.

'Damn!' her tongue silently clicked. 'Time's up.'

Of all the things in her room, she wished she had gotten rid of the clock first instead. The damn thing ruined the moment.

"Ara, would you look at that," Eichirou spoke with a slight hint of regret in his voice as he stood up. "I guess it's time I take my leave, Lady Liliana."

She didn't want him to leave so soon, but she knew it was bad manners to stop him from doing his research. It was her people's fault after all.

"It would seem so," she agreed as she joined him walking towards the door. It was obviously so, but she still couldn't help but muse about it. "How regrettable. I would like to hear the story next time."

"Then," Eichirou suddenly said. "Would you permit me to come again two days from now?"

"Two—… two days…?"

Her train of thought suddenly stuttered. Normally such an appointment wouldn't be done until about a week after. And yet, here he was asking if it was alright with her to come again so soon? How could she accept such a thing? It would be shameless as a princess. It was arrogant for her to think she could just selfishly take his time. In her right mind, she wouldn't even think of… think of…

"Yes, well." He scratched his cheek while attempting to explain. "I will be busy testing my findings tomorrow, and I think it would be rude to just intrude on your prior engagements without setting an appointment—"

"TWO DAYS—! Ahem," she almost shouted over his explanation. "Yes… two days from now… will be… fine…." She continued so in a near whisper while covering her mouth and shyly averting her gaze. But as they stood so, soooo close to one another, it was difficult to NOT hear her. "I'll see you then, Eichirou-sama."

He nodded with a charming smile. She couldn't look as she was already too embarrassed. But as he bowed low to her, she absentmindedly offered her hand. In the heat of the moment, she failed to notice she wasn't wearing any gloves. Seeing her forward hand, he reacted accordingly and kissed her on her knuckles.

"I wish you a good two days then, Lady Liliana-sama."

Soon, the door was closed and it was just Liliana and her personal maid. After a moment of silence and slowly struggling to get back to her seat, the maid spoke up.

"Liliana-oujousama?"

"Hm?"

"Should I get you some water?"

"Hm."

"Understood. Please excuse me."

"Mmm…"

Understanding the subtleties to her lady's current mental status, the maid quickly used this time to escape and leave her highness to contemplate everything that had just happened. There was a pitcher of water already present in the room, yes. But she would still act like she was getting water to leave the child to herself for a while. She might have been the Princess, but to the eyes of her nursemaid and aide, she was but a child who had much to learn. About men and how to react to them.

It was regrettable that the maid herself, someone who had devoted her entire life to taking care of the Princess could not explain in simple terms. Life was never that easy.

But if the Princess could learn how to handle her own feelings for the better, it would mature her into the perfect Queen.

Or so the maid was told to by the current Queen herself.

"Uwawawawawawaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

The maid smiled softly as she stood by outside. The muffled cries of her Lady went unnoticed, at least, on the surface. Not one of the guards would speak of this if they heard. They respected Liliana-himesama for her hardworking soul too much to disgrace her and any lowly maid that dares gossip would face the personal aide's wrath themselves. But now, she just wishes the little girl named Liliana S.B. Heiligh could vent out all her embarrassment soon. It wouldn't do for her to keep too much stuffed in her chest as her emotions showed far too easily than she realized.

Even without peeking into the room, she knew just how red the little girl's face was.

'Yamamoto Eichirou-sama, truly, you are the worst opponent for the innocent Liliana-himesama.'

The maid kept that thought to herself, wondering just how long Liliana would come to terms at just how hard she might've fallen for the guy.

Well, drat. I did not fix what needed fixing.

I did need to clear up the misunderstanding this morning, but maybe it was because she asked if I missed someone that I just slipped into the 'proud oniichan' mode.

Fuck me, I need to focus.

Leaving the Princess' study, I began my journey back to my room. The warm afternoon sun was slowly sinking in the horizon from my view at the hallway's window. Night was falling and it was starting to get chilly too. As I walked, my thoughts centered on the mess that I hadn't actually resolved.

But at least she doesn't think I'm odd. At least, not the 'crazy' kind of odd. She was really interested in how modern Earth worked so she may have some interest there. Similarities between our worlds exist. Too much, I would say. When you hear the words 'different world' you'd expect there to be some alien plants or wildlife or maybe a hostile environment filled with monstrosities and abnormal illnesses.

Only half the latter got that right.

I looked out the window and saw the garden, slightly dimmed by the dusk light. Flowers of all kinds were planted around, similar to many others that I've seen across the Netherlands and other countries. There were other proofs too.

The furniture and architecture within the palace were physical ones. The Church of Saints and monarchy of Heiligh were ideological and religious evidences as well, if not a bit primitive compared to modern day Earth.

I didn't expect there to be a piano. God, I really missed playing in ours back home. So much so that I just played an old favorite before the princess without even thinking about the differences in culture. She looked like she enjoyed it, but what if the same couldn't be said for the church? Heck, for all I knew, they might say any music not praising their god could be considered blasphemy!

Whether or not the princess actually held interest in me or my world, the way she had kept her eyes on me is more than enough to cause a misunderstanding. If the classmates saw just how interested Princess Liliana was with my stories, they would start rumors assuming she was interested in me and not the stories. That's not bad. Just to be real, I wouldn't be proud of being the guy to 'snag a princess of another world'. That is in and of itself a whole shitstorm I never want to be in with all the political mumbo jumbo.

Let's not forget the fact that she's also a minor! I don't care if social norms of Earth don't apply. It feels so… so wrong to do that. Like seeing Daiki start dating a ten-year-old. Or Hanami being picked up by a college student. And both of them are currently still in middle school. Ok, now I'm both disgusted and royally pissed!

DAMN YOU, EHITO! YOU MADE ME THINK ALL THIS!

Hold up! Breathe. And release. Breathe and release. Better? Good.

Unintentionally, I had stopped walking to gather my thoughts. The guards nearby didn't flinch at my presence, probably because they were ordered to assist and not bother the Apostles too much. But the nearest one that saw my expression was nervously glancing my way. He probably saw the tired face I was making and didn't know what to do or say. In the end, I just went on my way, not knowing the guard kept his eye on me until I disappeared around the corner.

Going back, classmates, rumors, bad. But that problem could be solved easily by just ignoring it and moving on.

However, there's the Church and the King to consider as well.

Since Eliheid was a real worshipper of the pope—, I mean, the Church, he may like having his daughter get close to an 'Apostle' such as myself or the others. It would probably put him in Ehito's good graces if a god's Apostle, even if it wasn't me, got hitched with the Princess. So to speak, it'd be like undeniable proof that this country was blessed by god. Eliheid would probably be onboard with the idea.

But he was also a pawn of Ishtar.

That was not good. Not at all. If there's anything he can use against me, it's Princess Liliana. Call my bluff as a believer of 'Anima' and not 'Ehito', I might as well be a heretic. A heretic fraternizing with the royal princess who is but a child is an affair that will not be easily forgiven. Worst case, I hang or maybe burn, and the Princess gets stuck in a convent. Worse comes to pass, she's trapped with Creepy McGee.

Aside from a scandal, he could have spies put under her to watch my every move. He has the advantage. I don't know who to trust and Lady Liliana will be too trusting of them all. Any information I divulge or discuss with her would go directly to Popee himself. If he can't find a chink in my defenses, he could poison me through the maids or, most horrible plan, poison Liliana and blame it on me.

Me being dead or imprisoned aside, I can't involve the innocent girl in this problem.

From the talks we had as well as my careful observation of the girl, she was pretty much the definition of a perfect honor student. Not by talent. Even better, through hard work. From what I discussed with the librarian, Liliana was more devoted to her work and studies than she actually was to the Church. There was hope there.

I at least know now that not all of the Royals are mere puppets to Ishtar. Shame the same can't be said for the class with Amanogawa at the helm. They're just scared. That I understand. But it didn't excuse the stupid reasoning of the guy's 'we must fight to protect the humans of this world'.

First of all, even if we and the people here are both considered human, we were likely not even the same race. People of Tortus had magic and stats. Such things were impossible for Earthlings. Yes, somehow my classmates, and maybe I, got the whole magic, stats and skills treatment too, but that didn't mean we were the same as those of Tortus. We were practically alien here.

Secondly, it wasn't the full story. No matter where I looked in their history books, reading and rereading, even looking through the so called 'religious texts', I could not find the history of other races other than 'they are not blessed by Ehito, therefore kill or enslave them all'. That'd be like walking into the Vatican archives and all you find on Muslims is where they are and how to murder them because they were heretics. It was just human propaganda. And there was no way to prove demi-human or devil innocence. Hence, choosing to fight for the 'humans' of Tortus was the only reasonable option.

Damn it. They were scared and there was no way to prove that the path to war was wrong.

My fist balled up tightly as I reviewed my findings.

I have no way of preventing a war. I accepted that fact. The least I could do was try to show them that it was a bad idea. I knew somehow it would be hard to convince them to just help me find a way back. I didn't expect it to be this hopeless, however.

Welp, fuck it. If I can't save everyone, I'll just find a way to save who I can.

Stopping as soon as I reached the corridor leading to the dinner hall, I heard noises. It was the class. They were all happily discussing their day, eating their meals while being rowdy. A positive change compared to yesterday when they all kept quiet and nervous.

It was a weird thing. Yesterday, they were kidnapped. Today, it was like they were having a field trip. I couldn't hear Hatayama-sensei's voice. Probably she was too nervous to be as cheery as the others. They were making do by hiding their anxiety through laughter. As the responsible adult, Hatayama Aiko probably didn't want to ruin their escapist fantasy but didn't know what to do otherwise.

Somehow, I didn't feel like joining them. Like Hatayama-sensei, I didn't feel like being too merry right now. It was the end of the first day as the Church's captive. I didn't have enough of a Stockholm syndrome to get along with the people of Tortus. I was polite to the maids, guards, royal family and the priests, the last being as minimal as possible, but that didn't mean I accepted this fate.

Bluffing about my god being mad at Ehito for taking us was a real fat lie. Scamming the king by getting help from Earth is an even more bad idea. Makes me guilty for suggesting becoming his friend too. Entertaining the princess on my off time is potential danger that even my siblings would probably pick up on.

Anymore and I increase the risk of blowing my cover. Being interviewed by the class in front of the king is as good as a court hearing. Silence would seal my fate if someone decided to ask something stupid. Hiyama and Amanogawa are potential risk factors. And While Hatayama-sensei would mean well, there's a chance she might say something off-putting. Better to make an Endou and just disappear into the background.

I'll be sure to make it up to the guy for dissing him by finding a way home early.

"Um, Yamamoto-sama?"

Oh, right. She's been following me this whole time.

"What is it, Iselda-san?"

"Do you not wish to have dinner? The rest of the Apostles have probably just started. It wouldn't be too late to join them."

True, I needed to eat. But I really didn't want to get in there. Like at all.

"Hm," I was already wearing a worn-out expression, so I might as well act like it as well. "I'm feeling slightly tired right now. I guess I'll just turn in early for the night."

"Understood. Then," Iselda asked as innocently as I could tell. "Would you like me to set aside your portion and deliver it to your room?"

If the pope wants to poison me, now's the time. This innocent-looking maid would be the delivery as well as a scapegoat if need be. But there shouldn't be anything off about me that would warrant such extreme measures. Not yet, at least. So maybe, just maybe, I'll be fine for today.

"If you could do that, I'd be grateful," I politely responded. "Oh, and if anyone asks, please tell them I tired myself out reading too much from the Library."

I tried making my most exhausted expression yet. She must've bought it because she immediately bowed and left to do my bidding. Nothing left to do, I quickly walked past the hall's doors. I walked as fast as I could without rousing suspicion and slipped back into my room, unseen by anyone except the guards.

Taking off the coat and placing it on the nearby chair, I placed the inner pocket contents onto the table and took off the rest of my tight-fitting vest, including the dress shirt, before laying down on the comfy bed half-naked.

I sank into the sheets without a care in the world. My thoughts went back to review this long, loooong day. So few things happened but there were so many new discoveries about this world. It was a surprise to be able to do magic, but the shock value had diminished due to the circumstances of being trapped against my will. At least Kousuke and Hajime were cool about it. And the princess wasn't as bad as I thought. I still need to clear up things with her but at least I knew she wasn't corrupted by the pope, yet. What else did I miss? Oh right!

I got back up, reluctantly, and sat myself next to the table. On top of it was my family photo, something I had to keep my eye on at all times, and the plate Kousuke handed me a while back.

Thinking about it, I totally forgot it existed until now. I guess I should check it out. Taking a letter opener from the table, basically a small knife with a blade as long as my middle finger, and nicking the smallest of cuts to my thumb, I stuck the small wound onto the engraving.

"Whoa, what the—!"

The small plate shone a light that brightly lit up my dark room. Had the drapes been pulled aside, the light would've surely spilled out into the night sky.

Strangely, the light seemed to flicker for a bit. Like it was a phone lacking battery power to fully turn on. That was if said 'phone' was actually a 'spotlight' and by 'flicker', I meant the light was 'sputtering to life and dying out'. Once it was gone, I took a look back at the device and checked around it if anything was broken.

Huh, weird. Kousuke never mentioned it shining before.

"Status Open." Deciding that I should be able to check it now, I spoke the words. "Now then, what did I get—?!"

.

.

.

"What the FU—"

"Fuuuh," The young maid let out a sigh as she walked the corridors alone, pushing a cart with a few trays atop it. 'I wonder if Yamamoto-sama would enjoy eating alone.'

She had been a bit worried about the Apostle put under her care ever since he came out from Princess Liliana's study. Judging by his expression, he was exhausted and needed rest. But he wasn't so much tired before his appointment with Liliana-himesama. That left the question:

What had exhausted him so much?

'Was it the reading?' she thought about it.

Having learned how to read as part of the requirements for working in the palace, Iselda found it difficult enough to continuously study a book. More so that it was hard to grasp concepts and having to study multiple languages made it even harder. Not to say that she didn't appreciate the added repertoire of skills. Being able to converse multiple languages would allow her to read and write whenever needed. But she still preferred manual labor over mental ones.

That is to say, she thought Yamamoto Eichirou as impressive. Just skimming through a book from a world not his own, he found what he needed in a little under a day and had moved on to another topic before Iselda could even notice. Such skill and comprehension of new topics was enough to convince the girl that the Apostle must have been better than the scribes or mages that served in the Royal Court. Those civil officers and magicians had to take years of training in order to cast simple magic and yet it only took Yamamoto-sama a few glances at a book, copying its magic circle inscription, and casually chanting the words to perform a perfect casting of light magic.

Truly, if not his skill, his status as an Apostle made him more adept at such things more than the mere humans of Tortus.

But if he was able to accomplish all that through reading without so much as a drop of sweat, then it probably wasn't the library that tired him out. But there was only one other probable answer.

Thinking about it, the First Princess of Heiligh wasn't one to tire another out through casual conversation. She was pretty civil and methodical. Any orders or statements given by her were clear and straight to the point. The young maid just couldn't see her as someone who would bore another out or waste their time. Her refined and graceful mannerisms in fact would've kept her partner attentive at all times.

'Then again, she appeared to be infatuated with Yamamoto-sama, so that might have had something to do with it.'

The princess was a very reserved person. She was never one to be forward in terms of interaction. She always listened and waited before making her move. Could it be that she was making advances on the Apostle that he was suddenly overwhelmed?

'You are a maid.' The maid shook the thoughts from her head. 'You work for the palace. You shouldn't think that way about your employers. Even if the princess is trying to get close with Yamamoto-sama, it isn't of your concern. Just focus on your duty!'

"Fuuuh," the sigh grew louder.

Iselda wanted to silence her woes. But the heart in her chest refused to stop thumping wildly whenever she saw his face.

'Maybe I'm just sick,' she thought. 'I should probably go ask one of the others for some medicine.'

By others, she meant the senior, or older, maids. Although they could be a handful sometimes, they always meant well. They tease, yes. But they looked out for one another. The princess' personal maid was extremely generous in that regard as she was one of, if not the oldest, of the servants in the palace. She also used to be Liliana-himesama's nursemaid as well. She could ask them for help when she needed it.

Except for the Head Maid.

That one was as strict as a devil's magic was powerful and she would be the very last person Iselda would go to for help. The woman was old and experienced, sure. But she was just as scary and overwhelming as any of the monsters that dwelled in the Sea of Trees, or so the saying among the maids went.

Rumors say she used to be an adventurer who retired after most of her party was killed. Others said she was a nun of Ehito who was given a vision to work as a maid for the king in god's service. Then there were the crazy ones where it was said she was actually a devil who sacrificed many demi-human slaves to achieve the youth and appearance of a human woman. So the tales about her go.

But if there was one thing Iselda learned she should never do, that was to never fail the Head Maid's expectations for she was terrifying when you didn't know if she was angry or disappointed.

Iselda had never met a devil before, but the terrifyingly cold visage of that old hag was close enough for a depiction of one.

"—UCK?!"

Suddenly, the sound of someone shouting jumped Iselda out of her thoughts. Looking towards the source, it came from the corridors that led to the Apostles' chambers. As every one of them was now having dinner with the exception of one, Iselda knew which door to approach first.

KNOCK KNOCK

She rapped on the door first then made her presence known.

"Yamamoto-sama?! Is there a problem?"

When no reply came forth, she tried to lean forward and listen for any movement in the room. When she didn't hear anything, she tried knocking once more, however, the door suddenly swung inward. With her still leaning on the hard wood.

"Woah—!" A surprised voice shouted. "Iselda-san? Are you alright? What happened?!"

'That's what I want to know!' she internally screamed as she clung onto his topless, naked form.

BADUMP

She felt it once.

BADUMP BADUMP

She actually felt it twice.

BADUMPBADUMPBADUMP

She couldn't tell if it was hers beating so fast or his overpowering her eardrums but she pulled her act together and stood up straight. Granted, he had to lend her support as she tripped on her legs on the way in.

"I-I… I heard a loud noise outside!" she stuttered as she tried making her excuse. "I tried knocking but you didn't respond."

She was stammering, unable to decide where to look. Hence, she was left to just glare at his solid and surprisingly smooth stomach.

BADUMP

She realized the rudeness of her conduct and tried to right it.

"For… For falling into your strong arms like that, this maid humbly requests your forgiveness, Yamamoto-sama!"

She bowed a perfect ninety. And she didn't rise until he spoke up and ordered her to do so. She almost blatantly refused that order as well as she couldn't stand exposing her red-hot face to his red-hot bod.

"No, I should apologize. For causing Iselda-san to worry so much for me, I truly am an ungrateful guest. Sorry for the trouble, Iselda-san."

"Uh, eh, no. It's… It's not…Yamamoto-sama is not at fault," she stutters at his apology. "I was just… worried. After all… I was bringing Yamamoto-sama's dinner as he requested it…"

"Ah, perfect timing." Yamamoto-sama sheepishly scratched his head. "I noticed the smell so I accidentally tripped getting off the bed."

"Pfft—!" Iselda stifled her laughter but caught it before it could fully escape. She thought it was cute, but she couldn't just say that now, could she? Trying not to release her mirth, she responded. "I-Is that so. I-I see."

Regaining from her fluster of emotions, she carted in the meal and began to lay it out on his table. She was being very careful and noticed the small and surprisingly thin portrait next to the coat that he was not wearing.

She would have blushed had she not noticed it was a portrait of a family. A familiar boy looked like the younger version of the young man standing next to her. Topless. Ehito be damned, why was he still naked! Oh, thank god, he's wearing his dress shirt—oh Ehito, why?! Why is that making him look hotter?!

CLANK

The maid's thoughts went unverbalized as she laid down the food tray with a loud noise. Fortunately, none of the tray's contents splashed or sprayed anywhere. So she quickly stood back and allowed the Apostle to eat. The entire time she kept trying to glance away from him, and despite his invitation to eat with him, she politely refused. It would be beyond arrogance for her to accept such a thing. That being said, she couldn't stop glancing back at the portrait on the table. He probably noticed as well, seeing as she kept glancing at his body then to the photo then back.

"Is this your family?" she finally asked, unable to control her curiosity. Internally slapping herself, she made to retract her statement. "My apologies. I was just curious."

"No, no. There's no need to apologize." He smiled. Warmly. Even though he looked so tired, he seemed to enjoy having something to talk about. "This is my family. My mother, father, and two siblings."

Iselda noted. Although Yamamoto-sama spared her a glance as he answered, he kept the warm gaze on his family. He must miss them, so she thought. Maybe it was because he was also curious or that they were on the topic, but he asked as well.

"What about you, Iselda-san? Do you have family?"

"… Yes. My mother and brother."

Her response was quite silent. There was a reason for that. Unlike his family which looked happy and well, she had forgotten how long ago since she saw her mother's healthy smile.

"What about your father?" he asked.

"He disappeared after Leo, after my brother was born."

She didn't want to talk about that man, but if the Apostle asked, would refusing be considered offensive? But maybe, she need not have worried. For it seemed even Yamamoto-sama was sensitive enough to not ask. Instead, he spoke about someone else.

"Leo, it's a beautiful name. Is he a strong child, your brother?"

Iselda didn't know why he would ask, but nonetheless responded.

"Yes, he is. Leo's been a good child. Even though mother has been weak for most of his life, he has always smiled for both our sakes and worked hard for us all."

'In the absence of their father' went unsaid. But it was implied. For some reason, this brought a smile to Yamamoto-sama's face. Why was that, she wondered. It must've showed on her face as he responded to her unspoken question.

"I see even in another world, things such as sibling love still exists." He had a nostalgic smile, as if reminiscing his own family, Iselda thought. "Tell me, Iselda-san. Would you do anything for your brother and mother?"

She didn't know why the Apostle was asking. Maybe it was to test her faith, or maybe to check her mettle to work as a maid in the palace. Either way, her answer was always clear. Despite how hard she had to work. She would never say it wasn't worth it if it was for her family.

"Yes, Yamamoto-sama."

She replied with a determined gaze. Her answer must've pleased him, for his own analytical gaze narrowed, then relaxed.

"I see." He then finished his meal and allowed her to clean up. As she was about to leave, he added. "Your pope, Ishtar Lombard, once said that Ehito rewards those that offer their services in his name. However, my god has something else to say about that."

Staring deep into her eyes, she almost blushed if not for the heavy tone he continued with.

"Anima challenges all no matter their circumstances, and only those that are truly deserving receive not the reward they desire, but the reward they require."

In other words:

'Anima will test you and, if you succeed, you will get what you deserved.'

Quite different from Ehito-sama's teachings of 'Serve and be rewarded'. There seemed to be a trial of sorts. But if this was the word of an Apostle, it wouldn't do to just ignore it. She may have been just a maid, but she was a child of faith as well.

If an Apostle of Ehito-sama was telling her she was going to be tested by his god called Anima, she must listen and take heed of it.

"Then, I shall do my best to not disappoint."

She bowed low to offer respect to the Apostle and closed the door as she left.

All this time, she was unaware of Yamamoto's subtle attempt at fishing for a spy. And her response was instead taken as 'if your god tries, Ehito-sama will prevail'.

Needless to say, Yamamoto Eichirou now had two problems pestering him as he tried to sleep. One being the contents of his Status Plate, the other was him being completely sure that his maid was the Church's spy.

Regrettably, he didn't get a wink of sleep that night.

On the other hand, a maid slept soundly, wondering what kind of trials from Anima awaited her as well as dreaming of the rewards her brother and mother would enjoy upon her passing of it.

She also dreamed of the feeling of being on his chest. The subtle thumps of the heart, either hers or his. And the warmth of his embrace.

That is until she fell off her bed and woke on the cold, hard floor to the interrogating gazes of her fellow maids, wondering who this 'goshujin-sama' of her sleep talks was.

Nope, still not guaranteeing this as a regularly updated fic. I might pass out one day and let the week go by before I update it in the future, so don't expect me to keep it regular.

I won't post the Status Plate. Maybe next week. Maybe. Don't even know if tables even work in ffnet.

If the story's getting boring, it's because I'm doing it at my own pace. Can't do it the same as the web novel, with two weeks going by in under 3 chapters. Dafuq is that supposed to be?!

Oh, yeah, the anime came out. Yep absolutely glorious garbage as expected of 2019. Wonderful time to be alive everybody! Amiryt?! Can I get an 'Amen'?!

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No one? Seriously? You guys suck. What? You expect moi to pander to you? Bois, and grils (if any), you peeps do understand this place is ffnet and not whatpad, right?

Anyways, this is chap 3. Enjoy. Don't understand something, tell me. Maybe I missed something in checking. I'm doing a magic lecture next chap, so wait on that if you dare.

Also, to the 15 new Favs and 15 new Followers, you better double check if you're really gonna enjoy this. I can't promise anything. Want proof? Look at my other train wrecks that still haven't gotten back up.