Inside an observatory in the Lower Realm, Mousai, the lower goddess, bids farewell to Lyrica.
"You sure took your time watching over that kid, huh?"
Said the God of Earth with an eerie voice.
"And I didn't think the God of Earth would be watching over me all this time in secret," Mousai replied. "What do the people of your world describe it again? Is it pervert? Hentai? Or perhaps ecchi?"
"Your world is using the same language as mine!" The God of Earth elevated his voice in anger. "Do you know how much trouble I'm getting for trying to defend you from the Higher Gods?! Now get your ass up here before they release their wrath upon us and our worlds!"
Just like that, Mousai makes her way to the Higher Realm.
...
Meanwhile, Lyrica and the others managed to get a good rest after conversing with one another. During that time, Lyrica learned something that boggles her mind.
The four heroes. According to the rumors, they are the four people that were summoned in Alteria. But according to the voice, Lyrica is the fifth person that got transported in Alteria, albeit she didn't mention the first four being heroes.
It's highly unlikely that the four heroes and the first four the voice mentioned are different people. It is safe to assume that the voice and the rumors are talking about the same individuals.
'But that's not the real issue here. It's what they're called.' Lyrica worriedly mumbled to herself.
Why do the rumors call them heroes? Where are they? And what is the reason behind their summoning? So many questions, yet there are no answers given.
'How troublesome...'
"So, what do you do?"
Riko's voice dragged Lyrica out of her thoughts.
"Do you have a place to go to?"
"Ah..."
A problem presents itself before Lyrica. The voice sent her to another world. While she did help her learn about the world, her magic ability, and some other things, the voice left her unprepared for the coming night.
'I don't have any money on me. But again, their currency is different from ours. No way I can rent some kind of apartment at this rate.'
"If you want to, you can come with us to our hometown." Riko kindly offered to the girl. "You can take a rest at my place until you've fully healed."
"Are you sure?"
"Just think of it as my way to pay you back for your help."
"Look here, you can't just let someone you don't know in your house! That's dangerous!" Lyrica argued to the young knight.
"Look, we know you're a snobbish little brat."
Magdalo interjected all of a sudden, setting Lyrica's snobbish attitude ablaze.
"Ha?!"
"But we also believe you're not the kind of person who would exploit someone else's kindness."
Magdalo's words left the girl speechless. Still, she hates the fact that Riko would allow someone he just encountered a few minutes go inside his home. To Lyrica, no matter how kind a person is, no matter what good they did to earn someone's kindness, trust is something she will not give easily to anyone.
"We will not force you to come with us," Said Riko. "Either you'll come with us, or go on a separate way. The choice is yours, and we will respect it either way."
Once again, Riko extends his hand onto Lyrica.
Lyrica didn't have a choice, to begin with. The sun indicates that it's already afternoon. She doesn't have any place to go, she can't spend the night in the forest either. Otherwise, she'd be hunted by the Guardian Snake and other monsters in the dark.
At this moment, Lyrica knew, there's only one thing she can do.
'How troublesome...'
And that is to accept Riko's kindness.
Grab!
As their hands connect, Riko pulls Lyrica up from the ground.
"It'll take a couple of hours to reach the town by walking," Said the young knight to Lyrica. "There will be monsters on the way, so it's best to keep going and not take a break."
"Walking is just a breeze, I can manage it."
Riko is glad that walking will not be a problem for their guest.
"I'm not against it, either. But..."
"I wish we could use our horses."
Roberto and Marlo interjected.
Their statements raise a question to Lyrica.
"Where are the horses?"
Cardo answered the girl, saying they left the horses right where they are standing.
"Seeing that they're missing, and without any signs of them being murdered, the commander must have taken all the horses with him."
Magdalo uttered.
"Commander?"
Lyrica begins to remember the last words of the man she assumed to be the commander right before he left everyone.
"You're all fools!"
"Seems like he cares more about the horses rather than his own men." She scoffed.
"There's no helping it." Marlo shrugs his shoulders while making an awkward expression on his face. "He probably thought we were all gonna die for trying to confront the Guardian Snake."
Lyrica gave Marlo an incredulous gaze.
"To be honest, even I would have done the same," Roberto added. "But my heroism keeps me from doing such a thing."
"Oh shut it, Roberto."
"We all know you'd do what the commander did if you weren't with us."
Lyrica continues to look at everyone incredulously as they laugh with one another.
"You guys..."
Lyrica takes everyone's attention.
"Aren't you angry at the commander, at all? The guy's left you for dead and you're all laughing?"
If she were in their position, she would hate the commander for the rest of his life.
Riko and the rest look at each other in complete silence. Strangely, Lyrica noticed something weird from the glint on everyone's eyes. It's as if they know something they don't want Lyrica to know, making her feel a bit conscious.
Just then, Magdalo steps in between the girl, Riko, and the others.
"It's true that we hated him for leaving us behind. To be perfectly honest, even I thought the same thing as the commander at one point." Magdalo shamefully told everyone. "But when you think about it, that's just really how life works."
There's a point in everyone's life where they are forced to make decisions. And sometimes, these decisions would breed hatred. But can you really hate someone for making such a decision?
No. Because everyone goes through the same thing at some point in their lives. That's how life works.
"No man wants to live a life filled with hate," Magdalo uttered, keeping the girl silent. "Nothing lasts forever. Not even hatred."
Right then, Lyrica recalled the faces of the two people she hated, making her frown intensely.
Lyrica let out a defeated sigh afterwards.
"All right, you guys win. I'll shut my mouth, so let's get going."