"Please wait here for a moment."
I, Takamiya Shota, went to a certain place with all the students in the school.
We were summoned to this world, all of the students have calmed down at their own pace…and, we have spoken to the humans that have summoned us…
Those guys who summoned us were wrapped up in robes that have only been seen in games and mangas while each having a staff in their hands. The magicians appeared to be unpleasant.
At first, each representative did a self-introduction with each other, thereafter, for reasons unknown, the teachers were taken to another place by the people in robes.
For that reason, there is now only students in this place. Where on Earth have they been taken to?
"Well…what are we to do waiting here?"
"Probably, we would be taken to meet the king that summoned us"
The one to answer Kenji's murmur is the always calm and collected Kannazuki-senpai.
As Kannazuki-senpai said, at the place where we were made to wait, there is a large wooden door with an elaborate design present in the room before our eyes.
There is a person of high status inside, the feeling is amazing.
The road before arriving at the door is adorned with vases and pictures displayed high up. In a world where electricity probably does not exist and the chandelier are also not lit up ordinarily by the fire of candles, the solution to light is probably the so called "magic".
After thinking about this and that, Kannazuki-senpai said in a clam voice.
"It is inconsequential who we meet from now on. But, above all else, I am worried about the teachers."
To say that whatever happens is inconsequential…but, as one would expect from the daughter of the Kannazuki group who muttered this, she is probably already used to meeting with big shots. She is completely not showing any nervousness.
While predicting what will occur from now on with each other, a person to guide us appeared again.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. From now on our Heroes-sama shall meet the king. I sincerely ask you to not act carelessly."
As the man said so, the door before our eyes opened.
The surrounding was filled with a tensed air.
Similarly, I am also tensed.
It has to be an important person akin to Kannazuki-senpai to not be tensed in a place like this.
"So then, this way…"
We, as urged by the man, set our foot into the room.
When I went inside, the spectacle of a gorgeous palace, like those in stories jumped into my view.
In the innermost area, there is a person sitting on a pointlessly luxurious chair and to the left and right were people dressed in garments similar to that of aristocrats in stories.
The one sitting on the chair is the king, and those to the left and right are his retainers? Further in the rear there are people fully equipped with armour of tough silver.
Like that, at the strange spectacle which would not be seen on Earth, all of us are speechless with the exception of Kannazuki-senpai and several other students. Heck, Kannazuki-senpai really has some courage doesn't she. To be observing the surroundings so calmly.
As it is, we were prompted by the man in robes to follow him.
Then, at last, we arrived in front of the person considered to be the king.
"Well then all of you. Kneel, and bow your heads. In the presence of the king."
When the man in robe abruptly told us to do such a thing, we tilted our head to the side in doubt, feeling a slight sense of resentment and also other various feelings. By the way, I am in the latter.
While the group of us were tilting our head in doubt, it took us some time to understand the abrupt words.
Such a thing…to be summoned without permission, and I have to lower my head…isn't that funny?
While secretly cursing, I shifted my attention to the one before my eyes who is called the king.
Grey hair and blue eyes. With a single glance one could tell that this middle-aged man is different from a Japanese.
I don't care very much about the appearances of the other world I am summoned to, but I do not like the atmosphere scattered around of being looked down upon.
While I was having such an impression on my own accord, one of the aristocrat by the sides of the king raised his voice.
"In the presence of the king! Bow your head!"
What is this guy talking about? Does he not know that we were summoned as [Heroes] unwillingly?
The students other than me who felt the same thing frowned upon his words.
Then, Kannazuki-senpai who has kept silent till now opened her mouth and spoke as the student's representative to the king.
"I'm really sorry. Because we do not know of the etiquette in this sort of place, please do pardon us."
We opened our eye's wide in surprise at the abrupt words Kannazuki-senpai had spoken while lowering her head to the people around who we are not pleased with.
Then, Kannazuki-senpai looked back at us suddenly.
"As of now it seems we can do nothing but follow them. We have neither assets nor power in this world. I do not want to meaninglessly provoke the other party and lower our chances at survival. Let's lower our head silently."
When Kannazuki-senpai said so in a small voice, those who heard her reluctantly followed Kannazuki-senpai instructions.
The people who did not hear Kannazuki-senpai's voice also lowered their heads when those who heard her did.
…Seriously?
While everyone did not hear what was said, due to the unforeseen circumstances, everyone gradually bowed their head rapidly, finally resulting in everyone kneeling.
While in such a state, I secretly glanced at the king who is before my eyes.
Then, the king snorted his nose as if our actions were natural and stood up.
"To save my country, Heroes were often summoned. Though it is natural to say that this is natural, I will say my thanks for the time being. You have received my gratitude, it is okay to weep gratefully."
While obviously looking down on us, the king, who said so clearly isn't having the attitude expected of a guy who is saying his thanks. In the first place they summoned us without any permission.
To begin with, why should we be thanking you, you should be thanking us.
"I dislike pointless talks. I'll give an order to you right away. The content of the order to you bastards is only one. Subjugate the Demon King who is threatening this world. And that's it. Fortunately, the Demon King is now in a state with no power at all. By the time the Demon King truly revives, it should take at least four years. However, nonetheless there is the unchangeable fact of the revival of the Demon King, the demons and devils have increased in activity. Therefore, it's you bastards' turn."
Indifferently, the king before our eyes starting talking about the absurd order.
Order you say? To what extent is he going to make light of us? This ossan…
Moreover, it takes four years for the Demon King to be truly resurrected…with all that time, why were we summoned to subjugate the Demon King at such an early time. From the start, they have only been thinking about themselves.
When I somehow managed to subdue my boiling anger, the figure of Kannazuki-senpai who is kneeling down in the same way as us standing up could be seen.
Kannazuki-senpai, who is our childhood friend, is using cold eyes filled with disdain from the bottom of her heart to look at the ossan…king, which we had never seen before though we had been friends with her since young.
Sca, scary…Because I am not an M, I felt nothing but fear.
While been fearful of Kannazuki-senpai in my mind, I felt signs that some students who were similarly knelt on the ground were standing up.
"Stop joking around! Why is an idiot of an ossan like you giving me an order to have to do something!"
"Honestly, I don't understand the meaning."
"That's right! A world without entertainment can eat shit! My mobile phone can't be used!"
"…Is there a problem?"
"Iya iya, what Airi said is important. We are super modern present day students. Wait, rather than entertainment is there make-up?"
"…Doesn't Rumi not wear make-up?"
"Maaa. It isn't essential. But skin care goods are necessary. There are also the nails."
A famous group of girls in our school has also stood up.
Moreover, by famous I don't mean it in too much of a nice meaning.
The first voice raised belong to Nojima Yuka, she is a half Japanese half English, carrying both the characteristics, straight blond hair reaching to her waist, altered school uniform rolled up at the sleeves, and donning a biker gang jacket. By the way, at the chest part of the uniform, what seems to be a white bandage can be seen. Probably bleached cloth…like those in the manga.
I do not remember what the team name was, but she is a considerably famous Lady President.
Moreover, she is a great beauty, adding onto her position of a Lady President, she tends to have a distance between her and the surrounding.
Next is the quiet Shimizu Noa, short black hair, blue eyes under the tip of the fringe, she is a beauty equal to Nojima. Unlike Nojima who wears flashy altered clothes, Shimizu wears fairly casual clothes, with pierced earrings worn ordinarily.
Shimizu, with such an appearance, is a very famous world model. For this reason, despite wearing causal clothes, coupled with her slender figure, she looks amazing without having to dress up stylishly.
This Simuzu, is one of the girl who is in the same clique as Nojima. I remember that while we were in the same class in the first year, she would normally fiddle with her mobile phone while in class or play truant with Nojima.
And thus I have said an irrelevant thing, the ones who retorted against Shimizu is Seto Airi.
About Seto, she has the atmosphere of a girl, but she is not of Nojima's beauty without make-up.
Although she wears flashy accessories, she is an amusing girl when talking, she is in the same clique as Nojima and is on good terms with the other girls.
Though Nojima and Shimuzu have the atmosphere of a lone wolf, Seto is able to easily fit in with the two of them without any difficulty.
The last girl to speak is Awakawa Rumi. Different from Seto, she is a perfect girl.
Her hair is brown while being wavy and loosely hanging. As Simizu says, she does not seem to use any make-ups at all. Such a beauty…this girl has such high specs eh?
Though there is no deeper meaning to me so to speak, but she is different with Shimizu and Seto, she wears the uniform while being conscious of dressing up stylishly.
Though I am calmly profiling the ones who suddenly stood up, I actually cannot do so.
If we do not get Nojima to be silent one way or another, we might get killed in this place.
I hope that a hero summoning can only be performed once in many years…
As far as that goes, this is the behaviour of the so-called delinquent girls group, their habitual messing around keeps the guys away from them completely. I, myself am a good for nothing so to speak. They are strong girls.
Wait…now that we are in a different world, their ways may be considerably different from ours.
When thinking about that sort of things, the bald ossan who seems to be a senior retainer lost his temper at Nojima's attitude as I thought.
"Know your position! You are in the presence of the king!"
"Shut up! Stay out of this you baldie!"
"Wa, baldie?!…even though I tried to care…"
Ah, the bald ossan obviously got depressed. Don't mind it.
I sympathized slightly with the bald ossan who was turned down flatly.
Although his companion is being pitiable, the ossan king reclined on his throne cockily and snorted his nose.
"It's fine. I guess you have some complaint? I will give you special permission. Speak."
"Well then I won't hesitate to say it…return us back to our original world!"
"That's true. We didn't have a choice and were forced by some unknown voice to come to another world, now we have to defeat the Demon King? …you must be joking."
"I do not know what is going on, but I'm sorry for the trouble."
"Demon king you say, after all it must be Dra*** Quest no?"
"…Airi will be silent"
…yeah, this is seriously screwed up.
Thanks to Nojima I had some time to look around at the surrounding students, most people including Kenji are dumbfounded. Kannazuki-senpa remains the same as before.
Anyway, it is good that the tension came loose somewhat. It was also found out that Seto is a fool.
Despite the stupid remarks of Seto, the King continued to uphold his condescending attitude.
"Though you have said a lot, but you bastards do not have the right to choose. You bastards should look at the back of your left hands."
As it was said, I dropped my sight to the back of my left hand. Everyone else including Nojima also looked at the back their left hands.
When I looked at the back of my left hand…there is nothing different in particular. What is supposed to be on the back of our left hands?
"On the back of the left hands of you bastards, the effect of slavery to make you work as a soldier of my country, [Crest of Subordination] has been engraved. How is it, can it now be understood that you cannot oppose us? It's a shame."
...
Am I being strange? There is nothing engraved on the back of my left hand?
For the time being, I looked around the surrounding of the back of my left hand, and nothing was drawn as expected.
And, it seems that Nojima is the same――――
"…crest? There is nothing drawn right?"
"…That's right"
"I was thinking it was a tattoo…but there's nothing"
"Eeh?! I was hoping it would be cool looking! Was it a lie?!"
Leaving aside the remark of Seto, it seems that nothing seem to have been drawn or carved on the back of anyone's left hands.
I, who was also able to confirm it, returned my eyes to the king.
"Eh, really?"
Then, the feeling thus far of been looked down upon vanished and the king opened his eyes wide and said such words.
Eh…the king's actual attitude came out? This feeling is somehow casual…
The king blink his eyes many times over, and glanced at the back of our left hands.
After a short while, when the king understood that the crest is really not carved on the back of our left hands, he called for the old man in robes who was standing close-by.
"Nee nee, why has the crest not appeared? What now? Isn't it bad? What happened to my good speech? Nee, are you okay? You are okay right?!"
The king is unbelievably impatient. What happened to the atmosphere of being looked down upon so far?
The grandpa in robes with a mantle who the king asked for help from looked at the king with a refreshing smile and bluntly said.
"Unexpected!"
"Are you kidding meeeee?!"
What goes around comes around! The king is now floating an expression of despair. It really is miserable.
"It, it's somehow…grandpa you idiot!" (TL note: there is supposed to be a もん(mon) after grandpa which is a Japanese slang to express dissatisfaction, normally when young girls are whining, that is the material)
Why do you know the material? This completely hopeless king. There is no salvation.
Nojima and the other students were dumbstruck by the sudden conversation that abruptly unfolded.
As for Kannazuki-senpai, when I turned my eyes to her, even with things like this, she is still gazing with cold eyes. Stop! The king's life points is at 0!
"It can't be helped my king. I'll use my trump card."
The grandpa also played along with the farce of the king.
"Taratatattata~! Hostage~!"
A stupid thing was smoothly said?! Is your mouth too lonely without the sound effect! Moreover that's Do**emon! Do you really know what you are doing?!
While we were dumbfounded in surprise, the grandpa said somethings to the soldier who was nearby, the solder nodded and took off in a hurry.
After a while, the soldiers brought back something like a crystal in a few minutes.
"In the case that the Heroes disobey our orders…will they lose their lives?"
While saying so, the grandpa in robes hold up his hands over the crystal and to our surprise, completely unlike the scientific and technological Earth, an image emerged in the air.
The projected image floating in the air was of teachers in a state of captivity in what looks to be a prison.
"Na…"
"…"
I involuntarily uttered a voice and Kannazuki-senpai took on a stern continence.
"Are they companion of yours? I wouldn't like to do such a thing, but in the case that you do not obey an order, then it seems they would have no choice but to die."
We could not respond to the words told to us by the grandpa in robes.
Disregarding us, the grandpa in robes continued.
"Maa, in the case that you desert them, it is fine…however, do you have the way to return to your original world? If you do not obey our orders, there might be unnecessary killings. By the way, other than us who summoned you guys, there no other way you can return to your original world."
"?!"
In other words, whether we can return to the original world or not is in the hands of these guys.
This is a very effective hand that he has played…
I want to go home, but the method to go home is that I can do nothing but obey this guy's orders.
However, it would probably not be the same place for us when we return. Certainly, I think it was said that memories concerning us was erased…
Before coming to this world, a voice who called himself god said so through the speaker.
But, there is no meaning to think about it anyway as long as we cannot return to Earth.
Son of a bitch…I've touched onto a painful subject.
When Nojima and everyone including me are floating a bitter expression, Kannazuki-senpai stood up at this time.
"――――in other words, if we want to return to our original world we have no choice but to obey you?"
"It is as you say."
After having heard that brief comment, Kannazuki-senpai scowled at the grandpa in robes.
"Heretic…"
"Ha? Why are you getting angry? It seems the idea of a Hero in this world has not been understood?"
Towards the remark which rubs a person the wrong way, anger exploded in all of us.
As for Nojima, she seemed ready to strike any moment, Shimizu is next to her soothing her.
"Even though you Hero-dono's physical ability seems to be weak now, you will likely become strong when trained. Because you will have such powers, I guess there is nothing to fear?"
Though the grandpa in robes says such a thing, but for us who have spent our days in peaceful Japan, it is unreasonable to have us change and defeat the Demon King suddenly.
I don't know about bugs, but there is not one person here who had even killed a dog or cat intentionally.
But the words of the grandpa were enough to move the hearts of other students.
"Cer, certainly…"
"Aren't we the heroes? Then we will be strong?"
"If that's so, then isn't it all right?"
"In the end when we kill the Demon King can't we return?"
The students uttered optimistic remarks about the Demon King subjugation in succession.
Is it really alright? Though we are not Seto but are we still feeling that this world is similar to a game like Dra*** Quest?
"O, oi…isn't everyone too optimistic?"
Kenji who is near to me says so to me.
"Maa…if there is no method to return to Earth other than relying on these people, there seems to be no other choice then to subjugate the Demon King. Moreover, it seems we can acquire strong powers."
"Isn't that kind of simple?
"Well I don't know."
In this country, we are only considered chess pieces. Perhaps, if we can subjugate the Demon King safely, we might be able to avoid killing or be killed.
However, if we do not obey this country for the time being, we would have no future.
As I was thinking about such a thing, I suddenly looked to Kannazuki-senpai.
Hereupon, Kannazuki-senpai seems to be having a difficult expression, she seems to be worried about something.
Kannazuki-senpai might also have thought of the same idea as me…
While the students were filled with various thoughts swirling around, the king once again took on a condescending attitude as if the shaken up appearance earlier was false and announced.
"Fuunn. Maa, any further discussion is useless. The matter of you bastards subjugating the Demon King is absolute. Since you bastards are the heroes. You are permitted to spend your time in the rooms in this castle. You don't have to thank me. And, I will train you immediately from tomorrow onwards for the Demon King Subjugation. That's all, disperse."
After saying such things one-sidedly, the king stood up from the throne and was about to leave.
"Wa, please wait! The talk is not finished!"
When Kannazuki-senpai raised her voice at such a one-sided decision, the soldier in the rear simultaneously pointed their swords and spear and trusted them at us.
"…tsu!"
Kannazuki-senpai stopped her movement when the spears were trusted at us.
The king went off as is without even turning around once.
"Maa, please give it up hero-dono. The soldiers will guide you to your rooms, please have some rest today. I'm looking forward to the training tomorrow."
After saying so, the grandpa in robes left straight away.
After that, the retainers left as well.
We students were left behind with soldiers still having their spears thrusted at us. And at the rear there is a middle-aged man in armour standing with his eyes shut and arms folded.
The man with his arms folded has a different atmosphere different to that of the soldiers.
Such a man said to the soldier while still having his eyes shut.
"…bring the Heroes to their rooms. Do not be rough."
There is no emotion to be read from the low voice.
After we stood up when been urged by the soldiers, we were guided to the rooms where we were forcibly made to live in.
On the way, Kannazuki-senpai had a difficult face and Kenji and I was feeling uneasy about the future up ahead.
The other students seemed to have been relieved from the tension before one notices it and were taken in by the curiosity of living in a castle, no longer thinking much about the Demon King subjugation.
With the surrounding being in such a state, finally Kannazuki-senpai took a breather and Kenji and I also stopped thinking about it deeply.
For the time being, it takes four years for the complete revival of the Demon King. Though it is possible that it may revive before that, but the probability should be low.
Then, in the meantime we might find a good way.
In the end, all members including Kannazuki-senpai left the solution to time and stopped thinking about it deeply.
Besides, we were optimistic about the Demon King subjugation some time about, thought we do not have power for the time being. We will manage somehow.
So, we consented against our wills.
――――and afterwards, we learnt how much of it was an optimistic thought we had at the time was.