As the evening progresses, Yumi gradually begins to open up, revealing fragments of her life that she's kept locked away. She speaks of her dream of becoming a doctor—a goal she has clung to despite the relentless obstacles in her path. Her eyes shine with passion as she talks about it, yet beneath the surface, there's an unmistakable sadness, a weight that lingers in her voice.
A few years ago, her mother abandoned their family to be with another man. The loss shattered her father, sending him into a downward spiral of gambling and alcohol. What remained of their once-stable home crumbled as he lost his job and squandered the family's savings, leaving Yumi alone to pick up the pieces.
But she refused to break.
Even with the world against her, Yumi endured. She took on two part-time jobs, juggling work and school while also caring for the man who should have been caring for her. She pushed through exhaustion, through loneliness, through the suffocating pressure of responsibility far beyond her years. Her academic performance earned her a scholarship, which eased some of the financial strain, but it was clear her life had been anything but easy.
As the banquet continues, Yumi somehow begins to draw attention. A handful of guests—mostly men—approach her with gifts and flattery. However, their interest in her rarely extends beyond shallow admiration of her appearance. Rather than acknowledging her Heroic Rank or potential, most focus solely on her youth, her beauty. Some, emboldened by drink and privilege, even go so far as to suggest she become their lover or concubine, offering her wealth and status in exchange.
Despite the inappropriate offers, Yumi handles herself with a level of composure far beyond her sixteen years. She declines each advance with polite but firm resolve, careful not to offend or provoke anyone. She navigates the thin line between civility and defiance with remarkable grace, and I can't help but be impressed. At her age, many would falter under such pressure, but she holds her ground.
Meanwhile, despite my status as the man with the worst blood talent, I find myself approached as well. This time, it's by a different crowd—older, high-status women, each extending invitations with carefully veiled intentions. They speak of employment in their mansions, offering an effortless life of comfort as an attendant or butler. Their smiles are warm, their words honeyed, but their true motives are clear.
I entertain the conversations, hoping to glean useful information, but they prove fruitless. No one here knows anything about what I truly seek.
As the banquet winds down and the night draws to a close, Yumi approaches me. Her expression is different—no longer hesitant, no longer uncertain.
There is resolve in her eyes. A quiet, unwavering determination.
She has made a decision.
"Jack, I've decided," she says, her voice steady. "I'm going to go back. I'll let the King know."
Her words take me by surprise, and I pause before responding. "Oh? Are you really sure about that?"
"Yes," Yumi nods firmly. "Even after coming here and being given the chance to start over, I just can't abandon my family. My father… he needs me. I have to be there for him, to find a way to help him. After all, if I can't save my own father, how can I possibly save the world?"
Her words catch me off guard. Her determination, despite everything she's endured, leaves me deeply impressed.
What a remarkable young woman.
Moved by her conviction, I place a hand gently on her shoulder and meet her gaze. "It sounds like you've made up your mind, I'm glad to hear that, Yumi."
Her eyes soften, and she offers a small smile.
"However, life back on Earth won't be easy. You know that, right?" I add.
"Yes, I'm well aware," she replies. "But after talking to you, I feel so much better about it. I can do this. I'll aim for med school and work my hardest. Somehow, I'll make things work." She pauses for a moment, then bows deeply. "Thank you, Jack."
I return her bow with a warm smile. "You're welcome."
There's a quiet strength about her that I've come to admire in the short time we've spent together. Yumi is responsible, determined, and resilient—qualities that make her stand out. Despite everything she's endured, she remains hopeful and unyielding. With the resolve I see in her eyes, I'm certain she'll achieve her dreams once she returns to Earth.
That is, of course, if she actually makes it back.
The thought lingers in the back of my mind like a shadow I can't shake. Some of the subtle behaviors I noticed from the King and a few guests tonight leave me uneasy. The whispers, the veiled glances, the occasional smirk—they all feel off. I hope I'm just being overly cautious, overanalyzing meaningless details.
But a gnawing doubt remains, quietly urging me to stay alert.
For now, I can only hope that I'm wrong.
———————
As the banquet winds down and the lively atmosphere begins to fade, Yumi approaches Seraphina and King Alaric, her resolve evident in the way she carries herself. Calmly but firmly, she informs them of her decision to return home. The King, despite making one last attempt to convince her to stay, ultimately agrees to honor her choice.
"I will arrange for your return immediately," he says.
Yumi bows politely, thanking him before stepping back.
However, when I step forward and voice my desire to stay, the King's demeanor shifts in an instant.
"I'm sorry, Jack, but you must go back as well," he declares, his tone leaving little room for argument.
I blink, caught off guard. "But Your Highness, didn't you say we could choose whether to stay or not? I like it here, and I want to help fight the Demon God. So why must I leave?"
Before the King can reply, a burst of laughter echoes from behind me. The mocking tones and muffled slurs are unmistakable, and my stomach tightens as the jeers grow louder.
The King exhales a long, weary sigh, his expression softening slightly. "Jack," he begins carefully, "without a good blood talent, you are not qualified to be a hero. This world is unforgiving to those without magic or power. You would be treated poorly, and we cannot offer you the support you would need to survive. For your own sake, I highly recommend you return home."
His reasoning is logical, even reasonable—but something about it doesn't sit right with me.
"But what if I still want to stay?" I press.
The King narrows his eyes.
"Then you would be living a life of hardship and danger," he says bluntly. "You would be seen as an outsider, a powerless individual in a society that values strength above all else. You would have no means to protect yourself, no way to improve your status. This isn't your world, Jack. Here, those without magic live as commoners—often in poverty, scraping by at the mercy of others. Is that the life you want?"
As he speaks, the laughter behind me grows louder, the mocking voices dripping with disdain.
Though the King's words seem sincere on the surface, something about his reasoning doesn't sit right with me. If I truly am "the lowest of the low," as he implies, why would my decision to stay matter so much? Why expend this effort to send me back?
Could it be… because the other summoned heroes are present, and he fears upsetting them?
The thought gnaws at me, but more than that, there is something in the King's demeanor that unsettles me. A restlessness. A barely concealed impatience, as if he is eager to rid himself of me, no matter what.
And the nobles… the way some of them smirk, their eyes glinting with amusement as they watch this exchange—it makes my skin crawl.
Still, I know arguing further will do nothing. The King has made up his mind.
For now, I have no choice but to comply.
"Then, when will we depart?" I ask.
The King gestures toward two knights standing nearby. Their polished armor gleams under the banquet hall's chandeliers, making them appear almost statuesque. "These knights will escort you to the reverse summoning chamber," he instructs. "Please go with them."
At his signal, the knights step forward, their towering forms imposing. Without another word, the King turns back to the assembled guests, delivering a final speech to formally conclude the banquet. The crowd claps politely as the evening comes to an official close.
We bid quick farewells to Hiroshi and Takumi, who seem reluctant to part but are soon swept away by Seraphina for further training.
Then, with little ceremony, we follow the knights out of the grand hall and into the castle's shadowy corridors.
The air grows colder as we descend deeper into the castle. The once grand and opulent halls give way to dimly lit passageways of bare stone, the warm glow of chandeliers replaced by flickering torches. Each step echoes ominously against the walls.
I tighten my fists.
Something feels wrong.
And then… I see it.
The faint curve of their lips.
The subtle twitch of amusement they fail to conceal.
They keep their postures rigid, disciplined, but the truth is unmistakable—their expressions betray them.
They are grinning.
It's not the warm smile of a guardian escorting someone home.
It's the smirk of a predator toying with its prey.
A slow, sinking realization settles in my gut.
We are not being led to the summoning chamber.
We are being led to something far worse.
And I am very sure of it.