"Me... me? The chosen one?!" Shin stammered, almost fainting from shock.
The priest chuckled. "Yes, young man."
The elf knelt down before him. "I'm so sorry for attacking you earlier, Mister Shin. Please forgive me."
"Wh-what? It's fine! Really, please get up," Shin replied, embarrassed.
The elf stood, and the priest gestured for Shin to sit. "Now, sit down here and get comfortable," the priest instructed. "Place both hands over your chest and clear your mind. This will help you connect with and manage the goddess's blessing."
Shin followed his instructions, placing his hands over his chest and trying to empty his mind. Soon, he could feel something within him—a powerful energy radiating throughout his body.
As Shin concentrated, a warrior entered the room, clad in gleaming blue armor that reflected the sunlight, his hair glinting. "Priest, I've arrived. What is it you needed?"
The priest gave a slight nod. "Others will be joining us shortly." He took a deep breath. "The hero has arrived." He pointed to Shin.
The warrior narrowed his eyes. "What? I told you—we don't need a hero. We can defeat the demon king ourselves, even if our forces are stretched thin!"
The priest gave him a stern look. "It's not my decision. It's the goddess's will that summoned him here."
The warrior, Reydel, clenched his jaw. "Tch. The goddess must be out of her mind."
"Reydel," the priest warned, glancing at him with intensity.
"S-sorry, but... he doesn't look strong. He's young, short, and skinny."
"I know," replied the priest. "But stop doubting. The goddess chose him, and there's a reason for that."
"Whatever," Reydel muttered, arms crossed.
After a moment, Shin opened his eyes and looked around. "I feel... even better than before," he said, looking around and noticing Reydel. He approached him with a polite bow. "Hello, sir!"
Reydel only ignored him, leaving Shin confused.
Shortly after, more people arrived. A tall, muscular man with a thick mustache and well-fitted armor entered.
"Father, I'm here," he announced.
"You've arrived, Charles. Or should I say, General Charles?" The priest smiled.
"No need for titles, Father. Why did you call me here?"
The priest gestured toward Shin. "The hero has arrived in our world. Shin, greet him."
Shin looked up at the towering general, his jaw dropping. "H-hello, sir!" he stammered, intimidated by the general's commanding presence.
Charles gave a nod. "Hello, Shin. Nice to meet you, Hero." He gave a respectful bow.
"N-no need to bow, sir!" Shin replied nervously.
More people entered the room. A tall man stepped forward with a grin. "Nice to meet you, Hero. I'm Reyden, Reydel's father."
Shin smiled, trying to mask his awe. "Nice to meet you too, sir! You're also very tall!"
Then a woman approached, her eyes warm. "Hello, young hero. My name is Belldia."
"Uh-uhm... hello, ma'am," Shin stammered, blushing deeply.
A girl stepped forward next, her face a little flushed. "H-hello, Hero... my name's Cellia," she stuttered.
"Hello, Miss Cellia! I'm Shin!" he replied, bowing politely.
Once everyone had greeted Shin, a man arrived with General Charles. He had a strong build and a welcoming smile. "Hello, Hero. I'm Bajar de Dominaco, your trainer. Let's do our best!"
The priest looked at Charles with concern. "Charles, I thought you were going to train the hero?"
Charles bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry, Father, and my apologies to you as well, Hero. But with the eclipse approaching in four months, I can't leave the front lines. If I do, those creatures will overwhelm the gates."
The priest nodded, understanding. "I see. Then, Bajar, I'll leave Shin to you."
Bajar gave a bow. "Leave it to me, Priest!"
Bajar turned to Shin. "Follow me. Let's head to the academy."
"Academy?" Shin asked, tilting his head.
"Yes. You'll train with other young warriors there. Don't worry—you'll receive special treatment since you're the Hero."
"O-oh, you don't need to—"
"It's fine," Bajar reassured him. "The goddess chose you!"
"I see..."
Shin followed Bajar to the academy, marveling at the impressive building before him.
"We've arrived, Mr. Shin," Bajar announced.
"Wow... it's huge," Shin said, wide-eyed.
Bajar chuckled. "Since you're new here, I'll give you a rundown of how things work."
He led Shin through a large hallway lined with wooden doors. "These are the dorm rooms," Bajar explained. "Each student gets their own. The academy provides a basic set of furniture, but feel free to add anything personal to make it feel more like home."
He pointed to the end of the hallway. "There's a common area over there, where students can gather and relax."
Bajar led him to a window that overlooked an expansive field. "That's the training ground. We're serious about combat skills here, so expect a lot of time out there. Training sessions are held at dawn and again in the afternoon. We start early, so don't oversleep."
Shin nodded, taking in the steady flow of information.
"Meals are served in the dining hall three times a day," Bajar continued as they walked into a bustling hall filled with long tables. "Breakfast is at sunrise, just before morning training. Lunch is at noon, and dinner is at dusk. Don't miss them—the food is decent, but they close the doors strictly on time."
"As for bathing," Bajar added, leading Shin down another corridor, "we have specific bathing times: one in the morning and another in the evening. If you're late, the water tends to go cold. It's also a shared space, so you'll be bathing with other male students. The female students have their own area."
He paused, considering what else was essential. "You should also know about the library. It's packed with books on combat techniques, magic, and history. It's open during the day, and sometimes your instructors will assign reading. Make use of it when you can."
They stopped in front of the library, and Bajar turned to face Shin. "There's also a curfew. By nightfall, everyone must be in their rooms unless given special permission. Breaking curfew, especially as a new recruit, could land you in serious trouble."
Bajar crossed his arms, giving Shin a serious look. "Stick to the schedule, follow the rules, and stay focused on training. If you do that, you'll be fine. Got it?"
"Yes, sir! I'll remember all of this!" Shin replied eagerly.
Bajar gave a satisfied nod. "Also, you'll have personal training sessions with me after you're done with the group training. We'll start tomorrow. Until then, feel free to explore the kingdom and get familiar with it!"
Shin nodded, and later, he found himself alone in his dorm room, thinking. "I still have time to explore the kingdom. Should I head out?" he wondered to himself.
After a moment's thought, he made his decision.
"I'll go explore and see what this world has to offer," he thought with a growing sense of excitement.