Elizabeth hesitated for a moment. She looked at all of us before finally speaking, her eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions.
"Actually, I really want to stay," she said, her voice steady but carrying a sincerity that couldn't be ignored. "Sorry, everyone, but it's not for the reasons you mentioned. I was just tired of our world. The past was interesting, but not enough... Politics were boring, history was full of mysteries, but it was practically impossible to explore them openly. But here... I think there are immense opportunities. I want to uncover the secrets of this world."
Her eyes sparkled with a fire that few of us could fully understand, but we all knew she was speaking from her soul. Elizabeth didn't just want to survive—she wanted something more.
The silence that followed was heavy with the weight of our own thoughts. Each of us was facing a difficult choice: to stay in this strange, unknown world full of complexities and mysteries, or to return to the eternal void. But in that moment, one thing became clear: none of us seemed ready to give up.
Benjamin, the only one still showing reluctance, let out a heavy sigh. He stared at the ground, his shoulders tense.
"Accept reality or cling to a crazy hope," he murmured under his breath, voicing the battle raging in his mind.
"I must be going mad," he said finally, his amber eyes glancing up, reflecting each of our faces.
He lifted his gaze fully, his expression weary but tinged with a hint of determination. "Well…" he began, his voice carrying an almost cynical resignation, but beneath it was a faint spark of hope. "I guess the guild—Round Table—will unravel the mysteries of Asgardia, then."
For a brief moment, no one responded. Then a relieved smile spread across Nicole's face, her green eyes shining with a mix of relief and excitement.
"Well, it looks like we're all in this together now," she said, crossing her arms as if trying to conceal her emotions.
Luca let out a short laugh and leaned his head back, as if the weight of the tension had finally lifted. "Knew you wouldn't leave us, Ben," he said, throwing a light punch at Benjamin's shoulder—a gesture that was equal parts teasing and camaraderie.
"I think now I could finally be a real witch, right? To think we'd end up in an Isekai?" Midori commented, trying to see the bright side of things.
"True, dreaming about it is one thing. But the real thing is really different," I said, now less worried, my biggest fear already overcome.
"If we're staying, then we have to make it worthwhile," Elizabeth affirmed, the spark of determination still present in her blue eyes. She seemed to already be making plans in her mind.
Carlos let out a short laugh as he ran his hand through his slightly wavy brown hair, messing it up even more. "Round Table Guild, huh? Seems like it's been hundreds of years since I last heard that name," he said, his tone a mix of nostalgia and playfulness.
The atmosphere still held a slight tension, but something was starting to shift. The uncertainty, although still there, was being overshadowed by something stronger: a shared purpose. We decided to use the time we had left to distract ourselves, pushing away the shadows of negative emotions that surrounded us. We laughed, chatted, and for a few moments, forgot about the situation we were in.
As I watched the group get excited with absurd ideas and elaborate plans about what to do in this new world, I couldn't help but think. 'I really love this crazy bunch.' The sense of belonging, even in the middle of chaos, was undeniable.
After a while, the magical barrier that had isolated us began to glow, descending to the ground like a dome opening. Now, we could see the three men again — Leopold, Oswald, and King Augustus. All of them were watching us with expressions ranging from curiosity to expectation.
"So, have you made your decision?" Augustus asked, his deep voice echoing through the hall. He still maintained that rigid posture, but his golden eyes gleamed with contained curiosity.
Elizabeth stepped forward before anyone could answer. She looked directly at the king, her blue eyes glowing with a mix of excitement and challenge.
"Yes, Your Majesty," she began, her voice firm and confident. "From now on, we will be citizens of Allythéon, willingly... as long as, of course, our rights and wills are respected." A mischievous smile formed on her lips, full of a boldness that only she could pull off.
Augustus raised an eyebrow, surprised by the bold response, but he didn't seem bothered. On the contrary, his lips curled into something that almost looked like a smile. "Oh," he murmured, almost to himself, his eyes assessing the young woman before him. "Interesting."
Leopold stepped forward, breaking the moment of tension. "Very well, it seems a new chapter begins for all of us. Let me be the first to welcome you to the kingdom of Allythéon," he said with a slight bow, though his tone carried a hint of relief.
I watched the king for a moment longer. 'He really isn't used to being challenged like this,' I thought, but something in his expression suggested that perhaps, just perhaps, he appreciated the boldness that Elizabeth had shown.