"Let's go; we've been here long enough," Evangeline said, striding ahead without waiting for a response.
I wanted to ask about the writing system they use. At least then, I could start learning it as soon as possible. But I suppose that could wait until later, once we've sorted everything else out.
"Let's go!" Silica echoed cheerfully, glancing back at me with a smile before following Evangeline. As she walked, she casually removed her horn and tucked it into some sort of magical storage.
'Wait… that horn was fake? That's kind of hilarious,' I thought, suppressing a laugh.
As we moved through the hallway, I tried to take in my surroundings. Unlike the room we'd just left, there were no visible writings on the walls here—just symbols, or perhaps decorative designs. Ever since I was transported to this world, I couldn't help but overanalyze everything, assigning meaning to every little detail I came across.
It made sense, though. If this was going to be my new home, I needed to absorb as much knowledge about it as possible.
'Wait… I still have my backpack, don't I?'
I quickly swung it around and rummaged through it until I found what I was looking for—my phone. Relief washed over me as I held it.
'Thank god. Even my phone made it here.'
The sight of it reminded me of a question I'd been meaning to ask.
"Silica," I called out. She was walking just a few steps ahead of me.
"Hmm?" she hummed, turning back to look at me with a curious expression.
"I was wondering… why were my personal belongings transported with me?"
Her brow furrowed slightly. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, if I died in my old world, wouldn't it make more sense for only my soul to be summoned here?" I asked, trying to articulate the thought swirling in my mind.
That's how they explained things earlier, after all. "Or… was it something else? Maybe my entire body, along with everything I was carrying, completely disappeared and reappeared here, leaving nothing behind in my former world?"
"Yeah, that's exactly the case. You died in your world but were resurrected in the void during the summoning process. If you ever attempt to return to your world, your existence will be rejected, and you'll end up trapped between boundaries."
"Yeah, I already know I can't go back," I replied with a shrug. "What I'm really worried about is my family and friends. They might think I just ran away… that I abandoned them without a word."
The thought gnawed at me. If I were suddenly gone, what would they think? Would they look for me? Would they hate me? A part of me hoped that being transported here meant being forgotten entirely. It was selfish, maybe, but I didn't want to leave a lingering shadow over anyone's life.
That's one thing those reincarnation stories never seemed to address. The protagonists just accepted their new lives, never considering the people they'd left behind.
"You need not worry about that," Silica said gently, her voice tinged with an odd mix of reassurance and sadness. "It may be hard to hear, but your existence has been completely erased from your old world. You were removed from their memories entirely—past, present, and future. Nothing that proves you ever existed remains."
Her words hit me like a brick. I didn't know if I should feel relieved or devastated. After a moment, I sighed.
"Then… everything's fine," I murmured. "I don't have to worry about them anymore. At least this way, I can focus on living here without burdening anyone back there."
Our conversation ended there. As silence fell between us, I glanced down at my phone. It was still off. With a quick tap, I turned it on and waited for the screen to light up.
'No service,' the notification read.
Not that I expected anything different. Earth was far out of reach now, and this phone was little more than a paperweight.
'If only I'd known I'd get isekai'd,' I thought with a pang of regret. 'I could've at least downloaded ten offline games or something to pass the time.'
I sighed again and began scrolling through my library of uninstalled apps. The silence of the hallway was broken by a loud, resonating creak. Startled, I looked up to see a massive door slowly swinging open.
We came to a stop before the doorway, and I marveled at its size—it was far larger than the one in the white room we'd left earlier. Now that I thought about it, even the hallway was enormous, almost palatial. Every detail radiated elegance and grandeur, making me feel even smaller than I already did in this unfamiliar world.
"By the way," I asked, breaking the silence, "where are we?"
"Oh, right… I haven't told you where we are," Silica said as we stepped into the massive hall. She gestured broadly, her voice echoing with pride. "Welcome to the hero's party domain of influence, Agatha. And this… is our house."
So, this was their gathering house. Judging by the grandeur of the place, it was clear just how much wealth and power the hero—and by extension, her party—held in this kingdom. The hall itself was almost blinding, with gold and silver accents coating much of the walls and decor. Six towering stone pillars lined the interior, each intricately carved and imposing.
Well, she's both the hero and a princess. This kind of luxury should be expected.
As we entered, I noticed two groups of individuals waiting for us. Six people stood ready, four of them appeared to be members of the hero's party, while the remaining two were clearly Evangeline's servants. Their formal postures and expressions betrayed a practiced patience.
"Sorry for making you wait," Evangeline announced, a smirk playing on her lips. "We hadn't anticipated that the person we were supposed to pick up would be so slow in the head."
Hoy, hoy, hoy… What the hell?! Wasn't it just a while ago that she said I was sharper than I looked? I remember that crystal clear. This demon…
"Uh, excuse me!" I retorted, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "You didn't even bother explaining anything to me and left poor Silica to do all the heavy lifting!"
"You ask too many questions," she shot back, unfazed.
"Now, now… everything's settled, so let's just leave it at that," Silica interjected, clearly trying to defuse the situation before it spiraled.
"Fine," Evangeline said, rolling her eyes.
"So, this guy here… Hey, do you want me to introduce you?" Silica asked.
What kind of question was that? It's not like I could not introduce myself.
"The name's Ran Misaki," I said, stepping forward. "But feel free to call me whatever you like."
Silica glared at me, her expression demanding answers. The unspoken "why?" was practically written across her face.
"What?" I muttered, baffled.
"Hmmph," Silica huffed, clearly unamused. She crossed her arms and gestured to the group. "Moving on, these four are my party members: Shiina, Cleo, Hunter, and Rumi. They're my trusted allies."
Her tone carried a hint of irritation. What's her deal? Why's she acting like this? Sigh.
"Then, shall I introduce myself?" a deep, aged voice broke the moment.
I turned to see an old man step forward. He looked to be in his eighties, though if Evangeline was anything to go by, he was likely far older—probably pushing 150.
"Krul," he said simply, his introduction as brief as his expression was calm.
That's it? One hell of a short introduction. This old guy sure knows how to keep things to the point. Judging by his demeanor, he had to be someone important—probably Evangeline's right-hand man.
I couldn't help but wonder just how strong this straightforward old man was.
"so my time has come, eh."
The kid besides old man Krul speaks up and yeah this one sure is a trouble. I can feel it
"haaahahahaha ha" (2x)
And yeah, I confirm it this one trouble, I repeat, this one's a big trouble.
"Oh, darkness darker than the void, cloaked in the brilliance of eternal light! I, the incarnate of destruction, the harbinger of annihilation, the one who wields the sacred blood of the ancients! I, the conqueror of dragons that roam the plains, soar through the skies, and dominate the mountains! I, who shall unravel the very fabric of truth and stand as the eternal ruler above all that lives! The pinnacle of strength, the embodiment of destruction itself, destined to bear the weight of this world's future upon my shoulders. With a name that echoes the end of all things, I shall be the storm that sweeps across this realm. All shall bow before me, for I am Sena Ksherkel, the destroyer of worlds!"
...
"Ah.... Is it really okay to leave her like that, it seems like she's still introducing herself."
Halfway through her stupidly long introduction we have already walked outside the hall but damn did she not notice anything. This one's level of idiocy is top-notch, I guess Silica and her is a good combination.
"Forgive my granddaughter, she's still a kid so please don't mind her. Her name is Sena she's just 16 years old and has a tendency to wind up with her fantasies." the old man sighed as he introduced her daughter.
"16 years old's already an adult, right."
I guess she's already done her introduction by now.
"to humans, I guess 16 is already an adult and is eligible for marriage but to us demons 16 years old is nothing but a kid."
"that explains it."
Yeah, I don't think there will be a 16-year-old human who would do the same thing as she did. Even Silica, I can't see her doing such a thing provided that she's an airhead herself.
We continued walking, heading toward the outside to explore the area. Along the way, they explained that this domain was one of only three towns on the continent where all races could coexist freely. Apparently, Silica's father—the king—was the mastermind behind the plan to extend a hand to the demons in pursuit of peace. And, of course, someone from another world (me) was being roped in to help execute the whole thing.
Pak..pak..pak
The sounds of footsteps quickly grabbed my attention. 'So she's already done with her introduction' Yeah, it is Sena running and trying to catch up with us. It took her time to finish, jeez what kind of introduction did she spit after we left her, I kinda wanna know.
"grandpa!! Why left me there?"
"This young man here still has a lot to know before he can start his job, we can't wait for your introduction to sum up."
"mou... Hey you!! Make sure you listen to my finished introduction later ha!!!?"
Right when I am thinking about that.
"I almost forgot," Krul said, rubbing his temples. "Sena will work for you. If there's anything you need to know about our race, feel free to ask her."
"No!!! He will work for me!" Sena shot back, pointing an accusatory finger at me. Her eyes burned with determination. "Hey, make sure you make yourself useful to me!"
What is with this girl's brain?
I sighed internally. So this is their idea—assigning representatives from both races to assist me and bridge the gap between them. Smart in theory, but Sena? Really? I wouldn't have minded if Evangeline had volunteered. She's not just stunningly beautiful but seems to have her head firmly on her shoulders.
I wonder who'll represent the other race.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot too!" Silica chimed in cheerfully, breaking my train of thought. "We basically live in this area, so we can help you out! Maybe? Hehehe, though I know nothing about administrative work either. We're basically in the same boat!"
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Of course. I half-expected this lack of preparation. If she's summoning people from other worlds, you'd think she'd have a solid plan in place first. Sigh.
I guess my first task will be mastering the language before anything else. Actually, learning magic should come first.
As we continued walking, I noticed how vast the house—or rather, the castle—seemed. We'd been walking for a while, and it felt like we were going in circles. While pondering how large this place was, I caught Sena mumbling something under her breath.
I tried to decipher it but quickly gave up. Welp, whatever.
Finally, we reached the end of the corridor. Another massive door stood before us, flanked by two knights. The moment they spotted us approaching, they hastened to open the door, the sound of the heavy hinges screeching through the air.
"SCREEEEEECCCHHHHHH…"
Blinding sunlight poured through the now-open door, forcing me to shield my eyes momentarily. When my vision adjusted, the sight before me left me breathless.
"Shit… this is awesome…" I muttered as I stepped outside, scanning the entire area.
It was like stepping into a dream. The town spread out below was straight out of a fantasy novel. Rows of quaint houses, each uniquely designed, were enclosed by towering protective walls. Beyond them stretched rolling green fields as far as the eye could see. The streets were alive with people—humans and other races mingling freely.
And then there was the castle.
I turned back to take in the structure I'd just exited. High and mighty, it stood like the crown jewel of the town, perched on elevated ground. Its intricate spires and towering walls gleamed in the sunlight. The castle was the heart of this domain, offering a panoramic view of the entire town from its vantage point.
"This place… no, this world… it's incredible."
"You look excited," Silica said, running up beside me with her signature grin. Her enthusiasm was contagious.
"Yeah, it's exhilarating," I replied, unable to hide the excitement bubbling up inside me.
"Let's go!" she exclaimed suddenly.
"Huh? Where?"
"Wherever we end up!" she laughed and took off running downhill without waiting for a reply.
"Yeah, let's go!" I called after her, my excitement boiling over as I chased after her.
The others didn't seem to follow, or maybe they just let us be. I didn't care either way. My focus was entirely on exploring this fantastic new world and soaking up everything it had to offer.
As the wind rushed past me and the sights of the bustling town came closer, a grin spread across my face.
"This is going to be so much fun."