Evan POV

  “Okay, now then… what do we do?” Walter asked, stretching like he just woke up from a long nap—which, technically, he kind of had.

  “Ohhh! DnD Party!” Aisha shouted, throwing both hands into the air like a kid who just got their favorite toy back.

  “No. Not yet.”

  I shut her down before the dice could metaphorically hit the table.

  She dropped to her knees instantly, clinging to my leg like I’d just stepped on her dreams.

  “Nooooo! How much longer will you make me wait! I’ve been suffering withdrawals for a month!”

  Walter blinked. “Ayo, I was not expecting her to do that.”

  Aisha wiped away her fake tears with the back of her hand and pouted. “I’ve been lonely for a month, don’t judge me.”

  I crossed my arms. “Just so we’re clear—this is about roleplaying. Not her being thirsty.”

  “EVAN!” she shrieked in horror.

  “Alright, alright! We’ll play later, okay? When we’re actually free.”

  “Yippie!” She instantly shot back up, throwing a triumphant fist into the air like a victorious anime character.

  I rubbed my chin, thinking aloud. “Now that Walter’s finally back and we’re all caught up… I guess the only thing left is to make a plan.”

  “I also need some tools,” Walter reminded me.

  “Oh yeah, that too. Let’s suit you up before we head out.”

  I pulled out the only two things I hadn’t purged from his inventory—a copper pickaxe and a copper axe—and tossed them his way.

  “Don’t blame me, but I deleted most of your stuff. Kept only the tools for inventory space.”

  Walter caught them and gave me a look. “It’s fine. Everything I had was made of Boreal wood anyway. I was mostly screwed when I ran out of arrows.”

  To help him out, I handed over one of my spare shotguns along with a few rounds of ammo. Aisha pitched in by giving him a couple of lesser health potions. Teamwork.

  I thought about maybe buying him better gear from the castle vendors, but… yeah, we were flat broke.

  I glanced at Aisha. “Think you can use your royal connections to hook Walter up with some decent gear?”

  She gave me a knowing smirk, clearly already on it.

  Still, I couldn’t help but hesitate a little. I mean, considering everything… was this even okay?

  Let’s recap:

  One — the Moonlord dropped by to say hi.

  Two — a Cultist raid happened right after.

  Three — the guy leading that raid was the son of the King and Queen.

  Oh, and let’s not forget, there’s the coliseum tournament going on—a massive event drawing in mages from across the world.

  “Alright then, we’ll all head back to my place and suit up. Aisha probably just needs permission from the King and Queen before she can leave, so let’s follow her for now.”

  There was a nagging feeling in the back of my head—like I was forgetting something. Something… important?

  …Eh. If I forgot it, it probably wasn’t that big a deal.

  {Author Note: for the dear readers who also forgot, He forgot about the idol that were killing people during the tournament… And his disciples he left at the coliseum.}

  “Okay~” Aisha chirped with her usual smile.

  As she led the way, Walter examined the double-barrel shotgun I gave him, Inspecting it in awe, turning it over and around to familiarize himself with it.

  “I don’t think I’ll hold my own with just this weak-ass shotgun.”

  Honestly, I was more surprised that none of the guards we passed said a thing about him openly holding a gun. Then again, I guess when you're walking with a Hero, people tend to look the other way.

  “As long as you can keep enemies pushed back, we’ll swoop in and handle the rest. That’s why we gotta stick together, alright?”

  Walter nodded, though he didn’t look convinced.

  “I’m kinda excited, to be honest,” Aisha said, twirling her finger like she was stirring air. “It feels like we’re playing a game.”

  “We are in a game.”

  “Hehe~.”

  We followed her through the winding corridors of the castle. For a place this big, you'd think they’d put up more signs. Or at least a mini-map.

  “Now that I think about it, I haven’t explored this Kingdom at all,” I said.

  “Oh yeah,” Aisha replied. “It’s just been one crazy thing after another.”

  “Pfft. You normies haven’t seen anything,” Walter scoffed, brushing his coat back smugly. “I saw the whole damn place when I was a ghost.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me… you’ve already scoped out the entire Kingdom?”

  “Not completely,” he admitted. “But I got an eagle-eye view of a lot of it. There’s some cool spots—and some cursed ones too. Aisha, what about you? What do you know?”

  Aisha scratched her cheek with a guilty smile. “Uhh… I haven’t really left my room that much. So… not a lot.”

  I just stared at her, deadpan.

  “You’re in a whole new world. Living in a flippen castle. And you chose to stay inside your room?”

  She tilted her head and grinned. “I was learning magic spells. And they’re way cooler.”

  Okay… I’ll give her that one.

  Magic is definitely cooler.

  "Looks like you guys had fun while I was dead," Walter muttered, puffing out his cheeks in mock irritation.

  "Don’t blame us. You kinda died on your own, y’know," I shot back with a shrug.

  He crossed his arms. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, earlier I mentioned seeing some messed-up stuff? I meant prisoners. And... slaves too."

  That made both Aisha and me stop in our tracks.

  "Slaves?" I asked, my voice a bit sharper than I intended.

  Walter gave a half-hearted shrug. "Didn’t get the full picture. I was mostly ghost-stalking you two, but I did see a glimpse. Chains, cells, you know... classic medieval dystopia."

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Aisha furrowed her brows, a serious look replacing her usual bubbly energy. "Should we… do something about it?"

  I tilted my head back and stared at the ceiling, thinking.

  “…I mean, it’s not like I don’t want to help. But charging in all willy-nilly isn’t the smartest move. We have no idea what kind of political power vacuum we’d create if we just start freeing slaves left and right."

  "Makes sense," Walter nodded, his tone uncharacteristically sober.

  "I don’t know much about the politics of this world—or even how the kingdoms function under the surface. Sure, we have the power to turn this place on its head, but making allies is better than making enemies right now. So, for the time being…" I held up a finger, "...let’s chalk ‘free the slaves’ down as a side-quest."

  "Question!" Aisha suddenly raised her hand like she was in a classroom.

  "Yes, my student?" I answered in my best teacher voice, even puffing my chest a little for dramatic effect.

  She smiled and asked innocently, "What’s the main quest again?"

  "Getting out of this world?"

  Her expression instantly dropped. "Wait… seriously? What about Faith and Hope?"

  I smirked but softened my voice. "Birds have to leave the nest."

  The second those words left my mouth, Aisha's face hardened. Her stare was sharp, almost accusing.

  "Hey!" I raised both hands in surrender. "It’s not like I’d just abandon them. I took responsibility, and I plan to see it through to the end. It’s the same as looking after my little brother and sister back home."

  That last bit... seemed to hit harder than I thought.

  Aisha's expression melted into concern. Even Walter’s usual chill demeanor faltered.

  "Evan… you’re worried about your mom, aren’t you?" Aisha asked softly.

  I let out a sigh, feeling a weight press down on my chest.

  "If she wasn’t in the condition she’s in… then honestly, I think I’d be okay living here."

  I didn’t want to think about it too much. Let’s just say… she doesn’t have much time left. That’s why I want to go back. Be there for her in her final days—and take care of my siblings, too. It’s the least I can do for everything she did for us.

  "Is it a bad time to say that those slaves and prisoners had a weird-looking idol?" Walter piped up.

  I blinked.

  "An idol?" I asked slowly, my tone shifting with a tinge of alarm.

  That’s when it hit me. The idol controversy during the tournament.

  Wait—hold on. The Happy and Sad whatever the hell they’re called Idol?!

  {Author Note: Happy and Doomed Idol.}

  My eyes widened as I was about to scream something unintelligible, but before I could process the mental image of that creepy double-faced abomination, we all bumped into someone in the hallway.

  She was walking toward us with an entourage of guards trailing behind, her presence commanding but... annoying. Giant forehead? Check. Fan constantly raised to her face like she was trying to hide a secret or her judgment—maybe both. And yeah, she was giving me the side-eye while blatantly ignoring Walter, which honestly just made things more awkward.

  Oh right. It was Daisy’s older sister. The high-and-mighty one I met back in the viewing booth.

  "Greetings, Heroes of Etalethine," she said, giving a small, elegant bow—though it felt more out of obligation than respect.

  "Uh… I’m not really a hero. She is," I quickly deflected, pointing to Aisha. No way was I letting anyone attach more titles to me. I’ve got enough problems already.

  She gave me that tight-lipped smile. The kind that didn’t reach her eyes.

  "Regardless, I must thank you for saving my sister and our parents' kingdom… even if your behavior during the tournament left much to be desired."

  "I… uh… thanks?" I replied, unsure whether to accept the compliment or roll my eyes out of my skull.

  Walter immediately dropped a message in the group chat.

  Walter: She's a “Bitch,” isn’t she?

  Aisha didn’t hesitate.

  Aisha: Oh, she’s 100% a bitch.

  And by “bitch,” we didn’t mean the petty insult. We meant the elite kind—two-faced, sharp-tongued, Karen types. The kind of people who’d serve poisoned tea with a curtsy.

  The three of us had enough real-world and otherworld experience to sniff that kind out instantly.

  "So," I said casually, masking my inner irritation, "what do you want from us?"

  The moment I finished my sentence, her bodyguard immediately raised his sword and pointed it at me. Looked like either silver or platinum—definitely not cheap. His voice came through the helmet like a gravel storm, full of intimidation.

  “Watch your tongue, civilian. You’re in the presence of Her Majesty. Show some dignity.”

  “Oh, you’re thanking me by having your dog point a sword at me? Very royal of you.”

  Walter: Evan, maybe don’t start an international incident?

  Me: Don’t worry. I got this.

  Before the situation could escalate, Her Majesty finally decided to speak up.

  “Stand down, Derek.”

  The bodyguard clicked his tongue and slowly sheathed his blade, clearly not happy.

  “I apologize for that,” she said smoothly, brushing aside the tension like it was dust on her shoulder. “My name is Isabella. I’m the first queen of King Gabriel and—”

  “Yep, great. Nice meeting you, Isabella. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re in the middle of something important, so we’ll be on our way.”

  I didn’t wait for her to finish her little intro speech. Pretty sure Derek the bodyguard was two seconds away from unsheathing that blade again.

  Isabella looked at me like I had personally insulted her ancestors. Her eyes narrowed behind the edge of her fan, snapping it closed with a crisp clack. That was probably supposed to scare me.

  Spoiler alert: I got Pain Immunity and Fear Resistance.

  “Please, hold on, Evan,” she said, her tone dipped in honey but laced with something venomous. “I just wanted to inform you of something important… and ask Miss Aisha something as well.” Her gaze slid over. “Why exactly do you follow him around?”

  “Oh, I force her to,” I said immediately. “Otherwise, she’d be tangled in bedsheets 24/7.”

  “Hehe~ Can’t deny that,” Aisha chimed in, stretching her arms with a sheepish grin.

  Isabella tilted her head slightly, like a snake studying its prey. I could practically hear the calculations happening behind her smirk.

  “So… can I assume you’re a Hero as well?”

  Hmmm. Should I say it? Probably not. There’s no merit in revealing that right now. Safer to let her—

  “Oh ho~ he’s the best one out of all of us.”

  I froze.

  Aisha.

  Aisha, why?

  DAMN IT, AISHA!

  I’LL NEVER PLAY DND WITH YOU AGAIN!

  Isabella’s lips curled into a satisfied grin.

  “I see. Then I suppose it’s fine to share this with you.” She leaned in slightly. “We also have a Hero.”

  Wait, what?

  Hold on—if I remember correctly, there are four Legendary Heroes currently in this world. The Hero of Strength is the only one left unaccounted for…

  Is she’s talking about him?

  But seriously—why hasn’t this guy messaged us yet?

  It’s practically nighttime. He couldn’t have been sleeping all day, could he?

  “I’ll assume the one behind you is also a Hero,” Isabella said, her eyes briefly flicking to Walter.

  He gave a single nod in response.

  “Excellent. Then I have a request for all three of you. Our Hero of Strength, Terra, is in danger… and I need your help.”

  Terra?

  TERRA!?

  THE TERRA THAT I KNOW!?

  I whipped around to face Aisha and Walter.

  Evan: IT’S HIM!?

  Walter: IT’S TERRA!

  Aisha: WHY HASN’T THAT P*SSY MESSAGED US YET?!

  We were all vibrating with betrayal, but to not raise any suspicions, I turned back to Queen High-and-Mighty, trying to play it cool.

  “So… I assume this favor comes with strings attached, right?”

  “Of course,” Isabella said with a practiced smile. “I want you to bring him back safely. Since this is confidential Hero-related information, you technically cannot refuse… unless you want to make an enemy of this kingdom.”

  Ah. So that’s the game.

  She’s banking on the ol’ ‘do this or we’ll label you criminals’ play.

  …Or whatever it’s called I don’t really care.

  Evan: Aisha, pull up your map. Scan for Terra’s icon. Walter, check if he’s on a different team or offline completely try messaging him as well.

  Aisha: Already on it,

  Walter: Roger.

  “Where is he?” I asked, locking eyes with Isabella.

  “For that…” She smiled again, lips sharp as a dagger. “I need assurance that you’re truly willing to help.”

  Too bad I’ve met enough of her type to know how to handle them.

  I shrugged. “Hmph. Then no thank you.”

  Her smug expression shattered like glass.

  “…Excuse me?”

  “You heard me right. No dice. We ain’t workin for you.” I said as I crossed my hands.

  “What? You dare refuse me!? I could have this entire kingdom blacklist you! You’d be treated as a criminal! A runaway convict! And I can easily make sure the other kingdoms follow suit!”

  I tilted my head with a deadpan stare and calmly fired back.

  “Yea? And?” I said.

  “What!? Why!? Enlighten me!”

  Firstly I need to make sure she doesn’t go looking for me from now on.

  “Listen up my good queen. I would've challenged you to a battle of wits… but clearly, you showed up unarmed by relying on brute force and empty threats.”

  Thank you, Shakespeare, for the perfect comeback.

  Isabella looked at me like I’d just committed some unspeakable crime—like I’d walked into her throne room and wiped my boots on her pride. Meanwhile, her bodyguard’s hand gripped his sword so hard, the veins in his gauntlet practically bulged.

  “I beg your pardon?” she said, her tone sharp enough to cut glass.

  I didn’t skip a beat.

  “Then beg, bitch.”

  I could feel Walter flinch beside me. Aisha coughed to hide her laugh. Meanwhile, my brain’s archive of Reddit roasts was locked, loaded, and ready for war.

  The sound of a sword leaving its sheath rang through the hall, and time slowed ever so slightly.

  I’d been watching the bodyguard from the corner of my eye—just in case he pulled something like this. Sure enough, the idiot lunged.

  With a flick of my left hand, I bitch-slapped his sword clean out of his grip using the Shield of Cthulhu’s invisible force. The weapon clattered to the ground like a dropped mic.

  “Impossible!” the guard gasped, staring at his empty hands like they’d betrayed him.

  “I found Terra,” Aisha announced casually, eyes still glued to her map.

  “Nice job, Aisha,” I replied like nothing just happened.

  “What?” Isabella blurted, her regal composure cracking like cheap porcelain.

  “Yeah, sorry Isabella,” I said, brushing imaginary dust off my shoulder. “But you lost this round. Thanks for the info though. We’ll go get Terra ourselves. And whether he stays with us… or with you?” I flashed her a grin. “That’ll be his choice.”

  She stood there, stunned. Her mouth slightly open, her brain clearly trying to reboot. Her bodyguard still hadn’t picked up his sword.

  We didn’t wait around for their recovery. Just walked right past them like we owned the castle.

  Because in that moment? We kinda did.