Volume 1: Everyday Life

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When Ren came to be, he found himself in a rustic library. It was dim, and the only source of light was the faint sunbeams seeping through the gap of the closed windows and the soft glow of a strange arcane circle drawn in light on the floor. The stale smell of old books and scrolls lingered in the air, along with a slightly burnt smell from somewhere. The sudden change in atmosphere struck his head like a bat, and it took him all he had to hold his vomit.

But the next thing he realized, he was face to face with a girl, and a very cute girl at that. It was a great sense of deja vu for him. She had messy black hair just like him, hers only kept by tying it in a ponytail. Although she was slightly shorter than him, they had the exact same look of curiosity on their face. They looked so similar that he'd mistake her as his twin sister. But there was a striking difference between them. In contrast to Ren's long winter coat, she wore decorated robes and a pointed witch hat with a wide brim. It was a garb that one could only see in fantasy settings.

"...Are you me? No, that can't be it, you're a guy...just wait a second."

The girl flipped through a notebook, and a wave of realization hit her.

"Hm, interesting. I did it. I actually did it. I really have summoned a hero of my own... I don't know what to feel in these moments of triumph."

But surprisingly, rather than confusion, it was a moment of clarity for Ren. This weirdness, this new place all of a sudden, confirmed his suspicions. He reached for his own notebook from his pocket, a compendium of all his works. It looked similar to the one of the girl's: a pocket-sized notebook with black leather covering.

"...I see. For once, I don't like being right."

They both looked at each other once more.

"Wait here, I'll get something."

The young girl disappeared to the stairs leading to the second floor and quickly came back with a steaming cup of tea.

"Here, calm yourself down."

"No thanks, I'm quite allergic to hot drinks."

"...Fascinating. Sure, water for the both of us."

She went back upstairs and came back with two cups of water. Silence returned, their minds still processing how to approach this situation.

""So, what's your name?""

Neither one answered the other's question and merely stared at each other.

"...Is that blood? Your nose. I believe that it's bleeding."

Ren noticed it too but just casually wiped it off with his sleeves, and stopped the flow completely by lodging a hand on it. It was an expected development, nothing surprising. It happened as well when he first turned on the machine.

"Ah, no worries. It's just a side-effect."

"O-oh. That so?"

A loud knock on the door startled the both of them. The girl hurriedly stuffed all the scattered papers on the floor under the bookshelf and ran to the door to peak on the other side.

"...Rosse! You could've told me it was you! I was sure the church found out about my project and sent people to arrest me. Haha."

She proceeded to unlock the door and let the bright sunlight stream in.

"You shouldn't joke about things like that, you know?"

Letting herself in was another girl, taller than the first. She had a sharp aura surrounding her, and you could tell that there weren't any wasted movements in her step. Her long bluish white hair flowed freely and her bright purple eyes shone like diamonds. But what caught his attention most wasn't how she was clad in a light silver armor, or the realistic sword dangling on her hips, but the fact that she looked like Ros' older sister, only younger.

They both caught each other's line of sight, as the strange knight girl shot a questioning glance at the mage girl.

"...Am I interrupting something?"

In return, the mage gave her a smug grin, pushed her inside and ceremoniously locked the door, returning the world to darkness.

"Lights, shine brightly."

As the mage gave breath to those words, the lamps scattered around the place gradually emitted a soft yellow glow. Ren felt unnerved. In contrast to the rustic feel of the library, their technology was pretty advanced to have voice-controlled lamps.

At the library's second floor was the mage's living quarters. It was worse than below -- the place has never seen care of any kind. Ren felt it similar to his own room. Papers, scrolls and books were strewn about on the floor. Her untidy bed was still the way she left it in the morning, and dirty clothes and underwear were all over the place. Even the room had a familiar musky smell, making Ren shiver. It was his room, but it was not. It was unnerving.

"Sorry, I haven't cleaned it in ages. Even though I promised to. Last week."

"Rena!? W-w-were you the type to bring a boy to your room? Even if he is your family?"

"Today is a special day, after all. Come, take a seat, I'll explain everything."

"...Okay. But I'll help clean up first."

"This is more important than cleaning u--"

"Nothing is more important than cleaning up! Come on. Excuse us, Mr..."

"...Ren. Call me Ren."

"Mr. Ren, can you please excuse us for a minute?"

"Sure, sure go ahead."

Despite the young mage's reluctance, the knight dragged her all around the room until the room was barely passable as "tidy". It took them around half an hour to air the room, set aside the scattered thing around and do a quick sweep on the floor. It was a sight similar to how Ros would randomly barge in into his room and fix the mess. Ren did nothing but went along with the flow, still unsure of the severity of his situation. It was only funny how the knight was too mindful of him. She would always look away blushing furiously every time he caught her staring at him.

When all of their cleanups were done, the mage brought out a retractable short roundtable, set it on the floor and placed some pillows for everyone to seat around. And lastly, she placed a steaming cup of tea (that looked awfully the same cup he served to Ren, only reheated) on the table for the knight and two cups of stale water for them both.

"So? Who is this mysterious Mr. Ren? Is he a family I've never heard about?"

"I thought you'd never ask. You see, I've been working hard on a spell this past year, I'm sure you remember."

"Yes, I do. Because you borrowed the Harmony Stone from me, just for that. Ah, now that you mention it, Rena, please give it back now!"

"In a moment. But you do remember that spell. Well then, without further ado, let me present-- the fruits of my labor."

The mage -- Rena -- presented Ren as if he was a science fair project, making both him and the knight tilt their heads in confusion.

"I, Rena Salia, have finally done the impossible: summon a hero from another dimension, all by myself."

She was spouting some pretty weird stuff, but Ren's mind was still trying to catch up with the situation. It was like watching a dream, waiting for it to end. Although this new environment might confirm his theory of the strange events that happened to him, everything was too unrealistic and new that it wouldn't fit his view on reality. Although he blamed it mostly on the two girls' off-season Halloween costumes. And if he waited long enough, the dream would surely end.

"...Hah? I mean, ha ha ha ha ha..."

The knight girl, on the other hand, gave out a laugh that was clearly forced. But she pulled it off anyway, because it would be sad if nobody laughed at her friend's joke.

"What's so funny?"

"...Ha. But you shouldn't joke about that kind of thing outside of the library."

"No! No, it's not a joke! I'm even planning on bringing him in front of the Magic Council together with all my findings. Tell her, Ren. Tell her how you came from the dimension of heroes, and how I summoned you!"

"...so the capacity of the regulator wasn't enough. I should've taken preventive measures against hallucinogenic effects as well. Or maybe I should've taken Yuu's advice instead and waited for one more day..."

"Really, to even bring a relative in this. You should know better, Rena. Ah! And before I forget, please bring the Harmony Stone now."

"Tsk. Fine. I know, I'll prove it to you, by performing the same spell once again right here in front of you!"

"Yes, yes. Now get going before I get mad."

Rena went back downstairs to fetch what they called the Harmony Stone. Meanwhile, the knight girl turned towards Ren, and her aura shifted into a gentle and well-mannered lady.

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"Good afternoon, Mr. Ren. I'm sorry that Rena brought you into her silly joke, but she didn't mean any harm done. So where are you really from?"

Ren was perplexed. The question was so sudden that he wasn't able to formulate a proper answer. He was suddenly plunged into this mysterious library, and now he was being asked where he was from. Where was he from? Was it even okay to divulge that fact without thought? But seeing those shining purple eyes stare at him with sincerity and respect almost made him believe that it was alright.

But he learned his lesson. Always err on the side of caution. And thus he decided to avoid the question as subtle as possible.

"...Why, don't you believe in whatever she was saying?"

"Of course I don't. Only the Goddess can summon heroes, after all. It's a divine act outside the realm of magic. Did the both of you really believe that I wouldn't know? I'd understand Rena, but don't you know who I am?"

"...Should I?"

"Nevermind. Oh, I forgot to ask. How are you and Rena related?"

"To be honest here, I don't know."

"R-really? Then, you're not a relative?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"And you and Rena are really complete s-strangers?"

"I think."

"And you, a complete stranger, came inside the room of a girl you don't know!? Isn't that i-i-i-indecent? You shouldn't do that until you're married...I think."

She was doing her best to act calm, but Ren noticed how dangerously close her hand was to her sword. The silent stand-off between them was too much for him to bear, and he wondered what was taking the mage girl too long. And just as he thought of that, the mage came bursting in with a smile -- a smile desperate but failing to hide her panic.

"S-So, about the stone. Yes, that wonderful mythical stone. Yes. So, What was it about the stone again?"

"...Rena? What happened to the stone?"

"Oh, nothing. It just, It's just having a short break, nothing unusual."

"I'll really get mad, Rena."

".........It broke."

"WHAT!?"

Her surprise shook the whole room, and her refined demeanor broke into fury. The mage revealed what was in her hand: a translucent orb the size of her palm with a small crack on its surface.

"What have you done! How Did you manage to break a mythical stone that's said to be unbreakable?"

"I'll try bringing it to Lin. Maybe he can fix it?"

"A blacksmith!? Are you really trying to fix that through a blacksmith!?"

"It doesn't hurt to try. Please watch over my prized possession for me!"

"Hey! Wait up!..."

Rena's figure disappeared within a flash, leaving only the sound of the unlocking and slamming the door open and shut. It was the only way to escape Rosse's fury. The knight gave out a heavy sigh as she rubbed her temples, thinking of how troublesome her childhood friend was.

"How am I gonna explain this... I think I can make something up."

This was the perfect chance for Ren to escape and really view what was outside. He just had to see with his own two eyes. But even if the knight girl was distracted by something, she didn't seem the type that would easily let him sneak pass without repercussions. He needed a distraction, and a good one at that. But what could he use? What did his experience as a student, as an amateur scientist who has bent its laws to his whims?

"...Can I use the toilet?"

"W-w-w-w-w-w-what!? I-I-I... I don't know what boys... Do you need a corner?"

"No, I need a toilet, thank you very much."

"Eh!? What should I do, what should I do... Um, you're not allowed to use this place' toilet! It's for girls only!"

"That would be perfect. The toilet-- that is not inside this house-library, I mean."

"What about your own house?"

"That's right. Please wait for Rena here!"

"Hey! Wait up!... No goodbye from you as well..."

Ren took advantage of her confusion as he dashed away the same way as Rena did. He was even surprised when the knight girl didn't chase after him, a tell-tale sign of her naivety. He ran off into freedom, into that unknown abyss that was the outside. He had to see it with his own eyes, where he really was. If his theory was correct, or he was merely dreaming. The battle between his pride and his sense of survival struggled within him with every step towards the door.

[ Chapter 1: Where We Should Go ]

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As soon as he stepped outside, he was enveloped in a picturesque Europian town.

His modern concrete buildings were nowhere to be found, replaced by rustic wood-frame houses, cobblestone streets and busy stalls that sold anything and everything under the afternoon sun. But the people were the strangest of all. If it wasn't their dresses straight from medieval times or their uncharacteristically kind smiles as they did their business -- it was perhaps how none of them had no single electronic device anywhere.

Ren could not move a muscle over the shock. He tried seriously pushing his thumb through his palms to check if he was dreaming, but to no avail. This was reality.

A rushing hooded stranger bumped him down to the ground, and he felt the hard stone floor slam on his cheeks.

"Ah, the seed!"

The stranger dropped what seemed to be a flowerpot on the ground, the ceramic pieces scattered all over with some black soil to the mix.

Ren was about to apologize until he saw what was underneath that hood. Snow-white skin and golden hair as bright as the sun -- and those pointed ears that didn't look like prosthetics. The sight gave Ren a jump as he ran away from the scene of the crime.

He continued bumping people along his frenzied way, most of them shooting disapproving glances and mild scoldings at him. But they all washed over him like static noises. Questions overloaded his mind, and he was having a hard time clearing it when he didn't know where to go.

Ren was lost in more ways than one.

That was when a gigantic shadow cast over him. He was face to face with an incredibly high cliff he estimated to be at least 50 meters in height. But it was not the cliff that shocked him, but the enormous castle fixed in it. About three-fourths of the castle has been swallowed by the earth of the cliff, and there were even abnormally thick roots encroaching on its insides. It was the marriage of a giant castle and Earth. Something clicked, and clarity washed over Ren's troubled mind.

"Ah...I knew it."

This was not his world, he was sure of this fact more than anything else.

Ren finally confirmed his theory about the Harmonics Box's true malfunction. It wasn't something stupid as a memory scrambler like Ros hypothesized. His memories one year ago, the day a whole class, 1B, disappeared without a trace, wasn't erased. In fact, it was a memory he dearly treasured-- because it was the day he got rejected by Lily. His mind did not make those events and the feeling behind it up. He also clearly remembered that Rena was from class 1B.

But there was a simple but absurd theory that could explain it all.

The Harmonics Box, in one way or another, had the power to transfer people into other realities-- into other worlds. The realities that shouldn't normally interact with each other were linked by the box. The first time they turned it on, he was transferred from a world where he confessed to Lily, his Prime Reality, to a world where class 1B disappeared--the Beta Reality. And in the Beta Reality, Lily was his classmate during their first year, which is why she wasn't part of the supposed disappearance and still existed.

Then the second time he turned it on sealed his fate. Into this messed up world which he pre-emptively called the F-W Reality. As in Freakingly Weird. Or Fantasy World, whatever worked for him. The weight of this confirmation was too much, making him drop to his knees.

"...Ha...Haha. If this is a joke I must say it's a funny one."

It was then that Ren noticed an intricate silver sword dangerously close to his neck.

"Rosse, I told you to keep watch over him. What would you do if humanity's door to a new magical renaissance age ran away all because you believed in the classic toilet excuse?"

"Please stop, Rena. This is all your fault to begin with."

A quick glance behind revealed it to be the two girls he first met in this world: the mage Rena and the knight Rosse. People who looked so similar to both himself and Ros. It was a mystery his theory did not cover. He didn't give up a fight against them and instead surrendered to his fate. In this world, there was nowhere he could run away anyways.

Ren gave out a defeated sigh. In the end, he blamed Yuu for not convincing him hard enough to wait for one more day to actually repair the broken regulator.