Stuck to the wall, unable to move, I felt his warm breath against my cheeks. He was too close. Way too close. My heart was thumping so hard that I thought for a second that it would pop.

What's going on? Why is he half-naked? I looked down, and my eyes became wide. Wow, what amazing pecs. Wait, no, crap.

 This is not something that I need to be thinking about. I quickly looked away, the eye candy that was before me was too much for me. I could feel the rush of blood going up to my head. Any moment now, I swear I would start a nosebleed from looking at such an exquisite body. He would fit perfectly with the naked greek statues outside.

Such thoughts made my face burn even further, how could I think such thoughts now? Damn it, Berry! Come back to Earth! No, wait, it's Torren?

 Phil's breath tickled my ears, making it that much difficult to even attempt to move. I'm at my wit's end. Should I attack first or run away? I can't. I don't know why, but there was something in the back of my mind that made me feel like I was doing something wrong.

"You need a shower."

"E-e-excuse me?"

"You reek of goblin's blood."

I stared at him with gaping jaws. He pulled back and gave me a mischievous smile. "Isn't that obvious? We just fought them not too long ago."

"I know. Were you expecting something else?"

"No!" I bluntly stated in a hurry. "I-I-I was thinking about taking a shower r-right now." My eyes once again trailed down his body and glanced at his amazing muscles. Oh wow, do all half-elves have such well-defined muscles, or is it just him? Lean but muscular. Just the way I like it. No, wait, Berry come back to reality!

Out of the corner of my eyes, Don came out from the bathhouse with shorts and flip flops partially wet. Sol and Sam followed behind Don, each one of them was wearing the same thing as Don and Phil. 

My eyes were once again blinded by another half-naked specimens. What is this? Half naked men day? Is today the day to test the virtues of myself?

"Hey Berry, where are the towels? There wasn't any in there." Don came up beside Phil and rested his arms on his shoulders.

I stared. When did they become so close?

"Berry?" Don waved his hand in front of me. He snapped his fingers a couple of times.

"Umm. Yea. Well. I-" I was stumbling over my words. Thank you, god, for showing me this blissful picture in front of me. One was a perfect figure of an elven human mix, while the other was an Asian-European mix that brought out the best of two races. I can die happy today. My mind was numb temporarily.

"Young mistress!" Tart squealed in delight. 

The adorable creature with his brimming smile face was coming at me with full speed. Then, he just suddenly halted right in front of me. His nose crinkled up, and he brought his hands up to close his nose. "Young mistress, you stink."

Thanks. All the tension that was there was gone in an instant. "I know. Thanks for reminding me."

"You're welcome." Tart replied happily as if he did a massive service for me.

I pushed past Phil and Don and went in to take a bath. I didn't stay long this time, there was so much to do. Leaving quickly, I quickly changed and headed back towards the entrance where the villages were.

Phil, Don, Sol, Sam, and Phil's grandmother were busily talking among themselves. In front of the entrance, as if they were ready to leave.

"Your grandfather is back safely," said Grandmother Mary.

"Really? When did he arrive? No, the real question is, how did he make it through the gate, and how did he find us?" Berry asked as she remembered that Duke Hon's didn't know that they did a change of plan at the last minute. 

"He stated that the gates opened up for them. So far, only two-thirds of the soldiers were able to survive. When they fled North and found our trail, they followed a couple days behind us."

"I'm glad he's okay." Phil sighed with relief. "What about Uncle?"

"He's injured, but he won't die from a simple injury."

"That's a relief."

I walked over to them, wondering what the heavy atmosphere was about. "Hi guys."

"Hey, Berry. You finished washing up pretty quickly," said Phil. Looking at me with a coy smile. 

"Oh, if it isn't Berry. Glad to see you are all cleaned up. I heard you have hot water here." Grandma Mary chirpily replied, her eyes twinkling at the thought of taking a hot bath.

"Yes, I do. This mountain has natural hotspots that can heat water quite nicely."

"That's wonderful to hear. I'm definitely looking forward to taking one if you don't mind."

"Please do."

"As I was saying, the people are tired. We weren't able to bring everything with us, and the longest that we could survive on what we have is three months. I'm not sure how long this goblin army will pass by." Grandma Mary focused back on her subject with Phil. Thinking about what they could do for their people at this trying time.

"I hope it will pass by soon," Phil spoke, a grimace appeared on his lips.

"We need to move soon to the nearest city to restock up on supplies." Grandmother Mary worriedly stated.

"Actually, why don't you make a town on the base of this mountain? The gated walls will protect the people from intruding monsters. This is my home and the reason why I have been safe until now. I'll share two-thirds of my food with you guys as well. I think there should be enough till next year if I'm not mistaken. By then, you should be able to begin farming." I spoke up, hoping that I could help in some way. It would be awful just to send them away as soon as they got here. 

"Are you sure?" Grandma Mary asked worriedly. "I do not want to impose on your hospitality."

"No. It's fine. You are also part of my family now. The land around here is open for people to use. I figured it would be better to settle down. We don't know if there would be other goblin armies that will be terrorizing the land anytime soon." I hastily replied. I liked Grandma Mary, and I didn't want her to leave so soon. 

"That's true. If you lived here in safety, then that means this place is like a haven from monsters."

"You could say that."

"Thanks," Phil replied.

"No problem. I really meant what I said. Your family was kind enough to let me stay in your mansion. I'm just returning the favor."

Phil gently smiled and patted me on the head.

I guess that was his way of showing thanks. "Well, we have lots to do in building up a town from scratch."

"You don't say."

"I was thinking..." My voice trailed off.

"You have something in mind, don't you."

"Well, yes." I twiddled my fingers.

"What is it?"

"We should build the town a little differently."

Phil glanced at me, wondering what I had meant.

"It's just the sewer system back at your place was horrendous and bad for your health. I wanted to ask if we could create an eco-friendly filtration system. The magic stones that I have on hand could help with the process."

"I'm quite good at building things." Don raised his hands. He was enthusiastically listening in on the conversation. When he heard about construction and architecture, he glistened.  "I could help with the blueprint of the town itself. I majored in architecture."

"Really? What did you graduate from?" I unconsciously asked. 

"Yes, first in my school." Don puffed up his chest, a confident smile erupted on his lips, telling everyone how good he was. "Three years ago. I have been working with a firm in the past few years, so I do have hands-on experience in it."

"That's great!" I excitedly replied. This would help speed up the process of their village, I was glad that we had someone who was skilled at this sort of thing. Mostly because I knew nothing and finding someone right now who knew how to do it was going to be tough without bringing someone in from the outside.

"This actually might be interesting to invest in. I'll call the people right now and see what we could do," said Grandma Mary. She left back to her people.

"I leave the design to you." I smiled cheerfully at Don. One problem out of the way, I felt a bit more relaxed.

Don sparkled with excitement at the task that was given to him. "You got any paper, rulers, and some pencils?"

"Yes, I'll take you to the library. I saw a couple of architecture books that could help you as well." 

Every little thing was necessary to get the job done, and she wanted to make sure whatever tools  I had could be used for this project. The thought of a city growing at the base of her mountain excited her. 

"Let's get this started." Don was almost jumping up and down. He was like a child that was given a new toy to play with.

I couldn't help but chuckle at Don.

#####

The summer month went by, and the land was quickly cleared. Large patches of land were dug out to create underground stone passageways that water could flow through. It was the base for the ducts that were intricately laid out, leading to one area. 

An open space where a building was built. This was the first building that the people all worked hard to create, a filtration duct for the sewage itself. 

 Dozens of level E common Magic Stones were embedded into strange machines that purified and recycled the water. Only three Level D Magic Stones were present inside the building itself that controlled the water's flow, the basic machinery, and the other smaller Level E common Magic Stones. This building was purely for filtering out the sewage itself and maintaining the health of the people.

With the help of Duke Hon, the people were divided into four groups. Construction, hunting, gathering, and farming. Even though the people still lived in tents, the houses and other intricate complexes were underway. Everyone pulled their own weight, and by the end of the day, women and men came together to eat a hearty meal.

"Berry!" Phil called out and came over to take a seat next to me. He had a warm bowl of soup and bread in his hand.

"Hey, Phil. How is the hunting going?" I took a bite out of the bread that was stuffed with gold. Coco had snuck a couple in the bread, making it that much easier for me to hide.

"Pretty well. There is quite a fair amount of games inside the walls. I didn't expect it to be so plentiful here. I was expecting to have to leave outside the walls to hunt."

"Eventually, you'll have to. At the rate you guys are hunting, it's going to kill off the population. I recommend you guys be careful on how much you hunt."

"I understand." Phil took a sip of his soup. "How is the sewage system coming along?"

"It's finally completed. Every time we have a new house or an apartment, we can just connect it to the main pipes. Don has been busy planning new buildings. He already has the draft ready to create a town square so we can start a marketplace."

"I've rarely seen him lately." Phil took a bite out of his sandwich.

"Well, you haven't, but I've seen him every day. We have been planning on incorporating a couple of special features into the building itself. The kids are doing well in learning the language."

It was good to see the growth of the kids learning, I felt like a proud teacher seeing them grow.

 "I expect in a couple of months they could start on learning magic. Though the funny thing is everyone wanted their children to learn how to read and write. I was swamped with teaching five hundred kids from the age of five to thirteen. We had to divide the class up to manageable size. Sol and Sam are the first ones to absorb the materials fast enough, so I assigned them to teach. I, on the other hand, am only teaching the more advanced coding to a few. Being swamped with working with Don, teaching, and creating new stones does get to me."

"I could see that. You seem exhausted."

"Well, I've been barely sleeping." It was fun, no doubt about it, but a strenuous daily work that needed my attention.

"That could be a problem. Why don't you take a rest after you eat."

"I don't have time."

"Well, a few hours won't hurt."

"No," I finished eating up the food in hand and got up. Phil followed behind me with his bowl as well. Taking it to the group of women who were washing dishes, I handed it to them.

"Berry, you ate all your food today as well. I'm glad that you don't waste food like a couple of these old buffoons." One of the elderly women spoke with a huff in her voice as she scrubbed the plate that we gave her. She wasn't too pleased such precious food was wasted. 

"Hello, Mrs. Beca. The food you made was delicious. I wouldn't dare leave a single bit behind when we are scarce on food."

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it."

Leaving the area, Phil and I went over to the open field. It was a rough laid outfield, small sprouts were growing in a neat row. A man with a straw hat stood in place with a hoe on his shoulder. 

"Mr. Tson!" I waved my hands to catch his attention. He was bent over checking on his crop.

"Berry!" Mr. Tson looked up with a smile. He pushed back his straw hat for him to see.

"How are the crops coming along?"

I was curious about how agriculture was going. Things looked like it was going well from the small sprouts that were forming.

"They have just sprouted." Mr. Tson straightened his back. "My old bones are getting too old." He chuckled.

"It has only been a month, and the small portion of the garden is growing?"

"It is the middle of summer. The fertilizer that you have suggested was quite useful. I never thought of using animal waste, and fish mixed with plants created such rich soil. I have been tending the soil continuously so we can be ready for next year."

"I'm glad that helped. I wasn't so sure my small bit of knowledge would help." I felt a bit embarrassed, reading those books was a lot helpful.

"No. No. It's a great help." He was pleased with his work.

"Did you receive the instruction I sent you about crop-rotations? Sol should've read it to you."

"Yes, I did. I didn't expect that they were more into farming. I'm grateful for learning something new every day."

"Crop Rotation?" Phil asked as he leaned against the fence.

"It is when you rotate different plant families from one season to the next, so related crops are not planted in the same spot more often than every three years or so. The purpose of crop rotation is to help maintain the balance of nutrients, organic matter, and microorganisms necessary for healthy soil. There is more to it, I can send you a copy of the book that I have read it from." I suggested, knowing that there was too much to say. 

"This young lady certainly says some unique things. In all my years in farming, I have never seen such a method before. Trying something new won't harm us at all."

"But Mr. Tson, this is food that we are talking about. Aren't you worried that it might fail?"

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Mr. Tson chuckled. "Young lad, if I lived every day in fear, then they would be no progress. This young lady has created a more easily accessible sewage system that is cleaner and healthier than the town we lived in. I mean no offense, young lord. The knowledge she brought with the magic stones have been greatly helping improve our lives. I have no qualms against trying something different, especially seeing how diligently this lady is working to improve the quality of our lives."

Phil understood his statement. I felt a gush of pleasure at his kind words.

"Not only that, but she is also willing to teach the younger generation how to create magic stones. For common people like us, handling magic is something that we have never dreamed of."

"Well, Mr. Tson, I hope you have a blessed day!" I waved goodbye and continued to walk through the small village that was being formed right before our eyes. 

There weren't many buildings that were built yet. Although there was a three-story apartment complex that was being built first as a high priority project to save space. People were busily moving material from one spot to another. Even in the darkness, the multiple light magic stones that were hung up like Chinese lanterns decorated high up against the buildings. Bright lights brightly lit up the surrounding area, making it possible to see in the dark. No more fire burned for light, and instead, the magic stones took its place.

"Don has been creating some strange buildings," Phil replied.

"I wouldn't consider it strange. It conserves space."

"I could see that, though, wouldn't it be better to just build one house?"

"Well, from what I have been learning from Don, it takes more material to build a house then the apartment. Plus, he's on the same page on conserving as much nature as possible. That's why you see plants growing out of some of them. I think he's on the whole thing about keeping a house clean and fresh by having plants in it will brighten up your health."

"That is one way to look at it. He's not too far off on that subject. The elves are known to live with nature hand-to-hand and taught me that it purifies the negative magic in the air."  

"So, you lived with the elves before?"

"Temporarily." Phil did not continue on with the subject and just kept quiet.

I felt like if I had probed any further, he would've gotten irritated.

We continued down the open path looking around to see the progress of the town. Small shops were opened for everyone to trade as rich culture was slowly starting to show. The liveliness of the people was coming back slowly but surely.

"The people are doing well," I stated, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

"Yes, I was worried that they would want to go back home even though it's so dangerous outside. We had reports that the goblins have been amassing in our abandoned towns. Already there have been sightings reaching over twenty thousand."

"So many?"

"I'm not sure what is going on, but my hunches are telling me that the world is getting ready for the next appearance of the Legendary monster. The Black Gryphon."

"Has one year already passed so soon?"

"No, we still have another four months left to go, though I feel like the goblins gathering is just a harbinger of ill tidings."

This was a problem in itself. I understood what this could bring to the people at this trying time.

"How is the magic stone collection coming along?" I asked. That reminded me that I was starting to run a bit lower than the lower level stones.

"It's a bit harder than I thought. It would be much easier if we traded it with other cities."

"We should go out and trade with the nearest city before the winter sets in."

"I've been thinking the same thing as well," Phil mentioned. 

"Do you have a specific time frame in mind?"

"Yes, In the next coming week."

"Okay then, let's set a date for next week to slip through the goblins and head towards the nearest city."

"Let's do that."

"I'll ask Don to free up his days. Coco and the rest might be a bit too busy watching over the castle, so I'm not sure if they will be willing to go. It seems that it makes her a bit nervous."

We continued walking through the small town and into the forest, heading towards the castle. We passed through the cleared path of the castle grounds and entered through the gates.

What was waiting before us was not Coco herself but a ball of light, who brightened around the surrounding?

"Hi. Hi. Miss dragon. My name is Flora. I have come to bear a message for you." A young fairy danced around me.

She looked so adorable that I couldn't help but reach my hands towards her and gently poke her. Flora made a cute pills-berry doughboy like laugh that just made it that much cuter.

"Hello, My name is Berry, and this is Phil. How may I help you?"

Flora zoomed around me and then to Phil. She stopped at Phil and poke him on the cheeks.

"The lady in white asked that you be a messenger for her." Flora glanced towards me. She patted Phil's face at the same time. "New Adventurers are being summoned around the world. Only a few .01 % of the Adventures will have their memories intact, while the other will be sealed. The lady asked that you spare a small room in your castle so she can create a sacred space for the heroes to be summoned. She is worried that they would be taken advantage of and wished that you guide them."

"Why me?" I was baffled by the sudden request. So many things were happening in a short amount of time that it was getting hard to keep up. Plus, to hear from the Lady in White personal fairy was completely unexpected. I had always wondered why now? 

"Why?" The fairy tilts her head, confused at my question. "Wouldn't it be an honor?"

"No. It's more of a headache." I unconsciously replied back. 

"Really? Well, she stated it is because you are the first summoned human from this world, she thought it would be great if other summoned humans help each other out."

"That is a matter of opinion."

"Either way, the lady will open up a temporary passageway to go back home. You will be allowed to visit Earth every month on the full moon for three days. She did state that when the three days are over, you will be drawn back into this world once again, though I don't recommend that you get pulled back forcefully. It will cause some really bad side effects that could damage you for a long time."

The thought of temporarily going back home excited me. I wondered how everyone was doing, especially my family.

"Deal!"

"I'm glad that you have agreed. Here you go." Flora touched my hands, and a burning sensation could be felt on my wrist. A tattoo appeared in black and then faded away.

"Every full moon, go to the sacred spot that the lady has designated. Call out Visit Earth. When you want to go back to Torren, say Home."

I stared at the tattoo in hand and smiled in excitement. I was finally able to go home. Was this heaven-sent or a curse. I didn't know, but the only thing that occupied my mind was a chance to cross dimensions.

"How many would she be able to go with her?" Don asked. He peered at her hand with envy.

"Three," Flora replied. "Though each visit, the places you visit will be random. It does not always mean you will be going back home." She giggled.

"That's not a problem." Don shook his head pleased.

"When is the next full moon?" I was curious.

"In 29 days," Flora replied. "It seems the lady in white has designated a space and claimed it as her own. Let's go."

Flora flew towards the direction of the sacred space. Phil, Don, and I followed quietly behind her, wondering where she would lead us. We appeared in a small garden where glass walls covered the whole area. Only the moonlight shone through, lighting up the room. The lady in white was standing by the water fountain. Everything about her was mesmerizingly beautiful.

"The light goddess!" Phil exclaimed in surprise. He ran over and fell to his knees, bowing in front of her.

"I remember her." Don approached. "It's her, Berry. The lady in white."

I slowly walked over towards her in curiosity. I had so many questions to ask her, but no words came out of my mouth. Instead, all I could feel was a vast calming power like the ocean.

"Welcome Don, Phil, and Berry." The lady in white smiled.

Suddenly, by force, I felt my body change into my dragon form. I didn't know why, but I had a feeling it was because of the being in front of me, revealing who I am.

"Are you a goddess?" I was surprised that I even spoke.

The lady in white giggled. "Yes. In this world, I am called a Light Goddess, and in the world, on Earth, I am called God."

"Is a God supposed to have a form?"

"No, this is just a picture that is momentarily shown on this plane. You can say a hologram. That is why you can see me without having your existence unraveled from my true form." Her voice was soft like the wind. 

"In this world, I am seen as a goddess while in your homeworld, I am not. People's strong belief is what shapes me in the world."

"Why did you bring us here?"

"To save the world, of course."

"You mean just us?"

"Of course not. You are just a piece of the puzzle. I have sent heroes from both realms into each world. To learn and grow quickly until the fateful day."

"Ah, I see," I said with slight disappointment and relief. So I was not the only one, nor was I some kind of superhero novel that saved worlds just by myself. In reality, that was a huge daunting task that could put a significant strain on my mentality.

"You sound disappointed. Did you want to be a hero?"

"Well, I did have a momentary feeling of wanting to be some kind of superhero, but I feel that is way too much of a burden for me. I think I'll pass."

"Really? Even if the offer might possibly be given to you?"

"Yes." I stood resolute in my decision.

"Hahaha. This is why I like you, Berry. With that being said, I must now go. I leave this place in your care."

"Wait! You still haven't answered all my questions!"

"In due time. In due time." With a bright flicker of light, the Light Goddess disappeared, leaving behind a flaming bush in the middle of the garden.

I walked over, confused. Summoning water, I drenched it, but it wouldn't go out. I did it a few more times, but for some reason, the fire still blazed furiously. It did not spread or go out of control and instead burned a single bush.

"That is some fire," Don whispered. "This is my first time seeing a god."

"Me too."

It truly was a shocking experience. She came and left like a tornado and even left behind a strange gift. The fire blazed blue, reaching up towards the sky, creating a gateway. The sparks of fire touched my skin and forced me into a dragon form. I did not expect a forced transformation.

Five humans in normal clothes that did not fit this world appeared from the fire. They reminded me of a private high school student that just finished school.  Their matching uniforms were simple brown, and white. Three were female, and the rest were males.

"Who?" I was piqued by these new people. I was surprised that they were people already here.  

"It's a dragon!"  A female girl with red hair yelled in fright.

"Come on, it's nothing like that. It's just some special effects or something. It's not real."

"I beg your pardon, but I'm real," I spoke, my tongue slithered like a snake unconsciously making my words sound a bit odd in my opinion to fit in the description of the so-called dragon of myths and legends out of pure boredom.

"It really talked. I can't believe this. Someone wake me up." The red hair girl squeaked in fright. Her friend pulled on her hair, and she yelped in pain. "This is not a dream! What the hell are we?"

"I don't know, but I do not like this one bit." One of the male students called out with unease and worry.

I took a step forward, while everyone took a couple steps backward in fear. My aura pushed down upon them, making them cower. 

"Shit, what kind of hellish dream did we come into?"

"I don't know, but I want to wake up now."

"This is hell right, or is it heaven?"

I couldn't help but find it funny to see these people state such a fact about me. Honestly, I don't believe that I am that scary looking at all but felt that I looked cool and majestic. Maybe it was just me overthinking how I saw myself. "I'm not going to eat you, yet."

"Yet? Did the dragon say yet?"

Struggling not to burst out into laughter, I tried my best to hold it all in.

"How are we sure that you won't?"

"Because she does not have a reason too." Phil walked out from the dark and came over next to me.

"I agree with him on that." Don appeared like smoke in front of them.

"It's an elf!" Squealed one of the girls in delight. "And a ninja?" She cocked her head confused.

"I'm a half-elf." Phil corrected them.

"This is so cool. I feel like I came to a fantastical world."

"Fantastical? I wouldn't say fantastical, but this world is called Torren."

"He's so dreamy."

No foolish girl! Don't be lured in by the future demon king. You might end up in his harem instead of finding your one true love. I shouted in my head but kept my mouth shut. I could already feel the intense gaze from Phil, making me feel nervous.

"Wait, why are we here?" One of the guys spoke. "No, that is not the right question. Who the heck am I?"

The others were startled by his question.

"I-I-I don't know who I am either. What was I doing before? How did I get here?"

The voices of confusion could be heard throughout the small group.

"I remember my name. David."

"Me too. Mine is Sara."

"Annie."

"Hiroto."

"Sun."

So this was the majority of the people who did not retain a single memory. I wondered why that was the case.

"Calm down. Everything is going to be alright." Don stepped forward with his mask on. In all honesty, he actually scared the people in the room with that mask on. 

"You're scaring them." I bluntly replied. 

"I do not." Don sounded a bit offended, swaying a bit like a ghost. 

"Your mask." I tapped my face with my claws to remind him how he looked. 

"Ah, I forgot." Don reached over and pulled the mask off, showing off his baby face.

"We got stunning hunks in front of us." The girls squealed in delight when they saw his face.

I shook my head and sighed. Really girls? Really? 

"Well, if you guys are hungry." I was getting tired of staying here any longer. "Moca!" I called out for her service.

Moca appeared before them like a ghost as she stepped out of the shadows. I wondered when she was hidden away in the dark like that. 

"Yes, young mistress?"

"Please get the food ready."

"Yes, young mistress." She bowed and once again disappeared.

"Food?"

"I am hungry."

"Now, follow me." I turned around and began to walk. A couple of the students dodge from getting whipped by my tail.

The group of students that was momentarily scared was now curiously following behind like lost puppies. Blue flames that lit up the hallway as we continued to walk down towards the dining room. We finally arrived, and the door opened up to a large open space dining room that could even fit a dragon. They were even food prepared on top of a well-made table.

"Wow!"

"Did she cook this?"

"You must be rich if you have this much food."

"Eat up and take a rest. You will be given provisions to explore this world. 

There is a little village at the base of the mountain that needs an Adventure." I calmly spoke.

"What? You're going to kick us out?"

"I am not a babysitter. I will give you money, food, and clothes; what you do with your life now is up to you."

"But, we just arrived." A girl wailed. Her pretty face was already tearing up. For some reason, I could tell that she was faking her crying just to gather sympathy.

Hmmm. I thought it over, maybe I need to change gears on how to present such large facts to them. "You are summoned here by the goddess of light, given the task to become heroes in another world. Young Adventurers, go out and see the world with your own two legs." Acting as a guide for these newly summoned Adventurers was something that I was definitely not used to. Honestly, speaking like this was actually becoming quite bothersome.

"This is just being cruel. You're going to throw us out there when we just arrived. I don't even know where I even came from." The beautiful girl wailed again. I rolled my eyes. I wasn't that bad, was I?

"Yeah, you have this nice place. Why don't you share it with us?" A young buff male spoke out in anger.

"Silence!" My voice shook the ground and the wall, it was between a roar with a deep rumble from my throat. "I am not your caretaker. Do you think I like it when visitors tell me that they want to stay at my house without my permission? Do you not hear the preposterous words that are coming out of your mouth? Have you no respect?" I huffed, getting annoyed at their demand.

"But-"

"Enough, I could just throw you out right now with only the clothes that you have on your back. You could just fend for yourself in this wretched world, but instead, I stated you will have a day's rest, food to eat, and clothes prepared for you. If you can not respect my words, why should I bless you on this journey and instead eat you right here and now?"

Everyone froze as fear washed over them.

Yep, that did the trick. Though I for sure did not want to eat them at all. An idea struck my mind."Give me your hands."

"Our hands?" The beautiful girl squeaked.

"I'm not going to eat it. I want all of you to rest your hands on mine." I reached out palm up with open hands. My claws look dangerously sharp, making the five students antsy. "Come on. I don't get all day."

One-by-one they shakily reached over. Each hand gently touching one of my fingers. "You shall not tell anyone that a dragon resides here, for if you do, I will come for you." With an evil glint, I stare down each one of them. "Though in return for keeping my secret, I bless you on your journey. The village down the mountain is your second home. This castle will be temporarily open to you for one year, and that is only specified residential areas. With that being said, as the witnesses who are here today, my words shall be binding law."

When my words were finished, a strange power welled up inside the five students and me. They glowed softly blue as magic completely fill them up. Even the castle itself moaned and groaned as if it was readying itself to accommodate the Adventurers. I, on the other hand, felt like my energy was being sucked out of me. What the hell did I just do?

"What's going on?"

"Are we being killed?"

Like a baby bird, they continued to chirp nonstop. I could feel a headache washing over me as they continued to talk.

"Be quiet for crying out loud.  I'm starting to get a headache."

Their voices went silent, and finally, the energy-draining was complete.

New skills have been learned. Blessing of Adventurers.

"What's this? A message just appeared on my mind."

"Me too. It's said something on the line of Dragon's Blessing."

"That's so cool."

"Hyck. Did you read the status."

"Yea, It's a bit of an overkill."

With the throbbing of my head abating, I pulled back my hand. I wondered what the blessing was about, though I was not that close to being friends with them to ask. Well, no matter, what was done was done, and the contract was sealed. I let out a sigh of relief and left.

Walking out the dining room, I changed into my adult form. Leaning against the wall, I slide down onto the floor. That was truly a heart-pounding experience, pretending to be a benevolent dragon was a lot more difficult than I thought.

"You alright?" Don stepped out of the shadows. I did not expect him to appear so quickly.

"Yea."

"That was some nice acting. It was quite funny to see them so rattled."

"I wouldn't say it was my best act." I honestly was winging it to try to get them quickly out of my hair.

"You did well." Don came over and sat next to me.

"Why aren't you having dinner with the rest?"

"I wasn't feeling it. I noticed that you left, and so I followed your example and left too."

"You know there could be someone you know in that group."

"Nope."

"I see."

"Though I find it a bit strange that they don't know who they are or where they came from."

"Yea. You and I both remember our past life. Being summoned here is already hard enough. At least they had someone to help them."

"Were you summoned here like them?"

I shook my head and scrunched up my legs. "Nobody was here. I was alone."

Words could not describe the pain of loneliness. I was happy that I had found people who were willing to stay with me.

"You have us, you know."

I turned towards him and rested my head on my arms. Gently smiling, I replied. "I know. I just wanted to thank you for coming to this world. Every day you guys have been here is a blessing."

Don slightly blushed and looked away. "Well, we're friends, aren't we?"

"Yes." The word friend made me tingle warmly inside.

"We should go visit Earth next month."

"That would be nice, but who will you bring for the third person?"

"I was thinking, Phil."

"Is that wise?"

"Why not? I feel like he's more curious about our world than anyone that we had met."

"He's so going to be surprised when he goes to Earth."

I chuckled. The thought of seeing Phil expression change made me look forward to the day that day. How long has it been since I have been here? It has been almost two years since I last came here in the world of Torren.

 By the next full moon, it would mark two years. A lot of things happened in a short amount of time. Things that I would never dream of.

Phil was alive, and so far, he had not turned into a Demon Lord. My life was going well, but this did not mean it would be like that in the years to come. I definitely look forward to what my future holds.  

"What are you guys doing out here in the dark?" Phil spoke. He pushed open the door and saw us sitting by the door.

"We're just enjoying the floor," I replied merrily.

"That's a bit strange."

"Really? I don't think so."

"Though are all people from your world so carefree?" Phil asked. He looked back towards the door that he stepped out from. 

I tilted my head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"They just seem to accept things as it is. You and Don are the same. Usually, I would expect them to be so resistant."

"You could say it's because Berry is here. They feel like everything is going to be okay to know that someone supernatural is protecting them." Don pointed towards me.

"Huh?"

"What, it's true. You gave them a feeling of safety, you know. This place, your home has a very nice feeling to it. It's hard to explain, but it's very welcoming."

Phil thought it over on what was saying. "You know I was thinking about the same thing. I just thought it was just me."

"I'm still not understanding what you are talking about."

"Think of it like this." Don stretched and got up. "Have you ever gone to different people's houses and felt the energy or the feel of their homes? It's like the house has its own persona or life if you want to call it like that."

I nodded.

"Well,  each house personifies the person's feelings. Their 'home' is a representation of their soul. In other words, I am saying you are a kind person."

I was quietly listening to his words.

"You didn't have to give them a place to stay for a year in this castle, you know. You could've just kicked them all out and say, don't ever come back, but instead, you stated you are welcome here, with rules, of course."

"He has a point," said Phil. "I would've kicked them all out."

I stared at Phil and nodded. Yep, there is that Demon King that I wouldn't have missed for a second.

"Well then," I got up. "Why don't we go and get the village set up so that there is an Adventurer's guild ready for the new Heroes. Not having a purpose can be quite taxing to one's mind, you know."

"Adventurers guild?" Phil asked, slowly drawing the words through his tongue. It was as if it was a foreign word for him to hear. 

"She's talking about a guild specializing in quests, aren't you?" Don asked, getting excited. 

I couldn't help but grin. "Yep."

"Are you trying to make this world into a game world?" Don asked with a laugh. His smile radiated brightly like a sun.

"What if I am?" I snickered. Even though I knew it wasn't so, it did bring a different feel. 

"Doesn't matter to me. Sounds fun, actually."

"We should talk to Grandma Mary. I think she would be a great candidate to be a guild master."

"You know. You're right. Let's go and talk to her."

With a goal in mind, we sought out Grandma Mary for the new possibilities of a guild.

To be continued.