Iryoku sat up slightly, his smirk fading into a serious expression. “And how do we get back home?”

The princess’s expression darkened, and she lowered her gaze. “I don’t know,” she admitted quietly.

The air in the room grew heavy with tension as the gravity of her words sank in.

“But,” Princess Agnes added, her voice steadying as she looked up, “the one who taught me the summoning spell—my master—might know a way. She is far more powerful and knowledgeable than I am. If anyone can help, it would be her.”

Iryoku raised an eyebrow. “So, why aren’t we talking to this master of yours already?”

Agnes sighed, her delicate features tightening with frustration. “Because she is... difficult to find. She travels frequently, and even when she does return to the capital, she prefers to keep to herself. But I will find her, I promise. Until then...” She stepped forward, her expression heavy with guilt and determination. “I know you’re afraid, and I don’t blame you. But I promise to do everything in my power to help you survive—and to find a way to return you to your world. Please... I beg of you, help me save my people. In return, I will compensate you for your assistance.”

“Compensate?” Iryoku finally leaned forward, a smirk playing on his lips. “Now we’re talking. So, what are we talking about here, Princess? Gold? Castles? Maybe... something more personal?... How about letting me possess you, Princess?”

Princess Agnes, caught off guard by Iryoku’s insinuation, froze. Her pale cheeks flushed a faint pink as she struggled to find a response. “I... I would give anything within my power,” she stammered, avoiding his gaze. “If it is for the sake of saving the people...”

Iryoku’s smirk widened.

Alessandra slammed her hand on the table, glaring at Iryoku. “Stop being a damn idiot, Iryoku. This isn’t the time for your nonsense.”

The audacity of his statement made Yumi gasp, her face turning beet red. “Iryoku, you pervert!” she squeaked, hiding behind her hands.

Reika, her calm composure gone, turned to Joseph in indignation. “Sir Joseph, do something! This is unacceptable behavior toward the Princess!”

Yumi nodded fervently. “Yes! You’re supposed to be protecting her, not letting this... this jerk make such comments!”

But instead of reprimanding Iryoku, Joseph threw his head back and laughed heartily. “Relax, you two. There’s no harm done.” He turned to Agnes, a playful grin on his face. “Look at that, Princess. You finally have a suitor. About time, if you ask me.”

The princess was lost in thought for a moment, her gaze drifting to a statue of a crowned man at the back of the room, her expression shadowed by unspoken sorrow.

Reika interjected at that moment, her voice calm but inquisitive.“ I still don’t understand why we’re able to use magic.”

Princess Agnes clasped her hands together, her expression still flushed as she addressed the group. “The laws of this realm work differently than those of your own. In your world, your bodies and spirits were bound by the rules of that reality. But here, those rules do not apply. You may find yourselves capable of things you never thought possible.”

Yumi nervously, her voice barely above a whisper. “So... that’s why we were able to fight those monsters?”

Agnes nodded. “Exactly. Foreign beings like yourselves are not limited by this realm’s constraints. You can grow stronger, faster, and wield powers that even the most gifted in our world cannot attain. This is why the summoning spell exists—to bring champions who can shift the tide of battle.”

Joseph leaned back, crossing his arms with a grin. “That explains why you all were able to hold your own against those creatures back there. Even untrained, you’ve got potential.”

Alessandra raised an eyebrow, her skepticism evident. “Potential or not, we’re still a bunch of kids compared to seasoned warriors. This is a dangerous gamble, Princess.”

Agnes’s expression turned resolute, her gaze locking onto Alessandra’s. “I understand the risk I’ve placed on all of you, and for that, I can only ask for your forgiveness. But the reality is that we need you. Your strength—your very existence—could be the difference between salvation and annihilation for my people.”

Finally, Alessandra sighed. "We’ll think about it. For now, we need rest."

Agnes nodded, her expression one of both relief and worry. "Of course. I will have chambers prepared for you. Please, take the night to recover and decide."

As the group was led to their quarters, the weight of their situation pressed down on them. The playful banter did little to mask the uncertainty they all felt, but one thing was clear—whatever choice they made, it would change their lives forever…

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The room felt too quiet, despite the chaos they had just lived through. The tension was palpable, thick enough to almost feel suffocating as the group settled into a loose circle around the table. The flickering light from a nearby candle cast soft shadows on the walls, but their minds were far from peaceful.

Iryoku, ever the picture of casual indifference, had kicked his feet up on the table, lounging in a way that screamed complete disregard for the gravity of the situation. His gaze flicked lazily around the room, observing the others, but not really engaging. He scanned Reika's poised figure, then Yumi's flustered form, his eyes lingering just a little too long. When his eyes caught Alessandra's, they gleamed mischievously, clearly appreciating the curve of her body beneath her form-fitting clothes.

Reika, always the one to keep things grounded, was the first to break the silence. "I don’t understand," she began, her voice calm but filled with confusion. "how did you appear at the hall, Iryoku?"

Iryoku, who had been half-closed eyes, raised an eyebrow, clearly feigning ignorance. "What do you mean?" he asked, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I just have a... special entrance." He leaned back more, pushing his feet further onto the table, clearly enjoying the reaction he was getting from the girls.

Yumi narrowed her eyes, her suspicion growing. "You weren’t there with us when we were changing," she muttered. "Where the hell did you come from?"

Iryoku chuckled, a mischievous gleam in his eye as he leaned forward, lowering his voice to a playful whisper. "Maybe I was off doing something important... or maybe I just couldn’t wait to see you, shorty." His grin was full of teasing, and his tone wasn’t helping Yumi’s already flustered state.

Yumi flushed bright red, both angry and embarrassed. "D-don’t call me that!" she snapped, her fists clenched at her sides. She turned her face away, trying to hide how worked up she was, but the faint trembling of her hands betrayed her.

Iryoku watched her with a mix of amusement and something more, his voice lowering to a more teasing tone. "Aw, come on. I didn’t mean anything by it, shorty." He emphasized the word again, clearly enjoying her frustration.

"You're so infuriating!" Yumi growled, but even as she fumed, there was a subtle hesitation in her voice. A part of her didn’t want to be angry, but Iryoku’s teasing was just too much. She couldn’t forget what he had done—how he had come out of nowhere when they were about to be slaughtered by the monsters.

Alessandra, ever the disciplinarian, stepped in. "That’s enough," she said, her voice firm but exasperated. "Iryoku, stop playing around. We need to focus."

Iryoku gave her a devil-may-care grin. "Relax, muscle brain. I’m just having a little fun." His smirk was infuriatingly carefree, and it only made Yumi more flustered. She crossed her arms tightly, trying to ignore him.

"Don’t call her names either!" Yumi muttered, her frustration growing, but her voice lacked conviction. She was still too uneasy to truly lash out at him.

Reika, noticing the shift in the room, took it upon herself to guide the conversation back to their situation. “We need to talk about what happened," she said, her voice calm but firm. "We all felt it, right? Our strength… we’re not the same as we were before.”

Yumi nodded, her mind wandering to how the monsters had felt when she had focused on them. “I felt it too,” she said quietly. “I was trying to look farther and focus, and my eyes just... adjusted. I could see everything perfectly.” Her voice still held some awe as she recalled the sensation of her enhanced vision. “I couldn’t believe it, but it worked. I could see everything so clearly, even things far away.”

Reika looked over at her with a thoughtful expression. “That’s incredible. I was able to use my imagination. I’ve always been good at visualizing things in my head, and I think that’s how I did magic. I willed it into existence.” She glanced over at Alessandra for confirmation. “That’s what happened, right?”

Alessandra, who had been listening quietly up until that point, nodded. “That’s right, Reika,” she said, her voice calm and full of authority. “Your willpower, your imagination—it was what made the magic possible. You can shape your surroundings by focusing your thoughts and pushing your will onto the world around you.”

Yumi glanced over at Alessandra, curiosity brightening her eyes. “ You were holding off those monsters with that huge shield. How did you manage that, sensei?”

Alessandra’s lips quirked into a small smile. “I wanted to hold my ground. I focused on protecting you all, and that drive helped me keep the shield up, despite the weight.”

Iryoku bored and tired " yeah yeah friendship and rainbows , just don’t get too comfortable." He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping low again. "I wouldn’t trust everything we’ve been told."

Then stood up and stretched lazily, clearly not as concerned as the others. "Well, if anyone’s scared, you know where to find me." His grin was mischievous, and his eyes sparkled with a playful challenge as they lingered just a little too long on Yumi’s figure. "Come to my room, ladies, if you want some company tonight." He looked from Reika to Yumi, then back at Alessandra, a wink added to his bold statement.

Yumi froze, her cheeks immediately flushing with anger and embarrassment. "Y-you—!" She sputtered, unable to come up with anything strong enough to shoot him down.

Reika sighed, massaging her temples in frustration. "Stop trying to be so... so bold."

Alessandra shook her head, but she couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "You really know how to get under people's skin, don’t you?" she remarked, though there was no real anger behind her words.

Iryoku only laughed, clearly enjoying the reactions he was provoking. "Just keeping things interesting," he said with a wink before turning toward the door. "But don’t worry, Shorty. I’ll leave you to your beauty sleep—who knows, maybe you’ll grow in height instead of just your jugs."

Yumi glared at him, her face red with embarrassment and anger. "You—!" She bit her tongue, choosing to stay silent instead of making a scene.

As Iryoku made his way toward the door, he turned to face them one last time. "See you all in the morning. Don’t be afraid to come knocking," he said with a playful smile before stepping out, the door clicking shut behind him.

Yumi sat down on her chair with an exaggerated sigh, trying to calm her racing heart. "I hate him," she muttered under her breath, though the tiny quiver in her voice betrayed her.

"Maybe those rumors are true," Reika said thoughtfully, her tone cautious.

"I heard he was a yakuza," Yumi added nervously. "And that he stabbed someone."

Alessandra's expression turned concerned as she crossed her arms. "Don’t believe everything you hear," she said firmly. "After all, they’re just rumors... But , he was held back two years. so there might be some truth to his troubled past."