Minah, the lively adventurer with sun-kissed skin, skipped alongside me through the bustling village, her energy infectious.

"Minah: Oh, and this is the pub! Since it's lunchtime, how about grabbing a bite with me?"

"Mercury: I would love that."

I couldn't help but feel excited about their food. This village, a reflection of the era, held the key to understanding the common folk's way of life. Every detail mattered in immersing myself in their culture.

As Minah darted inside, I noticed groups of men enjoying hearty meals and drinks. Some recognized Minah, calling out to her with playful jabs, teasing us like a couple. She merely grinned, unfazed, and led me to a table.

Moments later, a rugged man in his mid-thirties called out from his seat with him the only one at the table. His appearance screamed retired knight.

"Yo!"

He casually greeted

"Hi, Andrith!" Minah replied enthusiastically

"Andrith: We’re almost done setting up the pub! It’s not complete yet, but it’s serving its purpose!"

He leaned closer, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "So who's this handsome fella?"

"Minah: This is Mercury-san!"

"Andrith: Ohhh! Where ya from, Mercury-dono?"

"Minah: He won’t tell—probably on some super-secret royal mission!"

A collective gasp rose around us, eyes widening in exaggerated awe. After all, the town hasn't seen a Royal in their lifetime, let alone a noble. So seeing one firsthand defenitely comes as a surprise for them.

Mercury’s thoughts spiraled comically unaware of this. What… is… happening?

Minah wore a proud, smug look, arms crossed as if she had just revealed a grand secret.

So much for a secret. She practically shouted my non-existent super secret mission.

"Andrith: If it’s a secret, shouldn’t you keep it between yourselves?"

Mercury’s thoughts echoed

Exactly!

"Minah: Ahh!" She clasped her hands over her mouth, suddenly aware. "I'm sorry, your highness, I mean… Mercury-dono!"

I chuckled softly, trying to brush it off. "Could you please stop calling me that?"

It was becoming a bit annoying.

Suddenly, a young female waiter appeared at our table.

"Minah: Hello, Kina-chan!"

The girl, about thirteen with black hair and dressed in tavern attire, beamed at us. As she then greeted,

"Hi, Minah-neesan! Hi, Andrith-san!"

"Andrith: Sup, kiddo."

"Kina: May I get your order?"

"Andrith: Yeah, aren’t you going to ask who this is?"

"Kina: Hehe, I was about to, but I already heard a lot earlier."

"Minah: Are we really that loud?" She mumbled

Don't lump us in with you..

I thought looking at her, as I then cleared my throat and turned to Andrith

"By the way, who's this little lady?"

"Andrith: Oh! This is Kina, the owner’s daughter!"

"Mercury: Ah, greetings, Kina."

"Kina: Hello, Mercury-dono! So, what brings you here?"

Mercury chuckled. "Obviously, for lunch."

Kina giggled nervously, clapping her hands. "Ahh, right!"

"Pretty sure that's not what she meant" Minah jested

As Kinah then turned to Minah, inquiring about their order. "Uhh, Minah. Your order?"

"Minah: Ahh! We’d like the usual chicken, please!"

"Andrith: I’ll get a flanggastun steak and a beer."

"Kina: Okie-dokie!"

"Mercury: So, I know it’s a bit late to mention, but why has no one talked about what happened in the village? I've seen there has been some reconstruction going on, Was there an invasion or something?"

"Minah: Ah, right! Sorry, we got carried away. You should ask Andrith about that; I arrived shortly after the chaos."

We both looked at Andrith, who seemed lost in thought, a haunted expression on his face.

"Minah: Andrith?"

She called out again, concern edging her voice. "Andrith!!"

"Ah, wha-?? Oh right..." He snapped out of his daze, remembering the events.

"Andrith..." Minah's worried gaze met his, and I felt the same weight of concern.

"Mercury: I apologize for being insensitive. It must have happened recently. I shouldn’t have brought it up..."

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"Andrith: No, no, it’s fine. It’s just... it’s not easy to move on from something like this. But I won’t let it keep me down! There were good things in those events that keep me going. At least enough that I can talk about it, especially our battles against the bandits."

He leaned in, enthusiasm creeping back into his voice. "Baldwin the village's hero, who at that time stood up and held off the bandit leader with his towering figure and strength to lift boulders! So, you could say there are stories worth sharing. If you have any questions, ask away! I’m dying to tell the tale of that… god."

As Andrith uttered the word “god,” the room fell into a hush. Minah’s eyes were glued to me, her anticipation of my reaction practically vibrating off her.

“A... god, you say?” I played along, feigning curiosity.

Andrith chuckled, “Indeed! But first, let me recount the events that led us here.”

He launched into a tale of heroism, describing how Baldwin valiantly defended the village against bandits while the elderly, women, children, and a few men made their escape.

“Unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned,” he said, his voice growing somber. The escapees were caught, surrounded by bandits, while Baldwin stood his ground, weary but determined.

“But just when hope seemed lost,” he continued dramatically, “a blinding light appeared—a symbol of hope that stretched across the land! Everyone, both villagers and bandits, was entranced by this divine presence.”

Okay, hold on a second, I thought, flustered. I just wanted to distract them! I didn’t sign up for this divine hype!

At that moment, Kina, the little girl serving food, bustled in with plates. “Oh, thank you!” I said, trying to shake off my embarrassment as she stood beside me, listening with wide eyes.

Andrith’s voice took on a booming quality. “The being declared, ‘Mortals! I have descended to bring justice and JUDGEMENT to those who transgress!’”

What? I definitely didn’t say that!

“I have graced you with my presence! Rejoice! For you will be saved...”

“Oi! Seriously?!” I mumbled, wishing I could sink into my chair.

Andrith went on, “The being flashed brighter, summoning a knight with glowing wings and a fiery sword. His presence was otherworldly!”

Well, I’m not from this world, I thought, but they had no idea.

The knight strode toward the bandit leader, who looked less like a fierce warrior and more like a deer caught in the moment before it met its demise from its predator. With a swift, fiery strike, the bandit leader met his end, and poof! No ashes, no trace—just a vacant space where he once stood.

“And then,” Andrith continued, “he vanished, leaving us saved! This moment is etched in our hearts!”

Minah leaned in, her excitement palpable. “What happened to the rest of the bandits?”

A man in the crowd chimed in, “We were granted mercy!”

“Yeah!” others joined in, clapping and cheering. “We were given a second chance! Oh, thank you for your mercy, great one! We will never forget this!”

As everyone reveled in the exaggerated tale, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Was this how legends are born?

Andrith smirked proudly while Minah’s smile warmed my heart. Despite the ridiculous embellishments and my deepening embarrassment, seeing the joy on their faces was worth it.

In that moment, I realized: what I did truly mattered. Was this what it felt like to meet fans? My goal was always to bring smiles, and maybe, just maybe, I could do the same here. I longed to be more human, like them. This is nice.

Minah broke my reverie. “Oh, it’s the first time I’ve seen that smile of yours Mercury-san! You’re going to make me fall head over heels for you”

“Oh, ha ha! Is that so?” I said, flashing her a grin. She stared at me, dazed, before snapping back to reality.

“Minah?”

“A-ah, nothing!” she stammered, her cheeks turning crimson as she turned away, clearly flustered.

I couldn’t help but laugh softly. Well, if keeping this image means bringing smiles, I could get used to this. Well, that's how it turned out in my last life and it certainly didn't end well for me. But I feel like this time would be different, I just know it!