Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla, or the 'Legendary Heroes', at least that's what the entire population of this world calls them. On my journey until now, I had heard about them a few times from various people, but until this point I didn't even know they existed. According to stories I'd heard, the Legendary Heroes consisted of only three people, two girls and a boy, around the age of a teenager. Seventeen-year-old Elaine, also known as 'The Golden Lioness', has long light brown curly hair and in combination with her yellow eye color, she was given this name, but not only because of her appearance, but also because of her fighting style. I was told that she discovered an ultra-rare weapon in a dungeon, a longsword
'The powerfull Gorilla' Dorilla was, unlike Elaine, a year older and significantly taller than the other members, possibly even taller than Anna, who is already taller than me. Because of his size and his muscular arms and fighting strength, in addition to his ape-like appearance, he was given the names 'Gorilla' and 'The powerful Gorilla'. I mean, the naming is indeed suitable, but isn't it a little too specific? I asked myself. I noticed that people like to compare heroes or generally strong people with animals or monsters. 'The Valkyrie' Alicia, the girl who just recently reached the age of seventeen, was as small as a twelve-year-old despite her age. This concept reminded me of Loli somehow. Alicia is known for her speed, agility and magical talent, especially when it comes to 'flying', which is probably how she got her name 'Valkyrie'. Together with Elaine and Dorilla, they had adventures that even I haven't experienced, they trained and fought the fiercest battles that I wished to see. At first glance, you might think these were just tales, but from what I saw in my surroundings in that brief moment, I believed these stories and their tremendous power. This power was real, because they were standing in front of me. Not only did they look elegant in their equipment, you could feel the powerful aura on each one of them. On top of that... they were also able to heal my large and fatal wound and repair my tattered black coat and dark blue shirt.
Surprised, my right hand wandered over my stomach, where I had the aforementioned wound a short while ago, and rubbed it a little. I was confused, for good reason. I thought I had died again, for the third time, but thanks to these people, this was not the case.
Those three people, my lifesavers, no matter how unbelievable it may sound, were also reborn. Just like me, they came from that world to this one, only with one small but very significant difference... After being 'reborn', as the name suggests, you are 'born' again, which means you will be born as a baby in the first stage, grow up in your new body and live your life until you hit the dust again. But in my case, it wasn't the same, not even twice. On my first night in this world, I was already pondering the meaning of this phenomenon, but found nothing useful, I just thought... that I was a mistake. An error in some system that doesn't want me here, the thought would also fit to my invisible parameters. I told Elaine and Alicia about it and they looked at me confused for a moment and tilted their heads to the side, except for Dorilla who was still cowering over my statement earlier. Elaine just said, “We can see it.”
“Huh? You can see your stats???" I jumped up surprised. I would love to see their parameters! I said to myself. “Of course we can see our stats, it's normal for every reborn. Please don't tell me you were serious about your status. Can you really see 'nothing'?” Alicia asks me, her brow furrowing.
"Not exactly. The only fragments I can see are my name, my current level, job and the skills and items I have. Nothing else. The part where I could see my stats was labeled as 'None', like I had no HP or whatever, like in a broken game," I explained reasonably. “Just that?” Alicia's eyebrow raised skeptically. They both put their fingers to their chins and thought, Elaine just said, “Weird.”
Weird... "That's more than just weird! This is depressing! Why... Why am I the only one! Why am I not able to see that? Is this a bug? Am I a bug? Am I... broken?!" I couldn't suppress my feelings and unexpectedly became loud, unintentionally shouting at her.
"Believe me, we're just as confused as you are right now, but despairing and blaming yourself now is not a solution. You said you haven't been able to read your stats since you came to this world, right? But you've still made it this far! You have survived! If there's one thing I've learned in my years as a warrior, is not to believe those simple numbers of my status. You can be stronger than these numbers by focusing on your own ability. Train hard and always look ahead.” Elaine's words left me speechless. Of course, she was right. So far, I had only focused on my parameters and tried as hard as I could to make them visible, all for nothing. Monika trained me on our path and I felt that I was getting stronger, not only because of my level or the skills I had acquired, but also because of the fights. The fight against the giant salamander or the sandworm were perfect examples of my growth as a fighter. But I hadn't reached my goal yet, I had to get stronger! I have to train more! At least that's what I told myself.
"Right. Of course, it could also be that the grandpa simply made a small mistake. He probably has his limits too, I guess,” said Alicia. “But tell me, what are you going to do now? We saw that you fought Number Six, but you didn't tell us why you were here," added the blonde girl with a book on her back. Her question was fair, I should tell them about my mission... What was my mission again? I scratched my chin and thought seriously about what I was actually up to, I' ve become very forgetful lately, I realized. My eyes then fell on the large egg that was as big as Alicia, standing next to her. My first thought was that the egg was really big from a closer view. And my second thought was... "Ahh! I forgot about the villagers!"
“Villagers?” Elaine and Anna tilted their heads to the side and looked askance. Dorilla listened too, he suddenly stopped sobbing and turned his gaze to us questioningly.
We left the empty, ruined room, which seemed gloomy to me at first, after Elaine and the others wanted to help me to save the villagers. We first helped Dorilla to get up again and quickly made our way back towards the place, full of cells filled with unpleasant scenarios and memories. Through Alicia's magic, we were able to leave through the large hole in the ceiling and found ourselves in a forest of pine trees. The pine forest is dense and confusing, so it's easy to get lost, like in a labyrinth, but Alicia was our guide, holding a map of the forest in her hands. It is said that this forest is actually called the
After half an hour, we switched from the maze that Number Six teleported us to, to a mixed forest where the building, our destination, was located. When we arrived at the building, I took a step closer to the entrance and looked with relief at the, still, unconscious guards I knocked out earlier. It's a miracle they haven't woken up yet, but it's also an advantage for us to walk through the entrance without further ado. But before we did so, we tied up the two guards with a rope that Dorilla made appear from his personal item box, just to be sure. The corridor, dimly lit by the torches on both sides of the walls, makes me feel uneasy again, the same feeling I had when we rescued the inhabitants. Only this time I can calm down. As far as I know, the danger should be over. The screams I heard the first time I was here have also faded from my mind. A few steps further on, I can hear simple voices instead of loud screams. The voices filled with sanity and fear fill my animal ears. We have finally reached the villagers.
I explained to the villagers what happened, while Elaine and Alicia gathered the children, who were still in a room somewhere in this cave-like building. We all went outside together, out to the natural surroundings. The exhausted Beastmen took a deep breath of the refreshing air and gradually calmed down again. The children, who were certainly in shock, were also rolling on the ground or running around. So, I... have freed the villagers from their captivity, but at the moment I can't think of a way to get them back to their village. I still have my riding companion, my horse Shia, but even on her I can only carry two more people in total.
If I remember correctly, Akira said something about cages pulled by horses that brought everyone here. If we use these horses, we can take them all at once. That won't be nice for the villagers, but unfortunately, I can't think of any other options at this moment. I went to Elaine and the others and told them about the option I was thinking of, they gave me their answer with a nod and said that they would look around and get the horses ready, but in the meantime I should talk to the villagers, calm them down and explain our plan to them, according to Elaine. I made sure they turned their gazes to me and spoke, “Everyone, please listen to me. We're currently in process, planning our way home." Before I could continue, I was interrupted by the loud, delighted cheering of the people in front of me. Now it was quite difficult for me to say my next words, but I had to tell them. "What I am about to tell you will certainly not sound right and you might be angry towards me, but... I'm asking you to trust me!” I said in an elevated tone.
"Whatever it is, we'll do it." spoke an older man. His hair is dark gray with bangs that completely covered his eyes, and he has small, rounded ears on his head and a long black and gray striped tail on his backside. He seems to be half raccoon.
His words make me a little happy, but both he and the others don't know what I'm about to tell them. "To bring all the villagers back at once, we'll have to use the same method of transportation as the criminals did before." My words echoed in the air. It became quiet around me, the joy that had been there a moment ago had disappeared. I can't blame them. If I were in their shoes, I would feel just like them. Depressed.
"We have to go back into the cages. Is it that what you want to say?" the older man looks sadly at the ground. I can't bring myself to let them go through this agony again, but what else can I do? Even in situations like this, I am powerless... What situations can I even deal with, I asked myself, without having found a solution yet. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about?" the warrior with a longsword at her hip spoke, approaching me. “Huh? Nonsense?" I don't understand what Elaine is calling nonsense. We stare at each other questioningly, but neither of us makes a sound. For some reason, this silence gives me an uneasy feeling the more I look at Elaine and the smile she has just put on. I get the feeling that something is about to explode, at least that's what her yellow eyes say, burning with ambition. “We just need to change the carriages a little.” My body moves back a step, automatically, and I drop my gaze to Alicia and Dorilla, who are standing fifty meters away from us. This bad feeling has come true, the golden lioness Elaine is about to destroy something again...
We lined up the carriages, without horses. The villagers stand by the horses and prepare themselves morally for the departure. The heroes and I are next to the carriages, which we have just lined up, and suddenly someone pulls at my sleeve, of my black coat. It's the little blonde Alicia. She pulls harder so that she can whisper something in my ear. She says softly, "I'd walk a hundred meters away if I were you."
“A hundred meters won't be enough.” Dorilla added in a whisper. What's wrong with them, I ask myself. I don't really understand their point, but I can somehow piece together what they're getting at as we begin to stare together at Elaine, who stands in front of the carriages with her hands on her hips.
Slowly, she draws her silver sword with gold hilt and parrying rod, adorned with a crystal blue gemstone, on the blade and parrying rod, from its sheath, made of brown leather, at her hip, with a smiling expression on her face. She holds her rare sword, which bears the name
With a slight "Ey!", she swung her sword effortlessly from left to right, releasing a horizontal arc of green transparent light that tore through the air and flew towards the carriages. The sound of the sword strike literally rang in my ears, as if the metallic silver blade was bouncing off something. The deafening sound that followed was that of an explosion, causing not only me but also the others, except for Alicia and Dorilla, to flinch in horror. After the smoke cloud that had just risen disappeared, I saw with wide-open eyes the shadow of the person who had just put their special sword back into its brown sheath, making a metallic sound. The smoke cleared completely, and the altered carriages were now visible. Using Elaine's weapon enhancing skill, she cut through the thick silver metal beams that were attached to the carriage. The beams now lie overturned next to the carriages.
Elaine is incredible. This thought echoed in my head. The swordswoman looks towards us and speaks as if nothing had just happened: "Shall we go now?" she giggles.
Elaine, Dorilla, Alicia and I were helping the villagers, one after the other, to get on the carriage when suddenly two people, a tall dark brown-haired man and a beautiful woman with long black hair, came towards me as I was helping an old lady. For some reason I recognize that smell. A special scent sticks out through my nose, which I can't place so quickly, I remember fragilely. It's the smell that I used as a guide earlier, when I left to rescue them, when the carriage tracks ended. Perhaps these people could be...
"Thank you again, you've saved us from this terrible suffering," says the tall man with cat ears. I shake my head. "I only came to your village by chance, so it would have turned out different for you. You see, in your village I came across a small, grumpy boy with his little sister with him. We had a short argument, but we quickly became friends, he told me about the incident and asked me for help. So, you'd better thank him, the little boy called Akira who was brave enough to want to protect his family and villagers."
“Akira?” the man's eyes widen as he says the boy's name. The woman next to him holds her hands over her mouth and let wet droplets flow down her cheeks. Trembling, she spoke to the man. “They are alive... Georg, our children are alive!” The man nodded to her as he also began to cry, and they embraced. Only now do I remember that familiar smell. As I suspected, this couple are Akira's and Mary's parents. Somehow, I can't help but smile softly. The thought of how happy Akira and Mary will be, warms my heart.
I helped them to get on the carriage and realized that they were the last ones. “All the villagers are now on a carriage. We can leave now.” Dorilla informed me.
“Thank you, you've been a great help. Would you like to accompany us? Or will you go your own way?” I asked. "Just to be sure, we'll escort you to the village," Elaine suggested.
"True. Thank you.”
In total, three full carriages for eighty inhabitants. Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla each drive a carriage, while I, on our way back, went to my own horse, Shia, and untied her from the tree. I hopped on her and held the reins with both hands. Now we were finally ready to return to the village.
"Well then, let's go to the village!"
“Yeeaaah!!!”
"Jeez! This guy is taking way too much time! What's he up to? The sun's already going down.” Monika is getting restless, the thought of Kaito simply going off on his own to rescue the villagers of the Demi-Human village still upsetting her. Four hours have now passed since their arrival in the village and the picturesque sky has turned a reddish-yellow color with a hint of purple on the horizon. The girl with chestnut hair stomped back and forth, her arms crossed and panting like a child who has run out of patience.
“I hope big brother's okay.” Akira, the half-cat with black hair, was worried about Kaito. After all, he was the one who asked Kaito to rescue his parents and the others, but now, after the time that had passed so far, he felt a tinge of guilt. He blamed himself for forcing this difficult and dangerous task on Kaito, whom he called his big brother. If something happened to his big brother, such as his death, he could never forgive himself. “Of course he's fine! We're talking about my hero here, after all!" replied Anna, the salamander woman, with a big voice. Her trust in Kaito, her hero, was as great as ever, she felt she couldn't trust anyone better than him. Monika, on the other hand, still didn't understand why Anna called him my hero, basically there was no reason to call him that, that's how Monika thought about it before and still does now. "This again." Monika seethed.
"Brother, something's coming." Akira's little sister, Mary, spoke to her brother. Her cat ears moved fleetingly as she could detect something in the distance, even if it seemed like a small breeze to her, the sound grew louder, and Akira could hear it too. “Now that you mention it. I hear it too.” Mary tugged at her big brother's olive-green shirt, pointing south with the index finger of her left hand. The same direction Kaito was heading. Akira looked in that direction, but there was nothing. But after he strained his eyes and squinted, he recognized several shadows in the rather far distance. “Eh... That's...” one of the shadows waved his left arm at them. At that moment, Akira knew that it could only have been one. “Big brother!!!”
"Are you serious?!" Monika wondered in a squeaky voice.
“Heeey guuuys!!!” I shouted and waved to them passionately, while I was accompanied by Elaine and the others. After an hour's ride, we crossed the south gate of the village and were now officially back. My mission was complete, I had rescued the villagers and brought them home safely. I could already see my group members and the two children Akira and Mary from afar and couldn't stop myself from waving to them.
About eleven meters away from them the horse, Shia, stopped and so did the other carriages behind me, I got off the horse when suddenly a surprise attack sent me tumbling to the ground. “My hero! I knew you would make it!" It was Anna who clutched me and pressed me tightly against her. I could hardly breathe, had Anna always been this strong, I wondered, as her large yet soft breasts crushed my face. "H-Hey, Anna get off of me..." I mumbled as I tried to pull away from her without success.
"Oh, don't be like that." her high, irritated voice was starting to get on Monika's nerves. If she wasn't already annoyed by Anna and her personality.
I think I'm going to die... Monika help...
"Get away from him already!" Monika pulls the red-haired salamander woman away from me like a heroine in need. At that moment, she looked like a heroine, but in my eyes, she... she is like an angel with snow-white feathers and a halo, I was about to pray in front of her, but since I was a little embarrassed, I prayed to her with my heart.
"Well, I never thought you'd manage it on your own," Monika added mockingly, not even looking me in the eye, but glancing to the right side. “To be honest, I had a little help. Let me introduce you, this is Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla, they helped me to rescue the villagers."
"I knew you couldn't do anything on your own," Monika added immediately, her arms crossed before I could say or do anything else.
She changed her opinion so quickly? Maybe I should reconsider my earlier thought, she may be an angel to me without doubt, but she still has a devil inside her. Anyway, I didn't go into it any further, but turned, my back arched, to the three heroes, scratched my head slightly and then introduced them to the others. "Um... this is Monika and Anna, they're kindly accompanying me on this journey."
Unexpectedly, Anna approached the heroes and bowed like a proper lady. I was very surprised to see her behaving like a princess for once, in contrast to the previous moments... Why this sudden change, I wondered. Like a switch had turned on inside her again, changing her personality.
“I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. I am the second-born princess of the Salamanders, Anna Streligen.”
Whoa, even a formal introduction. Nothing less to be expected from a princess.
Surprised, the heroes looked at Anna, at first none of them said anything, but then the short blonde girl took a step forward and extended her right hand to Anna. “Likewise. Hihi.” she grinned and giggled happily. Anna also reached out to shake Alicia's hand, but before their hands could touch, they were startled by two loud squeaky voices.
“Mother! Father!” the two children shouted as they ran past us with their little bodies hand in hand. “Akira! Mary!” shouted the woman with long black hair, running frantically towards the children, accompanied by a man with dark-brown hair. "Thank God, you're fine!" The woman, her eyes wet, hugged her children tightly and could hardly detach herself from them, while the man hugged all three of them at once.
Akira and Mary were finally reunited with their parents, and all I could do was watching them with a gentle smile. But despite that smile, I felt a strange twinge in my chest and the thought of what it felt like to be in a family that hadn't been destroyed replayed in my head. I could barely remember the time before it happened that day. Were there even any good memories to me, I asked myself. Apparently not... Otherwise I would remember them. But... If I start a family one day, will I even be able to create beautiful memories? Suddenly, a voice tore me from my thoughts. It was Akira running towards me. “Big brother!” “Thank you so much... all of you!”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Always a pleasure.” I smiled at him. “Now go, stay by your family's side.” I added as I stroked his head gently. “Yes!” the little boy nodded with a laugh and quickly turned away from me. Our conversation went faster than expected. But I can understand that, he and his sister were very scared during this incident, just like all the other people. Despite the fear and despair that had been on their faces earlier, it had now disappeared. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out deeply to feel the fresh air of the evening sun in my lungs and let it flow through my exhausted body. The air was cool, the sky above me was already covered in a light black, but in front of me, on the horizon, you could still see the mixture of the dark blue sky and the red-yellowish light of the evening sun gradually disappearing.
"This kid seems very attached to you." I turned to Monika, who smiled tenderly with her soft pink lips.
I looked at her surprised, not because she had suddenly spoken to me, and not because of what she had said. It was because of her soft, tender smile, which I felt I hadn't seen for ages. Exactly, the last time was probably in Aldère, the town where I met her. Even then, when the sudden breeze pulled down the hood of her cloak, my heart couldn't stop racing at her presence, or even at the slightest thought about her. Even now, just by the smile on her beautiful face, with soft cheeks, my own cheeks flushed and my heart warmed.
“Do you think so?”
The two of us, including Anna, the three of us, watched the current scenario in the village. Until suddenly the warrior in her heavy-looking silver armor came towards us, followed by her companions. “Kaito.”
“Ah, I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention to you guys." I completely forgot about Elaine and the others for a moment. How embarrassing of me. But Elaine shook her head and smiled. "I see that you like to help other people, at least that's what I've noticed about the way you interact with the villagers. And that is exactly what is outstanding and remarkable. Therefore...” Elaine broke off her sentence, looked at Alicia and Dorilla and nodded their heads at each other. I wondered what Elaine was up to, but what I then heard was unimaginable...
“Kaito, Monika and Anna, do you want to join our little group?” Join their group, I repeated in my head, stunned. I didn't know what to answer, of course I could only answer the question in the affirmative or negative form, but even those answers didn't help me when the question popped out like a punch in the face. The thought of the heroes, the legendary heroes, inviting us into their group was unthinkable, but I felt honored. After all, they are the heroes of this world, I still wonder why they are called 'legendary', but the people must have decided so. They are extremely strong and have more battle experience and knowledge of this world, compared to me, an amateur, a wimp. I somehow managed to win against the giant salamander with my skills, but then I was powerless against the sandworm without the help of Loli. It's hard for me to say this, but... Number Six was right. I thought I was as strong as a hero just because I was reincarnated and could gain skills and increase my level, a hero like in a manga, but I was wrong. Number Six was the one who opened my eyes, even if I hate to admit it. This world may resemble a game due to the status system and the ability to level up, but this is still reality, the real world. If you die in a game, you would be resurrected in a town like nothing happened, but here, where I am right now, I can only die and not get reincarnated again, as God explained.
Just thinking about this guy, something occurs to me, if he's the sixth number, does that mean there are even stronger opponents than him? He also has this unforgettable tattoo on the back of his hand, the same tattoo as the bastard from back then. I haven't been able to ask Elaine and the others about it yet, but I'm assuming that this is a bigger organization, at least that's what my intuition tells me. If this really is the case, then I have to prepare myself for another fight with them. Heroes or not, this is my business, even if Monika and Anna accompany me, I don't want to put them into danger, so when the day comes, I have to do it alone to avoid the death of my comrades.
Comrades, huh. I wonder if I can even call them comrades. We may be in a group together, but even here I feel out of place. What are we actually? What is our relationship to each other? We are not friends, at least we have never described ourselves as such, nor have we described ourselves as comrades or companions, so what are we then? Both Monika and Anna are very important to me and I cherish them very much, not just as group members, but as real friends. Nevertheless, I can't push back the fear inside me, the fear that the two girls see it differently. But even despite this fear, I should continue to treasure them, so my answer to Elaine's question is now clear to me...
Wait a minute, if I plan to train hard, my previous training schedule won't be enough. Maybe Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla can train me and the girls. I'll have to ask them about that, but first...
“We pass.”
“Huuuuuuuhh???” Monika and Anna shouted at the same time, startling me. “Thank you for your offer, but we are already our own group, which I really cherish. We may be a small party, but we will certainly grow.” I explained to them. However, before I could say anything else, Monika approached me from the side raising her voice. Anna also joined in, and judging by their faces, they weren't happy about the content of my sentences. “How dare you, you idiot! Do you realize what you've just done???”
“Unbelievably, I have to agree with Monika this time! Are you out of your mind?” Anna asked, also in a high-pitched voice, both of them pushing me back a few steps.
I really wondered what I had done wrong again, or not given the right answer. Earlier, I had emphasized that I liked our group and preferred to continue walking this path with them, the three of us. Or didn't they care? I already knew that Monika could be grumpy and argumentative, but I was surprised that Anna was also on her side, even shouting at me. I really didn't know what to do next or how to get rid of the scowls from their faces.
I looked helplessly at Elaine, who I hoped would say something about my statement. And then my savior came...
“It's all right you two, of course we're not forcing you to join us.”
“Right. But if you need anything, just say it, we'll help you.” Alicia kindly suggested.
I didn't think this would happen so quickly, but this is my chance to make my request to train us. I gathered up all my courage and asked her directly. “In that case, I have a request...”
“A request?” Elaine raised an eyebrow and looked at me questioningly, as did Alicia and Dorilla.
It felt almost surreal as I faced Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla, my head bowed, and my hands clenched tightly together. The words spilled out of me without control. “It may be rude after I turned you down, but.... I beg you! Teach me how to fight!” My voice almost broke, “In my current state... I'm powerless. I can't do anything against guys like him. And... I won't be able to protect civilians or the people who are important to me. I'm a weakling! Just weak!” My heart beat loudly in my chest, the thoughts of the past moment of defeat and helplessness passed by me like a dark shadow. I looked into their faces. They looked at me like unmovable pillars of strength, while I was lost in my thoughts of self-doubt. “That's why I want to... No, I must get stronger! Please, train me!” With these words, I bowed deeply, my hands trembling slightly. The tension, the nervousness, everything was charged at that moment. My voice had now become louder and as I looked around, I noticed that not only the heroes, but also Monika, Anna and even the villagers were paying attention to me. I was struck by astonished looks. Their eyes spoke of astonishment, as if they had not expected to hear such passionate words from me. At that moment, I didn't care about any restraint. I had nothing more to lose.
It was Elaine who broke the silence. She looked at me with her shimmering eyes, her face adorned with a calm smile. “Alright. We'll train you. Monika and Anna too, of course.” Her words dropped like a boulder into my heart, and for a moment I felt relief spreading like warm flames in my chest. “Thank you so much!” I exclaimed, my heart almost jumping for joy.
“Thank you so much!” Monika and Anna joined in.
Dorilla grinned broadly and held out her hand to me. “Let's work well together then.” I took his hand firmly and replied, proudly sticking out my chest, “Yes!”
Now everything could have ended peacefully, but suddenly a strange noise broke through the emerging euphoria. It was a soft, almost unnoticed cracking sound that quickly became louder. Everyone's attention was drawn to an unexpected source.
“Look, the master's egg! It's hatching!” a female voice called out.
“What?” I gasped, my eyes widening.
“It's really happening!” The shock was audible in the voices of the villagers. “This is a miracle!” People crowded around to get a better look, but I had to see it myself. Without thinking twice, I pushed my way through the crowd, curiosity driving me forward. I had to be in the front row.
The egg is hatching? I can't afford not to see it! I said to myself mentally.
When I finally got to the front, my eyes fell on the large, shimmering egg. The shell broke slowly, piece by piece, until a white light began to glow from inside. The entire world seemed to hold its breath for a moment. The light enveloped everything around me, and for a few seconds it seemed that nothing else existed. When the glow gradually faded, two figures appeared on the scene. They were small, almost fragile-looking arms and legs, but there was a strange power in their appearance.
Two girls. Or rather twins. They looked so similar, and yet each of them was unique.
One girl had silver hair that lightly touched her shoulders and eyes that shone in a bright blue, almost like the mid-day sky. Small, gray horns protruded from her head, and a silver, scaly dragon tail completed her appearance. Next to her was an identical girl, but her hair shone in a soft light blue and her eyes sparkled silver. She also wore the small gray horns and a dragon tail that, like her hair, shone in a soft light blue.
The villagers cheered loudly, the joy was overwhelming. “There are two...” murmured Alicia in amazement.
“They're twins.” whispered Dorilla, incredulous. “So cute!” Anna blurted out, her narrow yellow eyes shining with excitement.
But I was just standing there. Rooted in place. My mind was blank, overwhelmed by what I was seeing. The two girls... It was like a dream. A miracle. I couldn't take my eyes off them.
And then the unexpected happened.
“Watch out! Beware of lechers! Hide all your children!” The annoying voice in my head that I last heard this morning spoke up again. “Nobody's talked to you, Loli! And why are you calling me a lecher anyway?”
“Then why were you staring at them like you were about to.... getting hard down there?” Her voice deepened with disgust. “Getting hard dow-?! What's wrong with you, you perverted loli hag!” “Who are you calling a loli hag?!”
Before I knew it, I got punched on the head. It shouldn't have hurt, but somehow, I actually ended up on the ground. “Argh... That hurt...” I mumbled, rubbing my head. But then I heard something strange. Tap-Tap Small footsteps approached me.
“Huh?” When I looked up, the two twins were standing right in front of me. Their big, curious eyes rested on me. And then it happened.
“Pa-pa...” they said at the same time, but quietly. Their small, innocent gaze pierced deep into my heart. “Eh?” I couldn't believe it.
“EEEHHHH???” the others even less, Anna fainted right away.
All that rang in my head was the sound of Loli's voice ringing again, shouting loudly in my head: “Congratulations!!!”
Papa?? I could hardly believe it. Did I just hear that right? No, no, absolutely not, I denied mentally. I tried to grasp the reality. “What did you just said?” I asked them both cautiously.
“Papa.” they repeated in the same innocent voices. There was no doubt anymore.
Elaine was the first who broke the silence as she approached the two little girls, her silver armor jingling as she crouched down in front of them. “You two think this man is your father?” she asked in a soft, calm voice.
The twins nodded eagerly.
The knightly armor began to clink again as she stood up and placed her left hand on my right shoulder. At first I had thought I was going to get encouraging words from her, but it was the complete opposite. With a broad grin, she said “Congratulations!” She was like a copy of Loli, only in a different body, at least that's how I felt.
“Is that all you have to say?” I shouted almost desperately, while Elaine continued to pat me on the shoulder with her calm smile. Her eyes sparkled with amusement, like this was all just a harmless joke, even though I hoped this was just a joke, but it's not. For me, it was anything but harmless. I was just acknowledged as the father of two mysterious twins who had hatched from an egg... just like that, without any warning. Alicia took a step closer, her arms crossed in front of her chest as she scrutinized me with a meaningful look. “Oh, don't be like that, Kaito. Take a look at those kids. You can't just reject them.”
Her words touched my heart. I straightened up again and looked down at the twins, who were looking at me with those big, sparkling, innocent eyes that were so full of trust, like I was really their father. But that didn't make any sense!
“But... these are the children of the master of this village, aren't they?” I spoke more to myself, since the answer was already clear, but desperately tried to find a logical way out. “I'm sure the villagers won't approve it if I take these girls with me just like that...”
But as soon as I said that, I heard the surprised approval from the crowd. “Have a good trip!” shouted an elderly man. A female added, “Listen to your father!”
I stared at the villagers, stunned.
They actually agreed with this?! Had I misheard them, or was this actually the reality? My mind could barely process what was going on. And while I was still trying to come up with suitable answers, Alicia casually stepped to my side and said smiling, “If this is settled now, we can go home without any problems.”
I blinked several times and stared at her. “Just leaving like that?” I asked incredulously.
“That's not possible, Alicia! We can't just leave without helping reconstruct the village.” Dorilla looked serious.
Alicia shrugged her shoulders. “Oh, you're right.”
Aw man... I could hardly believe, how fast the situation had changed. A minute ago, I was facing an unresolvable challenge, now I was suddenly confronted with a new, completely unexpected responsibility. Two little girls who see me as their father. How was I supposed to deal with that?
Suddenly, I felt an unusually strong rumbling. At first I thought my stomach was growling, but that wasn't the case. It felt like a malevolent aura that sent a chill down my spine. The girl with chestnut hair stepped behind me crossing her arms, her face had become a menacing mask, her beautiful emerald eyes now glowing red like a beast. “Don't you have something to tell us?” she asked, her voice unyielding. She also included Anna, who had awoken from her momentary faint. The atmosphere around us suddenly darkened, creating the impression of an invisible tempest. I felt the icy coldness in her eyes and knew instantly that I was in serious trouble. My throat suddenly felt dry as I slowly turned around. In front of me were Monika and Anna, both with murderous expressions that cut straight to my heart. Their hands were already clenching the air with anger.
Oh no... I thought in panic. My heart began to race, beads of sweat forming all over my forehead. I knew exactly what they were thinking. They thought that the twins... No, that can't be! “Monika... Anna...” I stuttered, as thousands of thoughts ran through my head at the same time. I have to explain this. Somehow. “I-I can explain!”
Monika took a step forward, her eyes penetrating my soul. “I can't wait to hear your barks,” she said coldly as she cracked her fingers. Every sound of her joints echoed through the air like a death signal. Ahhhhhh!!! My insides screamed out as I felt the ominous shadow of my oncoming fate. I realized, there was no way out, no escape. No matter what I did, the end was inevitable.
After rebuilding the Demi-Human village, or Beastmen as they are known in this world, there was an almost palpable sense of relief. The villagers were exhausted but satisfied. The legendary heroes, Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla, together with the villagers, had done everything they could to rebuild the destroyed houses, repair roads and give the village a new shine. I was... well, I was lying on the ground most of the time. Monika had beaten me up in a way that I wouldn't forget in a hurry, while Anna reproached me incessantly. Her words still echoed in my head, as if she wanted to make me realize every time, how deep I was in trouble. To be honest, it wasn't just the physical tiredness that forced me down. It was also the realization of helplessness. Once I had managed to calm Monika and Anna down a bit, helped by the two children, and my wounds healed superficially, it was time to leave the village. We moved on. The mood was mixed, on the one hand the regret of leaving the village, on the other the urge to move forward, to get stronger, to face the challenges that lay ahead.
“It's time,” Elaine eventually said. She seemed composed and strong, as she had when we first met, a natural leader who didn't hesitate for a second. We may have just met each other, but I admired her and felt a tinge of envy at the same time. She was everything I wasn't: strong, determined, respected.
“Our next destination is Almone, our hometown,” Alicia added, glowing with a warmth that was almost touching. Dorilla just shrugged her shoulders. “Three days' ride, maybe four if we dawdle.” His voice sounded a little bored, like this was just a routine trip for him. I, on the other hand, could barely hide my nervousness.
Almone, I thought, as we prepared Shia, our horse, and the carriage to set off. The hometown of the three legendary heroes. A place that would welcome them with open arms, while I... what was I compared? A loser, nobody. I was no match for them, that thought gnawed at me the closer we got to the town. The journey itself took about three days, as Dorilla predicted. On our way, I often lost myself in thought, looking at the passing landscape, but inside I felt this constant pressure.
I have to get stronger, I kept repeating in my head. It was almost a mantra that accompanied me with every pause, every step, every breath. The twins, the little dragon girls, who still called me Papa, were mostly by my side. Their childlike innocence and constant closeness reminded me, that I not only had to fight for myself, but also for them, Monika and Anna. Even though I had no idea why they saw me as their father, I had a responsibility I couldn't ignore. After three days on the roads, we finally saw the high walls of Almone looming in the distance. The town stretched majestically out in front of us, nestled in a vast plain, surrounded by flowering fields and forests that sparkled in the soft light of the setting sun. It was an impressive sight, but I felt my nervousness building.
“Wow...” I said unconsciously as I realized the size of the town. The high walls, the watchtowers and the huge gate that marked the entrance to the town made Almone look like an invincible fortress. “Guys, welcome to Almone,” Elaine said proudly, holding the reins in her hands. She suddenly seemed even more upright. Her voice carried a warmth that you only feel when you return home after a long time.
As we passed through the massive gates, we were greeted by an incredible scene. The streets were full of people cheering as we entered. It seemed like the whole town were waiting for Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla return. The crowd parted to let us pass, voices could be heard everywhere shouting their names.
“Heroine Elaine! Heroine Alicia! Hero Dorilla!” echoed from all sides as the inhabitants of Almone welcomed their heroes. Children waved flags, older people bowed reverently, the air seemed to be permeated with reverence for them. I couldn't help but be amazed. It's incredible, I thought. The level of worship for this trio. It was almost surreal to see them in this light. Of course I knew they were considered legends, but here, in their hometown, it all became tangible. They weren't just heroes to me, they were heroes to an entire town, an entire kingdom.
And me? What am I?
This thought crept back in, gnawing at my self-confidence. Surrounded by thunderous cheers and honors, I realized how small I was compared to them. They had fame, strength and acknowledgement. And me? I was nothing more than a loser who wasn't even capable of winning against that guy. I can't stay weak any longer, I said in my mind. After a few minutes of people applauding us, we left the lively streets and finally arrived at a huge estate. A huge mansion stretched out in front of us, nestled in extensive grounds surrounded by manicured gardens and tall trees.
“Wow...” I exclaimed again as I took in the sight of the house. It was even bigger than I had imagined, almost like a small palace.
“So big...” Monika, who was standing next to me after getting off the carriage, was also impressed. She seemed hardly believing it. And to be honest, I felt the same way.
Elaine stepped forward, walked up the large steps and opened the massive double doors.
“Welcome to our home.” she said, stepping aside to allow us to enter. We stepped into the huge foyer, which was almost overwhelming.
“Welcome back. Miss Elaine, Miss Alicia, Mr. Dorilla.” said a butler who was waiting for us at the entrance and bowed deeply. Behind him were several maids who greeted us with polite smiles. “Welcome back.” they repeated in chorus, their voices harmonious and professional.
I could hardly believe what I was seeing. This is real... This is all real! I thought. A whole host of maids and a butler waiting for us like royalty. It was nearly too much for my poor heart. I'm seeing real maids! I cheered mentally. Of course, I had visited maid cafés in Akihabara before, but this was something completely different. These were real maids, not just waitresses in costumes. This was... heaven.
“We're home!” shouted Alicia happily, almost bouncing her little body through the foyer. Her irrepressible energy didn't seem to let up. “You even have maids...” Monika said in amazement as she approached one of the maids and looked curiously at her uniform. “Your uniform is very nice.” she added, obviously impressed.
“Would you like to try on a uniform?” the maid asked politely, smiling gently. Monika's eyes lit up. “May I?” she asked excitedly.
“Of course.” said the maid and gestured Monika to follow her.
Meanwhile, Elaine turned to the butler. “John, please prepare everything for our guests.”
“As you wish, Miss Elaine,” the butler replied and bowed again before hurrying off with the maids.
Meanwhile, I was still completely overwhelmed by the sheer size and luxury of the place. “You three are incredible,” I told Elaine, Alicia and Dorilla. “You've gained so much respect and even become heroes. It's just... unbelievable.”
Elaine smiled a little sheepishly and scratched her head. “You're much more incredible than we are. I mean, after all, you...” She paused and quickly turned to Alicia and Dorilla. “What unbelievable things has he done again?” she asked in a whisper.
Alicia shrugged her shoulders. “Well...” she muttered.
“He freed the villagers... Although, we did help him.” Dorilla replied indifferently.
“That's okay.” I said and waved him off. “You don't need to try cheering me up.”
“Sorry.” Alicia apologized and actually looked a little embarrassed.
“Cheer up.” Dorilla added. “We'll train you and the others starting tomorrow. Who knows, maybe you'll surpass us one day.”
A spark of hope glowed in my chest. “Yes.” I said and put a hand on the shoulders of the dragon twins, who looked at me with their curious eyes as always. The training starts tomorrow. Tomorrow I will take the first real step, to become stronger. I will prove, to everyone, that I am not the eternal weakling. This time I won't lose!