The three of us rode off towards Arduwan’s village. It was found in a valley at the heart of the Barbarian Lands.

As we rode, Wraith asked, “So, are you glad you brought me now?”

“Yeah, ya know, you didn’t do too bad,” I said as I smirked.

“I can’t thank you both enough,” said Arduwan. “Yep! Not too bad for a couple of world walkers are we?”

“World walkers?” Arduwan questioned.

“Wraith! Unh uhh," I whispered.

It was awkward for a moment, but I broke the silence by saying, “Whelp, it wasn’t exactly easy, but in just over a week, I stopped the Devil of this world from taking over.”

“The Devil?” Arduwan questioned again.

“Yes, ma'am. I know how much of a threat he must have been to the people of this world but with him gone, there’s a good chance at stability now.”

Arduwan seemed confused. She said, “it was certainly an accomplishment, but I’m not sure how getting rid of him saves the entire world.”

“What do you mean?” I asked cautiously.

“I mean…Davol was certainly bad and a nuisance to people in this region. But he was rather small potatoes compared to others in the world.”

“Hold up,” I said, as I slowed my horse down to be parallel with hers, “are you saying there’s some big bad evil guy far more powerful and worse than Davol out there?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“Who?”

“The Devil King,” she said casually.

“What?!” Washington was only nicknamed the Devil King by The Order in Bristol because of my father sharing information about the Seven Devils with them and nothing about Alabaster was royalty. Was there seriously a guy here in this world openly called the Devil King?

“So, you’re saying that Davol wasn’t the Devil King?” I continued.

“Of course not. In fact, I believe Davol was actually banished from the Devil King’s army to this place by the Devil King for being too weak.” she explained.

“This has to be some kind of joke,” I said, perplexed.

“Not to worry,” she added, “he’s completely on the other side of the world and has little impact here.”

“Haha,” Wraith laughed, “this is like when you beat the first boss in A Link to the Past and save Zelda, only to find out the game is just beginning.”

With a confused look, Arduwan asked, “where exactly are you two from?”

Later that day, we arrived in Arduwan’s village. It was literally a ghost town. People with terror stricken looks on their faces stood in stone throughout the town. Arduwan took me to the place where she had buried a wooden box. It contained the stone head of the Gorgon she defeated.

Its eyes glowed brightly.

“See, even if I look right into its eyes, the villagers remain in stone,” she said pitifully.

“Ahem, perhaps we could try this…” I said as I directed her to take the head and aim it at a nearby female villager. In an instant, the woman reanimated and was no longer made of stone.

“Lady Arduwan!” the woman cried out as she knelt in thanks.

“Wow! How did you know that would work, Eric?” Arduwan expressed.

“Just lucky I guess,” I replied.

“Wait a second,” said Wraith, “she thought that she had to be the one to look at the Gorgon head?”

“Don’t…” I stopped him.

Arduwan then went around the village freeing everyone from their eternally stone prisons. When her father was freed, she introduced us.

“This is my father, Ardu, King of the Barbarians.”

“This is a miracle! Bless you, my daughter. You and your comrades are the saviors of our entire way of life,” said the king.

* * *

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

That evening, we celebrated again. But I told Arduwan that Wraith and I needed to return to the desert spring in the morning. She offered to escort us there personally and we left shortly after daybreak. When we arrived, I dismounted my horse and gave it a smack, sending it back into the wild. Wraith stayed aboard his camel. He had something to say.

“I’m not going back, Eric.”

“What?! Why not?” I asked.

He sat majestically on his camel, with his pockets and saddlebags full of treasure and said, “I fit in really well in this world. I think I could thrive even. You can keep my stuff up in the attic at your place in case I ever come back. Or maybe I’ll get bored and want to bring it here.

But just the same, I feel it’s my calling to stay here.”

“Wow, Wraith. Well, I wish you luck. I’ll see you around, I’m sure. With that Devil King out there, I’m bound to come back sometime.”

“Goodbye, my friend. Goodbye, milady. Hiya!” he said, as he sped off out of the canyon into the desert.

“So, I will see you again, Eric? When?” Arduwan asked.

“Not sure. I know at some point fate will call me back here. But I need a much-needed rest and time to devise my next course of action. When the time comes, I know I can count on you and your people as an ally.”

“Hmm,” she nodded sternly in agreement.

“Until next time,” I said, as I leapt off the ledge into the spring below.

In a matter of moments, I was undergoing that all too familiar feeling of weightlessness as I clutched the glowing red rock. I felt agitated only for a moment at the thought that I expected it to be green back when I thought Davol was the Devil of this world. Then in no time at all, I was back in the well.

It felt great being able to come back from Callist this time without having been beaten to a pulp and tossed in like a ragdoll. I also felt pretty accomplished despite not achieving the goal I thought I had. But nonetheless, I did only go in as a reconnaissance to begin with. So, I’d say I came out pretty successfully.

No one was there to greet me when I came out of the well this time. It was morning but well past time for Higgins to be getting ready for the day, so he wasn’t in the basement. And without Anabel there to scream for help, it looked like I would just have to casually go upstairs to find everyone.

I found Emily first, reading in the drawing room. Anabel came shortly behind from the kitchen, hauling a laundry basket.

“Eric! You’re back!” Emily said, clearly happy to see me.

“Oh, wonderful. You’re not hurt this time,” Anabel followed up, as she came in behind.

“Yeah, it definitely wasn’t easy. But it all worked out rather well,” I replied to them.

“Where’s Wraith?” Anabel asked as Emily rolled her eyes.

“It’s a long story, but he decided to stay.”

“Oh, tragedy. What a loss to the world,” Emily stated sarcastically.

“I’ll explain everything at dinner. Just let me take a shower and relax for a while.” “Sure. I’ll tell Higgins you’re back already,” Anabel said.

I went upstairs, dumped off my chainmail next to the bed and stammered towards the shower. So much dust and sweat. I felt like hell despite only being back in Callist a couple days before returning to my world. I mean, I asked Higgins for the toughest world to visit, and he delivered. But I may need to rethink my strategy and go from easiest to hardest instead of the other way around.

After my shower, I laid down for a nap. I slept until just before sundown. Higgins cooked like clockwork, so I knew when dinner would be on before he started. I went downstairs and greeted him and the girls again.

“Welcome back, Master Noble. I’m told your journey was a success, but Master Wraith will not be returning?” Higgins said.

“That’s right. Long story and I owe it to all of you. Mind if I start explaining while you cook dinner? I’m starving.”

Everyone looked at me with blank looks on their faces. No one said a word at first and Anabel’s jaw dropped.

“Everything all right, you guys?” I asked, confused.

Emily spoke first. She pointed and said, “Eric? Who on Murk is that?!” I turned behind me to see Arduwan standing there.

“Ah! What the hell? How did you get here?” I asked.

“I followed you into the spring…well, actually, I came back later.”

“But why?!” I exclaimed. Everyone else was still stunned, including Higgins.

“Well, ya see…I returned to my village after you left. But when my father heard the details of our adventure together, he pointed out that since I was helped by an outsider, that I owed a life debt to you.”

“A life debt?”

“Yes. I am not allowed to return until I fulfill it,” she said.

“Oh, that’s okay. You don’t owe me anything. Heh heh. You can just head on back now,” I tried to laugh off her proposal.

“But I can’t. I’m obligated by the code of my tribe,” she said with sadness in her voice.

“Umm, Eric. Could you please explain to us who this is?” Emily interjected.

“Yes! This is Arduwan the Barbarian Queen.”

“Well, actually,” Arduwan corrected, “it’s Barbarian Princess again now.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because my father is back on the throne now and I gave the Great Horn back to him…I was demoted. I’m Arduwan the Barbarian Princess now.”

“Demoted?”

“Yeah…and you see. My father gave me an ultimatum. I can either repay my debt to you or find a suitable mate. Well, I’ve decided to do both, and I choose you!”

Anabel, with her mouth still open, nearly fainted. She leaned against the countertop on one side.

“Mate?! Umm, ya know, I wasn’t the only one that helped you. Wraith was there too. Perhaps try him?”

“Lord Wraith is a really nice man,” she blushed.

“He is?” Emily questioned.

“But I knew you best and you’re the one who helped me figure out how to do all the things we did, Arduwan continued, “So I prefer you be my mate!”

“Now just wait a minute. Don’t I get a say in this?”

“You do…if I am not suitable for you, then I will gladly repay my peoples debt in the form of service,” she said as she closed her eyes, bowed her head, and balled her fist against her chest.

Higgins finally stated, “I think this matter will take longer to resolve than a single conversation. I shall prepare dinner. I’ll be sure to make enough for Miss Arduwan as well.”

“It’s…it’s not fair,” Anabel muttered.

We all turned our attention to her.

“What’s wrong Anabel?” I asked.

“It’s not fair,” she said again before continuing, “how can her body be so hairless? There is not a hair to be found on her body besides the top of her head and eyebrows.”

It’s true. I had seen all the way to Florida when Arduwan was in battle, and there was not a hair on her body. How the hell could she manage that in her world?

“Come now, Anabel,” Emily patted her on the back and consoled her out of the room,

“Let me show you the wonders of the goddess on a mountain top…Venus Razors.”

Oh, my god! I can’t believe this hadn’t occurred to me before. Not only was I in an Isekai story…but I was in a Harem Isekai story!