I am Alphine Hynes. A servant working in the Royal Palace of the Rainark Kingdom. My main duty is to maintain the Queen’s Garden. A large beautiful garden with rich history that surrounds the palace. I used to clean the many rooms of the palace and washed the numerous and luxurious silver platters, but I have taken over the previous gardener after he died of old age. Working as a servant here is tedious, but it’s rewarding. No one is here to rush me, unlike my old job. That job was so demanding that I ended up overworking myself to exhaustion. However, that is now the past. I’m glad that I am just a servant now. It’s so peaceful and relaxing. 

 

⸺⸺⸺

 

Today, I heard a strange rumor among the maids passing by as I tended the bushes that I shaped as animals. 

 

Did you hear? The hero was summoned! 

 

Is that true? 

 

No way, right?

 

Yes, it’s true. I heard it from the maids in the upper floors. I hear that the hero is especially handsome. Even the head maid was not able to take her eyes off of him!

 

My, is the hero that good looking? Oh, how I dreamed of such a hero. I envy those working on the upper floors. 

 

Ah, a hero. I wonder if he would be interested in a maid like me. 

 

That said, I’m hearing that the head butler will be assembling all the servants tomorrow. Maybe it’s about the hero, I suppose?

 

A hero, they say. A hero!? I chuckle in the thoughts of a hero being summoned. I never have thought that I would be in the age where the hero exists! Though, perhaps it’s just gossip among the young maids. The last rumor I heard was the heated affairs of the head butler and head maid. It was quite a rumor. The head butler has been working for the palace for more than 40 years, while the head maid is quite young who rose up the ranks in the past couple years. The wide age gap and the butler who has not married for so long were the reasons that it caught on so well. However, it seemed to be false. The head butler is supposedly into men. Which is actually another rumor that has been here for years; again, due to being unmarried his whole life yet coveted by many maids in the past. 

 

I wonder if it’s actually true? The hero, I mean. I remember hearing fairy tales of the hero. A strong, heroic man guided by the Gods to smite the crisis that endangers the world. 

 

A crisis. Is the kingdom in crisis? I don’t recall the kingdom in dire need of help. My old job has a vast network across the kingdom, but I don’t remember any notable danger. 

 

Strange. Perhaps it’s that thing happening in the borders? Did they finally make a move? Well, that’s all there is to it. I am now just a servant. The kingdom should be able to handle it. Plus, the House can deal with it if it gets too messy. 

 

I shrugged off all my concern and continued working the rest of the tiger shaped bush. 

 

⸺⸺⸺

Next day, early morning. 

 

After doing my routine check of the garden, I headed to the mess hall that serves food for the servants. The head butler was assembling all the servants here for a meeting. I recalled the conversation from the maids yesterday. 

 

Is it really about the hero? Well, I guess I’ll find out soon enough. 

 

I entered the mess hall. A large cafeteria with wooden tables and seats, built to accommodate all the servants for food and meetings like today. 

 

It’s now packed with people and buzzing with chatter. Many of them work on the lower floors of the palace. They are mostly involved in manual labor, such as cleaning and greeting guests. The other servants of the upper floors, who attend the royalty in person, are here too. 

 

I spotted a small area that was less populated amongst the crowded mess hall and sat down there. I honed my ears and listened to the numerous conversations around me to gather information. 

 

Is there a hero... Do you think the hero... I heard the hero... To think the hero... Meet a hero... Hero to love... The hero is here... Be with the hero... 

 

Among the buzzing chatter, “hero” is often brought up. I can’t believe this is really about the hero. The Queen really summoned the hero? I know for a fact that only the Queen could approve such an act. But, why? Why now?

 

While I was pondering, someone approached me. 

 

“Alphine, whatcha staring into space for? Don’t tell me, are you looking for young maids to prey upon? Oh no, young maidens, beware. Alphine is spotting his next victim. Another sad tragedy is about to begin yet again.”

 

Oriffe. A friend of mine of the same age. He has short orange hair, brown eyes, a lean body, and a manly face. An extroverted person who I just can’t get rid of. We both got hired at the same time, which is how we met. We both started with washing the dishes and scrubbing the kitchen floor, and we often competed in completing tasks the fastest. We worked together until we got promoted in different paths. Oriffe now works in the upper floors, attending the royalty. Although he’s currently considered an elite servant, he still acts the same with me. To this day, we still frequently compete. He’s a good friend. 

 

Oriffe rudely sat down to the left of me, with an annoying smile on his face. I responded to his little banter. 

 

“What are you talking about? That makes it sound like I already preyed upon someone. I am a gentleman above all. Unlike you, who fawns over the head maid, just like some innocent boy trying to attract the attention of his first crush.”

 

“Right... A darn shame you don’t know. At least I’m honest. Pretty sure my advances have worked. Sooner or later, the head maid will realize my charm, and she’ll be head over heels over me in no time. But Alphine, you, of all people, should be aware of it at the very least.”

 

“Aware of what?”

 

“Good morning, you two!”

 

As I tried to understand what Oriffe meant, another person approached us.

 

“Alph, Ori, morning. It’s been quite a long time since we’ve gathered together like this, hasn’t it? Alph, I’m so happy to see you again.”

 

Marie. Another friend of mine. I first met her when she was an apprentice maid, a couple months after I started working here. Now, she works in the upper floors like Oriffe. Marie is a couple years younger than me. She has light purple hair that glows in the sunlight. It’s fashioned into two buns on the side of her head, and she has pale yellow eyes. Marie is slightly smaller than me, but she is slightly adorably plump to the point that she is often adored by the older maids. She still has a childish look on her face despite trying to display the face of a mature lady. It’s quite funny to be honest. Marie is a klutz. She tripped often and broke the record of breaking plates and vases within her first week. Since she was having a rough time, Oriffe and I decided to help her a bit. Since then, the three of us became close friends. 

 

Marie approached us with a gentle smile and sat down to the right of me. Since it had been awhile since the last time I had seen her, I decided to tease her with a grin. 

 

“Morning, Marie. You look lovely as always. I heard rumors that the head butler’s protégé is courting you. Man, to think the clumsy adorable Marie is now gunning for the big leagues. The upper floors truly do change a person.”

 

What I said is not wrong. The head butler’s protégé will inherit the head butler’s position. I heard that he confessed his love to Marie as soon as she started working in the upper floors. I never fail to catch a rumor. After all, I work  in the garden. The palace is vast and encompasses the garden. Many servants pass through it to get to their work stations. My hearing is trained to catch even the faintest sound from afar, thus catching the gossips of servants cutting through. Though, it’s the use of magic skills that made it possible. 

 

Marie’s lovely smile turned into a frown as she pouted. 

 

“Ah, please don’t remind me of him. He won’t stop interrupting my work, and he gawks at my body every time. No matter how much I tell him that he’s bothering me, he won’t stop. I had enough of it.”

 

“Then, why not tell him you’re taken?”

 

Marie, who was ranting about her issues as she puffed out cheeks, was interrupted by Oriffe, who gave his suggestion with a grin. Marie froze upon hearing his idea. I chuckled and followed up on it. 

 

“Won’t he try to duel whoever claimed Marie’s heart? I’m pretty sure he fired a few attendants that worked with her. Quite a crazy person, isn’t he?”

 

“Then, why don’t you be the boyfriend, Alphine? Knowing you, I doubt he can make you break a sweat in a fight. After your victory, you can bask in glory and be happy with Marie for the rest of your life. And then, I can guarantee my chances with the head maid!”

 

“You know… I think your chances with the head maid are nonexistent to begin with. From the rumors I’ve heard, the head maid is charmed by the hero.”

 

“Gah! Curses! I know that the head maid is looking somewhere else. But, he’s just some guy who has a good face and is someone considered special... And! I got a plan. Still, more importantly, what rights do you got to criticize my love life when you are always causing tragedies. Like with Ma—”

 

“Ahhh, stop!!”

 

Marie, with a raging blushing face with tears in her eyes, screamed out loud.  

 

“Ahh! Stop! Stop it, you two. Ori, you’re saying too much.”

 

Marie, past her breaking point, pounced on my lap and started pounding Oriffe on his chest with her two fists. I had to calm her down since I was sitting in between them. I couldn’t help but laugh. Eventually, she calmed down. Thinking about her ordeals, I offered to help her. 

 

“Well, if you really do need any help, feel free to call me. I can think of many ways to make sure he regrets ever messing with you.”

 

“Ehh!? Re— really, Alph? You’d be my boyfriend? A- a- a lover? Ehhhh?”

 

“Well, I don’t have to act as one. Rather, Oriffe might be a better helper since he works on the same floor as you.”

 

“Alphine. You really never get it, do you?”

 

Marie’s blushing face soon got replaced with disappointment and Oriffe expressed disbelief. I blissfully stayed ignorant. 

 

Well, for a reason. I knew for a long time that Marie has longing affection for me. If I had a normal life, I might have asked her out with the intentions of marriage. I’m sure being with Marie will result in a happy future I used to dream of, but my circumstances can’t allow me. It will eventually hurt her. I don’t have the courage to keep her from being involved on the other side. There’s a lingering feeling that I will return to that side again. That’s why I stayed ignorant. It’s my way of protecting her. 

 

Trying to avoid this conversation from getting too awkward, I shifted the topic to something else. 

 

“Well, anyways, I’ve been wondering about something. Since, you guys work in the upper floors. Have you ever met the hero that everyone is talking about?”

 

Both Oriffe and Marie work on the upper floors where the royalty, prestigious nobles, and notable guests gathered. Depending where they have work, they might have seen the hero, or perhaps even interacted with him. I’m somewhat curious about what he is like. Curious as to whether he is a hero. 

 

Marie, who still seemed a little disappointed, responded. 

 

“The hero? I know he was summoned yesterday, but I am part of the attendants who serve the Young Princess, so I haven’t seen the hero yet. Sorry.”

 

In the Royal Palace, there is the Queen and her two daughters. Unfortunately, the King passed away years ago from a sickness, however that’s only been said to the masses. We don’t actually know the real reason. This left the Queen to run the kingdom by herself, which is really commendable. Then, there are the two Rainark princesses. If I had to describe them, the older one is innocently kind, while the younger one is intelligently quiet. Marie is part of the younger princess’s entourage, so I thought she may have already witnessed the hero at least once. The hero would definitely meet the royal family, but I was wrong. Perhaps the young princess neglected to greet the hero?

 

“Marie hasn’t seen the hero yet, huh. The Young Princess does seem a bit inclusive. It worries Her Majesty, the Queen. I actually saw a glimpse of the hero while I was helping set the grand table. I believe the Crown Princess was touring the upper floors with him.”

 

The grand table refers to the dining hall in the upper floors, where the Royal family and esteemed guests are served a luxurious full course meal. Oriffe has encountered the hero there, but not Marie? The Young Princess is more inclusive than I thought.

 

“The hero... is surprisingly handsome. Quite young, perhaps in his late teens, I think. He has golden blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Tall and handsome. Damn, everytime I remember it, it gets so annoying. Like, every maid there couldn’t stop looking at him. Ah, it’s so frustrating. The head maid was also accompanying him. The look on her face as she talked with him was nothing I’ve seen before from her.”

 

“That's rough, buddy.”

 

Oriffe became depressed as he talked about his encounter with the hero. I couldn’t help but empathize with him. 

 

Well, from the chatter around me and from Oriffe, I only learned that the hero is really goddamn good looking. Many maids and servants from the upper floors are attracted to the hero. It’s quite troubling. 

 

“Quiet down! The meeting has now started!”

 

A loud voice overshadowed the chatter of the mess hall. The room that was buzzing with voices had now become silent. The voice that silenced the whole room was the head butler. An old man with gray hair and a fashionable butler uniform. Beside him was a young blue-haired maiden in a maid uniform. She was the head maid. 

 

Remembering other meetings of the past, this was going to be a long and boring speech that I had to sit through again. I could already see many faces like mine, a face of not wanting to be here.

 

About two hours had passed. The head butler managed to extend the meeting for two hours. 

 

I am not going to explain everything, but the main subject was about the hero. Long story short, the hero is a young man named Alexander Tannen from a world called Earth. He will reside in the palace and will likely be a common face to see here as he trains to be a mighty hero. The servants of the lower floors must heed the hero’s orders and must accomplish any wish he may have. Any disrespect or disregard of the hero will not be tolerated. 

 

Then after that, I kind of dozed off like many others. However, according to Marie who surprisingly listened to the whole thing, there wasn’t much important information. Just that the hero might be seen in the lower floors. Oriffe, on the other hand, dozed off way before me. 

 

After the meeting was done, the servants were dismissed. I gave my farewells to Oriffe and Marie. I headed straight to the gardener’s hut to get my gear and continue working on the garden as usual. 

 

Honestly, I don’t really care about the hero. I’m just a servant. I believe that I won’t ever have a direct encounter with him. If I was such an important hero, why would I ever engage in a conversation with a servant like me? So, I will continue working without a care in the world. 

 

⸺⸺⸺

 

Months had passed. I finished my animal parade bushes in the Queen’s garden. While I worked on the bushes, I also helped with other tasks when I felt bored. 

 

Currently, I am tending the flower garden near the center of the garden. I also added a few more flowers to give it more color. Nothing really special happened. Well, that is to me. The hero, on the other hand, well, had a lot happen. 

 

From conversations that pass by, the hero is shockingly strong and proficient in magic. The knight commander and the royal sage were tasked to train the hero. I heard they were impressed with the hero and bumped up the training, surpassing the normal training routine for knights and mages. 

 

Within the first month, the hero has already passed the level of common knights and advanced mages. He even had a few adventures outside the palace. Within the second month, the hero managed to make a name for himself for the masses. I also heard there’s a group of girls around the hero.

 

All’s well going for the hero. I, too, am going well. Well, maybe not today. 

 

As I watered the flowers, a messenger came by and handed me a letter. This letter troubled me. I headed back to the gardener’s hut, which was now my own personal quarters. After all, I was the sole gardener. 

 

I had been staring at the letter that I placed on top of a round wooden table. The letter was a rectangular yellow-stained envelope with a red seal. On its face was written, “To Alphine Hynes,” with black cursive ink. 

 

That may not be strange to anybody, but it is to me. When I applied to be a servant, I went with the name Alphine. Just Alphine. It’s usual for a commoner to only have one name. A family name is quite uncommon for commoners. 

 

Hynes is actually my teacher’s family name. I inherited it from him. He was my master in everything I needed to know to survive in this world. The only people who know that I inherited his name are my master and my old friends at my previous job. 

 

This letter was sent to me from my previous job. Troubling. I made sure to erase my tracks and stayed low. I knew that their sight here was low priority. Yet, they found me. 

 

I know that I can’t do anything about it now that my cover is blown. Maybe I should’ve used an alias. I can only sigh in disbelief. 

 

I picked up the letter, broke its seal, and read the contents.

 

3:12. Shuilder's Pub. On the seventh full moon of Wevenedene’s Day. We will be seeing you soon. 

 

From,                

The One You Know.      

 

I took a deep breath as I finally realized that it was truly from my old boss. 

 

The letter is a cryptic message, however, it is simple to crack as if it wasn’t cryptic at all. 3:12 does not refer to time. It refers to my old position. 

 

I was third in command. There are twelve commander-like positions, and I was the third one out of the twelve. 

 

Shuilder’s Pub is the location. It’s a safe house. 

 

The seventh full moon of Wevenedene’s Day is the time. There is a core moon that is always full and twelve auxiliary moons around the core moon, each with a different color. Only auxiliary moon one can be in phase while the rest are dark. They alternate and are used to tell the months. 

 

A full seventh moon is somewhere in the middle of the seventh month. Wevendene’s Day is a holiday about the first King of Rainark. The cryptic part in the message is that Wevenedene’s Day is on the eighth month. Therefore, there can’t be a seventh full moon on Wevenedene’s Day. 

 

How my old job decodes its cryptic messages is to exclude any information that leads to an actual or falsified date. Each designation for a meeting is often sooner than you think and hinted with an indication of time. Seventh full moon refers to nighttime, and the actual full moon. Tonight will be a full moon. Therefore, the meeting will be at Shuilder’s Pub tonight. 

 

It really is quite a simple message. We never really had the knack of being mysterious. However, the final sentence bugs me. We will be seeing you soon. The boss doesn’t usually write anything more than the position, location, and time. This sentimental message is abnormal. 

 

I guess they really do need my presence if the boss has to write that. I’ll find out what they want soon enough. Though, I don’t intend to quit my current job. It’s far better than my old one. Despite this, if they really do need my help, I will do so. We’ve been together for a long time. 

 

I lit a fire on the tip of my index finger using magic and burned the letter to hide its existence. I took a look at the window nearby. The sun was shining brightly in the garden. It was midday. The meeting would be later tonight. I took a deep breath to shift gears. I headed out and continued working on the garden as I waited for nightfall. 

 

⸺⸺⸺

 

Night. The previously lit garden was now covered in the drapes of darkness. The only illumination was within the palace, where the outer walls had been lit with torches. 

 

There are night patrols around the walls to spot any intruders. There are still some servants around at this time, but a majority are in their quarters asleep. Only a few remained awake, but the palace is vast, so the chances of encountering them is slim. 

 

In the gardener’s hut, there was one dim candle lit for light, but it was enough. I honed my eyes to the darkness. It had been a while since I had to adjust in the dark. 

 

Eventually, my vision became clear as I could visualize my surroundings. Next, I took out an old briefcase that I hid in a secret compartment in the ceiling of my bedroom. The briefcase was an old rusted iron case that I used for my previous job. It contained my old belongings. 

 

Perhaps, I knew they would find me which was why I kept my old briefcase. Nevertheless, I fiddled with the pin lock and unlocked it. In it was my old uniform, two daggers, a collapsible crossbow, and a variety of capsules. 

 

I put on my old uniform, a black cloak and a mask. When the cloak was imbued with magic, it would turn me into an elusive mist. The mask was etched with three vertical lines on its face. 

 

From the outside, I looked like some kind of assassin, which I was in my previous job, more or less. I used to work for the House. A powerful underground criminal organization that ruled most of Rainark. 

 

The House has twelve sections with different purposes. As I said before, I was third in command, but specifically, I was the commander of the third section. Sadly, my section was unfortunately demanding due to its significance which is why I quit. 

 

Many of the plans involved assassinations, or rather the infiltration of rival organizations which always ended up in an all-out battle. I had to lead many of the important operations while my boss just oversaw it from a distance. 

 

I don’t blame my boss since he has his reasons I respect, but it was just too much for me. Anyways, I decided to bring my trusty daggers that helped me a lot as a precaution. I don’t plan to stay out too long. 

 

I blew out the candle. It was complete darkness around me, yet I could still see. I imbued magic onto my cloak. 

 

One of its properties is to turn the user into mist and make the user harder to perceive. Especially in the dark, the cloak can basically turn me invisible. Although there is invisibility magic, it’s a tricky formula to maintain since it needs to factor the body, clothes, and accessories which differs person to person and time to time. 

 

I checked my appearance to see if the cloak was still functioning well. I was sure no one in the palace could ever spot me in the dark. Feeling satisfied that I wouldn’t get caught, I headed out. I swiftly crossed the garden with only the moon as my light. 

 

Shuilder’s Pub is located near the edges of the southern district, just outside the red light district. Most of the garden, and the gardener’s hut, is located north of the palace. I need to pass through the inner floors of the Royal Palace if I go directly south. 

 

I reached the center of the garden where a large tree stood.

 

If I head east, I could reach the inner walls of the palace and enter the eastern district. However, I continued straight to the inner palace. I intended to head to the upper floors to jump off and glide towards the southern district. 

 

As I entered the Palace, I carefully made sure there was no one around me while I headed for the stairs. The lower floors were lit by torches, but the upper floors were dimly illuminated by magic torches, a ball of light fueled by magic stones. 

 

I carefully walked through the empty halls, raising my awareness for any patrol when, suddenly, I spotted a strange room with light peeking out an ajar door. I double checked my surroundings before investigating the room. 

 

I was located where the upper servant quarters were. At this time they should be asleep. I could hear strange noises from the room. Curious, I peeked inside and honed my ears. 

 

“Mhaa~ Sir Hero... you must not. This.. this is improper. Ah.”

 

“Isn’t it fine? It’s just the two of us. Like a private world where no one can disturb us. Didn’t you want this to happen when you called me?”

 

“No.. I- ahn.. I just wanted to warn you… about your behavior with the princess. Stop. Aahn. Your fingers... I’m going to! Ahnn~!”

 

Inside the dimly lit bedroom, a man and a woman dressed as a maid were standing beside a bed. The man was embracing a maid from behind. The man in particular had blonde hair and blue eyes of a foreign face. 

 

Is this the hero? He does fit the description of a shockingly handsome man. Does that mean the hero is having a night visit with a maid!? Not just a regular maid, but the head maid! I can’t believe that I am witnessing the hero caressing the head maid like lovers. Ah, poor Oriffe, he’ll die if I tell him the head maid’s purity is taken by the hero. 

 

While I was shocked and distracted by my thoughts, the hero began stripping down the head maid, as he pushed her down onto the bed. The head maid weakly tried to dissuade the hero, but she could no longer hide her sweet sickly moans. The hero muffled the noise with a kiss. 

 

I can’t stand watching this. Especially after I saw the hero's expression just now. It was the expression of a beast that cannot contain its desire to corrupt. I thought maybe the hero fell in love with the head maid at first sight or something, but those eyes tell me he just wants her body. A shame that our hero has a bad personality.

 

As the hero began to unbuckle his pants, I gently closed the door without making a sound. I turned around and sighed. I heard faint moans and creaks leaking through the door. 

 

With my mood sour, I decided to just leave and head to the pub. I opened the window across the door and jumped out. The Royal Palace was situated on a large hill in the center of the city. There was a significant vertical distance to the ground, giving me enough glide time towards the edge of the southern district. Using magic to make me glide, I basked in the cool breeze as I watched the ground below me pass by. 

 

⸺⸺⸺

 

The southern district. It’s the residential area for the commoners. A good majority of the population within Vennark, the capital city of the Rainark Kingdom, lives in the southern district. 

 

Within the edges of this district lies the slum. The slum is divided into three parts as you go further outwards: the poor district, rat alley, and the shack homes. Just between the southern district and the poor district is the red light district.

 

Shuilder’s Pub lies within that red light district and poor district edge. There’s an alleyway, hidden within the main street of the red light district, that leads to the poor district. That is where Shuilder's Pub is located. 

 

With this location, the pub doesn’t attract many customers. Often only the poor know of it. It is one of the House’s earliest safe houses built after its conception. It used to be busy, but after the House’s original headquarters was burned down and its main operation moved somewhere else, this pub is now desolate. I am surprised it’s still used as a safe house. Nevertheless, this is where the meeting is located. 

 

I examined the old wooden building in the dimly lit alleyway. The only indication that it was a pub was a rusty metal sign of toasting beer mugs. I opened the heavy wooden door and entered. 

 

The scene inside was quite sad. The tables and chairs were old and chipped. There was a musty scent of mold. The floor creaked with every step. The candles lit on the tables made the room eerie. Behind the counter was a young bartender cleaning a glass. There was no one else beside him but me. He seemed focused on making the glass sparkle as he didn’t bother to take a glimpse of who just came in. Though, I already knew who he was. 

 

“Yester, are they here?”

 

Without any formalities, I asked Yester, the bartender, if my old friends were already here. The bartender put down the glass and bowed. He responded in monotone. It did not resemble a human voice. 

 

“Master Three, I am glad to see you are in good health. The Masters have already arrived and are awaiting your presence.”

 

“Don’t call me that anymore. I quit. They can find a better person to take over.”

 

“There can be no one who can replace you, Master Three. As you don that mask, you will always be Master Three. Please do not belittle yourself. The Masters have all agreed to leave that position open for your return. We all are awaiting for your return.”

 

I sighed in disbelief as I couldn’t handle talking to him. 

 

Master Three or, rather, Three is my codename. Each commander is named after their section number to keep ourselves anonymous to the public, and also to stay anonymous to the House. Only the commanders themselves know each other’s identity. After all, we were the ones who started it all.

 

“Where are they at? The usual room?”

 

“Please make your way up the stairs. The Masters are waiting up—”

 

Yester, who was speaking monotone, suddenly froze. Then, after a moment of silence, he spoke in a voice different from before, and in a tone different from before. 

 

“Hurry up and enter. You are making me agonize in anticipation, my dear Alphine.”

 

An alluring voice of a woman spoke out of the bartender’s mouth. 

 

His true identity is a puppet created by the ninth commander. Despite her main role of dealing with the logistics for the House as Nine, she makes various puppets for the House and has the ability to take over their bodies. I worked with her frequently as Three when planning for the various operations. 

 

Another moment of silence passed by. The bartender puppet went back to working on the glass as if he had only one task in his mind. 

 

I guess I can’t let them continue waiting. 

 

I walked past the bartender puppet and across the room towards the stairs. Upstairs led to a long hallway of different rooms for vacancy. I walked towards the room at the end and entered. 

 

Inside was a large round table occupied by familiar people. The commanders of the House and also my childhood friends that made the House. Despite keeping ourselves anonymous from the public and within the House, they greeted me unmasked. 

 

“Yo, long time no see, Alph.”

 

The first one to greet me in a rough deep voice was Johan—Two, commander of the armed forces. A large muscular man with vermillion hair and eyes, and a scarred face that testified his numerous life and death battles. 

 

“Alphy! Welcome back!! I have new cuties I need you to test, pretty please.”

 

A perky girl greeted me with a fast and high pitched voice. She was Cherry—Four, commander of R&D. A petite cheerful girl with bright pink twin tails and blue eyes. 

 

“'Bout time, Alphine.”

 

A sharply dressed man shortly greeted me. He was Kimsly—Five, commander of intelligence. A young man with sky blue hair and blue eyes paired with sharp-looking glasses. 

 

“Hoh hoh, it’s so good to see you again, Alph.”

 

A plump happy man greeted me with a light tone. He was Melfow—Six,  commander of the Door. A man, slightly overweight, with brown eyes, orange hair and a mustache. 

 

“Zzzz.. huh! Oh, Alph, you’re here!”

 

The man who just woke up after I arrived was Fellow—Seven, commander of the mercenaries. A lean man with red eyes and radiant blonde hair, rivaling or perhaps even surpassing the hero’s. 

 

“Fashionably late. Alphine, you used to be so punctual in meetings.”

 

A mature woman with a mellow voice criticized my late arrival. She was Kelly—Eight, commander of the alliance. A strikingly beautiful woman with long curly lavender hair and azure eyes. 

 

“Making a lady wait is impolite. You know that well, don’t you, my dear Alphine?”

 

The one who spoke affectionately towards me was Vivicia—Nine, commander of logistics. She was the one who made the puppets. An alluring lady with long smooth black hair and black eyes. 

 

“Alphy! You’re back. I’m so glad, now my workload can be reduced!”

 

A woman dressed loosely greeted me cheerfully. She was Melissa—Ten, commander of finance. A youthful woman with a green ponytail and green eyes.  

 

“Master, ah, welcome back! I am happy to serve you again!”

 

A ninja girl hastily bowed in front of me. She was Arielle—Eleven, commander of the shadows. She was a petite girl similar to Cherry, but with brown bob hair and pale yellow eyes. 

 

“Welcome back, Alph.”

 

A maid also gracefully bowed in front of me. She was Lis—Twelve, commander of the reserve. A young girl in a maid outfit with long blue hair and lime eyes. 

 

“Alph, I’m glad you came. I was getting worried that you might’ve not come.”

 

The last one to greet me was my old friend who I had known since childhood—One, commander of the House, Ben. A handsome man with blonde hair and blue eyes. 

 

All eleven people here are my childhood friends, and together, we formed the House. And, I was Three, commander of the enforcers. It has been a long journey since we started out as a vigilante gang in the slums. Now, we are a renowned underground organization in the whole kingdom with many followers. Ever since I left, I can still hear rumors about the House’s activity, knowing that they still function without me.

 

I took off my mask and asked why they had called me.

 

“So, what's the occasion? Aren’t you guys doing alright without me?”

 

“Well… about that. We’re just able to manage, but it’s pretty chaotic.”

 

Ben responded with a wry smile. 

 

“I called you for a special reason. You’re currently working in the Royal Palace, right? We never thought of finding you there. We even made bets, mine was the academy by the way. Anyway, Kimsley found a rumor about you there by coincidence.”

 

“Mine was the circus! Animals tend to love Alphy, after all.”

 

“I was sure he would be hiding as a low-rank adventurer. But, I suppose we would’ve found out about it sooner.”

 

“My guess was a brothel! Since that’s where I would go if I wanted to hide!”

 

“That’s vulgar, Johan. Alph knows very well not to go to those places. Unless he dares to face the consequences over there.”

 

Cherry, Melissa, and Johan shouted out their guess, and Ben admonished Johan, who garnered a hateful gaze from certain individuals. The rest began to join in and the room became lively. It made me feel a bit nostalgic. Our meetings often ended up like this.

 

Still, a rumor about me? I don’t think I’ve done anything to spark any interest about me. Ain’t I just a regular servant? I might have to ask Oriffe about it someday. 

 

“So, what about it?”

 

“Well, it’s about the hero.”

 

They called me for the hero? Are they going to ask me to hire him or something? I hope not. 

 

“My dear Alphine, I know your ears aren’t for show. You have some thoughts about the actions of this hero, don’t you?”

 

Vivicia seems to always read my thoughts. I actually do hold some questions about the hero’s action. Although they are remarkable, the hero’s adventures these past months; his actions, however, have severe repercussions that he doesn’t seem to be aware of.

 

For example, his last venture was to slay a rising tribe of goblins that was threatening a village. Goblins are a heinous monster species who destroys every ecosystem they reside in. They are harmful to villages who have minimum protection. Thus, they become a target of subjugation.

 

The hero did manage to subjugate them. Wonderful. The problem is that he accepted a banquet and petty rewards from the village. He shouldn’t have done that. 

 

First, the village was just barely managing their food supply due to the threat of the goblins. Second, he is the hero! The hero should not accept any rewards. He’s being backed up by the royal family. He’s not lacking in funds.

 

Additionally, he failed to verify that all the goblins have been exterminated. He didn’t even make any preventive measures. Now, the village has been destroyed by the remaining few goblins who regained their numbers. The villagers who have survived are migrating around the kingdom in search of a new home. 

 

Yet, the hero is happily living in the Palace with his harem, and this is not his first fault. He’s known to be a womanizer. Even straining the relationship with our elven nation ally by trying to woo his elven archer companion, a notable figure of the elven nation. Knowing the mess the hero has made multiple times, this must be why they have called me. 

 

“I know the hero is a walking disaster, but why do you need me? The kingdom will deal with it. Even if they don’t, the House will take care of it.”

 

The House is a special organization. To the public and the kingdom, it’s a powerful criminal organization responsible for numerous assassination and destruction. Yet, to the insiders, it’s a revolution, a war on corruption within the kingdom. That is the House’s goal and Ben’s ideal. To do whatever it takes to become an undeniable force that the kingdom cannot touch. To cleanse the corruption and poverty of the kingdom. This all started with a slum boy’s dream. 

 

Despite the Queen’s effort, there is a vast amount of corruption with the nobles who exploit the commoners and the poor. They deal shady businesses with the underground world. There are still numerous organizations in this kingdom that are enemies with the House. 

 

The House is to eradicate all of that and create a better place. The House will fix what the kingdom failed to do. It’s an idealistic approach and yet it’s happening. Though the House is still far from an undeniable force, its existence is feared and marveled in the kingdom. That is why if the kingdom fails to clean the hero’s mess, the House eventually will. 

 

“Yes, we would take care of it if it gets too out of hand, but there is another important subject.”

 

Ben told me that there was another matter. I never thought there would be something troubling the House.

 

“What’s wrong? Have you declared war on another gang?”

 

“I wish it was, but that’s not the case. Everyone, listen, this is a grave matter of utmost priority. Kimsly, can you explain it?”

 

Kimsly, as Five, is the commander of intelligence. He leads a group of spies who gather information about the kingdom and other underground organizations. He holds a vast network of information. They are our eyes and ears of the House. 

 

“It’s the demons. They invaded the borders in the east. My spies observing the borders sent a distress signal a few days ago. The masses still haven’t received the news yet. The border army must be suppressing the information. The Queen most likely knows about it already. However, the surprise attack and the demons’ vast numbers are steadily overwhelming the army. Additionally, in the north, we spotted some movements with the cult. We suspect they are the cause for the demon’s sudden movements. From our latest intel, we believe the Demon King inheritance has been completed. It’s highly possible we are entering another Holy War.”

 

The whole room remained in silence from Kimsly’s shocking news.

 

To think the demons would be the problem. I’ve been worrying about the border since the kingdom has been amassing troops there. 

 

Far in the east lies the Demon’s Domain. A territory occupied by a corrupt species who tainted the Holy Gods’ blessing from the ancient era. Their domain is a dangerous region where the air is corrosive and poisonous.

 

The demons do not move away from their domain until the Demon King inheritance is completed, a ritual where a demon inherits the will of the Evil God. Which means the Holy War will begin again. A war that began in the ancient era where we fought against the first Demon King. 

 

The ongoing Holy War resumes when all forces of power are united to slay the Demon King. During the Holy War, the demons will wage total destruction under the command of the Demon King. The last Holy War ended roughly 10 years ago. The House was conceived just a year after the war, when times were the toughest.

 

The inheritance can take up to hundreds of years to complete, yet it’s already completed now? Kimsly said something about a cult. Then, perhaps he means the Alztriac cult? Those nasty cultists. They, for some reason, believe in salvation from the Evil God and revel in the destruction of the Holy War. And now, they managed to influence the Demon King inheritance to complete this soon? Is this why the hero was summoned?

 

“Ben, what are your plans?”

 

I broke the silence with a question.

 

The grim information that was spoken today will affect the world. If the cult managed to influence the inheritance, then there is no doubt they would cause chaos not just in this kingdom, but the whole continent. The House has yet reached its pinnacle, but Ben called us anyways. Then, as One, as the supreme commander of the House, he plans to do something big. 

 

“I called everyone here, especially you, Alph, to announce the next step. I hereby commence the Operation Supreme House. In this Holy War, we will finally make the final step to be the supreme power, the undeniable force in this kingdom.”

 

So, Ben is finally taking the final step for the House. It has been a long journey since it was just the twelve of us, and now the House is about to enter its final stage. 

 

“We will take part in this war as the leading roles. Johan, ready your men for battle. Kimsly, gather your spies on the kingdom’s movement. Cherry, start mass producing our weapons and armor with Holy mana. Melfow, I need you to prepare sanctuaries for refugees. Fellow, your mercs are needed for the battlefield once again. Kelly, start picking allies who can support us. Vivicia and Melissa, I’m counting on you two to make sure we don’t fall apart. Arielle, I need you and your shadows in the east to scout the demon’s movement. Lis, you will be supporting Melfow with the sanctuaries.”

 

“Yes! Finally some action!” “Got it.” “Okay~! But it might take awhile, you know.” “You can count on me.” “Alright, I’ll round up the boys.” “Sure thing, Ben.” “Fufu, it’s going to get busy again.” “Ah! My workload increased, but I'll do it!” “Erm, I’ll do my best!” “Understood.”

 

The ten commanders gave a lively response to Ben’s command. Everyone seemed excited. 

 

“And finally, Alph, I have an important task for you. I know it’s my fault that I relied on you too much, but I need you. Alph, you are the only one capable of doing so. I need you to assess whether the hero can be trusted in the Holy War. You don’t have to join his party or anything, but I need you to observe him and determine his worth. From his latest actions, I fear he may be a hindrance, and possibly a target of execution. Can I leave it to you, Alph?”

 

I know that Ben relies on me to enforce the House’s goals, but I also felt partially responsible for it. Since, I’m the one who gave him his dream. It was just a joke, yet he took it seriously, and now he made it a reality. I left because of my selfish desire. Though I have left, Ben and the others are still my precious friends. 

 

“You got it. All I gotta do is observe the hero, right? That’s easy enough.”

 

This Holy War will probably be a major one, even more than the last. I can’t leave my friends in danger. So, I will help. After all, this task is easy compared to what I used to do. Also, this task fits my interest. I can now observe the hero. I've always been curious about him.

 

Now that I think about it, we both came from Earth. I forgot I was reincarnated since it has been years since I was born here. Since I’m his senior in isekais, I’ll watch over our boy Alexander, so he doesn’t do anything stupid. Well, I won’t guide him, but I’ll clean up his mess. After all, I live here. I’m not really too happy about the mess he had left behind. I just hope he’s not underestimating this world, but from what I’ve seen earlier, I’m already starting to lose hope.