It was about late in the afternoon. I'm currently on my way back to the guild mansion.

The children too had gone home by now.

With me as of now is the additional soreness of my already lethargic body. Even though it was supposed to be my day off, my rest day, I'd been constantly in exertion since this morning.

As I strolled toward the main street, which I shouldn't have because it was traffic as hell, prestigious carriages were being driven outside of Thehill.

It's just a wild guess but they must've been the attendees of the conference. If they were then that was a long meeting considering that Mira had to come by early in the morning.

On one of the carriages, I only caught a glimpse but he left quite an impression.

A dog beast-man with a monocle and had well-groomed fur. Perhaps it was his nature that got into me—such as a noblesse would have.

That aside though, I headed back to the guild mansion.

Instead of going directly to the stairs, to my room, I'd gone to the backdoor.

I ought to go to the library. I wanted to look into Pastellia—the country that in all likelihood I was born in.

Actually, it was my initial agenda but due to the unforeseeable circumstances that I got drawn into, it got pretty much delayed. I've got no one to blame anyone though but myself.

Although, it's not like I'm going to do extensive research about Pastellia. Plus, there's also the probability that the library had no books regarding Pastellia.

Well, I just have to check it for myself.

Walking out of the corridor and into the field where I got thwacked by Mayer, I came across Aeri who's sitting under the lone tree.

She seemed to be staring at something before she noticed me.

"Yow, Reiji!"

"Hey."

Waving her hand, I advanced further to see that Ranju was there as well, doing push-ups.

So that's who she was staring at. Anywho, that guy really loves to train. Don't tell me he's been doing that since we left this morning?

"What brings you here?"

Aeri asked after she approached me.

"Library, borrowing some books for recreational activity."

And because I had no other choice, but I can't say that.

"Eh?! Books? You know those are only for nerds."

... Apologize to every bookworm out there. And don't make a repelling expression on top of that.

Isn't Mira a book lover? That'll hurt her if she heard you.

I'll just ignore that for now. As a matter of fact.

"How about you? What are you doing here?"

"Me? I've just finished cultivating the garden at the back."

Aeri rested her hand on her head then turned her body at Ranju.

"I'm on my way back to my room when I saw that idiot was still training."

A garden at the back, huh. I might check that as well, but on another date, of course.

I glanced at Aeri who's looking at Ranju. Her almost imperceptible smile had my suspicions rising indeed.

That aside, Ranju's proclivity to his daily training definitely defined how committed he was.

It was just my third-day boarding here but I can perfectly discern the undying devotion he puts in it. And to be frank, it's quite motivating, if it weren't for my current condition.

"Had he always been doing this?"

"Quite unbelievable, right? No matter what date it is, rain or shine, that idiot will always have time for training. Even now, he already did about 356 push-ups and still counting."

"I see."

... Eh? What? Did I just hear it right?

... And here I am with a record of 22 push-ups.

Wait... How did you keep track of that?

I really wanted to ask that but I refrained, I might stimulate an immutable episode.

"H-how about you, Aeri? How many can you do."

Aeri ponderously propped her hand under her chin.

"Hmmm, the last time I did it... I think it's around 150. But I can still go up to 200 if I pushed myself to my limit. Well, it's not like I needed that much arm strength."

She said as she gestured like she's aiming using a bow.

I lost, I was defeated... Lost and defeated.

"Is there something wrong, Reiji?"

"Nothing... I'll be going to the library now."

Aeri let out a wry smile.

"O-okay."

Before we parted ways, she pointed out the designation of the library.

To the left and look for the double door.

I entered the library. It had two floors and relatively large, though there's nowhere to compare it with.

Let's just say that it had a significant quantity of books.

To add on, not a mote of dust. Praise to the maids, they did yet another great job.

There was a table at the front, above it was a catalog.

I flipped through and found some interesting books.

Journey to the Mythical Sites. Monster Classifications Special Edition I-V.

Most of the titles here were too technical. But if I were to conjecture, "The Lands Under the Light" should be it, right?

I'll just have to find out for myself.

I got into the section where the book was shoved in.

I took the book and from the design of the cover, it doesn't seem to be a fictional book.

The Lands Under the Light.

I flipped through the table of contents... And I was right.

There are five countries: Earnstall, Watsfork, Pastellia, Hernow, and Thehill.

The book was comprised of each of the countries' history and background.

... ... ...

The country of Pastellia.

Skimming through the book, it was apparently more of a travel guide than actual documentation of the whole country.

According to the book, Pastellia is a country in the far east. It is bordered by the treacherous Great Exiled Desert on its west section and harbors the Sea of Alma.

Warning: The Great Exiled Desert is an extremely restricted area and only a seasoned adventurer shall venture.

So if I were to travel there, the best route is to go roundabout. The duration wasn't given but I think the journey will take too long.

Apparently, the capital of Pastellia is also called Pastellia, the same with Thehill.

From there, once you arrived in Pastellia, in the middle of the Sea of Alma, you can also sight the astounding Aqua-City—Alma.

By condensing the mana circulation beneath the Aqua-City, it stayed afloat for unparalleled generations. There was no record of how it was built and how it came to be, making it one of the ancient wonders of the world.

If I had the occasion, I'll absolutely jaunt there but I should concentrate on the topic at hand.

As for the structural and cultural differences:

Instead of the usual knob type, Pastellia has the sliding door type.

Instead of tiles on the floor, Pastellia used tatami mats as a standard amongst households.

Instead of a bed, Pastellia used a futon to slumber.

The usage of rice for crafting delicacies is common and is the main agricultural selling point of Pastellia, fusing it with other synergizing ingredients to make a profit.

Additionally, people in Pastellia remove their footwear when entering someone's home.

... About what was implied here, it seemed that I know Pastellia at a fine level. The only problem is that there was no nostalgia factor on it. If I set Thehill and Pasteilla side by side, the level of knowledge that I have would be the same.

It's like I know what mochi is and I know what a cookie is.

Sigh. I suppose I'll just have to wait for the Guild Master and Ava's report then.

Now then, what should I do? I'm not a fan of reading books but I'm here in the library anyway... I guess I'll just look around.

What to read, what to read?

I grabbed the book that had the most interesting cover on the next shelf.

The Life of Xeno.

It was a novel. A fictional one at that. It was about saving the world from a Demon Lord. The protagonist was summoned from another world through a ritual. He was given a sacred weapon to vanquish the forces of evil...

To be frank, the premise was pretty childish.

Why would they do that? It's kind of dumb considering that the protagonist is foreign to that world. Isn't it better to have some erudite citizen to handle and protect that world? What would they gain from someone who just got there unknowingly?

They put all of their faith in the man who had no prior experience in fighting... Even the mages who summoned him begged: "Save our world, dear hero." If I was that, I wouldn't just agree...

"Our..."

The long blue hair man said 'Our world' back then...

... That's just an ambiguous coincidence, unlike in the novel, I'm also included in that phrase of his, right? There's no way something superficial like that will develop...

"Absolutely."

"!"

A creepy voice of a child whispered behind my ear. In response, all the hair in my body horrifyingly rose.

I hastily turned around and glimpsed a little silhouette trying to hide behind one of the bookshelves.

Gulp! What was that? I'm certain that ghosts don't exist... right?

I was curious so I slowly approach it. There were mutterings that definitely sounded like they came from a child. My imagination was running loose. A bit more and I, without a doubt, will skedaddle out of here.

I slowly peeked... Two green hair children... Twins.

"Big sis Mira said that we should formally introduce ourselves to big brother Reiji."

The green hair girl who's kneeling on all four said that. It seemed that she was persuading the green hair boy. 

"Shh, shh, Arua. Quiet down, we have to evaluate if big sis Mira's words were credible. He could potentially be an assassin sent by some evil syndicate. The truth shall prevail—"

"But, Arue..."

Interrupting the green hair boy, the green hair girl pointed a finger at me. Agape, he turned around mechanically.

"Abort! Abort! Our mission has been sabotaged! Run, retreat, Arua!"

Just like Mira's floating magic, the green hair boy alarmingly glided away.

The green hair girl agitatedly glanced at her flying brother then faced me.

She did a cute, quick curtsy then followed her brother.

"Wait, Arue!"

That sequence was too fast. I couldn't conduct any reaction.

Those two must be Arue and Arua. Though, they did shout each other's name.

Are they here to prank me? Arue had a different tone of voice from the one I just heard.

It must be some form of magic to freakily distort it like that.

Now then, even though the book is not my cup of tea, I was allured by the concept itself.

As I was on my way to my room, I got to the field once again, which is the only way back to my room, and sighted an elf and a young man.

The former is under the tree watching while the latter still on the same routine.

Just confess already.

... ... ...

So, about the book..., it was mediocre and predictable. Once the protagonist had the sacred sword, everything went too easy for him, annihilating armies in one big swing. On the other hand, the Demon Lord was plainly naive. If I were him, I would've already invaded the smaller towns to hinder the progress of the protagonist.

Even with all that, still, I couldn't get the long blue hair man off of my mind.

In hindsight, I was overwhelmed and my thought process vacillated. Even though he needed to classify other pieces of information, I could've asked him a lot of valuable questions if I was calm enough.

Damn... Now, I'm getting more and more intrigued about what he knows. It's pointless to think of it now.

Meeting him again... Save our world... Heh, I couldn't even do 50 push-ups.

Then, Ranju suddenly flashed within my thoughts.

Even Ranju fitted better than me, always giving his best on what he does.

I laughed in self-derision.

And now I'm thinking of someone stronger than me.

"Okay!"

I raised my tired hands to get some motivation coursing through my veins.

No one will succeed without any effort.

… … …

Thus, the night came.

"Reiji? Are you alright? You've been kneading your arms since we've left."

Mira asked as we all tread towards the inn.

"I was doing push-ups lately so the strain in my arms really stung."

"Is that so? I'll mend it later after we get inside the inn. Using magic publicly is illegal in Thehill so I can't do it, presently. By the way, how many push-ups did you do to have you look in pain?"

"Uh, I haven't counted it so..."

I can't tell her that I've just done 69 push-ups including the one in the morning. I actually wanted to ask Mira how many push-ups she could do but I might feel dejected by doing so.

"A true man will always strive for the maximum. Good job, Reiji!"

Praised by the sweaty-faced Ranju, giving me a thumbs up. Aeri looked at him in disbelief.

We entered the inn, Mira immediately used her healing magic then we took a seat.

After that, we've got our orders taken by Chi.

Up until now, the idea of being summoned from another world wouldn't leave my mind.

However, I'm not stipulating that I was from another world. There's also the fact that we have quite the distinctions—me and the protagonist in the novel.

Firstly, the memories. The protagonist still had his memories intact.

Secondly, the location. The protagonist was summoned to a secluded yet safe place.

Thirdly, the power. The protagonist was given a broken legendary weapon.

Not a single one has met the requirement. I wouldn't count the Weapon Invoker as a broken legendary weapon in my opinion. It's ultra-rare with regards to the material itself but definitely not one that'll make an army dig for their own graves.

It's really nonsense. That was made by a living author and not a historical event.

But... just in case. I needed to confirm it. Nothing wrong with asking a simple question.

"Guys, I need to ask you something."

"Hm, what is it, Reiji?"

Aeri replied as she bent forward to the table.

Incidentally, I was also bent forward. Mira and Ranju followed suit.

"Are there articles or news that people have been transported here from another world? Like being mysteriously summoned?"

"Reiji, don't tell me...,"

Aer gripped me in the shoulders. I flinched a little due to the sore muscles.

But is it really?

"Pfft! Hahaha! Had your brain been physically devoured by a book? That's so hilarious! ... Hahaha! It's too much, my stomach... Huff, huff. Hahaha!"

"Hahaha! I didn't know you were a joker, Reiji, but p-please stop... Y-you're too good at it! Hahaha!"

I know we've only been together for almost three days but let me punch you two in the face, okay?

"Sorry, Reiji. There are no articles of any incident like that ever transpiring, so I can't assert that. First of all, we don't even know the viability of another world's existence."

At least Mira's answer had comprehension to it.

"Why do you ask, Reiji?"

"Nothing, I just got immersed in reading the novel I got from the library earlier and thought of that."

Hearing that, the two chuckled longer, but I just ignored them.

I suppose there's no way that could be viable, and if there was any, the Guild Master would've already spoken something related to it.

After catching her breath from the interminable laughter, Aeri craned her neck to Mira.

"Oh yeah, Mira, how was the meeting? Are there any famous adventurers around who attended?"

Ranju, whose matter-of-fact expression recurred, seemed to be interested as well.

Take note that he was just laughing moments ago.

Mira placed a finger on her chin and mulled over.

"Um, there's Awrfry... And Pina... And Hansif..."

"Wah, for real?! Pina came there? If only I knew—I've always wanted an autograph from her..."

Aeri didn't even let Mira finish and started talking on her own. Ranju with a scary, serious complexion was murmuring while clenching his fist, evidently showing his grief.

Despite being neglected, Mira was smiling fiddly at the two.

"Mira, have you gotten us a quest?"

As I asked this, Mira lifted her head and folded her arms.

"Hm-hm, yes! Now that you've asked, I had acquired us a great quest this time."

She announced proudly.

Mira whipped out a Karda off of her pocket. It had the word Quest in the middle and a fingerprint at the bottom right.

"We'll hunt for 40 Armgolems and collect 30 iron ores in an underground mine near Amrel Village."

A prideful demeanor and a smile filled with confidence as if Mira had won the top place.

Although one thing bothered me.

"Do you always bring the Quest Karda wherever you go?"

I get that she needed the Storage Karda because she pays for our meals. But to bring the Quest Karda...

"I take all of my Karda with me. You don't bring yours, Reiji?"

I simply shook my head and turned to the two for an answer.

"I bring mine as well."

"Me too."

I see. I was the one odd out here.

"Anyway, it's going to be a two-hour trip from here so we're going to have to rent a carriage."

Ranju, who had his arm rested above the table, indicated.

"Yes, I've already rented us a carriage. So be prepared for tomorrow morning—around eight. We'll have to depart early."

All of us nodded.

I do hope my arms would be back to normal by tomorrow. It's my first long journey.

While I thought of that, the atmosphere throughout the inn immediately altered.

All of them were looking towards the entrance. I'm in a position where my head was away from the entrance.

When I turned around, a lady knight stood there.

She was roving her eyes on the vicinity, observing each of the customers.

She had golden blonde hair tied in semi-braids. Her extravagant armor stood out from any other in Thehill.

She's familiar and of course, I remembered her. She was the gloomy lady knight at the adventurer organization, the juncture before I became an adventurer.

Her eyes stopped searching when she had settled it onto our group.

One thing was disturbing though—she was glaring at us.

What is it this time around? ... What's her deal?