The King's 3rd General Room for Assembly. A room dedicated only for the royals and has access to different back doors that gives easy access into the labyrinth-like palace. 

He flipped a page on his hand. Something disturbed him. 

The King observes Gevanni and Horim chase each other through the window. 

"This man is full of surprises. He can even out-chase the former Demon Hunter. Judging by his tail's thickness and response rate, he can kill a couple of Frost Giants alone... Or maybe perhaps the Serpent-Human hybrids. At least in the future once he’s matured enough." 

Horim's hand taps Gevanni's back. Gevanni barely evaded. 

"However, if it turns out he's just an incomplete vessel for him... We're using a dangerous wild card.  More than him." The King finished reading the Unusual changes to the behavior of Wyvern and Dragons near to the Mana Essenther Mountains by the Hunter’s Guild. 

"Insecurities aside, I wonder how he will flourish as a battle mage." The King looks intently to Gevanni's grimoire. "Just like what I did to Arkzell." 

There was a figure brisk-walking from a distance. The Two Royal Guardians crossed and barricaded the door using their iron-clad staffs. Their sheer size almost reaching 10 feet is impossibly human and emanates a menacing aura through their chunky golden-plated armor. 

"Order 476." Prince Ernest insisted. 

One of the Royal Guardians asked, "What is the Lock?"

"The treasure of Evanslei does not exist nor has any value to war."

The other Royal Guardians asked, "Where is the Key?" 

"Eastern winds follow through the depths of never-ending staircase. Compromising of both nightmares and paradise. A place where our ancestors live and die until the resurrection of the One True King." 

"Confirmed. Fortunately, The King is about to finish reviewing important matters."

The door instantly vanished. It's as if it was made through illusion magic. The two Royal Guardians raised their iron-clad staffs and welcoming Prince Ernest. As soon as Prince Ernest entered, the door appeared again. 

"My majesty… The unexpected you’ve thought happened." Prince Ernest reported.

"Call all of our four great heroes at once. Make necessary preparations before we meet the newly summoned heroes officially."

The King sits at the replica of his original throne. He then received a document from Prince Ernest. "Comprehensive report to the newly summoned heroes with joint-cooperation of Ethermason Bancroft and Gamcys Wyne Verestone... First Half. I doubt they'll satisfy themselves in their 3rd inspection. This will take long." 

"We lack the resources once the war resumes..." Prince Ernest softly spoken. He then bows. 

"Ernest. Don’t rely to your big sister too much." The King hinted. 

"I know that already, My Majesty."

With her stride, the glamorous beauty of her dress waved gracefully, like a bird soaring through the skies. Despite her confidence in her posture, she displayed a child-like innocence that made you want to protect her.

Her doll-like face, which was like a blooming blue flower at the frozen lake, captivated any man and was adored by everyone.

She carried a bouquet of flowers and cradled it as if it were an infant. The entire room shifted its attention not to the Princess, but rather to the painful screams they were hearing. It was coming from the flowers that the Princess was holding.

"Ah? Big brother Ernest… Thank you for guarding Father momentarily." Princess Artesia commented. 

"Are you here too because of what happened to the newly summoned heroes?" Prince Ernest whispered. 

"No. I suppose I’ll leave trivial things to those who worries the most about it." 

Prince Ernest teases, "You’re a tough one to crack."

"As ever, you are dense, big brother... I’m in a bad mood, I suppose."  Princess Artesia plucked one of the leaves of the flower. The screams stopped. 

Prince Ernest waved his hand and went near to the windows. He then leans on the window seat. 

"Isn’t that Gamcys and Bancroft? They’re heading together to the ruins again. That’s unusual for Bancroft to ask for help." 

The Prince thought. He could see Bancroft and Gamcys mana auras clearly from afar. 

A well tamed enormous beast carries a bunch of apparatus at the side of Gamcys. It moves most of its weight on their short, strong hind legs. Their front legs had long, curved claws indicating they knuckle-walked like giant anteaters today. That beast is called as Cabar.  

"Oh my. What a coincidence. You still hadn’t had any satisfaction?" 

Bancroft adjusted its glasses. He then thinks, "Gamcys, he bested me first on what really that magic explosion consists." 

Gamcys pulled gently the harness around the beast. It stopped and lowered its body. 

"Why do you have this length of hair? Only the twelve sages have the right to have that!" Gamcys groaned as he put down his stuff. 

"Not only you just went to the surface after decades... You’re scaring me, Mr. former witch hunter. " Bancroft quickly glanced at the clock near to the Old Church's Tower. 

"Unlike you who softened, I researched more than you can imagine!" Gamcys cleared his throat. "It is by Her Majesty’s request." Gamcys brushes Bancroft as he proceed to inspect the interior of the ruins. 

"Now then, time to concentrate. I won’t be outmatched by him." Bancroft stayed outside the ruins. 

"I can’t rule out the possibility that someone is capable of altering someone’s magic during fluctuation. If that incident didn’t happen, the twelve sages will all die along with the summoning tower." Bancroft touched one of the fallen pillars. A faint trace of magic lit. 

"Tsk! It’s hard to believe someone is protecting a demon’s reputation..."

"...Creation magic, create  item!"

A vial was made out of thin air. 

"Reverse Creation Magic, Extraction!"

A small portion of one of the broken pillars was reverted into miasma-like and went inside the vial.   

"Smell of the Demon always stink!" Bancroft covers his nose for a moment. He kneel down and opened his briefcase.  A picture fell unto the ground.

"Well, I don’t have the power unlike before. After all, I’m becoming an instructor once more."

It was a picture of Izuna and details about her at the back.

The vial that Bancroft created shattered one by one. The miasma becomes a hardened lava. 

"Appraise object. Detect Magic Tier."

Different kinds of sigil were formed around Bancroft. Cracks  from the hardened lava disintegrate and slowly ascend and fades .  

"Aspect of..."

Before Bancroft even finish the last magic spell, he instantly got knocked into the wall. 

"Impossible... 8th tier magic was cast into this area and someone managed to negate the spell!?"

Interior of the summoning tower. The Well of the Sacred Portal. 

The mana in this particular area is messed up. It's as if everything is suspended in time. The motion of falling pillars, the shattering of crystals, and bits of the bricks floating mid-air. 

Gamcys shakes his apparatus as he move forward. At its tip, there's a bell that rings that put objects where they suppose to belong.  

"By following these traces of magic..."

Gamcys hovered his wand up into the air. It then lit into majestic blue flame. The light into that area became complete darkness in seconds. 

"Mmm!" 

Gamcys operated a chunky apparatus. With a beeping sound, a wave was unleashed. It revealed which the magic he identified affected first.  It all started from the epicenter but it all stopped at the upper right level. 

"Ah! They were cast at the same time!?..." 

Gamcys eyes became red and felt a burning sensation. It's as if he's being cooked from inside-out. 

"7th sector of magic. No, 9th sector of magic! Comparable or better than any Great Hero in existence ever possess!  

He became dizzy as soon as he stopped the identifying the magic. 

"The nature of magic... Time dilation and Hallucination. It all makes sense!"

He became silent for a moment.

"God... A God living among us. Pretending to be us."  

Gamcys let down his hands and realized the atrocities he'll encounter in the future. He gave up further researching the ruins.

Outskirts of the summoning tower ruins. 

Bancroft quickly steps from pillar to pillar and ascended to the highest viewpoint in that area.  It removed its glasses and pinned it into its chest pocket and tied its long silver hair. 

"Let me think this more clearly. I might be missing something."

The skies were still blue. It's as if still morning. It seems in this world, the day stays longer than the night.

Bancroft didn't pay any attention that below him at he left corner, Gamcys is kneeling down. 

"What if there was no third party but this was the intention of the newly summoned beings? The explosion at the main summoning tower while the rest are unscathed." Bancroft imagined what happened in clear detail despite not being there.

"I just received a message that those towers are empty." Bancroft reminiscence every report from the royal guards that were present to the summoning towers from different locations. 

At the horizon, there lies a couple of summoning towers that encircles around the Evanslei Kingdom. 

"It seems those two half-demons have the power 12 Heroes combined." Bancroft clearly remembered how big the mana auras that both Gevanni and Izuna posses.

"Someone clearly tried to stop the summoning but for some reason something exploded twice that caused the twelve sages return into their childlike state." He rubs his chin in utter disbelief.

"How come the new summoned beings are not affected?" He questioned himself numerous times. He couldn't come up with any answers. He sat down into another pillar, lamenting. Until, the clock tower rings. Two hours passed since the investigations of the ruins started.

"There are two reasons." The skies starts to turn into orange. 

"First, although contradictory to what I’ve thought earlier. This unknown party only wants to render the newly summoned beings useless. These half-demons wants to present the attacker as a gift and make them trustworthy. That is if they're highly intelligent to counterattack in a short time. But what if it was staged? No... I'll save that possibility later."

A sudden flash of bitter memory plunged into Bancroft's mind. 

"Second, these half-demons threatened this kingdom from the start. They have this kind of unknown magic if they were faced with danger.

That is why the King and Her queen announcement was made."

Bancroft recalls what happened earlier. 

The King's first general assembly room. All of the royals were present. Quite unusual for the 12 houses to do. Everyone has their own Scribe⁠s—the one who's responsible to share an important person's stand in great detail. They all have personal and stylized typewriters.

"In accordance to the wartime law and swearing to Our one true God, I, King Nicholas Vender Xi Evanslei together with Queen Bethysia Astersven Sullivan and the whole Evanslei Kingdom, releases all of its ties from Holy Vecherienne Empire and therefore makes us an independent country." 

Bancroft got to thinking, "Is it possible that these half-demons threatened Our majesty by making an absurd deal!?" 

"I see. Their aim is the same as me on what I did before. Before that, the summoned party was separated and was taken in as a guest. Under normal circumstances, they would receive formal training at the start but in this case… They are both half demons." He added.

"I don’t have to overthink things. After all, the queen always solves this immediately with her plans. Now then, I wonder how far can I tame a monster?" A shining piece of fragment caught Bancroft's attention. Without hesitation, he quickly went into The Well of the Sacred Portal.

"Shard?" Bancroft picked it up. It is shining in red when faced with light and it becomes purple when put in the dark.

"Isn't this the remnants whenever a portal closes!?" Both Gamcys and Bancroft shouted at the same time. 

"It's rare for this to be not embedded into the ground." 

"Do you think what I think too, Bancroft?" Gamcys asked with a serious face.

"This path is only accessible to the Royal Guards... Good grief. This perpetrator surely made a huge mess."

"Let's keep this a secret between the two of us."

"How amusing. For the first time, you initiated the deal first, Gamcys. What's the benefit?" 

"The Cursed Grimoire Users. Even if we're mortal enemies from the past, I'm sure you'll cooperate with me who's held responsible for starting that hellish war."

Bancroft sensed something is staring at him other than Gamcys. He quickly narrowed it down until he saw Prince Ernest from the 3rd King's General Room for Assembly. 

"Lesser call." Bancroft hovered his hand over to his ear. 

"Greetings, Prince Ernest. It seems we found interesting information that even Prince Marielle would be surprise to hear.  Also, please gather the royal knights that first responded here and escorted the newly summoned heroes. I. No, we need to interrogate them." 

"Can't we do it here in the palace instead?" Prince Ernest asked eagerly. If huge amount of Royal Guards were deployed into single area, it would alarm and worry the citizens of Evanslei.

"This is not the best time to be soft, Prince Ernest. We're dealing with someone whose intelligence is comparable to our Queen."  

The 3rd King's General Room for Assembly. 

Princess Artesia observed her brother for a moment. His face is quite disheartened but she has no time to worry about it. 

"Well? My daughter, why are you keeping your mouth shut since you’ve arrived here?" The King asked.

"My new teacher has been appointed by her Majesty. Do you know what this means?" Princess Artesia perplexedly asked. 

"Knowing you, you wouldn’t seriously come here with just that. What’s on your mind?"

"I want toys! I suppose I shall relieve myself before I forfeit the time spent for my tea parties. If only Advent Mogarellia reformed its ways, then I’m happy to display all of my skills.”

Princess Artesia shouted with all of her might. It even startled the Prince but he paid no attention and continued the call.

"Ah… You’ve been a good girl. Alright, I’ll give you that toys." The King greatly implied.

"I offer you my gratuitous appreciations, My Majesty." The Princess bows as she took her leave.

"Lastly, as the fourth greatest hero, Princess Marielle. That is why his Majesty needs you right now."

A soft soothing voice over the other end of the call can be heard. "It can't be helped."

"End Call." Prince Ernest stood up and asks The King, "were you still talking to Princess Elinzbell just right now, My majesty?"

"Your little sister already left... Now then, what time they'll arrive?"

"Approximately 0852 hours. Sir Celfeith will be late since he paid a visit to the northern seas."

"I'll start a quick strategic meeting with the houses who are present right now. Arrange it for me."

"The usual, isn't it, My Majesty?"

"Put my uniform at the 2nd General Assembly Room. Also tell them that they don't need to be formal and attend as soon as they can." 

Prince Ernest and The King both salutes. 

。。。。。。 

Courtyard of the Great Lethuel at the west wing. A replica of the Sky Garden from the east wing. However, the difference is that the flora and fauna and is designed by Commander Lethuel Herself. 

Gevanni and Great Translator no.1 is sightseeing by the landscape windows. Almost every corner of Evanslei Palace display so much beauty that these views deserve to have a painting. 

A black phantasm slowly hovers through the cities.

  
"What!? A roaming corpse collector!?" Gevanni quickly recalled that beast is part of the game he used to play.

Corpse Collector an NPC that that only stays at designated place that collects unclaimed corpses. Mostly, it can be seen in graveyards or dangerous places such as dungeons but— this is the center of the royal palace! He thought inside his mind but he couldn't stop his tail being straight like an alarmed cat. 

"You looked surprised." The Great Translator no.1 commented. As much it wants to know what bothers Gevanni, it knows it is something it should not worry about.

Gevanni calmed down and looked below. "What are those? Tanks?"

"Tanks? What do you mean?" The Great Translator tilted its head. Despite its overflowing and unlimited knowledge, that word meant that there's no technology yet that can produce that in this world. "They are just armored carriages."

"That crest… It’s our impenetrable princess! The first in throne’s succession, Princess Marielle Edelweiss Sullyvan!"

The Great Translator no.1 added. Gevanni is fixated on how the Princess looks like. 

Bunch of Royal Guards starts to line up one by one at the entrance.

At a first glance, it may seem not an ordinary carriage at all. It runs on magic as fuel and armored Cabar. This type of transportation is almost the same experience as riding a car today. With absolute comfort, only those who have fortune can access to this. 

Inside the armored carriage. Two bottles of Wine are already finished.  Weibrecht took the wine and finished the last shot. "It really is annoying that we can’t teleport inside Our Majesty’s Palace." He whined. 

"Weibrecht, I doubt we can ever summon Apo", Weibrecht quickly puts his finger to Princess Marielle's lips. She corrects herself, " that forsaken Demon."

"There is no rule that we can’t summon new heroes if the existing ones are still alive." Weibrecht crosses his legs over the other. 

"I see. You didn’t hear the report yet." Princess Marielle muttered. 

"You’re not wearing your motivated and cheerful face, Marielle…" As soon as Princess Marielle wiped her face, she handed documents to Weibrecht.

"Due to overflowing mana fluctuation of newly summoned heroes, the twelve great sages were transformed into their childlike-state. The summoning tower is rendered useless as well. It is likely to repair it within the year as estimate." Weibrecht red and after that he just skimmed it. 

"There is only one reason Mother made that announcement. She may be planning a deal with the recovering imperial army." Princess Marielle concluded. "And the list tells about his likely plans to destroy our kingdom…"

"Interesting! These papers… I suppose it was written by Bancroft himself." Weibrecht is filled with excitement you can see his eyes are sparkling.

"Well, he is retired magic instructor and he had been taking care of his sister for a while. It seems these recent events made his passion spark once again." Princess Marielle explained. She waited for him to finish reading the papers. 

"He volunteered out of nowhere and helped investigated the summoning tower. You should’ve gone and see his face that time. I wonder how old is he now? 80?" Princess Marielle giggled.

"Woah~ Are you kidding, Marielle!?"

"No, not at all. It seems he also learnt the magic of elves that makes their body age slow. Although, lately, he doesn’t do any extreme activities since he’s in charge of guarding the royal library."

"I feel sad for our investigators… I know they feel humiliated when someone out best them and their specialty." 

"That happens at some point to everyone's lives, Weibrecht."

Weibrecht smiled a bit. 

At the same time where Gevanni and the Great Translator no.1 is at the Courtyard of Great Lethuel, and Princess Marielle and Great Hero Weibrecht is heading towards the Royal Palace, Izuna was being tested by the Advent Mogarellia. A magic institute that only teaches refined and remarkably powerful or heroes aspiring to be magicians. 

A scene almost feels like a renaissance painting. A bunch of men in awe. An old man pinning the insignia to the child's chest. Some men at the corner terrified, shouting, and slamming the table out of frustration. 

"The heroes’ insignia works on her." The man couldn't accept this fact as he put the insignia. 

"But she’s a half demon!" One of the old men slammed the table again. 

"I don’t know if interrogating is far better than facing this hell of old man babbling against each other…" Izuna assumed. 

"Half-Demon! Don’t forget you’re under suspicion." One of the middle-aged men pointed his finger to Izuna out of anger. 

"Affiliating with the devil is a severe crime that leads to death!" One of the old men shouted from the corner. Taking shelter at the side of the pillar. 

The room is truly chaotic. Until someone appeared late from that meeting. 

"A scene that berates any gentlemen from this room. It seems that this is a bad time for me to come." One of the member of the noble houses showed up. Turning any situation into their benefit is common practice to them. As expected to a family who thrives to cultivate technology. 

"You’re too late, Earl Leonardo." The man who pointed Izuna said.

This kingdom already took their countermeasures against us, Gevanni. This won’t be easy to take over this kingdom. They’re too quick witted. Izuna thought. As she quickly remembers what happened throughout the day, one particular memory stood out. 

Earlier at the summoning tower.

"Gevanni, do you remember that you still owe me before that slap?"

Izuna asked. She's referring to what happened in the old world. 

"How would I even forget that?"

It was truly a bizarre experience for Gevanni. Izuna stood and put both of her hands on her hips. 

"We’ll take over this kingdom and the rest of the human territories. Discard your humanity!" Izuna commanded.

"It’s hard for me to think about it seriously when she’s like a child. I guess I owe her that she tried protecting me and maybe in the future as well." Gevanni mumbled.

"Discarding my humanity is one thing I won’t ever do." Gevanni explained.

"Though, I’ll tag along with your world domination as a joke." Gevanni stood and offered his hand. 

"It seems your culture about demons are brainwashed too. Fine. I'll teach you our ways." Izuna assumed as she accepted Gevanni's hand. 

"D-don’t pretend I’m doing it for real, okay? It’s just this world seems fun. After all, lying suits me better." Gevanni's face became red. World domination is something considered to be edgy and meant as a joke. He knows that only losers take it too seriously. 

Courtyard of the Great Lethuel at the west wing.

"Hey, I think you interpret what I say well. How do you do it?" Gevanni asked. 

"Under these bizarre circumstances and you’re a part demon, I’m not obliged to answer that question" The Great Translator looked away from Gevanni. "However, you are a guest and newly summoned hero." The Great Translator no.1 flipped a coin and caught it.

"This information might end up using by you as a steppingstone to save this world from Suneaters." The Great Translator threw it at the top of the fountain of the Great Lethuel statue. 

"That’s one way to buy my time a bit." Gevanni commented. 

I wonder if things are okay with Chuuni Demon. I sense that these guys are so quick witted, and I might be facing off people like me from the old world here. Gevanni thought. He tried to think more but it was cut off when The Great Translator no.1 touched his hand. 

"By touching the most sensitive part of a demon, which is your hand, I searched for your nerves, bloodstream and lastly, I peeked to your mind." Even at close quarters, you can't really tell what's beneath the mask of The Great Translator. 

"Does it mean you saw my memories?" Gevanni asked.

"Not quietly. It’s more like of a picture book. Also, I predict that you came from a future version of this world because I don’t doubt my abilities but there are terms that questions my vocabulary."

"I can share them to you." 

The Great Translator took a step away from Gevanni. "Information from another world! Ah! Truly Majestic!" 

It corrected its posture. "Please excuse that childlike behavior."

"You don’t have to exaggerate yourself. I’ve been bothered by this for a while. What’s that crystal thing floating above your head?" Gevanni eagerly asked. 

"Undoubtedly, you question one of this kingdom’s secrets."

"I need a fresh air. I want to see what the training grounds looks like." 

"As what you wish, my dear guest", The Great Translator touched one of the hidden button from the statue. The whole courtyard transformed. The ceilings and windows were flipped from the opposite direction. Lots of flora and fauna were switched into a series of training dummies made of sacks. "This is the training grounds. The true beauty of what Commander Lethuel imagined. Just what she always say ‘Your unnecessary thoughts are your enemy and a clear mind is your salvation in the battlefield.’"

"Isn’t this just an open space?"

"I saw you wag your tail curiously all the way here. I thought you might want to try something."

With this tail, I feel like an open book. How annoying and convenient. Gevanni thought. 

"Do not worry. You have this place by yourself for today only." The Great Translator no.1 added.

"Before we part ways temporarily, heed my warning. You’re not the only summoned being from another world. The longest otherworldener is His Majesty, King Nicholas xi Evanslei, himself."

Gevanni paid no attention. He tried to swing his tail but he missed hitting the target. 

"Fortunately for us, there may be alternate of you who’s very being is much of a human and a true Hero."

"Is that so?"

Since Gevanni has no control over his tail yet. He went to the basics. Balancing and testing reflexes. 

"Normally, people who took my warnings head on always make their blood rise and become agitated. I admire your mental strength." 

"That reminds me of flaming in gaming. Nothing special about it." Gevanni murmured. 

"Are you prepared to live a life made of lies?"

These words were displayed at the sight of Gevanni. He tried closing his eyes a bit but when he opened it is still there. 

This unfairness that False God bestowed upon me… It would be too boring if things go easily for me. What I wanted the most is proceeding smoothly after an impossible challenge. Gevanni thought. 

The words vanished instantly as The Great Translator no.1 is nowhere to be found.

"Whether if I could muster courage or not would make my next move boost its effectiveness— My meeting with His Majesty himself."