Tamashiro Naofumi POV 

  

 

 

  

If I am to describe myself, I say that I am someone with nothing special to brag about. 

I am not handsome, not tall, I am not particularly athletic either. 

If I am to describe myself, I am a person with nothing special to be proud of. 

I am never skilled at something, in academics, sports, music, arts, and more. 

Honestly, I think I suck at most of them. 

I never stand out in class; the teachers may not even know my name to heart. 

Since I don’t stand out in any way. 

You can say that my presence is a bit faint. 

  

                

I could say that I don’t get on bad terms with others as I believe that being on good terms is the best. 

I can say that I am on good terms with my classmates but I am never considered anyone’s best friend. 

For most people I am just a “passing” friend, at best I can only be called their “good” friend. 

As a result, I have known every person in the class. 

I love observing them from the sideline. 

As a person with no sense of presence, I admire those people who can make themselves stand out above others. 

Speaking of standing out, there is a group of students in our class who stands out. 

  

  

The class president, Hano Ryuusei. 

Hano Ryuusei is the most popular male in the class. 

He’s good-looking, and good at sports, academics, music, arts, and many more. 

He’s reliable, kind, responsible, and very charismatic. 

He was the total opposite of what I am, but I don’t hate him. 

In a way, he's just too perfect. 

I honestly look up to him, he is my role model. 

  

  

I know... 

I know that there’s no chance for me to be like him but that's not going to stop me to admire and be like him. 

Maybe, the only similarity I have with him is that we are both males and were on good terms with others. 

Although, he’s everyone’s “Best friend" I am just everyone’s “passing friend". 

In short, he’s popular and I’m not. 

  

  

Girls in our class are either his admirer or at least have a good impression of him. 

Despite being so popular no one hate’s him. 

Sure, there is that feeling of envy but no one slanders him. 

Why? Well… 

Maybe it's because he’s the real deal. 

There’s nothing about him to slander. 

If you do, you’ll only feel bad about yourself since everyone knows that you’re lying. 

Yep, he’s just that perfect. 

Thus, I could understand that people follow him. 

  

  

Sorry, wrong… he’s not perfect. 

There is one despairing defect about this guy. 

As for what that defect was… 

He is incredibly, despairingly, inconsolably, brokenheartedly, and hopelessly… DENSE. 

He’s the densest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life. 

I think he’s infinitely dense like a black hole. 

  

  

Why did I say that? 

Well… 

Everyone in the class knew that the three girls who were always beside him liked him, romantically. 

It was too obvious but for some reason, only Hano himself did not know about this fact. 

It was so comical. 

It was the type of denseness that you can only see in some rom-com manga and anime. 

  

  

What annoys me the most is, those three girls who follow him around are the most beautiful in our grade. 

As if heaven was mocking us 

A certain miracle made it possible for those three to gather in one class. 

They became our classmates out of the many classes in our grades. 

Those three were in one class. 

The cute and witty twin-tail lolita tsundere girl, Muto Eiko. 

The cool beauty and the ace of the Kendo club, Haga Mizuko. 

The school flower and #1 of most male “top beauties in the school ranking”, Sakata Chiho. 

  

  

It sounds very unrealistic. 

Before I entered High school, I could only imagine the existence of girls similar to those in manga and anime. 

For them to exist in real life, makes you wonder if they are real people. 

It was unbelievable. 

  

  

To be honest, the girls in our class are high-level. 

Aside from these three girls following Hano Ryuusei. 

Several other girls in the class possess remarkable appearances. 

They are all beautiful in some way or another. 

I was lucky just to be in the same class as them. 

  

  

As a boy, I am lying if I say that I don't envy Hano Ryuusei. 

And those girls around him are all in love with him. 

[-tsk- Lucky bastard] 

It was quite obvious those three were chasing after him. 

Those girls even know that they like the same guy, thus they are in some kind of a "rival" relationship. 

Despite that, for some unknown reason, those girls are miraculously on good terms with each other. 

  

  

I even wonder... 

Is Ryuusei the main character of this world? 

If that is true does that make us his classmates the side characters of his story? 

Are those girls this story's heroin candidates? 

Damn, the more I think about it the more I am convinced. 

[If that’s the case am I the "Friend A"? Nope… probably I’m the mob character that only appears in the background? Stop… haha, I should stop thinking about this…] 

-inhale- -exhale- 

  

  

Anyway… 

I went to school as usual. 

I came at the usual time I arrive at school. 

About half of the class was already there. 

Some of them are chatting leisurely with each other while others just silently wait in their seats. 

  

  

Since there are still about 30 minutes before the class started, I decided to waste some time. 

I went toward some of my friends. 

A group of four guys is chatting happily in their world. 

I casually joined their conversation as I would usually do. 

Just as usual their topic is all about anime. 

  

  

“So, what do you think?” <Otaku A> 

“Then you should learn about “Appraisal” right?” <Naofumi> 

I Replied despite not being asked. 

The 4 boys looked at me, they did not mind me joining their conversation. 

“Right?! You should get the skill “Appraisal” right?!” <Otaku B> 

A round-faced boy directed his index finger at me and agreed to my idea. 

  

  

These boys are talking about some isekai anime that came out recently. 

They seemed to be discussing what they would do when they arrive in an isekai world. 

I've stated the most obvious skill to have in an isekai plot. 

Well, I only said this to join in their conversation. 

  

  

“As expected… appraisal is a must, right?” <Otaku C> 

A boy with glasses replied in agreement. 

He was seriously thinking about it and was in deep thought. 

Then he diverted his attention to one of the boys. 

“what do you think Suguta?” <Otaku C> 

Probing for one of his friends' thoughts, Suguta answered the glasses-wearing boy. 

“Well… appraisal is a must but, in the end, it is just a skill that could display information about the monster, right? I want a skill that I can use in fights…” <Otaku A/Suguta> 

“HUH?! Suguta are you crazy?! An appraisal is the most OP skill you can use in an Isekai!” <Otaku D> 

A malnourished-looking boy said in disagreement. 

And so, our conversation continued arguing about useless stuff about an anime. 

It was a blissful time that I would miss after that day. 

  

  

Time passed and I was not wrong to waste time with these guys. 

Although their topic may sound stupid to my classmates who have no interest in these things. 

I still enjoy talking about this kind of stupid topic. 

I noticed that almost all of the students in the class are already present. 

I left my conversation with the boys and returned to my seat since I became bored with the conversation because it had been going in circles, so, I decided to return to my place. 

I went back to my seat and decided to settle down and wait for the class to start. 

  

  

My place was at the furthest back of the class, 1 seat away from the door. 

At this time most of the students are already in class. 

That is why my seatmates were already in their places. 

  

  

As I passed by the class, I did not forget to greet my classmates with a good morning. 

I also did so toward my seatmates. 

“Good morning” <Shunsho> 

Said my seatmate Soga Shunsho. 

  

  

In the same way, I casually greet the girl seated in front of me with a good morning. 

"Mornin Iyo-san" <Naofumi> 

"un, good morning..." <Uyo> 

She replied on a positive note with her sweet-sounding, angelic voice. 

If you ask me, she has the most pleasing voice among all the girls I've met. 

The sound of her voice reaching my ear made my morning complete. 

  

  

This girl is a very docile girl with long black hair. 

She wears a lot of nice-looking accessories all over her body. 

From the way she dresses, it was the same as those girls you would often call "Gyaru". 

Her face is very reminiscent of a "Pure Beauty" similar to Sakata Chiho. 

And yes, the "Gyaru" attire does not match her docile personality and natural innocent appearance. 

If you ask me this way of dressing was an attempt to fit in with her friends. 

I think she is best suited to wear a pure white 1-piece dress and a straw hat. 

She's one of the sassy girls in the class and her name is Utada Iyo. 

  

  

Thanks to Utada Iyo's encouraging voice I manage to gather the courage to greet the girl sitting beside the door. 

“Good morning.” <Naofumi> 

I tried to be as courteous as I can but as expected the girl shifted her gaze at me. 

She had her usual sharp look, it was a kind of facial reaction that seems to be an annoyance. 

She squinted her eyes. 

“Uhuh…” <Girl> 

  

  

“Ehehe…” <Naofumi> 

I'm already accustomed to this reaction of hers. 

I did not feel too bad since I already know that this is how she reacts to everyone. 

This did not change from the first time I had to greet her with "good morning". 

It did not change from the start of the school year up until now. 

It has been 2 months since I became seatmates with her and her reaction never changed. 

The same as always, she replies with the same bored tone. 

  

  

“Haha, Kazue-san is as cold as ever.” <Shunsho> 

Said Shunsho, hearing the girl’s reply. 

I only laughed it off like I always do. 

Shunsho then leaned toward me and whispered something to my ears. 

“If only she would smile more often, I bet she’ll look pretty.” <Shunsho> 

I nod. 

“I think so too but ever since I became seatmates with her, I never saw her smile.” <Naofumi> 

That is what I said back at Shunsho in a whispering manner. 

  

  

Mizusawa Kazue, 

A sharp-looking girl and a girl of few words. 

Her sharp look gives off the impression that she is having a bad day. 

But I realized after being her seatmate for some time that, that is how she normally is. 

She would not even change that expression of hers even when she was with her friends. 

In our class, she is known to be Sakata Chiho, the school flower’s childhood friend. 

  

  

She is also known to be on good terms with Ryuusei’s circle of friends. 

But I know as someone who loves to observe others on the sidelines that it was not true. 

I know that, despite being close to Ryuusei’s circle of friends, Kazue-san is not close with Ryuusei personally. 

I don’t think they are friends at all. 

Sure, she is undoubtedly on good terms with Muto Eiko, Haga Mizuko, and Sakata Chiho. 

But I doubt she considers Hano a friend. 

It was as if she doesn’t have anything to do with him and would avoid him as much as she could. 

The only reason she was with Ryuusei’s circle of friends was that Chiho was dragging her around. 

  

  

The only person I saw aside from those three beauties who are close to Kazue-san is Ota Rio, the girl sitting in front of her. 

Speaking of Ota Rio, she’s a gloomy loner girl. 

I just don’t know but I think the two of them look compatible. 

[Maybe because they are both loners?] 

  

  

Anyways I put that aside and patiently waited for the class to start. 

The bell rang and we all went to our places. 

Then all of a sudden. 

Light burst out of nowhere and enveloped the whole classroom. 

The next thing I know, we are already in another world. 

  

  

************ 

I could not believe what had happened to us. 

It was like a dream. 

It sounded stupid. 

It sounded impossible. 

Yet, it did happen. 

  

  

I was in a shell shock for the first 2 weeks. 

When I recovered from my shock, I realized that more than half of my classmates have already left the castle. 

They decided to explore this world and left the protection of the Empire. 

So, as I was riding the mood, I also decided to leave the empire’s protection. 

  

  

I left the castle and the first thing I did was to visit the shop. 

I visited the shop since I learned during my stay in the castle that the "Scale Atelier" has a lot of stuff for adventurers. 

It was said that all of the shops here in the Empire are all under the “Scale Atelier” or at least working with the Atelier. 

And so, the 1st thing I did was to look for the “Scale Atelier”. 

  

  

It did not take me long to find the Atelier. 

It was not too hard to find because it was located next to the plaza and next to the adventurer’s guild building. 

I bought essential items that could help me as an adventurer at the Atelier. 

Things like “Dimensional Bags”, Potions, Magic Oils, Mana Crystals, Camping Gears, Equipments, and other essential things that I could use in adventuring. 

I've spent more than three-quarters of the 10,000,000 DAL that the empire provided me when I left the castle. 

Still, the remaining 2,500,000 DAL is quite an amount of money. 

  

  

I was in high hopes as I'm familiar with this troupe of being summoned in another world. 

I've seen lots of anime and manga that tackle this genre. 

I was in high hopes. 

But... 

  

  

Soon enough, I immediately realized how cruel this “Isekai” world could be. 

This world did not come close to the typical “Isekai” I was expecting. 

For example, increasing your level is unbelievably tasking. 

The skill appraisal can only be learned by specific jobs or by using skill scrolls. 

Fighting monsters aside from the slimes was scary. 

I don't even have an OP skill that can help me become stronger. 

The hell, you can’t even cook your food unless you’re a cook. 

It was a world with many inconvenient restrictions that only made things harder. 

  

  

The fact that this world resembles the medieval setting made it even worse. 

Sure, we can use magic and all but you'll still feel how inconvenient things are compared to the world we lived in. 

The facilities of this world are equal to that of the middle ages which makes things worse. 

As a person of modern times, I am quite particular with grooming and hygiene. 

From the way this world works, it was hard to even keep track of these small things. 

How I miss the times when I can just relax and browse the net after a long relaxing bath. 

  

  

In this world, my job class is a “Swordsman”. 

A job skilled in wielding the sword, nothing more nothing less. 

To survive I need to work, I can't just depend on the money I have. 

In the first place, this money is not something I worked hard for. 

If I get used to using money without replenishing it, one day I will end up as a beggar on the streets. 

[Why not go back to the castle? sure... but it's a matter of pride. If I stay there, I will feel like a useless piece of trash who could only rely on the empire. What if the empire had some dark secrets and used me in some sort of bad thing? What if the empire suddenly collapses? What will I do then?] 

That is why I registered in the guild and I am now an F-rank Adventurer. 

  

  

Working as an adventurer was hard. 

All I could do was gather herbs and kill slimes for the first week of being an adventurer. 

Thankfully I have an exemptional “Speed” thanks to my unique skill (Quick Feet). 

According to Old Gramps Orga, (Quick Feet) is a skill that allows the user to move quickly while moving on foot. It is also a skill that further increases the AGI stats I gain during level-up. 

Compared to my fellow F-ranked adventurers my speed was exemptional even amongst the ones with a job class that boasts about their high AGI stat. 

It somehow gave me confidence, confidence that I could manage to live in this world. 

[Aren't I amazing?] 

  

  

As my confidence was at its highest. 

I used this perk of mine to defeat monsters such as the blue-eyed wolf, Wild Forest boar, and horned rabbits as requested in the guild. 

I could not defeat a Forest bear on my own but with my speed, I can just run away from it. 

When I encounter a monster that is beyond my ability, with my speed I can just run away and escape. 

At first, I felt bad for being weak, but it can’t be helped as life is more important than pride. 

After almost 2 weeks of working as an adventurer, I somehow managed to go by. 

I got quite accustomed to how life is here in this world. 

  

  

As such, I was able to level up to level 4. 

  

 

. 

. 

. 

  

It's been almost 2 weeks since I decided to leave the castle. 

It has been a month since we arrived in this world. 

By this time, the Hero, Hano Ryuusei, and his party already left the castle to gain experience, get stronger, and finish the grand quest of defeating the Demon Lord. 

And as for me, I am traveling toward the City called “Altus”. 

My purpose for going there is to help deal with an army of undead. 

The commission was requested by the Scale Atelier. 

It appears that their caravan was trapped and could not leave the city because of the dangers these monsters posed. 

Since the reward was good, I decided to join the emergency quest and marched toward Altus. 

  

  

During my travel, I noticed some of my classmates have joined the same emergency quest. 

It hasn’t been that long since the last time I saw those familiar faces. 

But for some reason, I feel that I haven’t seen my classmates for quite a long time. 

[how mysterious] 

Now we're about to participate in the emergency quest. 

To aid Altus city deal with the appearance of the undead. 

  

  

I happily marched toward the city of Altus… 

I did not expect that this city will be the starting point of my story. 

  

  

My story… 

The story I wanted to change… 

The past that we all regret… 

  

  

My story started there. 

My story follows the footstep of “that” girl. 

And… 

  

  

Watch her to her end… 

To die… 

As the silent hero… 

  

  

This is my story… 

My first try... 

The original past. 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Author Note: 

The story of Tamashiro Naofumi is Out. 

Thanks to those who voted. 

That’s how it is, 1st place is Tamashiro Naofumi. 

2nd place is taken by Uesaka Shino, thus after these few chapters, I will revisit her right away and write 2 chapters about her. 

I decided to do Tamashiro Naofumi first as I had to do some intro with his story first. 

  

  

Since His story potentially has a lot of spoilers. 

I will try my best to reveal just enough so that things would not progress in a very obvious and predictable route. 

These upcoming chapters are meant to give you some idea of what’s going to happen in the future. 

Since Tamashiro Naofumi is determined to change that future, not all things that are happening in these chapters are canon to the story because it is happening in a different timeline. 

But most information in these chapters can be used to predict further plot points of the story. 

  

  

Now, the question… what are the events he must change to save Kazue? 

How much of his story changes compared to the ones in the main story? 

  

  

Q: Will Naofumi's story contains spoilers? Are those spoilers OK? 

A: Sure, it’s ok, I guess… Luna and Stella can mess things up anyway... They are doing things behind the scenes. Knowing “spoilers” might help you relate to their actions. I don’t know if I’m making sense here, but I do believe that spoilers that will be revealed in Naofumi’s Original Past are going to be helpful for me in narrating Luna’s and Stella’s future actions. So, what I’m trying to say is that it is OK for me to reveal some details of the future now. 

  

  

As always thanks for reading >u<