— Kichiro: It was nice meeting you guys. But now our paths diverge, for our desires are different, and we must find our true path on our own to become stronger. Therefore, RELEASE ME SO THIS RESEMBLES A CLASSIC ANIME!

  — Tsukuyomi: Shut up.

  — Kichiro: Sorry, Mom..

  — Tadashi: What's wrong with you? Act like a man!

  — Kichiro: Said the half-baked gnome to me.

  — Tadashi: What was that? ^w^

  — Kichiro: I forgive you.

  — Tadashi (eyes narrowing, but still with that stupid smiley in his voice): Are you serious right now? Half-baked gnome, you say? I'll finish you so thoroughly you'll look like a perfect giraffe from a souvenir shop!

  — Kichiro (with the most innocent face, but eyes sparkling with laughter): Oh, sorry, I meant cute little gnome. With a little beard and a little axe. Perfect for a postcard. – Here we go again, they've started arguing with each other once more. They can't even stand still for a minute, honestly.

  You're probably thinking "What's going on right now?", right? Well, I'll tell you as best I can. But I won't go into detail about everything, because I'm lazy. -_-

  ?MORNING?

  Everything began just like yesterday. The light outside the window slowly rose, replacing the moon that was retreating, taking the darkness with it. The sun bestowed its warmth and light upon the earth, growing brighter and brighter. The city gradually woke up, and the lights in the houses faded.

  In our heroes' room, the crystals were also fading, taking with them the warmth they had provided. And they were still asleep. One was snoring in his sleep, another was quietly dozing, and the third was sleeping peacefully, if you didn't count his strange sleeping positions. Meanwhile, Kichiro usually woke up earlier than everyone else, but even he hadn't been spared by the training — it had drained all his strength.

  You could say the room had an atmosphere where no one wanted to wake up and crawl out of their cozy bed. Yesterday it was just a bed, but this morning it suddenly felt like the very bed of a king or princess. That slight chill on the mattress only wrapped us tighter in sleep.

  But all good things come to an end eventually. As Kichiro likes to say: "So life doesn't seem like a bed of roses."

  Knock-knock-knock

  — H-heroes! Good mor… are you awake yet? – a knock sounded at the door, followed by a familiar voice. But how are you supposed to figure things out when you don't even know his name? Especially when you've just woken up? Right, it's difficult. If not for one detail: two of us had already scribbled in their heads with a mental pencil yesterday: "Potential husband for Mom."

  — Tadashi (sleepily, face buried in the pillow): Mm~… Just give me another minute… to sleep…

  — ??? (from behind the door, with a slight chuckle): A minute? I don't think we can wait that long, heroes.

  — Kichiro (without opening his eyes, rolling onto his other side): Just a minute… Mom will open the door and… yawned talk to you, young and handsome man… Right, Mom?

  — Tsukuyomi: …

  — Tadashi (sleepily, without opening his eyes): Wake him up… or that guy's already been waiting…

  — Kichiro (muttering into the pillow): And why should I? Actually, it's your turn…

  — Tadashi: Yeah? Fine…

  Tadashi slowly rose from bed, still half-asleep. His eyes remained half-open. They weren't used to the light seeping through the curtains yet. He straightened up to his full height, yawned so hard he slightly trembled — either from the sudden movement or the morning chill. But his eyelids still refused to open completely, sleep pulling him back. His irritated face made it obvious: he'd been having a very good dream, and it had been so rudely interrupted… So life doesn't seem like a bowl of cherries, as they say.

  Be that as it may, Tadashi approached Tsukuyomi's bed and reached out to his shoulders, starting to weakly shake them. No result. Tsukuyomi was sleeping like the dead. In their trio, he confidently held the honorable first place for depth of sleep. Although, if the day passed calmly and without much strain, he could wake up from the slightest rustle. But if the day was tough, with lots of physical activity, consider Tsukuyomi switched off for a long time. Once he even managed to sleep for a full 19 hours straight. And yesterday was just like that, so Tadashi would have to try harder.

  — Tadashi (quietly but insistently): Hey, Tsukuyomi-kun. It's morning, I think… looked at the window Yeah, definitely morning, as far as I can see…

  — Tsukuyomi: …

  — Tadashi (shaking his shoulder a little harder): Hey, Tsukuyomi. Are you still asleep?

  — Tsukuyomi: …

  At that moment, Tadashi started getting gradually annoyed that Tsukuyomi was still asleep, completely ignoring the shoulder shakes and his voice. You know what? Kichiro, of course, made up this whole thing about it being Tadashi's turn to wake Tsukuyomi. Tricking a sleepy Tadashi is as easy as pie. And considering his personality, letting him wake up this "sleeping beauty" is an excellent idea. It's not the first time Kichiro has deceived him early in the morning to get him to do the necessary tasks instead. The main thing is not to ask for anything more and hope Tadashi doesn't remember it later.

  — Tadashi (now with a hint of irritation): I'm giving you one last chance, Tsukuyomi-kun. Either now or never.

  — ??? (from behind the door, a little louder): Young heroes? You haven't forgotten about me, have you?

  — Tsukuyomi: …

  — Tadashi (starting to raise his voice): …Tsukuyomi-kun, it's morning. Time to get up. Tsukuyomi-kun, it's morning, I'm telling you! That guy from yesterday morning is here! Hello, Tsukuyomi-kun! HELLOOOO! TSUKUYOMI-KUN!

  At that very moment, a pillow flew right into Tadashi's face from the right side. Followed by dissatisfied grumbling from the other roommate.

  — Kichiro: Would you just shut up already!? I knew and understood you'd try to wake him up like this, sure! But not by screaming that loud, you idiot!

  — Tadashi: You try waking him up yourself! He's sleeping like a log!

  — Kichiro: I'll kill you right here on the spot!

  And so began another morning "struggle." This wasn't the first time. But still, after a minor scuffle, they managed to wake Tsukuyomi enough that he at least grunted something in response to that butler behind the door. It turned out that all the heroes were urgently summoned to the king's main hall.

  Somehow managing to get themselves together, they quickly threw on their clothes and hastily ate what the butler had brought. He immediately led them to the hall. Their classmates were already gathered there, along with the knights. They weren't particularly different from medieval knights, except for the main feature: they all bore the emblem of Landjes. Each had different weapons: swords, spears, axes, crossbows. It didn't look particularly beautiful, but it was far more practical and effective for defense.

  So there they all stood, the heroes, before the king. Beside him stood his son, Xerxes Walter, positioned right by his father's throne, who sat majestically and motionless. On the other side stood another throne, but it was empty. No one particularly paid attention to it… except for Kichiro, who immediately leaned toward his "anime partner" and whispered.

  — Kichiro (whispering): Psst! Hey, Tsukuyomi-kun. Look at that throne next to the king. Why is it empty? Isn't his wife supposed to be sitting there, according to anime classics?

  — Tsukuyomi (also whispering, slightly rolling his eyes): Hmm? Well, yeah, that's a thing. But it's none of our business, Kichiro-kun. Besides, since we're in an isekai genre now, something probably happened to her. Maybe monsters attacked, and she's seriously ill. Or she's missing. Or even worse… dead. You can expect a lot in this genre. Just don't read too much into it. Also, want to know something interesting? People die when they are killed.

  Kichiro froze for a second, then nodded, but curiosity still flickered in his eyes. The throne remained empty, and the air in the hall seemed slightly heavier than it should be. But none of the heroes dared to ask aloud yet.

  — Kichiro (whispering, leaning a little closer to Tsukuyomi, eyes sparkling with curiosity): …How can you talk so casually about things like that… It's even a little creepy… and that stupid fact. You're too cruel, Mom.

  — Tsukuyomi (to himself, in his thoughts, slightly squinting): Look who's talking…

  — Kichiro (whispering, not letting up, poking a finger slightly toward the empty throne): Although yeah, maybe you're right. But still, I have a bad feeling about this. I can feel it.

  — Tsukuyomi (whispering, barely noticeable shake of his head, corner of his mouth twitching): You've said stuff like that a thousand times already, dude -_-

  — Kichiro (whispering, stubbornly clenching his fist under his cloak): This time I'm 100% sure something's wrong here!

  — Tsukuyomi (whispering, placing a palm on Kichiro's shoulder to keep him from fidgeting): Yeah, yeah, sure. Just try not to make too much noise, okay?

  — Kichiro (whispering, theatrically rolling his eyes): What a bore you are, Tsukuyomi-kun!

  — Tadashi (turning around, hissing through his teeth, lightly shoving Kichiro back with his shoulder): Would you stop talking behind my back?

  — Kichiro (with a smirk, leaning toward Tadashi, pointing a finger at his head): Hmm? You mean above me? :)

  — Tadashi (hissing, clenching his fists but not raising his voice): You little jerk!

  Good grief. Their squabbling has begun. It's amazing no one interrupted us, even when they stopped whispering and switched to normal voices. If we're not in an isekai with a comedy genre, then where else could we be? Although our other classmates were also quietly chatting among themselves, still.

  We stood like this for another minute. I didn't understand what we were even waiting for and why they'd rushed us so much. The king and his son still sat/stood before us, the guards hadn't moved an inch, and that empty throne remained unoccupied — as if deliberately reminding us of its presence. And we'd already managed to split into several camps: the girls huddled in their own group, Masanori-san's guys stuck together, Tsuyoshi's crew was quietly arguing about something, and of course, we were in the minority. But it felt like we were generating more noise than all the others combined. As if we were a walking source of chaos in this perfectly ordered hall. But finally, someone decided to interrupt our conversation.

  — Walter (loudly, so everyone could hear): Everyone, bow before the king!

  At first, we just stood there frozen. But when Masanori-san dropped to one knee, the others began following suit — one after another. I also knelt, feeling the cold floor against my palms. After that, not a sound was heard from us…

  Got us!? Of course, many were still whispering to each other, but quietly, almost silently. I wasn't among them — at a moment like this, I didn't feel like talking at all. And Walter's gaze… his irritated, heavy look literally pressed us to the floor. What if at the next training session he decides not to train us but to torture us for not shutting up before the king? :( My poor body definitely wouldn't survive such a turn.

  Be that as it may, I had no desire to think about such things. The only ones who would probably think about that are masochists, though I'm not sure about that glanced at Kichiro.

  — Xerxes (calmly, but loudly enough for everyone to hear): Dear heroes, you're probably confused, since I called you so… Zarna.

  …What? What the heck is "Zarna"!? Are you kidding me!? Why didn't we end up in a world where all the words are identical to ours!? I hope this "Zarna" at least means "morning." Or are the days changed here too?

  — Xerxes (continuing, ignoring the whispers): I learned from my son, Xerxes Walter – I knew it, he is his son! Should have made a bet with someone. :( – that you've mastered the basics of the system, as well as training in how to use skills, summon your weapons, and the system itself. Therefore, it's time for you to venture beyond the castle walls. Since there are no monsters here to raise your level.

  I don't like where this is going. Oh, I really don't like where this is heading… I hope they at least give us some money to live on.

  — Xerxes: Don't worry, I'll give you money this time. But try not to spend it all on the first svetlor. – Dude, do you have telekinesis?

  After that, the king's people approached us, giving each of us a bag… of gold? Well, at least something resembling a classic anime moment. The bag itself wasn't too heavy, but not light either. Though should I even be happy that a bag of gold isn't very heavy? I hope they call the coins normally here. Along with them, some badges with a coat of arms. The emblem depicted a bird with fiery wings and also swords that the bird was grasping. Probably a phoenix or something similar. But I'll figure that out later.

  Silver, gold, copper, or whatever else? But one thing I'll definitely remember from the king: don't spend money right away and save it. Who knows what might happen in this world… The main thing is to keep an eye on these two.

  I looked at my friends, who were staring at their bags of gold. Nothing unusual about their appearance, but I know what's going on in their heads. -_-

  — Xerxes: So, what was I going to say next…? – At this question to himself, his son Walter approached him, leaned to his ear, and whispered something. I couldn't make out what they were saying — the distance, the noise around me, and their whispering made eavesdropping impossible.

  After Walter returned to his full height in his place, the king also stood up, raising both arms to shoulder level on either side and exclaimed – Now, my dear heroes, the moment has come when you may leave this place! – .....Huh? Wait wait, hold on. Let's slow down a bit.

  — Masanori: So we're…

  — Xerxes: Yes! You are free. – .....What? : []

  ?OUR TIME?

  And that's how we ended up outside. They could have at least given us a map, you know? We could easily get lost and not even make it to the Demon Lord. :_). And then there's what that knight said yesterday, that starting today he'd be training us. Yeah, right, we believed him — who knew he meant only yesterday?

  I would have just stood there, staring at the crowd of people bustling about their business and listening to these two endlessly bickering, but at that moment someone approached me from behind. I felt a hand on my shoulder. God, we haven't even properly started our journey, and someone's already bothering me. Why do I deserve this? :[

  Nevertheless, I turned around with a stone face, thinking that would make him or her understand I'm not soft. It sounded stupid, but it's at least better than looking like an innocent kid whose candy could easily be taken. But fortunately, it turned out to be Masanori-kun. That calmed me down a bit, of course, but then I got curious about what he wanted. I distinctly remember him leaving with his friends. Before I could ask what happened, he bowed as low as he could... What was that just now!? :/

  — Tsukuyomi: H-hey, M-Masanori-kun, what are you doing?

  — Masanori Ryota: I'm apologizing for yesterday!! For attacking you without thinking during training! Forgive me! – he said, not moving from his spot, remaining in his bowing position, asking for my forgiveness. The two statues next to me noticed this but decided not to interfere, just watching from the sidelines... this isn't a TV or theater, you know, guys.

  — Tsukuyomi: I-it's fine, it's fine, you don't need to apologize, Masanori-kun… I-it was just training. Please stand up properly, or I'll start feeling guilty toward you…

  After these words, I raised both hands and made a "enough, stop" gesture, as if warding off something invisible. That was enough for Masanori-kun to slowly straighten up to his full height. But his expression made everything clear — he still felt guilty toward me. Eyes lowered, lips slightly pressed together, shoulders tense… God, he did all this himself, and yet I still feel guilty. As if I made him apologize. I want to apologize to him right now, say something soothing, but I understand perfectly that if I do, it'll only make things worse. He'll start bowing again, mumbling "no, no, it's my fault," and we'll get stuck in this stupid cycle again.

  So, deciding not to apologize to him after all, I looked Masanori-kun straight in the eyes and wanted to explain that he wasn't at fault and shouldn't apologize to me. Although he partly was at fault, because he attacked without thinking. But now is clearly not the best time to say that out loud.

  I already opened my mouth to start calming him down, but met his gaze. So sad, so guilty, practically screaming: "I'm ready to do anything to show my remorse." God, Masanori-kun, don't look at me like that… I immediately felt like an adult who offended a child, and now that child stands there silently crying. My heart clenched from the awkwardness. No wonder he has so many friends around him — it's very hard to resist a look like that. The only ones who could withstand it are Tsuyoshi and his friends, I guarantee it.

  Thank goodness he at least spoke first, to somehow break this heavy atmosphere between us. I was ready to sink into the ground right then and there. You're probably wondering why I'm acting like this?... Eh, think what you want. I don't have to answer. :/

  — Masanori Ryota (head lowered, quietly): Forgive me again. – Water under the bridge – I don't know what came over me then. It was like I was forced to do it. Like someone was rushing me. Well… and, also th-that… – Now that's actually strange. But he was probably just too nervous because of Walter. I also start getting nervous and try not to meet his gaze. He helped me back then, sure, but his strictness is something else.

  — Tsukuyomi: Don't worry, Masanori-kun. You were probably just nervous because of Walter. I understand you, and there's no need to apologize. Especially not in public. – I hinted with my eyes, slightly turning my head and gesturing toward the passersby around us. Masanori-kun understood immediately. He looked around, nodded, and finally raised his eyes, but without that heavy guilt.

  He was about to say something more confidently when someone called his name from behind Masanori-kun. Masanori-kun spun around quickly, and I, without stepping forward, just shifted my hip slightly to get a better view of who it was. As for Kichiro-kun and Tadashi-kun?... I didn't even try to look back — they were standing behind me, and I knew those two were probably up to something: either whispering, or Kichiro-kun was making faces at Tadashi-kun with his fingers, or both were just standing there grinning while watching me. In short, their typical picture.

  Long story short, it was Masanori-kun's friends from his group. They'd clearly been waiting, because one of them was impatiently waving, and the other was already starting to shout something in our direction. Not surprising. Masanori-kun isn't just a classmate to them. He's simultaneously a leader and a "babysitter" who always gathers everyone, makes peace, and pulls everyone out of trouble. So his absence is immediately noticeable.

  It's also time to gradually move forward and not stand in one place… and, of course, keep an eye on my own -_-. These two, left unsupervised, could put on a whole circus in five minutes.

  — Tsukuyomi (calmly but firmly): I think they've been waiting for you, Masanori-kun. Well, see you around sometime?

  I was already mentally gathering my group to turn around and finally go explore the area, but Masanori-kun still wasn't letting up. He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, clearly trying to squeeze out one more phrase, one more apology or explanation. Forgive me, but right now I don't want anyone to notice us. Especially someone annoying — if he sees this crowd around me…

  — Tsukuyomi (softer, but more insistent): Masanori-kun, let's talk later. We'll meet during our adventures anyway, right? Besides, they're waiting for you. Let's not get in each other's way. – Please, just leave quietly already, Masanori-kun.

  Masanori-kun, for his part, exhaled deeply through his nose, shook his head, and seemed to read my thoughts exactly. His shoulders dropped slightly, but his eyes still flickered with that guilty "I haven't said everything yet." However, in the end, he decided to listen: he nodded briefly, smiled, and walked toward his friends.

  — Masanori Ryota (turning around one last time, louder now): Well, see you then! Good luck, guys!

  Yeah, yeah, good luck to you too, Masanori-kun… He's so energetic. Though it's not surprising — he managed to put up with our class for several years, so this dose of chaos is normal for him.

  I watched as Masanori-kun and his friends gradually dissolved into the crowd. At first their silhouettes were still visible, then someone waved, then they finally disappeared among the people, noise, and street vendors.

  And I,was I'd wanted from the beginning, turned to my friends to finally start exploring the area. I think we should start with the wal… What's with them?

  Right now, those two were looking at me with such unusual smiles, as if they'd just won the lottery.

  — Kichiro: ūwū

  — Tadashi: :]

  — Tsukuyomi (squinting): …Just try saying something weird related to that conversation, and I'll knock you out on the spot.

  — Kichiro (not letting up, with feigned offense): Oh, come on, Mom! - Don't call me that, I beg you.

  — Kichiro (continuing, waving his arms): We just noticed how kind you were with Ryota-san. You even called him by name. So cute, so soft… But with us, you're a very strict mom. We're even a little offended! Maybe you should marry Ryo…

  Before he could finish, I sharply hit him on the head. Not hard, but enough for him to yelp and immediately grab his crown.

  — Kichiro (holding his head): Oww! What for?! – Indeed, what for? >:/

  I turned my gaze to Tadashi-kun, who apparently decided not to interfere and just stood there with a neutral face. A good choice, actually.

  — Tadashi: :/

  — Kichiro (indignantly): Traitor!

  — Tadashi: :/ ? >:]

  Big mistake. Because of that, I also hit Tadashi-kun, but softer — just a flick on the forehead. Tadashi immediately looked at me with an indignant expression, as if saying: "That's not fair!"

  — Tsukuyomi (calmly): What did I say about betrayal?

  — Tadashi (dryly): …Never abandon a friend. But if I had joined Kichiro-kun, wouldn't you have hit me too?

  — Tsukuyomi: Well, yeah. I would have.

  — Tadashi (indignantly): Where's the logic!?

  — Tsukuyomi (shrugging): There isn't any. Let's just get moving already and finally go somewhere.

  They didn't say anything in response. Just nodded, signaling agreement. I nodded back, walked between them, and headed straight forward. But before that…

  — Tsukuyomi (turning around, extending his hand): Oh, almost forgot. Give me your bags of money, so you don't accidentally spend them on junk.

  — Kichiro and Tadashi (simultaneously, in unison): But Mom! - Forgive me, but you two need constant watching.

  — Tsukuyomi (calmly): No buts. Hand them over.

  In the end, they did give me all their money. You might say this is robbery. Well, I say it's just concern… for the money.

  ?SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIND SOMETHING LATER?

  — Tsukuyomi: Who knew this city would be so big…

  — Tadashi (with a slight smirk, but without much enthusiasm): The residents of this city.

  — Tsukuyomi (sighing): Can't argue with that.

  As you've probably guessed, we were completely lost. How did this city manage to become so huge and confusing!? In anime, it's usually simpler: a medium-sized town, wide main streets, bright landmarks like a huge castle or a fountain in the center, and you always know where north, east, south, and west are. But here? Just endless districts flowing into one another, narrow alleys that suddenly dead-end, stairs going up and down, arches leading to new quarters, and not a single decent map in sight. Plus, the locals keep glancing at us. And not without reason. Our clothes look like Halloween costumes in the middle of summer here. Some people even stopped and pointed, whispering to their neighbors. I think we need to find a shop or store as soon as possible and change into something more local. Otherwise, they'll take us for wandering circus performers or spies.

  — Kichiro (tiredly rubbing his neck and squinting from the sun): Hey, maybe we should just ask someone?

  He looked at me with such an exhausted expression, as if we'd been wandering through a labyrinth for days. We really had lost track of time. At first it seemed like only half an hour had passed, then an hour, and now the sun was high, the sky almost cloudless, and shadows had become short. Our stomachs were growling more persistently, reminding us that we hadn't really eaten anything since morning except what the butler had brought.

  — Tadashi (sighing, wiping sweat from his forehead): Yeah, Kichiro-kun is right, as much as I hate to admit it. At this rate, we'll either run into some thieves or the guard will decide we're suspicious characters. Tsukuyomi-kun, ask someone at least where we can rest! A tavern, an inn, anything — I can't stand on my feet anymore.

  And he really was tired — you could see it in the way he hunched his shoulders, how heavily he breathed, and how he kept looking around for any familiar landmark. Well… it seems this really is the only option. Just approach a stranger, smile, and calmly ask for directions. Approach first and speak… without stammering, without blushing, without swallowing half the words so they don't have to ask again, because repeating myself a second time would be ten times worse…

  — Tsukuyomi (sharply, but quietly): Kichiro-kun!

  — Kichiro (startled, turning around): Y-yes?

  — Tsukuyomi (calmly, but firmly): Go up to someone and ask for directions.

  — Kichiro (indignantly, throwing his hands up): What!? You're our leader! You should ask! – Since when am I the leader?

  Without saying a word, I just stopped in place, ceasing to move forward. Kichiro flinched forward, clearly thinking I was about to hit him or at least push him. After that, I quickly spun on my heels, walked up to him, and grabbed him by both shoulders, lowering my head. He froze in confusion, looking down at me, but a second later realized what was about to happen and his eyes widened.

  I slowly raised my head and looked at him with a nervous, twitching smile and eyes dancing with pure terror. My voice came out quiet, stammering, with pauses.

  — Tsukuyomi: K-Kichiro-kun… y-you don't understand… how strange… and awkward… it is to ask someone from the side?!

  — Kichiro (with a sympathetic and mocking smirk): …|:/. Half-baked sociopath. You should get rid of that phobia soon.

  — Tsukuyomi (almost pleadingly, voice trembling): You don't know what it's like! So please, just ask someone quickly, I'm begging you!

  — Tadashi (skeptically, crossing his arms): I think you're making a huge problem out of simply "asking." Don't you think?

  — Tsukuyomi (indignantly, slightly raising his voice): I'd like to see you if you had this! – I'm not lying. I really do start stammering, forgetting words, swallowing endings, or just losing my voice when I try to talk to a stranger. It's like my tongue fills with lead, and all that's in my head is emptiness and panic.

  Soon, Kichiro-kun just shook his head, as if disappointed in me, and decided to approach someone after all. Thank god, how I adore you in moments like this, Kichiro-kun. I almost want to forget all the trouble we've gotten into because of you. At that moment, my face looked calmer, with a slight smile, as if I'd finally given myself a rest after all this time. Even though in reality, we still haven't found any place to rest.

  Soon, Kichiro-kun just shook his head, as if finally disappointed in me, and went over to the nearest passerby. Thank god. How I adore you in moments like this, Kichiro-kun. I almost want to forget all the trouble we've gotten into because of you. At that moment, a calmer smile appeared on my face — light, almost relaxed, as if I'd finally allowed myself a breather after long tension. Even though in reality, we still hadn't found any decent place to rest.

  At that moment, Tadashi-kun was looking at me. With a completely impassive face, arms crossed over his chest. I didn't notice his gaze right away — I was too busy with my imaginary "perfect rest" in my head. Warm bed, hot tea, silence… It sounds stupid, I know, but I can't help it if my imagination is this developed.

  — Tsukuyomi (startled, turning to him): …What? Don't look at me like that.

  — Tadashi (calmly, not changing his expression): Oh, nothing. Just watching how skillfully you manipulate Kichiro-kun. Maybe you could teach me?

  — Tsukuyomi (without hesitation): Denied.

  — Tadashi (with a slight smirk, but still impassive): Why? Wouldn't it be fun if he started following our orders?

  — Tsukuyomi (squinting): … >:/

  — Tadashi (raising his hands in mock surrender): Okay, okay. Not that I really need it… But what if I…

  — Tsukuyomi (interrupting, firmly): Absolutely not. Otherwise, you'd start abusing it. Besides, you do know that he and I have known each other for quite a while, right? So I'm probably the only one who can pull something like this off. But I try not to use tricks like this too often. Otherwise, I feel a bit selfish, you know?

  During our conversation, we didn't even notice that Kichiro-kun had already returned and silently crept up, now standing literally right in front of us — so close that it's surprising I didn't notice his presence. On his face shone his favorite expression |:], eyes gleaming with self-satisfaction, hands shoved in his pockets as if he'd just won the lottery. Because I'd relaxed too much, completely immersed in conversation with Tadashi-kun, I hadn't felt his approach. No footsteps, no breathing, nothing.

  But when I finally turned my head and saw his face ten centimeters from mine, my heart skipped a beat. I jerked back, almost tripping over an uneven stone underfoot, and instinctively thrust my hands forward as if warding off a ghost.

  — Tsukuyomi (crying out, voice breaking): Aaah!.. Why do you sneak up like that!?… Tadashi-kun, you knew he was right there, didn't you?

  — Tadashi (calmly, not even blinking, with a slight smile at the corners of his lips): Hmm? I don't know what you're talking about. ??? – Is this because I didn't tell him how to manipulate Kichiro-kun!? Damn it.

  — Tsukuyomi (with a nervous smile, looking at Tadashi-kun and trying to save face): Indeed… What was I thinking? ???

  I quickly caught my breath, adjusted my collar, and tried to look as if nothing had happened, even though my cheeks were still burning from the sudden fright.

  — Kichiro (energetically waving his arms, not giving me a chance to recover): Hey-hey-hey! Let's go already, I got directions. We need to turn left here, go two blocks past the fountain with the fish, then turn right at the bakery with the red sign, and go to a shop that sells clothes. – Wait, you said "clothes"!? That's great! We really need to change into local attire!

  — Kichiro (suddenly remembering, slapping his forehead): Ah… wait, no… Oh, right! I meant an armor shop. – …Idiot. – And after that, nearby there's a small alley. A narrow one, with an ivy canopy, that we need to go through. There's a guild there. I specifically asked about the guild, because in isekai, you can't go anywhere without one. It's classic. We can register there, get ID, and pick up a map. I asked specifically for the map. Since both the city and the local landscape will be on it… probably.

  — Tadashi (with a slight smirk, crossing his arms): Hmm, listen, since when did you become so smart?

  — Kichiro (puffing out his chest proudly, but immediately tensing): Heh-heh, I've always been smart… Uh, wait a minute. Are you implying I'm dumb?

  — Tadashi (calmly, with an innocent expression): No, no, not at all. – …I don't even want to add a comment. But okay, I appreciated Tadashi-kun's jab. Now I just have to not laugh like a horse. :_)

  — Tsukuyomi: ...

  — Kichiro: …Just try it, Mom!

  — Tsukuyomi: …Pfft! Pwahahaha!!

  — Kichiro: Oh, come on! Why do you laugh at his jokes but not mine!? Is he your favorite?

  — Tadashi: Be jealous in silence. You're looking at the family favorite!

  — Kichiro: Shut up, you half-baked gnome!

  — Tsukuyomi: Ha-ha... Aaay. Okay okay, let's get out of here.

  I just couldn't control my laughter. I don't even remember the last time I laughed that freely. Just for a second, but it was enough for the tension to finally dissipate. Kichiro-kun wasn't wrong when he said a positive attitude always helps. But maintaining that positivity takes a lot of energy. A lot for me — if I stayed positive for several hours, by the end of the day I'd probably just drop dead on the spot.

  — Tsukuyomi (aloud, calmly): Lead the way then, Kichiro-kun.

  — Kichiro (with enthusiasm, turning forward and already starting to walk): Hmph, fine, I suppose… Okay! Follow me. Just don't fall behind, or we'll get lost again! – Yeah, yeah, Mr. Obvious.

  Kichiro strode forward briskly, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to make sure we were following. Tadashi walked beside me, still with that impassive half-smile, and I just silently followed, feeling the fatigue in my legs gradually replaced by slight excitement for what lay ahead. But now we had some forward progress, and I hoped that the rest of our adventure would be calm… Who am I kidding :/

  ?A FEW MINUTES LATER. IN FRONT OF THE GUILD BUILDING?

  Before us stood that famous building from some anime. The guild. The place where heroes and adventurers come for quests, and in return receive money, reputation, and level-ups. I never thought I'd end up in a place like this. Heh-heh… before we got dragged here, naturally.

  The building itself looked ordinary. Quite large, with many people standing in front of the entrance. They seemed to be adventurers — each of them had weapons and huge bags that clearly contained survival supplies. Should I pay attention to every detail right now? I don't think so. But the fact that there wasn't a mage was a bit strange.

  Either I've watched too much anime and now think every other mage wears a cloak and covered clothing. For some reason, I'm sure these stereotypes exist thanks to one of my friends. -_-.

  I was about to discuss further plans with Kichiro-kun — since he knew more about isekai than I had in my entire life and had probably already come up with a dozen theories about how everything works here. But at that moment, Tadashi-kun, unable to contain himself, dashed straight inside the building. As if his life depended on it — legs flashing, arms flailing, face glowing with excitement. He didn't even look back, didn't think about us, just disappeared behind the door, leaving only the echo of his footsteps. I didn't think fatigue could do that to someone. But I doubted there was any rest to be had inside.

  Kichiro-kun, seeing this scene, froze with his mouth open. Eyes widened, jaw dropped, like a comical panel from a manga. I instinctively reached out and quickly covered his mouth with my palm to avoid attracting even more attention. I too looked at the door, feeling slight irritation in my chest. There he goes again, rushing in headfirst like a kid in a candy store.

  Although Tadashi-kun was no longer visible, I still wanted to quickly discuss things with Kichiro-kun, but he — predictably — took off after him. He spun on his heel and threw over his shoulder with a sly smirk:

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  — Kichiro: That rat! Last one there pays for food!

  — Tsukuyomi (to himself, rolling his eyes): …Yeah, as if I'm not already!

  In any case, we still needed to go inside to register. But the fact that these two idiots, as always, ran inside without thinking, was a bit annoying, I'll be honest. My heart beat a little faster, and who knows what those weirdos might do or who they might run into. We don't need problems, and certainly not a fight with anyone — it's obvious we'd lose badly. I felt a slight chill down my spine at that thought. It's hard keeping an eye on them sometimes.

  Exhaling deeply, the air came out slowly, with a slight whistle through my nose. I put my hands on my hips and looked at my surroundings. Almost everyone around was staring at me because of my clothes. The looks were curious, wary, some openly mocking. I felt a certain pressure, my shoulders tensed, my neck slightly flushed from awkwardness. Whispers surrounded me from all sides. Quiet but persistent, like the buzzing of mosquitoes. I couldn't make out exactly what everyone was saying — the amount of chatter prevented me from distinguishing anything, the words blending into a background hum that made me want to cover my ears.

  — Tsukuyomi (quietly, to himself, putting a hand on his chin as if in thought): M-yeah. With them, I felt different. I didn't realize how much they affect the surrounding atmosphere.

  My voice came out a bit hoarse from tension. I stood alone in the middle of the crowd, feeling like I was in the crosshairs of dozens of eyes. My heart beat a little faster than usual, and an unpleasant lump formed in my stomach. Before I felt even worse, I should go to my childr— I mean, to my friends… Never mind.

  I took another deep breath, straightened my shoulders, and stepped toward the guild doors quickly, but trying not to look rushed. Inside, a circus had probably already started starring my two idiots. Hopefully, they hadn't broken anything yet… Please, let it be so.

  I slowly opened the guild door, and was immediately met by fairly loud noise. Usually in anime, the inside of a guild is quiet. Everyone calmly sits at tables, looks at the bulletin board, talks quietly. But here… here it was completely different. Almost everyone was speaking in raised voices. Someone was loudly arguing about a quest reward, someone was laughing at someone else's failure, someone was banging a mug on the table demanding beer. At first, I even thought I'd ended up not in a guild but in some noisy bar. The noise bothered me a bit. Everything buzzed in my head, making it hard to concentrate. But the fact that no one was paying much attention to me was already calming. Even so, the anxiety hadn't left yet, because I still couldn't see my friends.

  I scanned every side. Left, right, the center of the hall, but finding those two idiots in the crowd wasn't so easy. There were plenty of people here. But one important factor of this world helped me. Everyone had beautiful facial features, which made it easier to spot and find those two clowns among the crowd.

  Everything would have been fine, until someone pushed me from behind. I almost fell, my foot slipping, hands instinctively flying up, my heart skipping a beat. Fear momentarily squeezed my chest, I even flinched as if electrocuted. I barely managed to stay on my feet, wondering what had just happened. But I quickly straightened up fully and turned to the person who had pushed me. And it seems that was a mistake…

  — ??? (loudly, with irritation): Hey, kid, if you're not going to go inside, at least don't stand in the doorway blocking the path! You got that, little man?

  He was clearly not in the best mood. Tall, large, almost a head taller than me. On his head, an iron helmet — worn, dented, but sturdy. The same metal armor — breastplate, pauldrons, bracers. On his belt, a sheath with a long sword, the hilt wrapped in leather darkened by time. His face was handsome, naturally, but harsh. Square jaw, short stubble, eyes narrowed with anger. It seemed I was facing someone with a fighter or even warrior class. But I wasn't 100% sure, since I already understood this world wasn't that similar to mine. And it was even possible there were other statuses here too.

  — Man (even louder, stepping closer): Hey! I'm talking to you! When an adult talks to you, you look them in the eye! Especially when I've asked a question!

  Damn it, I seemed to have angered him even more by not answering immediately. His tone changed, becoming sharper, more aggressive. I think it's better to apologize and continue my search. I don't want unnecessary trouble. God, Tsukuyomi, stop thinking and just say you're sorry!

  — Tsukuyomi (voice trembling, stammering): I-I… apologize to you. I-it won't happen again.

  I moved aside a little, giving way. My voice came out quiet, uncertain, with that all-too-familiar feeling of my throat tightening from awkwardness.

  The man just grunted briefly, contemptuously, and walked past, slightly brushing me with his shoulder. Still, it seems I was wrong to tell myself "And it seems that was a mistake." Nothing terrible happened. But this situation was enough to make me sweat a little. My palms became damp, a chill ran down my spine. I don't know if it was because of this encounter or if the building itself was hot inside — the air here was heavy, saturated with the smell of leather, metal, sweat, and beer.

  However, that didn't stop me from looking for my clowns, but the discomfort I was feeling right now hadn't gone anywhere. And that encounter with the guy had sparked interest from those around me. They seemed to have nothing better to do, as they started glancing in my direction, whispering, and nodding to each other. My clothes had caught everyone's attention again. Hadn't they seen clothes like this on previous heroes? Or were we really the first ones summoned? Outside and inside — all the same.

  At that moment, I finally noticed my screw-ups out of the corner of my eye. They were standing in front of a girl behind the counter. A tall, wooden counter with a bunch of papers and parchments who, judging by her clothes, worked here. Dark blue vest with the guild emblem, white blouse, hair gathered in a neat bun. She was probably the receptionist. The one who issues IDs, accepts quests, and tolerates newbies like us.

  At least those two had done something useful after all. They were already standing at the counter and had even found the receptionist, instead of running around the hall like monkeys. But because of them, I almost got into trouble… although here, maybe I was at fault for standing right at the door and not going inside, blocking the way. However, that didn't matter anymore, because judging by Kichiro-kun's movements — specifically how he was nervously scratching his head with one hand while waving the other in front of the receptionist — something had clearly happened. He was either arguing, trying to explain, or just panicking. Tadashi-kun stood beside him, arms crossed, looking at the girl. I don't know if he was angry or not, but he was definitely displeased.

  I needed to hurry, otherwise who knows — maybe they'd call security and get thrown the hell out. Or worse, get blacklisted from the guild before even registering. 0_0. And we definitely didn't need that.

  I quickened my pace, squeezing between adventurers, trying not to elbow anyone. The noise around me was just as dense. Laughter, cursing, mugs clinking, coins jingling. Eyes still caught on my clothes, but now I just ignored them — I had more important things to worry about. My heart beat a little faster than usual, one thought spinning in my head: "Just let them not have done anything stupid. Just let them not have started a fight right here."

  Approaching closer, I caught snippets of their conversation. Kichiro-kun was rattling on quickly, the girl behind the counter was shaking her head, and Tadashi-kun was snorting and inserting short comments. I stopped a couple of meters away, feeling my palms slightly sweaty from tension. Well, time to save the situation. Or at least not let them make it worse.

  I approached them almost closely, so near that I could hear their voices through the general hum of the guild. I raised both hands above their heads, clenching my fists. The girl behind the counter — young, in a guild vest — noticed me first. She opened her mouth, trying to warn them that someone was behind them, but Kichiro-kun, as always, wasn't listening and kept chattering nonstop, waving his arms; Tadashi-kun stood silently with arms crossed, but also didn't turn around… And that was a mistake, oh, what a mistake. I always told him — let the other person speak, don't chatter like a machine gun. Let him face the consequences now.

  My fists came down on their heads without warning. I'm not some idiot who likes hitting friends or bullying them. No, no. That's why I hit them with all the pent-up force inside me. >:[

  Irritation from the crowd, from the stares, from them rushing ahead without thinking again. My fists connected with their skulls with a dull thud. Not too hard to break anything, but enough for them to feel it.

  Those two instantly grabbed their heads and finally turned to me. Kichiro-kun with incomprehension, eyes wide, mouth slightly open as if he'd just been woken up. Tadashi-kun with fury, brows furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line, cheeks red. But as soon as they saw me, they immediately froze in panic. Kichiro-kun even recoiled slightly, and Tadashi-kun tensed his shoulders as if expecting a second blow. A heavy atmosphere hung between us, the air seeming to thicken, the guild's noise fading to background, and the glances of other adventurers began fixing on us — someone even whistled. This wasn't a show for you, by the way.

  But even so, Kichiro-kun decided to speak first, nervously giggling and scratching the back of his head with a trembling hand:

  — Kichiro: Heh-heh, well, you found us, Mom. Congratulations!

  — Tsukuyomi (coldly, without a smile, looking directly into his eyes): Shut up.

  — Kichiro (flinching, instantly shutting up, eyes widening): E-eep!... Got it…

  — Tadashi (quietly, rubbing his head and lowering his gaze): W-why hit so hard…?

  — Tsukuyomi (squinting, heavy gaze): >:/

  — Tadashi (lowering his eyes, surrendering): Got it. I'll be quiet.

  They both froze like guilty puppies. Kichiro-kun nervously shifted from foot to foot, Tadashi-kun crossed his arms and stared at the floor. The girl behind the counter watched us with slight surprise but didn't intervene — she was apparently used to scenes like this. I stood there, feeling the irritation slowly fade, leaving behind tired emptiness and slight warmth in my chest. Sometimes I have to remind them that I'm not just their "mom," but someone it's better not to anger. But still… they're my idiots. And that, damn it, is also calming. Don't ask me why, because I'll just answer "Because because." I exhaled deeply, lowered my hands, and quietly said:

  — Tsukuyomi: Alright. Let's just register already. We're all tired. Agreed?

  Kichiro-kun timidly nodded, and Tadashi-kun muttered something unintelligible, and we finally turned to the counter. The girl behind it was already smiling. Tiredly, but kindly. Now I felt a bit embarrassed about that scene in front of her and other people. God, if you're hearing me, forgive me for calling that magic sphere effect terrible earlier. (...No.)

  — Girl: Hello. My name is Lira. How can I help you?

  — Tsukuyomi (voice slightly trembling): Huh? Yes, h-hello. Sorry about that scene. I hope while I was gone, these two didn't do anything? – My voice trembled as usual at first, but when I have to answer for these two, I become more confident, maybe? Something switches inside, and irritation for them outweighs fear. Anyway, the main thing now is something else. Let them both hope they didn't do anything.

  — Lira (smiling softly and calmly): No, no, not at all! They didn't do anything wrong, you don't need to worry. – You got lucky, screw-ups. – They were just asking about registering with our guild and becoming adventurers.

  — Tsukuyomi (nodding, shoulders relaxing slightly): Hmm, I see. Thank you for the answer, Miss Rira. And do we have the possibility to register?

  — Lira (with a slight smile): Of course! Anyone can register! – Interesting, even a child? – And by the way, my name isn't Rira, it's Lila.

  — Tsukuyomi (embarrassed, blinking): Oh, really?... I-I'm sorry. – Didn't I say the same thing? She said Rira, and I repeated and said Rira… or did I really mix it up? – A-alright. Then we'd like to become novice adventurers! :)

  — Lila: Mm-hmm, understood. That'll be 2 silver!

  — Tsukuyomi: …What? |:)

  — Lila: 2 silver from you. And that's just for one person!

  — Tsukuyomi: …I see… Of course, I'll give you 6 silver right away. – Since when does registering at a guild require money!? Usually you need to pass some trial or register with an adult, right? What's wrong with this damn world!?

  I nervously reached for the pouch of gold hanging on my belt. We had three such small pouches, and I opened one with trembling fingers. Surprisingly, inside were gold coins, not silver. I peeked inside — shiny little circles glittered in the guild's lamplight, but I couldn't make out exactly how many. The presence of money first made me happy — it would be strange if I was upset, right?... However, not everything was so smooth…

  A sudden thought pierced me. I had absolutely no idea about the local price of this currency! I didn't even know what this currency was called, if it had a name at all! In that case, I'd have to improvise or just give one gold coin — which I did. Hopefully, one gold coin was worth more than 6 silver.

  I took one gold coin from the pouch. Cold, heavy, with a clear imprint of the emblem, and placed it on the counter before the girl. The coin clinked quietly. She looked at it, then at my anxious face, and her eyes narrowed slightly, lips twitching into a slight smile. Please, just take this coin already and give us the license or whatever you have here that says we're adventurers.

  Without further ado, the girl took the coin and examined it from different sides, as if checking its authenticity. And at that moment, her gaze seemed to flash. Before her eyes appeared a magical sign of a blue hue in the shape of a reticle. I staggered back, not expecting anything like that — my heart skipped a beat, my legs slightly buckled. Kichiro-kun and Tadashi-kun also reacted. Kichiro-kun instantly switched from shock to delight, eyes lighting up as he approached the sign, almost pressing his nose to it. Although I assumed this was somehow related to authenticity verification, I wasn't 100% sure, so I slowly pulled Kichiro-kun back by his clothes toward me. But he still watched with interest, like a child watching a magic trick. And Tadashi-kun, like me, watched this trick cautiously.

  Rira or Lila… anyway, this girl looked at us and smiled with the corner of her lips. After the magical sign disappeared, a soft smile graced her face. She took the coin, opened the cabinet behind her, and tossed the gold coin in there. It clinked quietly, like a drop into a well, and she opened another drawer, closing the previous one. After that, she returned and placed 14 silver coins on the counter before us. They clinked distinctly, rolling across the wood.

  — Lila (playfully, with slight mockery in her voice, tilting her head slightly): What's with you? Like you've never seen a skill activation before. You're not from around here, are you? – Her voice sounded playful, as if she were facing children who didn't even know basic things. And her eyes looked right through, straight into the soul. Softly, but piercingly, sending a chill down my spine. She was different from other guild workers in anime. They all look with warm smiles, but this one emanated cold — or maybe she was just toying with us. Creepy.

  — Tsukuyomi: I-I guess you could say that.

  Thank god Tadashi-kun didn't understand her tone. Otherwise, he'd either be embarrassed if he thought she found him cute, or furious if he took her tone as arrogance. Well, like she's looking down on us — she's tall, he's short… uh, I don't even know what caught me off guard more: that I made a bad joke in my thoughts, or that I cringed at myself for saying something like that… maybe that I joked into the void, since no one will know about it.

  Meanwhile, Kichiro-kun was fully immersed in some fantasy in his head, as usual — eyes closed, thoughtfully muttering to himself, fingers tapping on the counter. I don't even want to know what's going on in his head. Probably a circus for the mentally ill, or maybe something even worse, beyond the bounds of my imagination. Brrr, what am I even thinking about!?

  While each of us was lost in our own thoughts, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the girl behind the counter pressed a small metal button next to her. The button was slightly darkened from frequent use, with a barely noticeable silvery gleam. I didn't ask what that button was for, because maybe we'd find out soon. Of course, there's little logic in that, and it sounds absurd — it's not certain it was connected to us. She just pressed it, that's all. And those two didn't even pay attention to what she did. Eh, what would they do without me? Probably have already called security or broken something.

  Soon, the door behind the counter in the corner swung open with a slight creak — heavy, wooden, with metal hinges that clinked quietly. The three of us simultaneously turned our attention to the person standing in the doorway. He was quite tall, but shorter than our giraffe Kichiro. Green eyes, sharp and attentive, hair gathered in a short ponytail at the back of his head, a hat with one green horizontal stripe around the crown. On his lower half, high boots of dark leather, long pants — something between trousers and riding breeches — a white shirt with the top collar unbuttoned, and over it, a black jacket-style coat with silver buttons. M-yeah, dude. Unlucky with your clothing style. Author, was it really so hard to make something more interesting?

  This guy began looking around, quickly, appraisingly, as if searching for someone specific. His head turned slowly, gaze sliding across the crowd. At that moment, Lira — I think that's her name — raised her hand and waved to him. Briefly, but confidently, fingers slightly trembling from the movement. Noticing her, he approached us with quick steps. His steps were confident, boots thudding on the stone floor, cloak slightly swaying behind him. Wow, I was right in my guesses again. Of course, I wasn't 100% sure, but I still think this counts in my favor.

  When he got close enough — the distance shrinking to a couple of meters — Lira leaned toward his ear, covering her mouth with her palm facing us. She whispered something to him quietly, almost silently — I didn't catch a word. After all, it was very noisy around us. Laughter, shouts, mugs clinking, coins jingling, and she was whispering on top of that. The guy listened attentively, slightly tilting his head, then nodded briefly, confidently. His gaze swept over the three of us. Appraising, but not hostile. Please don't look at us like that. It's a bit unsettling.

  After a few seconds, the girl stepped aside a little to give the guy space for a more comfortable conversation. She took a step back, carefully moving a stack of papers on the counter so as not to bump them with her elbow. I don't know why — there was plenty of space next to him anyway, and they could easily fit — but it's not my business. I probably just don't understand their actions and local customs, or maybe it's a habit of maintaining distance, or something else I don't even guess at. God, Tsukuyomi, stop thinking about all kinds of nonsense.

  — ???: Hello, my name is Edric. I'm the manager of this guild. – He greeted us, standing upright, back straight, arms at his sides, voice calm but confident. On his face was a warm, almost friendly smile, green eyes looking directly into ours — not pressuring, but attentive. If I compared his gaze to Lira's, warmth emanated from him, not cold. That was at least some plus. At least it didn't feel like we were about to be thrown out or interrogated.

  — Edric: I was told you want to purchase an adventurer's license — did I understand correctly?

  — Tsukuyomi (fingers nervously clenching): W-well… y-you could say…

  — Kichiro (abruptly interrupting, voice loud and confident): Yes! We want to purchase an adventurer's license! – Kichiro-kun interrupted me, as always, deciding to answer for me. This wasn't the first time he'd spoken for me and saved me from an awkward situation. In moments like these, I feel ashamed, because he has to bail me out, as if I can't do it myself. But he always says: "It's no trouble for me." Eh, sometimes I save him, and sometimes he saves me. What kind of role-playing game is this? Only Tadashi-kun stays on the sidelines, playing his part, silently observing, arms crossed, with a slight smirk on his lips. I wonder if Kichiro-kun feels the same when I apologize for him in front of others?

  Because of these thoughts, I didn't clearly hear what Kichiro-kun and Mr. Edric were talking about. Again. Their voices blended with the general noise of the guild. But it seemed they'd settled the questions and such, judging by Mr. Edric's satisfied expression — he was pleased. Sometimes I think he's been leveling up his persuasion skill since childhood, because often in our trio, he's the one who negotiates with someone and always comes out ahead. No wonder he wanted to start his own business in Tokyo. Even though that's quite difficult. Very difficult.

  Mr. Edric extended his hand to Kichiro-kun, as if they had agreed on something. Kichiro-kun, with a wide smile and without a second thought, reached out his hand in return. I didn't think an ordinary license would require a contract. Although, maybe it does? But as soon as their palms touched, a sphere formed around their hands. Not between them, but right at the point of contact. Translucent, bluish, with a faint glow inside, as if tiny stars were swirling within. I'm still not used to this world, so I was a little scared. My heart skipped a beat, I even wanted to ask what was happening — my mouth was already open — but someone poked me from behind. Turning only my head toward Tadashi-kun, I saw him press a finger to his lips. Silently and even sternly, hinting for me not to interfere and to stay quiet. His eyes were serious, brows furrowed, and he clearly knew what this magic was. After all, I had missed their conversation. I looked at Tadashi-kun, then at the sphere, then back at Tadashi-kun several times, hesitating. In the end, I decided to listen to him and not interfere.

  The sphere looked translucent, blue-tinted, as if made of liquid glass, inside which tiny sparks of light slowly circled. It hovered between their palms, pulsing slightly, and emanating a faint chill that I could feel even from a distance. Gradually, blue patterns began spreading along Kichiro-kun's arm. Thin, vein-like but glowing, as if rivers of light had ignited under his skin. They slowly crawled upward from his wrist, branching out like tree roots, filling every millimeter, every fold of skin. They'd told me not to interfere, of course, but my anxiety increased with every second — heart pounding, palms sweating, breathing becoming shallow. Why did this look so scary? As if the magic was devouring his arm…

  The veins — or whatever resembled magic — spread and showed no signs of stopping. They even began entwining themselves, greedily filling empty and untouched spaces, rising higher along the forearm, reaching the elbow. Kichiro-kun stood still, but nervously. Eyes wide open, lips pressed together, fingers trembling slightly, though he tried to keep his arm steady. Meanwhile, Mr. Edric stood with eyes closed, concentrated. Brows slightly furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line, breathing steady but deep, as if channeling all his will into this ritual.

  As soon as the veins reached Kichiro-kun's elbow, they paused for a moment, as if the magic was taking a breath to gather strength. And then they instantly rushed back. The blue lines retracted into the sphere like water into a vortex, and a second later, the sphere disappeared completely, dissolving into thin air without a trace, leaving behind only a faint scent of ozone.

  When they released each other's hands, a card remained hovering between their palms. Translucent, bluish, palm-sized. It floated in place, slowly rotating like a hologram. Edric opened his eyes, took the card with his fingers, and it obediently lowered into his palm. He smiled, broadly now, with relief and joy. Then he handed the card to its owner.

  — Edric: Congratulations on receiving your F-rank adventurer's card! – He said this with a sincere, wide smile, holding out a thin metal plate the size of a palm. The card was cold to the touch, light but felt sturdy — matte metal with engraved letters and a small photo of Kichiro-kun in the upper left corner. He looked exactly the same there as he did now — with that stupid smirk and disheveled hair. What a child. Kichiro-kun grabbed it with two fingers, as if afraid it would disappear, and immediately started turning it over in his hands. He brought it close to his eyes, moved it away, turned it under the light of the lamps above the counter to catch the reflections. His eyes sparkled with delight, his lips stretched into a wide, almost childish grin, and he even let out a quiet whistle.

  Tadashi-kun and I leaned in closer, curiosity overcoming everything else. Tadashi-kun nudged me slightly with his elbow to see better, and we both stared at the card. In principle, it looked unremarkable: name, age, gender, status, owner's rank, and blank lines that would apparently be filled in later, or maybe that's how it was supposed to be. Everything simple and concise, like an ID card, only with a faint magical shimmer along the edges. If you looked closely, it pulsed, as if a weak heart beat inside the card.

  — Tadashi (squinting, pointing at the photo): Wait, is that your picture?

  — Kichiro (proudly, not taking his eyes off the card): Well, yeah. What about it?

  — Tadashi (frowning more deeply, leaning even closer): But nobody took your photo. How did your face get there?

  — Kichiro (thoughtfully, scratching his chin with his free hand): Hmm, good point. Is that related to your skill? – he addressed Mr. Edric, still holding the card and turning it at different angles, as if looking for a hidden mechanism.

  — Edric (chuckling): You're very perceptive. – I don't think you need to be very smart for that. It's obvious. – You're right, it's related to my skill. When I use it, my mana envelops the person's hand and collects information about them. It penetrates under the skin — not painful, but noticeable — and reads everything needed: appearance, age, name, gender, basic characteristics for rank determination. All of this happens instantly but requires full consent and physical contact. Without that, the skill simply won't activate and becomes useless. The information is limited, so nothing personal, nothing secret — only what the person themselves allows to be shown. And the card is a materialized copy of what the mana collected. It can't be forged, can't be erased, and updates automatically when rank or level increases. The main thing is not to break it. The photo, by the way, is formed from what the mana saw at that moment — it's like an imprint of the soul on metal. – Is it normal that he's telling us so much information about his skill?

  — Edric (smiling wider): Oh, almost forgot! I hav – Before he could finish his sentence, Lira lightly pushed him by the shoulders. A short but confident shove with her palm. She gave him a look: "Enough." Lots of people haven't been able to finish their sentences today. Is this a sign or what, author?

  — Lira (calmly, smiling with the corner of her lips): I think they understand how your skill works, Mr. Edric.

  — Edric (sighing, but with a smile): You're cold to me again. Oh well, we can go through the rest quickly. But first, we should create adventurer cards for you two as well. – He turned to Tadashi-kun and me. Tadashi-kun was the first to step forward — he moved ahead impatiently, immediately extending his hand as if he'd been waiting for this moment his whole life. I, not looking in their direction, turned to Kichiro-kun, who was still turning his card over from different angles, bringing it close to his eyes, moving it away, even holding it up to the lamp light above the counter to see the reflections. I was still curious about how it felt. Inside that sphere. Probably cold…?

  — Tsukuyomi (quietly, leaning closer, voice slightly hoarse from tension): So, how was it?

  — Kichiro (looking up from the card, blinking, with a slight smirk): Huh? What do you mean?

  — Tsukuyomi (even quieter, almost a whisper): I mean that sphere. Did you feel anything when your hand was inside, and when those veins started spreading?

  — Kichiro (chuckling, shrugging, but his eyes darting slightly): Ah, that? Nothing special. Feels like a normal handshake. =)

  I don't really believe that, honestly, with that smirk of yours. Especially since I felt the cold from a distance when he did the magic with you. Like frost running over my skin. You're so heartless, lying to me without even blushing.

  I just nodded, not arguing. Kichiro-kun's always like that. Even if everything's boiling inside, on the outside he'll smile and say "Everything's fine." And I… I just stood there, feeling a slight tremor in my fingers and trying not to think about what lay ahead. License obtained. Now we were officially adventurers. And that, damn it, was scary on one hand. Because we'd have to fight, after all. And I was a complete zero at that.

  While I was inwardly nervous — heart pounding in my throat, palms sweating, fingers trembling slightly — Mr. Edric finished the "handshake" with Tadashi-kun. He released his hand, and the sphere disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Just dissolved into the air, leaving behind a faint ozone smell and a card that Tadashi-kun took. Tadashi-kun glanced at his card for only a couple of seconds, without much interest, and immediately shoved it into his jacket pocket. He wasn't particularly interested in the card after we'd both looked at Kichiro-kun's. Kichiro-kun, by the way, also put his card in his pocket, apparently deciding he'd admired it enough.

  In the end, I was the only one who hadn't received a card yet. I looked at Mr. Edric. He was already reaching his hand out to me, smiling calmly but with slight expectation in his eyes. My uncertainty hadn't gone anywhere — everything inside me clenched, breathing became shallow, thoughts spinning: "I know what's coming. I saw it with Kichiro-kun and Tadashi-kun. But why am I still nervous, as if it's the first time?"

  Glancing at Tadashi-kun and Kichiro-kun, they were both looking at me. Tadashi-kun with a slight smirk, Kichiro-kun with an impatient gleam in his eyes. After that, I exhaled heavily through my nose. Chest rose and fell. These actions were necessary — there was no other way to get an adventurer's license. But damn it, why was I so nervous when I knew what would happen!? I was even starting to repeat the same words I'd already said!

  I extended my hand slowly, fingers trembling slightly. My palm was cold and damp with sweat. Mr. Edric shook it confidently, but not too hard. Just firmly, like an adult with a child. Though that was partly true. As soon as our hands touched, the sphere appeared again. The same translucent, blue-tinted one, with a faint glow inside. And along with it, those magical veins. Well yeah, that's what I call them. They look like it, after all. Thin blue lines began crawling up my arm from the wrist — slowly but inexorably, as if rivers of light had ignited under my skin. They branched out, filling every millimeter, every fold of skin.

  But a second later, I felt intense cold, as if my hand had been plunged into ice water. The cold was sharp, penetrating to the bone; my body instinctively shuddered, shoulders jerked, back tensed, breathing faltered. Or maybe I'm just not used to the cold. But I understood one thing: he'd lied to me again. Couldn't you have just told the truth, right?

  I slowly turned my head toward Kichiro-kun, and he immediately looked away, stared at the ceiling, and started quietly whistling to himself, pretending nothing was happening.

  — Kichiro (voice slightly higher than usual): What an interesting floor! The ceiling is beautiful too! – Are you serious right now?

  Even so, I just looked at him. Heavy gaze, unblinking. He seemed to feel my stare on his back — shoulders tensed, whistling became quieter, faltering. A small bead of sweat rolled down his temple, glistening in the lamp light. Suffer now for your lie.

  — Tadashi (arms crossed): Hmm, must be very interesting to watch someone, huh?

  — Tsukuyomi (not taking my eyes off Kichiro-kun, voice low and calm): I don't know what you're talking about. And you, Kichiro-kun, what do you think?

  — Kichiro (voice slightly higher): Even the girls working here are quite attractive!

  — Tsukuyomi (slowly, with emphasis): Kichiro-kun, maybe you could look at us?

  — Kichiro (nervously, but trying to save face): How well everything goes together here!

  — Tadashi (grinning wider): Oh come on, just look at us.

  — Kichiro (quickly, almost panicking): You look at Mom's face! Then you'll know!

  — Tadashi (snorting, moving closer to Kichiro): What's there to be scared of? – Tadashi-kun leaned toward Kichiro-kun, who still wasn't looking at me. And when Tadashi-kun glanced at me, he stepped back a little, eyes widening, mouth slightly open in fright. He seemed to see only my eyes on my face. Bright, blue, cold, while the rest of my face was in dark shadow, as if a crushing aura surrounded me. Tadashi-kun immediately patted Kichiro-kun on the back firmly, reassuringly, and returned to his spot. But he returned barely suppressing laughter. Lips trembling, cheeks reddened, he turned away to avoid laughing out loud.

  Gradually, the sphere was disappearing at that moment. The blue lines retracted inward, the light fading, as if someone was slowly turning off a lamp. Realizing that Kichiro-kun wouldn't look at me, not even out of the corner of his eye — since he stubbornly stared at the ceiling, whistled falsely, and nervously shifted from foot to foot — I turned my attention to Mr. Edric. For a moment, surprise appeared on his face. Brows slightly raised, eyes widened, lips twitching into a nervous smile. From his reaction, I wanted to ask what had happened — my mouth already opened — but I didn't want to interrupt the magic, so I had to wait until it ended. Heart pounded in my temples, palms sweated, breathing became shallow.

  Finally, the magic ended, and the sphere dissolved completely, leaving behind only a faint ozone smell and a tingling in the air. At the spot of the handshake, a card appeared — mine this time. It simply materialized in my palm. Only now did it occur to me: how had this card appeared in such a way that I hadn't even felt it in my hands? I understand, magic and all that, but this was really strange. As if it had grown right out of the air, bypassing my fingers. But I decided not to ask him about it and quietly took the card. My fingers trembled slightly as I grasped it. Just as I was about to ask Mr. Edric something.

  — Tsukuyomi (voice quiet, with a slight tremor): M-Mr. Edric, is something wrong?

  — Edric (blinking, as if caught off guard): Huh? What do you mean?

  — Tsukuyomi (not looking away): I just noticed you looked surprised for a second during that magic.

  — Edric (sighing, scratching the back of his head, with a slight smile): Oh, that? Well, hiding it would probably be very bad.

  At that moment, even Kichiro-kun decided to turn around — but slowly, cautiously, as if afraid I was still angry. He looked at Mr. Edric, just like Tadashi-kun did. Both froze, eyes wide with curiosity. I didn't care right now that Kichiro-kun had finally turned around. That wasn't the most important thing at the moment. Mr. Edric seemed to be deliberately stalling — the pause dragged on, he looked at each of us in turn, the corners of his lips twitching into a slight smile. He was clearly enjoying our tension, and he was good at it. But everything has its limits of patience!

  Mr. Edric noticed the tension around us — Kichiro-kun's shoulders tensed, Tadashi-kun clenched his fists, and I stood there, gritting my teeth, and just exhaled. Then he smiled softly, almost apologetically, as if calming himself.

  — Edric: Forgive me. I was just surprised at how little mana you have — almost comparable to a child, or slightly more… – Are you kidding me?

  I quickly looked at my card, fingers trembling as I turned it over. And there, to my disappointment, it said: "Rank: -F". What the hell!? Why was mine even below F-rank!? Isn't F-rank the lowest in games, for example, or in most anime that have similar rank systems!?

  My face became dejected and even empty. Eyes dimmed, lips pressed into a thin line, shoulders slumped. I knew I wasn't the best, but this much? I even heard quiet laughter from both sides. First a muffled giggle from Kichiro-kun, then a short snort from Tadashi-kun. These two dared to laugh at me? :_(. Offensive. Very offensive.

  — Kichiro (laughing, but trying to hold back): W-well, it's something at least! You can level up later, so don't worry, Mom! Pff, pwahahaha! – Drop dead.

  — Tadashi (suppressing laughter): Phphph. – What's wrong with your laugh? Burn in hell.

  I barely held back from saying something. Fists clenched, teeth grinding, cheeks burning. I already had such a low rank, and now this on top of it. Amidst this circus, even Mr. Edric slipped away unnoticed. He simply turned and left through the same door behind the counter. Although could it be called unnoticed if I noticed? Anyway, Miss Lira returned to his spot. Watching us, she simply smiled with the corner of her lips. Thank goodness at least she wasn't laughing.

  — Kichiro (wiping away tears of laughter, trying to calm down): Ha-ha. Phew, I haven't laughed like that in a while. Forgive us, uh…

  — Lira: Lira. |:)

  — Kichiro (quickly nodding, still chuckling): Right, Lira! Does your guild happen to have a map of this city? I'd rather not get lost here. And I'd also like to know where we can take adventurer quests.

  — Lira (nodding, pointing with her hand): Definitely not locals. Anyway, if you look behind you, you'll see a board. You can approach it and take any quest, provided your rank allows it, of course. There are sheets with tasks hanging there, but not ordinary ones. If you touch them with your card, the quest automatically saves inside your card. And if someone else has already taken a quest, a point on the edge of the card — a small round crystal — will glow red, indicating that someone else has taken that quest, or that it's not available for your current rank. If no one has taken it yet, the point will glow blue, thereby reserving the quest. And after completing the task, the point will glow green, indicating that you've completed the quest. Since the card is connected to the system, it can understand when you've completed it and when you haven't. As for the map, I'll give it to you now.

  — Kichiro (interested, leaning closer to Lira): Wow! Is that also connected to the card?

  — Lira (with a slight smile): Of course not. That'll be 4 coppers.

  — Kichiro (eyes widening): What!? °?°

  — Lira: What did you expect? Business is business. Everything has its price.

  — Kichiro (scratching the back of his head): …Okay, that makes sense. Will one silver be enough for all three?

  — Lira: Of course.

  Kichiro-kun looked at my face. Eyes big, puppy-like, as if waiting for food from me. He even tilted his head slightly and pretended he was about to cry. But I was still thinking about my rank, so I looked back at him the same way — without emotion, with an empty gaze.

  — Kichiro (pitifully): 0w0

  — Tsukuyomi: :_(

  — Kichiro: Can you give me a silver?

  — Tsukuyomi (tiredly, with a slight sigh): …Yeah, sure…

  I reached into the pouch where I'd put the silver, took out one silver coin, and handed it to him. Kichiro-kun immediately grabbed it like a child grabbing candy and quickly gave it to Lira. She smiled, took the coin, and pulled out from under the counter a folded map of the city — exactly 3 of them — thick, with clear lines of streets, buildings, and symbols. And then change in the form of 8 coppers.

  — Kichiro (with enthusiasm): Thank you! Well, we're off to complete our first quests!

  He said this with such a wide, almost childish smile that even I felt a slight pang of enthusiasm for a second. Eyes sparkling, cheeks flushed with excitement, shoulders squared as if he was about to take flight. Kichiro-kun had already turned and was striding briskly toward the quest board, as if what awaited him there wasn't a piece of parchment with tasks, but a ticket to a new life.

  — Lira: Good luck to you, young adventurers. I hope for further cooperation!

  She smiled calmly with the corner of her lips, professionally, but with a hint of sincerity — eyes warming slightly. We nodded in response (well, more precisely, Kichiro-kun energetically waved his hand, almost jumping; Tadashi-kun briefly inclined his head; and I just muttered something unintelligible, still frowning about my rank).

  Having decided to go to our first quest, Kichiro-kun marched toward the quest board with a happy smile. Tadashi-kun also said a brief goodbye — without excessive emotion, just nodded to Lira and tugged at my sleeve, pulling me along. Yeah, I was still unhappy about my very low rank. So what? If you were here right now and found yourself in this situation, you'd be sad about it too! They won't even let me whine anymore. :( Inside, it still ached — hurt, bitter, as if someone had deliberately decided to humiliate me. Rank below F… that's not even rock bottom — that's the basement below rock bottom.

  Weaving between tables and other adventurers along the way, Kichiro-kun didn't even think about slowing down. Steps quick, confident, elbows slightly out, as if he was already the hero of an epic saga. You could tell he was a bit impatient right now. Eyes blazing, breathing quickened, shoulders squared, fingers nervously clenching and unclenching. All of this was new to him. Of course, not just to him — I and my other classmates were also experiencing magic for the first time in a way.

  If you don't count the people who "kind of" predict the future. T_T A strange feeling stirred in my chest, like a mix of envy and slight delight, as if I were watching a child in an amusement park.

  Finally approaching the board, Kichiro-kun immediately began scanning its entire surface. His eyes darted left and right, up and down, his finger tracing along the lines as if searching for treasure, his lips moving, repeating the names of the quests. Interestingly enough, right now there were no other adventurers nearby to interfere with us examining the quests properly. Is this for the sake of a pretty backdrop, God? A slight irony flickered inside — of course, everything has to be perfect, like in anime.

  Be that as it may, I decided not to be a problem for Tadashi-kun, so I removed my hand and he lost his "job" as my personal support. After all, whining all the time about my rank isn't great. I'm still not happy that my rank is even below F, which was considered the lowest in all anime with ranking systems! And on top of that, I have low mana! Now I understand why I have the assassin class — with mana like this, I couldn't even properly fire a staff, let alone kill anyone. Everything inside tightened with bitterness and slight shame.

  Looking at the board, I saw a bunch of quests. Even with pictures — crude, but understandable drawings of monsters, plants, items. I can't say what these creatures are, of course, since I'm seeing them for the first time, even though there are monsters I know, like slimes, with their colorful droplets and blank eyes, if they even have them. There were also various descriptions, like "kill 5 giant orcs," "collect 10 moonshine herbs," "deliver a letter to the village beyond the walls," and along with them, the permissible rank for completion. But at the bottom, something… strange was written? There were some hieroglyphs or even a set of random words, incomprehensible symbols intertwined with lines, like an ancient cipher. Now I think I roughly understand how this card saves the quest within itself. It's like a barcode, or maybe a QR code. But these are just my guesses. A slight surprise and pride in my deduction stirred inside.

  — Tadashi: Have you chosen a quest yet, giraffe? – he decided to ask, teasing him, but there was slight weariness in his voice after the long walk, the corners of his lips twitching slightly.

  — Kichiro: Not yet, I'm thinking about where to kill some weak monsters. – he answered the question, ignoring the jab, but his eyes still lit up with excitement. Wouldn't it be better to start with quests that just require gathering ingredients and that's it?

  — Kichiro: Dun-dun-dun… Oh, I think I found what we need! – he said passionately, taking his card and placing it directly on those hieroglyphs. After that, the card glowed blue — bright, but not for long, as if it had accepted the quest; light ran along the edges, flickered, and went out. First of all, Kichiro-kun turned out to be perceptive, and a slight admiration pricked inside me. Second of all, I didn't know my theory would turn out to be correct! Why does it always happen like this — both at school and here!? For example, when I think of the answer to a problem in my head, but then think it's wrong, and then someone else says that same answer and it turns out to be correct, after which they're praised and given a good grade! Why!? Resentment and slight envy pricked in my chest again.

  Because of these thoughts, I fell into dejection again. I didn't even notice how we'd already left the guild building and were gradually heading outside the city. I only remember Kichiro-kun pulling out the city map, how I tried not to bump into anyone — elbows slightly pressed to my body, gaze on the ground, short and cautious steps to avoid colliding with passersby or tripping on stones. Only occasionally raising my eyes to my friends and around me, so as not to get lost in this unfamiliar labyrinth of streets. Inside, the resentment still ached — disappointment, slight anger at myself and at this stupid system. Rank below F… low mana… wooden katana… All of this spun in my head like a broken record, and my mood kept sinking lower.

  After considerable time, we finally found ourselves before massive gates. They towered like a wall of stone and iron — so huge, heavy, with thick beams and forged plates. Soldiers walked along the defensive walls, patrolling the area. Their armored silhouettes stood out sharply against the sky, footsteps echoing hollowly on the stone. And of course, the flag of Landjes was there — bright yellow with a flaming sphinx, fluttering in the wind, as if reminding everyone who ruled here. Nearby stood buildings from which soldiers emerged with various implements — swords, spears, crossbows. This is the first time I've seen barracks right next to a tower. Usually they're somewhere in the middle of the city or in a similar place, no? This place looked like it was specially built for quick exit and defense. Practical, but risky.

  Oh, and also the sun, beating its rays directly into my eyes. I'm upset, disappointed with the balance, and now this sun too. Hopefully, my nose won't start bleeding from heatstroke. I'm probably exaggerating, and that will never happen… please. A slight panic stirred inside — I'm already on edge, and now this heat too.

  — ???: Stop! Where are you heading? – one of the soldiers stopped us at the threshold of the exit.

  Almost his entire body was clad in armor — heavy, darkened by time, with dents and scratches, but his face was exposed. Brown pupils, short black hair, and a neat beard. It bothers me a bit that he has a normal face. Is he an important character here? A slight anxiety flickered inside — what if this is someone important, and we're about to get into trouble again?

  — Kichiro (smiling): Outside! – A brilliant answer, idiot. Straight as rails. – And where are you going? – …I don't know him. And I don't care that he's my child.

  The man before us looked at this fool with a puzzled expression. Eyebrows rose, eyes widened slightly. Even with a somewhat intimidating look, as if he wanted to teach him a lesson on the spot. But he quickly calmed down, took a deep breath — chest rising and falling — and massaged his nose with two fingers. Is it comfortable to massage with iron gloves?

  — ??? (Irritated): Haa… Could you be more specific?

  — Kichiro (still with a smile): Doing a quest, mister!

  — ??? (Looking at him angrily): An adventurer, huh? I've seen many adventurers in my life, and they were all different. But I've never seen an idiot like this before!

  Kichiro-kun was about to respond with something — mouth open, eyes lighting up — but I quickly clamped his mouth shut with my palm. My fingers pressed against his lips, warm, slightly damp from his excitement. If you didn't know, this idiot sometimes says whatever comes into his head first. In moments like these, he acts first and thinks later. How has he even survived to his age!?

  Two gazes fixed on me at that moment. The first belonged to the soldier — appraising, with slight surprise. The second was Tadashi-kun's — calm, but with a spark of approval. And why are you just standing there watching? Help out already!

  Fortunately, he understood the situation from just one look from me. So Tadashi-kun quickly positioned himself in front of the soldier, blocking us from him. It's ironic that we're hiding behind the shortest person in our trio. I never thought this day would come. A slight gratitude flickered inside — he always knows when to take matters into his own hands. I could have told Kichiro-kun to stop provoking him, but then he'd go wild and look like a crazy monkey.

  — Tadashi: Forgive him, he zones out sometimes. Usually he behaves more calmly.

  — ???: Hmm, you look calmer yourself. Alright then, where are you headed?

  — Tadashi: To complete our first quest.

  — ???: In that case, you should have your cards, right?

  — Tadashi: Yes, yes, of course. Here, take a look. – he said quickly, showing his card.

  The man took the card from his hands and began slowly reading what was written in his thoughts. Is this some kind of skill, by any chance? It seems like every other person here uses this local magic with the system. I still don't understand why they need to summon us — inexperienced people — to a new world to defeat the Demon Lord. There's a whole crowd of them here. I don't see any logic in it, honestly.

  Irritation and slight resentment stirred inside again — they dragged us here as a backup plan, and now they're making us train, as if we really are heroes.

  I stood there, looking at the soldier, and felt waves of fatigue washing over me — my body still aching from yesterday's training, head heavy, throat dry. The wind swept across my face again — cool, but already carrying the smell of dust and the road beyond the gates.

  Meanwhile, the soldier before us had already checked Tadashi-kun's card, stepping aside and signaling the other guards to let us through. He nodded briefly — a sharp, professional movement, without unnecessary emotion. We were about to leave when this same soldier stopped us again.

  — ???: I only checked one adventurer's card, I haven't seen yours yet.

  M-yeah. The security measures here are excellent, I see. Lucky for us we had our cards with us, so showing them and passing through wasn't difficult. Although when they checked Kichiro-kun, the man looked at his card more irritably — brows furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line, gaze growing heavier. Seems like someone has become the least favorite adventurer from the very first day of meeting. A slight malicious smirk flickered inside — at least someone suffered from your tongue, son.

  Anyway, finally! The long-awaited nature of this world! Of course, the nature here wasn't very different from Earth's. Although this is the first location, so there probably aren't any differences yet. The same animals, insects, and such. Grass rustles underfoot, somewhere in the distance birds chirp, the wind carries the scent of pine needles and earth. Even so, Kichiro-kun ran ahead, toward the path to the forest. Legs flashing, arms outstretched as if he was about to take flight. And behind him, Tadashi-kun, shouting after him "stop!" And I, as always, will be watching these two, so that by the time we return, they're safe and sound. Some picnic in nature, damn it.

  — Tsukuyomi (shouting after them, trying to overcome the wind): Hey, don't go too far, got it!?

  — Kichiro (turning around mid-run, with a wide grin): No promises! – I'll kill this one first.

  — Tadashi (shouting after him, already starting to tire): Let this giraffe stop first then! – And this one's going through the meat grinder.

  — Tsukuyomi (under his breath, with a heavy sigh): Eh, as usual. Gonna have to run… well, assassin class, after all.

  After which I also started running after them, so as not to lose sight of them. My legs immediately started aching, and my muscles — after training and long walking outside — protested; breathing became heavy, but I gritted my teeth and sped up. But for some reason, when they saw me running after them, they sped up instead of slowing down. I want to ask: why? -_-. It's not like I'm going to kill them… um, maybe a little, but that's no reason for this? A slight irritation stirred inside, mixed with tired affection. What friends I have.

  You know, I feel like I've been waiting for this day. Why this one specifically? Because right now, no one's staring at me, those friends of Tsuyoshi aren't bothering me. It's just me and my friends here. Even though our jokes are peculiar, I feel comfortable with them — warmth spreads in my chest, despite the pain in my legs. And also because of the nature around us — the cool, calming wind that makes the grass dance and carries various sounds with it. The rustling of leaves, distant birdsong, the quiet hum of insects. The trees here are so huge, with something like squirrels jumping in them — fluffy, fast, with bright tails. The wind touched my face — fresh, with the scent of pine needles and earth — and for a second, I even smiled. A slight, almost imperceptible smile. Maybe things really will work out? Maybe this world isn't so terrible after all? Perhaps everything isn't so bad?

  To be continued...