The day after the conversation at the palace, Alex found himself in the back garden, surrounded by a stillness he rarely experienced in such a place. The sound of wind rustling the tree leaves and the soft murmur of the nearby river brought him the calm he needed. Despite the many people he had interacted with lately, Alex always found …

The palace hall was spacious, with high ceilings adorned by elegant frescoes depicting the kingdom’s past victories. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, bathing the queen’s figure in a golden glow as she sat upon her throne of white marble. Beside her stood her daughter, Princess Leona, watching the newcomers with a gaze that couldn’t quite hide her interest—especially in …

The afternoon sun shone weakly over the ruined village. A strong wind blew through, stirring the fallen leaves across the ground, while an air of tension hung heavy in the atmosphere. The villagers had been awaiting the arrival of Emi, the summoned heroine meant to save them. Alex walked behind Emi, his steps slow and deliberate. He wasn’t here to …

My name is Alex Sasaki, and I never asked to be a hero. In fact, I had absolutely no intention of getting involved in any of this madness. It all started like any other day at school. Well, except for the part where my friends and I were suddenly “summoned” to another world—like we were in some kind of role-playing …