Third Person — Nagasaki Ichiro
The door closed softly behind Nagasaki Ichiro.
For a few seconds, he remained motionless, contemplating the room that had been assigned to him.
-Oh…
It was enormous.
Not "enormous" in the sense of a luxurious room from her old world. It was enormous even compared to the largest rooms she had ever seen.
The ceiling was several meters above his head and was decorated with elegant moldings. A large crystal chandelier hung in the center, illuminated by small magical stones that emitted a warm, steady light.
There were no cables.
There were no switches.
Pure magic.
The walls were paneled in dark wood and decorated with landscape paintings that Ichiro didn't recognize. To one side stood a large desk, accompanied by an upholstered chair. Several bookshelves occupied almost an entire wall and were crammed with books.
There was another door that probably led to the dressing room.
And a third one.
The bathroom?
Ichiro opened the latter with curiosity.
Yeah.
It was a bathroom.
And it was also absurdly luxurious.
There was a polished stone bathtub, a sink, and several accessories whose function she did not immediately recognize.
—This is better than my college dorm room…
He returned to the center of the room.
Then he saw the bed.
It was gigantic.
The mattress looked so thick and fluffy that you could probably throw yourself on it without getting hurt.
Ichiro smiled.
—This is a whole other world.
He approached the window.
From there he could see part of the capital of Astra. The streets were illuminated by magic lamps, and in the distance, he could make out some towers and majestic-looking buildings.
He looked up.
The night sky was beautiful.
Two moons shone over the city.
One was large and silver. The other, slightly smaller, had a faint bluish hue. Ichiro stared at them for a few seconds.
—So I really am in another world…
The initial excitement gradually faded. Reality once again weighed heavily on their shoulders.
I wasn't dreaming.
There was no trick.
He had been summoned from his world along with others.
And now he was considered one of the Heroes.
-Hero…
The word sounded strange to him.
I never thought someone could call him that.
Ichiro sat on the edge of the bed.
Until a few hours ago, his biggest concern had been finishing his university work.
He was a law student.
He wasn't a lawyer yet. He wasn't even close to being able to practice.
But he had a goal.
I wanted to become someone capable of helping others.
Not because he wanted to become a famous figure.
Nor because he dreamed of receiving recognition.
I simply couldn't stand to see someone being unfairly harmed.
During his adolescence, he witnessed some situations that left a mark on him. People who didn't know how to defend themselves, people who couldn't afford adequate representation, and cases where being right didn't necessarily mean winning.
That had sparked his interest in law.
He had discovered that justice did not simply consist of punishing the guilty party.
There were procedures, tests, rights...Responsibilities.
And, above all, people.
That's why he wanted to become a lawyer.
I wanted to be someone who could stand in front of a defenseless person and say:
"I'll take care of this."
Ichiro looked down at his hands.
Now I didn't have a university.
I had no teachers.
He didn't have any law books.
I had no family nearby.
He didn't even know if he would ever see his world again.
—So… what am I supposed to do now?
Silence was the only response.
Ichiro sighed.
Perhaps he couldn't become a lawyer here.
But that didn't necessarily mean he had to abandon what had led him to that profession.
If he really was a hero…
Maybe I could still help people.
There was a knock at the door.
Ichiro raised his head.
-Forward.
The door opened.
The maid who had accompanied him from the hall entered carrying a tray.
Ichiro recognized her immediately.
She was the blonde-haired woman who had been among the maids.
Her hair fell gracefully to the middle of her back. She had a beautiful face and light eyes. Her ears were slightly pointed.
Ichiro guessed that she was an elf.
It was a fairly obvious deduction.
I didn't have any special information about her.
I had simply seen his ears.
—Hero-sama, I have brought your dinner.
-Thank you.
The maid carefully placed the tray on a table.
Ichiro looked at the food.
There was meat, vegetables, bread, and a soup whose aroma was quite pleasant.
—It looks delicious.
—I'm glad you like it.
Ichiro hesitated for a few seconds.
-Sorry…
—Yes, Ichiro-sama?
—Are you an elf?
The maiden blinked.
Then he touched one of his ears.
—Ah.
She smiled. This story is hosted at g.com.
-Not quite.
-No?
—I am a half-elf.
Ichiro opened his eyes slightly.
—Oh.
He remained silent for a moment.
—Then… I’m sorry.
—You don't have to apologize.
She let out a small laugh.
"She's just arrived in this world. It wouldn't make sense to expect her to know the differences between our races."
Ichiro nodded.
-It's true.
I knew nothing about her.
Nor from his family.
Nor of its origin.
Nor of the customs of the half-elves.
And she definitely had no way of knowing that Asagao, during her own observation of the heroes and servants, had made the exact same mistake upon seeing her.
Ichiro had simply come to the same conclusion because of his ears.
—Was your mother an elf?
-Yeah.
—And your human father?
-Exactly.
The maid smiled.
—It's not a particularly strange combination here.
—The king mentioned that interracial marriages are quite common.
—They are.
She took a chair and sat down gracefully.
—In Astra, nobody considers a marriage between humans and elves to be anything extraordinary.
—And the half-elves?
—It depends on the place. There are more conservative regions, but Astra is quite tolerant.
Ichiro nodded slowly.
—That makes sense.
—Are you interested in racial politics?
—I'm more trying to understand where I am.
—That's reasonable.
She smiled.
—Then ask.
Ichiro thought for a moment.
—What's it like living here as a half-elf?
-Normal.
The answer was so simple that Ichiro almost laughed.
-That's all?
—Were you expecting a tragedy?
-No.
—Then there's your answer.
She placed a hand on her cheek.
"There are prejudiced people, of course. They exist everywhere. But my life doesn't revolve around that."
—And work in the palace?
-I like it.
—Weren't you forced into it or something?
"Because of your beautiful appearance," was what he refrained from saying as he looked at her.
-No.
The maid smiled as she replied. "The palace pays well, I have a room, food, and companions. Besides, I meet interesting people."
She looked at Ichiro with her beautiful eyes.
—Like you.
Ichiro felt his face warm up slightly in response.
-I?
-You.
—Why am I interesting?
—To begin with? He's a hero from another world.
—That doesn't mean he's interesting as a person.
—I still don't know~
The young woman's smile became a little more playful.
—That's why I want to meet him~
Ichiro cleared his throat.
—I-I understand.
He decided to change the subject.
—What can you tell me about the Devils?
The half-elf's expression became more serious.
—The Devils?
—Yes. Those that appear in the central territory.
—Ah. There is considerably less information about them than you probably expect.
—Don't they have a civilization?
-No.
—A kingdom?
-No.
—Cities?
-Neither.
The maiden shook her head.
—As far as we know, they don't have any civilization of their own.
—So, what exactly are they?
—Monsters.
The response was immediate.
—They appear from places where there was nothing before. Sometimes they manifest around something that already exudes a malevolent nature, or a spatial rift that emanates evil. Other times they simply...appear.
Ichiro frowned.
—And are they all intelligent?
—The Devils that have recently appeared can be very intelligent. Some can even speak and organize themselves.
—But that doesn't mean they have a partnership.
-Exactly.
—Then we can't negotiate with them.
—Not in the conventional way.
Ichiro remained thoughtful.
That was completely different from any conflict I had ever studied.
There was no enemy state.
There was no responsible government.
There was no treaty that could be negotiated.
There was no political structure that could be brought to a negotiating table.
—It's complicated.
—Much more than you imagine
—In my world, I studied Law.
The half-elf raised her eyebrows slightly.
-Right?
-Yeah.
—Did he want to become a lawyer?
So the profession exists here
Ichiro nodded as he thought about it—I still want to.
She smiled.
—So he hasn't abandoned his dream.
Ichiro looked at her.
—I don't know if I can practice law here if the laws are very different.
—Probably not. Heroes like yourself are respected, but most lawyers are, unfortunately, nobles from the old empire, and they would fight tooth and nail to keep intruders out. It's complicated...the king seeking opportunities for everyone doesn't necessarily mean everything will go his way without bloodshed.
—Thank you for being so honest about the fact that inequality still exists...
Ichiro grimaced. It seems not everything was perfect in this kingdom.
—But despite that, he can still be someone who helps others, right?
Those words made Ichiro remain silent.
—That's exactly what I was thinking.
—Then perhaps your profession isn't what's important.
Ichiro smiled weakly.
—Is that what a maiden says?
—A half-elf maiden.
-TRUE.
They both laughed.
For the first time since arriving in Astra, Ichiro felt he could relax.
The conversation continued for quite a while.
The young woman explained some things to him about the capital, the coins used in the kingdom, the customs of the palace, and the different races that could be found in the city.
Ichiro discovered that the elves were not a completely closed society, that half-elves could occupy all kinds of professions, and that Astra received merchants from virtually every continent.
He also discovered that most people considered Heroes to be extraordinary figures.
That made him uncomfortable.
—I'm not sure I deserve that respect.
—That's not up to me.
—Then whose?
She looked directly at him.
—From you.
Ichiro didn't know what to answer.
The maiden got up.
—I think I've bothered him enough for tonight.
—You haven't bothered me.
-Sure?
-Yeah.
She took a step towards him.
Ichiro looked at her with some surprise.
Other.
The distance between them decreased.
—Then perhaps I can ask you one more question.
-Which?
—What does he think of me?
Ichiro remained completely still.
-That?
She smiled.
—He's been staring at me ever since I came in.
—I was trying to find out if you were an elf.
—She already found out I'm a half-elf.
-That's true.
—Then he has no excuse.
Ichiro looked away.
-You are beautiful.
The half-elf smiled.
-Thank you.
He moved a little closer.
—You're not bad either, Ichiro-sama.
Ichiro's heart began to beat faster.
-That…
-Yeah?
—That's a little unfair.
-Because?
—Because I don't know how to answer.
She let out a small laugh.
—Then don't answer.
The half-elf did not appear to be seeking a reward, a position, or any advantage within the palace.
She was simply interested in him.
And apparently, Ichiro was also interested in her.
The young woman raised a hand and gently adjusted a lock of her hair.
Are you nervous?
-A bit.
—How adorable.
Ichiro turned even redder.
—Don't say that.
-Because?
—Because it makes things worse.
She laughed.
Then he looked him straight in the eyes.
—Then I'll have to stop talking and start acting~
The silence that followed was enough.
Ichiro understood the young woman's intention.
And this time, he didn't look away.
The distance between them disappeared shortly afterwards.
That night, the conversation ended up giving way to an intimacy that neither of them had planned at the beginning of the evening.
There were kisses, caresses, and whispered words, while the two moons dimly illuminated the room.
For Ichiro, that night was a strange mix of nerves, affection, and discovery.
It wasn't just the first night she had spent in another world.
It was also the first time she understood that, despite having lost everything she knew, she could still find new people, new connections, and new reasons to keep going.
When dawn finally broke, Ichiro remained awake for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling.
His life as a law student was behind him.
But his desire to help others remained intact.
Perhaps he couldn't become a lawyer in Astra.
Perhaps I would have to learn a new way of doing justice.
But, for the first time since he had been summoned, Ichiro did not feel that his future was completely empty.