Garrick, Mirelya, and Ren walked along the dirt road leading toward the great city.
In the distance, enormous stone walls slowly came into view on the horizon.
Ren silently took in the scenery.
After a moment, he looked up.
“…Those walls are huge.”
A faint smile appeared on Garrick’s face.
“We’re almost at Valtheris.”
Ren looked back at the massive walls.
“Valtheris?”
“The largest city in the Kingdom of Dravenhold.”
The closer they got, the busier the road became.
Merchants guided wagons loaded with goods.
Groups of adventurers walked together along the roadside.
Others traveled on horseback.
When they finally reached the city gates, Ren noticed a line of people waiting to enter.
At least ten travelers stood patiently in line.
Garrick suddenly stopped.
“…Ah.”
He brought a hand to his face.
“The inspection…”
Ren tilted his head.
“Inspection?”
Mirelya’s eyes widened.
“Oh no…”
She quickly turned toward Garrick.
“Garrick…”
“Ren was summoned illegally.”
“He doesn’t have a travel pass!”
Garrick stood frozen for a few seconds.
Then slapped his own forehead.
“Ah…”
“How could I forget that?”
He let out a long sigh.
“We’ll have to turn back.”
Mirelya glanced discreetly at the people waiting in line.
“If we leave now…”
“Wouldn’t that make us look suspicious?”
Ren looked completely lost.
“Wait…”
“What’s a travel pass?”
Mirelya answered calmly.
“It’s an identification document.”
“It proves you’re a citizen of one of the kingdoms…”
“…or that you’ve been granted permission to enter.”
Garrick continued.
“Dravenhold only allows humans inside its borders.”
Ren blinked.
“But I am human.”
“Can’t I just walk in?”
Mirelya slowly shook her head.
“A long time ago…”
“Demons used to infiltrate human cities by disguising themselves as humans.”
She crossed her arms.
“That’s why travel passes…”
“…and mana inspections were created.”
Garrick fell silent for a few moments.
Then his eyes lit up.
“That’s it!”
Both Ren and Mirelya looked at him.
“If he doesn’t have a pass…”
“He can take the mana crystal test!”
Mirelya smiled.
“You’re right!”
“That could actually work.”
Ren frowned.
“Can someone explain this properly?”
Mirelya nodded.
“Do you remember the small crystal I used on you?”
Ren nodded back.
“It couldn’t detect any mana.”
“If the official crystal also detects nothing…”
“…they’ll simply assume you’re an ordinary human.”
She smiled reassuringly.
“And they’ll let you enter without a pass.”
“Just tell them you lost yours.”
Ren stared at his own hands for a few seconds.
Then quietly sighed.
“That mana crystal really seems important…”
He lowered his gaze.
“It’s still hard to believe any of this.”
A bitter smile crossed his face.
“Honestly…”
“I’m not even sure why I’m still following you two.”
Mirelya looked at him in surprise.
“Huh?”
“Why would you say that, Hero?”
Ren remained silent for several seconds.
Then slowly answered.
“Maybe…”
He looked up at the sky for a brief moment.
“Maybe you gave me a second chance.”
“…Even if I still don’t understand how.”
Garrick and Mirelya exchanged a brief glance.
Neither of them replied.
The three simply joined the line.
They waited patiently as it slowly moved forward.
Little by little, the queue became shorter.
Eventually…
They reached the city gate.
Garrick stepped forward.
“Good afternoon.”
He handed over his identification.
One of the guards examined it for a few moments.
Then nodded.
“You may enter.”
Ren quietly took a deep breath.
Now it was his turn.
The guard extended his hand.
“Your identification.”
Ren awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.
“I…”
“I lost it.”
The guard narrowed his eyes.
Then looked over Ren’s unfamiliar clothes.
“Those garments are rather unusual.”
A second guard approached.
“And how exactly are we supposed to know you’re not a demon?”
Ren immediately felt his palms begin to sweat.
He swallowed nervously.
Behind him, Mirelya spoke calmly.
“Sir…”
“You could simply test him with the mana crystal.”
The first guard shot her an icy glare.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.”
Mirelya quietly fell silent.
The second guard shrugged.
“She has a point.”
“It’ll be faster.”
He removed a small transparent crystal attached to his belt.
“Place your hand on it.”
Ren slowly took a deep breath.
Then carefully reached out his hand.
His fingertips touched the crystal.
The seconds felt endless.
Nothing happened.
No light.
No glow.
The guards waited a little longer.
Still nothing.
Finally, the second guard nodded.
“Everything’s fine.”
“You may proceed.”
Ren quietly let out the breath he’d been holding.
“…Thank you.”
As he walked through the gate, he overheard one of the guards muttering,
“Just an ordinary fellow…”
“Actually…”
“Too ordinary.”
“The crystal didn’t react at all.”
A few moments later, Mirelya presented her own identification.
She and Garrick were allowed inside as well.
Once they were a safe distance away from the gates, Ren released a long sigh.
“Aaah…”
“It worked…”
Garrick laughed.
“I was already preparing to grab both of you and run.”
Mirelya glanced at him.
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
The three continued walking.
A short distance later, they turned onto one of the city’s main streets.
Ren slowly raised his head.
…And stopped walking.
His eyes widened.
His mouth hung open for several seconds.
“…Wow.”
His voice barely came out as a whisper.
“This city…”
“…is alive.”
Ren continued staring in every direction.
The city was far larger than he had imagined.
People hurried through the stone-paved streets.
Merchants enthusiastically called out, advertising their goods.
Stalls displayed colorful fruits, fine fabrics, jewelry, and handcrafted ornaments.
Blacksmiths hammered glowing pieces of metal outside their workshops.
Groups of guards patrolled the streets, their polished armor gleaming beneath the afternoon sun.
The aroma of freshly baked bread mixed with the scent of grilled meat drifting from nearby taverns.
Everything felt alive.
Everything was constantly moving.
Mirelya let out a quiet laugh.
“You can close your mouth now, Ren.”
He blinked a few times before giving an embarrassed smile.
“Sorry…”
“It’s just…”
His eyes wandered across the city once more.
“I never imagined a place like this.”
Garrick folded his arms.
“Before anything else…”
“We need to buy you some proper clothes.”
Ren glanced down at his own outfit.
Then at the people passing by.
He sighed.
“I guess I really do stand out.”
Suddenly, he gently tapped both of them on the shoulder.
“Wait a second.”
Garrick and Mirelya stopped walking.
They both looked at him.
Ren took a deep breath.
“You said you summoned me to fight the Demon Army.”
He turned toward Mirelya.
“Is that why you keep calling me a Hero?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
“You’re someone who came from another world.”
“To us… that makes you a Hero.”
Ren remained thoughtful.
“Then why did you say I was brought here…”
“…without permission?”
Mirelya inhaled softly before answering.
“There are six ranks among adventurers.”
She began counting on her fingers.
“Bronze.”
“Silver.”
“Gold.”
“Platinum.”
“Mithril.”
“And Adamantite.”
Ren listened carefully.
Even while paying attention to her explanation, his eyes continued wandering through the bustling streets.
Then…
Out of the corner of his eye…
He noticed a woman with long pointed ears staring at him.
Ren looked back at her for a couple of seconds.
The moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away and continued walking as if nothing had happened.
Mirelya continued speaking.
“The summoning ritual requires an enormous amount of mana.”
She gave an awkward smile.
“It drained almost all of mine.”
Lowering her gaze, she continued,
“I spent an entire day preparing everything.”
She glanced briefly at Garrick.
“If he hadn’t helped me…”
“…I probably would have been captured before I could even complete the spell.”
Ren remained silent for a few moments.
Garrick discreetly looked around the street before lowering his voice.
“Let’s save the rest of this conversation for later.”
His eyes continued scanning the people around them.
“This isn’t the kind of thing we should be discussing out in the open.”
Ren nodded.
“Alright…”
“But you’re still going to explain everything.”
Mirelya smiled warmly.
“Let’s head to a tavern first.”
“We’ll be able to talk there without worrying.”
Ren nodded.
“Sounds good.”
After walking through the lively streets for several more minutes, the three stopped in front of a wooden building.
A large sign hung above the entrance.
Ren read it aloud.
“‘The Last Sip’…”
He looked toward Garrick.
“That’s… an interesting name.”
A faint smile crossed Garrick’s face.
“You’ll understand soon enough.”
The moment they opened the heavy wooden door, a delicious aroma of food filled the air.
The tavern was spacious.
Many of the tables were occupied by adventurers, merchants, and travelers.
Conversations, laughter, and the clinking of mugs echoed throughout the room.
Behind the counter stood a young woman with white hair and striking blue eyes.
She smiled the moment she saw them enter.
“Welcome to The Last Sip.”
She wiped her hands on her apron.
“Please, have a seat.”
“I’ll be with you in just a moment to take your order.”
The three chose a table beside one of the windows.
Ren looked around the tavern.
Then smiled.
“Honestly…”
He glanced toward Garrick.
“With a name like ‘The Last Sip’…”
“I expected to find a bunch of drunk people beating each other up.”
Garrick answered as naturally as ever.
“You usually do.”
Ren raised an eyebrow.
“Seriously?”
“Yep.”
“We just happened to get lucky today.”
Ren couldn’t help laughing.
“Hahaha…”
He let out a long breath.
Then rested both arms on the table.
The smile gradually faded from his face.
“…Alright.”
“I think we can continue that conversation now.”
Garrick nodded slowly.
“As I was saying…”
He folded his arms before continuing.
“Our goal has always been to summon a Hero.”
“The kingdoms have been doing the same for many years.”
“But for some reason…”
“…every Hero eventually disappears.”
“We don’t know much beyond that.”
Ren remained silent for a few moments.
Then he looked up.
“So I really am considered a Hero here…”
He looked down at his own hand.
“Does that explain the incredible strength I have?”
Mirelya shook her head.
“Actually…”
“We don’t know exactly how it works.”
“Every Hero awakens different abilities, just as we told you before.”
A faint smile appeared on Ren’s face.
“So…”
“You don’t fully understand it either.”
Silence settled over the table for a few seconds.
Then Ren spoke again.
“Wait…”
He looked directly at Mirelya.
“So…”
“Did you summon me right after my truck crashed?”
The smile vanished from Mirelya’s face.
Garrick’s expression also turned serious.
The two exchanged a quick glance.
After a brief silence, Mirelya spoke softly.
“Ren…”
“What is…”
“…a truck?”
“You remember I don’t know what that is, right?”
Ren blinked.
He stared at both of them for a few seconds.
Then let out a quiet sigh.
“Right…”
“This world is still technologically primitive.”
Garrick raised an eyebrow.
“Are you making fun of us?”
Ren immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“No, not at all.”
“Sorry.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
Mirelya took a slow breath before answering.
“I used exactly the same summoning ritual employed by the royal magi.”
She lowered her gaze.
“As far as we know…”
“…summoning a Hero does not cause their death in their original world.”
Ren sat in silence for several moments, thinking.
Then he asked another question.
“So…”
“What makes you believe I’ll help you?”
Both of them froze.
For a moment, no one answered.
Mirelya gently tightened her hands together on the table.
Garrick remained completely still.
Ren noticed their reaction.
He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
“It’s just…”
“I’ve never fought anyone in my life.”
“Even with this strange strength…”
“I’m still me.”
He sighed.
“And honestly…”
“I want to go back to my own world.”
He raised his eyes.
“Is there any way to send me home?”
Silence once again settled over the table.
Mirelya and Garrick exchanged another glance.
This one was much heavier than before.
Mirelya took a deep breath.
“About that…”
Ren frowned.
“Don’t tell me…”
“…there isn’t.”
Garrick answered first.
“As far as we know…”
“It’s extremely difficult.”
Mirelya quietly finished his sentence.
“Almost impossible.”
Ren kept his eyes fixed on Mirelya.
“Why?”
Mirelya clasped her hands together on the table.
“Because summoning a Hero is far easier than sending one back.”
“To return you…”
“…we would have to reconstruct the exact path your soul traveled the moment it crossed between worlds.”
“At least…”
“…that’s what every high-ranking mage believes.”
She smiled sadly.
“And even then…”
“…there’s no guarantee it would work.”
Garrick let out a quiet sigh.
“Up until now…”
“Only two Heroes ever tried to return.”
He looked away.
“We never found out whether they reached their own world…”
“…or simply disappeared somewhere along the way.”
Ren slowly lowered his head.
Not a single word left his mouth.
Mirelya also remained silent.
After several long seconds…
She tightened her hands in her lap.
When she finally spoke, her voice trembled.
“Please, Ren…”
“We truly need your help.”
She took a deep breath.
“I know…”
“…you never chose to come here.”
“But…”
Her eyes slowly filled with tears.
“My family…”
“…was captured by the Demon Army.”
She lowered her head completely.
“I…”
“I don’t know what else to do.”
Ren quietly watched her.
He swallowed hard.
Then answered gently.
“…Damn.”
His voice had become much softer.
“It’s alright.”
“You can lift your head.”
At that very moment, a cheerful female voice interrupted them.
“What will you three be having today?”
The waitress with white hair and bright blue eyes appeared beside their table, holding a small notepad.
Mirelya looked up.
“We’ll have today’s special.”
“For all three of us, please.”
Garrick smiled politely.
“Thank you.”
Ren gave a small bow.
“Uh…”
“Thank you.”
The waitress quickly jotted everything down.
“I’ll bring it right away.”
She walked off to serve the other customers.
Once she was gone, Mirelya took another deep breath.
Her expression turned serious again.
“My family was captured by the Demon Army.”
She lowered her gaze.
“I’m…”
“I’m really worried.”
Her voice gradually weakened.
“The kingdom has been fighting this war for years…”
“But it never seems to end.”
Ren stayed silent for a moment.
Then asked quietly,
“So…”
“You want me to help rescue your parents?”
Mirelya looked up.
Without thinking, she gently placed her hand over Ren’s.
“Please…”
Her voice almost broke.
“I truly didn’t know what else to do.”
“The kingdom barely cared.”
Garrick silently watched the scene.
He didn’t interrupt.
Ren looked down at her hand for several seconds.
Then smiled faintly.
“Alright…”
“I’ll think about it.”
Mirelya let out a relieved breath.
Ren then turned toward Garrick.
“And you?”
“Why did you decide to get involved?”
Garrick crossed his arms.
“My magical power is very limited.”
He glanced toward Mirelya.
“She performed almost the entire summoning ritual.”
“I only helped.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
“Besides…”
“I owe her a few debts.”
“I’m simply repaying one of them.”
Mirelya smiled from the corner of her lips.
“Don’t say it like that.”
“We’ve known each other since we were children.”
Garrick smiled back.
“Yeah…”
“That’s true, too.”
Ren observed the two of them for a few moments.
Then smiled softly.
“You don’t seem like bad people.”
He took a slow breath.
“Let’s say…”
“…I agree to help you.”
He looked back at Mirelya.
“If I understood correctly…”
“…all you want is to bring your family home.”
She immediately nodded.
“Yes.”
Her eyes lit up again.
“Does that mean…”
“…you’ll really help me?”
Ren raised one hand.
“Easy.”
“Before that…”
“There’s something I want to understand.”
He looked at Garrick.
“What were the other Heroes like?”
“Did they already know how to fight?”
Garrick answered naturally.
“Some of them did.”
“Others had never even held a sword.”
“The kingdom trained those before sending them to war.”
Ren rested his elbow on the table.
“And even then…”
“…none of them came back?”
Garrick and Mirelya exchanged another brief glance.
Then Garrick answered.
“That’s why we want to do things differently.”
“We’ll be going with you.”
Ren frowned.
“So…”
“You’re not planning to send me alone?”
Mirelya shook her head.
“Never.”
“We’ll fight beside you.”
Ren quietly sighed.
“I see…”
He looked down at his own hands.
“Then…”
“I’ll have to learn how to fight first.”
Mirelya smiled sincerely.
“Thank you so much…”
“Hero.”
“Truly.”
Ren gave an awkward smile.
“It’s alright.”
“You don’t have to cry over it.”
She let out a small laugh while discreetly wiping away the tears gathering in her eyes.
Ren continued,
“And…”
“You can stop calling me ‘Hero.'”
“Just call me Ren.”
Garrick smiled.
“You’re the first humble Hero we’ve ever met.”
Ren scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed laugh.
“Y-Yeah…”
“Let’s just retire the whole ‘Hero’ thing, alright?”
The three of them ended up laughing together.
Mirelya spoke up again.
— By the way…
— Do you happen to know which guild is best for beginner adventurers?
The waitress answered without even needing to think.
— The Lions Guild.
— They’re currently accepting new members.
Mirelya smiled.
— Thank you.
The waitress added,
— If you really do register there…
— Come back and show me your guild emblem afterward.
— We offer discounts on rooms and meals for registered adventurers.
We also own another tavern a few blocks from here.
It’s larger, so if you ever stop by, just tell them Miharu sent you.
Garrick smiled.
— We will.
Thank you, Miharu.
Ren continued eating as he commented,
— The Lions Guild…
— That really does sound like something out of a game.
Garrick laughed.
— There you go saying that word again.
He looked at Ren with curiosity.
— Your world sounds fascinating.
Mirelya leaned forward with interest.
— It really does…
She tilted her head.
— So then…
— What exactly is a truck?
Ren let out a long sigh.
Then he laughed.
— All right…
— I guess it’s time I explained a few things about my world.
The three continued talking while they finished their meal.
When they were done, Mirelya walked over to the counter to pay.
Outside the tavern, Ren and Garrick waited for her.
A few moments later, Mirelya stepped outside.
— Shall we go?
Garrick scratched the back of his head.
— Next meal…
— It’s my turn to pay.
She smiled warmly.
— You don’t have to worry about that.
Ren looked at her for a few seconds.
Then, without thinking, he said,
— It’s pretty rare to find such a beautiful girl who insists on paying for everything.
Silence immediately fell over the street.
Garrick slowly closed his eyes.
— Ren…
— Be careful…
Mirelya blinked several times.
Her face instantly turned bright red.
— B-beautiful…?
Ren’s eyes widened.
— Ah…
— I’m sorry!
He hurriedly scratched the back of his head, completely embarrassed.
— I didn’t mean to say it like that.
— I just wanted to thank you.
— Next time…
— I’ll pay too.
Mirelya stared at him for several long seconds.
Then she couldn’t hold it in anymore.
She burst into laughter.
— Hahaha!
She took a deep breath.
— It’s okay.
A gentle smile spread across her face.
— Then let’s go.
— It’s time to register at the guild.
The three of them continued walking through the lively streets of Valtheris.
As the enormous building of the Lions Guild slowly came into view, Ren raised his eyes toward the sky of this unfamiliar world and took a deep breath.
Maybe…
This truly was…
The beginning of his new journey.
**Author’s Note** Thank you so much for reading Chapter 2!
If you’re enjoying Ren’s journey so far, please consider adding this novel to your library or marking it as a favorite.
See you in the next chapter!