Sip, sip.
Taking a sip of the tea, Joshua looked at the black-haired man, whose full name he had learned was Ken Asi Atom.
Ken sounds Japanese… well… the man doesn’t look Japanese, though.
He does have some Asian features, so maybe he has a parent or grandparent from Asia.
The man was reclining back on his sofa, his eyes unfocused as if lost in some distant memory.
Alvin, on the other hand, looked nervous, his eyes shifting from place to place.
Exhaling a sigh, Ken’s eyes focused on them.
“So, you were walking through the corridor of your dorm, and that somehow led to you walking into the dungeon of this world?”
“Yes,” answered Joshua.
He, too, felt like it sounded so ridiculous when spoken out loud, but it was the truth.
Rubbing his chin, Ken continued, “And then you got kidnapped by these guys.”
“We didn’t kidnap Mr.
Joshua,” came a weak protest from the blonde knight.
Ken asked, looking amused, “Really?”
“Yes, we rescued Mr.
Joshua from the dungeon,” said Alvin in a firmer tone.
“Hehe, well, from what I can figure out from your story, it seems like Mr.
Joshua over here never had any choice when he was being ‘rescued.’ You guys just arrived, grabbed him, and took him out of the dungeon!
Well, that…”
Ken paused for a moment before continuing.
“You know, Alvin, in our original world, that is what we call kidnapping.
“Furthermore, let me tell you something more about our world.
You see, when there’s a fire in our world or someone needs rescuing, people usually call an emergency number.
That’s how firefighters and rescuers come to rescue people.
“So my question is, who was the person that called you guys?”
Alvin stiffened, his expression rigid.
Joshua was stunned.
He had never given it that much thought, but now that Ken had pointed it out, he looked at Alvin with suspicion.
Alvin avoided his gaze, making Joshua even more suspicious.
“Well, let’s focus on something more immediate.”
“Why did you bring him here?” Ken asked, looking at the sweating Alvin.
“Hey, kid, didn’t these guys tell you how to go back home?” asked Ken.
Joshua, looking at Ken, said, “Well, they said I needed to reach the 81st floor of the dungeon I came from.
Something’s there that can get me back to my… our world…”
Ken nodded.
“That’s right.”
“So answer me, Alvin, why did you bring him here?”
Alvin, exhaling, fixed his expression.
“Mr.
Joshua and the kingdom have made a deal where we will help him grow stronger so he can reach the 81st floor of the dungeon.
In exchange, he’ll give us the life-prolonging fruit from the 80th floor.”
“And how are you guys going to do that?”
“That’s why I was given the task of bringing him here.
Mr.
Ken, Mr.
Joshua has the same unique mana type as you, so we would like you to take him as your disciple and teach him magic!”
“Huh?” Ken looked stunned by Alvin’s words.
Even Joshua was stunned by Alvin’s words.
“Wait, are you serious?” Ken asked, frowning.
“Setting aside his mana type, why would you guys think I would take him as a student?
Plus, how did you figure out he’s from the same world as me anyway?!”
“Well, the Queen confirmed it after she heard Mr.
Joshua describe his world.”
Ken looked stunned for a moment.
Then, with an awkward expression, he muttered under his breath, “Oh yeah… she knows a lot about that.”
“But why would you guys think I would take him as a student even if he’s from the same world as me?
Don’t you know how busy I am?”
What busy?
You live in the middle of nowhere and don’t have any job, roasting Ken in his mind, Alvin continued, “We know.
That’s why the Queen sent this.”
Saying that, Alvin took out two things from his pouch.
One was a luxurious envelope; the other was a piece of paper.
Joshua instantly focused on the piece of paper.
There were familiar English words written on the paper in barely recognizable handwriting:
I owe you, No.
2!
“Wait, is she really using that?!”
“Yes.”
“Hey, kid, did you sign any contract with them?” Ken suddenly asked Joshua.
“Umm… no.”
Ken’s expression turned thoughtful as he leaned back on his sofa.
“So my suspicion was correct.
She is indeed involved!”
“That old hag, what’s she scheming?!”
Alvin stiffened again as he sputtered, “W-what do you mean?”
“What do I mean?
Isn’t it obvious?
“You guys knowing where the kid is going to appear, knowing about his unique mana type, wanting the life-prolonging fruit, and the Queen willing to use that… it’s obvious she isn’t even trying to hide it.
That old hag is definitely the mastermind.”
“Umm, who are you talking about?” asked Joshua.
“Hmm… well, you deserve to know, I guess.
“She’s the so-called royal advisor, an old fossil with delusional syndrome who claims she can see the future.”