The breeze was gentle, carrying the scent of sakura petals. Miyu leaned against Noa beneath the familiar bus stop shelter, her hair brushing his shoulder, her hand resting lightly in his.
She turned to him with that soft smile—once enough to make his heart race.
"You really didn't have to, you know," she murmured, fingers brushing the earrings now dangling from her ears. "These must've been expensive."
Noa chuckled, a little sheepishly. "It's fine. I wanted to. You've always liked sapphire, right?"
Her eyes softened. Or… they seemed to.
"You know…" she said, her voice soft but a little too smooth, "you really didn't have to. That money—wasn't it from after your parents died?"
She glanced at him, not with concern, but with practiced sympathy—like she knew exactly what to say to sound gentle.
Noa blinked, caught off guard.
"I know," he said quickly. "But I want to use it for something good. For you."
She leaned in, kissed him sweetly, her lips warm.
"You're too kind, Noa," she whispered.
***
The scent of sakura faded. A colder breeze replaced it. Noa's eyes opened slowly to Selene's voice...
Selene's voice came from nearby. "Wake up. We're due at the castle today."
Noa stared at the ceiling a moment longer, expression unreadable.
That bitch was after the money from the beginning.
Noa didn't flinch. No anger. No sadness. Just a quiet, dull certainty.
If she ever stood in his way again…He'd kill her. Slowly. And without hesitation.
He sat up in silence, the morning light painting faint gold lines across the wooden floor
Noa glanced over his shoulder. "You coming too?"
Selene smirked, folding her arms. "Of course I'm coming. Who knows what kind of trouble you'll get yourself into this time."
Noa raised an eyebrow. "Trouble seems to find me pretty well on its own."
She gave a small, amused shrug. "Exactly why you need me tagging along."
Outside, the street was quiet, touched by the pale morning light. Waiting at the curb stood a sleek, dark carriage trimmed in silver, its polished surface gleaming faintly in the haze. The horses barely stirred—disciplined, trained, noble stock.
The rider beside it was tall, clean-shaven, and dressed in a formal violet-and-gold uniform. His posture was rigid, chin high, like someone who spoke only when necessary.
"Noa Itsuki?" he asked, tone crisp.
Noa stepped forward, narrowing his eyes. "Yeah."
The man gave a respectful nod. "Princess Faelina has requested your presence. I am to escort you to the royal castle."
Before Noa could respond, Selene appeared at his side, sliding her dagger into the sheath hidden at her thigh.
"Well," she murmured, golden eyes glittering faintly, "guess the royal games begin."
Noa exhaled, lips curling faintly. "Let's not keep her waiting."
As he stepped toward the carriage, he added under his breath, "Can't imagine why she'd want to see me so early."
Selene arched an elegant brow. "Because chaos follows you. And she probably wants a leash on it."
Noa grinned. "Hope it's a pretty one."
They climbed into the carriage, the door clicking shut behind them as the wheels began to turn toward the looming silhouette of the royal castle in the distance.
The interior of the carriage was plush and quiet, the muffled clatter of wheels and hooves the only sound for a while. Velvet curtains swayed gently with the motion, filtering golden sunlight across Noa's sharp features. He sat with his arms crossed, gaze fixed on the window, watching rooftops and spires drift by.
Selene, seated across from him, tilted her head lazily. Her golden eyes glinted with amusement.
"So…" she began, her tone light, "what kind of life did you have before all this? Back in your world."
Noa didn't answer immediately.
He kept his gaze on the window for a moment longer, then leaned back with a faint sigh. "Ordinary."
Selene arched a silver brow. "You? Ordinary? I don't buy it."
"I wasn't anyone special," he said, voice even. "Just another student. Woke up, went to class, ignored people I didn't like. Ate convenience store food. Rinse and repeat."
A smirk played on Selene's lips. "Were you always this charming?"
Noa shot her a sideways look. "You tell me."
She chuckled softly. "Mm. I can picture it. Moody boy in the back of the classroom, too clever for his own good."
"…More like too quiet for theirs."
A small silence settled again. Then Selene spoke, softer this time.
"Did you have anyone you trusted?"
Noa's expression didn't shift—but something behind his eyes ignited. Not sorrow. Not regret.
A quiet, simmering rage.
The kind that burned cold.
His fingers, resting on his knee, curled slightly—like they were remembering someone's throat.
"Thought I did," he said, voice calm… far too calm.
Selene didn't press. She didn't need to.
Instead, she smiled faintly, resting her chin in her hand as she watched him.
"Well," she said at last, "if you ever feel like being a little less mysterious, I'm all ears. Just so you know."
Noa leaned his head back and closed his eyes, letting the soft creak of the carriage fill the space again.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Noa changed the conversation, brushing aside the weight in his chest.
In the ruins… when I activated [Tenebris], I had no control. Maybe I can ask her—subtly.
He cleared his throat. "Hey… can you show me how to create a small flame from your hand?"
Selene blinked. "Hm? Suddenly?"
Still, she raised one hand, and with a graceful flick of her fingers, a small flame sparked to life, hovering in her palm like a tame ember.
Noa watched, eyes narrowing slightly. "How do you control it so well?"
She glanced at him, curious. "Why? Losing control, are we?"
Noa leaned slightly toward her, eyes fixed on the flickering flame in her hand.
"…Teach me."
Selene turned her head slowly, golden eyes settling on him with a blank, unreadable expression. No answer. Just an unblinking stare.
He cleared his throat. "Please?"
Still silence. The stare intensified.
"…Pretty please?" No reaction.
"…Pretty please with a cherry on top?"
A pause.
Then she blinked. Once.
"Why would there be a cherry involved?" she asked flatly.
"It's a—it's a figure of speech," Noa said, deadpan. "Like when you beg for something and try to sound cute. It's supposed to work on cold, mysterious women with killer thighs and resting death-face."
Selene's expression didn't change. "I am not cute."
"That's debatable."
"You're not helping your case."
"…Teach me anyway."
Another pause.
Then, finally, she sighed. "Fine. Concentrate. Imagine what you want to form. Shape it in your mind first."
Noa closed his eyes, furrowing his brow. A moment passed. Then another.
Suddenly his eyes opened slightly. "…Wait a minute."
Selene raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I'm getting déjà vu. This is exactly like those old anime scenes where the hot girl explains magic like it's nothing, and the protagonist just nods along pretending it makes sense."
Selene smirked faintly. "That's because this is like anime."
Noa blinked. "…You know anime?"
She leaned back casually. "You're not the first I've met from another world."
Noa blinked. Wait... does that mean there are other worlders besides me and my classmates?
His thoughts began racing. That old man from the castle—he said something about us being "this era's heroes"… so I assumed we were the only ones. But if Selene's met others before… that means other kingdoms might be summoning people too. Multiple heroes from different worlds… in different eras…
He frowned slightly, eyes narrowing as he stared at the passing trees outside the carriage window .Just how long has this been going on?
"When did you meet these… other worlders?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
Selene didn't miss a beat. "An assassin and a swordsman. Met them both on the battlefield."
"Oh," Noa said. "Were they—uh—good?"
Selene tilted her head, as if remembering something mildly amusing. "The swordsman screamed every time someone broke his anime sword. The assassin tried to recite a dramatic death monologue while bleeding out. I had to kill him before he finished."
A beat of silence.
"…Rrrright." He cleared his throat. "So… not exactly friendship material."
"No," she said. "Though one of them did try to flirt with me."
He raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. You killed him too?"
"No," she replied calmly. "I crushed his fingers one by one… then fed them to him."
"…I see."
The carriage hit a slight bump, and Noa leaned back, letting the information swirl in his head.
So otherworlders have appeared before. Different people… different eras. Makes sense. No way this world would rely on just one group of teenagers every few centuries. Which means… some nations might have their own secret champions. Some might be trained. Others… discarded.
He gave Selene a sidelong glance. "And how did they end up here?"
"Summoned," she said simply. "Though… not always"
"Huh."
She studied him for a moment. "You didn't know?"
"No. I thought we were the only ones—chosen heroes, once-in-a-generation stuff."
Selene gave a faint snort. "This world burns through heroes like a tavern burns through ale. You're not the first. You won't be the last. Some get summoned. Others just wake up here—reborn into new lives with old memories."
He exhaled slowly, the weight of that hitting him like a slow-moving boulder.
"…Great. Makes me feel real special."
She smirked slightly. "Welcome to the meat grinder."
Noa leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, gaze dark but thoughtful. "…If anyone else gets in my way, I'll carve through them. Hero or not."
Selene tilted her head with approval. "Now you're starting to sound like someone worth following."
He turned toward her. "Hey… just to be sure. You're not gonna try to stab me in the back too, right?"
She gave him a deadpan look. "Not unless you start reciting anime speeches mid-battle."
He held up a hand dramatically. "'No matter what happens, I'll protect my fri—'"
She unsheathed her blade half an inch.
"Okay, okay! I'll stop!"
Noa leaned back with a casual grin. "Sooo… about teaching me magic and stuff."
Selene gave him a sidelong glance, unimpressed. "I'll think about it."
He blinked. "Wait—that's it? Not even a 'maybe tomorrow' or 'prove your worth in battle' or something cool like that?"
"I said I'll think about it," she repeated, resting her chin on her gloved hand, looking out the carriage window.
Noa squinted. "That's cold. I thought we had a moment."
"We did. And then you ruined it by begging like a lost puppy."
"Harsh," he muttered.
"You want me to lie and say you're a magical prodigy just waiting to bloom?"
"…Yes, actually. That would be very reassuring."
She let out a small sigh, almost a laugh. "Then start by not blowing yourself up."
Noa grinned. "So there's a chance?"
"I'll think about it," she repeated, eyes half-lidded.
"I'll take it," he said proudly. "Progress."
The two shared a rare moment of quiet laughter as the carriage wheels rolled on toward the castle, the scent of distant city spice drifting in the wind. But beneath the humor, Noa's mind was sharpening—He had joined a game already in progress—And the board was far bigger than he'd imagined.