Chapter 2

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I was guided to a room where I was supposed to calm down, and after the maid bowed gracefully and left the room.

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When I clung to the mirror, which was polished to a shine despite the medieval-like setting, I saw something incredible.

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What on earth is this?

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The pores that were always open had tightened, and the dry, flaky areas that used to look like they were dusted with powder had disappeared. My cheeks were even flushed with a healthy color. I could almost pass for someone who never had anemia. Maybe I could go a shade lighter with my foundation? Maybe the salesperson would even suggest, "You could go two shades lighter, you know?" I don’t have any foundation right now, and I don’t know what kind of cosmetics are available in this world.

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The sharper jawline is because my cheeks are lifted. They’re not succumbing to gravity!

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This is what I should use now. How could I not use it? I’ve always wanted to say this line.

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"Is this... me?"

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Hehe. I muttered with a grin, but the smile in the mirror instantly turned serious. It’s me, you know.

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Well, my facial features haven’t really changed. I’m not suddenly beautiful. It’s just that the me from middle school, who used to be disheartened about not inheriting better genes from my parents, is still there.

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But you know, I really want to confront my younger self. This skin, this youth, it’s making everything look 30% better. The disheartened face from last night and the disheartened face now. No matter how you look at it, the younger one is 30% better. It’s true, even if it’s 30% better, I’m still a background character!

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"Wow, you’re so flexible!"

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At the edge of the training ground, which is about four times the size of a school playground, I turned around to see Rei, who had been running, stop and look at me. She was doing a vertical split, pressing her hands to the ground and changing the direction of her upper body.

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Rei, who had looked like a salaryman on the first day, was now wearing a long-sleeved shirt and shorts provided by the castle. She looked a bit younger than I initially thought she was in her early thirties.

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"Back in the day, I used to do ballet."

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"You danced?"

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"Yep."

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While talking, she switched to a horizontal split and then sat down, spreading her legs wide.

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"Ah! I can’t do that!"

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Maybe a hundred degrees or so.

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"I think it’s pretty impressive for a man of Rei’s age to be able to do that."

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"Is it?"

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"Maybe only someone who does serious sports. And men’s hip joints are different from women’s, so splits are generally harder for them."

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"Wow. Since my physical abilities have improved since coming here, I thought I could do this too."

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"If you do it every day, you’ll be able to do it soon. Zaza said that daily training makes you even more amazing."

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"Zaza did? Did he praise me?"

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"Yes, he said that everyone, including you, is improving rapidly. In swordsmanship and martial arts."

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"…Hehe."

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Rei, who showed a rather bashful smile, was far from the cool impression she gave on the first day.

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"Everyone is working hard, after all."

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The other four, except for me, are all receiving training. They are learning swordsmanship and martial arts from a few selected knights, and magic from Elness and the priests who were in the summoning room.

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"Are you going to train today, Waha-chan?"

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It’s been a while since anyone called me with a "-chan." While the brave group has been deepening their interactions since being summoned, I still haven’t revealed my actual age. Rei, being one of the older ones, might be showing some consideration and being friendly because I look young.

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"No, I don’t think I’m suited for combat. I just want to do some exercise today."

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The day after we were summoned, we checked our abilities. In a world of swords and magic, combat is naturally a part of life, but it seems that certain abilities are more common among the brave.

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When you concentrate, your own specialized weapon appears in the air. It just floats there. I was surprised.

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This method seems similar to channeling magic power, and Elness taught us the tricks. Apparently, there are books that compile the experiences of past brave individuals, like a manual.

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"Wow! I did it!"

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The first to get the hang of it was Ayame Yuki. She’s a college student. The air distorted, and the shape that emerged was a magic wand, which is classified as a mace or club. It’s more suited for casting spells, and Ayame is focusing on that training.

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Next was the young man who looked rather casual. Kousuke Kamigata, who also dressed casually in this world, summoned a crossbow gauntlet. The arrows are made of magic power, so there’s no need to replenish them. He was very excited.

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Shouta Tatsuya, a high school student, summoned a long chain with a spiky iron ball on one end and a crescent-shaped scythe on the other. It’s a variant of a flail, but since I didn’t know what a flail was, I just thought, "Wow." He seemed surprised by his ability to easily spin the large weapon.

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Rei summoned a greatsword. I recognized it. It looked very heroic, and Kousuke even said it was the most heroic-looking weapon, which made Rei smile bashfully.

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...I managed to summon something too. It was a huge hammer or mallet. I know this. I saw it in an old anime. It had "100 tons" written on it. It floated in the air and then fell with a loud thud, leaving me stunned.

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Ayame’s wand was polished and looked elegant and high-quality. Kousuke’s had small gem-like decorations on the screw heads. Rei’s greatsword glowed slightly, making it look truly heroic. Shouta’s weapon, while rugged, had a purple crystal embedded at the joint between the scythe and the chain. A nice touch.

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In contrast, my hammer felt very wooden, with a texture like a pestle. It had a very down-to-earth, everyday tool feel to it.

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"Um... Is this... the kind of thing you use to drive stakes? Is it a weapon?"

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I changed my wording to avoid the "100-ton hammer" reference and asked. Zaza, with a slightly awkward expression, tried to reassure me.

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"N-no, it’s a weapon! It’s definitely a weapon! Not many people can wield it, but... can you lift it?"

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"I-I don’t know."

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I grabbed the handle of the hammer, which had embedded itself into the stone tiles, and tried to pull it out with both hands.

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...I tried again, bracing myself. Yeah. I was getting a lot of attention, and the stares were uncomfortable. It was awkward.

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"...How’s it going?"

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"...It’s not moving. It’s not budging at all."

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In the end, they even brought in the strongest knight, but the hammer didn’t budge. It was like Excalibur, but a hammer.

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"Well, I was planning to decline anyway. Not being able to lift the weapon I summoned gave me a good reason to avoid combat."

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The hammer that was embedded in the ground disappeared the next morning. It seems that the brave’s weapons can be summoned and dismissed at will. This is a magical world, after all.

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"...Is fighting really that bad?"

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Rei, who seemed to have something on her mind, made a serious face while mimicking my stretching. She has a surprisingly puppy-like quality. My first impression of her was that she was a composed and capable man.

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"No, I wasn’t thinking about it in terms of right or wrong. It’s just a matter of suitability."

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"Really?"

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"Because what’s good or bad can change depending on the world, right?"

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"...I see."

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"You’re right."

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I kept my thoughts to myself. I still don’t quite understand the concept of battle in this world, but I didn’t want to discourage those who had decided to act as brave.

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The training ground was starting to fill with people like Kousuke and the knights. I waved to Rei as she headed over.

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I had heard about the history of the war and the threat the Demon King poses to this country. However, I didn’t understand why the Demon King was the enemy. I was given an explanation, but it didn’t make much sense to me.

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Apparently, the border hasn’t been significantly breached, and they’ve been pushing back and forth for a long time. Despite the summoning of the brave, there seems to be a significant difference in military strength. Yet, the Demon King’s army doesn’t seem to be trying to expand their territory beyond a certain point.

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When I asked if the goal of the war was to defeat the Demon King, Zaza replied, "What? The Demon King? That’s impossible." ...Is defeating the Demon King not the main job of the brave?

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So, as long as neither side invades the other’s territory, it’s fine...?

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Then, why not just leave each other alone...?

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War, at least in my understanding, is something that happens when one side wants to gain something from the other, whether it’s a desire for conquest or economic reasons. The reasons can vary, but it’s essentially about taking something from the other side or preventing it from being taken. I thought that’s how it worked.

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This world must have different values and everything, but I still don’t understand the victory conditions or the end of this war. On this side, it makes sense to fear something strong that can’t coexist with them. Fear of the unknown is a survival instinct, and there’s nothing that can be done about it. But why is the Demon King’s army attacking this side?

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Hmm, hmmmm... I just can’t understand...

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The king, Zaza, and Elness didn’t say anything about my decision not to fight. They let me walk around the castle freely and said to ask for anything I wanted. The people who work in the castle were bright and kind. They even said they would assign someone to help me if I wanted to live outside the castle, considering that I couldn’t read or understand the customs.

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On the third day after being summoned, I explored the castle and discovered the cafeteria. The meals for the royal family, nobles, and us brave are prepared in a different kitchen, but this cafeteria served the people who worked in the castle.

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The kitchen, mostly staffed by women my age, was filled with open gossip and laughter. There were baskets of root vegetables, large chunks of meat that were hard to imagine the size of before they were cut, and huge amounts of kneaded wheat being pounded. The cooks were stirring large pots, rhythmically chopping leaves, and checking the baking of bread in the ovens.

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Before I knew it, I was peeling the skin off what looked like carrots.

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I was caught and scolded by Zaza a few times. It’s not every day, but... it’s not like I’m doing it out of obligation. My belief is that the best meals are those prepared by others, but after a few days, I just can’t settle down.

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I asked some of the clerical staff to teach me the language and about this world for a few hours a day when they had free time, but I still have a lot of free time. I just can’t help but want to process large amounts of ingredients mindlessly.

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I hope Zaza, who sighs, understands that it’s better than me starting to clean or do laundry. I’ve never liked cleaning or doing laundry.

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"Cooking isn’t something I particularly enjoy... but..."

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After finishing my stretching, I stood up with a push. My body feels so light. Waking up without any stiffness in the morning is truly wonderful.