Huh? Where the hell am i?
I had been in my room, watching a new episode of my favorite isekai: Overlord. And now… I suddenly found myself in a darkly lit room. I squinted my eyes, trying to look around, but I didn't dare to move too much. Dark spaces meant trouble, and if this was some kind of horror world I was suddenly transported into…
The thought made my blood run cold, frozen in place until i finally got adjusted to the darkness and looked down to see the ground glowing softly. In my minor panic attack, I had failed to notice that I was standing on a bona fide magic circle. Yes, a magic circle. There was no other way to explain it, other than 'an intricate circle most likely drawn by old men with enough time to waste but with little time work'….or something.
The room was big. Very big. In fact, it was so large I could probably run two laps around it and be exhausted. Though that might also be due to the fact that my own fitness was worse than average. Certainly not my fault. Certainly not the hours I spent in front of my computer each day. And certainly not because I simply disliked working out.
Speaking of which, I was quite certainthat this was not my room. I most definitely did not recognize the five robed people standing around in a circle around me, muttering to each other as they glanced at me with…surprise? Relief? Excitement? Curiosity? What was I, a fucking zoo animal?
"We did it! The summoning… the summoning was a success!" one of them exclaimed in relief, throwing their arms around another, who in turn pushed them off.
Summoning?
I wasn't dense enough to not realize what that meant, but as I had been busy having other thoughts, it took me a few seconds to fully realize the meaning of his words.
Before I could even sort out my thoughts, one of the people suddenly grabbed both my hands. Through the dim light, I could make out the facial structure of what I guessed was a woman. For some reason, that calmed me down more than if it was a man, since I'd be withdrawing my hand faster than a roman could steal a wallet.
"O brave hero! Please, save our world from destruction!"
I could feel my heart beating louder in my chest. I'm never able to fully understand what I feel, but I certainly didn't like being the center of attention like this. Especially not when I was in a whole new environment, with strange people I could only guess were bad news, and surrounded too. Amazing.
The bright and intricate symbols on the floor underneath me slowly dimmed, and one of the robed men walked over to one side of the room before pressing his hand against a stone on the wall that pressed in, causing some kind of curtain to allow sunlight to stream into the room.
I could now make out the person in front of me, with her blond hair peeking out from her hood and the freckles on her face. Older than I expected, too. I cleared my throat, managing to stutter out a response.
"W-what do you mean..? I'm not a—"
I was immediately interrupted before I could finish my sentence by another robed man who lowered his hood, revealing the wrinkled face of an old man with graying hair and a slightly hunched back.
"Great hero, we have summoned you in a time of crisis. We beg for your aid! Please, would you lend us your strength for the sake of the kingdom—no, the world?"
I personally couldn't have cared less about saving some stupid world I had no connection to, but with the way he was asking, I couldn't help but feel a bit pressed to answer 'yes.' In fact, I was an easy guy to manipulate, as much as I hate to admit it.
But this was it. This was what any isekai-loving bastard wanted. To be summoned (or reincarnated) into another world! But that also meant there was a chance my life might be some kind of generic isekai, which for some reason dampened my excitement somewhat. I wonder why.
Just kidding, I don't.
Who the hell wants to be some boring, black-haired Japanese boy who is given ALL the abilities in the world and double F-cupped elf and demon girls pining after him? Apparently a lot of people, but not me.
Yes, there are many things I want. And yes, I'm very greedy.
BUT, I simply want an easy life. Having too-powerful abilities puts attention on me, and having women means I have to actually pay attention to others and not spend time doing whatever I want, whenever I want, ALL alone. I just want to do whatever I want!
You may think, "Oh, but if you have a harem, you can do whatever you want to them!" but I'm a human being with a moral compass, with emotions known as "guilt" and "empathy," so unfortunately I am incapable of possessing the same "sigma mindset" that allows me to fool around with several different women while neglecting their feelings.
Apologies for being too considerate.
Either way, I certainly did not enjoy the way these people around me looked at me as if they expected me to do something. I didn't want to do anything. I didn't want to say anything. I just wanted to hide under a blanket and hope everything would return to normal!
As the lights fully filtered into the room, the robed man who had approached me seemed almost surprised when he saw me in the full light.
Huh? Was there something on me?
I glanced down at my hands, which the woman immediately let go of for some reason, seeing the same dark-toned and slim hands I always ha—oh...
Were… were they surprised by the color of my skin? Well, considering how I rarely see black people in isekai's, that could mean this world either doesn't have any black people or has few. Or simply because they have never heard of a black hero.
The man cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking up with a slightly forced smile. "Please forgive me, great hero. I was simply surprised by your… unique appearance..."
Wow, nicely put, old man.
Of course, the guy himself seemed to realize how his words came out, waving his hands frantically as he tried to correct himself. "I-I didn't mean it that way! I was… I was simply trying to say—"
The poor geezer was slapped on the back of his head by the woman I saw earlier. "Mernel, watch your words! You're speaking to the hero!"
She then turned to me with an apologetic look, bowing down along with the man I now knew as Mernel. "Please, forgive us for our rudeness, great hero. I hope you find it in you to forgive us humble people."
Huh… it seems I'm important or something.Considering how they're treating me like some sort of royalty, simply having the title of the 'hero' must be on par with nobility. Perhaps they simply don't want to make an enemy of the hero they spent great resources on summoning—if they even needed many resources, that is.
I could only manage an awkward smile, raising a hand in a placating gesture. "I-it's fine, please raise your heads. I'm not offended..."
That's right. If I was offended by something small like that, I could've never survived school considering how many racist jokes I've heard in my way.
Compared to that, this was simply a bit funny. Like that one time an old man asked how long I had lived in my country, only to be surprised when he realized that I wasn't an immigrant.
The woman and old man seemed relieved to hear that I accepted their apology, straightening up. "Please, would you accompany us? Your Majesty would like an audience with you."
What? Was I going to meet the king?
I expected this, but still… I don't know how to act around royalty! The only thing I know is that I should kneel… or something, and not speak like a hoodlum when addressing him. Other than that, I had no idea how to 'speak formally' since I've never had to do that outside of formal English lessons at school.
Still, I reluctantly followed the woman and Mernel as the other robed people poured out of the room, walking in a loose circle behind me.
I was curious if I was the only summoned hero too. I remembered one anime where they summoned two people in separate places, and it was unrealistic for them to expect a sole man to defeat whatever threat they wanted me to get rid of. And I sort of hoped to have a fellow earthling to have something in common with…
"Hero… might I ask for your name?" someone suddenly said, startling me slightly from my thoughts. I turned my head to see another man, this time looking to be around his mid-thirties. He had his hands clasped together and eyes that expected too much.
"Huh? Oh, uhm… m-my name? It's A…" I stopped myself, trailing off into mumbles.
A name… what should I call myself? I had made a plan for this, for when I did end up in another world. Even if it was unserious, I had decided to use an alias in a situation like this. After all, a new world meant a new beginning. A blank slate. A redo of life. Though the reason was mainly because my alias was cooler than my actual name.
"Oi! You can't ask for his name so casually!" another hissed at the man, who flinched but didn't back off. But before he could utter an apology, I spoke up first.
"Arden… Arden Falkner. That's my name."