Volume 1. Chapter 3. Hidden Powers and the Fate That Awaits.

The atmosphere became awkward. Nia was very annoyed and wanted to scold them, but she held back because they had taken care of her for three months.

"I want to scold you guys, but you've cared for me for three months. And that makes me frustrated." Nia said in an annoyed voice.

"Forget the tree for now—why can't we keep the summoned hero a secret?"

"Huh, why should I do that?"

Nia became confused by Cini's way of thinking.

"We don't know who attacked you, but from our point of view, you're a group of powerful mages—yet you were easily defeated by the followers of the Demon King's ancestor."

"If the world knows the hero has been summoned, he could come back and kill us."

Vail explained why they asked Nia to keep quiet about the heroes' arrival.

"The three of us already know the situation from your words, and what needs to be worried about is the ignorance of the power of the ancestor of the demon king."

Rii tried to convince Nia that their plan had been discussed for a long time if the situation did not allow it.

They covered up their fear of fighting the ancestor of the demon king because they had just come to another world. It took a long time to become the hero that Cini often watched in anime.

"We just need experience and understand this world first, after that fight against the army of the ancestor of the demon king."

Cini made a suggestion that Nia couldn't deny. They did need experience and to understand the new world first.

"I understand, but before leaving this place, I want to see your strength first. After that, I will suggest where we should go."

"Okay..."

They didn’t mind Nia’s request, and after eating, they immediately demonstrated the powers they had been refining.

Cini became the first person to emit blue fire, second Vail, and third was Rii.

"This is the first time I've seen blue fire."

Nia wondered how the red fire could turn blue in Cini's hands.

"What should I do now?"

Cini said curiously because Nia had noticed his blue fire.

"Can you burn the tree there?"

Nia wanted to see the use of the blue fire that Cini produced.

“Are you sure this forest isn’t on fire?”

Rii wanted to make sure before Cini burned the tree.

“Don’t worry, red fire is the most dangerous. And maybe the blue fire is the weakest,”

Nia made sure that nothing bad would happen if they burned the tree.

“Nia, in our world. Blue fire has a temperature far above a red fire if it burns a tree—”

“Just do as I say. We don’t know if that fire could burn the forest.”

At Nia’s insistence, Cini attacked the tree before her eyes using her blue fire.

The blue fire exploded before hitting the target, making Nia’s eyes widen.

“Again, like this, even though I already know that long-range attacks aren’t my speciality.”

Cini glanced at his right hand, then turned to Nia—still frozen in shock.

“It seems like the training you gave me was useful.”

Rii and Vail walked over to their friends.

“Isn’t that clear?”

“Your attack hasn’t hit the target yet, but looking at the results. The explosion distance is starting to move away from the previous point.”

Vail informed that Cini was starting to make progress with her power.

Nia was still silent. She was sure the hero they summoned could help the world from danger.

They fell silent as Nia gently held Cini’s hand as if placing her hopes on him.

“Our future seems to have been imagined. Your arrival is a miracle from the goddess Dytarium.”

They were confused by Nia’s sudden words.

“Goddess Dytarium?”

Vail was curious about Nia’s words.

“Dytarium is the goddess of observation as well as one of the highest gods, and gives additional strength to—”

Cini let go of Nia’s hands, which were holding hers, which made Nia stop speaking.

“There’s no point in being strong if we don’t have fighting experience.”

Nia understood what Cini meant, and she confirmed it.

“That’s right, then how about you become an adventurer for now?”

Nia gave them advice on how to gain experience on the battlefield quickly.

“Become an adventurer?”

“Is there a guild in this world?”

Cini and Rii said curiously.

“Of course, this world has it. We can join the front lines if you are in a high rank.”

Nia answered Rii and Cini’s curiosity.

“But…”

“But?”

Vail was curious about Nia’s words, which suddenly stopped.

“Can you help me bury all my comrades?”

Nia asked the three heroes to help bury her fallen comrades.

Vail told her that they had done it. Nia remembered they had been in a special forest for three months.

Nia was shocked to realize how much time had passed—she had been unconscious for that long.

“May you rest in peace. I will not forget your sacrifices and struggles.”

Nia said, clenching her fists before the temple door. Momentarily, she contemplated the attack of the demon army led by the demon king Zerk on her hometown ten years ago.

A mysterious darkness that came from the sky saved her hometown, and destroyed the demon King Zerk and his army.

The darkness turned into a Demist by taking the form of an Onyx gemstone earring.

"Thank you for saving my hometown..."

Vail was slightly surprised when he noticed Nia praying for her fallen comrades.

"Did you see what I saw?"

Cini wanted to ensure he wasn’t the only one who saw Nia’s earring blinking.

"The earring blinked, right?"

Rii wanted to make sure his guess was correct.

"I assume we saw it, but why did the earring blink? Is that thing a magic accessory?"

Vail asked in confusion.

"While she was still praying, I want to tell you something."

"It's unusual for you to want to tell me."

Cini and Rii were surprised by Vail, who wanted to be open about something.

"When I came home from school and slept on the sofa because I was tired, I heard screams and someone's voice."

Rii and Cini were silent to listen to their friend's words.

“After coming here, I became sure. The screams and shouts I heard were theirs.”

Cini breathed after hearing Vail’s explanations while Rii put one of his hands on Vail’s left shoulder.

“Don’t blame yourself, Vail. Even though we came when the murders happened, it doesn’t mean we could have saved them.”

Rii tried to calm his friend’s mind.

“What he said was true, even if we came. It’s not certain that the two of us would still be alive when fighting the followers of the demon king’s ancestor who were blocking Nia and her friends.”

Cini agreed with Rii’s words logically, they could have been killed along with all of Nia’s friends at that very moment.

Not realizing a goddess of love was hiding behind a tree not far from the three of them.

The goddess observed one of the humans, none other than Vail.

“Finally, I got you... Vail.”

The goddess said before disappearing into thin air.

After praying, Nia returned to the three heroes.

“Sorry for making you wait so long.”

“Not at all, are you done?”

“Yes, I have thanked them. And will continue their struggle.”

Nia told the new goal that she had set.

“Before going to the city, you must follow and remember my words first.”

“Okay, go ahead...”

Rii and his two friends did not object to Nia’s wishes.

“First, you are prohibited from using all your strength; second, do not attract public attention, or you will be used as a political marriage tool by the noble family.”

“Third—”

“Wait, Nia, what does the second rule mean?”

Vail interrupted Nia’s words, curious about what the two of them said.

“It’s hard to explain; just think that the three of you are beautiful women in this world, and the nobles want you to be theirs.”

Nia gave an analogy that often happened in her city.

“You mean if we show off our strength too much, all the nobles who know about it will compete to marry their daughters to gain influence?”

Nia nodded and confirmed Cini’s words.

“Exactly, I don’t know how you know. But your words already describe the treatment of nobles on this land.”

“Then what’s the third one?”

Rii was curious about the next condition.

“I want you to help us fight the ancestor of the demon king. Your arrival is the final hope we’ve been waiting for.”

Nia told her last wish before leaving for the city.

“We understand, after gaining fighting experience. We will help the front lines with you.”

Rii’s words made Nia smile happily.

“But how do we get out of this forest?”

Cini asked what the problem prevented them from leaving the special forest.

“Don’t worry, we can go north from this temple.”

“What’s there?”

“In the north, there is a city outside the Gerna kingdom, and it is the city where adventurers gather.”

“Not only is it safe, but it is also a suitable place to start a new life as an adventurer.”

“Wasn’t the banyan tree, which was the way out, destroyed?”

Rii wanted to make sure that, according to Nia’s previous words, the banyan tree was the key to getting out of the special forest.

“I did say that, but I forgot to tell all of you. If the tree is planted with illusion magic, it makes people inside unable to get out unless they touch it.”

“Since you destroyed it, the illusion magic restraining you is no longer there.”

The three of them screamed in surprise upon hearing Nia’s explanation that they had only gotten lost in the forest, not because the forest had caused them to get lost after the barrier was destroyed.