Chapter 7: The Hero, the Bakery, and a Kingdom's Surprise

After stepping off the bus, I realized something important. Every time I helped Ram and Deeksha, they didn’t learn anything new. If they were to become real heroes, they needed to grow through experience. So, I made a quick decision. At the next stop, I quietly slipped away into a shady alley, whispered the magical words, and transformed into the Time Hero.

With a flash of light, I teleported to the other world. There, waiting for me faithfully, were Jumbo, Lyra, and Silvia. They looked happy to see me again. To give them a break from battle and training, I started teaching them mathematics—a surprisingly peaceful change of pace.

But soon, I got an idea. What if I lived here for a while as a merchant? I could even open a cafe. With my “Metamorphosis Magic,” I changed my appearance and identity. I also decided to create a new ability using Reversal as a base. Combining several smaller powers—Invisibility, Copy, Spider Web, Amplifier, Speed Boost, Kinetic Booster, and Permeability—I created the ultimate skill: All-in-One.

I named my palmtop device the Time Phone and asked Time to create a clone of me back in the real world. That way, if something went wrong, no one would know I was missing.

Next, I used my magic to give Jumbo a tall, strong human form. I also taught him swordsmanship and granted him all-attribute magic. Lyra, the elf girl I rescued, had her appearance transformed into a beautiful human girl so the slave traders wouldn’t recognize her. Silvia, the dragon princess, was fine in her current form.

With all four of us ready, we left the hideout. I handed everyone a teleportation artifact in case of emergency.

Jumbo looked at his new form in awe. "Master, I look... incredible."

"From now on, you are Prince Arthur Winston," I told him. "A warrior prince from a faraway land."

He grinned and flexed his new muscles. Even the villagers were stunned when they saw him.

I renamed myself Sage Ashford. Lyra became Saint Lily, and Silvia became Mage Serena. Then, I warned them, "A bandit attack is coming soon. Arthur, be ready."

"Master, how do you know?" Arthur asked.

"I’ll explain later. Just remember—don't call me 'Master' in public."

As we approached a carriage on a forest road, bandits burst from the trees. I ordered our team into action.

"Serena, boost Arthur’s speed and defense! Lily, heal the wounded guards!"

I cast fire magic on the attacking bandits, creating explosions that lit up the dark forest. The princess in the carriage was protected by a girl in golden armor—Hero Emilly. Her long black hair flowed as she wielded a holy sword.

Suspicious of us, she pointed her blade at my neck. I froze in fear.

"Great warrior," I stammered, "we come from a land called Asia. I am Sage Ashford. We saw the attack through a magical crystal ball."

Thanks to Time’s telepathic message, I was ready. I pulled a glowing crystal ball from my pouch. Emilly looked into it and saw the vision of the future attack.

"Impressive honesty," she said, lowering her sword. "You have my respect. I invite you and your party to our palace."

I learned that Emilly was actually the younger princess, just 14 years old. The princess in the carriage was her Year-old sister—and she clearly had a crush on Arthur.

Later, Emilly approached me. "Sage Ashford, would you accept me as your apprentice and teach me the way of the magical sword?"

She saw me and Arthur as adults, thanks to our disguises. I agreed. It was perfect for hiding our true identities.

At the castle, the king personally greeted us. "Thank you for saving my daughters. Please accept this reward—1,000 gold coins."

I almost fainted. That was worth 100 trillion rupees in my world!

When I asked the king if we could start a bakery, he looked confused. "What is a sweet?"

So, I took out a choco bar from my inventory and offered it to him. As soon as he took a bite, his eyes lit up.

"Delicious!"

Even the usually cold Emilly looked like a happy kitten after tasting it. She tugged on my sleeve. "Master, can you show me to my room?"

Later, I heard the king announce: "Today is the Hero Summoning Ceremony."

Time echoed a message in my head: "Find the Sword of Life."

I saw a glowing image of a blue-gold sword in my mind. My phone pinged with its coordinates.

At the ceremony, two familiar figures appeared—Ram and Deeksha.

I nearly screamed. What are they doing here?

I introduced myself as Ashford, pretending not to know them. But they stared at me.

"You look familiar," Ram said.

"Yeah," Deeksha agreed. "It's like we've met you before."

To distract them, I asked Hero Emilly to show me the new construction site. As we walked, I activated my magical eye and read their thoughts.

Ram was thinking, "I wanted to meet the Time Hero here, but I got dragged into this weird isekai world. I miss my friend Ash..."

Deeksha thought, "I miss training with Ash... and his dumb jokes."

I couldn’t help but grin. Thank you, Time, for the transformation spell.

Ram frowned. "Why is that mage grinning at our sad faces?"

Deeksha whispered, "He's scary..."

I gave them a fierce stare, and they both backed away.

Little did they know, their old friend Ash was right there in front of them.

To be continued...