The royal palace stood proudly, outshining all the other palaces in the capital, Ethelas. Inside the palace, in one of its spacious rooms, several important individuals were gathered around a long table. At the end of it sat Adalos, with a stack of papers before him—apparently recent updates concerning the war with Deryal.
"A new alliance… Talvan has decided to support Deryal with troops," Adalos muttered.
"That wretched kingdom! Like an insect—who do they think they are?!" one of the council members snapped.
"Exactly. For years, they knew their place—no match for us. And now they dare challenge us?"
"It seems insects do fight when they see their enemy in danger," Vinnel murmured.
"Yes, they know we're occupied with the demons. So they think we'll be an easy target. But of course, Yarum is not to be underestimated. Let's show those cowards who we really are."
The situation was getting worse. The news of the Talvan-Deryal alliance had reached them, and the council realized they had no allies. What would the next move be? Could they withstand three enemies—and perhaps even internal unrest? Things were getting harder and more intense. A council like this couldn't keep coming up with solutions anymore. Improvisation was all that remained—at least, that's what Adalos IV was thinking, the king who was now starting to worry for his land.
"Alright, we need to involve the heroes immediately. Are they here?" Adalos asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty, they are," one of the knights standing at the door replied.
◆ ◆ ◆
Laos' POV
They have no intention of leaving me alone. Looks like there's no escaping this war. Fuck! Now I have to participate in my first real war. The nine of us were gathered, apparently summoned by the king. Even though I never officially agreed to participate… has he lost his mind? Obviously, he wants to force me into this.
"Please, this way," one of the knights said.
We all stepped forward. The room was lavish as always—long table, a few familiar faces. Looks like the Yarum council. Just like the ones I read about in isekai stories. Brings back some nostalgia. When we entered, an awkward silence filled the room. None of us knew what to do. I felt a little tense, especially since I hadn't responded to the king's request yet. But let's see where this goes.
"We are here, Your Majesty," Linda said with a slight bow. Ugh, seriously? Was that even necessary?
"Thank you for coming so quickly. Our kingdom is facing many problems right now—demons, Deryal, and the dwarf protests in Pascal. I'm sorry, but the kingdom desperately needs you," the king said. Damn, he doesn't even have a kingly aura. My high school principal had more aura than this guy. And what's with the 'I'm sorry' line?
"But as you can see, we're already focused on the demons," Sebastian replied.
"I know, I know. That's why I've decided to organize a plan specifically for the heroes. Not just a plan—a full system. I call it the Heroic Order. It outlines your roles in this war and includes a reward system as well."
Rewards? Alright, now we're talking. That's exactly what I wanted. No way I'm helping for free. And this actually sounds interesting. Let's see what this Heroic Order is all about. Can't lie—it sounds kinda epic. I don't know why, but I'm starting to feel like I want in. What do I have to lose, really? Nothing. No way I'm dying—not with Astral Sword and Thalesa awake again. Yeah… I'm in.
"First, before we explain anything further—Laos, what's your answer? Will you join the war or not?" the king asked.
So, what now? Should I join? Honestly, I don't feel like refusing right now—especially since I already see myself as a hero. If I say no, then maybe I'll never become one. I'll just be another random adventurer—or maybe even a merchant. But I want to be a hero. I want people to cheer for me when I achieve something amazing—just like when I killed Slytha. That feeling… it was truly incredible.
"Yes. I'll join," I answered seriously.
"Finally. Now we have nine heroes on our side. Alright, let's explain the system. Since there are nine of you, you'll be split into three teams. Each team will have three heroes, and each team will have its own missions."
Teams? I hope I end up with Stephanie and Linda. That would be perfect—the ultimate team. Probably better than my past group with Grell and the others. No—definitely better. I mean, Stephanie and Linda are the prettiest girls I know, besides Maris and Tiana. So yeah… I'd be thrilled if that actually happens.
"As I said, each team has its own missions. Now let's talk about rewards. In the Heroic Order, you'll all be more or less in competition with each other. You'll be ranked from one to nine. That ranking will determine your status in the kingdom and increase your rewards. Of course, you're all heroes and equally important… but from now on, hero first won't have the same status as hero ninth. This is meant to motivate you to give it your all," the king explained.
"Any questions, or should we move on to the team assignments?" one of the councilmen asked.
"I feel like this will cause tension between us," Linda said.
"Can't you see it as a friendly competition?" the king asked.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. It's a great idea, and we all accepted it. Seems like this hero is just afraid of ending up ranked ninth," Sebastian jumped in. Damn. If I were Linda, I wouldn't let that slide.
"So, no objections?"
"No, we're fine with it," Tom replied.
I don't have any objections. Honestly, I think it's a great idea—especially because it includes something I love: competition. I've gotten used to competing. Not only that—I've gotten good at winning. So aiming for the first spot isn't a bad thing for me. In fact, it gets me excited. Ever since I arrived in this world, having a goal is what's been driving me forward—what's been keeping me going in this life.
"Now, let's talk team assignments. As I said, there will be three teams, each with three people. Let's see…First team: Stephanie, Tom, and Laos. Your mission will be to stop the enemy forces in the east."
Me and Stephanie on the same team? Alright, that's not bad. Looks like I'll actually be part of this war. Fine—it's not a big deal. I should be able to outperform Stephanie since she's a priestess. But Tom… I think he's a knight. I don't know how strong he is yet. Still some doubt there. Alright, now I need to prove myself—and to do that, I'll have to crush as many Deryal soldiers as I can.
"Team Two: Susan, Malin, and John. Your mission is to deal with the protests in Pascal and calm the situation there. And finally, Team Three: Linda, Sebastian, and Kevin. Your mission is to handle the demons of Diablos in the west. That's all. You may leave now, and I hope you all see this as a healthy competition, nothing more."
"But Your Majesty, while everyone else is being sent on missions tied to the war, we're told to silence protesters. How are we supposed to get ahead?" Susan said.
"As I said before, your importance is what will determine your rank. Fighting isn't everything," the king replied.
After that, we all left the room. It seemed like we were heading off to prepare ourselves. We exited the palace—another chapter of the story is about to begin. I have rivals—no, not rivals... competitors. And I need to outperform all of them. So now, I need to get ready. A war is ahead, and it's time to show what I've gained from Fire Emblem... though, dumbass, you're just gonna be a soldier following orders.
I returned home—I mean, to the palace. I passed through the garden and walked inside. In the kitchen, Maris was busy preparing lunch. I approached her from behind and hugged her. Of course, she already knew I was there, so she didn't jump. She turned to me, putting down the knife she was using. She still looked worried.
"You're joining the war, aren't you?"
"Yeah," I answered.
"Aren't you scared? Laos, listen... My only dream is to live a normal life with you. When you defeated that dragon and got this palace, I thought our perfect life was about to begin. But now you want to leave me again?"
"How many times do I have to say this is for our sake?"
"But listen to what I'm saying... I said my perfect life is living a peaceful life with my only husband, together in the same place."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I understand that. But what do you want me to do? Refuse the king's request? Maris, I'm one of the summoned heroes from another world. I can't just live a life like that. This is my job—the job of a hero," I said while staring into her eyes.
"Maybe you're right. You're not just an ordinary person. The kingdom is relying on you."
"Exactly!"
"Alright... you're not going to die, right?"
"Never. I defeated the strongest dragon in this kingdom. How could a bunch of soldiers kill me? Impossible."
"And also, speaking of your old world... do you have any thoughts of going back?"
"Never. There's no way I'm leaving all this beauty to return to a world I hated everything about."
It seemed Laos had started to understand the world around him—not the physical world, but his own world. His own life, controlled by him alone. He was beginning to see the goals and desires that now pulled his strings like a puppet. But at least, this time, it wasn't a cruel fate pulling the strings, but rather his accepted desires—his love for winning, and his greed for always being number one. That's what showed Laos was in control. And now we can say... maybe Laos is no longer a puppet?
Far from Laos' palace, in one of the royal palace's rooms, Stephanie was sitting with Linda, who was brushing her hair. The room was quiet, birds chirping outside on the balcony. In the middle of the calm, a servant walked in, pushing the breakfast table, then quietly left again. Stephanie picked up a fallen strand of hair and stared at it before asking a question.
"Do you think I'll be safe?"
"Look, yes, I've been by your side and helped you many times, but that doesn't mean you're useless. Stephanie, you're strong. Your ability to heal those around you makes you special. So never think badly of yourself."
"I don't know... I'm just a little scared."
"Well, Laos is in your team. Weren't you into him?" Linda asked with a sarcastic smile that her green-haired friend couldn't see.
"Linda!" Stephanie said loudly.
"What?! I'm not joking. I really thought you liked him."
"He's just a friend... that's all."
"A friend, huh?"
After that, Linda started laughing and continued brushing Stephanie's hair. Elsewhere, the others were also preparing themselves. Everyone was. Tomorrow, new operations would begin—a new job, a new challenge for this group of teenagers. What kind of experience would this turn out to be? Because now... another chapter is about to start in this other world.