After their sparring, Kiryuu managed to convince them to discuss things over a meal. Filled with curiosity, the princess gladly welcomed the invitation. Rionna was adamant on having another feast but Lysis dragged her away. She will take part with the upcoming hero summoning along with the other priestesses. She still turned up during dinner though. She escaped while Lysis and her team were busy with guarding the prince.

The prince was livid when he regained consciousness. He walked away on his own and left her sister alone. He planned to go to a brothel but Lysis warned him. Should he vent out his frustration on someone else, she will hunt him down. He tried to talk back but her killing intent rendered him speechless.

Raful has been managing the guild in Hilde’s place so he couldn’t attend. Kiryuu thought that Raful seemed more like a guildmaster than Hilde. She seemed to sense this so she glared at him. He pretended not to notice and avoided her gaze.

People were more festive right now because of the heroic descent. It was something they had never seen before. Most of the adventurers were out drinking and celebrating.

“It’s fine as long as I don’t drink,” Rionna said with a wink.

“You never change,” Fianna addressed her.

“You’ve grown quite a lot.”

The two knew each other from their adventuring days. Rionna was already a veteran when she met the princess. It was during a battle against the demons. Adventurers and reinforcements were dispatched to the empire. Back then, the princess was still a promising new adventurer.

Upon hearing this, Kiryuu wondered how old Rionna was. He kept it to himself but Rionna was smiling at him. He felt a menacing aura from her. He decided to change the topic.

“It must be a pain being a babysitter,” Kiryuu told Fianna.

“It’s annoying but someone has to do it,” she turned her attention to him. She looked at their circle and couldn't help but chuckle.

Kiryuu, the hero who descended from the goddess herself. Seated beside him were Vena and Hilde. The popular and cute guild receptionist, and the notorious and attractive guild master.

Dessa sat beside Hilde, and Shino beside Vena. A well-known master artisan and an infamous deadly beauty.

The kind and gentle priestess Rionna sat next to Dessa. Fianna, the flame princess of the Empire, sat between Shino and Rionna.

“This is such a grand table,” she chuckled and turned to Shino. “I never thought I’d find myself seated next to you.”

“Likewise,” Shino nodded and drank from her cup.

“Anyway,” she noticed that Shino was brooding over something else. She turned to Kiryuu. “What’s your story?”

Heads turned toward him. They were also curious. Even though Dessa was able to peer through his mind, there were too many things to piece things together. All she could remember was that feeling of incredible curiosity. It was an exhilarating thirst.

“That’s right, Kiryuu,” Vena said. She was seated beside him and had her arm wrapped around his. He escaped explaining earlier because of that encounter with the prince. There was no way out this time.

“Geez, stop using your eyes. I’m not going to lie,” he gently placed his hand over Vena’s eyes.

“Fine,” she pouted and pushed his hand away.

He pondered for a bit. It was difficult to explain in full detail. He started explaining in the simplest terms he could think of. It was up to them whether they believe him or not.

“I’m a wanderer,” he started. “I travel between worlds. Sometimes it’s within my control. Sometimes it just happens without my knowledge.”

He paused for a bit and scratched the back of his head. “Anyway, moving on. When I was transported into this world, it seemed that I encountered certain issues. An outside force meddled with my travel. I lost my memories because of that.”

There was no lie in what he said. He was only telling them what was needed, of course, so he wasn’t lying.

“The goddess was able to call out to me. She had been watching from the beginning. It was thanks to her that I was able to recover my memories but…”

He looked at his hand for a bit. Slowly, he clenched it into a fist. “In return, she chose me as her hero. Something like that.”

“…”

There was complete silence. His story was a difficult pill to swallow. It only gave more questions than answers.

Dessa’s eyes were sparkling. She got up and walked up behind him. She embraced him tightly. Her chest pressed against his back. He could definitely feel a soft alluring sensation.

“Master~” She was slightly drooling. Her true intentions showed. “Those memories of yours, please let me see more of them~”

“Mn…” Vena could see that Kiryuu was definitely stimulated by Dessa’s chest. She pouted and pressed closer to him. She pressed her chest against his arm.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Hilde hit all three of them on the head.

“You…” Pervert is what she was about to call him. Though, she was also envious and wanted to snuggle up to him a bit.

Kiryuu wrapped an arm around Hilde’s waist and pulled her close. He kissed her cheek and Hilde started turning a shade of red. When he nuzzled her neck, it caught her by surprise. She elbowed his side before hiding her flustered face.

“Master~ I want a kiss too!” Dessa joined in and continued to cling onto him.

Vena sighed and shook her head. There was a desire for her to monopolize him. But that was how it was with heroes and otherworlders. Her attention shifted to Shino, who was simply spectating.

“You’re getting worried for nothing,” she told her. She noticed how chaotic her aura was recently. It was as if she would crumble at a single touch.

“Mistress, I…”

“Just ask him yourself. It’s not like you need my permission for everything.” Vena was flattered that Shino held her in high regard. Shino recognized Vena as the legal wife in this situation.

“I… very well,” she nodded. “Thank you.”

“Heh… so there’s already a hierarchy, huh?” Fianna couldn’t help but chime in. She intended to lighten the mood.

It worked well enough and Rionna started to tease Vena about it. Their small celebration continued until Lysis barged in and dragged Rionna away. It was then that they bid each other their farewells.

The princess had some business left with the queen so she left with Lysis. She also helped drag away Rionna. The priestess kept insisting on having just one drink but everyone knew she won’t stop at just one.

Hilde and Vena decided to drop by the guild first. They need to update Raful on how things went. Things weren’t as busy as it normally was. But, they still had to make sure things were running smoothly.

Dessa went back to her shop. She had a lot to prepare. She requested that Kiryuu visit her shop soon. She wanted to make him a weapon. A weapon to surpass all legendary weapons.

Kiryuu and Shino returned to the inn they were staying at. While on the way, Kiryuu spoke up.

“Is something bothering you?” He asked.

“Master, I… no, I am simply in awe at your strength,” she replied with hesitation.

“I see,” he knew that it was not the case. He wouldn’t force her to speak up. He could. After all, she was his slave. He never felt that was the case. Even though he lost his memories at the time, he was certain of one thing. Something drew them together. It might be a correction. It might be something called a trope.

It hasn’t been that long since their paths crossed. He wanted to continue treading the same path with her and everyone else.

“You’re always welcome to talk to me when you feel like it,” he assured her.

“Thank you…” She bowed her head. They didn’t talk even after they reached the inn. They went to their respective beds to rest.

But as he expected, she went to his room for a nightly visit. It was impressive. Her presence was almost undetectable. He pretended to sleep.

“…”

It didn’t work.

“Master… you are awake, are you not?” She immediately saw through his ruse.

“Yeah,” he sat up and looked at her. He wondered if she was just guessing.

“Allow me to service you,” she said as she climbed onto the bed and sat on his lap. She wore only her lingerie. She tried pressing her body against his but he stopped her.

“What are you up to?” Something felt wrong. It was like the last time she tried this.

“I only wish to be of use to you, Master.”

He combed his fingers through her hair. “You can tell me anything.”

“I… please hold me.”

“Alright,” he pulled her head to his chest and embraced her.

“Master.”

“Hm?”

“Please don’t throw me away,” she said weakly.

“What are you talking about?” He stroked her hair and tried to comfort her.

“What did you even buy me for?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. He had no memories then. “At the time, I thought to myself, ‘I must have this woman’.”

When they first met, she saw nothing from him, not even a speck of strength. She refused to acknowledge him.

Yet, she lost. She believed that perhaps she was simply unable to comprehend his strength so her eyes did not work. She was right.

When he descended, her eyes showed her a small glowing light on his chest. That light grew and expanded outward limitlessly. She was blinded by his radiance. That light settled and everything appeared normal. She realized it. She was too occupied looking for any semblance of his strength. She did not realize how it was already beyond her.

It was the first time she saw a person with such a mysterious power. She wanted to be by his side. She wanted to walk with him. But he was too far and out of her reach. Something stirred inside her.

She saw herself being left behind. Thrown away. Those thoughts continued to plague her. It brought back terrible memories. There was a voice she had not heard from in years. It started to cry out.

“Useless things get thrown away,” she muttered as she held onto his shirt. “Useless things get thrown away.”

She continued to repeat those words, almost in a trance. She was at her limit. She was unable to keep this up any longer.

Kiryuu gently tilted her head up so she could look at him.

“Master, please don’t throw me away! I will do anything! Anything!” She was frantic.

“Just what did they put you through?” He wondered.

“This worthless one… this… this…” She clung onto him.

Shino Tsubasa.

It was the name she was given. It meant she was finally worth something. It meant she had a purpose. She no longer remembers her old name.

Most of them were orphans of war. Some were sold by parents who could not afford another mouth to feed. A handful of them were like her.

Otherworlders.

They were a prized catch. Otherworlds tend to have a rare or unique skill. She had her eyes. She could perceive and assess someone’s strength or threat level. That alone was pointless. She was still physically unable to fight. She was caught all too easily.

Some had better skills. They were worth more. Perhaps it was a blessing that she was not among them. Those otherworlders were turned into experiments. They were bought and broken by people fascinated by skills. Most of the experiments were about replicating or transferring skills. It seemed that the rarer a skill was, the harder it is to replicate or transfer.

Those like her with negligible skills were thrown among the generic haul. They were told to do only one thing. Survive.

The first thing they were told to do so was to forget their names. They were assigned numbers. Those will be their identities until they were given worth. Their names were beaten out of their bodies. Every time they were asked of their identity, they need to answer by their number. Anything else was a wrong answer. Wrong answers meant beatings, or worse.

During the day, they were tossed into the wild. They had until the setting of the sun to return. There were magical beasts being raised in that area. At night, those beasts were more active. If they could not return, they would serve as feed.

Those that could get back before the sun sets were given a hard piece of bread and a bowl of watered down soup. They were allowed to sleep inside the warehouses. There were no beds but they had a roof over their heads.

Those who got back at night were refused any food. They were also not allowed to sleep inside. They had to endure the cold.

The assaults began at night. Those outside were the first targets. They served as stress relievers. Being beaten was the least of their worries. After all, they were not worth anything to these people.

As they were abused, they kept being told that it’s their own fault. They were weak. They were worthless. They deserved this.

Shino was known as number 26535 then. During the first night, she was unable to return in time. The cold made it difficult for her to sleep. She easily noticed the men approaching because of her eyes. They showed her bright wisps of light approaching. She hid herself on the edge of the forest and saw everything.

The next night, those eyes helped her find the way back faster. She wanted to return late but her hunger won in the end. Still, she waited for others to arrive before she returned. She dreaded being alone in that place.

It was crude but food is food. After her meal, she slept immediately even though it wasn’t dark yet. She wanted to wake up before the sun sets so she can find a place to hide.

She failed.

As she was trying to leave the shelter, she was spotted. She was caught and dragged back inside.

They next day, she was sore all over but was given no rest. They were thrown into the wild again. She tried to find food but it was fruitless. She returned. She gulped down her soup and took her bread. She then went out and ran back into the forest.

Some started to do the same, getting only their daily rations and hiding nearby. Not everyone could do it. There were still those that remained during the night. They simply accepted the assault.

At one time a young girl was dragged away. She kept a rock on her person. When she found the chance, she hit her captor on the head. She wailed on him and bashed his head. His friends tried to help but a man told them to just watch. He had an air of authority around him. He was addressed as Boss Rayis.

After she was done, Rayis clapped and congratulated her. She was now worth something. When he approached, she tried to fight back but was easily overwhelmed. He tossed her to the other men. He told them to teach her the basics.

Rayis turned to the forest. He smirked. The men started to enter the forest. They caught everyone hiding nearby and gathered them in front of their boss. Those in the shelter were also gathered outside. Shino thought her hiding spot was good but she was still found. Even those that climbed trees were caught.

They were all given soft bread and warm soup. They were cautious at first. Shino caved at the smell of the soup and gave in. She felt alive for the first time. The soup had taste and the bread didn’t feel like a rock passing through her body.

“Do anything and everything to survive. Throw away everything else,” Rayis said. “A moment of silence for those unable to return. At least they fed my pets.”

He addressed those that kept staying at the shelter. In particular, there were those that did not put up any resistance after a while. “You useless lot. Well, you still managed to return so we will find some use for you. Be grateful.”

He then turned to those caught in the forest. “Those that adapted and tried to hide, good. You have some bit of worth.”

He turned to the girl that attacked one of his men. “You should strive to be like her. Do everything you need to survive.”

“But remember this. I own every single one of you,” he said. “So you damn better be useful.”

He turned to the man with his face caved in. He was still breathing but barely. Rayis took a vial from his pocket and poured it on the man. His wounds rapidly recovered.

“Thanks, boss,” the man said and got up. He felt his face for any abnormalities. It still felt a bit sore but he was healed.

“Don’t thank me,” Rayis said and gestured to the other men. “Thank you for your contribution.”

The other men started to drag him away and into the forest. The man started to panic and pleaded for his life. “Wait! Boss! I’m sorry! Don’t throw me in there! Don’t throw me in there!”

“I have no use for idiots that get bested by a young untrained girl,” he said. “Well, you could still be pet food.”

Shino later learned that the man was bound and left to be feasted on by the beasts. Those beasts had been trained to be aggressive toward humans. They were mainly bought or rented for cleanup and disposal. The clients were usually those that do not want to leave any trace of their victims.

The first group was trained to be spies. They were used mainly to gather information. They had little combat ability but were proficient in escaping. Those that failed were sent to nobles that offered a lot of money. The younger and more attractive ones fetched a higher price.

The second group was given combat training. The girl was included in this group. They were trained to be assassins. The first thing they mastered was hiding their presence. Anyone caught within a time limit was beaten half to death. They were given a potion to help them recover. It did wonders physically, but not mentally.

Then every night, they were given a target and a wooden stick with red dye. They were only allowed to attack their target or anyone that would attack them. In the morning, those that had the least red dyes on them were given a more luxurious breakfast.

Their last test was held in the forest. They were each given a target in the group to kill. To pass, they need to survive by nightfall and kill their target. They can also kill their assigned assassin and they would pass.

Those that passed from both groups were finally given names.

Years passed and the organization continued to thrive in the underground. It was not until recently that it was brought down.

Rayis was a war profiteer. He would profit from the conflict between nobles. His network extended until the underground of the empire and the principality. It was through the effort of the late king and the heroes that his organization was shut down.

It was revealed that he was an otherworlder summoned by the empire. Because he had no skills, he was tossed away by the previous king. He was only able to obtain skills because of his experiments. He could stand against the elite knights but was still no match for a hero.

They brought him down and captured him. He was executed via bronze bull. But at the time, instead of screams of agony, maniacal laughter echoed until his death.

A few weeks after that came the massacre of the royal family. The remaining assassins were given one last mission. Rayis knew his end was near. They timed it right as the adopted princess was away.

She immediately returned upon hearing the news. She fought off the assassins and took them down. She wanted to keep them alive. When they realized they were no match for a hero, they ran away. They were found dead soon. They took their own lives by ingesting poison. Shino was the only one that kept fighting. When she finally gave up, she tried to take her own life but was stopped by the hero princess.

Shino thought that perhaps her opponent wanted to finish her herself. She laid down her arms and knelt on the floor. She closed her eyes, waiting for her death. At the very least, she thought, she was useful until the end.

Instead, she was placed under a binding spell until the slave crest was embedded onto her body. The princess told her that death was an escape, not a punishment. She needed to atone.

Shino lost her purpose. She thought that she might find it as a criminal slave but her previous buyers were all trash. They only wanted her for her body or their own sadistic needs. She was still able to defend herself but she was not allowed to kill. She kept running away. She had nowhere else to go but the slave merchant.

“I am the only one left,” Shino snuggled up against him. “Even I am forbidden to take my own life. I envy that girl who fought back.”

“The one with the rock?”

“Yes,” Shino said. “She never got her name.”

“Why?” Kiryuu continued to stroke her hair.

“It was during the final test,” she said. “She was my target.”