“Guards, use Eomancy resolution formation!!”

Eh?

Upon hearing the shouting order of the; let’s call him head priest for now, head priest, the circle of guards around us lifted up their halberds and slightly forwarded their shield while slightly lowering their posture. Like the strike of a thunder, from above, they smacked at the top of the shield with the halberds.

Boom!

There was a bluish green-coloured shockwave of a sort that passed through me. I involuntarily stopped myself shaking and my mind went blank again. It was like a soulful balm entered through me and my brain started to process normally.

It was the same for every summoned person in the hall. The noise stopped and silence reigned again. This time there was a blanket of calmness enveloping all of us.

Some members of summoned group tried to resist the effect with straining effort. Why resist such good feeling, I feel like I can go through the anxiety without breaking down with this feeling.

After a few seconds, I was finally free from the effect when I realized that the good feeling was no more.

I took a deep breath and exhaled audibly.

It seems that the effect would expire after the spell had the target calmed… truly calmed, not the ‘keeping a fake pose of the epitome of calm’ sort.

Most of the creatures in hall which of them were summoned, had been ‘calmed’ and the last pocket of resistance finally submitted to the magic effect.

After the last of them had ‘calmed’ down, the head priest cleared his throat and said matter-of-fact: “I truly apologize for using this measure, but it was necessary to calm all of you down in the shortest space of time. For some of you, this truly is a bizarre and terrifying experience, while some of you are already familiar with this method. We welcome you to the nation of Athryshiayl.”, the last part being shouted in proud reverence.

He gave a slight bow.

Athryshiayl? That is hard to pronounce, but at least I know where I had appeared. Now that I was truly calm, I looked around my surroundings once more.

I also did a headcount while I was at it…

“Now then, before you meet with the ones of summoned you all, please appoint one of yourselves as a representative.”

There were about 24 persons here, including the non-humanoids, which were; 20 humanoids, 2 beasts and 2 eldritch abominations which you would expect to see, or have seen, in a supernatural horror film.

Among the humanoids, judging from their clothes and facial features, I think there are about three other Earthlings beside me. The rest of the humanoids looked exotic and truly otherworldly. I think there were Elves, a Dwarf, naturally green and blue coloured haired and the like.

Of course I overheard what the head priest was saying at the time. Everyone was murmuring and had their sight wandering as well as taking in everything at their surrounding.

I was also the same as I also looked around, surveying the rest of the group of summoned beings. I stopped and made eye-contact with a humanoid female, with green flowing hair together with a face that was sculpted perfection and gave the impression of being fragile and innocent, but as she locked eyes with me she instantly turned away,

What then stepped into my view after she turned away and covering the girl, was a woman who looked beautiful as well but there were differences like the red hair and much adult-like and sexier. She was glaring at me as though she was protecting her from my imagined lecherous gaze.

Behind them was a woman who also looked very similar to the girl I made eye contact with, but she was like the older version the girl and beside that girl was a red-haired gentleman-like guy. They were looking at me with condescending mannerisms.

I quickly turned my head to the front while looking down.

Sigh…

Just after I sighed, there was the sound of firm footsteps to my right. Everyone in the room also turns and looks towards the direction of the footsteps.

It was one of the Earthlings, a tall Caucasian looking blond-haired man, square-jawed and with mean-looking face, looked as every bit the military man with his visibly toned body and straight posture.

Aside from the facts that he was taller and bulkier than me, he was also younger than me as I scrutinized his handsomely perfect face.

If there is one word to describe this man, it would be Ubersmench, the pinnacle of humanity, so to speak.

He stood in front of us and presented himself with a dashing and admirable presence.

He looked straight at the head priest with a serious demeanour and an almost piercing stare.

Even without saying anything, it was obvious he was appointing himself as the representative.

Of course, nobody seemed to object at this self-appointment… including me.

Seeing that everyone seemed to be in agreement, the head priest nodded and spoke saying:

“Please follow me; all of you will meet with the Inheritors after this.”

The head priest turned around and walked off, the guards following him in a circle. Without delaying, the Ubersmench started to walk off following the priest. The rest, followed on behind him.

…

Where the hell is my cloth?!! I am still shivering from the punishing cold that permeated on my wet skin as I stand naked!!

Don’t tell me I have to go walking with them while covering my front and behind?!!

Just as I was about to make an outburst, as in the nick of time, just like when you’re watching a thriller-suspense movie during its climax when the protagonist was saving the day at the most crucial of moments; the guard that was sent out to find something to cover myself earlier, had returned running.

Yes run!! Run like your life is depending on it!!

His magnificent gait was swaying with every hopes and dreams that a naked man could have.

To put in an analogy; I was a wandering lost soul in a never-ending desert, who was experiencing extreme thirst, then as by some unlikely miracle, a saviour comes bearing a gift of water to quench my insatiable thirst.

That is one of the ways to describe how I felt and yet it was not satisfying the sentiment at all.

He was close and I could see a piece of fabric wrapped around his right arm. After I'll receive the god-sent blessing, I will get down on my knees and showered him with praises and-

……

Sigh…

I know this depends on the individual personal taste and generally speaking, a male reaction would always be a frown if they were me right now…I was stunned for a moment but quickly regained my composure.

Why, in the hell, is it pink?

Is it because in this world, pink is an appealing colour or is it a tradition that requires me, an outsider to wear it? Judging by its size, it’s only fit enough to be a loincloth.

…

So I’m stuck between choosing to wear something that I considered humiliating or remain naked to preserve my already broken and shattered manly pride.

What a moment to be alive…

Seemingly sensing my reluctance, the guard that was offering me the cloth, nervously spoke up and said: “I-I’m sorry but this all they have that they can give away. To be truthful… this colour is not supposed to be worn by men because it symbolizes femininity and subtly, female, promiscuousness in our culture.”

The latter part of the statement was uttered in a whisper.

Great, I’m going to have the honour of being the first male to revolutionize and topple this perception of this colour as a symbol in this world. That makes me look more an outsider than I needed!!

Hurrah!

……

Okay, sanity is still in check.

The last of the summoned entourage was about to disappear out of my sight. The choice was always been obvious in the first place. I didn’t even need the time to consider which one I should have chosen.

I took the pink cloth and curtly offered my gratitude. It was an easy to put on sort of cloth as I simply wrapped it around my waist and there was button to fully secure it.

There… it became a loin cloth. With this, the death of my pride as a man was cemented.

I turned around, facing what is to be the exit from this hall and where all the summoned had gone towards, but I didn’t move nor did the guard who gave me the cloth.

There was a silent exchange of look between me and him. There was no need for words. It was not only him as even guards that had remained here were looking at me with an expression not of pity but of steadfast resolution.

Even in another world, the bro code is alive and well…

After a few seconds, I took a heavy step forward and as I walked to catch up with rest of my group of summoned, from the distance, I can hear imaginary bagpipes playing a sorrowful tune along with the cries of every male soul in this hall accompanying them.

This day, the pride of one man without any traces of mercy and pity, was fully crushed and was buried six feet under.