Chapter 3 Ayumu’s Reflection
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Everyone held their breath and focused their attention on King Jack Seron III of the Union Kingdom, eager to hear his words. It wasn’t just the classmates—injured soldiers and surrounding citizens alike were equally captivated. No one could look away. The weight of the moment demanded silence.
This was precisely why no one dared interrupt the king. Not a single soul.
”This country is now heading toward its end,” the king said solemnly, voice heavy with burden. “Because of the dark power of the Demon King, our people have lost their homeland… lost their loved ones…”
”Soon, everything will be under his control,” he warned.
”Now, the only ones who can save this world… are you. The forty-one heroes summoned from another world,” he declared, eyes sweeping the group with intensity.
”Suddenly summoned heroes! Among you, some are confused… in pain,” the king continued with grave empathy. “Some may even resent us. Some may even laugh at me—a king who cannot protect his own country! But—!”
”Please, endure your shame!” he urged, his voice rising. “Now is the time to stand with us! Stand and fight the darkness that spreads across this land!”
Of course, Ayumu, standing there amidst the summoned, was hardly the picture of a hero.
(Ohhhhhhh crap! No way, no way!! I can’t do this!! I’ve never even been in a fight, and I’m totally the type to get hit first!!!)
A cold sweat rolled down his temple. While everyone else seemed enthralled, Ayumu couldn’t stop the rising panic. There was absolutely no way he could do this. After all, what sane person would volunteer to fight an enemy the military—fully trained and armed—couldn’t even scratch?
From a calm, rational perspective, it was clear: the people of this world weren’t incompetent. Injured soldiers had still managed to escort citizens into the castle and treat the wounded. That meant they understood basic medical techniques like pressure application to control bleeding—evidence of a civilized society with real infrastructure.
Yet even with all that… they couldn’t win.
Ayumu could see only one outcome—death. A future drenched in blood, his own likely among it. The logical choice? Refuse.
(But… what if I refuse?)
What would happen then? It was impossible to predict. The people around him didn’t seem malicious… but in the worst-case scenario? Public execution. A warning to others. It wasn’t far-fetched.
They had used their most advanced magic to summon him and the others here. That alone was proof of how desperate they were. Refusing might not mean safety—and definitely didn’t mean return.
The whole “if I was summoned here, I should be able to return” idea? Completely unfounded. Nothing more than wishful thinking.
Back in his own world, even with its advanced civilization, Ayumu knew how often “theoretically possible” didn’t equal “practically doable.” Take disarmament, for example. Theoretically, one could remove all weapons from the world.
But… could that ever actually happen?
Would it really be feasible to abolish and discard all weapons on Earth—simultaneously?
Absolutely not.
Even if a powerful global peacekeeping force emerged, stronger than the United Nations and led by a once-in-a-century charismatic leader, it would still be impossible.
T/N: United Nations (国際連合) — reference to the real-world global alliance, often idealized in fiction.
First, what about authoritarian states? Military regimes? Would they ever voluntarily relinquish their weapons? Probably not. They might even strike first.
Wouldn’t they just come out swinging, hiding blades in their cloaks?
Even democratic nations wouldn’t feel secure unless they maintained their own defenses. After all, if a neighboring country lied and kept weapons in secret, how could you be sure? Even within a single nation, someone would hoard them.
If people argued endlessly over tax budgets, how could you expect consensus on disarmament?
And where do you even draw the line on what counts as a weapon?
What about hammers? Kitchen knives? Scissors? Agricultural tools?
If everything that could inflict harm was considered a weapon, you couldn’t even own a car or gasoline.
Ayumu’s thoughts had drifted far, but the point remained: just because something’s theoretically possible doesn’t mean it can be done.
(Well—whatever! That doesn’t matter right now!)
Above all, what mattered now was this moment. This situation.
Hope was important—but being realistic mattered more. And this wasn’t a situation where he could just say, “Sorry, I don’t wanna fight. Please send me back.”
Someone was bound to bring that up soon.
Someone would ask for a way back home.
And when they did…
It wouldn’t be long now.
Notes:
• King Jack Seron III – The monarch of the Union Kingdom addressing summoned heroes about the threat of the Demon King. The king of the Union Kingdom, apologizes for the summoning of visitors.
• Union Kingdom – The realm ruled by King Jack Seron III, currently under threat from the Demon King.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply