Chapter 3

The lounge was nicer than any dorm common room Maya had ever seen. The sofas were velvet, the snacks were gourmet, and the fireplace crackled with a comforting warmth that did nothing to thaw the chill in Maya's gut.

Ren, Motoyasu, and Itsuki immediately threw themselves onto the couches, practically radiating relief.

"Man, that King was intense, huh?" Motoyasu laughed, popping a weird-looking purple grape into his mouth. "But hey, this is exactly like Emerald Online. Down to the castle layout. I know exactly where the secret treasure chests are."

"You mean Brave Star Online," Itsuki corrected, adjusting his glove. "It's a console action RPG. And the Shield is definitely the starting trash class. Sorry, Naofumi, but you got the short straw. No offense."

Ren shook his head, his cool demeanor never wavering. "You're both wrong. It's a VRMMO called Dimensional Wave. And everyone knows high-agility builds are the meta right now. The Shield is just too slow for endgame content."

Maya sat in an armchair slightly apart from them, nursing a cup of tea a maid had provided. She watched them over the rim, her mind racing. She decided to play along, to see just how deep their delusions went.

"So," Maya interjected, keeping her voice casually interested. "In these games you played… how did the upgrade systems work? Was it just mob grinding, or was there crafting involved?"

Ren answered immediately. "Weapon proficiency and material absorption. You feed monster drops to your weapon to unlock new forms. It's all about optimization."

"No way, it's ore-based crafting," Motoyasu argued. "You need a blacksmith."

"It's a skill tree system based on achievements," Itsuki insisted.

Maya lowered her cup, a cold realization washing over her. They're all right. And they're all wrong.

In the PC MMO she used to play-Chronicles of the Ether-the Gauntlet class used a hybrid system of material absorption for base stats and an achievement-based skill tree for special moves. Furthermore, in her game, Shielders were essential tanks for high-level raids. Without a good shielder, the DPS classes-like Swords and Spears-would get wiped instantly by boss area-of-effect attacks.

We aren't in the same game, she realized with horror. We were all pulled from different versions of similar worlds. They're operating on rulebooks that might not even apply here.

She looked at the three young men, so confident, treating this like a weekend LAN party. They were going to get themselves killed.

Maya set her cup down with a sharp clack that cut through their chatter. She stood up, the metal of her gauntlet scraping audibly against her leather armor.

"You guys are idiots," she stated, her voice flat and hard.

The room went dead silent. Ren blinked in surprise. Motoyasu stopped mid-chew. Itsuki looked offended.

"Excuse me?" Itsuki bristled. "That's not very hero-like behavior, Maya-san."

"Forget 'hero-like'," Maya snapped, walking to the center of the room. She held up her gauntleted fist. "Look at this. Look at where we are. You three are arguing over game mechanics, but you're forgetting one crucial thing: when you die in a game, you respawn at a checkpoint. What happens if a monster guts you here? Do you really think you'll just wake up back in Tokyo?"

Ren scoffed, leaning back. "You're taking this way too seriously. We have Legendary Weapons. We're practically invincible in the starting zones."

"Are we?" Maya challenged. "Did you feel that pinch when the nurse drew blood for the magic registration earlier? It hurt, didn't it? Pain is real here. Which means death is real."

She turned to point a finger toward the door leading back to the throne room. "And another thing. Did you see the way the King looked at Naofumi? He treated the other three of you like saviors, but he looked at the Shield Hero like he was something stuck to the bottom of his boot. Why?"

Naofumi, who had been sitting silently in the corner, looked up, his eyes wide. "You saw that too?"

"I saw it," Maya confirmed. "And he looked at me like I was an unexpected variable he needed to calculate. Listen to me: this isn't a game. This is a political minefield with real monsters. We are tools to these people. Valuable tools, sure, but if we don't fit their agenda, who knows what they'll do?"

Motoyasu waved his hand dismissively, flashing a charming smile. "Maya-chan, you're just stressed. A pretty girl like you shouldn't worry so much. The King is a good guy; he's giving us funds and support. Why be so paranoid?"

"It's not paranoia if they're actually out to get you," Maya countered. "We already know we can't form a party together because the weapons interfere with XP gain. That means tomorrow, they are going to split us up and surround us with their own people. If you three go into this thinking you're playing on 'Easy Mode,' your assigned party members are either going to rob you blind or leave you to die in the first dungeon."

Itsuki stood up, puffed out his chest, and declared, "I will lead my party with justice! And justice always prevails."

Ren just shook his head and went back to looking at his status screen. "If you're scared, Maya, just stay in the capital and grind safe mobs. I intend to clear the content efficiently."

Maya stared at them. They weren't listening. Their preconceived notions of this world were too strong. They were armor against her warnings.

She let out a frustrated sigh and turned away, walking over to where Naofumi sat. He looked even more troubled now, his eyes darting between his Shield and the door.

"Well," Maya whispered to Naofumi, low enough that the others wouldn't hear over their resuming chatter, "I tried."

Naofumi looked up at her, a flicker of genuine gratitude in his anxious eyes. "Thanks for saying it, though. I… I thought I was going crazy in the throne room. Nobody else seemed to notice the King's attitude."

"Keep your guard up tomorrow," she advised him quietly. "Especially when they assign your party members. Trust your gut, not their smiles."

Maya retreated to her own chair, exhausted. The adrenaline of the summoning was fading, replaced by a bone-deep weariness and dread for what the morning would bring. The boys went back to talking about loot drops and boss mechanics, completely oblivious to the cliff edge they were dancing on.

The next morning arrived with the blare of trumpets. The five heroes were ushered back into the grand throne room after a hearty breakfast.

King Aultcray sat upon his throne, looking down at them with a benevolent smile that didn't reach his eyes. Below him stood a dozen adventurers, ranging from hulking warriors in plate mail to slender mages in silk robes.

"Behold, Heroes!" the King announced. "These brave adventurers have gathered to aid you in your quest. They shall choose the Hero they wish to serve."

The adventurers shuffled forward.

Ren, with his cool demeanor and powerful sword, was immediately surrounded by five eager volunteers.

Motoyasu, handsome and wielding the flashy spear, quickly attracted four beautiful female adventurers.

Itsuki, proclaiming justice, found three serious-looking companions joining his side.

That left Maya and Naofumi standing alone in the center of the vast hall. The remaining adventurers whispered among themselves, casting hesitant glances at the Shield Hero, and curious, wary looks at the unfamiliar Gauntlet Hero.

Nobody moved toward them. The silence stretched, becoming awkward and heavy.

A nasty smirk played on the King's lips. "Oh dear. It seems the Shield and the… Gauntlet… are not quite as popular. Is there no one willing to fight alongside them?"

Interactive Choice: The Party Selection

The situation is grim. How does this scene resolve?