In short, after the King and his subordinates cheered joyfully to welcome the Yuusha they had successfully summoned, they all moved to the throne room.
Of course, Kuro couldn't refuse the offer from the man who introduced himself as the King of Necvalion after being summoned into this world.
A few moments ago, I had intended to quietly leave the room where the two of us had been summoned without anyone noticing me.
But that intention immediately disappeared when I was forced to go with them to the throne room. I mean... Why?
—
After walking through magnificent hallways adorned with various breathtaking designs across their ceilings, we finally arrived.
When the massive golden door was opened, a crowd of neatly and elegantly dressed people stood waiting along both sides of the red carpet stretching through the center of the room.
At the end of the red carpet stood a single chair that looked soft and had a considerably tall backrest.
That part served only as decoration, yet the patterns carved into the wood were so intricate that I couldn't even tell what they were supposed to resemble.
The King then walked toward the throne, where a woman who was most likely his wife, the Queen, was already waiting beside it.
While Kuro was invited inside with the highest honor, I received the exact opposite treatment.
The two guards behind me jabbed my back with the ends of their sword hilts, causing pain to spread through my chest.
Seriously... The jabs were so painful that I had no choice but to step inside and stand beside Kuro, while glancing behind me as the door slowly closed off my path to escape.
Seeing such an improper action from me, the crowd standing to my left and right began whispering to one another, creating a commotion that echoed throughout the entire room.
From what I could see, I was certain that everyone gathered here were nobles who were close to the King.
Just look at them. Not a single one of the women was without jewelry decorating her body.
The men were no different. They looked so dignified in their luxurious, eye-catching attire that even the light reflected off the accessories they wore.
Tok. Tok.
The King took the staff that the Queen had been holding, then struck it against the floor about three times to calm the situation.
Instantly, all the whispers disappeared shortly after the King struck his staff. No one dared continue speaking after the King gave his signal.
They even seemed frozen like puppets being controlled by someone of a higher status than themselves. Umm... Well, isn't that exactly how it is?
"Everyone, please lower your heads while the King is standing. This is an order," the Queen said in a loud yet elegant voice.
Everyone carefully lowered their heads in perfect unison. Even I had to follow Kuro, who did the same. For some reason, I could feel the Queen's sharp gaze fixed on me.
"Everyone, you may raise your heads again," ordered the King after seeing his loyal followers do as his wife had instructed.
"We have all gathered here today to witness someone who will become our protector, our light, and perhaps our leader in the future."
"The threat of attacks from the Abyss will continue to come. To stop the forces that have already appeared in several locations, I have decided to do what must be done."
So that means... The two of us were summoned merely as a precaution in case an attack happens in the future? Seriously?
"Therefore, Kuro-sama, please come forward."
Kuro lowered his head once again before finally walking toward the King and stopping just a few steps in front of him.
Before Kuro could bow once more as a sign of respect, the King stepped forward while carrying a sheathed sword with both hands.
Without the slightest hesitation, Kuro accepted the sword as the King held it out to him. He then stared at the object he had just received, his eyes filled with curiosity and confusion.
He still couldn't believe that he was holding a sword that had been personally bestowed upon him by the King.
"With this, I hereby declare Kageya Kuro-sama, who has inherited the Yuusha's sword from the past, to be our Yuusha from this day onward!" the King shouted in a loud voice overflowing with uncontrollable joy.
Cheers immediately erupted from everyone present. The women, including the Queen, applauded with warm smiles as Kuro turned around to look at them all.
Everyone was happy... Except for one person. Yeah, who else could it be but me?
Once everyone stopped cheering, it was finally my turn to be called by the King. I was certain of it the moment I noticed his sharp gaze fixed on me.
"Now then, as for Sahiko Yukito, who was summoned alongside Kuro-sama, I shall allow you to remain in this palace and serve as Kuro-sama's servant... My apologies, I meant assistant. What do you think?"
W-wow... What an incredible offer, huh? An offer from someone who was delighted by my arrival at first, only to shift all of his attention to someone else. Wow~
And then, as if nothing had happened, he actually asked me to become the servant of the very person who had taken my place?! You've got to be kidding me!
"What's wrong? Why are you just standing there—"
Before the King could finish his sentence, I opened my mouth and shouted out the thoughts that I had been suppressing deep inside my heart.
I never planned for this to happen, but after dying in that world and being summoned here, who could possibly accept something like this?!
"Your Majesty!" I called out.
"Go ahead. I'm sure there's something you'd like to ask," he replied.
Okay... At least I can hold back my emotions for now. Take a deep breath... Haa... Hoo... Alright. I feel a little calmer now.
Placing my right hand over my chest, I bowed slightly before speaking.
"First of all, I would like to thank you for the offer you have given me. Truly, Your Majesty is far too generous to someone like me."
A faint smile slowly appeared on the King's face, and the same went for Kuro... who, as far as I could tell, was looking at me with a completely expressionless face.
"But sorry... AS IF I'D EVER FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS, OLD MAN! AS IF I'D EVER AGREE TO THAT?!"
That's what I wanted to say, but I wasn't about to do something that would ruin my second life.
"However, I must respectfully decline. After the summoning you carried out, I can't help but feel that it was unfair."
"I mean, don't you think I deserve a higher position? I was summoned into this world too, so why is it like this?" I asked.
The King merely let out a sigh, lowering his eyebrows slightly after hearing my question.
"With numbers on your status screen no different from those of a commoner, shouldn't you consider it a miracle that your feet were even allowed to step onto this red carpet?"
BAM!
The answer he gave earned me countless contemptuous stares from every direction.
I could feel those unpleasant gazes piercing into me. The hairs on the back of my neck almost stood up as I felt completely alone in this place.
"A commoner? What's someone like him doing here?!"
"How filthy... Absolutely disgusting!"
"Why would His Majesty be kind enough to let someone like him come in here?"
Faintly, I could hear their mocking voices filling my ears.
Insults born purely from hatred because of social class—insults that had always been reserved for commoners, who were never even allowed to set foot in a place like this.
"Your Majesty, wouldn't it be better to let him stay in the city? I have no desire to live in the same palace as a commoner like him!" the Queen said, further cornering me.
"...Very well. In that case, I'll give you enough money to rent a room in the city. This is my final offer."
Yeah... My emotions had probably reached their limit. I couldn't take it anymore.
"After summoning me here on your own whim, then treating me like trash... can all of you really call yourselves the important people of Necvalion?"
Everyone turned to look at me with the same expression after hearing my remark.
Without the slightest hesitation, I stared directly at the King and Queen, my brows lowered as I clenched my teeth tightly behind closed lips.
"Shouldn't the ones who deserve to be ridiculed be the people who summoned me here? How ironic. All of you judge people based on their wealth, and now I've become another victim of it."
I heard the sound of footsteps accompanied by the clanking of metal, most likely from the guards' armor.
There were quite a few of them approaching from behind after I heard the doors open.
"Who in their right mind would want to live with people like you?! I have no desire to stay with people who spend every single day thinking about their appearances and showing off the jewelry covering their bodies."
"Me? Live here? Hah? Is that supposed to be a joke from Your Majesty? Seriously?"
"If I could, then right now I'd definitely—"
Before I could say anything more, both of my arms were already tightly seized by the two guards standing behind me.
"Hey, let go of me!" I shouted as I struggled to break free from them.
Their grip completely prevented me from moving.
I... had already been subdued.
"Guards, take him out of the palace," the Queen ordered without waiting for the King's permission.
After that command, it seemed that no one tried to defend me, nor did anyone bother mocking me anymore.
The two guards grabbed my arms and dragged me out of the throne room without giving me any chance to resist.
Even from a distance, I could still see him.
Kuro's expression remained blank, with only the faintest smile on his face. It was almost as if he felt relieved that I was no longer there.
Did I... really handle everything the wrong way?
—
The two guards escorted me out of the palace. Not just out of the palace—they took me all the way to the main gate before letting me go and walking away.
The gate was soon locked again from the inside, making it impossible for me to re-enter since the palace grounds were surrounded by tall fences topped with sharp spikes.
As I sat there weakly on the road, several people began staring at me, especially after realizing I had apparently been thrown out of the palace.
Then, someone approached me and held out a hand.
I briefly saw that person's silhouette while remaining where I was, but it wasn't enough for me to recognize who it was.
The moment I finally stood up after accepting the offered hand, I immediately shoved the person to the ground and ran off in the opposite direction.
"H-Hey!!"
That voice quickly became distant as I continued running farther away. I finally stopped after finding what looked like a quiet alley.
From the palace gate, the straight road led toward a district lined with neatly arranged merchant stalls on both sides.
The place was bustling with the voices of merchants and customers blending together like a marketplace. Everyone was here. Nobles, commoners... they all walked the same streets.
I slipped into an alley between two fairly tall buildings near a vegetable stall.
There wasn't a single lamp inside this narrow alley. The darkness covering the ground made it difficult for me to walk, while even the sunlight barely reached this place.
The smell of rotting garbage slowly dragged my consciousness down as the foul stench filled my nose.
Dry trash mixed with leftover food, dirty wastewater from washing, and even animal waste had all been dumped together here.
Had I known this beforehand, I never would have come in here. Before entering, I thought it was just an ordinary alley since nothing seemed unusual from the outside except for how empty it was.
...Ugh...
My head gradually began to ache. It even felt as though it was about to fall off my shoulders.
Thud.
My body collapsed just before I could leave the alley, lying motionless in that filthy place that had probably dirtied every piece of clothing I was wearing.
So...
Am I really going to die twice?
Hahaha...
That's pretty interesting.
Or perhaps... I'll be given a third life instead?
——
Time continued to pass.
However, Yukito's hope of being granted another life disappeared after only a few minutes.
——
...
...
"Yukito-san. Yukito-san!"
Once again, that voice echoed through the darkness.
It was so faint, as though someone were calling my name while I was submerged deep beneath the surface of the water.
Little by little, the voice grew louder.
My body felt lighter, as though my head had finally risen above the surface.
I slowly opened my eyes.
I was still lying in the very same alley.
The same alley that had nearly sent me to the world above.
But it wasn't only the surrounding buildings that entered my sight.
There was also the silhouette of someone's head, looking down at me while standing beside my body.
Gathering every ounce of strength I had left, I pushed myself up from the ground and looked at the person staring at me.
Thump.
"Yukito-san, are you alright?" the girl asked.
I remained silent without answering or even nodding my head.
Yet, for some reason, that only made her giggle as she tried to hide her laughter.
Then, she took something out of the bag she was carrying.
A loaf of bread.
"Here, take it."
I accepted it as my condition gradually improved. My mind was almost completely clear again after taking the bread from her.
...Wait.
How does she know my name?
"Yukito-san, perhaps this is our first time meeting. So, allow me to introduce myself, alright?" she said.
She slowly straightened herself up before standing right beside me.
"Sahiko Yukito-san, my name is Sephira Hime. I am the third princess of the Kingdom of Necvalion."
"Everyone calls me Hime, just like the title commonly used for a princess. However, it means something different when they're referring to me."
"So... would you allow me to call you Yukito-san, just like I did earlier? I feel bad for what happened to you."
...A member of the royal family?
I was already hoping never to have anything to do with them again.
But...
Is this the punishment I have to accept for trying to die before my time?