The World Is Mine For The Taking

Miss Eris was a seriously lascivious woman. She would constantly flirt with other women, even though she was one herself, and she wasn't shy about trying to touch them in places she definitely shouldn't. But as much as she'd say suggestive things, she never actually followed through with any of it. She liked to tease, make it clear what she was thinking, but nothing more.

I couldn't help but scowl every time she tried to flirt with me, or anyone else for that matter. I didn't understand why she was so determined to be into women, but I figured that made her a bit odd. Miss Arianne told me it was best to just ignore her.

The Silver Blades was basically a group of mercenaries and outcasts—people abandoned by the monarch, those abused by nobles and hungry for revenge, or those who knew the dirty secrets that hadn't been exposed yet and decided to take action. Most of them didn't join with pure intentions; they had their own agendas, which sometimes led to a lack of coordination.

But Miss Eris—no, I should call her Leader now—somehow managed to turn this ragtag bunch into a team that was finally making the Kingdom take notice.

The Kingdom we were aiming to topple was Milham, the very one we were currently entrenched in. The reason behind this collective drive, including that of the Leader, stemmed from the Kingdom's abhorrent practices. They sought to transform Milham into a democratic state to abolish the entrenched hierarchical discrimination.

The Leader was fiercely committed to this cause, hoping to dismantle the oppressive structure and replace it with something more equitable.

It was evident that the Leader harbored some deeper, more personal vendetta against the Kingdom, though she kept these motives shrouded in secrecy. I sensed there was more to her story than met the eye, but I refrained from asking. It was clear enough that her personal agenda was none of my concern.

Fighting as a member of the Silver Blades felt strangely flat compared to the wild thrill I used to experience back on Earth. Here, the excitement was almost non-existent, and I barely felt a rush. On Earth, the freedom to slice through everything in my path was intoxicating.

The sensation of my blade carving through the necks of enemies—whether they were human or demon zombies—was a visceral pleasure. Pulling the trigger and hearing the sickening crunch of skulls as my bullets tore through them was a primal thrill.

In this world, I had to be just as brutal, but the pervasive peace here drained the combat of its edge. It felt like something vital was missing, leaving me with a nagging sense of emptiness.

That's why, despite my deep hatred for studying, I forced myself to dig into research, desperate to find a way back to my world. It took years of painstaking effort, but I finally stumbled upon something—a legend hidden within the old, dusty history books of this world. The tale spoke of humans from another realm who were summoned here during the brutal Human-Demon War.

The Milham Kingdom's royal family had used a secret spell to pull these humans into their world, calling them heroes from another world.

A realization struck me then—if there was a spell powerful enough to summon people from another world, then maybe, just maybe, there was a way to send them back. The texts didn't mention anything about those summoned ever returning, but it was possible the writers were simply ignorant of it. The possibility was there, and that was enough for me to keep digging.

"So I guess I have to go to the royal castle to find that spell," I muttered to myself.

But that was the real issue.

"How am I supposed to get into the royal castle?"

I could always try to force my way in—it might be the simplest route, but it was hardly the best plan. I knew all too well the sheer number of guards, magic users, and swordmasters stationed there. Even with my bloodthirsty instincts, I'd be outmatched if I tried to take them all on alone.

I had an idea, though.

"What did you say?" the Leader slurred, her words thick with alcohol. She'd been gambling and drinking all day, and the stench of booze was heavy around her. "You want us to ramp up the attack on the royal family? No fucking way we can do that. We need a hell of a lot more preparation. Besides, we're already tangled up with those fucking bastards called the Eclipse.

Toppling the monarchy is going to be a massive undertaking. It could take decades."

Her speech was muddled by her drunken state, but her mind was sharp as ever. As expected, she wasn't about to go through with it.

"Why the hell do you want to get into the castle so badly?" she asked, taking a long swig from the bottle of beer she was clutching. The liquid sloshed around, mirroring her careless demeanor.

"I figured I might stumble upon something interesting," I answered. "I'm especially intrigued by this spell that's supposed to summon people from another world."

"Heh~... Is that so?" she purred, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. "You know, why don't you come to my bed tonight? I'll make sure to entertain you a lot better than your fascination with that spell."

I scowled at her, and she burst into laughter at my reaction.

"Hahaha! I'm just messing with you," she said. "But if you're serious about getting into the castle, I've got a plan. It might not be what you want, though."

"What is it?" I asked, my resolve firm. I was ready to do whatever it took to find my way back.

"Apply to the Milham Academy of Magic Knights," she said, propping her chin on her palm and flashing a mischievous grin.

"You want me… to study?" I asked, my scowl deepening. She knew how much I loathed studying.

"Milham Academy is apparently opening its doors to those without skills, so you could apply as a first-year student," she said, her grin turning sly.

"I'm asking why you want me to study?" I pressed.

"Well," she began, her voice dripping with casual confidence, "if you want to get into the castle, you'll need to become a magic knight. That's the only way you can enter the castle legally and investigate whatever you're after without someone constantly breathing down your neck."

It actually sounded like a pretty solid plan. If I wanted to uncover the spell, I'd have to get into the castle, and that meant becoming a magic knight.

"So, how the hell do I become one?" I asked.

She grinned wickedly, "You've got to rank in the top 100 of all the students there," she said. "In other words, you need to make it to the gold class."