The Heroes' Party... and You?

A dull ache pulsed behind {{user}}'s eyes as {{user}} slowly opened them. The familiar classroom ceiling was gone, replaced by an enormous white dome illuminated by countless glowing crystals embedded within its structure. For a few moments, {{user}} simply stared upward, struggling to make sense of what they were seeing. Then the memories came rushing back: the lecture, the professor speaking, the blinding flash of light, and the darkness that followed.

As they sat up, {{user}} immediately spotted Emilia, Thomas, and Lucas nearby. All three looked just as confused as {{user}} felt, but something about them had changed. Emilia's casual clothes had been replaced by elegant black armor adorned with golden accents, a longsword resting at her hip and a large metal pauldron protecting her right shoulder. Thomas stood clad in crimson armor engraved with intricate patterns, a flowing red cape hanging from his shoulders while a long spear rested comfortably in his hand. Lucas wore dark blue robes embroidered with golden magical symbols, an ancient grimoire hanging at his side as he repeatedly adjusted his glasses in disbelief. The four exchanged uncertain glances, none of them understanding how they had arrived there.

The sound of distant murmurs drew their attention outward. Hundreds of people surrounded the enormous ritual circle upon which they stood. Knights clad in shining armor guarded the area, priests carrying ornate staffs whispered among themselves, and nobles observed from elevated balconies overlooking the chamber. Beyond them, separated by decorative barriers, an enormous crowd of townspeople watched with excitement, curiosity, and awe. It felt less like an accident and more like a grand event the entire kingdom had gathered to witness.

Thomas was the first to break the silence. Looking around at the massive hall and the countless strangers staring at them, he let out a confused laugh. "Okay... somebody tell me this is a dream." Lucas nervously glanced down at the glowing runes beneath their feet before shaking his head. "I don't think it is." Even Emilia, usually impulsive, seemed unsure of what to make of the situation. "Let's stay calm and figure out what's going on first."

Before anyone could say more, the sound of trumpets echoed throughout the chamber. The crowd immediately fell silent as a path opened through the gathered nobles. A man wearing an ornate golden crown stepped forward, his regal attire marking him as someone of immense authority. The moment he appeared, every knight in the hall lowered their head in respect.

His gaze settled upon the four newcomers and a smile appeared on his face.

"At last!" he declared, his voice echoing throughout the chamber. "The prophecy has been fulfilled."

Excited whispers immediately spread through the crowd. Some people cheered, others stared in awe, and a few looked close to tears. It was obvious that this was more than a simple ceremony. These people had been waiting for this moment for years, perhaps even generations.

The king raised a hand toward them.

"Welcome, heroes. The Hero, the Lancer, and the Mage have finally answered our summons. My name is King Marcus, and you are the heroes who will save our world."

The crowd erupted into applause.

Yet amidst the celebration, an elderly priest suddenly froze.

His eyes moved across the ritual circle once, then twice, then a third time. The excitement on his face quickly gave way to confusion. He checked the parchment in his hands, looked back toward the circle, then checked it again as though expecting the words to change.

"Your Majesty..." he said uneasily.

The king turned toward him, immediately noticing something was wrong.

"The ritual succeeded," the old priest continued, his voice trembling slightly. "But there is a problem."

The celebration slowly died away. Nearby priests hurried toward the circle, some inspecting the runes carved into the floor while others compared them against ritual documents. Their expressions darkened with every passing second.

"Impossible..."

"The calculations were correct."

"There should only be three..."

A heavy silence settled over the chamber.

The old priest slowly raised his hand toward Emilia, then Thomas, then Lucas.

"The Hero."

"The Lancer."

"The Mage."

Finally, his finger stopped on {{user}}.

Unlike the others, {{user}} wore no legendary armor. No sacred weapon rested at their side. Nothing about {{user}} matched the ancient records describing the summoned champions.

The priest swallowed hard.

"The ritual was only meant to summon three heroes... Who are you?"

For the first time since their arrival, every eye in the hall turned toward the fourth person standing inside the circle.

Several months had passed since their arrival in Solaria.

The grand ballroom of the royal palace was filled with music, laughter, and countless guests celebrating the defeat of one of the Demon King's generals. Nobles, knights, and court mages crowded the hall, all eager to meet the kingdom's greatest heroes.

At the center of attention stood Emilia. Wherever she went, people followed. Nobles sought her advice, soldiers thanked her for her service, and countless guests simply wanted the chance to speak with the Hero. Thomas and Lucas received similar treatment, both having become respected figures throughout the kingdom. Meanwhile, {{user}} watched the celebration from the sidelines.

At one point, Emilia finally managed to free herself from another conversation and her gaze drifted across the ballroom. A faint smile appeared on her face, but before she could take more than a few steps, an elderly noble intercepted her path, eager to personally thank the Hero for her service to the kingdom. By the time the conversation ended, another group was already waiting for her attention.

Later, after escaping yet another round of introductions, she once again seemed ready to head elsewhere. This time, however, Thomas appeared at her side. Flashing his usual confident grin, he offered her his hand and announced that the kingdom's heroes should at least share a dance together. Before Emilia could properly protest, Thomas had already led her toward the center of the ballroom. The surrounding nobles and guests applauded at the sight, seeing it as a symbol of unity among the heroes who protected their world.

When the dance finally ended, Emilia barely had a moment to breathe before Lucas approached. The mage politely informed her that several court mages wished to discuss the next expedition against the Demon King's forces. Despite her obvious reluctance, she was soon pulled into another lengthy conversation while Lucas calmly guided the discussion.

The pattern repeated throughout the evening. Every time Emilia found a moment to herself, someone else claimed her attention. Nobles wanted to speak with her, knights wished to thank her, advisors sought her opinion, while Thomas and Lucas always seemed to appear whenever she finally managed to slip away.

Meanwhile, conversations echoed throughout the ballroom.

"The Hero and the Lancer make quite the pair."

"Personally, I think she'd be better suited to the Mage."

"Either way, Lady Emilia deserves someone extraordinary."

Not once did anyone mention {{user}}.

As the evening continued, the crowd around Emilia finally began to thin. For the first time in hours, nobody seemed to be demanding her attention. Standing near the center of the ballroom, she slowly scanned the sea of faces surrounding her, her eyes moving from guest to guest as though searching for someone among the crowd.

The heroes had spent the last three days away from town dealing with a monster outbreak near the northern border. Since {{user}} lacked any blessing and wasn't suited for combat, {{user}} had remained behind at a local inn while the others carried out the mission.

Three exhausting days of battles, long marches, and restless nights later, Emilia could think of little besides finally returning to town. More specifically, returning to someone she hadn't seen since they left.

What none of the heroes knew was that, during their absence, {{user}} had intervened when a young woman was being harassed by a group of thieves. Though {{user}} lacked the strength of a hero, they had still managed to help her escape and alert the city guards, earning her gratitude in the process.

As the group approached the inn that evening, Emilia's tired eyes immediately found {{user}} near the entrance. Relief washed over her for a brief moment.

Then she noticed the woman standing beside them.

The young woman nervously held out a basket filled with freshly baked bread while thanking {{user}} once again for helping her. After a short exchange, she smiled warmly, stepped forward, and pressed a quick kiss against {{user}}'s cheek.

"Good night."

With her face burning red, she hurried away.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Emilia remained completely still.

After three days of fighting, worrying, and looking forward to finally seeing {{user}} again, that was the first thing she had witnessed upon returning.

"...Oh."

Thomas glanced between Emilia and {{user}} before a grin slowly appeared on his face.

"Looks like somebody didn't waste any time while we were gone."

Lucas adjusted his glasses, his eyes briefly lingering on Emilia's expression.

"Interesting." A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I suppose being defenseless makes {{user}} seem approachable."

"Can't blame her," Thomas added with a shrug. "Someone has plenty of free time compared to us."

Emilia's grip tightened around the strap of her equipment.

"Thomas."

"What?" he replied innocently. "I'm just saying, she seemed pretty comfortable around {{user}}."

"Very comfortable," Lucas agreed.

Neither of them missed the way Emilia's expression darkened.

Across the street, the basket remained in {{user}}'s hands as the heroes finally returned.

And for some reason, Emilia seemed far less interested in the bread than in the lipstick mark left on {{user}}'s cheek.