The castle is a giant place.
That is the description I would have to give, if asked about it.
Not comparable to the castles of old, or even to the great pyramids. It is a place that could easily surpass many and many and many baseball stadiums placed together.
Someone would have to spend some days just to be able to explore it completely and many more in order to memorize its layout.
I've heard some stories from the people who work here, and it seems even they get lost from time to time. Stories about hidden rooms, restricted areas and moving corridors… Hey, please stop making excuses and properly memorize your workplace, sheesh…
Changing the subject. For better or for worse, us heroes were only allowed access to certain areas, so we didn't have to bother memorizing most of the layout.
The training field, the baths, the inner garden, a natural pool, our bedrooms and---
"Hey Fumiko, you don`t like taking baths? You're always at the common hall before me…" Owari shamelessly says after having just arrived at the common hall.
After completing the daily training and studies, the common hall is the best place to relax.
It has different kinds of couches and tables, a nice view to the training field, and different kinds of games from our worlds, such as darts, billiards and cards.
"It's not that I dislike taking baths, it`s just that I don't enjoy the company… Best to just take a shower instead."
And most importantly, here is the least popular spot amongst the other heroes.
Maybe that might change when the seasons turn and it gets colder… Then we might have to find up a new spot to spend our time--- Outside maybe?
"Hey, Owari, you're not as weak as to die from the cold, right?"
"Huh? No, what are you even talking about, Fumiko…?"
There is no way Owari would actually die from a cold day, right?
Knowing him, he actually just might…
Though, I'm not even sure if there are four seasons in this world too…
"Oh! I totes get ya, Fumiii! The other girls are always so cold to me---!!! By the way, have you two heard the recent news?" Showing up in the room and already intruding in our conversation was Jinssei. Another of the summoned heroes… And a pervert.
"Tch! An annoying person just showed up…"
"Wah, not you too Fumiii! Wait, I'll give you a hug to melt your little frozen heart!"
"Just. Try. Me. Punk."
"Oh! Now I can feel the heat in your words! A hot beauty does not disappoint, indeed!"
"A 'hot beauty'?" Owari asks confused.
There's no point in even trying to understand that guy…
"Yeah, you know, the complement of a cool beauty!"
"I-Is that so? First time I've heard of that… From what I know, I'd describe her as either sporty or borderline delinquent…"
"Hah! And that's an insightful description Owari! But you forgot to add the beauty part, chicks dig it!"
"A-are you sure? To be honest I don't even think we should be talki---"
"If you really came all the way here just to bother me with your useless yapping, then I might just have to throw the both of you out of the window…" Did these numbskulls forget I was right here, having to listen to their shit?
"Scary! This is the fifth floor Fumiko! And why me too!?" Owari answers, clearly not understanding his own contribution to this drivel.
"A nice way of training your expression, don't you think?"
"A good way to kill someone you mean!"
"Then I suggest he got. to. the. point. already." I point to Jinssei, waiting to hear that 'latest news' he should've just brought up at once in the first place.
"*shivering* Haha your girlfriend is as scary as always, huh Owari?"
"Y-you dense fool!" Owari runs off to the hallway.
I throw Jinssei out of the window.
Owari follows soon after.
…
Owari and Jinssei are kneeling at the floor reflecting and repenting themselves. Jinssei managed to survive the fall somehow, with only some minor injuries.
"Tch!" There is a reason as to why he was chosen to the main heroes group, after all.
Even though he's just a pervert, it seems he has the best expression amongst the others. That combined with his unique mana conversion… He's a dracomancer, which means he can transform his body into that of a dragon…
"Thanks for catching me down there Jinssei…"
"Don't worry, I gotcha, bro. But I gotta say I wasn't planning to catch your head with mine… Sorry for making things escalate to this point again, Owari…"
"It's ok, it's not your fault. I just passed out and my head hurts like hell right now. But it's not your fault that Fumiko doesn't like you, just because you continue to provoke her. I mean, it`s only a natural part of your personality that you continue to annoy everyone you come in contact with." Owari answers, clearly holding some sort of grudge.
"A-Agh! N-no need to get angry, Owari! That would hurt me way more than when I hit my head on the fall. Or when your head hit it at that exact same spot… An angry pal is even worse than being thrown out of the window daily!"
"Isn't the worse part the one where you continue to do things that make her throw you out of the window every day!?"
"You know, you actually get used to that after a while. By now, I think it might have even started to feel a little good…"
I give them both a punch in the head.
"Guhe!" "Yahn~"
"W-why me as well…?" Owari complains.
"Friends aren't supposed to suffer alone!"
"No, that---"
"Anyways, what did you want to tell us, Jinssei?"
If there is something that this useless pervert is worth for, is being able to provide us with information received by the main heroes group.
It sucks being left out, after all.
"Hmmm… Now that you mention it… I don't really remember… Ugh! I think I might be suffering from some short memory loss because of the hits to my head…"
"Annoying! Just say it already, damn it!" I start shaking him by the collar.
"M-maybe I`ll remember it if---"
"Caham!" Maria clears her throat from back at one of the tables.
Amongst the people who would spend their time at the common hall were me, Owari, and the overfriendly-annoying Jinssei as well. Besides us, there was also one other person. Someone who would arrive even before me, and take a spot at one of the tables at the corner of the room, quietly reading for long periods of time. It`s Maria, another one of the main heroes.
She stares at us for a moment and then goes back to reading.
"Tch!" Normally I would get angry with her and tell her to go to the library or something. However, I know we don't have access to the library, and the rooms we have been assigned to are quite dark…
Besides, she has been quite tolerant with us lately… She didn't even complain when I threw them out of the window…
Instead of repeating my question, I simply glared at Jinssei, waiting for an answer.
But all he did was give me a cheesy smile in return.
Perhaps his memory loss wasn't caused from hitting his head too much, but rather because he wasn't hit enough. I could fix this.
"Tomorrow we're all going to a dungeon in order to train real combat." Before I have the chance, Maria says without lifting her head from the book.
In a voice as if it didn't even matter at all, she just gave us some seriously frightening news.
While Owari and I are dumbfounded, Jinssei is the first one to react.
"… It is just as she said… Cold beauty Alice told us after training today. It seems we are going to a fairly dangerous dungeon by ourselves."
"No way…" Owari looks at Jinssei with worry.
Just like us, the main heroes only had two weeks of training as well. It should be too soon, even for them…
And 'cold beauty'? Seriously?
"B-but it seems everything will be okay, since the monsters should be of a manageable rank. Besides, it seems there will be a support team waiting for us just outside. Alice did say she would go on vacation though…"
"What the hell?! Is this the time to be going on a vacation!? Are you all even prepared to go there!?"
This is not a movie where you won't die even if you are surrounded by a bunch of weak villains! If one good hit goes through, you're dead!
"… Not 'you all', Fumiko. 'Us all'…" Jinssei points at Owari and me as well.
Huh---? That means… Owari too…?
"What the fuck!? Are you serious!? How could she even think about something like this!?"
"That's---"
"After training, the commander said she had an announcement to make." Maria cuts in, without lifting her head from the book. "Then, she told us that she would be going on vacation for a week. And as she turned to leave, as if she`d just remembered and was making an off comment, she spoke: 'Right, before I forget. It was arranged for you to go to a dungeon and get some real combat training tomorrow. Inform the others as well. Dismissed.'"
That son of a bitch! Is she trying to kill us!?
I take a look at Owari. All color has drained from his face. Fear evident in his eyes. Nevertheless, he still looks at me and says. "I-It's ok Fumiko, it'll be alright… They wouldn't send us to a dangerous place, right?"
Anywhere is too dangerous for you, Owari!
"Fuck it! I'll go 'talk' to her!"
"H-Hey, wait Fumiko! Argh… I feared this would happen…"
I dash out of the room, ignoring Jinssei`s last words.