Lies, betrayals and revenge… Am I the villain?

The king observed the three of them with a serious expression before speaking.

—"Now that you've seen the training grounds, it's time to begin."

He pointed at Raz.

—"As you requested, Raz, you will train first with Alzareth, the Supreme Mage. You will learn to channel magic, understand its principles, and control it with precision."

Then, he looked at Lili and Susan.

—"Lili and Susan, you will train under Sir Gaius, the Captain of the Army. Here, you will learn hand-to-hand combat, endurance, and battlefield strategy."

Lili swallowed hard and glanced nervously at Susan.

Susan, though also feeling a slight knot in her stomach, kept her expression serious and determined.

Raz looked at both of them and smiled confidently.

—"Don't worry, you're going to do great."

Lili forced a small smile.

—"I-I hope so…"

Susan crossed her arms, watching him carefully.

—"And you? Are you sure you'll be fine?"

Raz shrugged nonchalantly.

—"I'll be more than fine. I'll learn a few things, and we'll meet again later."

Lili looked at him with some doubt.

—"How can you be so relaxed?"

His smile grew even wider.

—"I simply trust myself. And you should, too."

Lili sighed and nodded.

Susan gave him one last look before glancing away.

—"See you later, then."

Raz gave them a final encouraging nod before turning and walking toward the Magic Field, where the Supreme Mage awaited him.

Conversation Between Lili and Susan

As they walked toward the Combat Field, Lili fidgeted with her fingers and cast nervous glances around.

—"What do you think they'll make us do?"

Susan sighed.

—"They'll probably train us like soldiers."

Lili grimaced.

—"Does that mean they'll hit us?"

—"Possibly."

Lili whimpered softly.

—"I don't want it to hurt…"

Susan glanced at her from the corner of her eye.

—"Come on, Lili. It's not like we have a choice."

—"I know, I know…" Lili puffed out her cheeks. "But… all of this is too much. Just yesterday, we were in our world, and now we're here, learning to fight."

There was a brief silence before Lili added:

—"At least we have Raz with us."

Susan frowned.

—"Yeah…"

—"He always seems so confident," Lili murmured. "It's like nothing ever fazes him."

Susan lowered her gaze.

—"Yeah…"

—"It's weird, isn't it?" Lili continued. "Ever since we arrived, we've never seen him stressed or worried. It's as if… as if none of this is real to him."

Susan pressed her lips together.

—"Maybe he's just strong."

Lili looked at her curiously.

—"Or maybe… he's just pretending?"

Susan stopped for a moment.

—"What do you mean?"

Lili played with her hair.

—"I don't know… sometimes I feel like his smile isn't completely sincere."

Susan looked ahead, thoughtful.

—"It's hard to tell with Raz. He always says what we need to hear, always supports us, but… he never talks about how he feels."

—"Exactly," Lili said. "I wonder if he'll ever let us see who he really is."

Susan sighed.

—"For now, there's nothing we can do. Let's just… keep going."

Lili nodded, but the thought of Raz lingered in their minds as they continued their path.

Meanwhile, Raz arrived at the Magic Field, walking with his usual calm and carefree demeanor.

Waiting for him was Alzareth, the Supreme Mage.

The old man wore a long black robe with golden runes, his white hair falling to his shoulders, and his beard just as long and well-kept. His deep blue eyes seemed to hold centuries of knowledge.

Alzareth looked at him with a neutral expression before speaking.

—"So, you're one of the heroes."

Raz smiled and placed a hand on his chest.

—"Raz, a pleasure to meet you, Lord Alzareth."

The mage crossed his arms.

—"No need for such formality, boy."

—"Then, can I call you Alzareth?"

The mage raised an eyebrow before letting out a soft huff.

—"As you wish."

Raz tilted his head slightly.

—"Well, Alzareth, I'm very curious about magic. It has always seemed… fascinating to me."

The mage watched him with interest.

—"Have you never used magic in your world?"

—"No, in my world, there is no magic. At least, not like it exists here."

Alzareth nodded slowly.

—"Then we will start from the basics."

Raz smiled.

—"I'm ready."

The old mage made a slight gesture with his hand, and immediately, the air around them changed.

—"Let's see if you really are."

And so, his training began.

Susan and Lili stood in the Combat Field, facing a man whose presence alone commanded respect. Sir Gaius, the Captain of the Army.

He was a man of about 45 years old, with a muscular build that seemed sculpted from stone, sun-weathered skin, and scars that told stories of past battles. His short, messy black hair had strands of gray on the sides, and his intense brown eyes radiated experience.

He wore a steel armor with a short red cape draped over his shoulders, and a large sword rested on his back.

When he looked at them, he crossed his arms and smirked confidently.

—"Well, well… so you're the new 'heroes,' huh?"

Susan nodded seriously.

—"I'm Susan. A pleasure."

Lili, standing beside her, smiled nervously.

—"I-I'm Lili…"

Gaius let out a loud laugh.

—"Good, good! You have manners! I like that. But you're not here for polite introductions. First, I need to see how strong and resilient you are."

Susan looked at him with determination.

—"What do you want us to do?"

Gaius grinned widely.

—"Squats until you can't take anymore!"

Lili felt a shiver run down her spine.

—"How many… exactly?"

Gaius laughed.

—"Until your legs shake like jelly."

Susan and Lili exchanged looks before starting the exercise.

At first, both managed relatively well, but as the minutes passed, the difference between them became evident.

Susan, who already had an athletic build thanks to her training in her own world, kept up the pace effortlessly.

Lili, on the other hand, began panting halfway through.

—"Ugh… ugh…" —Lili started breathing heavily— "My legs are burning!"

Susan, still maintaining her rhythm, glanced at her.

—"That's normal."

Lili puffed out her cheeks, annoyed.

—"Easy for you to say!"

After several minutes, Gaius raised his hand.

—"Alright, that's enough! Now… push-ups until you drop."

Lili felt like her soul was leaving her body.

—"W-What? More?"

Susan was already in position.

—"Come on, let's do this."

Both got into position and began.

Susan kept a steady and precise pace, but Lili…

—"One… two… three…" —her face turned as red as a tomato— "Damn it, I can't do this anymore!"

She had barely done eight push-ups before collapsing onto the ground.

Gaius observed her and nodded.

—"Hmmm… you lack a lot of endurance."

Lili looked at him with pure suffering in her eyes.

—"Yeah, I noticed!"

The nearby soldiers began chuckling among themselves.

Susan glanced at Lili, feeling both sympathy and amusement.

—"Come on, at least try to do a few more."

—"I can't feel my arms!"

After Susan completed several more and Lili struggled to do a few additional attempts, Gaius gave the final order.

—"Now, sit-ups until you can't do any more!"

Lili almost broke into tears.

—"Please, no more!"

Susan simply sighed and started the exercise without complaining.

After nearly an hour of intense exercises, Gaius nodded, satisfied.

—"Alright, now I know what you're made of."

Lili, lying on the ground, was panting as if she had just run a marathon.

—"I'm… dead…"

Gaius smirked with amusement before speaking in a more serious tone.

—"First of all, your form in these exercises is… acceptable. But there's room for improvement."

He approached Susan.

—"You have good form, but in push-ups, you can engage your core more effectively by tightening your abdomen properly."

Susan nodded.

—"Understood."

Then, he turned to Lili.

—"You… well, there's a lot to improve."

Lili pouted.

—"I know!"

Gaius laughed.

—"Don't worry, everyone has potential. With time and effort, you'll improve."

After a brief break, Gaius led both of them to a section with practice weapons.

—"Now, I want to see how well you can fight."

He grabbed two wooden swords and handed them to them.

Susan held hers firmly, analyzing its weight.

Lili, however, was trembling while gripping the sword.

—"I-It's heavier than I thought…"

Susan looked at her with slight concern.

—"Lili, are you okay?"

Lili forced a smile.

—"Y-Yeah, it's just… this is all new to me…"

Gaius looked at her expressionlessly.

—"Well, get used to it quickly."

Then, he turned to Susan.

—"Attack her."

Susan blinked.

—"What?"

—"Attack her. I want to see her reflexes."

Susan hesitated for a moment but finally raised her sword and stepped forward.

Lili went into full panic mode.

—"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!"

Susan tried to deliver a controlled strike, but Lili, out of sheer instinct, dodged erratically, moving side to side.

—"Aaaah! I don't want to get hit!"

—"Lili, stay still!"

Lili kept dodging clumsily, with ridiculous and desperate movements.

The observing soldiers started murmuring and laughing.

—"Did you see that?! She doesn't even know how to hold a sword, but she dodges like crazy!"

—"She has natural reflexes!"

—"It looks like she's dancing!"

Susan stopped and looked at Gaius.

—"D-Does this count?"

The captain stroked his chin, thoughtful.

—"Hmmm… her posture is awful, she has no strength, no technique… but her reflexes are ridiculously good."

Lili, still panting, blinked.

—"I-Is that a compliment or a critique?"

—"Both."

The soldiers laughed again.

Gaius then raised his hand.

—"That's enough for now. Now I'll really train you."

"First, basic endurance! You will run around the training field until you can maintain the pace without getting tired."

—"Then, strength! You will lift light weights until your muscles adapt to the load."

—"Then, combat stances! You must learn to hold your weapon properly before even thinking about attacking."

Susan nodded with determination.

Lili, on the other hand, internally sobbed.

And so began the first real day of training for the future heroines.

On the other hand

Raz stood atop a circular stone platform, his arm extended, pointing at an iron training dummy with a theatrically focused pose… though his face told a completely different story. His expression was a mix of frustration and comedy: furrowed brows, squinting eyes, a crooked, resigned smile — as if he felt utterly ridiculous.

—"Hmmmm… concentration… breathing… energy…" he muttered through clenched teeth, tensing his arm. "Come on, magical energy… Hello? Are you there?"

Nothing. Not even a spark.

Alzareth, the Supreme Mage, stood nearby, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised as he silently observed. Eventually, he couldn't hold back his laughter.

—"Hahahaha! What a pathetic face, boy! You look more like a stage actor than a magic apprentice!"

Raz lowered his arm, keeping that same awkward smile on his face.

—"Well, at least I'm trying to look like a dedicated student."

—"Perhaps the problem is that you don't know what type of magic you possess," said Alzareth, regaining his composure. "Most apprentices are able to manifest magic just by channeling it and firing it at a target, but it seems you need a different kind of stimulus."

Raz chuckled slightly.

—"Maybe you're right, Alzareth…" though in his mind, he was thinking, "I know exactly what power I have… Lightning . I felt it when I absorbed that maid's blood. So… why can't I fire it?"

Alzareth snapped his fingers and called over a nearby maid.

—"You! Bring me the crystal staff."

The maid nodded quickly, but just as she was about to leave, the mage's tone shifted sharply.

—"Be very careful! That staff is one of a kind, irreplaceable. If you damage it…" his voice turned dark, almost terrifying, "I don't even want to imagine what will happen."

The girl turned pale and ran off in a hurry.

Raz raised an eyebrow.

—"Is it really that important?"

—"More than you think," Alzareth replied more calmly. "The Crystal Staff of Magical Attunement channels energy for you. You just have to give it a command, an intention… and it channels your magic for you."

—"Sounds very useful," Raz said, genuinely interested.

—"It is. Though it's not something just anyone can use."

But just as they were speaking, a scream broke the calm.

—"Ahhh!"

Both turned their heads and saw the maid trip and fall, the staff rolling several meters across the floor.

Alzareth paled.

—"NO!"

He ran to the spot, ignoring all protocol. He picked up the staff with trembling hands and examined it immediately.

—"Damn it… it has a crack!" he growled.

Then, he turned furiously toward the maid who was still trying to stand up.

—"Idiot!"

Without thinking, he slapped her so hard she fell to the ground again. Then, with a wave of his hand, a gust of wind slammed her against a wall, knocking her unconscious.

Other maids ran to assist her, clearly used to such violence, though fear was written all over their faces.

Raz silently watched everything, feeling the mage's dark and overwhelming aura.

"This guy… is seriously dangerous."

With a fake smile, he asked:

—"Won't you get in trouble for doing that?"

Alzareth, still inspecting the staff, replied coldly:

—"Nothing will happen. That girl is my slave."

Raz raised an eyebrow.

—"Slave?"

The mage sighed, now calmer, and turned back to Raz.

—"Yes. All the maids in the castle are slaves."

—"Why?"

—"Because it's cheaper to maintain slaves than to hire real maids. If they work well, they get food, shelter, and some protection. It's a practical system. And if they don't perform… well, they're replaceable."

Raz looked at him carefully.

—"And that's legal?"

—"In this kingdom, yes. As long as the master is responsible for them, no one interferes."

—"Interesting…" Raz said, though a chill ran down his spine. "This world is crueler than it seems."

Alzareth refocused.

—"Now, back to training. This dummy you see here is used to measure the magic level of whoever casts a spell."

—"Magic level?"

—"Yes. In this world, magic is classified from level 1 to 5."

Raz paid attention as the elder mage began explaining in detail:

—"Level 1 is common magic. Almost everyone has it — minor spells to light fires, illuminate candles, or warm water. It's used daily for chores or simple functions."

—"And level 2?"

—"Average guards. Soldiers, patrolmen, new recruits. Stronger spells, but still limited."

—"Level 3?"

—"Experienced soldiers, trained fighters. Some nobles have it too."

—"And level 4?"

—"Rare. High-ranking officers, elite warriors. Few reach it. Many die before they can develop it fully."

—"What about level 5?"

Alzareth smiled with a touch of arrogance.

—"Only a handful possess it. So far, only Vaelis and I have demonstrated stable control over level 5 magic in this entire kingdom."

—"There are no others?"

—"Maybe out there… powerful adventurers, reclusive hermits. But it's not common."

Raz looked down, thoughtful.

—"Can magic level be improved?"

—"Normally, no," Alzareth replied. "When a baby is born, its body absorbs ambient magic. But there's a natural limit — once the body can't absorb more, it stabilizes."

—"And what determines that limit?"

—"No one knows for sure. Some say magic chooses the individual. Others say it's hereditary. Some believe it's a body's natural self-preservation barrier to avoid overload."

Raz crossed his arms.

—"And us, being summoned heroes…"

—"You might behave differently. We're still studying it. Your case might be unique."

Raz smiled.

—"Then let's see what my level is."

He took the staff with both hands. Instantly, he felt power flowing into him, as if the staff had awakened something dormant inside.

—"This… yes, this channels it perfectly…" he whispered.

Without further delay, he pointed at the dummy and calmly said:

—"Fire."

A bolt of lightning shot from the staff, hitting the center of the dummy. The dummy glowed for a few seconds, and a small crystal inside it displayed the result:

Level 1.

Raz frowned.

—"Level 1?"

Alzareth stepped closer, examining the crystal in disbelief.

—"Curious… I expected more."

Raz looked at him.

—"Does that mean I'm weak?"

—"Not necessarily," Alzareth replied. "Maybe your body hasn't fully adapted yet. Or your magic is sealed or dormant."

—"So, it could change?"

—"Unlikely. But in your case… I wouldn't rule it out. You're a summoned hero. Everything is different with you."

Raz lowered his gaze.

"I can't reveal my true abilities yet… but this works in my favor."

He looked up with his usual charming smile.

—"Don't worry, Alzareth. I'll do my best. I won't disappoint you."

The mage looked at him for a moment and smiled approvingly.

—"I hope so, boy. Let's keep training!"