"Where am I?" Rule number one: if humans summon you, always ask about the place first so they won't suspect you right away.
I suddenly woke up in a white chamber, its walls covered with glowing dragon-shaped engravings that shone with a mysterious light. They called it the Summoning Chamber; I could read its name despite not knowing the language of this world.
The answer to my first question came swiftly.
"Welcome, hero, to our beloved kingdom. I am the king—you may call me Alexander."
I felt shocked—or rather, I pretended to be. The king continued,
"We have summoned you to save us from the approaching evil. Tell me, boy, what is your name?"
The king was a man of sturdy build, radiating both majesty and kindness. There was no better description than that of a true king. His eyes were sharp and crimson, his beard neatly trimmed, and his royal robes embroidered with gold.
I hesitated before answering.
"I… don't have one."
Everyone looked surprised.
"You don't? … No matter, it's not a big problem. We'll simply call you the hero for now. If you wish, we may grant you a name."
He then turned to one of his men, a priest dressed in ceremonial robes, and commanded,
"Sinister, show the hero around."
Then he looked back at me, adding,
"This is Sinister. He was the one who performed the summoning, and he insisted on guiding you personally."
After exchanging greetings, he began to lead me through the palace. The corridors were wide, lit by the same strange glowing magic. I couldn't help but wonder how they managed to illuminate them.
Suddenly, he turned toward me and asked,
"Lord End Writer, did the Great Writer not grant you a name?"
"He did… but I forgot it."
"How could you forget something as important as a name? Most End Writers fight solely for it."
"I don't want a temporary one… I want a name that belongs to me."
"You are an End Writer. You are not meant to have a name. You have only one mission. Understood?"
"I know, I know. Just lower your voice. Someone might hear us."
Sinister calmed himself and rubbed his eyes.
"A month from now, the Ceremony of the Hero's Sword will be held. You must prepare. We'll also need someone to teach you the language of this world."
"There's no need for that. Didn't you know? One of the End Writer's traits is the ability to read all languages of all worlds."
"How is that possible?"
"I don't know either… it's like digestion is for humans."
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed through the hallway.
"Sinister!"
Two figures appeared—a young man with black hair and piercing blue eyes, dressed in a white robe befitting a prince, and beside him, a beautiful girl with golden hair and matching blue eyes, wearing a green dress adorned with flowers.
Sinister spoke immediately,
"Your Highnesses, what brings you here?"
The prince replied,
"We came to see the hero."
The girl followed,
"And why didn't you inform us of his arrival?"
Sinister explained,
"Those were the king's orders."
The prince frowned.
"Why would Father forbid us from meeting the hero?"
Sinister answered coldly,
"Because you refuse to acknowledge him."
The princess shifted her gaze toward me.
"And who is that behind you?"
"This is the hero."
"Huh?"
Sinister introduced us,
"Hero, this is Princess Lysia and the first prince, Ronald."
I stammered, trying to appear friendly.
"Ah… h-hello."
It was obvious the princess was the gentle type, so I decided to feign weakness… but the problem was with the prince.
Lysia immediately scoffed,
"How could someone so ugly be the hero? Isn't he supposed to be more handsome, like in the stories?"
Ronald added, mocking my stutter,
"How could someone so weak ever become our savior?"
Sinister sighed.
"And that's exactly why you weren't told. The hero needs time to develop his strength. As for his appearance… well, that can't be fixed. But it isn't that bad."
…Is my appearance really that terrible?
Ronald challenged,
"I won't accept him as a hero unless he proves himself. His presence here is the result of a random summoning—how am I supposed to trust that?"
Exactly what I needed. If I prove myself even once, he'll be forced to put aside his jealousy.
Sinister intervened,
"The hero needs training. He comes from a world without mana."
Lysia raised an eyebrow, folding her arms.
"And how do you know that?"
Sinister smirked mischievously.
"Oh, Princess, weren't you listening? We were just talking, and he told me himself."
Lysia nodded in understanding.
"Then why don't we take him to the Evaluation Chamber and see what he can do?"
Ronald grinned.
"Actually, that's a good idea. Let's go."
*******
Meanwhile, inside the Summoning Chamber.
"Your Majesty, didn't you find something strange about the hero?"
"Strange? In what way?"
"He wasn't surprised… or rather, he pretended to be."
"I don't understand."
"I can't explain it well, but he seemed… accustomed to all this."
"We don't know what kind of life he lived. Especially since he has no name. We shouldn't be quick to judge, Raphael."
"Father, set aside your kindness. This is important—we can't afford emotions here."
"I try… but my heart keeps overwhelming my mind."
"Then allow me permission to act as I see fit."
*******
As we walked through the palace corridors toward the Evaluation Chamber, Sinister suddenly spoke to me through telepathy.
– Lord End Writer, is something troubling you?
– Sinister, tell me… are there only two princes?
– No, there is also the second prince—the one you saw standing beside the king.
– Who?
– …Did you not notice him? His name is Raphael. Sharp, vigilant, the most dangerous of the princes. You must be careful around him.
His voice paused briefly before continuing.
– Oh, and the third prince… he's just a failure. No need to worry about him. Speaking of which—here he is.
We were greeted by a dry voice belonging to a man around twenty-five.
"Hello, brother. Is this the hero?"
Sinister asked in surprise, "How did you know?"
Lysia sneered,
"Trash recognizes its own kind."
…For some reason, I started feeling pity for this man.
The third prince stepped forward.
"Welcome, hero. My name is Ryan. May I ask yours?"
I hesitated before replying,
"I… I'm sorry, but I don't have one."
"You don't? That's unusual… Can you tell me about the world you came from?"
Feeling uneasy, I quickly answered,
"Maybe later. I should head to the Evaluation Chamber first."
"Very well. Best of luck."
We resumed walking, and I continued my telepathic exchange with Sinister.
– Didn't you say he's just a failure?
– Yes, why?
– That man is dangerous. He was analyzing my behavior and even tried to read my memories with his ability. And I felt a familiar aura from him… though I can't recall where. Every cell in my body screamed at me to run.
– Impossible. He doesn't possess any ability.
– It may seem that way, but I'm certain he does. I need to avoid him as much as possible.
*******
The Evaluation Chamber
When we arrived, the first thing I noticed about the vast hall were its walls, covered in intricate engravings. At its center stood a massive crystal, about the size of two grown men.
"Welcome, Your Highnesses. May I ask the purpose of your visit? And who is this with you?"
Sinister replied,
"This is the hero. We've come to evaluate his abilities."
"Of course. Place your hand here."
I felt a little tense, but I stretched out my hand onto the transparent crystal, eager to see my power. Suddenly, a surge of energy coursed through me. Inside the crystal, storms erupted, thunder roared, and whirlwinds raged.
"Congratulations, hero. You possess the ability… Calamities!"
"Is this ability strong?"
Everyone in the chamber stiffened, but Ronald broke the silence,
"That depends on how you use it."
I didn't quite understand what he meant, but Sinister reassured me,
"It's no ordinary ability. It's rare—potentially very powerful, though hard to master. It allows you to control natural disasters: hurricanes, earthquakes, lightning, and floods."
Then he spoke to me mentally,
– Do you truly know nothing of this world, or have you simply forgotten again? I won't always be here to help. My role ends once you either win or lose at the Hero's Sword Ceremony.
– The Great Writer only told us this much: there's a sword, and we must fight for it. The winner takes the mission. That's all he said.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ronald whispering with two men, as though scheming something.
No matter what he plans, it doesn't concern me. All I need is to complete my mission.