The throne room of Cavlar Kingdom was vast — a cathedral-sized chamber of shimmering obsidian floors and sky-high stained-glass windows that painted fractured rainbows on polished marble. Ornate pillars lined the walls like silent guardians, and the golden throne atop the stairs gleamed with uncomfortable authority.
The massive double doors groaned open, and the heavy echo of footsteps broke the stillness.
Klak. Klak. Klak.
Kaito Minazuki — or rather, Dormoto Uraska reborn — stepped casually into the chamber like a man returning from vacation, hands in his pockets, face wearing the calm indifference of a god who no longer cared about being worshipped.
He looked directly at the aging king who sat on the throne.
> “Ohhh… Alfor,” Kaito said, stretching the vowels like he was talking to an old friend. “You look so… old. And thin. The stress really got to you, huh?”
The king’s eyes widened with dread. He immediately rose from his throne and stepped down, bowing his head low enough to nearly kiss the floor.
> “M-Master Dormoto…” His voice cracked. “You look… different. What happened to you?”
Kaito stopped at the foot of the stairs, tilting his head slightly, a glint of mischief in his crimson eyes.
> “Call me Kaito Minazuki now. Or just Kaito. I went on… let’s call it a vacation. A peaceful world. My form changed.” He flicked dust off his sleeve with dramatic flair. “Less dramatic, less horns, more... high school student.”
The king hesitated. “Your clothing, Master… it is unlike anything I’ve seen.”
Kaito didn’t answer immediately. He simply brushed past the king, ascended the steps, and dropped into the throne with a soft thud, legs crossed, arms resting lazily on the armrests like he owned the place — which, technically, he once did.
He leaned forward, his tone cold and sharp.
> “Are you questioning me, Alfor?”
The king’s eyes widened in panic. He dropped to his knees in front of the throne, head bowed so low it almost scraped the floor.
> “Forgive me, Master! I meant no offense. I would never mock you!”
Then, from the far end of the room, a girl’s voice rang out — bold and defiant.
> “What are you doing, Dad?! You’re the king! Get off your knees!”
Gasps rippled through the nobles.
A girl stepped forward from the gathered crowd. She wore a sapphire-blue dress that shimmered like starlight, her golden hair woven into an elegant braid that curled over her shoulder. Her eyes burned with the fire of royalty.
She strode straight toward the throne, heels clicking like gunfire on marble.
> “How dare you threaten my father! You barge in like you own this kingdom and—”
Before she could finish, her father sprang up and covered her mouth with his hand.
> “Please forgive her, Master,” the king said with a tight smile. “She doesn’t know who you are. She’s… spirited.”
Kaito, surprisingly, chuckled.
He rose from the throne, descending slowly toward them, the candlelight casting long shadows behind him.
He crouched before the girl, eyes scanning her face with quiet interest. She stared back, unflinching, proud.
> “What’s your name, young one?” he asked gently.
> “Seraphina Dagonhart,” she said without hesitation. “Princess of the Cavlar Kingdom.”
Kaito smiled, not unkindly. “Seraphina… you’re him. The fire in your eyes — it’s the same he had when he tried to stab me with a spoon as a child.”
The nobles winced.
The king coughed in embarrassment.
Kaito stood and brushed off his jacket. “Good. You’ll make a terrifying queen someday. Now go stand beside your father — you’ve earned it.”
Seraphina hesitated, but after a nod from her father, she stepped back and took her place beside the throne, eyes never leaving Kaito.
Just then, the grand chamber doors creaked again.
The other seven summoned heroes, still confused and wide-eyed, entered the throne room. Some looked like they were still processing the fact they weren’t on Earth anymore. Rin Aisaka walked with a limp, rubbing his sore back from his earlier "introduction" with Kaito’s magic.
Kaito glanced at the king.
> “So, tell me — what should I call you now? Majesty? Your Highness? Or just Alfor, the panicked?”
The king swallowed. “You… may call me anything you wish, Master.”
Kaito nodded. “Then ‘King’ is fine. Simple. Regal. I like it.”
He sat on the edge of the throne’s steps and looked out over the newcomers — eight young people from another world, staring at him like he was a glitch in the prophecy.
> “Now, King… Tell me everything,” Kaito said, his voice smooth but cold. “Why summon heroes again? Why was a single holy maiden allowed to open a gate from another world?”
The king looked uncomfortable, but before he could answer, a trembling soldier stepped forward and spoke instead.
> “Your Majesty… th-these are the heroes. All of them were brought forth through the summoning ritual by Lady Freya.”
The kingdom still trembled beneath Dormoto's lingering presence—his name alone sent a chill through the throne hall.
The King’s gaze darted to Kaito, silent and urgent.
Kaito gave a single nod—subtle, sharp, absolute.
That was all the signal he needed.
The King stepped forward, spine straight, voice rising with practiced grace.
> “To all the summoned ones: I am Alfor Dagonhart, King of Cavlar. On behalf of our broken world, I offer my deepest gratitude. Humanity has fallen to its knees, scattered and enslaved by the races who once suffered under our rule. But we dream of rising again. Of reclaiming peace and dignity. And for that, we need you — our heroes.”
A long silence followed.
The heroes shifted, still unsure of what to make of the speech — or the terrifying guy who just threw one of them across a hall and then casually took the throne.
Kaiya Tanaka whispered to Rin, “Is he… always like this?”
Rin winced. “I don’t know, but he sits on that throne like he built it.”
James Carter mumbled, “I’m getting final boss vibes. Can we trade worlds?”
Diego muttered, “I thought this was gonna be like a light novel… this is dark novel territory, man.”
Mila Vostrikov just folded her arms. “He’s either the worst enemy or the strongest ally.”
Leo Kingsley, hands still clenched, glared at Kaito. “Whatever he is… I don’t trust him.”
Meanwhile, Kaito tapped his chin, watching them all.
> “Interesting batch this time,” he said aloud. “This might be fun after all.”
Then he grinned — wide, wicked, and amused.
“Let the game begin.”
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