The glowing text hovering before Baek Ri-hyun's eyes vanished as abruptly as it had appeared.
He gazed upon the throne hall, assessing every corner.
The towering pillars, carved with intricate scenes of ancient battles and divine figures.
At the far end of the hall, upon a raised dais, sat an ornate throne, currently unoccupied.
Near the center of the hall, amidst the fading glow of the summoning circles, stood four individuals who looked utterly bewildered.
They wore strange, casual clothing - t-shirts with faded logos, denim pants and sports shoes. Above their heads, translucent text flickers intermittently.
One of the young men with dark hair and with a fairly handsome face, exclaimed,
"Amazing, it's just like in the manga. I'm a swordsman, blend in with my kendo mastery."
A girl with vibrant pink hair and a determined expression nodded.
"I got one too, but I'm a mage… this is insane!"
Another young man, slightly smaller than the first guy with glasses perched on his nose, looked around the opulent hall with a stunned expression.
"This is something that would appear only in fantasies."
A similar screen flickered above his head, displaying his archer class.
The fourth young man, slightly taller than the third, frowned at the text above him.
"I'm… classless?"
His status screen seems less impressive than the others.
"Oh great heroes"
The princess, Aurelia Beleville, began, her voice echoing slightly in the vast space.
"We understand this must be… unexpected. But the plight of our kingdom is dire. The Demon King-"
"I refuse"
Baek Ri-hyun interrupted, his voice flat and devoid of form.
He turned, his worn boots echoing softly on the marble floor as he moved towards the massive, gilded doors that marked the entrance to the throne hall.
Aurelia's silver eyes widened in surprise, then shifted with concern to the bewildered earthlings.
"But… the goddess herself answered my prayer! You are our only hope!"
She stood quickly from her position near the summoning circle, her delicate silken robes rustling as she hurried to intercept Baek Ri-hyun.
"Please, just hear our plea, our people are suffering-"
Baek Ri-hyun halted a step from the door, but did not turn back.
"My world also suffered. You called us here with no consent and even told us to risk our lives for a kingdom we have no relation with."
He gestured vaguely behind him towards the group of earthlings.
"Perhaps, these individuals, blessed with these strange texts, will be more inclined to play the hero."
Before she could formulate a response, sir Damian Thorne shifted from the side of the hall.
"Princess,"
The knight said, his voice resonating with authority.
"These level 1 individuals dares to show such blatant disrespect."
Baek Ri-hyun took another step towards the door.
Sir Damian, his face flushed with indignation, moved to intercept him, his hand now firmly gripping the hilt of his greatsword.
"Hold, stranger!"
"You will not disrespect the summons of the goddess and the plea of our princess!"
"By the authority of the-"
He stopped abruptly
His momentum ceased as his eyes met Ri-hyun's
It wasn't a glare nor a display of overt power, but far more unsettling.
It was a gaze that held the weight of countless lifetimes, the stare of a predator contemplating whether to devour even after a full meal.
His grip on his sword's hilt loosened imperceptibly.
He felt like a child facing an ancient, unknown wolf.
Princess Aurelia watched the exchange with a troubled expression.
She saw the rigid set of sir Damian's shoulder falter, the flicker of uncertainty in his usually unwavering blue eyes.
"Sir Damian, please,"
She said softly, her voice clear despite the tension in the air
Damian hesitated, his gaze still locked on Ri-hyun, before slowly turning towards the princess.
"But, princess!"
"This man's insolence cannot be ignored!"
"We summoned heroes to save our kingdom, not to turn their backs on our suffering!"
Aurelia stepped forward.
"I understand your concern sir Damian"
"But I believe true help cannot be coerced."
"If this… hero does not wish to aid us, then forcing him will only breed resentment, not loyalty or strength."
She turned to the departing Ri-hyun, her voice carrying a note of quiet resignation.
"Great hero, if that is truly your desire, then you are free to leave."
"May the goddess guide your path."
Ri-hyun paused at the threshold of the massive doors.
He absorbed the princess's words, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his stoic features.
A faint acknowledgement of a concept had long forgotten: free will.
Without a word, he walked through the gilded doors and disappeared from the throne room.
Sir Damian stared after him, his jaw tight in frustration.
The four young adults exchanged uneasy glances.
Aurelia turned her attention back to them, a gentle smile gracing her lips despite the strange turn of events.
"Great heroes, I still hold hope that you will lend us your strength in our time of need."
They shouted.
"We will fight for the kingdom!"
Fully immersing themselves in the world they are in.
With a smile filled with hope and gratitude
"Yes!"
"Please tell us about yourselves…"
The young man with dark hair stepped forward confidently.
"I'm Hiroki Tanaka, and this is Sakura Tanaka, my little sister."
Sakura nodded, her vibrant hair swaying.
"It is an honor to meet you princess."
She said while bowing.
Aurelia immediately helped her up.
"N-no need for such formalities between us."
The small man with the glasses then proceeded.
"Kenji Sato, an archer."
He said with a stern face.
And the final individual nervously introduced himself.
"I'm Takeshi Aoki, pleased to meet you all."
Aurelia listened intently, her gentle smile unwavering.
"Hiroki, Sakura, Kenji, and Takeshi. It is an honor to meet you and thank you for being the beacon of hope for our kingdom."
"Sir Damian, please guide them to their rooms, so that they can start getting settled."
Damian obediently nodded and gestured towards the group towards the open gilded doors.
As they left, the knights followed, leaving the archmage and the princess in the throne hall.
"What of the hero that left?"
Aurelia asked with a worried expression.
"He has just exited the grand palace, your majesty."
"What if he fails to adapt in our world, he might get caught in dangerous situations!"
Aurelia held her head in worry.
Baek Ri-hyun found himself outside of the palace, the unfamiliar warm sun on his face.
The air here was different, cleaner, lacking the scent of blood and smokes of war that had become his companion.
"It's… peaceful."
A gentle smile on his face.
He looked back at the imposing structure of the palace, a place of ornate beauty that felt utterly foreign to him.
With a sigh, Baek Ri-hyun turned and began to walk away from the palace, towards the unknown expanse of this new world.