The days following Lucy's surprise fire spell were brutal, but finally, a rare moment of peace had arrived.
He found himself in the banquet hall, a sprawling chamber with crystal chandeliers floating overhead and walls adorned with living tapestries that shifted with the wind. Typically, by 11:30 sharp, the doors would swing open and Darfin would march in, grab him by the collar, and drag him off to more "character-building" pain—often before he even got a bite to eat.
But not today.
Darfin had ordered Llarm, Eri, and Gindu to take the afternoon off to prepare for a new phase of training. That meant Lucy, for once, had time to do what he'd been dreaming of since his first day on this strange world: feast.
And what a feast it was.
His plate was a tower of chaotic indulgence—waffles stacked like golden bricks, greasy cheeseburgers piled high, fries spilling onto the polished table, and an entire pizza perched on top like a greasy crown.
His eyes gleamed with joy, practically tearing up. "If heaven had a buffet, this would be it," he muttered reverently.
Across from him sat his new, and possibly only, friend, Llarm, the blonde-haired wind mage and self-declared sports enthusiast. Llarm was currently using a breeze spell to flick chunks of food into the air and catch them in his mouth.
"Score!" he shouted after every successful catch, fist-pumping like he'd just won a match.
Meanwhile, at the far end of the table, Eri and Gindu sat stiffly, keeping as much distance between themselves and Lucy as the long banquet table would allow. Unlike Llarm, they hadn't warmed up to the idea of a human being in their midst.
Lucy noticed. He always noticed.
It bothered him more than he liked to admit.
'Whatever. Their loss,' he told himself bitterly, trying to refocus on his glorious mountain of food.
With zero hesitation, he dove in, grabbing handfuls of everything and shoveling it into his mouth like he hadn't eaten in a year. He barely chewed, letting flavor and texture blur into one euphoric experience.
'This would cost me hundreds back on Earth… And it's free here?! What a dream!'
Llarm leaned in, watching him with growing concern.
"Uh… Lucy, can I ask you something?"
Lucy paused mid-bite, pounding his chest as he swallowed a dangerously large mouthful. "Sure," he said between gasps. "But only if I get to ask the hero a question after."
Llarm beamed at the title. "Deal!"
Then he cocked his head and asked innocently, "Sorry if this is rude, but… are all humans pigs when they eat?"
Lucy burst into laughter, a full, belly-deep cackle that echoed down the hall. Even Eri and Gindu turned to look, eyebrows raised.
"No, no! Most humans would throw up just watching me eat like this!" he said between snickers. "I'm special."
But Llarm didn't laugh. His smile faded a bit, and his gaze drifted toward the polished floor.
"I've just… heard things. About humans."
There it was again—that same note of caution, the quiet prejudice that seemed to follow him everywhere.
Lucy's laughter died.
He took a breath, straightened a little in his seat, and asked what had been burning in the back of his mind since day one.
"Actually… that's what I wanted to ask you. Why does everyone here hate humans?"
Llarm practically jumped out of his seat, planting both hands on the table with a dramatic thud.
"What—you seriously don't know!?" he blurted, eyes wide.
Lucy blinked, a bit caught off guard. He slowly shook his head. "Nope. Clueless."
The tension in Llarm's posture deflated just a little as he glanced around, noticing the stares from nearby students. He awkwardly cleared his throat and dropped back into his seat.
"Right. Uh, okay. Where to begin…" He rubbed his chin like a scholar pondering ancient philosophy. "Hmm… yeah, the beginning's good. Always a classic."
He suddenly thrust a thumb right into Lucy's face, grinning like a game show host. "Get ready for some legendary storytelling, baby!"
Lucy casually pushed the thumb aside. "Alright, hit me with it, hero."
'What's the worst that could happen?' he thought. 'Besides finding out my whole species is hated for a particular, very genocidal reason.'
Llarm cleared his throat again—this time for dramatic effect, and launched into his tale.
"Long, long ago—before the gods even existed—there were six main races living in harmony," he began, lowering his voice like a bedtime storyteller. "The elves, small in number, kept to their lush forests, honing magic passed down through generations. The giants, naturally isolated, stayed in the mountains. Ogres worked in the capital, their hands strangely brilliant. The Dragonkin? Desert dwellers, tough as nails. And then there were the humans and beastkin, who ruled the capital together. Side by side. Partners."
Lucy tilted his head, surprised. 'Wait, we used to rule together? 'That's kinda cool.'
Llarm paused to grab his drink and took a long, noisy sip.
"Pardon me," he said between gulps. "All this historical knowledge makes a guy parched."
Lucy snorted, unable to help himself. "Yeah, careful. Wouldn't want dehydration to ruin your big debut."
With a grin, Llarm leaned back in and continued.
"Anyway, everything was perfect. Peaceful. Like, painfully peaceful. No wars, no famines, no magical disasters. That's true across most worlds, at first. But then…"
His tone dropped, growing darker.
"…for reasons no one fully understands, a human attacked a beastkin. Then another. Then a wave of them. Within weeks, humans were waging war across every realm. Without warning, they enslaved the other races, torched cities, and shattered entire ecosystems. Like some berserk virus."
Lucy felt a cold weight settle in his stomach. 'That can't be right. There's no way. That's not us. Is it?'
Llarm's expression turned solemn, eyes focused on something far beyond the banquet hall.
"The gods didn't exist yet, but the chaos summoned them. Manifested them, even. And when they arrived, well, they banished humanity. Locked them away in their own isolated world. Your world."
He glanced at Lucy. "Over time, humans forgot everything about the other races, the gods, and magic. But we never forgot."
Silence fell between them.
Lucy sat frozen. He didn't know what to say.
'That's why. That's why Eri looks at me like I'm a monster, why Gindu won't talk to me, and why even Llarm flinches when he talks about humans. To them, I'm a descendant of a warmonger. A walking reminder of everything they hate.'
Then Llarm coughed again, clearing the heavy air.
"Of course, I left out the part where a gorgeous, unbelievably powerful hero named Llarm rose and kicked some serious human ass, but hey—guess I'll save that story for next time."
He flashed a cheeky grin, hoping to lighten the mood.
Lucy didn't laugh this time. He just stared down at his empty plate, the food now sitting heavy in his gut.
"…Right," he said quietly. "Next time."
Llarm, noticing how his grand tale had completely tanked the mood, scrambled for something uplifting to say.
"Hey!" he blurted. "You're not like those other humans. I mean, you are human—but, like, a better one!"
It was such a clumsy and awkward attempt at encouragement that it worked.
Lucy blinked at him. 'What an idiot,' he thought, but couldn't stop the grin tugging at his lips. A small laugh escaped before he could smother it.
"Thanks, Llarm," he said, cracking a genuine smile.
Before Llarm could spit out another weird compliment or try to double down, a voice rang through the palace—soft as a whisper, yet loud enough to silence the entire realm.
It was Seraphine.
"Will everyone please meet in the Grand Hall for an important announcement?"
Her voice was melodic, like wind chimes on a stormy day—beautiful, but unsettling. And beneath her calm tone, Lucy could feel something was wrong, like the hum of a tremor before the quake.
'An important announcement? What on Earth could that—
Wait. Right. Not on Earth. Never mind.
Still... what could that be!?'
Whatever it was, his gut twisted with unease.
As he and Llarm made their way through the winding halls of the palace, Lucy's nerves gnawed at him with every step. Meanwhile, Llarm was practically skipping.
"Can you walk like a normal person?" Lucy muttered under his breath, eye twitching.
Soon, they arrived at the massive golden doors leading to the Grand Hall. Lucy stepped through, and his breath caught in his throat.
'Dear god… I didn't know we had this many.'
The hall was flooded with people. No—soldiers. Warriors from every race stood in rows of disciplined silence. Giants lined the back like statues. Ogres, Dragonkin, Beastkin, and Elves followed in descending height and raw intimidation.
And then just him.
'One human. Great.'
Lucy felt the weight of every eye on him as he weaved through the crowd. The pressure was suffocating, like walking through water while wearing lead boots. He kept his head down, letting the silence of his presence speak louder than words.
By the time he reached the front, Llarm was already grinning like a kid in a candy store.
In front of them sat Seraphine, radiant as ever on her throne. Beside her stood six figures, each one radiating power—the generals.
They looked like they could win a war single-handedly, but one drew Lucy's eyes more than the others.
'Darfin.'
His golden hair shimmered like a god's halo, armor gleaming silver like moonlight. He looked like a living painting—elegant, indestructible, and terrifyingly perfect.
Lucy didn't realize he was staring until the hall's great doors slammed shut behind them. The sound echoed like thunder, and the room fell into an eerie hush.
Then Seraphine rose.
She was dazzling. Her silver hair gleamed beneath the chandeliers, and her piercing blue eyes seemed to gaze into each soul in the room. But instead of her flowing white and silver gown, she wore a black, elegant, and stark gown. Thorns crowned her head like a queen of mourning.
"My children," she began, her voice smooth but somber, "thank you for gathering here today. For many of you, the road has been long. For some, your journey is just beginning."
She paused and turned her gaze toward Lucy, winking.
His heart skipped a beat. 'Oh no. Don't wink at me like that. I am not ready for divine flirting right now.'
"Today," she continued, "I bring troubling news. The God of Control has made his move. He is targeting a planet I have long set my sights on. Should he succeed in claiming it, the balance of power between the four gods will shift in his favor."
The hall buzzed with a quiet ripple of unease. Lucy could barely breathe.
"We cannot allow that," Seraphine said firmly. "In three days' time, there will be war. A clash of power. My five thousand best against his."
Her voice dropped, heavy with purpose.
"I ask you to fight. Not just for me, but for our journey. For what we are building together."
She bowed her head.
"Thank you."
The silence was shattered in an instant.
The Grand Hall exploded with cheers, chants, and roars of approval. The floor trembled beneath the weight of voices united in purpose, as the entire army roared with fire in their veins.
All except Lucy.
He stood frozen in place, heart pounding in his ears.
'Wait—wait, what did she just say!?'