Underneath a sky filled with countless white clouds drifting lazily, their reflections painted the boundless ocean below in shades of blue. The vast sea stretched endlessly, waves rising and falling rhythmically. Yet, there was silence—an unsettling, absolute silence. Even the crashing waves made no sound.
Amid this infinite expanse of water stood a boy of average height, his black hair whipping in the air, stark naked against the elements. Waves crashed into him repeatedly, but he remained unmoving, unresponsive, staring out into the infinite horizon. Suddenly, a soft feminine voice echoed, repeating a single word—"Laos." Over and over, the name resounded, delicate and persistent.
The boy turned his gaze, seeking the source of the voice. But all he found was the endless sea and its relentless waves. The voice continued, disembodied yet omnipresent, weaving through the air like the tide surrounding him.
Just as the boy's search bore no fruit, a wave unlike any other emerged—a towering, monstrous surge, reaching terrifying heights. Realizing its approach, the boy began to run, his feet splashing futilely in the water. But where could he flee? In a limitless sea, chased by an incomprehensibly large wave, where was hope?
I don't know. All I know is that the boy ran and screamed, though no sound escaped his mouth—or perhaps it did, but it was drowned out by the roar of the sea. Exhausted, he fell beneath the surface, consumed entirely by the colossal wave, sinking into the depths.
Beneath the water, he clung to life, thrashing desperately to resurface. But the sea's strength was overpowering, dragging him further and further down. His resistance weakened, and as his breath faltered, acceptance of his end began to settle.
◆ ◆ ◆
"Oh my god! Hah! Hah! Hah!" I gasped as I bolted upright from my bed, drenched in sweat, tears streaming down my face. Fuck. It was that dream again! Over and over, it haunted me every time I rested my head. What the hell was going on? My heart pounded violently as I gasped for air.
Wiping the sweat and tears from my face with the blanket, I got out of bed and opened the window. The night was beautiful—or at least I tried convincing myself of that to forget the nightmare. I took deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling, before gazing out at the view outside. It was a sight I had seen countless times yet still admired, even with the annoying chatter of guards echoing in the distance. The stars and the night sky of this world were stunning. Sure, they were the same stars as back on Earth, but here, they felt special.
This is me—Laos—and it's just another day in this world. Fuck! Just as I started to rid myself of past troubles, this nightmare kept haunting me. It's happened more than four times now. What the hell is going on in Staria?! After some time staring outside, I shut the window and pulled the curtains before collapsing back onto the bed.
"Please, Goddess Lunariss, I won't curse you anymore. Just get rid of this dream, I beg you."
Morning finally came, bringing a faint sense of relief. I've always preferred the day, unlike the night, which I've come to despise—probably because of that fucking dream. I got up, washed my face, and then went to take a shit. The palace's bathroom setup was primitive: a box to relieve oneself, which was emptied when full. To this day, I have no idea where they dispose of the shit, and honestly, I pity the servants tasked with dealing with the stench. the smell here is deadly!
After finishing, I headed toward the hall where I was assigned to clean Princess Tiana's favorite musical instruments. I take my work seriously and hope for a promotion soon. On my way there, I noticed all the servants moving toward the staircase leading to the first floor. Every single one of them. What's going on?
Following them, I saw a servant from the first floor, the silver-haired bunny-eared maid who had stopped me before on my way to Tiana. Was that her name? Bonnie? Anyway, everyone gathered around her, standing in attention, including Evol's horns that I glimpsed among the crowd.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"Laos, you're here?" Maris called from behind me.
"Yeah. Do you know what's happening?"
"No, but she said she'd speak once everyone was gathered," Maris replied.
"Is everyone here?" Bonnie asked loudly.
"Yes!" the crowd answered, their heads swiveling to ensure all were present.
"Alright, since Princess Tiana is not here, the Gaziel Break will officially begin," Bonnie declared before swiftly descending to the first floor like someone being chased.
Suddenly, the servants erupted into cheers, hugging one another, some even performing backflips. Petal executed a flawless backflip, leaving me stunned. What's wrong with them? It's just a break, isn't it? Petal then darted toward me and hugged me tightly.
"It's your first Gaziel Break, Laos!" Petal exclaimed.
"Gaziel Break?" I asked.
"The break Gaziel grants us whenever Tiana leaves the palace. It's the most special holiday here because we're allowed to go outside," Maris explained.
"Outside the palace? Oh my god, that's amazing!" I shouted, unable to hide my excitement.
"Can we leave now?" I asked eagerly.
"Yes!" Maris replied with a bright smile.
"Then let's go together!" I said.
"Of course, let's go!" Maris agreed, leading me toward the stairs.
As we spoke, the other servants had already descended, practically rushing as though being freed from prison. Honestly, this place does feel like a prison sometimes. After they all left, Maris and I followed.
The palace gates were wide open, and a large group of servants, including those from the first floor, had already exited. Their joy was palpable. Then I saw Gaziel speaking with some guards. Just his presence was enough to send a chill down my spine. His overwhelming aura always reminded me that he was the strongest person I'd met in this world.
We continued walking until we were finally outside the palace. For the second time, I felt the grass of this world beneath my feet. Raising my hands, I shouted, "Jiyuda!" We ventured further, leaving the palace behind. I ran across the grass until I saw a grove of trees. Beneath the sunlight, I sprinted toward the trees and collapsed under their shade. What bliss!
"You seem to love it out here," Maris remarked as she approached.
"Yeah, I'm someone who loves nature," I replied, gazing at the leaves above me.
"Do you think life would be better if you left the palace?" Maris asked, sitting beside me.
"Absolutely, it'd be amazing. Of course, it would be amazing!" I exclaimed, lost in thought.
"I love nature too. I used to live in a rural area when I was a child," Maris said.
"Maris, would you live with me in a beautiful countryside setting, just the two of us?" I asked before realizing the absurdity of my question. Oh god! I start spouting nonsense whenever I'm happy.
"..."
"Yes! I would love such a life!" she answered, her face clearly showing embarrassment.
Oh my god... Maris likes me! Should I marry her? What is this question! Of course, I would do it once I get out of this fucking palace. I continued my contemplation while lying on the beautiful green grass. After that, two servants approached, and from their attire, it was obvious they were first-floor servants. And they had wolf ears.
"So, you're the hero from another world?" one of them said.
Then, without any warning, one of them jumped at me and raised his fist toward my face, shouting:
"How dare you enter the princess' room?!"
"What's wrong with you... ?!!" I asked, trying to push him away.
Maris pushed him off me and quickly stood up. I got ready to fight, preparing my fists, and waited for my fate. Then he finally advanced with his fist raised, and the other came up from behind me. I stepped back a little, but they rushed at me, so I started running too, because after all, I can't defeat two of them.
Suddenly, Petal appeared and grabbed one of them. The other blocked his way with Evol. The first one fled from Petal and tried to punch him, but Petal easily avoided it, dropped to the ground, and kicked his feet to knock him down. Afterward, Petal helped him up and said:
"Don't be weak, we've only just begun."
Then, he tried to punch again, but Petal grabbed the punch with a mischievous smile, then flipped and kicked his face hard. Oh my god!!! That made him jump up and flee quickly, holding his mouth. On the other side, Evol stood in front of the other servant. Suddenly, he shot some fire from his hand and said:
"We can't use combat magic in the palace, but we're not in the palace now, are we?"
After that, the other servant followed his friend who ran away. Oh my god, they are so strong, how were they slaves?!
"Thank you both," Maris said.
Then, Camelia came over, and we sat together. Suddenly, three cats approached Petal and began playing with him. They sat and talked with him, but what caught my attention was the strength of Evol and Petal. With this strength, they could escape from the palace.
"Have you two thought about escaping from this palace?" I asked while lying on the grass.
"As for me, no. I love living here," Evol answered.
"Yeah, my dream is to become an adventurer, register my name in guilds, fight monsters, and earn money from quests... What a great life!" Petal said while petting the fur of one of the cats.
"Then why don't you escape?" I asked.
"Do you think escaping is easy?" Camelia added.
"Yes, there are a lot of guards, and don't forget the terrifying swordsman, Gaziel! Escaping from this palace is almost impossible," Petal said.
After that, we sat and talked about various topics, like magic and adventure. Then Petal decided to take us to some ruins nearby. Oh my god, ruins! That word gives me a wonderful fantasy feeling. We walked for a bit until we reached a beautiful forest.
"Do these ruins have monsters?" I asked while walking among the trees.
"Yeah, but they're not that strong, just slimes, goblins, and some skeletons in the lower floors," Petal answered.
Oh my god, this is the ultimate fantasy, I really love this. Why did I get the NPC class? Why, you fucking goddess! We continued walking between the trees, the weather was wonderful, and the forest was breathtaking too. I loved every part of this view. Every day, I confirm that my happiness lies in nature.
I walked with my party, through the trees, and under the small rays of sunlight that managed to get through the leaves. Oh my god! We look like a party in an RPG game on a quest to clear ruins from monsters bothering the farmers. This is really amazing!
"Would you like to go in?" Evol asked.
"Yes, I'm excited!" I answered.
"Laos, you need to learn how to fight," Petal said.
"I know I'm really weak, but I think I can defeat a slime with my bare hands," I said.
"Really? Then show me when we get there," Petal replied while hanging from a tree trunk and jumping to another tree. He was more like a monkey than a cat.
Finally, after walking for a while, we passed through the forest and came upon the ruins right in front of me. They were on a long hill, built with stone and worn down, with a large number of entrances, and covered in moss everywhere. They were ruins in every sense of the word, ruins that the sun shone upon, with the blue sky behind them. It was a better view than any I'd seen in my life.
Suddenly, a group of guards with swords and helmets approached and ordered us to leave because they had work to do in the ruins. Fuck! I wanted to enter! Afterward, we turned back, and the guards went to the ruins. Oh my god, why are they stopping us from entering?! Anyway, we returned to the forest and left the beautiful ruins behind, heading back to the palace.
"It seems they have a mission in the ruins," Maris said.
"They're just lying. They want to fight the monsters alone without anyone interfering," Petal answered.
"Okay, let's come back tomorrow!" I said.
"By the way, when will the princess return?" I asked, thinking about how great this holiday would be.
"Maybe in a week," Camelia answered.
"A whole week we can leave the palace! Amazing!" I said.
"Yes, and that's why everyone loves this holiday," Maris said.
Yes, you're right. It's a wonderful holiday. This outing changed many things in me. I seemed like a fool, talking so much with so much excitement. Oh my god, this is really sad. I'm like a prisoner. Yes, this is not good. If I feel happy just leaving the palace, it means one thing: I have to leave this palace.
And I bet if I leave, I'll change. I'll become a different person. Yes, I'm sure... Fuck! I felt a wave of sadness again, because while I'm here, others are fighting demons and getting celebrations and rewards beyond measure... I envy them, I envy them so much. I wish them death. They should experience suffering. I wish they would die and be resurrected over and over. Just like Subaru... I wish... I wish.
I wish they wouldn't be happy.
◆ ◆ ◆
Laos lay there, staring up at the vast expanse of the sky, lost in the contrast between the beauty of the world around him and the turmoil in his heart. He had always known this life would be nothing more than a cage, but now, as he lay on the soft grass, surrounded by people who seemed to have found their own sense of purpose, he couldn't help but feel the weight of his own insignificance. The laughter of Petal, the carefree talk of Evol, and the quiet support of Maris all seemed so distant to him, like they were part of a world he could never fully join.
He had dreamed of being something more—something heroic, something capable—but with every passing day, that dream felt more like a fantasy than a reality. His thoughts twisted in circles, each one a knot pulling tighter around his chest. Was he just meant to be an observer, a bystander to their adventures, forever stuck in the role of the NPC he had become? The thought gnawed at him, consuming him in silence. It wasn't the world he hated; it was his place in it.
He resented it, resented how easily everyone else seemed to fit in while he was left questioning his very existence. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to escape anymore. Maybe there was no escaping the truth of who he was. And that thought, that bitter truth, filled him with a deep, aching sadness. For the first time, Laos wasn't sure if he was ready to face the world outside the palace, or if he even wanted to. The idea of stepping into the unknown scared him more than the suffocating walls of this gilded cage. Perhaps the only thing he was truly afraid of was himself—his own limitations, the life he had been given, and the person he would never be.