Chapter 9: A Team Outside the Walls

Ren clamped a hand over his mouth, taking a heavy step backward as a wave of intense nausea hit his stomach.

"He’s just a trashy, low-class porter! He should have been the one to die. Why did six elite kingdom heroes have to perish instead?" someone shouted from the edge of the crowd. Surrounding bystanders chimed in, nodding and muttering in loud agreement.

Ren’s fingers tightened around the warm loaf of bread. The sheer cruelty of their words echoed sharply through the street.

Before the hostile commotion could escalate any further, an elegant woman glided gracefully through the bustling crowd, drawing the instant attention of nearby townsfolk.

It was Elysia.

Without a word to the inquisitive mob, Elysia firmly caught Ren by the wrist and pulled him out of the suffocating circle. The bystanders gasped, left staring in absolute bewilderment. Seeing a noble, high-status lady holding hands with a disgraced porter was a deeply surreal sight—a lowborn man utterly unworthy of standing beside someone of her stature.

Once they put enough distance between themselves and the aggressive crowd, Ren walked beside her in quiet silence, his eyes fixed on the stone path beneath his boots.

A storm of dark thoughts cycled through his mind. Was his life truly that worthless in this world? Was he really so beneath everyone that his survival felt like an insult while six elite heroes died in his place? The reality of this realm was cold, but it ground a quiet resolve into his chest. In the eyes of this society, the previous owner of this body held no value whatsoever.

Elysia turned her head, breaking his train of thought as she noticed his dark expression. "Ren... you bought that bread, didn’t you? Eat it before it gets cold," she said softly, keeping her eyes fixed on the road ahead with occasional glances toward him.

Ren looked down at the loaf in his hands, tore off a piece, and began chewing slowly.

"I already looked into your background," Elysia chimed in casually as they navigated the morning street. "So don’t worry about what they say. I don’t care who you were before."

She looked forward again, her tone firm and steady. "Surviving a monster that slaughtered six elite heroes is an incredible feat in itself. Just ignore their mindless noise."

Ren glanced at her side profile.

She’s right... I shouldn’t be wallowing in self-pity, he thought, swallowing the bite of grain bread. I have the System now. I’m not the same helpless person anymore. I am no longer the old Ren... I am Elian, and I will carve out a better destiny for myself.

They continued down the wide thoroughfare until the rustic stone buildings gave way to grand marble arches and manicured greenery. They arrived at a breathtaking public garden situated near the outer walls of the royal castle.

The garden was stunning. Vibrant, blooming flowers of violet and crimson lined the paved stone pathways, surrounding a majestic, glistening central fountain that sprayed clear water high into the sunlight. Children laughed joyfully as they ran across the open lawns, while citizens relaxed on polished stone benches, soaking in the serene morning atmosphere. For a moment, the peaceful grandeur of the area left Ren completely mesmerized.

Elysia guided him toward a long white park bench set under the shade of a massive oak tree, where five people were already waiting.

"Lady Elysia!" called out a young woman wearing an off-shoulder white dress decorated with blue floral patterns.

Elysia stepped up to the group with Ren following closely behind her. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"Ah, sorry to keep you all waiting," Elysia smiled warmly. "There was a slight distraction on my way, so I had to pick him up personally."

"Oh, no, not at all! We just got here ourselves," the woman replied hastily, waving her hands in embarrassment as if terrified of making Elysia feel guilty. Her eyes then drifted toward the young man standing behind the princess, her cheeks flushing slightly as she took in his appearance. "Um... is this the person you mentioned who’s joining our team?"

Elysia nodded smoothly.

"Hmm... isn’t this that trashy porter?" spat a heavily built man clad in thick iron armor. Crossing his massive arms, he glared down at Ren with visible contempt.

"He really is," another man added, his shoulder-length blond hair swaying as he adjusted the broadsword strapped firmly to his back.

"Hey!" Elysia barked, her voice turning sharp as a whip. "Can’t you show some respect to your new teammate?!"

The two men winced slightly under her icy gaze, though neither looked particularly remorseful.

"Forgive me, my Lady, but facts are facts," the armored man grunted stubbornly, resting a heavy hand on his belt.

"Oi, Kurogane, drop it already... Don’t go upsetting her," interjected another young man who had been casually leaning against the back of the white bench. He had a soft, handsome face with dark hair parted down the middle, his bangs fluttering gently in the morning breeze. Wearing a black shirt under an unbuttoned dark blue coat, his relaxed style stood out completely from the armored fighters beside him.

"Exactly," added a short, red-haired girl nearby, her eyes darting toward Ren with a shy, curious gleam.

Elysia turned to Ren and whispered softly, "Go ahead, introduce yourself."

Ren nodded, complying with her instruction. "Hello. My name is Ren Celestial," he said, offering a straightforward, calm greeting.

The two young women instantly responded with bright smiles and genuine enthusiasm.

"Nice to meet you! I’m Aizawa Reika, but you can just call me Reika," the girl in the white and blue dress bowed politely, offering a friendly grin.

"And I’m Hoshino Miku! You can call me Miku!" the red-haired girl chimed in energetically, pointing a thumb at herself with bold confidence.

"Kurogane," the heavily armored warrior grunted curtly, keeping his tone flat and unimpressed.

"Name’s Arata," said the blond swordsman, who was busy organizing small alchemy vials into a leather pouch at his waist.

"And I am Ryu Celestial," the soft-featured man leaning against the bench introduced himself, offering a subtle smile as he uncrossed his arms.

"Alright. Starting today, you are all teammates," Elysia declared firmly, stepping between them.

Ren glanced at Elysia, processing the title he had overheard earlier.

Lady? So she really is royalty? Ren analyzed her posture and refined presence. I knew she was an important figure, but a literal princess? Why would royalty form a team like this? If she needs something done, can’t she just order the imperial army? Why build an independent squad outside the kingdom’s authority?

Questions raced through his mind. He leaned in closer to Elysia and whispered, "What is your real reason for assembling this team?"

Deep down, Ren prayed she wasn’t planning an expedition outside the capital’s defense walls or taking on dangerous monster-slaying quests. While he possessed vast material potential through his interface, his Nyx Seal was already sitting at a dangerous 80%. He still had no idea whether constructing higher-tier gear would push that counter closer to his doom.

Elysia glanced at him before taking a firm, authoritative step forward to face the entire squad.

Sensory instincts kicking in, all five members immediately straightened their postures and stood at attention, ready for her briefing.

"I want you all to investigate the disappearance of my older sister," Elysia stated, her tone dropping into dead seriousness. "Evelyn Grace—the former Crown Princess of the Kingdom."