Truth

"Let us begin with thy stories." I pointed to First. "Order shall be by name."

"Where do I start?" First pondered briefly. "Okay, so, before I was summoned, I was a botanist who was exploring the Amazon Rainforest. I got excited about a new species of mushroom and got myself bitten by a venomous snake. It was Miss Eilif who dragged my sorry ass to this world for me to live again. Now, I'm growing fun species of plans and making both poison and medicine."

"Didn't you poison a marquis?" Seventh interjected.

"No, I poisoned the crown prince." She grinned, hearing the two newcomers gasp. "Kidding, kidding. I poisoned a duke. He was kidnapping little girls. I got caught after fleeing the scene and it was miss Eilif who decided to take me under her wing."

"Why didn't you bring the evidence to a court?" Fluoria demanded. "Then you wouldn't have needed to sell your soul!"

"Two things." First said angrily. "One. We did not sell our souls. We entered a contract. Two, I tried. All the evidence was rejected as fake."

"That's horrible!" Fluoria exclaimed. "Why would they do that?"

"Money? Power?" First shrugged. "Second, you go."

"Before I was summoned here, I was a blacksmith." Second's gravelly voice resounded like singing steel. I observed him carefully for the first time in nearly a decade.

His massive arms were rife with muscle that bulged against his dark brown skin and skintight tank top. His frame was tall and sturdy, as if he were made to be a blacksmith. His eyes were just as I remembered them to be. Full of gentleness and overflowing with love of life.

"When the seven of us awoke, we were in the summoning site miss Eilif had selected. When we saw a city was nearby we decided to split up and do our specialties." Second's voice broke me from my examination. "I got into a smithy, but the smithy went out of business that winter. Miss Eilif took me under her wing when she found me huddled on the street after being rejected by every other smithy in town."

"Didn't she basically raise you like fruit? You got planted in the world and then she harvested you." Neo said confusedly. "Do you not resent that?"

"We were dead." Second pointed out. "What's the point of resenting a new and fulfilling life?"

"How did you die?" Fluoria asked curiously.

"I got isekai'd."

"Truck-kun takes another victim I suppose." Fluoria chuckled.

"Miss Eilif, if I may return to my shop to continue my project?" Second turned to me, a light of impatience shining in his eyes.

"Go." I chucked amiably.

Third stepped forward next, gesticulating aggressively as he spoke. "I was an alchemist before I came to this world."

Third was a short and squat man who gesticulated with passion. He made up for his short stature by his magic knowledge and sheer will. His eyes were that of a man who was full of crazed passion with irises as red as burning flame.

"You mean you were a quack." Sixth interrupted, a rare smile flitting across her lips.

"Of a sort." Third grinned widely. "I died after I drank a failed Philosopher's Stone."

"Like an idiot." Sixth harrumphed.

"Yes. Like an idiot." Third nodded in agreement. "I nearly died again here for the same reason. Miss Eilif saved me and even gave me a workshop for me to continue my work!"

"And that's also why he looks like a ghost dwarf." Sixth laughed.

"I'm YOUR ghost dwarf." Third laughed heartily, walking to Sixth and leaning his head against her hip.

She smiled softly and patted his head.

Fourth stood at the center of attention for a brief period, gathering the courage to speak.

Fourth was an incredibly shy man, which perfectly matched his profession. Clad in a midnight blue cloak and pitch black boots, he painted the perfect image of an assassin. His black eyes were shadowed by his peaked hood that gave him an air of mysteriousness. His olive skin stood out in comparison to his dark clothing.

"I...Before I died...Was a killer-for-hire." He murmured, forcing out each syllable. "I got killed by one of my own knives when a job went bad."

"What happened?" Neo asked, starry eyed.

"You should not look up to a killer." Fourth said, seeing the look in his eyes. "And since your goal was to become a killer, you should know not to pry into other people's business."

"Wow, Fourth." First giggled. "That's the most I've ever heard you speak at one time!"

Beneath his hood, I saw Fourth's face suffused with red.

I gave him a small nod and a knowing smile, causing the blush to deepen.

He quickly retreated from the limelight, handing the floor to Fifth.

Entirely in his element, Fifth strummed his guitar and hummed lightly to set a mood.

Clad in nothing but a deerskin vest and shorts, he began telling his story like it was an epic.

"There was once a man named Fifth!

"He was always strumming out riffs!

"And when he was alone,

"He had a doll to bone

"For when the nights grew long and lonely!"

"He's a perv." I heard Fluoria mutter.

"One hundred percent." Neo agreed.

"But with talent came strife,

"And with this strife his grudges grew ripe

"And he was stabbed to death in an alleyway!"

"Oh, Jesus." Fluoria exclaimed.

"But fear not, young ones!

"His story was not yet done!

"He awoke in an entirely new world!

"Without hesitation he set out for fame in the world he declared his pearl,

"But with his skill came the ills

"Of a man slowly being poisoned.

"But, alas! His life would last!

"A woman came with an offering!

"Servitude for his life, freedom from strife!

"Never again would he lay in a coffin!

"He readily agreed, his will remaining free

"As he began to travel with her!"

"We haven't traveled for centuries." I pointed out amusedly.

"Oh yeah." Fifth scratched his stubble-lined chin thoughtfully. "Eh, it's fine. You two got my message, yeah?"

The two nodded.

"Great!" With a theatrical bow, he gestured to Sixth. "We have two more acts remaining! Sixth's act is the climax, so be sure to pay attention!"