A welcome from the new world

The last thing I remember is the face of that beautiful girl, before the sky turns upside down as pain sparks across my back.

By the time I wake up, the only thing awaiting my first gaze is the cold and lonely stone ceiling above. I am currently lying on a bed, a pretty comfy one, though obviously not as comfy as the modern bed I used to have. Seeing no reason to stay in bed, I get up and look around to assess my situation. It seems that I am confined in a room made from stones, which comes with a set of a wooden table, chair, bed and... that's it. No decorations, no carpets, no anything, not even some snacks. Maybe except a window. A very plain room, like the room of a medieval house servant, the ones that don't have to sleep in the haystacks.

I walk up and open the room's wooden windows. A cool breeze flows inside the room. The sky above is dark, though not pitch black as the clouds' absence provides the moon a brief window to shine. It's a full moon tonight, but since I'm not a werewolf for obvious reasons, I can't transform to escape through this window. As I put my head out of the window for a look around, all I can see is the distance downward from this room to the ground, which is about thirty meters. Unless I can grow wings, make wings like Icarus and his dad did, or be an actual werewolf; jumping out from here to escape is not an option, unless I want to be a remembered as a new type of French pâté.

I look behind my back. There stands a wooden door in front of my eyes. At least this room is not a prison cell from the look of it – I tell myself to relief my fear. After giving it a thought, I walk to the door and try some pushing to see if it is locked or not. Unexpectedly, it isn't. I can push it and easily walk out, if not for the fact that there stands a guy in full set of iron armor guarding near the door, all while holding an iron spear in his hand and is leering at me through his visor the moment I open that door. Before he can utter any words, I quickly close the wooden door and walk back to my bed, slowly.

Seems like for now, there is no escaping.

I sigh in disappointment. First I was magically kidnapped, now I'm imprisoned in a "Guest Room". What's next? They'll tell me I'm the prince of some lost magical kingdom or some other shit?

"Jeez…"

I lie on my back down the bed the moment fatigue hit my body. The wound behind my nape seems to have healed like it has never been there from the start. Considering my magical transportation, a healed wound is the least of my problems. Fatigue and hunger, however, are the most urgent problems that I must solve right now, and I can only temporarily postponing them by taking a brief rest.

Thirty more minutes of napping passes. I try to think random thoughts as a way to kill time, like imagining scenarios of what or why all of this happened to me, but the more I think about them, the more confused it becomes. Within that span of time, I also check my body for any anomalies. After some quick examining, I find no notable problem so far, but my personal belongings have all disappeared. That sucks, though it is to be expected. You can't have your prisoners hold things that may aid in their escape.

"Good work, soldier."

There comes a voice outside of the door, which means someone is approaching. I immediately get off the bed and stand up defiantly. The door is open, and a person walks into the room. A woman wearing a long black robe outside along with a fancy yet simple inner dark blue dress. She's also wearing a stereotypical black wizard cone hat on her head, below it lies her long grey hair flown down to the end of her back. In her right hand is a wooden magic staff, decorated with a red crystal at its top. The women is a beautiful one, not unlike that red girl before, but her beauty had seen better days. There are some wrinkles hidden underneath that face of beauty, giving her an elderly aura of a young grandmother, one that belongs to someone supposedly older than her mortal looks.

"How do you feel, young man?"

The grey women speaks, her tone is dignified yet I feel a bit of snide hidden within.

"Pretty well, actually. I've always expected a kidnapping could be much worse." - I answer with a cheery smile. - "So, how much is the ransom? My family is a bit stinky with money, so please make it cheap."

The woman let out a silent chuckle.

"You're amusing, for a human."

"A human?"

Well yes, I am indeed a human in flesh and bones, in case someone's wondering, but it's not like I would instantly admit I am a human in front of someone asking whether or not I am a human, that usually won't end well. Would you admit to a thief you have a bag full of gold coins when he asks you about your wealth?

"That girl summoned a strange one indeed." – The elder woman mumbles – "You may come in, cadet Draconis."

The grey woman turns around and faces the slowly opening door. From there, the red girl I saw during my arrival shyly walks in like a fair maiden awaiting to face the big bad wolf. She still wears the same clothes she has back then, which consists of a black cloak that comes with a hood and a strange armband, along with a white and rather plain shirt, and a black, simple long skirt which ends just a few centimeters above her ankles. The girl awkwardly knits her hands as she speaks to the older woman.

"You summoned me, Headmaster Erramun?"

"Indeed, young girl. You know why I called you here, yes?"

The headmaster called Erramun answers.

"Yes…Headmaster. It's to evaluate my…familiar."

The girl nods and fall silent once gain. Not exactly a sociable person, I see.

"Then let us begin studying this..."strange" little creature you summoned, together."

Calling a person a creature is rude, you know? Though technically, humans are indeed living creatures or animals. Not that I would bother to call her out on that. Now that I know this place isn't the same as my world, I should be more careful about what I say. Their defination of "creatures" can be different from mine, the same applied to what they may call "human".

"Well then."

Says the woman before she turns back to me and continues her questioning.

"Young man, who are you? Where did you come from? Was it the Heaven Realm?"

After the woman finishes asking her question, I sigh as an act of defiance.

"I believe it is I who deserve some answers first, not you. Who are you? And that girl too? And what exactly is this place...no, what exactly is this world?"

"You don't have the right to ask, familiar."

The woman sternly barks back.

"Then I guess you won't mind if I keep my right of silence."

Oddly enough, the woman gives out a smirk after my answer, all while the girl behind her is still making herself comfortable as a mere spectator and decoration for our heated conversation.

"Hmm. Okay then, I will compromise for the time being. You may ask a few questions, but I expect some honest answers in return. Do we have a deal?"

I nod while trying to conceal my surprise. Isn't this a bit too easy for her to give out information like that? Though I guess it's just simply information trading, with what she knows for what I know, and compromising is probably the easiest way to make me open my mouth. I guess that works best for this situation. But well, time for some of my own questions.

"What is this place? And what is this world? This certainly isn't the world I know for most of my life."

"This world was named Airumel by our ancestors. About this place, you're currently inside Melas Castle, which is known by another name as Melas Military Academy. My name is Nilrem Erramun, the Headmaster of this academy."

"Military…Academy?"

I mutter. That would make that girl over there a student, along with those people who were there when I got summoned to this place. Heh, to think that I was called across dimensions to a school of all place…From one school to another, this isn't your typical school transfering, I see.

"This castle is used to teach young demons useful resources, namely fighting techniques and magics, all for the purpose of making fine warriors to serve Demon Realm in its war against our enemy, the Heaven Realm."

Now this is something you don't hear every day.

"And let me guess, I was summoned here during one of your so called classes?"

After I finish my sentence, I give a glance at the girl with long red hair. She freaks out for a bit when our eyes meet. A shy girl, perhaps?

"Yes, indeed. You were summoned here during a Summoning Class, which was attended by cadets from our Magic Arts Department. They were attempting to summon their own personal familiar during that period. And you just happened to be summoned by cadet Deborah Draconis here."

"I see. It seems like I owe you a gratitude, Master Deborah. It's not like everyday I got kidnapped to a faraway world and then thrown into a stone prison before being forced into nonconsensual slavery. I appreciate the hospitality, really."

"Just…think positive for a bit? At least they didn't chain you nor put you in a collar, right?"

The girl named Deborah suddenly utters a snide comeback to my statement, contrasting her shy girl appearance ever since our first meeting.

"Now now."

Nilrem lightly taps the ground with her staff as a reminder for the two of us to behave ourselves.

"Whether you end up in chains or not depends on your answers, young man. If you're satisfied with these, then I believe it's time for you to keep your end of the bargain."

I stand in silence after hearing what the woman just said. Nilrem takes that as a yes on her own and proceeds to ask me her earlier questions.

"Who are you? Where did you come from? Was it the Heaven Realm?"

"I know no Heaven Realm. I come from a world far far away from here called Earth, from a place called Japan. I am a student and future heir of a large zaibatsu."

"Zai...batsu?"

"A large economic corporation, or a big and rich company, in layman's term. Let's just say I am a rich man, or would be in the future, anyway."

It's not like every family have their own library in their house, right? Most would say they have a reading room, not a library unless they're figuratively speaking. Well, the one I have is a literal library in a house, or should I say a mansion, a manor, or whatever words I should use to describe our too fancy of a house.

"A rich man, heh? Do you think your status and assets would help you here?"

"I'm not that optimistic."

And only a rich fool would think they have any power in a strange world, anyway. A fish's dominion is the sea, and a monkey is the trees. Can't ask a monkey to claim its dominion in the sea, right?

"What about your name? Do you have a name?"

"Name? Right, name…"

Since this place is a fantasy world, it wouldn't hurt if I use a fake name, right? I'm not too fond of my own name anyway. If this is an old school RPG, this is the part where the player has to input their name into the system. If so, then I will choose...

"Akuma. The name is Akuma. Just call me by that name."

That sounds like a name an eight-grader would come up with, but hey, it's not like they know about it.

"That name sounds strange, and weird, for some reason. Is it truly your name?"

The headmaster voices her thoughts. The girl in the back seems to agree with her opinion with a silent nod and a gaze of disbelief. To think they would actually think it's strange despite being the residents of a fantasy world…But well, they told me to answer their questions, the deal, however, doesn't involve I must say a hundred percent truth.

"Akuma, right? Do you have a last name?"

"I don't have a last name. Just call me Akuma."

That's a lie, of course. It's simply because I can't think of any good last name so I must roll with the one name basis for now.

"You're a rich man, yet you don't have a last name, which even our lowly peasants possess? Are you lying to me, familiar?"

Well, busted.

"Our standard isn't exactly your standard."

Nilrem looks deep into my eyes, it's like she's trying to check the credibility of my words using an inner lie detector inside her head. Well, she looks like she a mage who can use some magic, it won't be strange if she can take out some truth from my head with her staff, or actually do all of that from the start and save me the trouble of dealing with them.

"Hmm. I will let it slide this time. Let's hope your name is the only thing with ambiguity among the words you just said."

Phew just dodge a bullet there.

"Akuma. Are you…human?"

This time, the girl in the back – I think she's named Deborah – decides to take her turn for questioning.

"Why do you think I am a human?"

"Because you look like one?"

The girl answers. Well, she has a point, but I too have mine.

"You too look awfully human despite being from the Demon Realm."

"So you're saying you're not human?"

Nilrem resumes her role to help Deborah in her questioning.

"Maybe, maybe not. How can I know if your definition of a human actually fits me? Maybe I just simply happen to look like your human. It's not like I can bring proof from my world to say that I am not a human. By that same logic, I can accuse you for being human as well."

"Nice joke, Akuma. But your answer don't humour me." – Says the girl with red hair at her glare getting more intense, almost filled with bloodlust. – "Why would you have to defend yourself so much, unless you're human?"

"Then what would happen if I admit being a human? Would you kill me, even when you have no proof to indicate that I am actually a human of your world? Would you actually take that chance, knowing you people summoned a being beyond your knowledge? If that satisfy you, then do it, release me from this place with death."

Now I'm just ranting in order to keep my head attached to my neck. Let's hope they buy this, because truly I don't want to die a meaningless death, really.

Unexpectedly, the Headmaster closes her eyes as she gives my circumstance a thought. After three seconds or so, she stirs her staff with a subtle smile on her lips before replying

"I have heard enough. Your verdict will arrive after midnight."

Before I can offer more for our conversation, Nilrem turns her back to me and talks to Deborah.

"It seems you just summoned a hassle for a familiar, cadet Draconis."

The girl with red hair silently bites her lips, unable to answer. They both walk out of the room. Before she leaves, Deborah gives me a look filled with complexity, or it's just simply her "I hate you" look. When both of them leave the room, silence returns to the place once more, and I can't do anything but look at the ceiling again while waiting for my yet to arrive ultimate verdict.

"Jeez. So tiring."

It's always hard dealing with women, not to mention two of them, at the same time. But…oh well. I don't want to tire myself anymore.

Tonight's going to be a long night.