Chen Fan and the others were promptly shown to their individual rooms. They mentioned that they would rest for now and begin their training the next day. As for Chen Fan, they assured him that it was perfectly acceptable for him to live leisurely in the meantime. If he needed anything, he could simply ask the maid, which he did without hesitation. After all, the more people he interacted with, the more information he could collect.
"Can you tell me more about this Demon King?"
"Of course, Sir Chen." The maid bowed respectfully before continuing. "The Demon King invaded our world five years ago. At first, we were able to hold our ground, but his army kept growing, and his strength suddenly surged two years ago. Since then, he has been relentlessly expanding his territory."
"Where did this Demon King come from?"
"We do not know, Sir. He simply appeared one day. At first, we assumed he was just another monster and sent a subjugation party, but his power continued to grow at an alarming rate. Eventually, he reached the rumored six-star level."
"Six stars?"
"Yes, Sir. The strongest level ever recorded is nine stars, though that is believed to be nothing more than a myth. Even seven- and eight-star beings have not been seen for thousands of years. Currently, the strongest among us are the Five-Star warriors known as the Ten Strongest. However, a year ago, the Pope of the Temple brought forth a prophecy from the Goddess, foretelling the arrival of heroes from a distant world who would save us and vanquish the evil." The maid's eyes sparkled slightly as she gazed at Chen Fan with anticipation.
"If I may ask... what is your occupation, Sir?" The maid looked at Chen Fan with admiration and hope.
From her reaction, Chen Fan could tell that the information had not yet been widely spread. He chuckled. "Hahaha. I'm no hero. I just happened to be near them and got dragged into this place. My job is 'Observer'—not that I have any idea what that means." He tried to laugh it off, but he kept a close eye on the maid's expression, noticing the flicker of disappointment in her gaze.
"Ah... I see. My apologies, Sir, for putting you through such trouble," she said, quickly regaining her composure. Despite her evident disappointment, she remained dutiful. "We were instructed to grant your wishes as long as they are within our power."
"Anything?" Chen Fan narrowed his eyes slightly, studying the maid. His probing gaze made her tremble. For now, the best way to test their intentions was to compare their treatment of him to that of the heroes. The heroes represented hope and greatness, while he would play the role of a mere nuisance. This way, their true attitudes would become apparent. Of course, he had to be careful—if he crossed moral boundaries, they would take extreme measures. Acting like a rude bastard, however, should be safe enough.
"P-Please, Sir... I have a lover," the maid stammered, visibly shaking.
Oh? Was it kindness that made her react this way, or were there strict rules she had to follow? Observing her carefully, Chen Fan noted that she possessed the strength of someone at the seventh stage of Qi Refining. If she wanted to resist physically, it wouldn't be a problem for her.
"What's with that look? Are you misunderstanding something?" Though Chen Fan spoke dismissively, his eyes still burned with an unreadable intensity.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Sir Chen, it's me—Celestia. May I enter?" The voice outside was clear and elegant.
Chen Fan was slightly surprised, while the maid, Sena, looked as if she had found a lifeline.
"Yes, you may enter, Princess," he responded.
Celestia had already visited the other four rooms, personally expressing her gratitude and apologies. After all, being summoned to another world without consent was bound to leave the heroes in an unpleasant mood.
The Hero of Light had been particularly accepting—he displayed no hostility and even asked if he could begin training immediately, further improving her impression of him. The next hero, the Divine Archer, had been wary of her but still chose to cooperate. The Sword God had calmly asked numerous questions, which she answered truthfully.
The Elementalist, however, had refused any interaction, still attempting to process the situation. Even so, Celestia could tell that all of them were good people. That was why she was especially curious about the fifth individual.
Yet, the moment she stepped into the room, she immediately sensed the tense atmosphere.
Her sharp gaze fell upon the trembling maid, and her expression instinctively darkened.
"Is there a problem, Sir Hero?"
"Hahaha, not at all. I was just asking the maid about this world, right?" Chen Fan smiled, his tone lighthearted. His features were undeniably handsome—even Celestia found him aesthetically pleasing—but something about him unsettled her.
"If you need anything, please do not hesitate to inform me, Sir. Once again, we deeply regret dragging you here," Celestia said politely before adding, "I also have something to discuss with her. But before that, is there anything else you wish to know?"
"Nothing," Chen Fan replied casually. "The maid has already answered my questions. But if it's alright with you, would you mind accompanying me as I explore this place?"
There was a glint in his eyes as he made the request. Celestia immediately sensed an underlying meaning behind his gaze, and a faint throbbing formed at her temples. However, she suppressed her reaction. If she were to openly show discomfort toward one of the hero candidates, it might cause the others to grow wary of her.
"Of course, Sir. However, I am quite busy for the next few days. If I have the chance, I will let you know," she replied smoothly.
"Hahaha. Then I'll look forward to that, Princess," Chen Fan laughed, his voice echoing through the room.
With that, Celestia and the maid excused themselves.
Outside, Celestia turned to Sena with a serious expression. "Sena, what did he say to you?"
"Th-That..."
"It's alright, answer honestly," Celestia reassured her in a gentle voice.
Encouraged by her soothing tone, Sena hesitated for a moment before recounting her entire interaction with Chen Fan—his words, his demeanor, and the unsettling way he had looked at her.
"Scum," Celestia muttered through clenched teeth, her hands tightening into fists. To think that a man who seemed to have a lover would act in such a way—it disgusted her. She had already noticed the Elementalist appeared to be quite close to him. As a fellow woman, the thought was difficult to stomach. No—she had to warn the Elementalist about his true nature.
However, before she could make a decision, the sight of someone approaching made her pause.
Wang Yue.
The Elementalist was walking down the corridor, her expression troubled.
"Miss Yue, is there something you need?" Celestia asked with slight concern, noting the discomfort in her demeanor. No… not yet. She wouldn't believe me if I told her now, she thought, holding back her words.
"No, I just want to see Chen Fan. Where is his room?" Wang Yue's response made both Celestia and Sena stiffen slightly.
"Th-That way, Miss," Sena answered after a brief hesitation, her troubled gaze lingering on Wang Yue.
"Thanks." Wang Yue nodded slightly before heading straight for Chen Fan's room without another word.
Celestia and Sena exchanged a look, both unable to hide the pity in their eyes.
I'll help her see the truth… when the time is right, Celestia resolved silently.
--
"Isn't the treatment a bit excessive?" he wondered aloud.
"It's quite normal, to be honest. You were basically kidnapped here, so they're likely showing you extra consideration," Ao Xue commented. "And it seems they are truly desperate for your assistance."
Knock, knock, knock.
Chen Fan heard the door open and turned to see Wang Yue stepping into the room. She closed the door behind her and approached him.
"Is there anything you've found suspicious?" she asked, though Chen Fan could sense an undercurrent of anxiety in her voice. That was understandable; after all, most people wouldn't relish the thought of being suddenly transported to another world with no means of returning home.
"For now, it seems everything they've said is true. How about you? Any leads regarding your powers?" he inquired.
Wang Yue shook her head. "They're still trying to track down records concerning the past Archmage. It's been thousands of years, so many details have likely faded away."
A silence fell between them, and Wang Yue looked at Chen Fan, her expression clearly troubled.
"Are we trapped here?" she asked, her voice trembling. "My mom and Mei would be so worried if they found out I'm missing."
Throughout the day, Wang Yue's thoughts had been consumed by such possibilities. Initially, her mind was still grappling with the situation, trying to glean more information. But as time ticked on, anxiety began to creep in. The idea that they might be deceived, or that they might have to remain in this world for the rest of their lives—or worse, that they could perish here—became increasingly more daunting. At that moment, she felt like she had only Chen Fan on her side; he was the only person she could trust to provide answers.
Without hesitation, Chen Fan wrapped his arms around Wang Yue, feeling her body tremble. He decided to hold her tighter, thinking, After everything I said that day, I can only repeat this once more, huh?
He could feel Wang Yue starting to hug him back.
"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure about everything, but I can assure you that we won't be stuck here forever. I will do my best to figure out how we can get out of this predicament. And after learning about this place, I'm fairly confident in saying that I'm one of the strongest beings in this world, so if they dare to deceive us, I can guarantee you they will regret it." "And then there's the possibility that time flows differently here; who knows, perhaps when we return to our own world, only a second will have passed there."
Hearing Chen Fan's words helped ease some of Wang Yue's concerns.
"You're right. Let's not be so pessimistic," she said, taking a deep breath as she steadied herself. "Is there anything I need to do? And… why are you pretending to be weak?"
Chen Fan released her from his hold and smiled at her question. "For now, your priority should be strengthening your power. As for me, I'm acting weak because if they realized a powerful man had suddenly appeared, they would become suspicious—perhaps even wary. But judging by how they've treated us so far, they're either truly desperate… or incredibly skilled at deception."
"Then, what's your plan for tomorrow?" Wang Yue asked, curious about his next move.
"Now that you mention it, I do have something for you to do." Chen Fan turned his gaze toward the setting sun. Below, he spotted the three heroes already beginning their training. Watching them, he chuckled to himself. What strange kids… he mused, unsure whether to admire their adaptability or shake his head at their naivety.
"I'll be investigating tonight, so I need you to stand guard here," he instructed.
"Here?" Wang Yue looked at him, seeking confirmation.
"Yes. To make it seem natural, we'll have to act like a couple so you'll have a valid reason for staying in my room."
"C-Couple?" A faint flush crept up Wang Yue's ears.
"And for now," Chen Fan added with a smirk, "I'll play the role of a lustful bastard."
"Wh-What do you mean by that?" Wang Yue eyed him warily.
"Relax. I won't do anything inappropriate," he reassured her with a chuckle. "But if we all act like noble, upright people, it makes it easier for them to interact with us without letting their guard down. The best way to shake things up is to introduce an unpredictable factor. If I act shamelessly, they'll reveal more of their true selves, and I'll be able to better gauge their attitudes toward us."
Wang Yue considered his words and found them reasonable. She couldn't help but admire his ability to adapt and think strategically, even in an unfamiliar situation. However, when she recalled her own role in this plan, her expression soured.
"Then… what do you expect me to do?"
"Hmmm," Chen Fan mused. "They've already seen enough of your personality that suddenly changing it would be too suspicious. So let's go with this—play the part of a naive woman who's hopelessly in love with me, unaware of my true nature."
"What do you mean by naive?" Wang Yue shot him a sharp glare.
"It's just an act, you know," he said, grinning. "Besides, if they really turn out to be decent people, I can flip the situation in an instant and change their impression of me. So don't worry. For now, I'll sneak around and gather more information, while you make sure no one enters my room."
"Are you sure you won't get caught?" Wang Yue asked, a trace of worry in her voice.
"Don't worry. Even if they do catch me snooping, they won't actually be able to capture me. The chances of that happening are close to zero. I have more than a few tricks up my sleeve," he replied confidently.
"I really admire how you can say that with a straight face," a voice scoffed—Ao Xue's. But Chen Fan simply ignored him.
Wang Yue let out a small sigh. "Fine. Just… be careful."
Chen Fan gave her a reassuring nod and a smile before sinking silently into the ground, disappearing from sight.