Two hours back to the castle. Two hours limping down a country road while the afternoon sun tried very hard to pretend the last twelve hours of goblin-stabbing hadn't happened.
Hiroshi's shoulder sat in a sling Marcus had insisted on. His back wound throbbed under bandages beneath torn armor. Castle grew larger on the horizon with every step, getting closer but never quite close enough, each mile feeling like three.
They walked in silence at first. Everyone too tired for words. The kind of exhausted silence that came after adrenaline crashed and left only aching muscles and the memory of things that had tried to kill you. Kenji's arms were bruised purple from blocking the Chief's club. Aria's throat was black and blue from nearly being strangled. Marcus looked drained, divine magic had a cost, apparently, and his face showed every prayer's price.
"First dungeon clear," Kenji said finally. Simple pride in three words. "We did it."
"The divine guided us through trial," Marcus added, his voice carrying that particular tone of someone who genuinely believed it.
Aria touched her bruised throat gingerly. "Barely."
"But we did," Kenji insisted, that hero optimism refusing to die even after twelve hours of trying.
"We did," Hiroshi agreed quietly. Couldn't argue with results, even if the process had been a nightmare wrapped in stabbing.
Kenji glanced at the arm sling, concern crossing his features. "How's the shoulder?"
"Sore. Marcus healed it but it still feels wrong." Like the bones had been put back together slightly off-center, healing around the wrongness.
"Give it a day. Magic healing takes time to settle." Kenji spoke from experience, apparently. Made sense, heroes probably got injured regularly in training.
Aria turned toward Hiroshi, voice raspy from the damage. "When we get back, I'm telling people what you did."
Alarm bells immediately. "You don't have to..."
"You saved my life. Twice. In the same dungeon. That deserves recognition."
"They won't care." Simple truth. Expendable heroes didn't get recognition. That was the whole point of being expendable.
Aria's eyes sharpened. "They should."
"She's right," Kenji said, jumping in with his usual earnestness. "You were incredible in there."
"The divine blessed your courage, brother," Marcus added, because apparently everyone had decided to make this a thing.
Hiroshi deflected automatically, years of practice at work. "I just did what needed doing."
"That's literally the definition of heroism," Kenji pointed out, and damn it, that almost sounded convincing.
Or the definition of being the only expendable option available when things went sideways.
The castle gates came into view. Guards spotted them from the walls, recognition dawning.
"Heroes returning! Inform the King!"
And just like that, the machinery started. Banners were already being hung. Servants rushing between corridors like someone had kicked an anthill. Celebration machinery activating for the victorious heroes.
Hiroshi looked up at the castle walls and started preparing. The smile. The posture. The mask that would need to stay in place for hours.
Showtime.
---
The Grand Hall was massive. High ceilings that seemed designed to make people feel small, chandeliers that cost more than villages, tables loaded with food that could feed those same villages for weeks.
Sixty-plus nobles already seated, goblets raised, wearing their finest silks and jewels. King Aldic Lumin III sat at the head table with Queen Seraphine beside him, picture of royal authority. Archbishop Dominus beside him too, Church presence prominent and deliberate.
The herald's voice boomed across the hall, trained for maximum dramatic effect. "The Heroes of the Warren! Victorious!"
Applause filled the hall like a wave. Enthusiastic and loud.
The King stood, commanding immediate silence. "Heroes! You have proven yourselves in first trial!"
Kenji bowed, perfect form. "We are honored, Your Majesty."
"Hero Kenji!" The King's voice carried effortlessly to every corner. "In single combat, you defeated the Goblin Chief!"
Technically true. Kenji had delivered the killing blow. The fact that Hiroshi had created the opening by nearly dying didn't make it into the official version.
The crowd cheered. Kenji bowed graciously, accepting the recognition like he'd been born for it. Maybe he had been.
"Aria! Your ice magic froze two dozen enemies!"
Aria nodded politely, less comfortable with the attention but handling it.
"Hero Marcus Lightbringer! Your divine protection shielded your comrades!"
The religious crowd got extra enthusiastic at that one. Divine magic always played well with the faithful.
"Thank you for the honor." They all said in unison, practiced harmony.
The dinner started properly. Servants appearing with platters, wine flowing, conversation rising.
Kenji sat at the King's right. Honor position. The spot reserved for the most important guest. Aria next to him. Marcus next to Aria, Church connection keeping him close to power.
Hiroshi got the table's end. Furthest from the King possible while still technically being at the same table.
Literal physical positioning of importance. Visual hierarchy made manifest in seating arrangements.
He ate quietly. Watched. Observed. Social dynamics visible from his isolated spot in ways they probably wouldn't be from the center. Sometimes the edges showed you more than the middle ever could.
The King raised his goblet, gold catching chandelier light. "To the Heroes who cleared Warren!"
The crowd echoed enthusiastically. "To the Heroes!"
Hiroshi raised his water goblet, because of course they'd given him water while everyone else got wine, and drank.
Smile unchanged. Perfectly pleasant.
The feast continued. Rich food that Hiroshi couldn't identify half of, wine flowing like water for everyone else, nobles laughing at jokes that probably weren't that funny. Hiroshi ate at his end of the table, effectively invisible despite sitting in plain sight.
Then he heard it.
Two nobles at the next table. Alcove seating. Wine-loosened tongues and lowered voices. They didn't realize he could hear from this angle, didn't account for acoustics.
"He's still alive."
"Disappointing, isn't it? Thought Warren would handle it."
"Should have. Level two starting an F-Rank dungeon. What are the odds?"
"Apparently better than expected. But next dungeon..."
"Next dungeon will get him. E-Rank minimum. No way someone with his talent survives that."
"Would've simplified things considerably."
"Give it time."
Both laughed quietly.
Hiroshi's hand tightened on his goblet imperceptibly.
Not a single muscle moved on his face otherwise. Years of practice. The smile held perfectly.
Archbishop Dominus approached during dessert. Some kind of cream-covered pastry thing that probably cost more than Hiroshi's entire education back home.
Smooth movement. Wine goblet in hand. Smile genuine-appearing but cold underneath if you knew what to look for. Hiroshi had learned what to look for quickly.
Hiroshi saw him coming from three tables away and intensified the mask. Extra pleasant. Extra humble. Extra everything that made him seem harmless.
"Congratulations on your survival... I mean, success."
The slip was deliberate. Hiroshi caught it immediately.
"Thank you, Your Eminence." Hiroshi's smile didn't waver a millimeter. "The party's strength carried us through."
"Modesty. Admirable quality in a hero." Dominus sipped his wine slowly. "So rare these days."
"I try, sir."
"The gods work in mysterious ways." Another sip. Watching Hiroshi over the rim. "Even the weakest lamb has purpose in the flock."
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve, Your Eminence."
Dominus studied him. Longer look than comfortable. Eyes sharp despite the wine, searching for something specific.
"Keep this faith," Dominus said finally, seeming satisfied by whatever he found or didn't find. "The trials ahead will test you further."
"I welcome the challenge."
"Good. The gods have a plan for everyone. Even those who seem... insignificant."
Direct insult delivered with a smile. Wrapped in religious language but unmistakable.
Hiroshi absorbed it without flinching. Let it slide off the mask like water off glass.
Dominus nodded slowly and walked away, robes swishing dramatically.
Hiroshi watched him go. Smile held perfectly until Dominus turned the corner and disappeared from sight.
Marcus returned from prayer shortly after, having excused himself earlier. "The divine blessed our meal! Brother, are you enjoying the feast?"
"Very much! The food is excellent." True enough. It was good food, even if the company was poisonous.
Genuine smile for Marcus this time. He was sincere. Genuinely kind. Couldn't be angry at him for being exactly what he appeared to be.
"I prayed for your healing. Shoulder improving?"
"Getting better every hour. Thank you, Marcus."
"You are a blessing, brother. The divine works through you."
"I'm lucky to have you."
The feast wound down gradually. Nobles getting drunker, conversations getting louder, propriety slowly dissolving.
Hiroshi excused himself quietly and found a balcony.
Night air. Cool. Quiet. Stars visible overhead for the first time since the summoning, he'd been too busy surviving to look up before now.
Hiroshi stepped onto the empty balcony and dropped the smile completely.
His face relaxed. Muscles aching from hours of continuous performance. His jaw especially, holding expressions that long took work.
He rubbed his jaw carefully. "Ow. Holding that for hours."
Opened the System window. Blue light illuminating his face in the darkness.
Level: 4
HP: 110
Skills: [Adaptive Evolution], [Impact Resistance Lv.2], [Dodge Lv.2], [Basic Footwork Lv.2]
Curse: Expendable's Curse (hidden, -50% XP)
The curse still cutting his growth in half while everyone else leveled normally.
He stared at the Curse line for a long moment.
Then closed the window and looked up at the stars instead.