I Was a Loner, but My Class Got Summoned to Another World…

Logan never imagined himself strolling through a village, enjoying ice cream with Silvia. It wasn't the ideal weather for it, but with the limited food supplies available to the villagers, they had to make do. Most of the locals were accustomed to the cold and didn't mind indulging in a frozen treat that also helped preserve their food longer.

"So, what do you think of rural life?" Logan asked as they wandered past shops preparing to close for the night. Some merchants eyed them with hopeful expressions, clearly wishing they'd step inside to make a purchase. They obliged, mostly because Silvia insisted they explore every shop. Logan suspected she was trying to stretch their time together.

"I like it, but I don't think I could ever fully adapt to it—especially the poverty. It's painfully obvious how much the demons have affected these people. The lack of men, the sight of children working—it's heartbreaking," Silvia said, her voice tinged with sadness as she handed a piece of candy to a young girl selling flowers while Logan bought some for her.

Logan glanced around, taking in the full extent of the village's hardship. The weight of their struggles pressed on him, and he decided he had to do something before they left that day.

"I think you're right… Monsters are plentiful here. I'd wager there might even be some goblins nearby. What do you think about bringing Krexa in and starting to form an army with her monarch ability? Considering how well the hobgoblins in our kingdom have turned out, I'm hopeful that, in a few years, they might even become creatures capable of coexisting peacefully with humans," Logan suggested.

Silvia thought for a moment before nodding. "That might actually work," she agreed.

"True, they don't have a tendency to stink up the place anymore, and some can even serve as guards or mages," Silvia added. Her words sparked an idea in Logan—perhaps he could tax the kingdoms in exchange for the services of his goblin and wark mages and guardians. Providing the two creatures with a safer environment to work in, away from the wild, could also bring wealth to his kingdom.

"I'll speak with Krexa tomorrow," Logan said, thoughtfully. "Now then, how about we return home? As much as I'd love to extend our date, we need to rest and be ready for another ten hours of flying tomorrow."

Logan took Silvia's hand, gently guiding her back toward the teleportation array where Wyver and Zephyr were resting.

"Sure, no problem. But I do have one final request before I teleport everyone back," Silvia said, walking beside him.

"What is it?" Logan asked, pausing to listen.

"Why do I have to be the one telling you what to do? Isn't the guy supposed to lead here?" Silvia teased, pulling Logan's shoulder to bring him closer, her smaller frame emphasized by the fifteen-centimeter height difference between them.

Logan chuckled and, seeing no one else around, decided to play along. He helped her by lifting her gently, placing her on top of a nearby rock. A small groan escaped her lips, drawing a faint smile from him, though it didn't deter the passionate girl from holding onto him tightly.

It wasn't until she needed to catch her breath that she finally let go. "I didn't expect it to be so great… No wonder everyone makes such a big deal out of it," Silvia said, her face mere centimeters from Logan's.

"Yes, and what comes after is just as addictive," Logan replied with a grin. "But we should head back for today. Let's save the rest for when we're not facing a ten-hour trip tomorrow that's bound to leave us sore."

He hugged her warmly before helping her back down to the ground.

"You know… I appreciate the way you placed me at a good level to enjoy the kiss, but please don't lift me for every little thing," Silvia said, giving Logan a stern gaze that only made him laugh.

"Anything you want," Logan replied, leaning down to kiss her forehead, smoothing out the small wrinkle that had formed there.

"Now, let's go. I bet Wyver wants to get back to his icebox—he's been sending me mental complaints all evening," Logan sighed, knowing the day had finally come to an end.

Within ten minutes, they were back at the kingdom's teleportation array. Both Zephyr and Wyver wasted no time, leaving as soon as they returned to the castle. Silvia headed straight to her lab, which was the closest thing she had to a personal room.

Left alone, Logan made his way inside, hoping he wouldn't be overwhelmed with work. Unfortunately for him, Leonard was already waiting in the same spot he'd been that morning, ready with a detailed list of the kingdom's pressing issues.

One of the items on the list was patrolling, which gave Logan the perfect opportunity to bring up his idea. He thought it might be time to form groups of Wark and Hobgoblin mercenaries to assist counties struggling with insufficient patrols. The idea of turning these creatures into valuable assets for the kingdom seemed promising, and Logan was eager to discuss it further with Leonard.

"I'll ask Thalor about it, as well as how much they're willing to pay. Remember, we need to cover the cost of the creatures' meals and crystals. I'll talk with the treasurer, so let's keep that idea on hold until then," Leonard said, prompting Logan to push his plan back for later consideration.

"So, I guess that's all for now, Leonard. I think we've gone over everything except the heroes' growth in our kingdom. How about telling them that for every two levels they achieve, they'll earn a free meal or something? That darn Kingdom of Elris keeps pestering us to get them to train," Logan grumbled, scratching his head in frustration as he wondered why he was in charge of the teens.

"I'll try that… Now, I'll leave you for the evening. Just make sure to get some rest, Your Majesty. We'll need to iron out a few more things tomorrow before you leave," Leonard said, placing his terminal away and gesturing for Logan to follow him to the dining room.

"Guess I will head out to eat. The smell is seriously strong today—I wonder what they've made," Logan said, finally feeling a sense of relief at having completed the day's work.