ISEKAI? More like I See Crap!

"So how much for one week's rent?" Hazuki asked casually.

The dwarf paused, flipping the page slowly.

Then narrowed his eyes.

His bushy brows pulled down in disbelief.

"Lad… are ye fer real?"

Hazuki blinked. "Hmm? Yes."

The dwarf slapped the binder shut.

"Lad! This ain't a tavern! We don't rent houses fer a week. This ain't an inn, ye know!"

Hazuki let out a long sigh. "Yo, old man, chill. Geez…"

Ellyn stepped forward quickly, still holding Hazuki's hand, and offered a polite smile.

"Sorry, Mr. Dwarf. Then… can I ask how much it would cost for a full month?"

The dwarf grunted and opened the binder again.

"Ten silver coin per month, lass. But minimum three-month rental."

"Wha—!?" Hazuki's eyes widened. "That's more expensive than an inn!"

The dwarf leaned back, grinning under his thick beard. "That's 'cause yer comparin' it to a one-room rat box behind a noisy tavern!"

He chuckled heartily and jabbed a thumb toward the sketch of the house.

"This here's a proper home, lad. Got a roof. Four walls. Real privacy. Basic furniture included. Even a decent outhouse. Ye get the whole thing. Not just a creaky bed with a door that don't lock."

Hazuki stared at the page. Then glanced at Ellyn.

She was smiling.

The dwarf leaned back in his creaky chair, thick fingers tapping on the counter, grin widening now that he'd figured out who between the two held the power.

"So, little girl," he said, ignoring Hazuki completely now, "ye want it? Ten silver's already a special price, y'know. I threw out five silvers off the top. Normal rate's fifteen. But since ye both look like newlyweds…"

He winked.

"I tossed in a lil' discount. Ye understand, aye?"

Ellyn gave him a sweet smile.

Then calmly raised her palm toward Hazuki, without saying a word.

Hazuki sighed, reached into his leather side bag, and began pulling out his coin pouch, when Ellyn snatched the entire thing out of his hand in one swift motion.

"Mr. Dwarf," she said politely, placing the coins on the table, "one year rent. Here's one gold and twenty silver."

The dwarf's eyes nearly popped from his skull.

"A year!?"

Hazuki blinked. "Wha!? Why do we need to—"

Before he could finish, Ellyn spoke without turning.

"I don't want you sleeping on the road again."

She pouted slightly as she crossed her arms.

"Ridan told me you sleep on park benches. On dirt, sometimes. And on the road!"

Hazuki looked away, sighing.

"Of course I slept on the park bench… it's free…"

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"The dirt… well, that was during a herb-gathering quest."

"And the road?" Ellyn asked, narrowing her eyes.

Hazuki cleared his throat. "Err… I was… drunk."

Inside Hazuki's mind...

Now where's that stupid ancient spirit…

How dare he tell Ellyn about all that…

He scanned the room discreetly, no sign of Ridan.

Not a wisp of purple mist. Not a smug face in sight.

Ugh! Damn you, Ridan…

"Hazuki?" Ellyn called gently.

He snapped back to reality.

"Yes, Ellyn?" he replied, turning toward her.

"After this," she said with a small smile, "can we go buy a dress for me?"

Hazuki blinked. Then looked at her outfit.

Still the same kid-style dress she'd been wearing all this time.

"Oh. Right," he nodded. "You don't have any spare clothes."

"Yeah. Let's get you something better."

Ellyn smiled softly and squeezed his hand.

Meanwhile, the dwarf chuckled and tapped the stack of housing forms in front of him.

"Aight—payment's done," he said. "Now I'll finish yer paperwork. ID, lad! Gotta tie the rental to yer name."

Hazuki sighed quietly and pulled his adventurer card from his pouch.

The dwarf took it, squinted at the inscription, then let out a low whistle.

"Oho~ lad!! High-level adventurer, eh?"

He looked at Ellyn with a grin, handing the card back.

"Good for you, little bride. Ye got yerself a fine one."

Ellyn held her head a little higher, tail swaying proudly.

Hazuki just sighed again.

Meanwhile, outside the property office…

Above the tiled rooftop, Ridan floated lazily, arms behind his head, with Syaria clinging contentedly to his side.

The sun dipped lower now, the sky softening into early twilight. A calm breeze passed.

Syaria nuzzled closer. "Ridaaaan~ let's go float by the lake later…"

"Hmph. That's up to the lovebirds downstairs," he replied with a smug smirk.

In a blink, both Ridan and Syaria were snatched mid-air—like catching balls in motion.

Two figures in long cloaks had appeared from thin air, one grabbing each spirit with practiced speed.

And then...

A third figure, cloaked in violet, stepped out from behind a nearby chimney.

A woman.

Her presence made the air shudder faintly.

She reached forward and clasped her hand over Syaria's mouth, muffling her startled cry.

"MMMPH!!"

Syaria's eyes widened in shock, struggling, unable to to break the grip.

Ridan's eyes narrowed.

Then… he saw the woman's face clearly.

And instantly, his mist-like body lost color.

Pale. Silent.

"…You…" he muttered.

Just a single word—soft. Distant.

Spoken not with challenge…

But fear.

Ridan's eyes shifted from the cloaked woman's face…

…to the two familiar men standing on either side of her.

The usual two.

The ones who always interfered from the shadows.

Those smug, enigmatic bastards who spoke in riddles, nudged fate, and acted untouchable.

But right now?

They looked…

Defeated.

Eyes lowered.

Sweat on their brows.

Even they dared not speak unless spoken to.

Then Syaria—still frozen mid-air—slowly turned her gaze upward, straining to glimpse the woman holding her.

She caught a partial view beneath the hood.

Her eyes widened.

And all color drained from her spiritual form.

No one moved.

No one dared to breathe.

Finally—the woman spoke.

Her voice was calm. Icy. Controlled.

"This is the guide you chose to lead the chosen hero?" she asked the two men without turning her gaze.

"Y-Yes, ma'am," one of them stammered.

She nodded slightly.

Then shifted her attention toward Syaria, her grip still firm on the spirit's face.

"And this… is the ex-priestess from a thousand years ago. Syaria."

Her tone wasn't impressed. Nor cruel.

Just… disappointed.

Then her eyes narrowed, slowly turning toward Ridan.

"…And why," she asked, "did you choose this purple cloud?"

"Wha—!?" Ridan flared up instinctively. "You—!"

But the moment she stared directly at him.

Pressure.

A crushing wave of presence slammed down on him like gravity.

His body flickered violently. His form distorted.

He couldn't move. Couldn't speak.

Couldn't even think.

Syaria body went rigid. Her spiritual form locked in place. She could no longer even struggle.

The woman didn't raise her hand.

She simply looked at them.

And in that silence… everything bent.

The woman's gaze stayed fixed on Ridan, her eyes burning not with rage…

…but judgment.

"You failed to stop the heroes a thousand years ago, Ridan," she said coldly.

"Remember that."

Ridan's body flickered under her words. His form shrank, barely holding shape.

"And you," she turned to Syaria.

"You used the forbidden soul-binding technique… just to stay tethered to this world.

Just to chase after him."

Syaria said nothing.

Then the woman turned, slowly, to the two cloaked men beside her.

Her voice dropped into something even colder.

"And you two…"

Her stare bored into them like blades.

"…you thought this"

She gestured faintly toward Ridan.

"Was fit to guide the chosen hero?"

The second one finally swallowed and gave the faintest nod.

"...We thought… maybe this time, he could do better."

"Maybe?" Her voice sliced.

She stepped forward.

"You entrusted the collapse of this world… to a spirit who already failed once."

Silence.

Total and absolute.

The woman's voice echoed again.

"Ridan."

"Y–yes ma'am!?" he stammered, his spiritual form trembling as he barely maintained shape.

Her gaze pierced through him.

"You know that the so-called hero from a thousand years ago… did manage to kill the Demon King, yes?"

Ridan nodded weakly.

"Good," she said. "Then let me remind you of what you forgot."

Her next words dropped like iron.

"He was cursed by the Demon King. A dying curse. A seal placed upon him in his final breath—one meant to suppress his true power."

Ridan's eyes widened.

"You know what that means, don't you?"

She stepped forward once more, her voice cold as the void.

"That curse... was for a thousand years."

Ridan paled even further.

Syaria gasped quietly beside him.

The woman's tone sharpened.

"And when that curse lifts—he will regain his full strength."

Her hand lifted slightly—pointing a single finger downward, accusing.

"All the power he had as the hero… plus the dark power he took when he killed the Demon King."

She stared at Ridan, unblinking.

"And you didn't even realize, that very same hero... is now the current Demon King."

Silence fell like thunder.

Even the two cloaked men lowered their heads further.

Ridan could only whisper, almost numb.

"…That's not possible…"

But the woman's voice was merciless.

"You failed to stop him."

Her words struck like a curse.

"You failed to guide Kenjirou."

She stepped forward again, eyes faintly glowing.

"Your task was simple!! make sure he never strayed from the true path."

Ridan's voice cracked as he barked back. "But… he's the one who tricked me!"

He floated weakly, as if the words themselves drained his core.

"He… and the other summoned heroes… they lied to me. Said it was a cursed cave. Said they needed my magic. And then…"

His voice wavered.

"They killed me there."

His fists clenched, his form flickering with bitterness.

"They stabbed me from behind. While I was casting. And then he—Kenjirou—sealed me without hesitation. Burned my notes. My life's work. Gone."

The woman's glare deepened.

"And why do you think that happened?"

She didn't wait for an answer.

"Because you were stupid."

Her words hit harder than any magic.

"You, Ridan, a renowned wizard, scholar of ancient spells, veteran of battle, strongest wizard were fooled like a wide-eyed apprentice."

Ridan's body shook.

But he couldn't refute it.

He had no excuse.

Only shame.

( End Of Chapter )