Win Me Over, Demon King

3 - From The Tenth

"That's some next-level sorcery," Trey said after Alice told her story about how she ended up here.

The lime-eyed one, who introduced himself as Falkas, laced his fingers together, looking over Alice sitting opposite him and Trey.

"Could it have something to do with him?" Falkas mused.

"Him?" Alice wondered.

Trey waved a hand between them. "What are you on about? How would one's ascension to rule suddenly open up a portal from another world?"

"I don't know."

"It's not how sorcery works, dumbfart."

"Is this even sorcery?"

"What else could it be? Her world doesn't have any sort of magic." Trey looked at Alice. "Did it?"

Alice shook her head. "Nope."

"See!" Trey eyed Falkas. "If anything, it should be due to Caesare instead of..." He trailed off, forgetting the name of Alice's world.

"Earth," Falkas said.

"Anyway, I don't know much about sorcery, but here in the east spring, only folks who know much are the sorcerers from the soldier ranks."

Falkas shrugged. "Which I wouldn't recommend you approach."

"Why not?" Alice asked.

"They're sure to either treat you as crazy or a sort of undercover spy. And with the new king's rule over Jyusora, I don't think that would do you any good," Trey answered, brushing his short bronze hair.

New king. Alice had arrived in this world without knowing its timeline. When her tablet screen in the final chapter glowed as she fell to her death, it must've been what transported her here in a different form. Still the same body but not the exact one back in the real world. But a new king only meant one thing.

That would make this world of Caesare the aftermath of the final chapter. Jyusora in the present, as Alice was here, would be the time after the great battle between Ayre, the protagonist, and the unnamed demon king who claimed victory and power over the nation.

Alice gazed past the two workers and at the construction of the borders. The walls surrounding Jyusora needed repair from various sites. The only thing it resembled from the pages of the novel was when the war between nations broke out, which happened just before the final great battle.

"I'd say go visit the village farther there." Trey pointed toward the west. "It's the closest village in this prefecture from where we are. They have caravans that'd take you to the central prefecture of Jyusora, too."

The central prefecture. The first of ten skies in Jyusora.

"Which Sky is this? Seventh?" Alice asked.

"Oh, she knows about the Skies," Trey mused.

Falkas nudged him. "She just mentioned she had records of our world on her as she died in her world. Naturally, that served as some sort of key to how she got transported here." He slumped and eyed Alice. "Odd how you would have access to an entirely different world's records, though."

Alice has never faced any difficult times revealing the truth to people. Until now. She told them everything during her death and transition other than the fact that this world was from a fiction story by another human. It could pose as troublesome if they'd succumb to existential crises. Or would they?

"Perhaps this world acted as a fictional story's setting. We never know." Trey shrugged dismissively, shocking Alice at his words. "Either way, she probably didn't think it was a real world."

"True."

"You..." Alice trailed off before nodding firmly and finding new resolve in her honest and straightforward outlook. "You are right, Mister Treydan."

After a moment's silence, Trey leaned forward from his seat.

"Seriously?"

Alice nodded. "The world of Caesare was the setting of a fictional story by an author I admired. I just finished reading it before I fell."

"Wow," Falkas voiced out loud. "Guess that myth in Caesare was real after all."

"Except there weren't really any known otherworlders until the young miss right here."

"I'm pretty sure there were self-proclaimed ones, but none was ever really confirmed to be from a different world." Falkas shrugged. "After all, it is but a myth."

"Does it matter either way?" Trey smiled at Alice. "What's your name?"

"I'm Alice," Alice answered brightly with a carefree smile.

"Alice, eh? Well, you have our thanks for telling us about you."

"No worries, no worries!" Alice waved both hands between them. "I'm just glad you two were the first ones I've met here."

The two workers shared a brief look before smiling back at her with warmth in their eyes.

"Thanks for believing me."

Trey waved a hand. "We're glad we're the first you got to tell your tale, too."

"Not anyone would believe you, and I mean a lot of people wouldn't really believe something for the sole reason of 'it's impossible.'" Falkas mimicked a pitchy voice, which got the three of them chuckling.

"So what's your plan, kiddo?"

"Go to the village farther." Alice pointed to where Trey pointed earlier. "And ride a caravan to the First Sky. Like you suggested."

"Well, yeah, but..." Trey scratched his head. "What do you want to happen? What's your goal?"

"Yes, do you intend to return to Earth?" Falkas added.

"Hm... I don't think I can return. I remembered losing consciousness due to blood loss and fractures all over..." Alice smiled. "I'll live a new life as a Caesare dweller!"

Trey laughed. "I like this kid."

"I want to explore Jyusora. And then maybe in the future, the other nations of Caesare!"

"You do that, then." Trey stood. "This is the Tenth Sky, the border between Jyusora and Tochimoguru. If you ever decide to go there, find us here."

Alice's eyes sparkled.

Falkas chuckled. "We live in Azuma Village, that village." He pointed toward the visible windmill in the distance. "Stop by in the future if you ever come by."

"I will!" Alice stood and bowed her head. "Thanks so much, Mister Treydan and Falkas!"

As they exchanged their goodbyes, Alice went to Azuma Village in an energetic walk.

"She wouldn't get too tired just walking, would she? We can borrow horses from the soldiers."

"Let's not get her involved with the soldiers."

"Right..."

Falkas smiled. "I think she'll be just fine."