Chaos erupted across the capital of the Empire. All at once, the spell was broken.
"Ah! I'm naked! I need some clothes!" a woman shrieked, clutching herself in shock.
"Aw, is the fun over already?" a woman grumbled in the town square, before another man beside her, suddenly lucid, recoiled in horror.
"You succubus!" he yelled, grabbing a piece of cloth to cover himself.
"Oh god, my back hurts so much. How much did I thrust?" a soldier groaned.
Shame, confusion, and fear were a sudden, overwhelming plague. The streets, once a scene of casual debauchery, were now a frantic mess of citizens trying to hide their nakedness, their dignity shattered.
Then, the Empire's magical broadcasting device, a tool previously used to spread announcement for war and major news all across the Empire's territories, flickered to life. A single image appeared on the massive projected screens for all to see.
"Look! It's the princess!" a voice cried out, and a hush fell over the crowd.
Princess Tina stood tall, her image regal and unwavering. "Citizens of the Empire," she began with a clear and steady voice. "I speak to you now in this hour of uncertainty. The vile sorcery that clouded your minds, cast by the Sculptor of Mind, has at last been broken."
"Through the courage of the Hero, and the blessed grace of Saint Ysoria, that curse was shattered, freeing you from the chains of another's will."
She took a deep breath. "Under his control, many of you—our soldiers, our commanders, our loyal citizens—were made to carry out horrors. Neighboring peoples, once allies or innocents, were marked as enemies. And you were forced to conquer in the name of an Empire you no longer controlled."
"Do not let guilt turn to despair. Let it become the steel in your spine. The threats of the Demon King still stir. As the greatest nation in Terra, the Empire must be the bulwark to resist against this all-consuming darkness."
"Past Heroes have failed in their quest, but this Hero... the one who shattered our chains may yet overcome the Demon King and reclaim a future that was nearly stolen from us!" she declared, her voice swelling with a newfound hope.
"I ask of you, Citizens of the Empire. To believe in him as I have!"
When the message faded, a profound silence lingered. Then, a single voice, full of newfound purpose, shouted from the crowd. "For the Empire!"
The chant was immediately taken up by another, and then another, until it became a single, unified voice that shook the very air.
"For the Empire!"
"For the Hero!"
"For the Saint!"
"For the Goddess!"
________________________
The throne room, once a chamber of overwhelming power and opulence, now felt hollow. The high-ranking nobles and officials who filled the space were all shrunken shadows of their former selves, their once-muscular frames now skeletal, their expensive clothing hanging loose like shrouds. At the center of it all, the King, a man once known for his legendary physique, now sat on his throne, his white beard a stark contrast to his emaciated face. He stroked it thoughtfully, adjusting the heavy crown that seemed too large for his head.
"Hero Kaito and Saint Ysoria III," the King began, his voice a dry, reedy rasp that lacked its usual booming authority. "I thank you for saving the Empire from the Sculptor of Mind. If not, I fear that I may have experienced an early death due to exhaustion, hohoho." A chilling laugh echoed in the room. He then winked at his daughter. "Although, you may be expecting a lot more siblings soon, Tina."
Tina's body tensed, her gaze a searing fire aimed at her father. "Father! Be serious."
The King coughed, the sound rattling in his chest. "Ahem. Now that the Empire has regained its sanity, we shall collaborate with the Kingdom to push back against the forces of the Demon King. Tell me, what is your next plan, Hero?"
Kaito's stance was resolute. "I plan to take on the rest of the Demon King's commanders before taking on the Demon King himself. I hope you will take down the various Demon King's generals scattered around."
"It shall be done! Although I'm currently unable to reward you with a fitting gift as most of our treasury is unaccounted for, and our economy is in shamble."
"However, feel free to stay in this castle and enjoy all the entertainment the Empire has to offer, for however long you wish!"
________
A heavy cloak of steam filled the room, wrapping itself around the large pool of hot water. Kaito lay naked in the bath, his body sinking into the warmth, the gentle flow from the wall a soothing constant. This was the first time since arriving in this world that he'd taken a proper bath. In a world with basic cleaning magic, the ritual of bathing was almost forgotten, a luxury reserved for pleasure rather than necessity. He had learned the magic from Ysoria, but it never felt right to use it.
A familiar voice echoed in his mind. 'Kaito, Yumi has successfully communicated with us through that weird machine she placed on your head,' Durandal announced.
'That contraption looks scary, Master,' Shikabanehime added.
A gear clicked in Kaito's mind. "Could you ask Yumi for all the knowledge about making guns, explosives, and other important technological and agricultural aspects to develop a medieval-like civilization?" Kaito's thoughts raced. "I'm not sure if it's a good idea to introduce guns to this world, but they have magic already, so what's the worst that can happen? And it may be needed for the people of this world to fight against the forces of the Demon King in the near future."
'Got it, Master. I will remember every word from Yumi and recite it to you,' Shikabanehime said eagerly.
'There is no need for that,' Durandal's voice cut in. 'I can easily recall it and produce a book on the topic for Kaito to read in his mental realm.' The two voices disappeared from his mind.
Kaito closed his eyes, sinking deeper into the water. He was in another world, tasked with saving it from a Demon King. He wondered if the Goddess's promise to return him home was trustworthy, or if he was stuck here forever.
A sudden slashing sound made him open his eyes. A naked girl with long blue hair and a giant wizard hat had teleported in beside him. A normal boy would have blushed, but Kaito had been around too many women to be phased by such a sight.
"You're Nysera, right?" he asked calmly, as if this was a normal occurrence. "What are you doing here?"
Nysera took a step closer, suddenly grabbing his hand and placing it on her own neck. "I want to know how you were able to hit me."
"Huh? Did you teleport in here naked just to ask me that?"
"I couldn't wait," she said, her expression blank.
"Why be naked then? And could you let go of my hand?"
Nysera didn't let go. "Being naked is liberating."
"What about your hat?"
"Pervert," she replied flatly.
"???"
"Please answer my question," she insisted, her grip on his hand tightening. "I won't let go until you do. I was supposed to be completely intangible in that state."
"It's the ability of my blade," Kaito explained with a sigh. "It possesses the capability to adapt to all phenomena, as long as it's exposed to it for long enough."
Nysera finally let go of his hand. "Can I see it?"
"Sure, I guess." Kaito summoned Shikabanehime, the blade appearing in his hand.
Nysera took the blade from him, her eyes tracing its form before she tried to stab her own hand with it. Her hand passed right through the blade. She looked at Kaito. "Can you stab me with it?"
No," Kaito said simply.
Nysera's face remained expressionless, but a flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes. "I see." With a final glance, she teleported out of the room, leaving Kaito alone once again, confused by the strange encounter.