My summon to another world was even weirder than I expected

When Zack and the others arrived at the banquet hall, the room was already alive with activity. Everyone present was seated, chatting, drinking wine, and enjoying the food.

The banquet hall, like everything else in the castle, was extravagant. High-quality curtains and intricate decorations adorned the space, and a long table at its center was covered by an embroidered tablecloth. The seating arrangement reflected the attendees' status.

At the far end of the table sat the king, alongside Yamato and the kingdom’s most influential figures, such as the prime minister, the pontiff, and several elderly nobles who had attended the ceremony. The archmage joined them, taking a seat among these dignitaries.

Further down the table were other nobles, engaged in animated conversation with Tatsu, Seto, and Lorelei, the hero’s companions. The noise and distance made it impossible for Zack to discern what they were discussing. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the table sat Zack’s classmates. Most were focused on the food—except for a few, like Miss Kaede, who seemed intent on gathering more information about their situation.

Zack couldn’t help but notice something peculiar: there were fewer people present than there should have been. Everyone here had at least a Tier 2 class. Excluding the hero and his companions, there were seventeen Tier 2 students and only two Tier 3 students among the twenty-eight who had been summoned. This meant fifteen of their classmates—nearly half—were missing. Zack suspected the Tier 1 students had been sent elsewhere, likely denied even the courtesy of a meal. Had the archmage not personally overseen the ceremony, neither Austin nor Zack would be here either.

Zack and his companions found seats among their classmates and began eating.

For someone accustomed to modern cuisine, the food was underwhelming and poorly balanced. Despite being served to nobles and the king, the dishes lacked finesse. The issue wasn’t the quality of the ingredients or fire control, but the preparation itself. Each dish was laden with spices and strong aromas, completely unrestrained: some were overly salty, others excessively spicy, and the desserts were cloyingly sweet, practically white with sugar. Only the wine and fruit stood out as truly edible. It seemed as though the food was made for people with little regard for subtlety in taste.

Yet, not everything was bad.

Due to consuming a dish prepared by a Master Chef: Str +1

At that moment, Zack understood why most of his classmates—except for one or two who had barely touched their plates—were devouring the food like pigs.

He was speechless. This world was becoming more and more like a video game.

(If I’m not mistaken, this unappetizing food must have been prepared by a Tier 3 class holder.) Zack recalled the archmage’s earlier words: “Any high-ranking class, no matter how seemingly useless, is extraordinary.”

The nobles’ conversations, on the other hand, offered little value. Most of their chatter consisted of mutual flattery or insincere praise for the heroes. The younger nobles busied themselves discussing beauty or recent events, none of which were particularly interesting.

For Zack, it was tedious. Yet, as someone used to parties and social gatherings, he sat quietly, avoiding attention while attentively observing the discussions and committing the faces of the attendees to memory.

As the meal drew to a close, the king called for silence.

The room fell into an immediate hush, a blanket of silence enveloping the hall.

“Attention, please. I’d like to propose a toast to Yamato and his companions, who have come from far away to help us with the looming threat. Cheers!” the king declared, raising his wine-filled glass.

“Cheers!”

“To the heroes!”

“You are the hope of the kingdom and the king!”

The nobles echoed the king, raising their glasses with enthusiasm and praise.

The king stood, his presence commanding the room.

“At both sides of the hall, servants are waiting to escort you to the locations where your training will commence. The kingdom’s finest instructors will guide you in becoming stronger,” he announced.

Turning to Yamato, he added, “Hero Yamato, the hero class is unique in its ability to learn all types of arts. Your training, as well as that of your companions, will be overseen by the grand archmage, our esteemed pontiff, and the captain of the castle guard. They are the finest professionals we can offer and will dedicate their utmost effort to your growth. Simply inform them of your class type, and they will guide you accordingly.”

With that, the king departed, followed by the prime minister and the nobles. Though the evening was still young, it seemed they had other matters to attend to.

Hearing the king’s words, Zack’s mind began to race.

It was evident that the education and resources allocated to Tier 2 classes far surpassed those given to Tier 1.

(No one knows that Austin and I have Tier 1 classes. If we can infiltrate, we might become stronger,) Zack thought.

The idea sounded risky, perhaps even insane, but it wasn’t impossible.

The only people who knew the truth about Austin and Zack’s classes were the archmage, two classmates, and a few guards from the throne room. Under normal circumstances, the archmage would report their classes to the king, but Zack doubted this had happened.

Judging by the attitudes of the king and the nobles, only the hero’s class, his companions’, and the Tier 3 classes were seen as significant.

The king didn’t seem like someone who concerned himself with “minor matters.” If the archmage had reported anything, he likely kept his description vague, merely stating that the ceremony had gone as expected.

As for the guards, they had no authority to approach the king or report their observations to superiors, especially with the archmage present. Moreover, their duties were confined to guarding the throne room, making it unlikely they’d be present during the training sessions.

(If we’re selected for training in ‘magical arts,’ they’ll likely take us to the archmage. But given his attitude, it’s probable he’ll only train Seto. The rest of us will be assigned to someone else.)

The main risk lay in the possibility that their instructor might report their progress to the archmage. However, the archmage had shown little interest in the heroes during the ceremony. If their instructor did report back, it would likely happen much later—perhaps after training had concluded.

Even if the worst happened and they were caught, Zack figured he preferred prison over being thrown onto a battlefield unprepared.

(It’s a risk, but I’m certain it’s better than whatever is planned for Tier 1 classes. All that remains is to convince those two not to say anything.)

Zack glanced at his companions, determination clear in his eyes.

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