Grime to Grandeur / Side Story – Ruri (Part I) *
The stench of the damp, dark dungeon where the class had first arrived had finally faded. The air was clearer now, no longer thick with mildew and rot.
Everyone, Logan included, was eager for a change, especially when it came to their current attire.
Logan longed to strip off his sticky, sweat-soaked hoodie. The fabric clung uncomfortably to his skin, making each step feel heavier. Though he had a feeling the shirt underneath wasn't much better, the urge to peel it off was still strong.
Even so, he forced himself to ignore the discomfort.
Dwelling on it wouldn't help.
Instead, he turned his attention to the hallway the three otherworlders were leading them through, doing his best to focus on the details of their new surroundings.
The ceiling stretched four or five meters high, with elegant crystal chandeliers hanging at measured intervals. They bathed the corridor in bright light, adding even more radiance to the already sunlit path, as if the castle never had to concern itself with energy costs.
The corridor itself was just as grand in scale. Its generous width and towering height gave the group plenty of space to stretch out, making their procession feel less like a march and more like a royal tour. Benches and tables stood every few meters along the path, each adorned with fresh flowers and rich scarlet or gold tablecloths—a clear display of the kingdom's wealth and power.
To the left, tall windows offered a breathtaking view of the castle grounds. Beyond the glass, the students glimpsed sprawling medieval-style gardens and the rising towers of nearby buildings. On the right side of the corridor, doors lined the wall in perfect rhythm, spaced evenly every five meters or so.
It took them about ten minutes to walk from what seemed like a separate tower into the main part of the castle, following a long, straight path. Eventually, they climbed a short flight of stairs.
No one spoke during the ascent. Instead, they moved in silence, absorbing the opulence that surrounded them.
Their quiet walk only came to a halt when the voice of the princess rang out. With graceful authority, she called for the maids to divide the group and lead them into separate changing rooms.
Logan, with no say in the matter, followed the maid assigned to him. She was a small woman with light brown hair and a determined expression.
Without much ceremony, she gripped his hand firmly and pulled him along at a brisk pace, as if there was no time to waste.
She brought him to a modest room and offered him a towel.
"Do… do you need assistance bathing hero?"
Logan noticed a slight quiver in her expression; her voice filled with embarrassment. Naturally, Logan declined the offer; he did not know her or trust her.
As he entered, he began to inspect the room, still half-convinced this might all be a hoax—a prank—and that there would be hidden cameras waiting to catch him doing something dumb. But nothing happened.
"Hero? Uhm… we need to leave soon. Please take your shower."
Logan didn't respond. Instead, he moved slowly, still suspicious. He looked around a little more, checking the corners.
The room itself was simple, almost rustic, with a few wooden shelves and a large tub filled with steaming water. Though "bucket" might have been a better term, the sight of the warm bath was more than welcome.
Logan was curious about how bathing worked in this world.
He briefly considered asking the maid, who remained just outside the door, but decided instead to trust his instincts. After scanning the room for any hidden observers, he cautiously began to undress.
He dipped his toes into the tub to test the water. It was perfect—just hot enough to be relaxing without scalding. Several smaller buckets of clean water sat nearby, and he guessed they were for rinsing.
After washing his hands and splashing himself down, he poured some of the clean water over his body before stepping fully into the bath.
Five minutes passed. The warmth of the water slowly melted away his tension, and Logan found himself relaxing. Feeling safer now, he allowed himself to sink further into the soap-filled tub and began to wash his hair.
Running his fingers through the strands, he noticed just how long his rich chocolate-brown hair had grown, now trailing down below his shoulders.
He was just beginning to comb through the knots when a sudden knock at the door cut through the silence.
"I am sorry to rush you again hero… but the princess asked me to hurry… you…"
Along with her voice, the sound of the knocking was sharp, quick, and clearly meant to hurry him along.
"Fine, I will be out in a few!"
Logan sighed as he began to remove any remaining soap from his body. Logan rose from the tub and reached for the two buckets nearby. He doused himself thoroughly, letting the clean water wash away the last of the suds.
Afterward, he gave a quick shake to avoid soaking the area around the large tub, then grabbed a towel from the shelf to dry off.
He groaned when his eyes fell on the plain clothing laid out for him—just a simple shirt and what looked suspiciously like tights in place of proper underwear.
The boy quickly figured the real clothing would probably be custom-made later. With that in mind, he called out to the maid to let her know he was done bathing.
The light brown hair maid entered promptly, carrying a length of string to take his measurements. She worked efficiently, then informed him to wait a few minutes while his new clothing was being prepared.
It didn't take long before she returned with three fresh items. First, she handed him a pair of smooth white pants and a plain white shirt, both of which he quickly slipped into. Then came a final piece—a white tunic with gold trim, to complete the look.
Logan could tell by the texture that the material was either fine silk or something very close to it. Everything felt incredibly light and soft on his skin, far more comfortable than anything he usually wore.
Still, the outfit was a bit too large for his tastes—and much too flashy.
Even the laceless shoes, which looked simple enough, felt oddly snug and supportive. As he walked around, he was struck by the sensation that he could leap higher than normal in them. The attire, while plain in design, was undeniably classy and well-crafted.
The only issue left was his beanie.
Logan, hoping to keep it, tried to slide it on discreetly—but the maid noticed immediately. She simply reached out her hand and asked for it, explaining that it needed to be washed.
"Hero, if you don't mind," she began with a polite but firm tone, "I asked around for some hats to be brought, since you were wearing one when you were summoned. Please decide if you want to wear one of the three I could find on short notice. If none of these are suitable, I can try looking for others."
She presented three hats for him to consider. One was shaped like a soft donut with cloth draped around the sides. Another was a simple white hood that concealed everything but the face. The last was a slanted hat with a feather attached, leaning more toward flair than function.
Logan looked at the options—and at the maid's unreadable expression. He nearly laughed out loud.
Still, rather than trouble her further, he chose the feathered hat and adjusted it into his usual emo style, letting his hair fall to cover part of his face. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than nothing.
There were no mirrors in the room, so he had to rely on the maid's neutral compliments for reassurance. Deep down, he could only hope the other students had it worse.
He quickly thanked the maid for her help and stepped out into the hallway where the class was scheduled to regroup.
Logan was the fourth to finish. The three other boys were already seated nearby, dressed in outfits nearly identical to his, except for one detail. Logan was the only one wearing headgear.
Naturally, he couldn't avoid the looks they gave him. Their eyes lingered just a little too long, clearly focused on the absurdity of his unique, feathered hat.
Logan kept a composed demeanor as he walked past them, or tried to.
He then took a seat on one of the nearby benches. Leaning his head back and closing his eyes, he did his best to appear fast asleep while waiting for the others.
That illusion didn't last long.
The sound of footsteps approaching disrupted his stillness as more of the male students entered the hallway, their casual conversations filling the space. Thankfully, none of them chose to sit near him or try to engage.
Logan remained in his resting position for about thirty minutes, trying to block out the noise around him.
Still, he couldn't help becoming absorbed in bits of a conversation that caught his attention.
As expected from teenage boys, some were whispering about how beautiful the maids looked and the fun they had while with them, while others were discussing his hat—apparently, he was the only one who had bothered to wear one in the end.
Fortunately, the sound of voices coming from the opposite side of the corridor—separated from them by the stairs—quickly silenced the chatter.
The sudden hush made Logan wonder about the strange calm that had settled over the boys' side.
He opened his eyes and glanced across the hallway. The girls had begun arriving, wearing a range of colorful outfits, each adorned with different accessories and varying amounts of makeup.
Even Silvia, with her smaller-than-average frame, approached wearing a shy expression, but somehow still managed to look quite charming.
Logan tried to maintain an uninterested look, but his gaze couldn't help drifting toward Lisa. Positioned at the center of the group and surrounded by compliments from the other girls, she was easy to spot.
She wore a gleaming silver gown with a refined, elegant design. Her light ash-brown hair was left down to her waist, held in place by a delicate silver floral ornament that pinned back just enough to frame her features.
It was obvious the people in charge of dressing them had given extra attention to Lisa. She wore noticeably more jewelry than anyone else in the class.
Logan quietly observed her beet-red face and downcast eyes as she tried her best to offer polite thanks for every compliment thrown her way.
In a way, he felt relieved. The image of a nervous, overwhelmed Lisa felt more familiar—more human—than the perfectly composed girl he once knew.
When they first arrived in this world, he hadn't gone out of his way to check on her. She, too, had tried to avoid attention, even going so far as to subtly turn away to avoid meeting his eyes.
Still, Logan's attention wasn't only on her. Another student caught his eye—Alma. She wore a scarlet gown that reflected her strong sense of fashion, her golden hair pulled back into a tidy bun held in place by a small fan-shaped ornament.
She looked as refined as ever, effortlessly drawing eyes without trying.
Ms. Claire, dressed in a long, majestic brown gown layered with sleek black silk beneath, was the third woman in the group who drew Logan's attention. Her hair was styled neatly in a bun, with side-swept bangs in the front and two long strands of ebony-black hair cascading down from each ear. A delicate, thin gold tiara rested atop her head, subtle yet regal.
Of course, Logan—being a guy—couldn't help but notice the design of her dress, particularly around the chest, which made it far easier to observe her mature, womanly figure, usually concealed beneath her professional attire.
Still, it wasn't just her appearance that caught his eye.
He noticed something else: she was staring at the princess with a slightly confused expression.
As Logan would later learn, the two had exchanged words earlier while the students were bathing. Whatever disagreement they'd had, it left Ms. Claire waiting for a private explanation about the summoning ceremony—one that the princess had postponed until later.
⟦⚜ Side Story – Ruri Holze (Part I) ⚜⟧
One month before the summoning ritual, in a small rural town a few kilometers from the capital city of Elris, an eighteen-year-old girl stood quietly, doing her best to read a poster she'd picked up after buying food at the nearby market.
Her father, a shoemaker, was busy working in his shop, while her mother, a retired maid, had taught her the basics of reading in case she ever decided to follow the same path.
"Work… maid in the castle. Hero summoning."
She slowly read the words she recognized aloud, pausing over the ones she didn't, going over the paper a few more times to understand its full meaning.
After a few attempts, she understood the gist: the castle was hiring workers for the upcoming hero summoning ritual, and those selected would be able to serve the hero directly.
Ruri, whose two older brothers had been sent off to war, held just as much hope as anyone else in her village for the hero's arrival.
She wasn't a fighter and had no special gifts.
Her mana core couldn't absorb much mana, which meant she couldn't use magic like many others could.
With limited options, she was left to choose between finding a decent husband or a job that could help support her family.
She chose the latter.
Even if her looks were nothing exceptional, she could at least try for a job that might provide for her aging parents.
Her father was forty-eight, her mother forty-four, both worked as farmers or servants for the local lord.
She glanced down at the date listed on the flyer, then counted on her fingers.
"Three, four… five—oh no, it's today!" Ruri gasped, suddenly bolting toward the town center, where the largest building stood.
It was likely where the maid interviews were being held—and her only chance to leave this small town behind.
Running past familiar homes and slipping through a few shortcuts, she lifted her worn-out dress to keep it from dragging through the muddy roads still slick from the last rainfall.
"Ruri! Where are you going in such a hurry?" called out an elderly woman as she passed by.
The woman was a kind neighbor who often brought bread back to share with Ruri.
"Mrs. Wilda, I'll talk to you later!" Ruri shouted back, waving without slowing down until she reached the town's bailiff's house.
The streets were narrow, so she had to watch her footing as farmers riding beasts passed by, along with the occasional creaking wagon.
She was well known in the small town and greeted many familiar faces with a quick wave.
When she reached the town square, she finally arrived at the bailiff's house.
Sir Trestor, a respected elder who had earned his position after years of service to a baron, lived there.
Outside his home were three carriages and a group of young women—some older, some younger than Ruri—gathered in front.
Ruri quickly joined the line where several ladies were chatting among themselves, the topics were, of course, about the hero.
She recognized a few but was puzzled by the presence of others.
Her confusion came mostly from seeing girls she knew who came from well-off families.
Though considered upper-class in their small town, Ruri knew they wouldn't stand out in a place like the capital.
For instance, the daughter of the town's largest storeowner was currently being interviewed.
She seemed confident—until they asked whether she could perform household chores, which clearly shook her.
Ruri saw similar reactions from a few others in line before her name was finally called.
"Hi, I'm Ruri Holze, third child of Terris Holze, the town shoemaker. My mother used to work as a maid in the castle, so I know the basics," Ruri introduced herself calmly.
She was then handed a set of tools to test her household skills and knowledge.
After demonstrating what her mother had taught her about washing and packing clothes, she was told to stand in another line.
The next part was simple.
She was questioned about everything in her life, from her abilities to her magic and health.
Ruri had a checkup with a sigil that most doctors use to diagnose illnesses and drugs and came clean.
Ruri was then given the good news and was told to collect her things.
The young girl was given a royal emblem, meaning she was going to work for the castle.
She forgot how she got home after that, as she was also given a few coins as an upfront payment, and gave them to her parents right away.
Her father and mother were mad about the news, but her mother knew the emblem quite well and did not try to stop her.
"Ruri, please be careful. You know we love you as our youngest…" Her mother hugged her.
As for her father, he did not want to stop his work.
That was until she was almost outside her house, where she felt someone gently pull her by the shoulder.
"Ruri… please, my little girl, be careful. If you don't feel safe in the city, come back home as soon as possible."
The girl stopped to hug her father tightly before exiting her house with a small bag that held most of her important things.
She had given all but ten silver coins to her parents.
Within a week, she found herself in the grand city of Midar, a place her mother had always talked to Ruri about.
It was even grander than the stories her mother had told her as a child.
Ruri was full of excitement about her stay here and the possibility of meeting the hero.
In the next few months, she trained hard to welcome the hero.
She was lucky to be chosen as one of the top twenty maids for this honor.
Before long, the small army of maids was sent to be ready to welcome the hero.
They would tend to his needs if it were a man, while butlers were also readied in case it was a woman.
As soon as news of the successful summoning spread, everyone stood at attention, awaiting their next order.
All the maids and butlers were called in a hurry as something unexpected occurred.
Instead of a single hero, multiple children had been summoned.
They were around Ruri's age, which thrilled her, especially when she was assigned to care for one of the boys.
The maids didn't get to choose who they would assist; they were simply instructed to escort the summoned youths to a changing room.
The boy Ruri had been tasked with was a teenager with long, dark chocolate hair.
It wasn't the best first impression—his unusual clothes were soaked with sweat, and his hair hung in messy strands.
His face, almost entirely covered by his hair, appeared sunken and sickly.
His expression was cautious, filled with curiosity and a hint of fear.
In that moment, Ruri felt a sudden urge to help him.
She didn't know how, but she was able to gather courage and gently took his arm and led him to a room where he could bathe.
She offered her assistance, silently hoping he would refuse—because truthfully, she had no idea what to do if he accepted.
Thankfully, he declined.
It stung her pride slightly, especially since he seemed somewhat repulsed by the offer—but Ruri didn't let it show.
She rushed off to find him clean undergarments, which wasn't difficult since they were near the castle's guest quarters.
The guest storage room always kept a wide variety of clothing, prepared in different shapes and sizes for unexpected visitors.
When the boy finally finished his bath, Ruri returned with fresh clothes—and was stunned by what she saw.
The clean figure before her, his long hair tied back, looked completely different from the disheveled boy she had met earlier.
Without the hair covering his face, she could see a handsome young man who made her heart flutter.
It became even harder to keep her composure when she noticed his unblemished skin beneath the undergarments—so unlike her brothers, who often came home scarred from labor or military drills before the war.
She tried not to show her nervousness—after all, she needed to take the boy's measurements to find clothes that would fit him properly.
Holding her breath to keep from hyperventilating, she did her best to stay composed.
Again, her pride took a small hit when the boy flinched at her touch when she was taking measurements.
She forced herself to ignore the sting of rejection and quickly hurried off to find clothing.
Determined to raise the hero's impression of her, Ruri searched through the vast collection inside the storage room.
Other maids were there too, all scrambling to find garments for the other summoned heroes.
It wasn't easy, but Ruri eventually found a white and gold tunic set—something she imagined even a prince from a foreign land might wear with ease.
Elegant, noble, and clean—it would look perfect on him.
But she shook the thought away, cheeks flushing slightly, and focused on her task.
The hero was still waiting, dressed only in undergarments, when she returned with the chosen outfit.
After making a few rounds to retrieve shoes, Ruri finally saw the full result.
The hero stood before her, dressed in the tunic she had picked, and looked absolutely radiant.
She tried to suppress the grin tugging at her lips, doing her best to calm her rapidly beating heart while gazing at the eye candy before her.
"I… I'll need your hat," she muttered, reaching for the last piece of clothing ruining his refined image.
Taking the worn-out cap, she ran off again—this time to replace it with something more fitting.
It was difficult, as most guests didn't care much for headwear, but after a long search, Ruri managed to find three hats she could offer the hero.
"Hero, if you don't mind," Ruri began, trying not to sound too nervous, "I asked around for some hats to be brought since you were wearing one when you were summoned."
She paused, hoping he wouldn't be offended.
"Please choose one of the three I found on short notice. If none suit you, I can try looking for others."
With a deep breath, she revealed the three candidates she had gathered after combing through the castle's massive storage area.
The hero inspected each one in silence before picking the very hat she had hoped he would choose.
She had only brought the two uglier ones as decoys—meant to make her real choice look even better.
As he put it on, Ruri couldn't help but stare.
With his newly fitted clothes, tied-back hair, and now a hat that matched his features, he looked like a hero out of an old tale—one of those legends about noble thieves giving wealth to the poor.
"You look perfect, Hero. I hope you're happy with what I brought," Ruri said, her voice full of quiet excitement.
"Yes… Well, it's very comfortable. Thanks," he replied before taking his leave.
Ruri sighed in relief.
From what she could tell, the boy didn't dislike her, and that was more than enough.
Finally, she allowed herself to rest, sitting down for a moment after running back and forth during her brief but eventful meeting with him.
She had sweated more than she cared to admit, but she was content.
Her mind wandered, imagining what their future relationship might be like—at first, just as servant and master, but her thoughts quickly strayed.
She entertained the idea of being more than that. Maybe, just maybe, she could become someone important to him.
Of course, she knew it was unlikely—but her imagination often went against reality.
She loved the old stories—tales where a humble maid caught the heart of a hero or prince and became a princess.
Roland, the first hero ever summoned, had introduced such stories to this world.
Her mother, once a maid to the princess, had heard them firsthand and retold them to Ruri as bedtime tales.
Smiling at the memory, Ruri got up and returned to the bathing chamber, eager to clean up before she would need to meet the hero again later that day.