[Alright, master is looking for someone who can cook. Any of you know how? Don't lie because master and I will know.]
The fairy asked among them.
A middle-aged woman raised her hand.
"I used to work at a tavern."
A book proportionate to her size appeared in front of the fairy. She turned the pages and discerned the content.
[Let's see…Pauline, 1-star…ah, a cooking skill! Alright, you stand right here!]
The woman separated herself from the crowed, curious as to what she would be sent to do.
[Alright, master is also looking for a blacksmith, a carpenter, and a tanner. Raise your hand if you are one of those.]
Two people raised their hand. A rough-looking man and a thin man who seemed to be in his twenties.
[Gary…carpentry. And then Wesley…tannery. Alright, you two checked out. Go stand by the cook.]
They did just as the fairy said.
Apparently no blacksmith was among the crowd.
And judging from this, master and the fairy seemed to know about our identity and abilities. I wondered how much they knew.
The tiny book vanished from the fairy's view and she spoke to the three called people.
[Listen to master's orders! Pauline, you'll be in charge of preparing the meals for the people in the lodging. You can find the ingredients in the kitchen cupboards.
[Gary and Wesley, you'll be making weapons and other equipment at the workshops. We don't have the materials right now, so just hang around until then.]
Seemed like master was assigning people for the facilities they just made.
I wondered if they would create an alchemy lab. I was certain we would need potions and enchantment stones for the future trials.
The soft rainbow-ish glow in the sky suddenly dimmed, turning it into a light gray screen.
[Seems like master's leaving. Hah! To think they would spoil the heroes this much before climbing the tower.]
The fairy said with a disgruntled tone.
Based on those words, I would assume if the sky was glowing bright with the rainbow hue, it would mean master was watching us.
And that master was preparing us for the trial by providing us with these facilities.
The tower? I wondered what the fairy meant by that.
[Okay then, that's all for now. You guys can do whatever you want.]
The fairy said to us before vanishing.
Naturally, the people immediately shifted their gaze to me, looking for answers.
I sighed and pointed to the lodging.
"Let's head inside for now."
We all entered the big building in front of the square.
The interior had been furbished with sofas and a fireplace. There were more than two dozen rooms each filled with modest bed inside.
There was also an attached building to the lodging which led us to a spacious dining hall and a kitchen.
We each took a seat around a long table there in order to address the situation.
I began the discussion.
"Before I explain anything, I would like you people to introduce yourselves and tell me the last thing you remembered before coming here."
I asked them the same questions I gave Jonah.
I needed to know for sure the discrepancies between our knowledge of this land.
They all began introducing themselves, starting from Jonah once more.
"I'm Jonah, a shepherd from the Shalju region. I was tending to my sheep before I suddenly found myself in this place."
"As I said earlier, I'm Pauline, I used to work at a tavern in the Taga region. Before coming here, I was just working…"
"I'm Wesley, a tanner in the city of Gotan..."
"I'm Shanny, a housemaid for a baron in Kirus town…."
"I'm Trevor…"
As expected after what I observed from Jonah.
All these people were commoners who did not have any combat experience whatsoever.
And just like Jonah, they were just doing their daily activities before suddenly finding themselves here.
None of them had any memories on how and why they were brought to this land.
From what they told me, we all came from the same Dunia continent.
But, all those regions they just mentioned, they were already destroyed or were being invaded by the monsters when I was summoned here.
I was curious why they did not know about that fact.
But I put that thought aside for now.
Since they already finished introducing themselves, everyone turned their gaze toward me once more.
I nodded and began explaining to them.
"First of all, my name is Serafina Magda Zeref. I'm a member of the Zeref Household in the Damai region.
"I was summoned here just like all of you.
"But I will admit that I have knowledge of this place that all of you don't."
Murmurs filled the room. They wondered why I knew more about this land and what was it that I knew.
I continued.
"This land is located in a different realm from Dunia. And we have been summoned here to serve a master."
"To do what exactly?"
One of them asked.
"To overcome the trials master sent us upon. To put it simply, we're here to fight."
The word 'fight' caused a great unrest among the crowd.
But one of them remembered what the fairy spoke to them earlier and pointed to the three people called by the fairy.
"But didn't earlier the fairy was looking for cooks and craftsmen? She did not ask us to fight."
"I don't think those three will be sent to fight since they already been entrusted with their own duties. The rest of you however…"
The crowd buzzed louder with nervous murmurs.
"How can you be so sure this 'master' will send us to fight in these 'trials?' None of us is a warrior."
I turned to Jonah, signaling him to take over.
"As I introduced earlier, I'm just a shepherd. But when I first arrived here, I was immediately sent to another place to fight a goblin."
I nodded to him. I joined in to complement the story.
"After I arrived, we were BOTH sent to another battle. So it is more than likely you will be sent to one too"
The story of our first moments in this forged land threw the crowd into greater panic.
"But I'm just a peddler. I don't know how to fight!"
"I only do laundry and clean houses. I have never wielded a sword before!"
"I actually trembles whenever I see one!"
Hearing their cries, I pointed outside the window.
"Master has provided us with a training ground. If you don't know how to fight, I suggest you to start learning."
A bearded old man slammed his hand on the table and pointed at me furiously.
"I don't believe you! And even if you told the truth, I refuse to obey this 'master' that has kidnapped us to this weird place!"
He looked to the others.
"Don't listen to this witch! Let's work together to get out of here!"
I sighed at his denial.
Frankly, I did not want to waste my energy on those who was slow to grasp things, unlike Jonah.
But, I did not want this one person to sway the rest of the crowd into making the wrong choice.
"It's fine if you don't believe what I just said. However…"
I continued.
My expression was stern and grim.
I recalled about the term the voice told me: synthesis.
"…you might face grave consequences if you disobey master's orders. At least believe that."
They had to get the sacrifice somewhere after all.