"I think we should help. It's obvious they're after whoever is inside that carriage," said a young man giving off major protagonist vibes. He had a well-defined jawline, a proper physique—unlike yours truly—and the kind of charisma that made everyone look whenever he spoke.
If he isn't the protagonist of this story, then I don't know what a protagonist is anymore. There's no alternative; he must be the man.
Tsk. It's just not fair. Back on Earth, I was well below average. I wasn't just "not handsome"; I was the designated class clown, the weirdo, the guy people tolerated for a laugh but never actually respected. A romantic relationship? That was a myth for me. Every girl I ever spoke to—even the ones who were polite enough to hide it—looked at me with a flicker of disdain in their eyes. The odds of me landing a girlfriend were about the same as a human spontaneously developing wings and taking flight.
That was why I fell into that endless loop of watching porn. Bless my perverted soul, but I had simply given up. I'd lost all hope of ever touching a real girl's hand, and as the saying goes, the urges don't care if you're a lone wolf. They arrive, they settle in, and they linger until they rot your brain.
Now, here I am in a new world. In the dick size department, I'm sporting a massive upgrade. A huge check in that box. Even my face... if I were back on Earth, I'd be a literal model. I'm genuinely attractive now. But standing next to Leon and his entourage? I'm once again relegated to the sidelines.
It makes me wonder: maybe a massive dick isn't even a special trait in this world? Maybe all these guys are packing even more heat. For all I know, Jenny's husband is built like a titan, and the only reason she keeps coming back to me is that she's hyper-sexual and he's never home. I'm just a convenient outlet for her cravings—a human vibrator for when the real deal is away on business.
...Welp. There goes the last shred of my ego.
"No, Leon. This is none of our business. It's obviously just some nobles having a clash," a guy with blue hair and eyes chimed in. He seemed like the "sensible one"—the strategist who keeps the hero from getting executed in the first chapter.
"Can we just get this over with?" another guy added. He had midnight-blue hair and eyes like a winter sky. He glanced up at a third guy who was perched on a tree branch, sitting as comfortably as if it were a leather couch while he gazed at the chaos unfolding down the road. "It's clear you guys won't agree, so let's settle it through a vote."
"That sounds like a good idea," the guy on the branch replied, his voice dripping with boredom.
Protagonist Number Two, I thought. Maybe Leon's rival? The edgy Sasuke to Leon's Naruto? That's usually how the trope goes.
"I'm not going," a girl stated flatly.
She had lustrous, long black hair and peach-colored eyes—a combination so strange and striking I couldn't help but stare. Our eyes met for a split second before I jerked my gaze away. She definitely noticed. Great, now I'm the creep again. But seriously, how are all the main characters already gathered in one spot? Has the main plot even officially kicked off? Let me guess: we're already in the "Academy Arc" and I'm just the nameless background filler.
"Come on, Lia, it would be fun," Leon prodded.
"No, it won't," she snapped, turning her back on the group to sit under a tree.
The kuudere, I presume. I won't try to categorize them too strictly—I'm not Japanese, so I don't know every specific "dere" subtype—but I know the basics. Yandere, tsundere, kuudere. Let's just call her what she is: an ice-cold beauty. Wait, is that a Chinese cultivation novel trope? Whatever. It fits.
"So... those in favor of helping, raise your hands," the strategist proposed.
Leon's hand shot up instantly. I, however, kept mine firmly down. It wasn't my place to intrude when the "cheats" were discussing world-changing events. While they were busy debating morality, I quietly backed away. My plan was simple: cut ties with this group and find my way to Pehedro on my own.
I've read enough light novels to know that side characters like me always end up as collateral damage when they hang around big names. I'm not dying as a footnote in Leon's biography. No, thank you.
I managed to put a decent amount of distance between us without anyone shouting for me to come back. It was a massive relief. I picked up the pace, eventually breaking into a full-on run so they wouldn't bother chasing me once they finally noticed I was gone. I was free. I was going to survive.
But then... out of nowhere, something slammed into me. The world tilted. My face collided with the rough bark of a tree, and the light went out.