Chapter 81

It was much warmer inside the building than outside.

The solid bricks trapped the warmth and blocked the cold winds at the same time.

“Big Brother, Elder Sister is waiting in her own room.”

Starl happily led Rain inside the Village Chief’s quarter.

Although Zarda usually stays inside their house, however, she too sometimes stayed here, especially if something concerning about the village occurs. It’s like her workplace or something.

“I understand.”

After closing the door, Rain headed towards Zarda’s room with Starl. The spacious room was warm and well lit by a fire snapping in a stone fireplace, newly added, and inspired by him due to the start of the cold season. A bare counter stretched across the far side of the room. The floor was strewn with loose straw. Everything was scrupulously clean as if the owner spent his leisure time digging in obscure crannies for minuscule pieces of filth—Zarda always likes everything clean.

A metallic sound rang out for every step he took. Unlike Starl’s softly sliding motion that doesn’t even make a sound on the floor, his metallic boots echoed in the wide hall. In front of him now was a large door, newly made from sturdy wood and painted.

When Rain expanded the concept and idea of building proper houses, what they did first was Zarda’s quarter, made using the concept of a simple 3LDK house. It was made big and wide, the tallest and largest in the village actually, as they want it to be made as prestigious as the Chief’s honor. Though, even now, it has yet to be truly completed.

Many things were added and improved as the Lamian Craftsman works on it. Rain had visited this room several times in the past. And had even stayed here for a few days, accompanying Zarda whenever she holed herself here. So he was incredibly familiar with this place.

Led by Starl, he walks through the living room and into the study.

Soon, they reached Zarda's work office, which sometimes served as a bedroom, by the way. However, before he could knock on the door, it opened from the inside. Several Lamians wearing solemn and serious expressions came jumping out. Some of them were extremely familiar, as they are none other than; Stagna, Sarete, and Granite.

“Rain!? How very nice to meet you!”

"Hello, Rain, need anything?"

"Did you finish your training Drova?"

"Wait, Stagna we need to do this first,"

"Ah right! I'm sorry about that. Rain talk to you later~"

When they noticed Rain their serious expressions beamed. But that only lasted for a moment as they recalled the serious matters at hand. Smiling wryly, they could only hug him before they turned around, and started walking away.

Well, that’s weird…

Rain mused with a wry smile.

“They seem awfully busy.”

“Yes. Well, the Elder Sisters has been working non-stop these past few days. Something about intruders of the Desolate Cave,”

Starl said with an adorable expression, forgetting the fact that she was told to keep what she had heard inside the room a secret from him.

“Intruders?”

Fortunately, Starl’s attention was immediately turned to something else. Dragging him excitedly inside the room, his question fell unnoticed. Waking inside, he saw Zarda behind the table reading some document-like papers. Lafetti on the side was pouring fruit drink on a wooden cup.

“You’re here, Rain,”

Zarda looked up and greeted him with a sweet smile.

Lafetti who finally noticed him, immediately put down what he was holding and walked over at him.

“You sure took your time,”

Lafetti smiled as she pulled him and then kissed him, not the kiss of a friend meeting up after an absence, or one that exchanges between two people in public, but rather the kiss of a lover promising more.

“Eh? What? What?”

Starl struggled, but Rain's hand immediately covered her eyes and kept obstructing her vision until he finally broke up from the kiss, which Lafetti didn’t actually really care. After all, for them, this kind of thing is normal for Lamians, whether children or adults—or perhaps, Lafetti was just that careless and irresponsible, either way—

“You should not do that in front of a little girl, Lafetti,”

“…??”

Lafetti tilted her head with a bewildered expression. Rain was somewhat displeased. But he knows that she was just that kind of person so he can only ignore it and sigh.

“Anyway, did something happen?”

"Yeah, something like that. Come sit,"

Zarda stopped what she was doing and welcomed him. He then sat down on the chair she had recommended, and Starl then began climbing up on his lap. He grabbed her and sat her down on top of his lap in fear of her falling.

“There’s something we need to tell you,”

“...It looks like things are getting complicated.”

Rain withdrew the smile he had shown to Starl and began speaking seriously after seeing Zarda’s serious and solemn expression.

“Did another troublesome monster appear?”

“Well, you can say it’s somewhat similar, but a bit more troublesome and…well, indeed slightly complicated,” Zarda smiled bitterly. It would have been better if it's indeed a monster that came. Sadly, it's more complicated and more worrying than that.

“What do you mean?”

“...In any case, it’s not something for you to worry about, Rain. Just that, I don’t think it’s safe for you to run around the middle region for now,”

While minding not to sound desperate, Zarda spoke in a slightly lower voice. She doesn’t want him to find any doubt or suspicions about this sudden change.

“So, you’re saying I’m grounded?” he smiled wryly. "What did I do?"

“No, you’re not. Don't misunderstand. It's not that grave...nothing the likes. You're just prohibited to wander around the forest, for now... only for now. It's dangerous."

"Well, it still doesn't change the fact, I'm still being grounded,"

Rain smiled helplessly.

“In fact, Rain, only the middle region is unsafe.”

Lafetti, who had been listening, said while grasping his hand. Rain then looked at her with a confused look.

“We’ve already asked His Excellency Arfa about this, and he said that you are most welcome in his territory. So if you want to play, then the Northern Region is safe,”

Rain stared at the two Lamians he loved most in his life and felt that within their eyes, are a worry that is hard to conceal. It has always been like this. They would only show such expression when it involves him. Although he doesn’t know how or what the current situation was occurring. But the more questions he gave, the more worried and more affected they would feel. Hence, he can’t even try to be more direct, and proactive to ask things.

Well, not like he was that much of a talker even still back in the Modern world. He was the type that always bottled up his feelings, no matter what the circumstances may be—nevertheless, he also understands that Zarda and Lafetti only think things for his well-being. And that no matter what happens, they will always regard his best interest in heart.

And yet, he had so many things he had been hiding from them. And although they were facing him directly with heart, he was giving them a false face. Suddenly, he felt terrible about himself.

Guilt? Unease? Self-blame?

He couldn’t explain the emotion.

What’s more, is that although he is not completely understanding what Zarda and Lafetti were worrying about, but he, for some reason, could understand that they must have been feeling anxious that he would suddenly leave, going away without saying anything.

He can feel and sense those growing worries from time to time. But he knows as well, that he can only erase them if he comes clean. Tell them the truth that there is no such need for worries as he wouldn’t go anywhere. And in fact, he has nowhere else to go anyway, even if he wanted to.

Perhaps this is about that girl and the Knights…?

Are they worried that he would suddenly go with them…?

Is that it?

Rain wondered as he recalled his encounter with other humans, for the very first time since he had arrived in this world.

Are humans coming into this place?

Although he was not certain, at the very least, it made some sense.

The back of his head pressed against the chair. He didn’t know what he was thinking about and just stared blankly at the ceiling.

“Rain?”

Zarda asked worriedly. Even Lafetti was getting nervous from his reaction.

“This is only for a month, so—”

“It’s not that,” He let out a sigh. Then, he turned towards Starl, “Little Starl, can I talk with your Elder Sisters alone for a moment?”

Starl who was eating turned at him. Seemingly noticing the serious atmosphere, she smiled and nodded her head in understanding before jumping out from his lap.

“Thank you,”

Rain tussled her hair with an adoring smile.

“Play with me later, okay big brother?”

Starl’s movements stopped just a moment but she narrowed her eyes, letting out a very sweet and happy smile.

Yes, as I thought, it’s best for children to be smiling.

Rain chuckled in amusement. He watched as Starl went out, and closed the door.

“So, is there something bothering you, Rain?”

Zarda asked with a worried face.

“There’s something important I want to talk about. Will you please listen to me for a moment?”

Rain took a deep breath and regarded them with a very serious expression.

“Go ahead."

Lafetti let out a sigh and cleared her mind. She looked at him as if they were family; her eyes filled with a deep trust and love. He was almost sucked in by those eyes, and at the same time, it also gave him resolve, and determination to say the truth.

“Truthfully, I…no, rather… there’s this particular dream that I see ever since had awakened in this world. Dreams, that’s more or less similar to memories,” he started with a deep breath.

“Memories?!”

Zarda’s expression darkened, and even Lafetti’s gaze turned blank as well. The worst impression immediately struck them, especially when he had just met the humans who could have been here for him.

However, Rain was focused on how he should go about it.

I’ll be skewing the facts a little bit.

If he didn’t take it a bit more obscure, he would have a hard time giving a reason as to why only now did he reveal the truth. And surely, he would hurt them if he said that all this time, he was hiding the truth from them.

And besides, even if I say it and somehow manage to make them believe it, it’d be troublesome in various ways.

That’s why Rain decided to make his previous world a “dream” in his confession.

“Yeah, though I’m not entirely sure. But the dream is about the life of a boy in a very different world. A world without magic, without varied races, or species—only humans are the majority of the races, with no supernatural—simple, dull, and ordinary world. And that boy…well, me, I’m among them—just one in a dime dozen human living a normal life.” He smiled wryly.

“…??!”

“That world is another world, I’m certain. There’s no magic there, no monsters, no magical beasts. Humans living an ordinary life, competing against each other on an almost daily basis. Though it has some chaos and tragedy, it’s more or less more peaceful than this world.”

“…what are you trying to say, Rain?”

Zarda furrowed her brows. But the original dark expression of anxiety and fear has now turned into obvious confusion. She had expected him to say that he had remembered his previous life and that he wanted to find out more of it and leave. And this greatly terrified her.

However, what he had said was completely far from her expectation that, even her brightest mind was left bewildered.

What is he trying to say?

Dreams?

Another world?

“…I think I came from another world,”

Rain said with a faint smile.

“…?!!”

“Another world?!”

Lafetti’s eyes widened in shock. then, her brows furrowed after seemingly understanding it; “You say, you are like the heroes in legends that were summoned from another world?”

“Yeah, I think I am,”

“That’s impossible,”

Zarda said.

“Excuse me?”

Rain was taken aback by the firmness of her voice.

“Ah no, I meant that, although I had heard about Hero Summoning. Records in ancient text. However, it needed an extremely high amount of magic power to use, enough to deplete more than dozen of Archmages dry in an instant. What’s more, it needed a specific Magic Ritual to invoke, one that is already lost in this world. And even someone manages to replicate it, there should still be a summoner involved. Didn’t you say that you had woken up in this cave? Did you see anything? Anyone?”

“No…”

“That’s right, Rain. There’s no one there. Even Laffeti didn't sense any presence other than you... well aside from monsters, that is. So someone summoning you into this world is impossible. What’s more, there’s no inconsistency in what you said, Rain. You said there is no magic in that world, then what do you mean by the awakened power within you?”

What’s more, the seal placed inside your body cannot occur in a magic-less world.

And that Mark on his back…

Zarda’s expression changed when she recalled what she had seen in his back. That extremely familiar Mark. That famous Mark that is said to be the symbol of belonging to a certain Clan. This was also the reason why Zarda had been feeling extremely edgy these past few days. She feared that the purpose of the humans is him, and that’s without doubt, and all because of that mark on his back.

And even though she was proven wrong, she still feared the worst possible outcome…and that is the humans seeing that mark on his back and recognize it. They would surely take him back. Because of that, Rain claiming to be from another world, she didn’t believe it.

Rain is from this world…and that is a fact without a doubt.