Chapter 1

Ziel woke up from his sleep. This time he saw a different ceiling again from one year ago. He immediately got up from his bed to shower and change clothes. After bathing and getting dressed, Ziel stood in front of the mirror to fix his hair. He is currently no longer wearing a mask. His hairstyle was still the same as one year ago, but his hair color, which was previously gray had now turned black. Moreover, his previously crimson-colored eyes had turned brownish-black.

Ziel changed it to be not recognized after the Argaint Kingdom incident one year ago. He changes the color of his hair and eyes using his imitation ability, making him the same as when he was first summoned to that world, except for his eyes that look lazy and don't care about anything around him. Ziel did it because people with gray hair and crimson eyes were very conspicuous and would cause unnecessary trouble.

"Okay, time for work." Ziel straightened his clothes. The attire he was currently wearing was the same as a butler's attire as he had worn before, but not as good as a royal butler's attire.

Ziel was currently working in the residence of Duke Castilene. One of the nobles of the Neigal Kingdom. Ziel worked in this place for almost one year. Why did he get to work here? It all started one year ago after Ziel disappeared from the Argaint Kingdom.

***

After Ziel stepped into the space rift he created and left the Argaint Kingdom, he teleported into the middle of an unknown forest.

"Where am I currently?" Ziel looked around but found nothing. Then he started walking into the forest.

Ziel doesn't know how many days have passed. He still hadn't found anyone in the forest and had only encountered magical beasts. Currently, Ziel is not wearing a mask on his face. He changed his appearance to be like him when he was first summoned to this world. His hairstyle was the same as when he was in the Argaint Kingdom. Ziel only changed the color of his hair and eyes.

Ziel could have teleported again to another place or flown to the nearest town. But he doesn't know the current geography of the Clorius Continent. If Ziel teleported and suddenly appeared in the middle of the city, it would be more troublesome. If he flies, others can accidentally see him and reveal his whereabouts. It would only create an unnecessary fuss. So he decided to go through the forest and find a way out on foot.

While Ziel was resting under a large tree, he heard a noise not far from his current location. He quickly ran towards the source of the noise. When Ziel got there, he saw a group of people dressed in black with their faces covered surrounding a luxurious-looking carriage.

A bald and fat middle-aged man fell with a wound on his shoulder. He was protected by an old man dressed as a servant from the people in black.

"Hmm...I know it's none of my business. But I need their help now and maybe in the future." Ziel could tell from his clothes that the bald and fat middle-aged man currently in danger was a noble.

Ziel disappeared from his hiding place and reappeared right behind one of the black-clothed people. He hit the man's neck and disappeared again from there. One by one, the people in black fell without knowing the cause.

"What?!" One of the people in black who looked like the leader quickly backed away and distanced himself. But he was too late because Ziel was already behind him and strangled him by the neck.

"Who are you?!" The group leader tried to turn around and look at Ziel. But Ziel broke his neck before he did. Then Ziel threw his body. The noble and his servants were frightened when they saw Ziel approaching them.

"Who are you?!" The servant drew his sword at Ziel.

"I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm just an adventurer lost in this forest. While I was looking for a way out, I heard the sound of people fighting. After I checked into this place and saw that you guys were in danger, I decided to help." Ziel looks very suspicious because he suddenly came out from the middle of the forest and saved them. So Ziel needed to explain the situation for them to believe.

The servant still didn't lower his sword. He didn't seem to believe Ziel's explanation.

"Stop it, Raven!" The injured bald man got up while holding the wound on his shoulder.

"Lord Hazell, you shouldn't move around too much. Otherwise, your wound will get worse." The servant quickly helped the bald man up. She was named Raven Stuart and was the butler of that noble.

"I'm fine, Raven. You must not be rude to our savior." The bald man seemed to have still trouble speaking.

"I understand, my lord." Raven lowered his head and sheathed his sword.

"I apologize for my servant's behavior. I am the Duke of the Neigal kingdom. My name is Hazell Castilene." Hazell could only lower her head as he introduced himself. He couldn't move much because his injuries were quite severe.

"Ah, It turns out that you are a noble. Please forgive my rudeness. My name is Ken Nijisaki. I got lost after entering the forest for an adventure. Coincidentally, while I was looking for a way out, I ran into you. May I know where we are now?" Ziel introduces himself using his old name. Because he knew if he used his current name, it would only cause trouble.

"Ooh, Ken? What a unique name. Here is a forest near the capital of Neigal Kingdom, Moissan City." Hazell smiled faintly as he endured the pain in his shoulder.

"I think Lord Hazell should treat the wound first. If you leave the wound like that, you might lose your consciousness due to blood loss." Ziel reminded Duke Hazell.

"But we don't have a healer with us." Raven answered Ziel with a gloomy face.

"I can cure you if you trust me." Ziel looked at Duke Hazell.

"Okay, I trust you. Please take care of me." Duke Hazell nodded at Ziel. He quickly believed Ziel's words.

"But my lord..." Raven still couldn't believe Ziel's words. He stood in front of Duke Hazell to prevent Ziel from approaching his master.

"It's all right, Raven. If he wanted to do something bad to us, he did it before." Duke Hazell raised his hand to stop Raven from talking.

"Okay." Raven reluctantly believed Ziel after hearing what Duke Hazell said. He backs off and lets Ziel heal Duke Hazell.

Ziel doesn't care about Raven's attitude towards him. He walked up to Duke Hazell and cast a healing spell on his wound.

[Minor Heal]

Duke Hazell's wounds slowly closed. It didn't take long for the injury to heal completely.

"Amazing! You can beat someone at the level of a sword master, and you can even do healing magic. You must be at least a Magic Grandmaster." Duke Hazell was taken aback by Ziel's healing ability.

"Sorry, but you're wrong. I'm just a Senior Knight. I could defeat the men in black because I activated a single-use magic tool to make myself invisible and increase my speed. Whereas healing magic is the only magic I can use, and I save for dangerous situations." Ziel tried to make Duke Hazell believe his words. But Duke Hazell frowned in doubt after hearing his answer.

Ziel opened the four dual dragon pattern aura seals and disguised the pattern into a double snake. Duke Hazell believed Ziel's words after seeing that.

"Sorry if I doubted you. If you want to go to the nearest town, how about you come with us? We happen to be in one direction, and I haven't properly thanked you for saving us." Duke Hazell invited Ziel to go with him. Ziel pretended to think, then nodded slowly.

"Okay, if that doesn't bother you." Ziel agreed to Duke Hazell's invitation.

"Then we must leave immediately. If we leave now, we can arrive before nightfall. You may enter with me in the carriage." Duke Hazell and his subordinates prepared to resume their journey to the Moissan city, which was delayed due to the ambush of the men in black.

"Is that okay?" Ziel thought that Duke Hazell was careless for letting the person he had just met in the carriage with him. Considering he was a noble, what he had done was dangerous for him.

"Of course, you are our savior. If you had malicious intent, you would have done it a long time ago." Duke Hazell seemed to trust Ziel at this point.

"I am honored and grateful for your trust in me." Ziel entered the carriage along with Duke Hazell. His other servants and subordinates began to prepare for their departure. Not long after, they continued their journey to the capital of the Neigal Kingdom, the Moissan city.