Chapter 2: City of Ashra
Silvia looked at me with a stunned expression, her body was rigid from my sudden confession. She slowly regained her wits before speaking once more.
"Apologies, that was quite… unexpected. However, I cannot accept your feelings, as I barely know you." She bowed and politely rejected me with a small smile on her face. She found my little outburst amusing.
"Y-Yeah, of course. That would be weird if you accepted that, a-ahahaha." I stumbled on my words, trying to find a way to get out of this awkward situation.
'I didn't even get friend-zoned, I got stranger-zoned.' I wept inwardly.
"A-Anyway, do you mind telling me where we are right now?" I shifted the topic, hoping to never bring that conversation back up again.
"Hmm? You didn't know?" she hummed as she put her fingers on her chin.
"Well, this is the Plain of Ether, it's a spot for beginner adventurers to hunt."
"Adventurers? I guess that makes sense, there are goblins, so why wouldn't there be adventurers?" I muttered under my breath. This caused Silvia to tilt her head slightly.
"Is there something wrong, traveler?" She furrowed her eyebrows.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit tired, that's all." I laughed sheepishly.
"Well…If you are tired, then I know a good inn for you to stay at for the night."
At first, I was thrilled to have a place to stay—until I realized I had no money.
"U-umm… As much as I'd like to, I have no money on me right now." I looked away in shame, my face grew pinkish.
Silvia then hummed as she tapped her feet rhythmically as she was lost in thought.
"Well… I suppose I can let you stay at my place until you get some money." She offered an offer that I could not refuse.
I cheered inwardly. 'Not only did I get to stay with Silvia, but I also didn't have to starve on the streets!'
"Yes, thank you!" I graciously accepted her offer as I didn't have to live on the street in this mysterious world after all.
"Well, let's depart then, we should head back before dusk, trav-. As expected, It doesn't feel right to call you, traveler if we are going to be living together, albeit for a short period hopefully." Her gaze hardened, hoping I wouldn't freeload at her house.
"O-Of course not! I have morals too. Ahem…" I cleared my throat before introducing myself. "My name is Lee Hyejin, but you can call me Hyejin, or Lee if that's too difficult to say. Nice to meet you, Silvia!" I smiled warmly as I held out my hand.
Silvia shook it firmly.
"Nice to meet you as well, Lee." Her smile melted my stress away.
'Something about Silvia screams a keeper for sure. I'm not going to give up on her.' I declared inwardly.
"Anyway, let's get going before it gets dark, Lee." She held out her hand to offer me some support for my sprained ankle.
We traveled through the seemingly endless plain, into a small forest by a huge lake.
The lake was almost the size of an ocean, the water was glittering in the sunlight. The waves crashed against the shore rhythmically, enhancing the lake's beauty even more. If I had my phone, I would rate this a five-star on Yelp.
"Woah! That lake looks beautiful! What is it called?" I exclaimed in amazement.
"Ah, that is called the Lake of Mana." She chuckled. "Before you think that this lake is actually made out of Mana, let me burst your bubble, it's not."
"Aw… Well, why is it called the Lake of Mana then?" Curiosity got hold of me.
She closed her eyes and looked at the lake with pity.
"It's called the Lake of Mana because of a legend. A hero who was so great, they were titled the Master of Mana. With a single finger, they created a meteor the size of a mountain, each step they take causes a tremor that shook terror to their enemy. Unfortunately, everyone has an end, even for a legend like them."
She pointed at a hole in the lake that seemed to possess a darkness that consumed all light.
"This was the place where the great hero fell to their knees to the greatest disaster, the strongest Demon Lord, Nacht. That hole is where the greatest hero sealed the strongest Demon Lord and their grave."
"Woah! I didn't know that this lake had such a profound history." I then thought about it for a minute.
"Wait, if this lake is the grave of the legendary hero, then how come there is no one near it?" There was not a single soul near the shore, nor a shrine to honor the hero.
Silvia's expression darkened, she bit her lips in frustration.
"Yes, because it is the grave of the legendary hero, that is the exact reason why no one comes near it." She groaned, her face stiffened by stress.
"As I said before since the hero only sealed the Demon Lord, some skeptics fear that the seals may break at any minute. On the other hand, some fanatics decided it would be blasphemy to even lay their feet on the very soil the hero stepped on. That's why no one comes to the Lake of Mana."
"Wow, in every world, there's always someone ruining things for the rest of us." I muttered under my breath
"So what does the… cult do, you know… to deter people from coming here? They are just cultist, I don't think they can control the people like that."
Silvia nodded in agreement.
"You are right, they can't." This caused me to tilt my head before she continued.
"But what if, one of the members is a ruler of a country?" It clicked instantly when she said that.
"That is so unfair." I pouted in annoyance.
"Lee, the world is never fair." Silvia can only sigh at the grim reality.
"Anyway, the sun is setting, so let's hurry." I followed suit before we arrived at the City of Ashra.
As expected, a towering castle wall surrounded the city. The air carried a faint mineral scent from the stone bricks.
We walked to the guards at the entrance of the gate.
"Oh, Lady Silvia, welcome back. Who might this young lady be?" The guard asked politely and bowed before Silvia.
"This is my…" She looked at me before continuing.
"... Friend, Lee. Treat her like how you treat me, understood?" Her tone was firm, she was not taking no for an answer.
"Understood, Lady Silvia." The guard looked at me and placed his hand on his chest.
"I welcome you, to the City of Ashra, Lady Lee!" His roar echoed through the gate, causing people to stare.
I quickly looked away in shame because I wasn't used to this kind of attention.
"S-Silvia, let's go already," I pleaded, giving her my best puppy-eyed look. As an introvert and a semi-NEET, getting this much attention makes me itchy.
Silvia found this extremely amusing and teased me by gaining more attention to me.
"Listen, everyone, this is my new friend Lee, treat her like how you treat me!" She turned to me and grinned.
I glared at her, but I couldn't say anything because she saved me and offered me shelter, so I could only stay silent until we departed from the gate.
We went to a quiet place in the city before I spoke out.
"Silvia… You didn't tell me you were such an influential figure!" My mind finally rebooted after we got away from the attention.
Silvia tilted her head as if I said something wrong.
"But I have though."
Now it's my turn to tilt my head as if she said something wrong.
"Nuh-uh, you never told me about anything like that." I shook my head.
"Nope, I did say it. I said, my name is Silvia Von Ashburn."
My jaw dropped. I completely missed her surname because I was too entranced by her and the situation didn't allow me to properly process her words.
"Oh… I guess I didn't hear." I chuckled.
She also joined in.
"Well, I don't blame you, you did see a dead body, albeit a goblin's. To normal people like you, even then it's not a pleasant feeling."
"Yeah, that was not how I imagined my day would be like." I slumped onto a bench nearby.
"Well, life is unpredictable, but anyway, feel free to call me Silvia. I don't particularly like formalities and stuff like that, I find it quite stiff and uncomfortable." She held out her hand.
"Come on, let's get going, we can't be outside forever now can we?"
I took her hand and looked into her silver eyes.
"Yeah, let's get going, Silvia." I smiled at the absurdity of reality right now.
'First I woke in this world, from falling asleep in the lecture. I got chased by a Goblin and was saved by an average-looking female knight, fell in love. Now I'm living with said female knight until I get money.' I grimaced at the surreal experience I went through in a single day.
"-ee!" Silvia's shout woke me up from my daze.
"H-Huh?" I tried to gather my words but they spilled as soon as I touched them.
She looked at my dazed expression and sighed.
"I have been calling your name for quite a while now, you know? You were out of it, what were you thinking about, for you to be this engrossed in your thought?" She raised her eyebrow.
"O-Oh, sorry, I was just thinking of how absurd today w-" I finally noticed the ghost town in front of us. There was not a single soul in sight.
"U-Umm, are you sure we are going the right way? This place doesn't feel safe at all." A bone-chilling breeze blew against us.
"Yeah, why?" She tilted her head.
"Doesn't this place look… you know… Dangerous?" I looked around and saw alleyways full of filth and stray animals.
"Oh." She chuckled.
"Well, it is a bit shameful to say, but it is like this everywhere in Ashra besides the noble district, which is a few minutes away." She pointed at the well-lit district in contrast to this eerie ghost town.
"Oh, but don't worry though, although it's like this at night, it is as bustling as any other city in the morning. It's just… there are some unpleasant rumors at night amongst the commoners, that's why the noble district is still functioning like normal." She frowned as she looked at the closed windows.
"Unpleasant rumors?" my eyes sparkled with interest.
"Why do you look so excited? Well, it's quite moronic, to be honest. There was a rumor of an ear-piercing screech that could be heard from the commoner district. There have been many reports, but no evidence yet. The aristocrats are doing everything they can to figure out the problem, bu-"
"The aristocrats are actually doing something?!" This is madness, in what world would aristocrats willingly help the commoners?
Silvia flinched slightly at my outburst.
"Y-Yeah? Is that so shocking?" She looked at me without meeting my gaze. A hint of pity could be felt from her expression.
"A-Ahem, sorry. It's just back in my hometown, people of higher power refuse to do anything for the people unless it benefits them." I frowned at the reminder of all those corrupted politicians that made our life hell.
"I guess it's different for different Kingdoms huh? In the Kingdom of Orion, the aristocrats must help the commoners, but only working commoners. The other who don't do their part will be left to die." Her expression hardened. It seems like she had her fair of experience seeing commoners die because of their laziness.
"Is that why you helped me? Because it is your duty?" I hope that she will say no.
"Yes." I looked dejected as she confirmed my hypothesis.
"Please don't take this the wrong way, although it is my duty as a noble. I also helped out because you looked trustworthy. Your aura was… calming in a way." Her sharp gaze bore a hole in me, but it didn't feel like she was looking at me. It was as if she was looking at my soul.
"Sorry, did I make you feel uncomfortable?" Her tone was as soft as a feather.
"No, it's alright, it just felt a bit… unusual, that's all."
"I apologize for that, anyway, we are near the noble district now. As an apology, I will buy you food from the best restaurant in Ashra." A myriad of lights and loud banter from the citizens were getting closer and closer. Mervhent wearing silky robes and aristocrats wearing some Victorian era clothing, nothing too interesting about that part.
But one thing that captured my interest the most was the scent of deliciously made skewers invading my nostrils.
I tried my best to hold back my drool to look "lady-like", but I decided to go feral and give in to the intrusive thought in the end.
Silvia noticing this, strained her face to try and not lose her dignity in front of her other noble peers.
Her face was red from the blood pressure.
"A-Ahem, anyway… Something tells me that you are hungry, I don't know… It's just a hunch after all." She took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself.
"I mean, I definitely wouldn't say no to food." I wiped my drool away with my hand.
"I did promise, so let's go."
She led me into the main street until we saw a fountain with a statue of a chiseled man standing on top of what seemed like a demon head.
By putting one and one together, it was probably the hero. If it wasn't obvious enough, he was holding quite an eye-catching sword, although it is made out of stone, I could still see the intricate details on the sword.
"Lee?" She stopped as she looked at me.
"Oh, you are looking at the hero statue?" She raised her eyebrow.
"Yeah, he must've been popular with the ladies with that face and body." I blurted out without thinking.
This was the final straw for Silvia, she busted out laughing in the middle of the street.
"Hahahaha!!" She had to try her damn hardest to take a breath so she didn't die from Asphyxiation. People walked by and looked at us with a funny gaze before walking away.
My face turned crimson as people walked by and judged us.
I sat down by the fountain and tried to blend in with the air. I sprawled up into a ball, trying to hide away.
"A-Ahem apol- pffft!!!" It took her another few minutes to calm down.
"Sorry, that was unbecoming of me, it is just that it is not every day that I get to hear something as outrageous as that." She wiped her tears away.
"W-What so weird about it? I mean, everyone must have thought about it once." I looked up at her with a sulking expression.
"Well, actually, no. No one had thought of that. As I said before, the hero was a symbol of peace and people are practically worshipping him. So, no one would've had the same thought as you had just now. But, to answer your question, yes, many people did desire him." She paused and muttered "Me included…" under her breath.
"Anyway, thanks for the good laugh, Lee. I've not laughed like this is a while."
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Happy to help." I said as I puffed up my cheeks. My tone and expression is completely contradicting my words.
"Alright, enough of that, let's go, I'm sure you are hungry, and so am I after that laugh." I got up and followed her like a little duckling.
We turned right from the fountain and passed by what seemed like a blacksmith, and a bunch of clothing shops. Then we turned left when we saw a crescent moon symbol.
"Hey, Silvia, what is that symbol right there?" I pointed at the crescent moon symbol.
"Hmm? What symbol?" She looked at where I was pointing but raised her eyebrow instead.
"You don't see it?" I looked back at it and I was gone.
"No, I'm afraid not, are you sure you didn't just imagine it?" She softened her knees and put her hand on her hips.
"No, I was sure I saw something there, but it's gone now…" Realizing how crazy I sound, I decided to just shut up.
"... Well, let's get going then since there is nothing to investigate anyway." We continued our journey. We passed through a jewelry store, and somehow even a game store. We turned left at a bell tower, and on the left was our destination.
"Boarger pub?" I looked at the weird name with a side-eye.
Silvia looked at me with wide eyes.
"You could read that?"
"Yeah? Why?" I tilted my head.
"It's just, that no one in Ashra could read this. It was allegedly an ancient language passed down by the owner's family."
"But it's just English…" My thoughts clicked as I figured out why no one could read it now.
"English?" She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.
"Well, let's just say it is a… well-known language back in my hometown."
"Back in your hometown? Well, I certainly would like to go visit there now."
"Y-Yeah, me too…" Although I wasn't lying, I am now in a situation that I had longed for. But I decided to put this thought on the back burner for now and changed the topic.
"A-Anway, let's go in!" I opened the door and gently pulled her in as well.
Silvia noticing this didn't say anything and just went along. We found a table to sit at and looked at the menu. The menu was in English, thankfully… Underneath the English words are the translations, which I am completely clueless about.
"What will you be getting, Lee?" She looked up from the menu then, put her arm on the table, and supported her head with her palm as she waited for my response.
"Umm, I guess I will get, the…" I had to double-check to see if I misread it.
"The… Holy Sword?" I raised an eyebrow at the outrageous name.
"Oh, the Holy Sword? That's a good pick." Before Silvia could say anything else.
A loud bang could be heard from the other side of the restaurant.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?! DO YOU WANT TO DIE YOU, LITTLE TWERP?!" A burly man with dark skin roared at a kid who looked like a bean sprout. The burly man gripped his battle axe and was prepared to charge at the kid. His feet cracked the stone floor as he prepared to attack.
However, even after seeing this, the kid did not stop berating the man and continued to antagonize him.
"Classic…" I muttered under my breath and just ignored it, this trope was so common I yawned at what was going to happen next.
"I have to stop him!" I stopped Silvia.
"Don't worry about it, the kid gotta have a plan, if not then he's just plain stu…pid?" My face paled as blood splattered across the restaurant and splattered onto the wall.
I puked out whatever was remaining and looked at the severed body.
"T-This wasn't how it was supposed to go." The kid's lifeless severed body lay on the floor and the burly man huffed and sat back down and ate his food as if nothing happened.
"A MURDERER!!!!" A guest wearing fancy clothes screamed as he regained his wits. This created a chained effect and caused the other guests to create a pandemonium.
People rushed out of the restaurant like fleeing roosters. Everything was uncoordinated, people stepped on each other and pushed others outside the door.
All that is left remaining is the man, Silvia, and me. The owner, and staff of this establishment were nowhere to be seen.
Silvia seeing this burned with rage, she gritted her teeth and grasped her sword, a small trickle of blood could be seen from her hand.
"Hey, why did you do that?" She walked up to the burly man with her weapon drawn and glared at him with an icy gaze.
"Huh?" He looked at her with annoyance.
"Do I need to give you a reason for killing a bug?" His tone was steady and eerily so, he felt no remorse for killing someone. This fueled Silvia's anger even more.
Silvia bit her lips until they bleed.
"Is that so?" She swung her sword with force, the same elegance from before was nowhere to be seen.
The Burly man blocked her attack with ease. Every attack Silvia threw at him had no effect, it was as if she was fighting against a wall. Sounds of metals clashing with each other, sparks of their battle could be seen flying around. Yet, the man was not phased whatsoever.
Soon, Silvia grew breathless and slowed down rapidly, her attack grew duller and duller.
"Such a shame I had to kill a woman like you, but you attacked first, so you can't complain." He grinned with a face-splitting smile and swung his axe down at her throat.
I threw a fork at him by instinct and distracted him for a single second, but he didn't hesitate to finish the job and beheaded Silvia and split the stone floor in half.
"So little missy want a go as well?" His laugh was anything but contagious. His cackles immobilized me. Each time he cackled, cold sweats began to flow from my back.
'Silvia… Died?' I looked at her lifeless body, her long silky silver hair was now cut short and dyed red. Her once brilliant golden eyes now became empty and lifeless. Her severed head
Then reality hit me like a truck. I slumped down onto the ground and trembled in fear
'This wasn't like a novel or anime, people actually die, there is no mysterious hero that saves the day, and I am not a protagonist. I'm simply a person in this strange world…' I realized this too late and he was now in front of me.
"You are not going to respond, Missy? Well, say hi to your friend in the afterlife for me." His ghastly cackle was the final thing I heard before I lost all my senses.
"-ee!" Silvia's shout woke me up from my daze.
"H-Huh?" I tried to gather my words but they spilled as soon as I touched them.
She looked at my dazed expression and sighed.
"I have been calling your name for quite a while now, you know? You were out of it, what were you thinking about, for you to be this engrossed in your thought?" She raised her eyebrow.
"O-Oh, sorry, I was just thinking of how absurd today w-" I stopped myself in my tracks.
"Huh?" Memories rushed through my head, the cold sensation of the axe could still be felt through my body.
"What's wrong?"
She looked concerned about my pale expression.
I fainted from the shock. Before I fainted, I could hear Silvia's shout of worry before everything turned pitch black.