The Author, the Well, and Another World (5)

I woke up tomorrow and discovered that I had cramps all over my body. I literally couldn’t move. Then I heard stuff being moved from the door, and John entered.

“So, are you ready to get up? The sun is already at its midpoint, and you slept for half a day.”

“Ugh, sorry, but I can’t move a muscle. My body is in deep pain from all the swimming and battling to hold on to the rocks. John, I don’t know if I’ll make it.” I sighed, but even breathing hurt.

John started to laugh. That bastard, you think my agony is funny. But before I said anything, he left the room and shortly returned with a pouch.

“So you’ll chew on this; it has a bit of a nasty flavor, but the effects will be immediate.”

He is going to poison me, isn’t he? Well, I guess it’s better to go like that than to suffer and die from a heart attack anyway.

“I can’t move my hand,” I said, since I was in so much pain, I really couldn’t move.

“Just open your mouth.”

And so John placed a bit of grass-like plant in his mouth, though it probably wasn’t grass. I started the chew. As juice was released, it was so bitter, I wanted to take a nearby rock and just scrub my tongue until nothing of it remained.

But as the nasty taste continued to build up, I felt like it was coursing through my body. After a few minutes, all the pain was gone, and I stood up like it was nothing.

“Wow, what was that?” I asked in bewilderment.

“Just one of the healing plants,” John responded as if it were the most common knowledge in the world. Well, it probably was in his, but I was flabbergasted.

“Luckily for you, these are more common ones; otherwise, you’d owe me quite a few coins.”

“Yeah, lucky me,” I sighed. “Btw. John, I’ve been meaning to ask you, but how come you are so collected about us travellers? I don’t know what I would do if someone just appeared in the well of my cabin one night.”

John started laughing. “I am prepared to know that a traveler might appear. It is my duty as others before me to guard the well.”

“Wait, wait. So, you actually know we transport from another world?”

“No, John does what he is ordered to do. Welcome travelers, offer basic commodities, set travelers on their way, get a pouch of coins on the doorstep.”

He is like an NPC in the game, has a limited set of actions. But if this were some game, the tech to have NPCs this complex would be next level. Also, there is no way this is a game; I would remember sitting down to play anything, let alone something this revolutionary.

“But are you not interested in knowing more about us?”

“Not really. Ever since I was a young boy, my parents raised me, preparing me to take over once they decide to retire. I took on a wife and a daughter. Sadly, my wife passed, so I’m now living with my daughter. Though I don’t plan on having her continue this job. I think it is for the best to destroy the well once I grow old. This portal should be closed.”

Geez, what a somber story. Being raised to sit in a cabin and watch over the well. And not even doing a good job, looking at the dead guy. Come to think of it, from our brief interactions, it did always seem John was distant, and he’s been keeping his daughter away from me. I barely said anything to her while being here.

“So, John, can I ask if you will provide me with some equipment for my journey to Belldune?”

“I can give you a canteen with water and some food for the road.”

“Any weapons, money?”

John laughed again. “Pretty brave asking as an intruder in my home to borrow money. I gave it once to one of you, and I have never received money back. As for weapons, the only things I have are tools to work around the house, so I can’t give those. But I can wish safe travels.”

“Right, well, thank you for the wishes, John. Can you at least pack some of those herbs, too? If it's just not too much of a cost.”

“Hmm, well, they do cost gold, but fine. But I need one thing from you then. If you run into the girl Mio, tell her to come by and visit, should you live long enough to find her.”

Hey, what’s with the pessimism? What are you keeping from me, John?

“Sure, so do I tell her that John and Emilia send regards, or did you give different names? Not that I care what your real names are.”

“Figures,” John's face went serious. I have gulped. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.

“No need to mention our names, just tell her to visit the cabin where she came to this world. People over there would be happy to see her again.” Then his face became neutral again.

“We should get you packing. I’m guessing that it’s best to wake you tomorrow at dawn. That way, you should arrive at Belldune by the end of the day.”

“That sounds good.”

There was no need to argue with John or try to pry out the information.

Whoever went out of their way to pay John for his work intentionally didn’t give instructions to John to give out any information. I wonder why? I mean, most isekai give information to their protagonist. There would be a useless goddess, or a king, or someone to do the info dump. But that is assuming I am any sort of protagonist. I smirked at my thoughts.

Tomorrow came fast, and I was stepping out the door. Behind me was John, standing with Emilia, hiding behind his back, her hand holding tightly to his shirt. I bowed to them and started walking. I exited outside of a small wooden yard and followed a dirt road through a forest of tall trees. They looked very similar to redwood trees, having their branches way above the ground.

There were no earbuds to put in to listen to music, so my mind was trying to sort out information from the past two days - unknown entity, time dilations, travelers, common language. John wasn’t very helpful in any of this world’s lore; hopefully, I’ll find some answers in Belldune.

After some time walking, I ran into a few caravans on the road. Please, let these people not be bandits. I approached one of the caravans, and a woman came out from behind the curtain.

“Excuse me, am I following the right road to Belldune?”

Red-haired woman, dressed in all black, said, “Yes, in a few hours you should reach it.”

“Thank you,” I bowed and replied, but just as I was to turn away, she said, “So are you also going for the mourning session for our fallen heroine?”