A Choice and the warm welcome.

From within the bushes where he hid, Maeda began to piece together everything he had gone through.

Falling from a steep cliff.

Being stranded in a forest he didn’t recognize.

Running for his life from some creature born of imagination.

And now… a hostage situation in the middle of the woods.

Everything had gone from bad to worse in such a short span of time that even Maeda himself found it hard to believe.

His eyes stayed fixed on the scene before him, observing, trying desperately to decide what he should do. Three men, armed with blades, holding someone hostage—it wasn’t the kind of situation one could resolve on impulse. For a fleeting moment, the thought crossed his mind that perhaps all of this was nothing more than a film shoot happening deep in the forest.

“Ugh…”

But the bodies sprawled on the grass told a different story. Groans of pain spilled from some of them, while others remained utterly silent. Maeda’s gaze sharpened, and he realized that a few of the bodies had empty, lifeless eyes—eyes that no longer held a glimmer of life.

His hands flew to his mouth, his eyes widening in terror as the realization sank in. The people before him… were already dead. A chill raced down his spine, and every instinct screamed at him to run away and abandon this place.

“P-please… let me go…”

The strained plea of an elderly man being restrained froze Maeda in place, crushing the urge to flee. His instincts told him not to get involved, that this wasn’t his fight. Yet deep within his heart, he couldn’t just abandon the old man to such a cruel fate.

“What are you doing, brat!? Don’t make this situation any worse!”

“GRANDPA!!!”

“Look how badly the boy wants his grandfather! Drop your weapons if you want the old man to live!”

Every thought that surged within Maeda’s mind was drowned out by the image of the suffering old man.

What if that man dies because of me…?

That thought consumed every other in Maeda’s mind.

Even if he could still breathe, still live, by walking away from this place… the image of a life lost because he chose not to act, and a child losing someone they loved, would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Maeda swallowed hard, drawing in a deep breath as he gathered every ounce of courage he had. For the first time, he resolved to make a choice he had never dared before.

To risk his own life for someone else’s.

His grip tightened around the wooden branch he had picked up earlier. Slowly, carefully, he crawled through the thicket, searching for a gap between the bushes that would allow him a clearer view of the situation.

“BACK OFF!” barked the bandit on the right, reinforcing the threat his group held over the five people before them.

Lowering himself into a crouch, Maeda strained to see. From his vantage point, he could only make out the legs and lower bodies of the bandits, and the frail legs of the old man standing among them. As for the group that had put fear into the bandits’ eyes, they remained obscured from his sight.

The branch in his hands were strong enough, yet Maeda knew it wasn’t something he could stake his life on. With a careful care, making sure not to produce any sound that might alert the bandits, he reached into his camping bag, his fingers brushing against the handle of a knife. Pulling it, he slipped it into the pocket of his jacket.

Even so, doubt gnawed at him. Could this reckless plan of his truly succeed? His idea was simple—sneak close, strike the bandit in the middle, and create a chance for the old man to escape. But in doing so, he risked drawing the attention of the others onto himself. Would the adventurers take advantage of that moment, or would the bandits crush him completely?

The possibilities weighed heavily, and every outcome had its own possibilities, good and worse.

Even when faced with many variables, it did not change the fact that a life was hanging by a thread and could be lost in a matter of seconds, and that fact made Maeda all the more certain of his chosen course of action.

Maeda gripped the wooden branch tightly in his right hand while his left brushed against his jacket, making sure the knife he had placed there was still there. Slowly, his left hand pressed against the ground for support, and he gradually lifted his body from a crawling position to a stand, then began to take steps. Carefully avoiding the bushes, both of his hands gripped the wooden branch as he moved closer to the bandits from behind.

The ground sloped upward, blocking his view until he reached a higher spot, where the scene became clear. Three bandits and an old man faced five others who were also armed. From their builds, he could tell there were three men and two women. He did not have the chance to observe them closely, however, as the three bandits before him demanded his full attention.

The closer Maeda got to the bandits, the tighter his grip became, and his heartbeat raced uncontrollably as he held his breath. Every step was haunted by the fear of uncertainty, what would happen next if he managed to strike down the bandit in the middle?

Step by step, Maeda continued moving closer to the bandits. And as he did, the five people facing them began to notice his presence as he approached from behind. The first to see him was a broad-shouldered man, older in age, with curly blond hair, standing at the center with a long sword in his hands.

Realizing that he had been seen, Maeda gave a hand signal. He pressed his index finger against his lips and locked eyes with the blond man, then pointed straight at the middle bandit.

The blond man glanced at the companion beside him to confirm they had seen the same thing, and the woman with glasses and her hair tied to the side gave him a nod in response.

“Don’t you dare try anything! My friend will do it!” shouted the bandit on the left, his voice sharp after noticing suspicious movements from his enemies.

“Calm down, friend. We won’t do anything, I assure you of that,” replied the blond-haired man.
“But someone else will.”

With the bandit now within Maeda’s striking range, he swung the wooden branch hard toward the head of the middle bandit right on target. The force he put into it was so strong that the branch snapped in two, knocking the bandit unconscious as he dropped the dagger he had pressed against the old man’s throat. Shocked by what had just happened to their comrade, the other bandits turned to the body lying limp on the ground. The old man who had been held hostage seized the chance to run, and he wasn’t the only one to take advantage of the moment.

The five standing before the bandits moved swiftly, charging in to strike. The blond man sprinted forward, raising his long sword, spinning it so the blunt side faced his enemy, and smashed it against the head of the leftmost bandit, knocking him out cold. On the other side, his female companion rushed at her opponent. Unlike the man, she thrust her short sword straight toward her enemy’s heart with unwavering determination. She pierced clean through and quickly pulled it back. The bandit barely had time to react before his strength drained away, blood seeping from the wound as his body stiffened and collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

Maeda stood frozen, both hands clutching tightly to the broken branch. He had thought his end was certain, yet in mere moments, two bandits lay on the ground—unconscious and dead one of them because of him.

In the quiet aftermath, Maeda heard the joyful cries of a young boy hugging his grandfather tightly. The child wept loudly as the old man stroked his head, trying to calm him down. A sense of relief washed over Maeda, replacing the suffocating tension that had gripped every fiber of his being. His legs weakened, and he dropped to his knees.

“Well done, friend,” the large blond-haired man said, patting Maeda’s left shoulder.
“I don’t know who you are, but for someone who isn’t a fighter, that was incredible.”
“You… knew I wasn’t a fighter?”

“What I mean is… with your hands trembling after striking that man… I’d say yes.” The man extended his hand to Maeda, helping him to his feet, then brushed the dust off his body with a few pats.

Maeda looked at the man, and unlike what he had expected, the man’s face appeared rather old, like someone who had already reached his forties. With that age, yet moving with such speed, Maeda decided it would be best not to get into trouble with this person.

“My name is Osbert Stonebrand, pleased to meet you,” the man said, offering his hand for a handshake. Maeda returned the gesture.

“…Pleased to meet you too…” Maeda replied with a stiff smile. Osbert smiled back and walked toward the bandit Maeda had taken down, checking for any signs of life.

“If you don’t mind me asking, could you tell me your name?” Osbert asked while placing his hand on the bandit’s neck to check his pulse.

Of all the questions, “name” was the very last one he wished to answer. What should he say? After all that had happened, should he give his real name? Or should he use an alias, just in case he got dragged into something he didn’t want?

He scratched his head in confusion, but as his fingers scraped off the remnants of dried blood, an idea came to him.

“Sorry… I… don’t remember,” Maeda said, lowering his head. “I woke up in the middle of this forest, and I don’t know why I was there.” He pointed toward the trees, indicating the direction he had come from.

“You don’t remember anything??… That’s awful, you know?” Osbert replied while tying up the bandit’s hands. “To be stuck in the middle of the forest without remembering anything, just thinking about it gives me the chills.” He crossed his arms and hugged himself as he spoke.

“How about this, since it’s already getting dark, why don’t you come with us back to the city? A topic like this is much better discussed over a warm meal, don’t you agree?” Osbert said as he sheathed his sword.

Hearing the suggestion, Maeda simply nodded, following along with what Osbert had said.

“Alright, next stop, Grassbay City! And sorry for asking this of you in your condition, but could you help us with this carriage?” said Osbert. Maeda only responded with a nod. Seeing that, Osbert patted Maeda’s left shoulder and ran toward the wagon, carrying a bandit slung over his right shoulder. Despite his aged appearance, Osbert behaved like a teenager—which was quite surprising to Maeda.

With a nod that sealed his promise, and his bag strapped to his back, Maeda walked toward the broken-down carriage. Yet, while everyone else was full of spirit trying to repair it, one among them cast a sharp, suspicious gaze at Maeda.

It was the woman with glasses from earlier.

-

Several hours had passed since the wagon had been repaired and the caravan resumed their journey. Exhausted from everything that had happened, Maeda had fallen asleep inside the wagon, clutching his backpack tightly between his legs. The carriage rattled as it rolled over the rocky path, but the cool night breeze kept him asleep.

“Sir…”

Maeda awoke to someone shaking his right arm. Turning to his side, he saw the young boy trying to wake him.

“We’re almost at Grassbay City.”

Hearing that, Maeda lifted his gaze and looked around.

The trees were no longer as dense as the forest’s, replaced by stretches of short green grass glowing under the moonlight. He hadn’t noticed it before, hidden behind the trees of the forest, but now he saw it clearly—the moon here was enormous, so large he could even make out its surface in detail.

As they entered Grassbay City, Maeda noticed most of the buildings were constructed with a mix of wood and red brick, while others were made entirely of red brick illuminated by warm orange lights. The streets were bustling with people, either on their way home or enjoying the city’s nightlife under the clear sky.

And Maeda realized—the inhabitants weren’t just humans. Dwarves, elves, beastfolk… they all lived together in this city. For the first time since being stranded here, Maeda felt genuine excitement and joy. What he was seeing was exactly like the fantasy civilization he had always admired as a hobby.

Lost in awe, Maeda was startled when the wagon suddenly jolted to a stop.

“We’re finally here.”
“Quite a tiring day, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, thankfully it all went smoothly.”

The companions Maeda had met earlier, who had also been riding in the same wagon, stood up and began stepping down while chatting. Following suit, Maeda got off the wagon too, alongside the young boy and his grandfather.

“Farewell, friend! May your memories return soon!” one of them called out as they entered a dimly lit building with a brown glow, leaving Maeda with the old man and his grandson. Maeda raised his hand, waving back in return.

Trying to see what kind of building they entered, he spotted a wooden signboard above the entrance. The letters written there were completely unfamiliar to him—which made sense, since he wasn’t from this world. But the longer he looked at them, the more his mind seemed to comprehend their meaning.

“G…Guild… Workers Guild?”

Rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, he looked again. The once foreign script had transformed into the alphabet he understood. He had no idea how or why.

“Erthaf, rug orrda mesed biya tua luh.”

Maeda overheard the old man he had saved—who turned out to be a fruit and vegetable merchant—speaking with someone who seemed to be a client.

“Mard, djerk sartus apla?”
“Enlah, kean curkep hertic, There was not enough time to estimate the losses suffered.”

Huh?

That was all Maeda could think. This time, he was certain it wasn’t a mistake. Every word spoken in a language he had never heard before, every sign he had never seen—within seconds, his mind translated them naturally.

Thinking back, Maeda realized this must have been why he could converse with Osbert so smoothly earlier. But was this normal in this world? Or was it Maeda’s own ability? He weighed both possibilities in his head.

“Hey.”

Maeda turned toward the voice, and there stood the bespectacled woman who had been Osbert’s companion.

“This isn’t our stop. Follow us.”

Without wasting words, the woman instructed Maeda to come with her and Osbert to another place.

-

For several minutes, Maeda walked alongside Osbert and his female companion, satisfying himself by taking a view at the atmosphere of Grassbay City at night. Eventually, they arrived at a building made of wood, its front yard decorated with all kinds of flowers. Maeda noticed the sign hanging above, it seemed they had brought him to a clinic. Even though the city was already under the night sky, the clinic still glowed warmly from the light shining through its windows.

“Well then, since you’ve lost your memory, I suppose the first step is to have you checked by a someone that know what to do. What do you think?” Osbert said.

Maeda felt a bit of guilt for lying to them, but he couldn’t exactly tell them that he came from a place they’d never even heard of.

“I suppose that’s a good idea.” For now, Maeda decided to just go along with it.

With Osbert leading the way, they entered the clinic. A soothing scent of wood greeted Maeda as he stepped inside. The room contained shelves lined with glass bottles filled with liquid, a reception desk at the front, and a wooden door behind it.

Osbert rang a small bell tied to the reception desk, striking it four times. From the wooden door emerged a woman in a long white robe, her long brown hair falling as she yawned in exhaustion.

“Oh, turns out it’s you, Osbert, and your partner Lina. So, which part of your body is broken this time?” she asked casually, as if it were a daily occurrence.

“No, not for the two of us this time.” Osbert placed his hand on Maeda’s left shoulder. “This man needs a bit of help. Do you have time?”

“With you ringing that bell? I don’t exactly have a choice do i?.” The woman, who looked very much like a doctor, walked up to Maeda and gave him a quick scan from head to toe.

“So, what’s the problem?” the doctor asked.

“...Just some bruises… maybe?” Maeda replied, though he didn’t really feel any pain.

“…Alright, follow me.” The doctor began walking toward the door. Seeing this, Maeda followed her, while Osbert and Lina remained outside.

Beyond the door was a room with a wooden-framed bed and pillow at its center. Around it were shelves stacked with glass bottles filled with various liquids, along with several wooden drawers.

“My name is Milda Cotton, pleased to meet you,” the doctor said. “So, did those two, especially that man, cause you any trouble?” she asked, holding a book in her right hand.

“No, on the contrary, they helped me a lot. Especially when it came to matters of life and death,” Maeda replied.

“Figures. They’re like trouble magnets every time they go out,” Milda said while flipping through the pages of the book, searching for something specific.

“But I suppose they can handle themselves. I mean, after what I saw earlier,” Maeda added.

“You think so?” Milda replied. “Oh, I almost forgot. Please lie down here.” She gestured with her left hand toward the bed at the center of the room.

Maeda did as instructed and let himself relax. Milda stepped closer to him from the head of the bed. Holding the book in her right hand, she extended her left palm over Maeda’s head. She began chanting something, though her voice was too soft for Maeda to make out something from it. Her hand started to glow with a faint blue light. Within a few seconds, the glow faded. And though there was no obvious reason for it, Maeda was certain Milda gave a faint smile.

“It seems your body has a few bruises, but if you don’t feel any pain, then that’s a good thing.” This time, Milda’s left hand glowed with a faint light green as she moved it from his head down to his feet. Maeda didn’t quite understand what was happening, but he felt his body grow lighter. When he touched himself, he realized that even the bruises he had gotten from falling had disappeared.

“Alright, your body has fully recovered. However, just to be safe…” Milda took one of the glass bottles from the wall shelf. “Drink this liquid. Consider it an extra boost for your body.”

Although Maeda wanted to comply, the dark brown color of the liquid made him hesitate, after all, it seemed unlikely that someone would hand you a chocolate drink after treatment.

“This is…”

“Just drink it.” Milda pressed the order firmly. “And wait here. I’ll go get something outside.” She walked out through the wooden door.

Outside, Osbert and Lina were waiting. As Milda came out, they rose from their wooden chairs and stepped up to the desk.

“So, how is he?” Osbert asked.

“Oh, he’s more or less fi—”

“Get straight to the point, Milda. You know why we brought him here,” Lina interrupted, her arms crossed.

“…He’s a liar,” Milda said. Hearing that, both Osbert and Lina’s faces showed disappointment. But Milda suddenly snapped her fingers in front of them.

“Hey, I wasn’t finished,” Milda retorted, slightly annoyed. “Yes, I sensed a little dishonesty from him—probably from the very beginning of your encounter. But his soul… I can say he’s a good person.” Milda tilted her head toward the wooden door, pressing her right hand against her chest. “However… he’s the type who tends to keep things bottled up inside.”

Osbert’s expression turned serious as he listened, but Milda’s sharp gaze locked onto him.

“No you dumb, not some hidden power. But emotions,” Milda said firmly.

“Oh, right… hehe.” Osbert scratched his head awkwardly, while under the table, Lina gave him a small kick. Lina, who had been serious ever since meeting Maeda, finally loosened up and let out a soft sigh.

“Alright, I can relax now,” Lina said. “Sorry to bother you so late at night, but out of all the people I know, only your ability could confirm it.”

“It’s fine. I knew my genius mind would always… attract attention.” Milda replied with a proud smile on her face. “Still, I’d prefer if visitors stopped showing up in the middle of the night.” She placed her book down on the desk.

“But what about that man? He didn’t mention anything about himself beforehand it makes me a little uneasy,” Lina asked, glancing at Milda, who was stretching her body.

“As I said, he’s more or less fine. There are some bruises on his body, but nothing severe. Not the kind you’d get from being struck I’d say he fell from somewhere.”

“Thank goodness…” Lina said in relief.
“That’s why, could you try to relax a little when meeting strangers? That guy might not have said much because of you, you know?” Osbert said to Lina.
“What does my cautious attitude have to do with that??” Lina replied in confusion.
“Oh right, the effect of the magic potion I gave him that made him dizzy should be wearing off by now. I’d better go back to him,” Milda said to Osbert and Lina.
“Wait, we’re coming with you,” Osbert replied.

Milda entered the room where Maeda was, finding him with his head lolling around, a blank face like someone drunk, and drool dripping from his mouth.
“…It seems the potion I gave him had a slightly different effect than the one I usually administer. But don’t worry, don’t worry…” Milda said with a nervous smile, while Osbert and Lina were left speechless by Maeda’s condition.

Milda raised her hand toward Maeda, and a light blue glow appeared, followed by a green glow.
“Hah!?” Maeda suddenly snapped awake from his “slumber.”
“You’re awake? Look, your friends came to check on you,” Milda said quickly as she grabbed the glass bottle and reread the writing on it.

“Hey, buddy, how are you feeling?” Osbert asked Maeda.
“I’m fine, just a little dizzy since I drank that liquid. That’s normal, right?” Maeda asked Osbert. But Milda, upon hearing that, hurriedly walked out of the room with the bottle in hand.
“…Yeah… I suppose that’s normal,” Lina answered Maeda instead.

Lina then stepped closer to Maeda, and unexpectedly, she bent forward slightly before standing back upright again. Maeda was startled, seeing Lina—who had been so wary of him—act like that.

“I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel uncomfortable this whole time,” Lina said. “Lately, there have been many reports of ambushes after people encountered someone on the road, so I had to be cautious in dealing with it.”
“It’s alright. If I were in your position, I’d have done the same,” Maeda replied calmly, though a little confused.
“Thank you,” Lina said to Maeda.

“See, Lina? Not everyone has bad intentions. If you treat every stranger like that, you’ll only leave a bad impression on them,” Osbert said, placing both hands on his hips.

“No, my actions were rational enough given the recent circumstances. I don’t regret them,” Lina replied. “But I’m relieved you don’t mind my attitude. Once again, forgive me,” she said while looking at Maeda. Maeda answered with a smile and a nod. Then, suddenly, the wooden door swung open.

“But not rational enough for you to marry Osber, who’s even known as the ‘Reckless Dull Blade,’” Milda remarked. Hearing that, Lina panicked, her face flushing red.

“W-What are you talking about?? That ceremony was purely for mutual benefit, you know?” Lina stammered, panicking. Maeda wondered silently what exactly caused her to panic—after all, wasn’t marriage supposed to be a normal thing?

“Oh reaaally~~~? And what about all the rumors I’ve heard of you two often being seen together outside the city? There were so many that I almost thought they had mistaken you for someone else,” Milda said with a mischievous smile.

“Ah, no, they weren’t mistaken. If you’re talking about the ti—” Osbert replied proudly, but Lina quickly clamped his mouth shut with both hands, her face a mask of fury tinged crimson.

“Osbeeerrrttt!!!!”

Maeda, witnessing everything unfold before him, was left bewildered about what he should do. The revelation that they were husband and wife, Lina’s uncharacteristic reaction, and the overall scene made him want to keep watching just to see how it would play out. Yet, another part of him urged that he should leave the room and give them privacy. He chose to leave.

“Umm… Doctor Milda, shouldn’t we give them some space?” Maeda asked.

“What are you talking about? I’d rather watch this couple’s squabble. Feel free to step out if you want,” Milda replied, pulling a small packet from the pocket of her robe, while behind her, a flustered Lina lightly pounded Osbert with embarrassed little fists—fists Osbert accepted proudly.

Maeda stepped out through the wooden door, grabbed the bag he had left on the receptionist’s desk, and walked toward the exit. The night air brushed against his face as he set foot outside. He lifted his gaze toward the night sky, illuminated by the moonlight and adorned with countless stars—a sky he only now came to notice.

The thought of returning to the mountain to search for his friend crossed his mind, but in his current situation, was that even possible? Maeda wondered, for everything he saw no longer reflected the world he once knew.

Yet, amidst the anxious pounding of his heart, there was also a spark of excitement within him—the eagerness to explore this new place he had stumbled into.

Would everything turn out fine from here on?

What kind of places would he see next?

Could he find friends here?

All those thoughts swirled through his mind, carried away like the wind, while his overflowing enthusiasm surged brightly from within.