Riku promptly refuted any involvement as a spy from another country. However, the pivotal issue at hand was that Arisu was utterly unfamiliar with the concept of Japan. This was the first time she had encountered such a place name.
Her brows knitted together, her gaze skeptical as it remained focused on the man before her. "Japan? I've never heard of such a place. Where is it located?"
Arisu's reaction didn't catch Riku off guard, as he was well aware he didn't belong to this world. He realized that his response had locked him into a certain narrative, but reversing course now would only heighten suspicion.
'No matter how hard I try to explain, it seems impossible for her to grasp.' As he rose from the bed, he muttered to himself, "I suppose I'll have to admit that I come from another world."
"What do you think you're doing? Remain as you are," Arisu instructed, her concern mounting as she contemplated the potential capabilities of this man.
"I apologize if I alarmed you, but I feel it's necessary to disclose something to you."
Riku abruptly lowered himself to the ground, a gesture intended to convey his deep respect for the woman before him. However, there was an ulterior motive for this action. Through his observations and extensive research, he had concluded that demonstrating such humility was an effective way to gain respect in this unfamiliar world.
As anticipated, Arisu seemed untroubled by his demeanor, as he exhibited no signs of malevolence. "What is it that you wish to convey, Outsider?"
"To be frank, I understand that my words may be difficult to believe, but I must confess that I am not a native of this world," he articulated with utmost politeness.
A few moments passed, during which Riku lifted his head slightly to gauge Arisu's reaction. He observed her struggling to suppress her laughter, although it was evident that she found the notion of coming from another world too preposterous to entertain.
"HAHAHA! From what I can deduce, you're still reeling from the guards' treatment and have perhaps suffered memory loss," she managed to say between fits of laughter, wiping tears from her eyes.
Riku's attempt to explain himself trailed off, recognizing the incredulity of his own words. He resigned himself to Arisu's interpretation that he had lost his memory.
After a brief moment, Arisu composed herself and began to question him. "Even if you can't recollect where you originated, I hope you recall the reason for your presence in our village."
"The only thing I can recall is awakening in a vast forest and stumbling upon your village. I don't possess any plan related to your village; my sole objective was to find a place to rest," he admitted, his voice sounding feeble.
Arisu's demeanor indicated that she found his words trustworthy, as she detected no malevolent aura emanating from him. "Given that I sense your sincerity, I'm permitting you to remain in our village temporarily. I also extend my apologies for the cruel treatment inflicted upon you by our guards."
Riku's apprehensions were somewhat alleviated by her response. He once again offered a deep bow, expressing his gratitude. "I'm truly grateful for your understanding and consideration."
"However, should I detect any hint of suspicion surrounding your actions, I won't hesitate to pass a death sentence upon you," Arisu warned as she turned to exit the room.
He gulped nervously, recognizing that this village employed a traditional civilization that still employed the death penalty as a means of punishment.
"I assure you, I harbor no ill intentions toward your village," he responded earnestly, his curiosity about the person who had rescued him burgeoning. "Might I inquire about your name, Your Highness?"
"I am Arisu Hanz, the daughter of the King of Arzotoc village. However, feel free to address me as Lady Arisu, as is customary," she conveyed, her white robe swaying as she introduced herself.
"Thank you for rescuing me, Your Highness Arisu," he expressed, pushing himself to his feet with a sense of relief that his life was not on the precipice of being forfeit.
As she closed the door, Arisu left a parting message for him. "Tomorrow, someone will bring you food and offer you a tour of Arzotoc village."
With her words still echoing in his mind, Riku pondered his situation deeply within the confines of the room. He recognized that no one was willing to readily accept his claims. He knew he had to find a way back to his own world.
"Continuing to persuade them won't yield results; I should focus on learning about this place," he resolved.
Riku was fully cognizant of the challenges ahead, understanding that acquiring information about the path to his world would be a difficult task in a land where none seemed to have knowledge of such a concept.
As the night unfolded, Riku's contemplations persisted. The guards eventually brought him a meal, a feast he hadn't enjoyed in over a month, relishing the taste of real food as opposed to the creatures he had hunted in the forest.
"Now this is what I call a meal, not the edible monsters I've been surviving on in that vast forest," he murmured to himself.
__
The following day, Riku had risen from his bed an hour earlier when a knock echoed through his room.
Knock... Knock... Knock...
He opened the door, recognizing that it was likely the guard designated to accompany him on the village tour. Standing before him was not a guard, but a man clad in dusty leather armor, wearing a broad smile.
"He doesn't seem like a guard," Riku instinctively thought, his observation quickly confirming his suspicion.
"You're right, I'm not officially a guard in this village yet, but I'm striving hard to become one," the man responded with another friendly smile. "I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Pan Sik, a peasant with aspirations of joining the guard ranks in order to secure a better life."
Riku acknowledged the introduction, finding Pan Sik's earnestness endearing.
"No offense was taken, and there's no need for you to bow to a humble peasant like me. You're correct that it's usually the guards' duty to conduct these tours, but my superiors have assigned this task to me, presumably due to your unique circumstances," Pan clarified.
It appeared that the guards were intentionally avoiding him, likely due to the incident involving his mistreatment. Riku inclined his head slightly, acknowledging Pan's explanation. "I understand. Regardless of who guides me, the objective remains the same. Where do you intend to take me?"
"We'll be visiting the key locations within the village. However, I must inform you that it'll take a couple of days to cover them all. Shall we begin?" Pan suggested, gesturing toward the corridor with politeness.
Pan and Riku proceeded down the straight corridor, eventually descending a flight of stairs. As Riku had surmised, he had been residing on an upper floor.
"Pan, could you enlighten me about the area where I was staying?" Riku inquired with a measured tone, seeking clarification.
"Oh, that's the Guest's Building. It's where visitors to King Arzo's court are accommodated for a span of several days," Pan explained.
Riku's brow furrowed as he learned that the place he had occupied wasn't particularly fitting for guests. "And what about the place where I've been sleeping?"
Pan's tone remained cheerful as he replied, "That's the Worker's Quarters. You should consider yourself lucky, you know."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you've been granted the privilege to rest in a room and sleep on a comfortable bed. Back in my home, we sleep on the bare ground," Pan shared, his smile undiminished.
Click!
Exiting the Guest's Building, Riku's gaze fell upon a variety of individuals in the village, including beings that appeared to be hybrids of humans and other creatures. "What on earth are these? Hybrid humans?"
Observing the diverse inhabitants of the village, he realized that this place was not exclusively inhabited by humans, but also by half-human, half-non-human creatures coexisting peacefully.
However, his initial awe was quickly replaced by a sense of unease as he noticed that many of them were glaring at him with intense expressions.
"Pan, what's their issue? Have I violated some kind of rule?" Riku whispered, his anxiety growing as he noticed their unwelcoming stares. Their eyes eerily resembled those of the guards who had tortured him.
Pan shook his head and then shrugged his shoulders in response. "You haven't committed any crime, but they seem to have reservations about you staying in the village."
"I-is it still safe to walk around here? They seem like they might attack me at any moment," Riku stammered, his fear evident.
"Don't worry, Lady Arisu has warned them all. You can be assured that no one will harm you," Pan assured him, moving closer. "Sir Riku, you'll get used to this eventually. Unfortunately, there's a strong prejudice in this village when they perceive you as weak."
What's that outsider doing here?
Who gave him the audacity to set foot in our village?
Go back to your own land, commoner! Look at yourself!
Outsider, come here and serve me!
Pan only smiled in response, not letting their comments provoke him.
"What on earth? Is this how they interact with each other here?" Riku exclaimed, taken aback by the blatant hostility.