Chapter 1
I.... Where am I? Why do I feel so tired? Just trying to open my eyes requires all my strength. Clouds? Am I staring at the sky? I'm laying on the ground outside it seems. It hurts my body just trying to sit up but it seems I can manage. I'm in a clear in the forest it seems. I'm surrounded by trees the sun is also setting I need to find shelter fast. Somehow I managed to stand up on my feet but now where should I go? First of all, I don't know where I am; I don't even know what's north or south I guess I'll just start walking straight. It's taking all of the strength in me to keep from falling over but I need to keep walking to find someone. The forest is thick with trees so much so that the sunlight is hardly illuminating the ground. I can tell that it would be a very bad situation to be out here at night! It'll be too dark to navigate through this dense forest. Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump-- What's that sound!? Could it be someone? I need to head toward the sound as fast as I can my body is at its limit. I can see someone! I feel so relieved that I found someone else.... huh my mind is going blank my eyes are closing . . . .
"Help! help me..."
My last spoken words as I became unconscious.
Am I dead? Huh? I'm laying on a bed even though the last thing I remember was the floor in the forest feeling the twigs crack as I fell down, smelling pine and earth as my mind faded. It seems I'm in a house a large room to be exact, it has dark wood flooring and a small table with only two chairs placed next to a fireplace. I feel so much better than when I first woke up in the forest not tired but well rested. I stood up and walked towards the single wooden door in the room as I reached for the door handle the door was already opening someone was coming into the room who can it be? Is it possible the person I heard back from when I was in the forest? As the door opened I moved back in a quick motion almost tripping on the wooden table.
"Oh your finally awake."
A woman? She is tall and slim with big breasts and long brown hair that swayed beautifully as she walked towards me. She had a white dress with a red vest her skin was white as fresh snow. Beautiful! This is the first thought that came to me.
"You shouldn't be moving so suddenly! Your body is still healing."
The woman said.
"How long have I been asleep?"
"You've been asleep for three whole days."
The woman exclaimed.
"What! I've been unconscious for that long! But why?"
"Your condition resembled that of a person on the verge of death from mana loss."
She said.
"Mana?"
That's only something from video games, Could it be that I am not in Japan anymore? It would explain why this woman looks like a foreigner, Maybe European or American. Her clothing also looks like that of a fantasy game.
"I found you while I was gathering firewood and immediately brought you to my house on my horse carriage. I honestly thought that you were going to die on the way here." she said as she sat on the bed.
"Where are we!? I mean...what country are we located in?"
"My house is located in Blackthorn. We are the farthest human settlement in the Zen Kingdom on the outskirts of the DarkWood Forest."
"The last human settlement? W-Wait does that mean there are other races other than human?"
"Yes of course. There are Fairy people, Elves, Dwarves, Demi-Humans, and demons. This is known to all who reside in the Zen Kingdom so how can it be that you don't know that?"
This new information confirms that I am really in another world! The question is how did I get here I don't seem to remember how I arrived here, the last memory I have was when I went to sleep after getting to my apartment from school. I really didn't think this kinda thing would happen to me out of all places being transported to a fantasy world.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Yukito Hiroki. Although Hiroki is just fine, If you don't mind me asking... what's your name?"
"It's nice to meet you Hiroki my name is Emily Zolckster."
"Emily it's nice to meet you! Um... also I'd like to thank you for taking care of me while I was unconscious. I don't know what would have happened to me if I'd hadn't run into you."
"No problem! you were really lucky because the Darkwood forest is really dangerous. Most of it is relatively unexplored and there are dangerous creatures that live in it though they rarely appear so close to the edge of the forest."
Emily really is beautiful... I guess after all of this I should consider myself very fortunate to go through this situation with someone like Emily.
"Oh my, how can I forget! I was just about to head to the food market to buy some ingredients to cook a meal, Hiroki would you like to come with me? It would give you the chance on getting to know the town of Blackthorn."
"Y...Yes, I'll go with you."
It's the perfect chance on finding out more about this world and well... I am really hungry!
"I'll meet you outside my house, I...Well, you should get changed as well so I'll give you some time to do so. I left your clothing inside the drawer next to the bed"
Huh! I've been talking to Emily in my briefs this whole time without noticing! I feel like a pervert with no decency. I'm sorry Emily! I guess the only thing I have to wear is the suit I was wearing for a job interview. I needed a job because I wanted to go out on a date with the girl I liked in my 3rd-year class so I needed the money. I figured before confessing my feeling I had to be prepared. I guess after arriving at my apartment I went straight to my bed to sleep. Job interviews really are tiring.
"I've been meaning to ask why are you wearing such strange clothing? I've never seen such wardrobe on a man before."
"Huh?"
I guess in this world clothing is very different from the 21st-century world I came from it really isn't a surprise that my sense of fashion is strange to people here.
"This is called a suit in my country. It's very common with men who are professionals."
"Oh, so it's like noble's clothing?"
"Y-Yeah."
Although it's more normal than Emily imagines it to be. Calling it a nobles clothing makes it sound like I'm one, back on earth all I could afford was instant cup ramen, not really surprising since I was a 3rd year 17 year old high school student that was living alone in a small apartment.
"That building over there is a branch office of the adventurers guild you can register there and you'll become a registered adventurer. I heard that you get all kinds of perks such as being able to see someone's level and other information. Also, you'll get discounts on lodging and food even equipment, of course depending on your level. Since the guild gives you a special card that indicates your information as an adventurer."
"That does sound very useful."
Maybe I'll register as soon as I get the chance, Becoming an adventurer seems like a lot of fun maybe I'll get to meet a beautiful adventurer elf girl like in those light novels I used to read back in Japan.
"Emily, are you an adventurer?"
"No, I'm not registered as an adventurer. I've been meaning to ask, What were you doing in the Darkwood forest Hiroki? No one ever goes there unless you're an adventure training on the monsters that reside inside the DarkWood Forest"
"Sorry Emily, I don't have any memory of how I got there."
"When I first found you I thought you were an adventure that had gotten lost while training but you don't look like an adventurer."
"No... I'm not an adventurer. Sorry, I know you have a lot of questions but I really don't remember anything I am just as confused as you."
After passing the adventurers guild we kept walking. I kept sightseeing noticing that buildings everywhere were made of grey brick almost all of them were 2-story high buildings this completely looked like a replica of 16th-century Europe back on earth. Horse carriages passed us on the right side hurrying towards an unknown destination. There was also a lot of people walking on the stone sidewalks a very diverse group of different social class. I saw what looked like an adventurer wearing a shiny chest plate with a chrome two-handed sword strapped behind him. I was amazed to see people with armor and swords. Emily kept talking and occasionally she pointed out things she wanted me to know.
"That building with the redwood door is where you can buy armor equipment. In the building next to you, you can buy weapons like swords. On the other side do you see that three-story building with red stone and the two noble guardsmen in front of the gates?"
"Yes"
"That's where the Lord of Blackthorn lives. It's called the red palace. The Lord and his family live in there while governing Blackthorn."
"I see."
As we kept walking Emily continued pointing out places to eat and shops to buy magic items. I was left in awe while listening to everything that goes on in Blackthorn.