"What do you mean we're in another world?" Asked Sigmund, perplexed but his voice betrayed a hint of belief. The recent strange visions and the fact that he was sucked into a door earlier made it all the more real.
"We are neither on Earth nor on my world." Ravian repeated, emphasizing each word slowly. He looked into Sigmund with a serious stare, to bring greater weight onto his words, and Sigmund unconsciously backed a single step.
"I do not know anything about these woods and neither do you, it seems." He explained, matter-of-factly.. Then, he gestured his head at the woman looking at them curiously, giving her a glance. "And she speaks an unknown tongue."
The young woman tilted her head, presumably understanding what Ravian was saying despite the gibberish. Sigmund nodded in understanding, before he suddenly realized something strange.
"WAIT" Sigmund exclaimed, pointing at Ravian. "How do you know about Earth?"
Ravian's lips curved into a smile and he coolly answered his earthling friend, "From my Father."
Sigmund's jaw dropped, realizing the implications of that, speechless. He had a hard time holding himself back from shaking and looking perpetually shocked, "F-f-father?!"
"Hm?" Ravian's eyes glinted with mirth, an amused smile gracing his lips. "Why yes, my Father." He repeated, chuckling at Sigmund's terribly shocked response.
"So your dad is from earth?!" Sigmund asked, and Ravian nodded with his charming slime. Sigmund's mind raced and his heart beated faster, becoming more and more shocked at today's turn of events. First, the door, then magic, then the visions, and now an ISEKAI? Not only that, but Ravian is suggesting that someone from Earth was sent to another world and had a family, with Ravian being the son of this man.
Sigmund didn't want to believe it, it sounded absurd. Yet, it was something so much greater than the modern world, much more colorful and strange. Magic is real, so is Isekai, and instead of simply reading about it, he now lived it. If it weren't for the fact that Ravian said there was no way back, he could not even begin to think how he would return from all this, even though it's only been an hour.
His curiosity uncontained, Sigmund frantically asked, "Was there a system?!" Ravian looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding, saying, "Yes, my Father received one of those things."
"It was a mark on his back." Ravian noted, his eyes glowing violet once more as Sigmund felt a warm touch on his nape for a short time, too amazed to jolt at the sudden effect. He kept this all in mind, being filled with a mix of awe, shock and wonder.
Now the young woman saw the formerly wounded man frozen with excitement and stepped forward, her voice trembling with a mix of determination and nervousness. She began to speak, her words filled with earnestness and a desire to contribute to the unfolding mysteries.
"Can you understand me, strangers?" She asked, the foreign words hanging in the air. Ravian and Sigmund exchanged a glance, turning their attention toward her. Her lips were still moving, the last remnants of her words lingering in the air. Her eyes, wide and curious, were fixed on them.
Ravian's gaze shifted, his golden eyes landing on the young woman who had been quietly observing their exchange. His eyes, usually alight with a playful spark, softened considerably as they met hers. His gaze was thoughtful, contemplative, as if he was carefully considering his next course of action and he held her gaze for a moment.
With a subtle shift in his posture, he raised a hand, bringing it up to his mouth. His fingers moved in a deliberate motion, miming the act of speaking. A simple, hopefully universal gesture.
Then, with a pointed look, he moved his hand from his mouth to his head, his fingers lightly tapping against his temple. His actions were clear, a silent language of gestures that he hoped she would understand. His gaze never left hers, his golden eyes holding a glint of anticipation.
He was asking for permission, a request to bridge the gap between their languages through the use of telepathy. Given her display of magic, albeit a rudimentary form, he was confident she would comprehend his intent. It was an assumption, but one that was reasonable to try.
The young woman watched him, her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to decipher his silent communication. It took a few attempts, a few subtle changes in Ravian's gestures, but eventually, understanding dawned on her face. She nodded, her eyes wide with realization, her guess aligning with his intent.
With her consent, Ravian reached out with his mind, his voice resonating within her thoughts. It was the same voice she had heard earlier, but now it held an ethereal quality, a depth that seemed to echo within her mind.
"May I?" he asked, his mental voice as polite and respectful as his spoken one. His request was simple - he wanted to learn her language, and any other knowledge she was willing to share, to facilitate communication with the people of this land.
As he began the process, Ravian's physical form remained still, his golden eyes locked onto hers. His gaze was intense, yet gentle, a reflection of the careful precision with which he navigated her memories. He was a respectful visitor in her mind, sifting through her thoughts and experiences with the utmost care, avoiding any personal or irrelevant details. To Valerie, it felt as if nothing was happening.
After what felt like only half a minute, Ravian's lips curled into a smile. He spoke in fluent Fìrmen, his voice carrying an accent that was a harmonious blend of his natural British-like lilt and the unique intonations of the Fìrmen language.
"Thank you very much, Miss Valerie. Your assistance has been invaluable." His words, now in her native tongue, were spoken with the same charm and grace that seemed to be his second nature.
Valerie's heart stopped at the sudden fluency and its rich timbre, a warm sensation abruptly emerging from her chest. As Ravian expressed his gratitude and complimented the fair-skinned woman, he simultaneously began the process of transferring the language to Sigmund. The man's mind, not as well-equipped as Ravian's own, required a longer span of time to assimilate the new vocabulary. It took ten minutes for Sigmund to acquire a sufficient grasp of the language for day-to-day conversation. During this interim, Ravian and the young woman, now known as Valerie, began to acquaint themselves with each other.
Ravian, ever the gentleman, initiated the introductions. "I am Ravian, a traveler from afar. It is my pleasure to meet your acquaintance Miss Valerie." he began, his voice carrying the melodic lilt of the Fìrmen language. His golden eyes emanated a friendly warmth, his smile inviting.
"And you can call me Valerie," she responded, her voice carrying a hint of warmth. Her gaze lingered on Ravian, taking in his striking features with an air of fascination. "I appreciate the miss, Ravian, but I'm just another lass from my village."
"Valerie," Ravian echoed, the name rolling off his tongue with an ease that made it sound like a melody. His golden eyes met hers, a sincere smile gracing his lips. "A beautiful name indeed." His compliment was genuine, his voice carrying a warmth that made her cheeks flush.
"You seem to have a skilled understanding of these herbs," he continued, his gaze shifting to the bag of herbs she had collected. His observation was astute, his eyes reflecting a keen intelligence that was hard to miss. "Are you perhaps a healer of your village?"
Valerie nodded, a spark of pride igniting in her eyes. "Aye, I am one of the cooks of the village, and a healer too." Her words were simple, yet they carried a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Ravian's smile widened at her confirmation, his eyes reflecting his admiration for her skills. He took in her attire - a simple dress of earthy tones, practical for her work yet flattering to her figure.
"A cook and a healer," Ravian echoed, his voice carrying a note of admiration. His golden eyes held a glint of respect as he regarded her, his gaze thoughtful. "A truly invaluable member of your community, I must say."
Valerie's cheeks flushed a soft pink at his words, a shy smile playing on her lips. She was not used to such compliments, especially from someone as striking as Ravian. "Well, we all do what we can to help each other. That's how we survive," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of the local dialect.
"Valerie," Ravian began, his voice carrying a note of curiosity. His golden eyes were thoughtful as they met hers, the sunlight filtering through the canopy above dappling his dark hair with flecks of gold.
"I find myself quite intrigued by your village. As a foreigner from a distant land, I must admit, I am somewhat lost." His words hung in the air, a gentle request for her guidance.
Valerie's smile widened at his words, her eyes sparkling with pride. "Well, you've come to the right person then," she replied, her voice thick with the local accent. "Our village, it's a simple place, but it's home. We're a close-knit community, always looking out for each other."
"May I know where it is from here, Valerie?" Ravian inquired, his finger aimlessly pointing at the distance. Valerie turned and pointed towards the distant village, Ravian's finger following suit. "Ah, thank you."
It was then Valerie's turn to ask, curious of Ravian's strange magic. "Are you a wizard, Ravian?" She asked, his unfamiliar name pronounced slowly, a nod from him confirming her pronunciation.
"I suppose you can call me that, a wizard." He answered, showing her a simple spell that summoned tongues of blue fire to rise up from his index finger.
"Wow, that's quite the fire" She remarked, looking closer at the blue fire before Ravian ceased it. She recalled the nobility and their innate magic, all of them possessing the power to heal like Ravian and another set of spells according to their houses. Though as a commoner in these parts, anything other than the King and House Seraphel was beyond what little she knew beyond this Vale.
"How many among you could use magic, Valerie?" Inquired Ravian.
"Forty of us, among six hundred in the village." She answered, counting her fingers just to be sure.
Ravian nodded, about to ask Valerie further before Sigmund joined in their discussion, his voice carrying a mixture of excitement and anticipation. After a period of diligent effort and psychic immersion, Sigmund began to grasp fragments of Valerie's language. Slowly but steadily, he pieced together the meaning behind her words, allowing him to engage in conversation with her and Ravian.
"A village? Can you take us there?" he asked, his eyes shifting between the young woman and Ravian.
"Welcome back, Sigmund," Ravian's voice was a rich, velvety baritone, touched by amusement. His golden eyes sparkled with a playful light as they met Sigmund's gaze and the corners of his mouth lifted in a subtle, charming smirk.
"I trust you are feeling much better?" he inquired. His words were laced with a gentle teasing, a subtle jest.
His hand absently brushed a stray lock of hair from his face, revealing once again the full extent of his striking features. "Pardon me once more for the headache, it was a necessary consequence of the process." he explained, his tone matter-of-fact yet remaining light and jovial.
"Haha, no worries." Sigmund assures Ravian.
"Oh dear!" Valerie exclaimed. "I got carried away, I haven't collected all my herbs yet." Valerie quickly stood up and searched for herbs.
Ravian and Sigmund, both moved by a shared sense of duty, extended their offers of assistance. Ravian, ever the gentleman, proposed a unique solution to expedite the process. He suggested delving deeper into her thoughts, a proposition that would allow him to identify the herbs with precision.
Valerie, after a moment of consideration, gave her consent. She found herself trusting this enigmatic stranger, his golden eyes radiating sincerity and his demeanor exuding a comforting sense of calm.
Ravian, with a nod of gratitude, began to sift through her thoughts. His eyes took on a distant look as he navigated the intricate maze of her mind, his expression focused. It was not even a minute before Ravian completed his search of the mind and began to look for the herbs.
While Sigmund picked them normally with the manpower and capacity of a single person, Ravian was like a blur and seemed to leave afterimages by his movement alone. Despite this, there was not much rustling of leaves as Ravian leaped like a black shadow between patches of herbs, expertly collecting them without damaging them.
Sigmund's eyes widened, his astonishment evident on his face. Questions swirled in his mind, wondering why Ravian possessed abilities beyond those of a mere mortal.
"Is Ravian even human?" Sigmund silently wondered to himself, amazed at his supernatural speed.
By the time they're back from collection, Ravian and Sigmund had brought back entire bags of herbs to Valerie's surprise.