'Wait, what does this mean? am I in some other world or what!?'
No matter how much he looked around, from the unbelievably different surroundings, from the tiniest details of his surroundings to the grandest detail, which was limited to the wooden room he was in right now.
There were no windows, only one entrance beside which the elf lady was standing.
An almost blinding light entered the room through the entrance, blocking his eyes from reflecting what lay beyond.
The sensation of air itself felt very different. if someone believed in life force, they would definitely say this air was dense with it.
His body was already bit overwhelmed by the atmosphere, it would probably take sometime for his body to adjust.
But at that moment, there was something more important which needed to be be mentioned.
Was he really? In a different world. His mind's resistance could only go so far, if he didn't want to go insane he would need to relax his mind for now and wait for reality to confirm itself.
"It looks like you are having problem with your memories, don't worry we understand what toll all this can have on a human mind."
The elf walked towards to him, revealing more of her facial features. "My name is Maera Ruzu. Currently, you are in the capital city Elvian kingdom, Aeloria."
Her green hair were almost like emerald. she had a bright complexion, as if her body would remain young for thousands of years. Her limited yet controlled expression gave a hint of professionalism. Her other body features where hidden by the robe, and Shugel's brain was already occupied with already overwhelming bits of information.
'This has to be joke...'
He couldn't help but be anxious. Elvian kindom? Capital city Aeloria? Not only was he in another world, but he was in land of elves, a race not human.
How was he supposed to navigate through this, he didn't even understand his situation. Considering the fantacy books he had read one thing was for sure, if this world was nearly as complex as his world... He would need to watch his mouth.
The elf, Maera Ruzu, noticed Shugel's anxious expression. He had no idea what she interpreted from his expressions which he couldn't control in such a overwhelming situation.
"You don't need to worry about getting sold as slave or something really bad happening to you. You see while, common elves don't have a very positive attitude toward humans, the royal families can't afford to go against each other." She paused to look at Shugel, and after pointing her finger towards his hair continued,
"We as a guild work for the royal families interest and as professionals we can't let our prejudices get in the way."
There were too many holes in whatever she said and he lacked the context to fill the gaps, which she was expecting him to do so.
"Also, it's not like you have done anything to me for me hold any hostility against you."
Being assured that nothing was going to happen to him did made him relax a bit. Shugel took a deep breath and exhaled, and looked at the eyes of the elf.
From all the fragmented pieces of things he had heard till now. He could frame a small picture no matter how accurate.
He had surely been transported to another world, his mind was bit foggy on exact sequence of events that led him to this place and situation. There was so much information missing.
"My name is Shugel, I can't afford to reveal any further than that. Also I have no idea how I ended up here."
His eyes looking directly at her.
The anxiousness that occupied him just now did not reflect in his voice, giving an impression of confidence and surety.
Considering that there was a chance they were considering him to be someone from nobility or even not. It was pretty clear that they were in situation where they didn't possess the authority to harm him.
The man who was arguing with Maera Ruzu had dropped some hints to how they were seeing Shugel as. It was also the time when Shugel was not fully conscious.
Found him in a Labrinth... He looked like someone from royal family or nobility from kindom of sapiens... Black hair... Not sure about the identity... He could also be a threat...
The hint of complex relationship between Sapiens and elves... Contradictory royal families relations... A royalty serving guild...
Those were the pieces that helped him form an assumption of how he should navigate through this.
Act as if you are someone from royalty, at least give of an impression close enough to that, over do it and you die,
under do it and you risk suspicion.
He could be completely wrong and chances that he was were probably already high.
He had no idea what was to come beyond all this but one thing was for sure he was in far from any normal situation.
"It looks like I was not wrong to assume about you." Maera Ruzu, the first elf lady he had met this world, looked satisfied with his answer.
"Shugel, I suppose you will require some more rest before we can discuss further." Said Maera as she left the room, fading into to almost blinding light coming from the entrance.
***
After the elf lady, who introduced herself as Maera Ruzu left the room, he was all alone there.
Still he couldn't risk any suspension movement so he decided to stay on the bed.
He was in a closed wooden room with only one entrance, Shugel noticed that the texture of the wood really differed, even the bed he was laying on had a very comfortable feel to it. The walls had green tint to them.
It was pretty clear that the type of wood used were different for each thing in the room.
Though, there was not much in here, it gave off a feeling of hospital room or wellness room.
To his left were beds exactly the same as the one he was laying on right now, and to his right more beds. There was a table next to each bed. Quite convenient one would say.
Once again, this room had very minimalist aesthetic to it.
He could still struggle in his mind and reject the idea that something like this was happening to him, but if there was a chance that all this was real then one bad move and he may be in trouble.
The events that had led to all this were enough to not make him doubt his reality.
When he checked his body there were no wounds, everything seemed fine with his body.
"My memory is hazy, just how did I get out from that place? What happened after I..." He murmured to himself.
His mind was a mess of questions at that moment and the more he thought more questions consumed him.
After some time had passed, someone came to the room, he was bit alert.
Maera Ruzu sat on the empty bed to his left.
"There is not much time to ask you questions. You have been summoned to the royal palace before the dawn." Maera Ruzu had a bit tense expression on her face as she relayed the information.
'I was not expecting it to be this soon but, hmmm royal palace...'
He was could feel his heart and breath getting heavier. He tried to keep a blank face.
"I'll not ask many questions, try to remember as well as you can and answer." Maera Ruzu took a knife out and cut her finger, enough to just let a drop of blood escape.
She placed the drop of blood on the book, which she took out from her robe.
Shugel didn't notice the book out until she dropped the blood on the book.
The book had a black hard cover. He had no idea what the book and blood did.
"The Labrinth you were rescued from was not a common Labrinth, your soul had been tampered with and to make you recover from the shock your soul was suppressed."
"What? What are you saying?"
"You don't need to understand all this we were just letting you know about your condition. It's a Healer's duty afterall."
What she was explaining him was simply how a doctor would explain his patient about their condition by simplifying it. The complex process is not necessary for the pateint to understand.
"You soul is bound to this room and as soon as you leave this room your body will be in agony. That's why we need to unbound your soul."
He did not understand the reason behind why all this had been done and how, but he could tell he needed to do whatever he was being asked to do, if wanted to leave this place.
"First question, do you feel any memory loss?"
"Probably but I am not sure, my mind becomes foggy as I try to recall some details."
"Second question, do feel any pain?"
"No"
"Last question, can you see outside the entrance." She asked as she wiped the blood on the book.
He wasn't able to see anything beyond the gate... "No—" as soon as he was about to say no, he noticed that the blinding light had dimmed and he could make an image of what was outside.
"Wait, I can see now?"
Was that blinding light due to his soul being bound to this room before.
"Alright your soul has been unbound! That took quite a lot of mana." Breath escaped her lungs as she stood up.
It felt strange. Everything was same but he could feel something was different. There was no physical or sensational change.
He could make image of a green plant and door next to it, it was pretty far. One more thing that was noticable was the lobby like space, not much was visible from tiny crack of an entrance but the outside looked very different to what was inside.
"You will be taken to royal palace, don't think of trying anything weird because you will be instantly killed. Don't give us any reason." Maera signaled him to stand up, she specially stressed the warning.
"Killed!?" His voice leaked.
"No one is going to kill you, I have been assigned to look over you until the soldiers come to take you."
As they exited the room, the vague image he had formed in his mind turned into vivid reflections. He was right, the room they were in just now was made of wood but the lobby was made up of pure grey marble.
There was a reception area, a large board where many papers were attached, in guild term it would be called the guild board and quests, probably, Shugel was not much knowledgeable about the terminologies.
It was pretty clear he could not read any of that, as for why he was able to understand the language it was a complete mystery. Unless the elvian or this world people spoke the same language as he, which was most definitely not the case.
At that moment when maera had told him about the orders from the royal palace she had slight tense expression, which was barely noticeable. Should he risk asking her!? No if he did—
"Maera, when you told me about the orders from royal palace you looked worried."
There was no point remaining silent, he needed to be bold and grasp whatever information he could at the moment.
Maera was assuming Shugel was of royal or noble blood, but he knew she was completely wrong.
What if he told her he was not from this world!? Wait, this was not the right time, if he did who knows what would happen to him. Atleast keeping his act together as long as he could may give him enough alternative options to navigate through all this.
She looked at him, trying to gauge the motive behind his question.
She exhaled as she gave in to his question.
The cases of humans never coming back after crossing the Nectar forest were very frequent, and the talk about them was wide spread in many kingdoms.
The Nectar forest surrounded the Elvian kingdom from all sides. The forest seperated the border of Elvian Kingdom and capital.
Navigating through the Nectar forest was no easy deed, even the most experienced of veterans would require special navigation tools, which were quite expensive.
Maera Ruzu, could empathize how the boy could be feeling at moment; The unease, the fear.
"It's nothing. You don't need to worry about it, just be careful I am sure you will be more safe there than here."
Shugel wasn't much satisfied with the answer but he didn't press further. More safe in the palace?
Not much time had passed when, some people entered through the guild door.
It was a guild so obviously many people would come and go from here. In fact, many elves were passing by Shugel, many were discussing and having laughs with each other on the tables at the corner, some people were looking at the guild board, some were getting this done at the counter, there were even some demi humans there.
Many people passed cold glances at Shugel, while some ignored him completely.
What was different with the people who had just entered the guild was their attire, and everyones reaction when they saw the attire.
Some people murmured to themselves "Queen's soldiers? Why are they here!?"
The soldiers which were being referred to by people as Queen's soldiers, scanned the area. Their eyes met with Shugel's.
"Let me go talk to them."
one of the soldier went to the counter, Maera too went to counter. Shugel was signaled to stay there by marea.
After some discussion, the soldier approached Shugel.
The soldier was probably a head taller than him. His shiny mist green armour and white robe on the back gave off a heavy feel. The symmetrical facial features and his white hair which had blue hue to them added elegance to his attire.
"I am Ulius, I have come here by the order of the queen. I will be responsible for presenting you to the throne."
Shugel tried to catch glimpse of Maera, who stood near the counter. Why was she avoiding contact?
"I hope you can forgive me later then." Ulius said.
What...
A glowing hand.
—Shugel saw Ulius' hand cover his sight, with no force, before he could react he lost consciousness.