Hades felt a cold sensation on his back, prompting him to open his eyes with a hint of irritation.
The azure sky reflected in his dark eyes, dotted with fluffy white clouds.
His mind was foggy, memories eluding him. He blinked against the brightness of the sky, tears forming reflexively.
So tired, he thought.
Hades decided to close his eyes and continue his rest. However, his plans were interrupted by a wet sensation.
A mule, with its head bobbing, licked Hades's face with its coarse tongue. Startled, Hades exclaimed, "Hey, stop it! Get off!"
He had to push the persistent mule away. Rising from the field, he felt an even colder sensation on his back.
Where am I? Hades wondered.
Beside him flowed a beautiful river, shimmering under the sun. He stood on a ridge, surrounded by lush rice fields. In the distance, tan-skinned farmers worked the land. The water flowed, rice plants grew, people toiled, and the mule continued its attempts to lick his face.
Only he stood there, clueless and empty-headed.
Trusting his instincts, Hades looked at the mule. It was pitifully thin, its bones protruding, looking somewhat hunched. But it wore a bridle, indicating it had an owner.
So, Hades decided to lead the mule, which obediently followed.
Should I find its owner? Hades thought, looking into the mule's large eyes.
He began walking along the ridge.
Farmers occasionally glanced at him, their eyes filled with curiosity. They'd take a brief look and then return to their work.
When Hades reached the end of the path, a mud house stood there, topped with a straw roof. It was simple, yet fitting.
A middle-aged man stood at the entrance, tying up his long hair and adjusting his attire. He wore linen clothes, a rudimentary light gray armor, and held an ordinary sword with no markings.
Hades felt compelled to hand the mule over to him.
"Are you the owner of this mule?" he asked.
The man glanced at him, then snatched the mule's reins without hesitation. "No," he replied, "but it's mine now."
"Hey, why are you doing this?" Hades protested, unwilling to just give away someone else's mule.
The man looked at Hades with a mix of arrogance and confusion. "Do you know who owned it?"
"Um... no," Hades admitted, stammering.
"Then it's settled. I need the mule, and since no one claims it, it's mine now."
"Why do you need the mule?" Hades asked, watching the man expertly mount the frail creature.
"To slay a dragon," the man replied nonchalantly, as if he was just going for a casual stroll.
He nudged the mule, which grunted and began to move slowly.
A dragon? What?
Hades quickly followed. The mule's pace was slow, allowing him to keep up.
"Wait, slay a dragon?"
The man, now looking down from his mule, simply replied, "Yes."
Hades was utterly confused. The surroundings were peaceful, with blue skies, rice fields, and farmers. There was no sign of any dragon or impending battle.
He must be mad, Hades thought.
Yet, driven by curiosity, he decided to follow this madman. What if they really encountered a dragon?
As they walked, villagers greeted the man warmly but chuckled upon seeing Hades and moved on.
Hades blinked. What's wrong with me?
He looked at his hands, which were pale and corroded, as if soaked in a strong acid.
Corrosion... the toxic fumes of Barbarus? Memories began to return.
He wasn't from here.
But after pondering for a while, he couldn't recall where he was from, so he gave up on that line of thought.
He looked back at the villagers who laughed and left.
Ah, it's probably because of my skin color, he thought, contrasting with the bronze-skinned villagers.
So, he decided to ignore them and continue following the man.
The journey was monotonous, with the same scenery repeating. When they reached a crossroads, an old man stood there. But oddly, he was upside down, floating in the air, his cloak defying gravity.
Seeing this bizarre sight, Hades began to believe the man's claim of dragon-slaying.
The man dismounted and approached the floating elder. "Makado, which way should we go?"
"Your Majesty, that way," the old man, now identified as Makado, pointed in a direction that wasn't a path.
"Thank you," the man, addressed as 'Your Majesty', said before remounting the mule and heading in the indicated direction.
"Wait for me," Hades called out, occasionally glancing back at the upside-down elder.
"Why is he upside down?" Hades inquired.
The man looked at Hades with a puzzled expression. "He's not from here, so he's different from this world."
"But I'm not from here either."
Hades quickly responded.
The man gave Hades a strange look. "Take a closer look at yourself."
Hades hesitated, then slowly reached behind him, realizing—
He was only clothed in the front! His back was completely exposed!
Embarrassed, Hades wished he could bury himself.
He'd rather be upside down!
Sensing Hades's mortification, the man offered rare consolation, "There's no one behind us. It doesn't matter if you're exposed."
But it does!
In this desolate landscape, with only grass and no trees, Hades couldn't find anything to cover himself. Reluctantly, he continued, half-exposed, following the man.
At first, it was uncomfortable, but he soon got used to it and forgot about his predicament.
"What's your name?" Hades asked.
"They call me the Emperor," the man replied.
It's a strange title. "It sounds odd," Hades remarked.
"I don't like it either, but they've always called me that. I've grown used to it."
"Are you really going to slay a dragon?" Hades asked again.
The Emperor remained silent, choosing not to answer the same question twice.
Hades scratched his head. "Maybe I shouldn't follow you. If we really encounter a dragon, I won't be able to escape."
"You have nowhere else to go," the Emperor pointed out bluntly.