[ Accessing [ Avelara Nocturna - The Enchantress of Eternal Twilight ]… ]
[ Accessing complete. ]
[ Scanning the [ Host ] …. ]
[ Scanning Complete. ]
[ Evaluating… ]
[ Cause. Death by Strangulation... ]
[ Generating Debt Ticket… ]
[ Ultra Rare Gold Debt Ticket has been generated. Ultra Rare Gold Debt Ticket will be used automatically… ]
[ Reviving [ Host ] 4, 3, 2,…]
[ System back online… ]
[ Welcome back, [ host. ]
….....
Ezekiel awoke from his slumber with a painful headache threatening to split his skull apart. As his eyes fluttered open, he slowly looked around and saw nothing but darkness.
He soon realised that his entire body was also tightly bound by several thick pieces of cloth, "MMMHHHH!!" Ezekiel attempted to scream; however, his voice was muffled by the thick clothing that bound his body. Despite the pain that wrecked through his body, he utilised all of his strength to sway his body from side to side until he fell downwards and landed painfully on a hard wooden floor, with a heavy "Bamm!!" resounding across the air.
"Ouch!" Ezekiel exclaimed in pain.
Suddenly, before he could begin to try to break free from the bondage wrapped around him, a scream resounded in his ears, "HE'S ALIVE!!" He felt a heavy tug on the cloth wrapped around his body before they were ripped open.
Ezekiel noticed a bearded man in his early thirties, wearing leather armour, staring at him with a look of disbelief. "Young master, you are alive... are you okay?!" the man asked frantically and then proceeded to assist Ezekiel in laying his body flat on the seat.
Ezekiel looked around and noticed that he was in a carriage. He knew that this couldn't be heaven unless it was some sort of escort that would lead his body after death. However, as he inspected his own body and clothing, he couldn't help but feel his heart racing. It wasn't his body nor the clothes he remembered wearing.
"Young master! Please answer. Are you alright?!" the bearded man hurriedly asked, this time tightly grabbing his shoulders.
Ezekiel winced at the bearded man's grip, forcing him to withdraw his hand back when he noticed what he had done. Rather than answering the man's question, Ezekiel asked, "Where am I?" He calmed his racing heart and focused on the bearded man beside him, hoping he could answer his question.
Hearing Ezekiel's question, the bearded man halted, staring wide-eyed in disbelief at Ezekiel, "… Young master, have you lost your memories? He asked, his voice trembling.
Ezekiel briefly hesitated on what to respond. He currently had no memories of where he was currently or why he was in a frail and battered body that didn't resemble his own after he had been killed.
He understood that he would need to learn about his current situation, especially since the bearded man kept on calling him young master, so Ezekiel nodded in response to the bearded man's words, "Unfortunately, I don't remember anything. Can you explain to me how I got here and why you keep calling me young master?" he responded, awaiting his response.
Contrary to his expectations, tears began to spill from the man's eyes. "Why are the gods so cruel? Can't they return you to us without taking away who you were?" he murmured, his voice tinged with sorrow.
However, he soon regained composure and focused on Ezekiel, gazing at him intently. "I'll do my best to help you remember who you were before, young master, so don't worry," he assured him before recounting their past.
"You are Ezekiel Sterling, the esteemed second young master of the House of Sterling, under Archduke Galen's banner. We were on our way to the Andora Magical Academy for the entrance ceremony; however, we were ambushed by a group of bandits. The attack felt like an assassination plot, as some displayed remarkable strength, which was unusual for normal bandits."
"Our defence would have stood a chance had the others—Third young master and Second young mistress—not deserted us mid-assault, leaving us exposed. Despite my efforts to hold them off, the numbers overwhelmed us. It was then, amid the chaos, that you sustained two arrows to your chest. We mourned your loss until, miraculously, you revived," the bearded man explained.
"It's a miracle I wouldn't have believed had I not seen it with my own eyes. Young master, while I regret the loss of your memories, I am very grateful for your survival, as this means that we no longer have to bear the burden of returning your corpse to the castle."
Ezekiel nodded quietly, holding his emotions in as he took in the shocking information.
Although he was sure that he was killed by the goddess after delivering his just revenge, he had never really expected that he would transmigrate into another world, much less into another body that seemed strangely similar yet distinct to his own.
Taking a deep breath in and out to calm himself and carefully ponder his current situation, he refocused on the bearded man, "Can you explain the current state of the world?" he asked, his expression solemn.
The man hastily wiped his eyes and nodded firmly. "Yes, young master, I'll do my best so we can see if you'll regain your memories," he replied. "The Demon lord's victory over the Heroes of Andora three hundred years ago marked the downfall of the human race and the subjugation of all other races under the Demon lord's army. Those who resisted were swiftly eliminated, while those who surrendered were absorbed into the Demon lord's rule."
"Unfortunately, humans, having fiercely opposed the Demon lord, were not offered surrender and were mercilessly slain. We had no choice but to band together, creating fortresses to fend off enemies from all sides. Over the past three centuries, humanity's fortresses have fallen one by one, leaving only the 'Fortress of Andora' standing. Thankfully, the House of Sterling is among the forces defending the 'Fortress of Andora', ensuring its safety for the foreseeable future. So, you don't need to worry about its collapse," he assured, concluding his explanation.
After the man's explanation, Ezekiel felt his heartbeat sped up again.
The Demon lord's victory! The Heroes' defeat! Humanity's last fortress!!