"By now, you should give me a name to call you by, or would you rather I create one for you?" the king asked, his voice firm but not unkind. "How about Argyra?"
'What kind of name is that?' I thought, Should I just go with Ruth again, the same name I once gave Areb? But remembering Areb only brought back the sadness of his death and the anger I felt toward Fulgur. It's been weeks, and I'm starting to think he's full of lies. He claimed the choice was mine, but when I tried to decline, something conveniently happened at the perfect moment, cutting me off before I could finish. It feels calculated—like he's pulling strings, trapping someone in this dangerous world against their will.
And what's worse, he hasn't shown up since the incident. Or maybe somwthing did happen to him. I hope its the latter.
"Argyra... I recall you mentioned a name. Fulgur," the king continued, eyeing me closely.
Knight Evan stood silently by the side, his lips pressed together tightly. I could tell he wanted to speak but was holding back out of respect for the king. He waited patiently for permission to voice his thoughts.
"Your Majesty, please, just call me Ruth," I replied, cringing internally at the thought of being called Argyra.
"Ruth it is then. Did someone teach you etiquette?" the king asked, his tone becoming more direct.
"No," I answered curtly, not offering any further explanation.
"For someone from a line of commoners, you have good manners and seem to know how to conduct yourself in the presence of a noble. Evans, did you retrieve the records from Gunta Village?"
"Unfortunately, sir, there was nothing. I couldn't find any birth records for anyone from Gunta," Evans reported, his voice steady.
Knight Evan's expression remained tense, his eyes flickering with something unsaid. The king noticed and prompted, "What is it?"
Taking a deep breath, Knight Evan finally spoke, "Your Majesty, we've just discovered a lingering presence of something chaotic—it's like a chaotic mana— in the Prysk Forest. It's causing some of the weaker Class E monsters to mutate, increasing their strength to peak Class D. Thankfully, only a few small monsters have been affected so far, but the Musco Goblin village was raided by these beasts, resulting in twenty casualties on their place. The goblin chief are requesting support from our kingdom. Sir Khanz is currently staying in the village to protect them from any incoming monster raids. This incident is eerily similar to the Gunta village massacre, but on a smaller scale."
The king nodded, taking in the information. "This just doesn't end. This is the first time this has happened in this region, last time we thought of it as nothing caused the death of hundred"
Knight Evan glanced at me, his eyes reassuring me silently—not to worry.
The king's gaze lingered on me for a moment before shifting back to Evan. "What do you propose we do about the situation in the forest?"
Evan paused, carefully considering his words. "Your Majesty, if I may speak freely, I would suggest relocating the goblins closer to our fort. They would be better protected there. But this is just my opinion, born out of pity for their situation. I recommend consulting those with more experience in these matters to form a proper strategy."
After a moment, he added, "I just believe their current location is no longer safe. I don't want the same incident that happened to Gunta Village to occur again, resulting in another total wipeout."
The king fell silent, deep in thought. His eyesMajesty."
Why am I here again? That, I do not know.
Evan looked at me with a concerned expression. "One last thing, Your Majesty. It might not be my place to say this, but the child has been through a lot. I suggest you go a bit easier on her."
Yeah, give me a break. I don't even know where to start after being transported in this world.
The king glanced at Evan, his gaze impassive. "You're free to go. Your presence is no longer required."
Evan bowed respectfully, his eyes lingering on me for a brief moment before he turned and left the room. The door closed with a soft click, leaving me alone with the king. A heavy silence filled the air, pressing down on me like an invisible weight.
The king broke the silence, his voice calm yet probing. "You still haven't given me a clear answer about this -Fulgur." His tone was measured, but I could see the curiosity flickering in his eyes, as if he was piecing together a puzzle.
'If she knows about Mordras, then perhaps this Fulgur is also someone of importance' the king thought.
Unbeknownst to me, what the king had placed in my room and collected earlier was a Watch Stone—an enchanted object similar to a CCTV camera. It had allowed him to observe and hear everything that happened in the room. Though faint, he had distinctly heard me utter the name "Fulgur" in a moment of distress.
I shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, feeling the need to choose my words carefully. "I have no idea who Fulgur really is," I started, but the truth stone reacted immediately, forcing me to clarify. "Fulgur… I don't know much about him, except that he claims to be the author of a story. He also claimed to be a higher being, neither mortal nor god—something in between. He referred to himself as an observer."
The king's eyes narrowed slightly as he absorbed this information. "An observer, you say? And what does this 'observer' do, exactly?"
I took a deep breath, trying to explain something that confused me as much as it probably confused the king. After all, Fulgur hadn't explained much. "In my understanding, an observer is supposed to watch over a particular place or event, recording everything without interfering. At least, that's what I've understand." I hesitated, unsure if I should continue. "But I may be wrong."
'After all, I'm here in this world physically. My very existence here must have altered the story's plot. I've already seen things I didn't know about, like that giant-eyed monster in the dungeon. That sealed object in the gurdians dungeon base, and also the early fight of a sage against duncal.
In the story, it was Vanfir who fought against Duncal, the Sage of the Wind, known as the Vale Storm. This epic battle, which ultimately claimed Vanfir's life.
But this time, it was Raveese who fought him—a fighter sage known as the 'Lord of the Battlefield.' He's a sage who combines martial arts with mastery in magic, a true force to be reckoned with. He can fight both range and close combat.
The king's expression sharpened with interest. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," I admitted, feeling lost. "I have no idea, to be honest."
His eyes narrowed, frustration creeping into his voice. "You're just making things more complicated. These things you're saying are hard to believe." He glanced at the lie-seeking stone, and when it remained still, he nodded, acknowledging that I was telling the truth.
But even though the stone didn't react, it didn't guarantee that what someone believed was the actual truth. It could be that they were forced to believe a lie or had their memories manipulated. In such cases, the stone wouldn't be able to detect the deception. Everything had its flaws, no matter how convenient it seemed.
And with magic, tampering with someone's mind is a simple task for those powerful enough, masters of illusion and manipulation.
"Then explain to me, what are these?" the king asked, his voice firm but curious. He handed me a book. The pages crackled as I opened it, revealing a list of words.
The first word read, "Gugol." I hesitated for a moment, recognizing it as a distorted version of "Google." The other words followed "Wiki," "Net," and "Forums."
I took a deep breath and began to explain, "Gugol, which I believe refers to Google, is a vast networked system where people can search for almost any piece of information. It's a place where answers to questions, no matter how obscure, can often be found. The 'Net,' or Internet, is the larger framework—it's a massive web of interconnected devices and systems, while 'forums' are digital gathering places where people discuss topics, share knowledge, and exchange ideas."
I paused before continuing, "And Wiki... it's similar to an almanac. It's a compilation of knowledge, but unlike traditional books, it's continuously updated and written by many contributors."
The king's eyes narrowed slightly as I mentioned the almanac. "I know what an almanac is," he interrupted, his tone clipped but not unkind.
Our conversation stretched on, the king's curiosity seemingly insatiable. For every answer I provided, he posed another question, each more intricate than the last. The more I explained, the deeper his inquiries delved, leaving me with the growing realization that my explanations only stirred more questions rather than providing the clarity he sought.