Soon, August found himself explaining what happened in the dark forest once again to his interrogator. Only because the blue haired woman had asked for details regarding how he had been living.
He told her about how he had first woken up in the forest around two months ago, and how Alia had been the one to show him around.
August told her of the armored rhinoceros and white lion, he told her of how Alia and him were forcefully split the first time. Though he graciously left out a few details, particularly when it came to feelings.
He had just arrived here, and though he had no reason to hide his story, August knew better than to immediately open up to anybody. So he told her the bare minimum of his story, omitting both of their skills and any personal information.
He explained to the blue haired woman the nature of the beasts in the forest and how they dealt with them. He even told her about the ecosystem of the dark forest in great detail.
The blue haired woman listened to him intently, never once looking away or showing any hint of disinterest. In fact, Sasha seemed to become more and more at ease as she became more engrossed in his story.
Eventually he told of how he left the dark forest and wandered the open plain looking for help, explaining how he found the walled city. He also told her of the cloaked man and how he protected August from the fanatic.
It was then that she pulled out a small notepad and spoke:
"I have a few more questions for you regarding that. umm, August? Can I call you that?"
He nodded in response, waiting for her to continue with the questions.
"The first and most important is…. What kind of relationship do you have with the kings? Although it might be a long shot since you apparently just reached civilization."
August blinked, he had heard that word, kings once before, from the blonde fanatic when he bowed to the cloaked man.
He stared at Sasha indifferently before posing a question of his own.
"What does that mean?"
Sasha then slapped her forehead and sighed.
"Of course you wouldn't know who they are! You've been trapped in a deadly forest for four years! It was my fault for asking after hearing your story."
Suddenly it seemed as though August's jaw had lost attachment to his face.
"F-four years! What do you mean four years? I just got up two months ago!"
Sasha looked him in the eyes, and August could swear he saw pity in her eyes.
"Well… the thing is… the first few humans woke up in the new world four years ago."
Suddenly the air felt much less brisk, and August was left in total disbelief. He struggled to formulate his next response, only managing to say one thing.
"M-My brother…"
Sasha looked at him, then looked down towards her sheet, and suddenly she paled.
"You have a brother? A brother! August Cross! Cross… as in Hart Cross?."
August perked up, his mind was racing and he was most assuredly overwhelmed. this was the first time he'd ever had a long conversation with anyone other than Alia since coming here, and now he was being told they knew of his brother.
"Yes! That one!"
'She knows of him? That means he's alright! Doesn't it?' He thought.
He stared at the blue haired woman in expectation whilst she looked between the checklist in her hands and his face. Sasha stammered and stumbled over her words continually, then finally managed to compose herself, clearing her throat.
"If you're really the brother of Hart Cross, that explains why the king of change stepped in personally to help you-"
August cut her off, he was still shocked of course, but he had an opportunity to potentially find his brother. He would not allow himself to be any more patient than he already was, he could not.
"Please, Hart, where is he?"
Sasha shook her head for a moment, looking down at the list in her hands as she responded:
"Nobody knows."
August felt his heart stop for a second, sinking deep into his stomach.
"What do you mean?" He asked, his voice barely holding together at this point.
'He can't be…right?'
Sasha sighed before replying.
"Your brother Hart… he is known as the King of wanderers, the king that travels the world and dissappears for months or even years at a time. The only people who may know where he would be are the other kings, even then it's simply a maybe. Regardless, I really have no idea."
Be couldn't decide if this information made him extremely happy and relieved, or incredibly sad.
'Years at a time? Gone? But he's alive though, right? That means he could be alright!' He thought, trying to convince himself of something positive as his world started to spin.
August pulled his knees to his chest, feeling himself start sweating as his breathing became uneven and ragged. He found himself staring at the fuzzy brown bedsheets beneath him.
He fought on for the past two months to see his brother, even in his darkest moment – right before escaping the forest, all he thought about was what his brother would do. August lived for his brother, he fought on to reach him, to reach civilization so they could reunite.
And now, he was simply to accept that they wouldn't be seeing each other anytime soon?
It was all too much, it was no longer worth the fight, even if he was to wait for his brother, it may take years. It was so, incredibly unfair, he had suffered so much, and now he would still be unable to reach his goal. And even if he somehow managed to wait it out, there was no guarantee Hart would even return alive.
Sasha approached him, raising her hands as she spoke gently, evidently worried about his sudden reaction.
"Listen… August, I know it sounds really bad, but trust me. Your brother is going to be ok, how else would the king of change know to come save you if your brother had not found some way to contact him?"
August heard what she said, though it took a while to fully sink in. The blue haired woman was right, Hart had somehow saved him from exhaustion in the dark forest, and even sent someone to come save him. Even if he couldn't see him, his brother was safe.
Though that did not do much to calm his racing mind and heartbeat.
Sasha continued.
"W-What about your girlfriend? You have her!" She pointed to the sleeping Alia.
August slowly began to compose himself, trying to discard unnecessary thoughts. As long as Hart was alive, there was still a chance he could get to see him, and he was willing to take that chance. He was so focused on this that he almost missed Sasha's statement.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, he looked at the blue haired woman and softly replied.
"She isn't my girlfriend."
His voice was meek, but it was better than nothing. Sasha put the list in her hands on the nearby windowsill, then she blushed a bit.
"I'm sorry, i just assumed-"
"It's fine." he cut her off.
August had not prepared to learn anything new, save for how to survive in the new world. Right now however, things had gotten more complicated.
If he wanted to find his brother, he would need to learn many things, starting with the most obvious question.
"I'm sorry if it's a repetitive question, but what is a king?"