"What can be a better feeling than opening eyes to this beautiful sight…"
Snowy mountains in the background with a forest of fir trees covering it. The calm snowfall in the night only made the landscape look more relaxing.
I couldn't help but smile as I looked through the window of the train. However, I only appear calm and relaxed outwardly, yet inside I want to scream and cry from all of my heart.
Why?
How to explain it understandably…
Yesterday, I, together with my friends, went to a stag party to celebrate my friends' soon to be marriage. Of course, I drank too much alcohol that I blacked out completely.
However, we were in the middle of Paris, the place where marriage would be held. I refuse to believe that I got so drunk that I would travel to the North to experience snowfields.
Firstly it's July and I came from a country where I could experience a hard winter. So there is no need for me to go to another country for that.
Second point is that I am alone here. I have no phone, no baggage, and no wallet. But I have a ticket.
{To: Atlaburgh}
As I am not a genius or someone who knows geography well, I can't tell in which country this city is located. Yet it sounds something like from the Nordic countries.
Well, to be honest, all of the previous mentioned points could be somehow explained. But what doesn't wrap around my head is the sight outside. Not the relaxing landscape but the train.
It's flying…
No, not the train itself that flies, but the rails. They float in the air. I noticed it when I looked outside the window for the first time. Because I was seated somewhere in the end and the train turned to the right, I managed to take a glimpse of everything.
"So…"
My brows furrowed and lips pursued, making quite a face in the window's reflection.
"Did I perhaps die? Did my liver die?"
To be honest, it's kind of strange to die from something like that at my age.
"I was only 19… how could I already die from the alcohol?"
How did my friends react? Did I perhaps ruin the wedding? No, it's not a question, that's a fact. Groom's friend died at the stag party.
"You know, Frederick, I didn't want to ruin your wedding, but I will say it either way. I am sorry."
I know he will not hear my words. I at least hope that it somewhat will ease his soul.
"Anyways… Now that I am here, I want to know what kind of shit I have stepped in."
I don't want to believe that I actually died and this train goes to the world of the dead. If it really is so, then sorry but God does have a style of handling things there. In my opinion this is better than to see a light and ascend to it.
However, this feels too real, no, I would even say that this is reality. I am not dead, because my heart is still pounding.
First I need to collect as much information as possible. As I didn't have anything with me, only one ticket, it's the only source for now.
{Name: Ren Ivanov
From: Arcaniada
To: Atlaburgh
Date: 27/ 02/ 2027
VIP Ticket.}
"Hahaha… I can't… Never would have I thought that my Russian last name would look so strange in this strange language…!"
-PHWACK
I couldn't help but to facepalm from my stupidity. The ticket is written in a language I have never seen before, yet I could understand it. On top of that, my eyes wandered on the date.
"2027? Did I travel to the future?"
Last time I remembered I was in 2023rd. But with this, it's enough to say that I am who knows where.
However, I don't know why but I feel a very familiar feeling seeing Atlaburgh's name. Somewhere, but where have I heard it?
"Don't tell me that I got transported inside some kind of fiction."
I never have really seen any of them, nor read. Only way that I learned about them was through my friend Davis, who was a hard time anime fan.
Once I watched one anime with him. It was about a student who proclaimed himself as a mad scientist and actually developed something like a time machine by sending text messages.
Honestly, I liked it very much, but I stopped watching anime there, because I felt that it was a trap. If I continue to watch them, then anything other than anime would seem dull for me.
That's why I decided that the anime I watched would be my first and last. However, Davis continued to tell me various stories, including stories where main characters are transported into a work of fiction.
"It doesn't have to be fiction just because the name sounds familiar. Maybe it's just another world with a similar name?"
It's stupid to conclude something just because it sounds familiar.
-Knock Knock
"Yes?"
Someone knocked on the doors and without a hesitation I answered. I didn't think much of it, because I hear people's voices in both cabins next to mine. Hence, someone who would knock on my doors may be one of the neighbors or train attendant.
When hearing my voice, the doors opened and a mature woman in a train attendant suit stood there. Behind her was a cart filled with soda cans, bottles, candies and other snacks.
"Do you perhaps want something? Maybe water, or maybe some snacks?"
I am feeling a little hungry but I don't have anything with me.
"Sorry, right now I am short on money."
I tried to answer as politely as possible, however the attendant just warmly smiled at me.
"You don't have to worry about that Mr. Ivanov. Your sponsor didn't only give you a VIP place, but also gave you a gift card of 5 silver coins. Didn't they say that to you?"
"O-oh. No, I am sorry. Maybe I didn't hear it."
"Huhu… It may happen. What would you like then?"
Right now, I don't need to think about her words, I can do that while I don't reach the destination. But at this moment, I have to take something. It's a sin to not use what is given to you.
"Do you perhaps have any kind of journals or newspapers?"
"What?"
She suddenly made a strange expression upon hearing my request. Did I perhaps make a mistake? Is it possible that this world doesn't have anything like that?
"Is something wrong?"
"N-No, it's just that I have never seen anyone who would like to have something like that at this time. But, sure I have a few."
To prove her words, she squatted down to access the part of the cart that was under the coating.
"I am sorry but I have only one journal."
"It's alright. I'll take both."
"Alright, then do you perhaps want anything more?"
"How much money do I have left?"
"It's 2 silver and 5 bronze coins."
"Then… Can I get a bottle of water and for the remaining can you give me any snacks?"
"Sure."
With that all of my sponsored money was spent. Never would have I thought that I would get so much information so quickly.
I learned that someone has bought me a ticket and 5 silver coin gift card. Also because of that, now I know what kind of currency is used.
And because of my purchases I can kind of assume that one silver coin equals one dollar and one bronze equal to 10 cents.
Additionally, I got two qualified informants. A newspaper about recent events happening around the world. While other is a journal that can contain somewhat useful information.
"Can I really get any information from this?"
I didn't think that the only journal would be a "Women Fashion World". No wonder why the attendant had a meaningful smile at the end.
"Alright, at first I want to make it clear that someone is supporting me. Perhaps is it my parents? Or someone else?"
Here I look and my name is the same. Then my parents shouldn't be the same too? It's possible and not at the same time.
"Then what is written in the newspaper?"
Luckily the newspaper looked the same as I remembered it, with only a minor difference that it was in a different language.
{
"What the fuck is this?"
Under the title was a picture of a young man shaking hands with an old man with a beard. It was the only information that was useful. Others were about some old man trying to sneak out of the store without buying or a new kid's playground built in Arcaniada.
"At least I got some kind of information. Guilds you say…."
It isn't an unknown term to me. I have tried some games with something like a guild inside it.
Now that I have gone through the newspaper titles, I placed it down and took the journal.
On the cover already had a very beautiful girl dressed in a white dress smiling at me. If someone like her would smile at me like that in real life, I would know immediately that it is a dream.
There is no way that any woman would smile at me…
"Shit, why do I have to remember those dark memories…"
It took me a while to get back from all cringiness and disgust I felt from all of my memories. I have no time for that, I don't know when I will reach my destination and most importantly where I am.
With a clear mind I opened the journal and upon seeing the first page, I immediately closed it and held my head.
"Did I perhaps pissed on a cross?"