"Achoo!"
Eldric sneezed, momentarily distracted from the faint glyphs carved into the shed walls. His gaze shifted to his immediate surroundings, taking in the cobwebs and layers of dust piling up in every corner.
"Right. I forgot about this mess," he muttered, wrinkling his nose. The mystery of the glyphs could wait—dealing with his current living conditions seemed far more pressing.
He stepped outside to gather supplies, scouring the nearby area for anything useful. Using a stick and a bundle of leaves he tied together, he improvised a makeshift tool to clear out the cobwebs. He also searched for plants with insect-repellent properties, recalling vague memories about their use.
Back in the shed, Eldric tore a strip from his blanket to fashion a rag. Shrugging off his shirt, he set it aside for cleaning, figuring it would be easier to avoid dirtying both his clothes. As he worked, he caught a glimpse of his well-proportioned build and toned muscles.
He shrugged. "Who cares?" he muttered to himself. At least he had the strength to handle his predicament.
The cleaning took nearly half a day, but by the end, the shed felt far less stifling. Stretching his arms above his head, Eldric inhaled deeply, the air now carrying a faint freshness. His gaze shifted to the table, where a small pile of fruits he'd collected earlier sat waiting.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Looks like it's fruits for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Picking one up, he inspected it briefly before setting it back down. "I hope I find something else to eat soon."
The afternoon sun slanted through the small window as a voice called out from outside.
"Brother!"
Recognizing the familiar tone, he opened the door to find Gui standing there holding a bundle in his arms.
"Come in," Eldric said, stepping aside to let him in.
Gui entered cautiously, glancing around the shed before making his way to the table. Without a word, he placed the bundle down, carefully unwrapping it.
"The herbs we collected were good quality," Gui began, a small, proud smile on his face. "We sold them to a visiting merchant, and I got you a few things I thought you might need."
Gui began explaining the items he'd placed on the table: food, two pairs of clothes, kitchen utensils, and a few other miscellaneous items.
Eldric sighed in relief as his gaze lingered on the clothes. Thinking about the damp shirt he'd washed earlier, he was grateful. At least now, he wouldn't have to wander around half-naked.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
"Oh, and here," Gui added, pulling a small pouch from his inner pocket and handing it to him.
Eldric opened it to find five silver coins inside. The weight of the coins felt reassuring in his hand.
"We earned twenty Stacks Silver," Gui explained, "and we still have enough left to buy other goods."
"That's good to hear," Eldric replied with a small nod.
Gui hesitated for a moment, shifting his weight from foot to foot before speaking again. "Um... if it's not too much trouble, could we ask you to help us harvest herbs again?"
Eldric paused, noticing Gui's nervousness. His lips curved into a faint smile. "Oh?"
Gui tensed, waiting for a response.
"Sure," Eldric said, finally breaking the silence.
Gui's face lit up, his expression bright and hopeful.
"But of course," Eldric added with a sly tone, "there are conditions."
Gui straightened immediately, nodding earnestly. "Right! As long as we can meet them, we'll do our best."
Eldric waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry, it's nothing too demanding. Just keep doing what you did today. And I might ask you to run some errands for me now and then."
Gui grinned from ear to ear. "Alright! Thank you, big brother!"
"You can go now," Eldric said with a slight chuckle. "And thanks again for your help."
Once Gui left, Eldric inspected the items the boy had brought.
"Thank goodness he bought some bread," he muttered, relieved.
Eldric lay back on the bed, staring at the wooden beams above, preparing for a deeper conversation with the mysterious voice in his head.
For now, he resolved to keep it to himself. The villagers were already wary of outsiders like him. If they found out he had strange abilities—abilities that even he didn't fully understand—they might truly burn him alive.
"Hey," he said, his voice low, "what should I call you? You must have a name, right?"
A cold, emotionless male voice echoed in his mind, clear and steady.
"Please, call me Datum."
"Alright, Datum," he began, "what are the ways I can communicate with you?"
"You can speak to me through your thoughts or simply talk aloud as you usually do," Datum replied, its voice cold and emotionless, resonating within Eldric's mind.
Eldric sighed, shifting slightly on the bed. "What did you mean earlier by 'synchronization of data'?"
"It means all data connected to this world will be interpreted for you," Datum explained.
Eldric raised an eyebrow. "So... I'll automatically understand new concepts as I encounter them?"
"Yes," Datum confirmed. "This data will align with the host's current level of comprehension and proficiency."
Furrowing his brow, Eldric recalled the information he'd been shown earlier. "What about those stats? What do they mean?"
"They represent the host's current skills and magical capabilities," Datum said plainly.
Eldric shifted again, folding an arm behind his head. "It says 'Foundation Level.' How do I raise that?"
"Increasing proficiency requires dedicated practice and the active application of knowledge," Datum stated, its voice as neutral as ever.
Then a thought struck him.
"Is that why some of the data in the status display is marked as 'missing'?"
"The host must acquire the relevant knowledge to fill in the missing information," Datum explained in its usual monotone.
Eldric sighed, rubbing his temples. "Why are you giving me extra homework?" he grumbled.
He stared at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting. He had no idea how to acquire the knowledge needed to fill those gaps. Maybe integrating into this world—learning how its magic and systems worked—would give him a starting point.
"Is that also why I can understand the language here?" he asked after a moment.
"Yes," Datum confirmed. "Additional information for the host's basic needs has been provided automatically."
Eldric scoffed, his lips quirking into a faint smirk. "How convenient."
"Does this display of information apply only to non-human entities?" Eldric asked.
At first, Eldric was confused. Whenever he said "Show," information would immediately appear before his eyes—except when it came to the people he encountered.
"This rule can be overridden by Information cannot be displayed," Datum informed him.
Eldric blinked, dumbfounded. "Ah, forget it," he muttered, pausing before asking, "So, who created you, and why are you with me?"
Datum was silent for a few seconds, then displayed an image: a large golden chain laid across a black book, forming an X.
"RESTRICTED INFORMATION."
"..."
Sigh.
"That means I must recover my memories to get past that restriction, huh? This is so much trouble than I thought."
After the back-and-forth exchange with Datum, Eldric closed his eyes, mulling over his next steps. Survival was his priority, but beyond that, he needed to focus on regaining his memories. The problem was, he didn't even know how or where to start.
"Datum," he said, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Is there a way you can conjure a physical piece of paper and a quill?"
There was no reply. Instead, a piece of yellowed paper and a quill materialized in midair, gently landing on his lap.
Eldric raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed. "Efficient."
Standing briefly to clear a spot, he sat at the rickety table, placing the paper in front of him.
"I need the date and year from yesterday," he said, holding the quill loosely in his hand.
Without hesitation, black ink appeared in the upper-right corner of the page, written in neat, flowing script:
Day: 14
Month: Juno
Year: 125
Eldric stared at the words for a moment before nodding to himself. Settling into the creaking chair, he began jotting down the events that had occurred since he'd woken up.
For someone with no memories, this record might serve as a valuable reference in the future. If he hoped to survive in this unfamiliar world, every bit of information would count.
The best course of action, Eldric decided, was to gather as much information as possible about this place and the world around him. It might take time, but piecing together fragments of his memory would depend entirely on his progress.
"Can you keep this record for me?" he asked, glancing at the page he'd just written.
In response, the paper and quill vanished from his hands, dissolving into faint ripples in the air. A single sentence appeared before him in crisp, glowing text:
"Please indicate the command word for conjuring the paper and quill."
"Record," Eldric said after a moment of thought.
"Command 'Record' registered. Provide a command for keeping records."
"Keep," he replied simply.
"Command 'Keep' registered."
Satisfied, Eldric lay back on the bed, letting the events of the day catch up to him. He stared at the wooden beams above for a few moments before closing his eyes. Gradually, the tension in his body eased as his consciousness began to drift away.
Eldric awoke to the sound of his growling stomach. Judging by the faint hum of insects outside, it was likely nighttime. The air in the shed was cool and still, the quiet occasionally interrupted by the rustling of leaves outside.
Rising from the bed, Eldric navigated carefully to the small table where the lamp and bread sat waiting.
He lit the lamp, the soft glow casting faint, flickering shadows across the shed's walls. Sitting down, he tore into the bread, savoring the simplicity of the meal. Gui had even left him five bottles of water, neatly arranged beside the lamp.
After finishing his meal and wiping his mouth, Eldric extinguished the lamp, plunging the room back into darkness. He returned to the bed, lying down and staring into the shadows above.
"Datum," he said, breaking the silence, "my status mentions magic-related stuff. How do I access it?"
The now-familiar, emotionless voice echoed in his mind.
"Do you wish to access a portion of magic?"
Eldric frowned. "How much can I access?"
"This information is restricted," came the flat response.
"Of course it is," Eldric muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. He sighed, rolling onto his side. "Fine, whatever. I'll figure it out later. I'll just sleep."
As his body relaxed, the room fell silent once more. A faint bluish aura shimmered around him, steady and quiet, softly illuminating the dim shed before fading into the darkness.