Glenn and Violet walked through the vast forest. After taking a thirty-minute break to rest—mostly for Violet—she had agreed to guide Glenn toward the exit.
As they progressed, the path became increasingly clear and well-marked, a sign that they had left the wild trails behind some time ago.
"How is it that you don't know your way around, Glenn?" Violet asked, her expression curious.
Surprised by the question, Glenn hesitated. He could have claimed to be lost, but he doubted the credibility of such an excuse. Admitting that he had just been reincarnated was completely out of the question—he had no idea how she might react. Not wanting to outright lie, he opted for a vague response.
"I come from quite far away, and due to a series of unlikely events, I ended up here."
I don't really want to lie to her. Hiding behind lies is harmful both to oneself and to the world around us. I don't want to lose myself in a web of falsehoods. But I'm a complete stranger here, so being too honest could just as easily be dangerous.
Violet scrutinized him but pressed on with her questions. "So, if I understand correctly, you're not even from Helios?"
"Yes, that's right. I'm from somewhere much farther away."
Glenn carefully chose his words. It was a particularly challenging exercise to craft a coherent narrative without burying himself in lies.
Following Glenn's answers, Violet remained silent for a moment, as though pondering his words. However, instead of pressing further, she chose to drop the subject.
Then, lifting her gaze to the sky with a solemn expression, she spoke again: "I have to admit, it's a bit embarrassing, but I ended up here because of fear and a series of bad decisions. I had some problems with my family, and things took a turn for the worse. I ended up running away, thinking that killing a powerful monster would earn me some recognition… but it went terribly wrong. I found myself defenseless, and without your help, I'd probably be dead."
She lowered her eyes to meet Glenn's.
"Once again, thank you."
As I thought, everyone has their own problems and motivations.
Glenn simply nodded, which made Violet smile. They continued their walk in silence, surrounded by a soothing tranquility.
Night was slowly falling, the brightness of the day giving way to darkness. The birdsong faded, replaced by the calls of owls. Glenn began showing signs of fatigue, his breathing becoming heavier.
What a nightmare… I may have powers, but my endurance is still absolutely pathetic, he thought.
"Hang in there, Glenn, we're almost there," Violet said reassuringly.
"Don't worry, I'm holding on… or at least I'm doing my best."
What am I saying? A few more steps, and I'll collapse right here…
But his fears were soon dispelled. They finally reached the edge of the forest. The trees grew increasingly sparse, and as they exited, they found themselves facing a large slope stretching hundreds of meters. At the bottom of the slope, a stone staircase led to a vast platform topped with a strange structure.
Glenn followed Violet down the slope and up the stone steps. They arrived in front of a massive circular structure, about six meters in diameter, adorned with mysterious designs—possibly runes—that he couldn't decipher. Glenn cast a puzzled look at Violet.
"What is this?"
Violet, who seemed just as surprised, replied, "It's a teleportation portal… Wait, don't tell me you've never used one before?" Her voice rose slightly, betraying her surprise.
Glenn shivered. He realized that her innocent question might land him in trouble. Trying to stay calm—though it was no easy feat—he responded,
"Oh, I have. They just didn't really look like this one. Its overall structure is completely different."
Technically, I've been teleported twice already—once after my death as Shintaro, and again when I arrived in this world.
"You must really come from far away, then…"
Violet's tone shifted slightly. It seemed she was having a hard time digesting everything Glenn was telling her. Her smile faltered, and her expression became less trusting. Nonetheless, she continued speaking.
"I'm not sure what kind of method you've used before, but this portal leads directly to Helios, the capital of the dimensions within the Kingdom of Ishtar."
Glenn's eyes widened at her explanation.
A kingdom with dimensions? That's troubling. This world seems infinitely more complex than mine.
Although I have no solid observations yet, the idea that there's a system of dimensions like the one we're supposedly in, according to what I've deduced, must make governance far more challenging. If there were wars over colonies or other resources, how would those conflicts even play out?
Thousands of questions raced through Glenn's mind, but he suppressed them, avoiding any display of surprise at this cascade of astonishing revelations. Instead, he simply nodded.
Violet stepped onto the platform and, with a motion of her hand, summoned a glow filled with ethereal particles. These particles seemed to emerge from the atmosphere itself, converging toward the portal. Glenn, mesmerized by the scene, no longer tried to hide his reactions. Space appeared to fold in on itself.
After a minute, the glow dissipated, and the previously empty center of the structure was now filled with an ethereal field.
"Are you ready, Glenn?" Violet asked, her voice brimming with confidence.
A mix of emotions surged through Glenn. The situation felt surreal, but he composed himself and remained calm.
"I'm ready," he replied, returning Violet's smile.
The two of them stepped toward the portal. Glenn experienced an odd sensation as he crossed the ethereal boundary.
Something strange… slightly frightening, yet intriguing…
The scenery changed abruptly. Space seemed to fold around us, as if we were being stretched in every direction. Honestly, the sensation was pretty nauseating. Time felt distorted, and my perception became muddled. There was no way to tell how much time had passed during this journey through the portal. Suddenly, the environment began to stabilize again. A relief, because I hated that feeling.
The two travelers emerged from the ethereal disk, slightly propelled forward. Violet, accustomed to the experience, regained her balance effortlessly, while Glenn stumbled, nearly tripping from the sudden transition.
They were still on a platform, but the landscape around them had completely changed. The former valley was gone, replaced by a vast plaza teeming with activity. The tranquil atmosphere of the earlier region was now a distant memory.
Glenn marveled at the scene unfolding before him. A thriving human civilization bustled in this new world. To his surprise, just as with Violet, he found that he could understand their language without any difficulty. This realization was comforting, as the thought of learning an entirely foreign language from scratch seemed daunting. In this regard, he truly felt lucky.
Violet turned to Glenn, her expression carrying a simple, comforting joy. She raised her arm, gesturing to the vibrant life around them.
"Welcome to Helios, Glenn," she exclaimed.