I stood beneath the pillar—or rather, I was glued to it.
A massive stone had nearly crushed me.
Thankfully, I escaped; otherwise, it would've been quite ironic to be buried alongside Robert.
After waiting for the dust to settle, I carefully moved around the rubble.
The fallen stone had been a stroke of luck. It revealed a hidden space beneath the floor—a storage compartment, perhaps for something valuable.
Peering inside, I found a small, cubical cavity.
The contents, once neatly packed, now lay scattered—likely because the bag holding them had disintegrated over time.
Without inspecting further, I quickly collected everything into my own bag.
The sound of approaching footsteps and shouts reached my ears. It was best if no one knew what I had found.
Stepping back, I pressed myself against the pillar and waited.
Soon, Reid and Alex arrived—but they weren't alone. A stranger accompanied them.
He was a young man with blond hair and blue eyes, far more handsome than anyone I had met in this world.
His appearance and demeanor exuded refinement, marking him as someone of high social standing.
Unlike our crude, animal-hide garments, his leather clothing was properly sewn, clean, and well-fitted—evidence of a skilled tailor.
It might seem trivial, but it was anything but.
Good leather armor provided insulation against cold, protection against poisonous plants and creatures, and even a level of defense in combat.
If Robert had been wearing such armor, he might have survived longer.
I needed to find out where this man got his clothing.
Lost in thought, I barely noticed as they reached me.
"What happened here, Cayne? And where is Robert?" Reid demanded.
I decided to feign shock, acting as though I was too shaken to speak.
My deception had worked on Robert, but fooling others was a different matter.
The best approach was to act out of character—speak little and use gestures.
Trembling, I raised a hand and pointed toward the collapsed section where Robert was buried.
Their expressions shifted to alarm as they rushed toward the rubble, frantically digging to uncover his body.
They would find him, of course—mangled beyond recognition.
If the falling debris hadn't killed him instantly, the poison would have ensured his demise.
"Why are you just standing there, Cayne? Help us!" Reid barked.
Snapping out of my act, I hurried to assist them.
After what felt like an eternity, we finally uncovered Robert's corpse.
His left arm and leg had been crushed flat by the falling pillar. The rest of his body bore severe blunt-force trauma.
His face, frozen in a look of utter grief, was twisted into something almost wraith-like.
His wide, lifeless eyes bore the expression of someone who had died in great agony.
I sincerely hoped this world didn't have vengeful spirits. Meeting Robert again wouldn't be pleasant.
Alex turned pale before doubling over and vomiting. The others were visibly shaken.
Even I had to summon all my willpower to keep my stomach in check.
Yet I forced myself to stare at the remains—to etch this sight into my memory.
A reminder: even the strong could be killed with poison.
Reid, however, remained eerily composed. While we struggled with shock, he carefully inspected the corpse, unfazed by the gruesome sight.
His level-headedness elevated my assessment of him—he had clearly witnessed similar horrors before.
Even the stranger, Lucas, was affected, though he held up better than Alex.
It was clear he had experience, but not at Reid's level.
Reid finally spoke, his tone grave. "His arm is black and blue… he was poisoned." His sharp gaze locked onto me.
Cold sweat trickled down my back. Damn. I had forgotten about that.
This was bad. If I were exposed, all my efforts would be for nothing. And I doubted I could escape unscathed.
Just as panic gripped me, Alex, still recovering, blurted out, "I… I think the lion poisoned Robert when it attacked him."
Bless you, Alex. You just saved me from disaster.
I quickly echoed his statement. "Yes, yes! It must be the lion!" I let my voice tremble, ensuring I appeared just as shaken as everyone else.
Reid frowned. "But the lion wasn't poisonous."
Alex, desperate to convince him, argued, "Maybe it was the poison we fed the lion."
Reid still looked skeptical but ultimately relented. The man was dead—arguing further was pointless. Internal strife wasn't wise.
I let out a slow sigh of relief. That was close.
Still, I couldn't afford to lower my guard around Reid. He was far too perceptive.
It was time to change the subject.
"So, who is this?" I asked, shifting attention to the stranger.
Alex answered before Lucas could. "This is Lucas. He was wandering nearby when he heard the lion's roar and came to investigate."
Lucas, huh?
I narrowed my eyes. "And where do you come from? With that leather armor, I doubt you're just another wanderer like us."
My goal was to put him on the defensive—to make him explain himself.
Sensing the unease, Lucas quickly answered. What he said next was not something I expected so soon.
"I am Lucas, from Riverdale Village."
Riverdale Village.
If it was what I thought it was, then I had severely underestimated this world—and overestimated myself.