"Is he going to be alright?" A concerned female voice echoed through a dimly lit room.
An older male voice responded calmly, "He will be fine. I have expelled the poison from his body. He should regain consciousness within an hour."
"I'll be taking my leave now."
"Thank you, Maester Roland." The girls voice softened as the door creaked open, then clicked shut behind her.
A heavy silence settled over the room. The faint groan of a wooden chair followed.
On the bed, Ethan stirred. A sudden warmth brushed against his cheek—a gentle hand running across his face.
"Please wake up, Ethan… please."
The steady ticking of a nearby clock filled the silence as minutes rolled by.
A soft groan escaped his lips as Ethan's eyelids fluttered open. His vision blurred before settling on a young girl with short hair and striking blue eyes.
He blinked in confusion. Where… am I?
"Oh, Ethan, you're awake!" The girl gasped, relief washing over her face. Before he could react, she threw herself at him, wrapping him in a tight embrace.
Soft warmth pressed against his chest—her body pressed against his. A shiver ran through him, followed immediately by a sharp jolt of pain.
Ethan winced, tapping weakly against her back. "I… can't... breathe."
"Oh! Sorry!" She pulled away abruptly, her face flushing with realization .
Ethan sat up, leaning against the wooden headboard. His gaze fixed on the door.
Disjointed memory fragments, flashed through his mind, his eyes dulling slightly.
Ethan's mind struggled to piece together his last memories. He had been playing the long-awaited Rise of Empire late into the night, fully immersed in the game after its long-anticipated release. Then—pain. A crushing weight in his chest, his vision blurring… and then darkness.
Did I… die?
A shiver ran down his spine. No. That's impossible. This has to be a dream… or maybe a side effect of last night's heart attack.
As if reading his thoughts a blue screen materialized before him.
[This is not a dream, nor a side effect everything around you is real]
He squeezed his eyes shut, shook his head. When he opened them again… the screen was still there.
[Did you think closing your eyes would change reality?]
Ethan stared at the words blankly.
[That's what I thought bitch. Welcome to Vaeloria]
Vaeloria, no way!
His breath became unsteady panic instantly filling his eyes.
The girl beside him leaned forward, worry etched on her face as she pressed the back of her hand on his skin. "Are you feeling okay Ethan?"
Gazing at her, he reassured her, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just can't seem to remember anything."
"Where am I? Who am I?"
Clenching her fists, the girls face scrunched up in fury. "If I find whoever did this..." Exhaling softly, her expression softening as she looked at Ethan, "You're in Cross village, and your name is Ethan Cross."
Hmm, it seems I reincarnated into a body with the same name. Wait a minute, cross village isn't that the name of my village in Rise of empire.
"Are you sure you're alright ."
Nodding, he pushed himself off the bed with as much effort as he could muster, his legs unsteady as they met the wooden floorboards. A wave of dizziness hit, and he staggered slightly. The girl rushed forward, gripping his arm to steady him.
Her hands trembled slightly, her voice steadier than her expression. "Easy, Ethan. Don't put too much stress on your body."
Ethan took a deep breath, steadying himself as he stood up from the bed. His body still ached, but the dizziness had faded.
The girl holding his arms watched him closely, her brows furrowed with concern. "Are you sure you should be moving?"
"I'll be fine," Ethan assured her, though he wasn't entirely convinced himself. "I need to find out what exactly is going on."
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Let's go. The village elder council will explain everything."
She led him towards the door, the scent of herbs and woodsmoke thick in the air. As they stepped outside, the cool evening breeze carried the distant sound of murmuring voices.
Ethan's eyes adjusted to the light outside. The village wasn't large—just a collection of wooden houses, farmland, and a central square where torches flickered. People gathered in hushed groups, their faces marked with sorrow and unease.
One of the village elders, a wiry man with a long beard, stood near the center of the crowd. As soon as he saw Ethan, his expression shifted—a mixture of relief and sadness.
"You're awake," the elder said. His voice was steady but heavy.
Ethan's stomach twisted. The tension in the air, the sorrowful glances—it was the same atmosphere he had seen in the game after losing key NPCs.
"What happened?" Ethan asked.
The elder sighed deeply. "Your father, Chief Leonard Cross, was poisoned last night. He died before dawn."
Ethan's breath caught. His father? The man he had never met in his real world—but whose name he now carried?
The girl beside him squeezed hands gently.
"I… see," Ethan murmured, his voice hollow. He wanted to feel something, but the weight of this new reality hadn't fully settled yet.
The elder continued, "The village cannot remain leaderless. The council has gathered to appoint a new chief. You were his only son."
Ethan was then led to a wooden meeting hall, where four elders sat around a long table. The room smelled of old parchment, burning candles, and aged wood.
One of the elders, a stout woman with piercing eyes, spoke first. "Leonard was a good chief. We must decide who will take his place."
Murmurs spread through the hall. Some villagers hesitated, glancing at Ethan. Others nodded in agreement.
Finally, the bearded elder spoke again. "As Leonard's son, Ethan has the right to take his father's place."
An elder with a scar running along his face cut in. "He's too young, to lead someone should rule in his name until he comes of age."
The bearded elder glared at the man. "You didn't have that to say when he went out to hunt."
The elder snorted shifting his gaze towards Ethan, folding his hands he leaned back on his chair.
The bearded elder glanced across the room. "Does anyone object?"
Ethan's mind raced. This was moving too fast. He had just woken up in this world, and now they wanted him to lead a village?
"I… don't know if I'm the right person for this," Ethan admitted.
A stout woman folded her arms. "Maybe. But the people need leadership. And we don't have the time for a debate."
The bearded elder nodded. "Then it's settled. Ethan Cross is now the Village Chief."