** Hello, world! I'm Sasen, the author. Were you expecting the novel? Hahaha.

First of all, I have to thank you all for reading my novel.

It’s my first, actually, so you could say I’m a beginner. Let’s root for our beloved Suwan—I can promise you he’ll show some truly extraordinary traits. And if he doesn’t, well, I can always make it so, right? Hahaha...

See you next time, readers! Have a good read!

“……”

The world was a blur, voices—distinct yet unfamiliar—buzzed around me like a swarm of bees. I strained to focus, each sound sharpening into clarity as my senses slowly returned. The first thing I noticed was the softness beneath me, the gentle cushion of grass cradling my sore body.

“..Is he—alive?”, the voice was feminine, laced with concern.

My mind raced, piecing the fragments of what had happened. The portal… I made it out through. But where am i?

With a groan, I extended my Aetheric field, detecting three life signatures nearby. It hasn't been more than five minutes since I regained consciousness and yet I was already on the edge...

“Hey, are you okay?” the same concerned voice called out, breaking through my daze.

I squinted my eyes, raising an arm to shield the dim light that were filtering through the dense canopy above. As my vision adjusted, I finally took in to the three strangers.

“You were out cold man, we thought you were dead. How did you end up in that state?”, a boy around nineteen remarked with a casual grin. His deep black eyes studying me curiously. He was of medium height, dressing in a simple battle robe with a sword strapped to his back—a human, no doubt.

Ha? A human!? The sudden scenes of the massacre flashed in my head, a torrent of images and emotions. My jaw clenched as I felt myself biting the corner of my lips, my fist tightening until my nails dug into my palm. The boy’s grin faltered as he noticed my tense stare—

‘thwack’

My eyes went wide for a second, but I recovered soon enough. I watched as the boy winced, rubbing the back of his head where a sharp slap had just landed “Cut it out dumbass”, the same girl scolded him, her voice was stern but there was a hint of deep care.

“Caesar, he just woke up! God knows for how long he was in that state”, the girl had pointy ears, taller than the human boy and long blonde hair that seem to flow behind her tied into a single braid. Her attire was far more elaborate –a fancy looking violet battle rob, with a bow slung over her shoulder. Though I noted the absence of arrows.

Pushing aside the minor question, I Averted my eyes from their banter, taking in a deep breath, I tried to steady my racing thoughts. The cave we were in was vast, with a cold breeze seeping through the darkness. Sunlight filtered through cracks in the ceiling, casting eerie shadows on the walls. This was no ordinary place—perhaps a lesser realm?

“I—I”, I tried to speak but my voice came out as hoarse barely audible.

“You just love finding excuse to slap me, don’t you Miss Lirien?”, Caeser shot back, a playful grin replacing his earlier concern.

“No, you just don’t use that thick skull of yours.” She retorted, crossing her arm. “Jeez you’re so tactless sometimes, that’s why no girls like you”

As the two bickered, the third figure finally stepped forward, his presence was commanding. I took in his figure, Shorter than both Caesar and Lirien, with a stocky build and muscles that strained against his tight-fitting black armour. His brown hair was slicked back, and his expression was one of calm authority.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Cut it out you two,” the dwarf said, his deep voice resonating though the cave. “Lirien, you know how Caeser is,”.

The dwarf extended his arms, I hesitated for a sec, but soon I gave in, letting him pull me to my feet with a grip that was rough yet surprisingly gentle.. “Don’t mind them” he said offering a knowing smile. “they’ve been at it since childhood”.

“So, who are you, and how did you even end up here?”, the dwarf asked, his tone was casual yet there was a probing to it. The two lesser who had been bickering before turned their attention to me, nodding in unison.

I took a step forward, removing my hand from my stomach, masking any discomfort that might betray me. “I –don’t remember… my name”, I lied smoothly. Trust was a luxury I couldn’t afford, especially not with these strangers.

“I am not sure how I got here…All that I remember is –I was being chase..there was someone with me … and everything went black. When I woke up, I found myself here.”, it wasn’t completely a lie too, but enough to keep them off balance. I watched their faces closely, searching for any sign of suspicion.

They exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them. I tensed, preparing for the worst but soon my doubt faltered as boy name caser spoke, his voice light “You can come with us for now, right Borian?” He looked at the dwarf, then at the elf, seeking their agreement.

“I guess you do have some brain”, the elf, Lirien, chimed in, patting Caesar’s back in a playful manner.

“Now, don’t you two start again”, the dwarf interrupted with a chuckling. “I go by Borian, by the way. This is–Lirien, and that’s Caeser.”

“We are not”, the two protested in a chorus, but there was no heat in their words.

“Don’t worry, we’ll help you get your memory back.” Lirien added with a dramatic thumbs up. “Oh, can we call you Caladrel in the meantime?”

I raised an eyebrow, surprised at how easily they accepted my story. I nodded with a smile, and Lirien winked proudly at Caesar.

“No fair, I was going to give him a name”, Caser protested though he quickly conceded with a wink. “But the name does sounds cool”

“It’s the name of an Elven hero,” Borian explained with a nod. “I suppose you do look a bit like him.”

“Right! That’s why we keep telling you to pay attention at class dumb Caser" Liren teased.

As they bantered, I observed them closely. A human boy, an elf, and a dwarf—a strange trio indeed. But I couldn’t afford to let my guard down, not until I figured out what had happened to my body. And Caesar... there was something off about him.

“Caladrel it is then”, I interjected, steering the conversation. “is this some sort of dungeon?”.

Lirien’s eyes lit up. “You’re smart—unlike someone.” She shot a smug look at Caesar. “This isn’t just any dungeon; it’s a high-level one.”

“We were actually on a mission here,” Lirien added. “But I think it’s better if we take you to our town first, you can take rest there”

“I am doing fine, and moreover I think if I go along with you all now, I might regain some of my memories”, I objected, giving her a convincing smile.

“But I–”

“Caladrel’s right, Lirien,” Caesar interjected, his voice cutting through her hesitation. “And don’t worry, I think he’s trustworthy. We’d be wasting time heading back, especially with that unknown monster lurking…”

“Thanks Caser,” I replied, turning my attention to Liren and Borian. “Although I may not everything, I can handle myself quite well. So, focus on what you three came here for”.

“There!”, Caser grinned, giving me a playful slap on the back. My anger flared instinctively, but but I quickly smothered it, forcing myself to remain composed. “See? Caladrel’s a good guy. I told you.”

“Fine, Caser, you win this time”, Lirien sighted in defeat. “I’m sorry, Caladrel. I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it. I am actually grateful to all three of you”

“So, its settled then, we’ll continue exploring the dungeon”, Borian announced, taking the lead. Caesar let out an excited cheer, followed by Lirien’s exasperated groan. I watched them, those two are pretty close, I thought to myself, almost reminding me of E— No I can’t afford to dwell in the past right now”

Shaking my head to clear the bitter-sweet memory. I quickened my pace to match their speed, with a hardened resolve to extract the revenge upon those who were responsible Even if it meant becoming something—or someone—unrecognizable, even if she does hate me for it. Clenching my teeth I pressed on.

** It’s me, the author, here yet again!

So, I hope it’s getting interesting for you folks.

Hmm... but don’t you all agree that our beloved MC is being a bit too carefree?

Hahaha, no worries—I promise to ramp things up in the next chapters. Suwan or Caladrel’s journey is just beginning, and the stakes are only going to get higher from here.

Till then, cya, my readers!