Kael finally arrived in a town, but to keep his identity a secret, he chose to use his other name, Ichirou, from his past life. Unfortunately, he couldn't change his appearance, but lucky for him his parents didn't care about how he looked.
The town looked dead, with its empty path and shuttered shops. The wind blew through the deserted town, carrying with it the sound of tumbleweeds rolling across the pavement. The only signs of life were a few birds scavenging for food in the alleyways.
In need of a place to rest for the night, Ichirou depended on the money he had taken from the castle. After finally locating a place to spend the night, upon entering, he noticed an unusually large number of people compared to the outside. Among the crowd of at least 12 individuals, one person in particular caught Ichirou's attention. This person sat by themselves, seemingly alone and isolated from the rest of the group.
With a confident and gentle demeanor, Ichirou approached the man, hoping not to alarm him. As he drew closer, Ichirou asked, "Hello, I'm searching for the Kingdom of Aquoria. Do you happen to know the path leading there?"
A smile spread across the man's face as he replied, "Oh, that kingdom? Well, my information doesn't come for free." Ichirou sighed, understanding the situation. "Alright, how much?" he asked.
The man's eyes twinkled as he replied, "You name the price." Ichirou, without hesitation, offered, "100 BC. Take it, or I'll seek assistance elsewhere."
The strange man accepted the money and responded, "To reach Aquoria, follow the blue flowers. Ensure they're light in color, not dark. If you follow dark flowers, you may find yourself in a perilous place."
Ichirou expressed his sincere appreciation for the provided information. He approached the tavern keeper with a polite demeanor and inquired about the availability of a room. The tavern keeper, noticing Ichirou's unfamiliarity with the area, raised an eyebrow and asked, "New around here, lad?" Ichirou chuckled in a rather peculiar manner as he responded, "Oh yeah, just exploring new things. It's quite an adventure." Experiencing the great outdoors was something that a gamer like Ichirou would never have anticipated, yet here he was, embracing the wonders of nature.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The tavern keeper observed Ichirou's jovial expression and handed him the key to his room, remarking, "Well, here you go, lad. It's 25 BC per night, quite a steal." Ichirou gratefully handed over the money and made his way to his room.
Upon entering his room, Ichirou immediately headed for the bed. To his surprise, it was as hard as a rock. However, considering the desolate appearance of the town, he had anticipated as much. "Now I know why it's so cheap, but it's better than sleeping on the ground," he muttered to himself.
As Ichirou drifted off to sleep, his thoughts turned to his sister. He wondered how she was doing, a question that lingered in his mind until he finally succumbed to slumber.
At the grand castle of Veridia, an intense conversation was taking place. King, with a furious glare in his eyes, questioned, "What do you mean that kid escaped?"
The knight nervously responded, "Yes, Your Majesty. He managed to escape, but we have no information about his whereabouts."
Annoyed, the king stated, "As long as he doesn't make any grand entrances, we should be fine. We cannot risk our family's reputation being tarnished by that useless son of mine. Keep a close watch on him!"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will," the knight nervously replied.
Suddenly, the guards opened the doors, and Kael's sister, Eleanor, entered the room. "Did you call for me, father?" she inquired.
With anger evident on his face, the king asked, "Do you know where that worthless creature went?"
Eleanor, with a confident voice, replied, "No, father. He didn't leave me a note, which concerns me, but I will miss him."
The king, frustrated, questioned, "Why do you keep defending someone so weak like him? He brings nothing but misfortune to our family."
Eleanor, with tears in her eyes, yelled, "He may have a low-class element, but he still has emotions and feelings. Have you ever considered his feelings even once?"
The king, clicking his tongue, sat down and responded, "You keep talking about feelings when someone like him, who only brings dishonor to our family, shouldn't even be living."
Eleanor, now furious, defended her brother, "He didn't choose that element, did he? Just because luck wasn't on his side doesn't mean you have the right to treat him so poorly."
The king, dismissive, replied, "Whatever. Just go to your room."
Eleanor left the room with tears streaming down her face, angry at her blind father who cared only about power and fame, oblivious to the pain he was causing his own family.
Within the depths of Eleanor's heart, an unfamiliar sensation emerged, a feeling she had never encountered before. Her brother had managed to escape due to the indifference and negligence of their so-called family, who lacked any genuine concern for their own blood, his son. Left with nowhere to turn, Eleanor recognized that her sole purpose was to grow strong enough to ascend to the throne and transform the corrupt king and his subjects. This realization ignited a fierce determination within her, as she resolved to rectify the injustices and bring about positive change for her people.