“Lead the way” was what I asked of her.

She was respectful and seemed knowledgeable. At least, she knew more than me. This was enough for now. I could make use of her for a while.

At least until I found those so-called potential allies named the Azure Sky Clan and Iron Blood Pavilion.

This world felt vast and extensive, just like it was stated within the description. I would rather figure out how vast it is through someone knowledgeable than have to cross over the lands myself.

Since the description mentionned only the two factions, they had to be quite strong and extensive enough to be worth considered allies.

My plan was rather simple: to go meet one and, while on the way, learn more about this world.

I already found demons and slaughtered some so I will be able to use their corpses for research in order to create stronger weapons against them.

While Axis worked well enough, there will always be the potential for something greater.

I will try to reach such heights.

After I told her to lead the way, she seemed quite out of it.

I wondered for a moment if my words did not properly register before I realized that she was still next to the corpse of someone she knew.

Of course. This must be why. She needed to perform some kind of ritual for the dead one.

Or so I believed.

So, I asked her: “What will you do with his corpse?”

She seemed quite horrified by my question and she began to fidget as she seemed to fight herself within her mind to answer : “You can do whatever it is that you need to do, esteemed senior”

I think she misunderstood me.

I tried again: “I meant, what do people do with corpses around here?”

She seemed shaken just the same. What did I even say to make her feel that way... I think she is scared. I tried to clarify it: “I do not know of the customs of this place”

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As I said that, she seemed relieved. She offered a small smile as she stated: “As pet the custom, we are supposed to cremate the body while praying for a safe way to the heavens”

I nodded.

Let's do just that for this dead one. I don't know him and don't really care but if it makes it so that she can be my guide to the other two places without regrets, that would be fine. A little time wasted here to earn much more later on.

And so, we took the corpse outside and cremated it.

She prayed while it burnt as tears silently fell down her face.

Meanwhile, I looked around some more. The temple ruins... Why did I end up summoned here and not elsewhere? What were the rules behind it?

How did the space connect me here?

Could I connect it back to my mansion?

Once the corpse was burnt completely and ashes disappeared in the wind, I still had no answers to my questions.

However, she was ready to depart.

“So, can you guide me?”

She nodded and asked: “Which sect would you like me to take you to, esteemed senior? They are both at very different locations.”

Both at different locations...I expected it but that's a shame. It would have been easier otherwise.

It can't be helped.

“The closest one would do” I added.

She nodded and pointed south as she stated: “Let us go towards the Azure Sky Clan then”

And so, we started going down the mountain and south.

…

As we walked, I could not help but marvel at our surroundings. It was so different from my own world: the flora and fauna were vastly different. Here, everything was filled with far more vitality which enabled every single being to strive in its own way.

To put it bluntly, everything was bigger and stronger. Relatively speaking.

As we walked, I could not help but asking questions whenever we came across something new and, to be honest, everything here was new to me.

As a wizard, it is a must to understand the world around me. Only through uncovering its truths can I then make use of them. My curiosity was thus peaked.

I was very much aware that the girl leading me might think of me as weird for asking these questions continuously but it did not matter as long as she answered me honestly. I did not mind the way people looked at me nor did I ever care about what they thought of me.

The dragon does not care about the thoughts of an ant.

And, as such, I continued to satisfy my curiosity by asking her questions upon questions about the flora and fauna surrounding us.

And we walked.