That morning, the sunlight started to filter through the trees, casting soft beams into the forest. Shouta, exhausted from running all night to escape Baron Gartok's guards, finally reached a distant forest. His legs felt heavy and his body weak from lack of sleep and food. He was panting, but he knew he couldn’t stop now. This forest might be the only safe place, for a while at least.

Shouta kept walking, his steps wobbly, sometimes stumbling from sheer exhaustion. His stomach growled for food, but he couldn’t find anything to eat. His legs were giving way, and the world seemed to spin around him.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of branches snapping behind him. Before he could react, a group of goblins emerged from the bushes, their wild eyes gleaming and their wicked smiles ready to attack.

Shouta was shocked and tried to run, but his body was too weak. One of the goblins lunged at him, swinging a large wooden club. Shouta tried to dodge, but his foot tripped on a tree root, and he fell to the ground.

The sharp pain in his body wasn’t enough to stop the fear that gripped him. The goblins were getting closer, preparing their final attack. Weakly, Shouta tried to get up, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. All he could do was stare helplessly, his heart sinking.

Suddenly, a blinding blue light flashed. A magic arrow soared through the air, hitting the goblin who was about to strike him. The goblin screamed in pain and fell to the ground.

Shouta stared, wide-eyed, at the girl who had appeared from behind the bushes. She stood tall, holding a bow with magic-infused arrows, her eyes sharp and determined. Without hesitation, she fired arrow after arrow, taking down the remaining goblins one by one. Within moments, all the goblins were lying motionless on the ground.

Out of breath, the girl ran to Shouta’s side.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice soft but firm, kneeling beside him.

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Shouta could only nod weakly, his body aching from the ordeal. His eyes were growing heavy from exhaustion. The world went dark, and he passed out.

A Luxurious Room

Shouta slowly regained consciousness. His eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, everything felt unfamiliar. His body was much more comfortable than before. As he opened his eyes fully, he saw that he was lying on a soft bed, surrounded by luxurious furniture. Thick curtains blocked out the sunlight, showing that he was in a very fancy room.

There was only a slight sound breaking the silence. Still feeling weak, Shouta tried to sit up, but he felt dizzy.

The door opened, and a girl stepped in. She was wearing an elegant outfit, a light purple robe. Her brown eyes looked at Shouta with calmness, though there was a hint of curiosity on her face. Her long hair nearly touched the floor as she walked.

“You’re awake,” the girl said softly.

Shouta blinked, confused. “Who… who are you?” he asked, trying to remember what had happened before he passed out.

The girl smiled slightly, recognizing the confusion on his face. “I’m Lynia. The daughter of the Viscaunt family. I saved you last night.”

Shouta furrowed his brow. “Lynia… Thank you… for saving me,” he said weakly but sincerely.

“It's nothing,” Lynia replied briefly.

Just then, the door opened again, and a man in his late 40s walked in. Behind him, a younger woman entered, but both of them clearly held higher social status.

Lynia turned to them before looking back at Shouta. “These are my parents. My father, Lord Viscaunt, and my mother, Lady Serina.”

Shouta nodded slowly, feeling a bit awkward with all the attention from the noble family.

“How are you feeling? Do you feel better?” Lord Viscaunt asked in a calm, easygoing tone.

“I’m fine now,” Shouta answered briefly, still feeling a little uneasy.

“What happened?” Lord Viscaunt asked, curious about Shouta’s situation.

Shouta was a bit surprised by how friendly he was being. “I… I’m just a guy who doesn’t know anything about this world,” he replied weakly.

Lord Viscaunt sat down beside his bed. “How did you end up in the forest?” he asked more gently. “What happened?”

Shouta took a deep breath, trying to remember what had happened. “I… I was running from the guards. I don’t know who they were, but I got trapped in the forest after running away from them.”

Lynia looked at him with a concerned expression. “You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you? The forest is dangerous, especially at night. How did you end up there alone?”

Shouta shook his head slowly. “I don’t know. I just… I just wanted to get away. I didn’t know who was chasing me.”

Lady Serina, who had been listening to Shouta’s story, stepped closer and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay, Lord Shouta. We’ll make sure you’re safe here. Don’t worry about that.”

Lord Viscaunt added, “You don’t have to worry about your safety anymore. Our family has a lot of influence here, and we’ll make sure you have a safe place to stay.”

Shouta nodded slowly, grateful for their kindness. However, many questions were still running through his mind. “What will happen to me? How can I survive in this world?”