Chapter 1 - Found
Author's note: Please don't skip the prologue. It's really important.
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In the Azure Dragon Continent.
A red-haired little girl was skipping along a beach under the bright sun. She hummed a happy tune as she skipped, swaying her arms back and forth.
Barefoot, she was wearing a simple white dress, and her cute-looking face was fixed in an alluring smile; she looked to be no more than nine years old. In her pale white hand, she grasped a small basket that contained several different herbs and medicinal plants.
‘…hmm…I should be able to find purple grass here…’
She slowed down and used her eyes to scan the area in front of her.
In her vision lay a stretch of sand that extended for many miles. Very near it was an ocean, and countless waves crashed onto the beach. Some random patches of grass sprouted out from the sandy ground, and they whistled lightly as a light breeze flowed through them.
‘Huh?’ The little girl stopped her tracks and fixed her vision on something. ‘What’s that?’
About a hundred meters from her lay a figure sprawled out on the beach sand.
The little girl frowned and hurriedly ran forward to have a closer look, stopping in front of the eagle-spread figure.
Lying motionless on the beach was a black-haired little boy. He had a small but well-built body. His face was fixed in a peaceful expression, but his grey robes were completely worn out; the color had gone and the fabric was now completely grey. Strangely, his clothes were also many sizes too big and were very baggy on his body. Fortunately, he looked to be uninjured.
“Grandpa!” The little girl yelled. “Someone washed up onto the beach!”
There was a momentary pause, and then a distant gruff voice rang out: “Washed up on the beach? Is the person alive?”
“I don’t know… looks like a seven-year-old or so boy…”
“Wait over there… I’m coming over.”
An old man with a thin head of curly hair came into view and walked slowly towards the little girl. He was limping heavily on his thin-looking left leg, and in his hand, he held a shabby-looking wooden cane.
Seeing the old man limping, the little girl hurried over to support him.
Aided by the red-haired little girl, the old man reached his destination. Immediately, he knelt down to feel the little boy’s pulse, pushing his finger onto his neck. “Hm…”
A moment later, the old man’s eyes blinked in both surprise and relief. “Seems like… he’s alive!”
“Grandpa, then we should take him home, right?” The little girl asked.
“En.” The old man replied, swallowing down his shock. “Quick, help me carry him. We’re taking him back to the cabin.”
With a careful movement, the old man hoisted the little boy onto his back, with the little girl supporting from behind. They then walked carefully inland, through a dirt path that headed into woods. The old man may have been a cripple, but with the little girl supporting him, the weight of a small boy was not something he couldn’t handle.
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Zairen gradually woke up from his stupor.
‘…huh? ...I’m not dead? … I vividly remember drowning in that river… those bandits. Somehow my body isn’t feeling any pain… and I actually feel comfortable? What’s going on? Could it be… I’m in heaven?’
He suddenly opened his eyes and quickly sat up. Immediately looking around, he found that he was lying on a small bed in a little room. The walls surrounding him were crude, made of thin pieces of wood, but still gave the room a cozy feeling.
“You finally woke up!” A little girl’s excited voice reached his ears. Zairen turned and looked towards the voice’s direction. Standing at the doorway dressed in a white dress was a cute red-haired little girl. She had an innocent-looking face and clear eyes, and her face gave an impression of mischievousness and wild excitement.
Staring at the nearby girl, Zairen was stunned and said softly: “Pray tell, little girl, where am I?”
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“This is Bindan Village. You’re lucky to be alive!” The girl laughed.
A look of surprise flashed in Zairen’s eyes. ‘Bindan Village… I’ve traveled widely throughout the entire continent, yet I’ve never heard of such a place! Where the hell am I?’
As he pondered, the girl suddenly made a pouting face. “Also, who are you calling a little girl? Aren’t you younger than me?! You should call me big sister!”
“Younger than you? Big sister?” Zairen made a confused face. He was a 27-year-old man; how could this little girl say that he was younger than her?
“How old are you? Seven, eight? Either way, I’m nine, so I’m definitely older. My name is Alivia. Little brother, what’s your name?” Saying that, the little red-haired girl laughed giddily, seemingly happy that she found herself a younger brother.
“Wah…” Zairen was absolutely flabbergasted. This little girl said that he was seven years old? How could that be possible? He was a full-grown man!
In his confusion, he instinctively glanced down at his hands.
‘...what?!’ Looking down, his eyes widened in shock. Those hands… those hands were small, smooth, and slender. They were a little boy’s hands!
But… that was impossible! Was he dreaming?
“Alivia, don’t tease the boy. He’s probably in a state of confusion.” An amiable-looking black robe clad old man appeared in the doorway, leaning on a wooden cane. A bit surprised, Zairen looked over. “Quickly, get him some food and water.”
“Okay!” Alivia dashed away to another part of the house, presumably the kitchen, disappearing from Zairen’s field of vision.
“Don’t mind that girl… she always has so much energy.” The old man laughed, then sat down in a chair next to Zairen’s bed. “You must be very bewildered right now.”
Zairen nodded his head.
“My name is Grandpa Dinran, and the little girl you just saw is my granddaughter Alivia. Our surname is Laiken.” Grandpa Dinran continued. “What’s your name?”
“My name is Zairen, Zairen Ki. Thank you very much for saving me.” Zairen replied, subtly eyeing this new old man up and down.
The man was skinny, limping, and wore tattered simple-looking clothes, but had kind-looking eyes.
“It was no problem, Zairen.” The old man smiled, liking the etiquette the little boy in front of him was displaying. “We found you by the beach… it seems you washed up from the ocean. Did you fall from a boat?”
“Huh…?”
He was found by the beach? Washed up from the ocean? Confused, Zairen tilted his head and rubbed the side of his head.
‘...oh…’ A moment later, his head slightly nodding, he slowly pieced together what must have happened. After he fell into the river, his body most likely washed out to sea, and somehow survived the entire trip.
“Uh… something like that.” Zairen responded, and then immediately asked: “Pray tell, what state are we in?”
“We are in Bindan Village, on the edge of Rain Province in Osiron. There are a lot of trade ships that sail around here; did you fall overboard off of one of those?”
Bindan Village? Rain Province… in Osiron...?
Hearing those words, Zairen couldn’t help but furrow his brows. Throughout his many years of travels, he had never heard of this so-called “Rain Province” or “Osiron”!
Yet how could that be? He had traveled all over the continent; could he have never heard of this place? That was impossible!
“Um… Grandpa Dinran, could you please tell me what continent we are on?” He asked earnestly.
Grandpa Dinran looked at Zairen with a surprised expression. “What continent we are on?” He laughed out loud. “…you’re really asking me about what continent we are on!”
“Uh… “ Zairen could only hang his head. Of course that was a stupid thing to ask. What was he thinking? How could he possibly be on a different continent?
“You must be very confused…” Grandpa Dinran continued. “Where else could you be besides on the Azure Dragon Continent? Once you eat some food, you’ll be able to think more clearly. ”
Zairen only looked at the old man in front of him with a blank expression. Azure Dragon Continent… he truly was on a different continent!
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