THE CHOSEN ONE

5 - Reborn, Summon and Transfered

We've been walking for almost a week now, steadily making our way through this unfamiliar landscape. It feels like each step draws us farther from the life I once knew. The provisions I have are modest, consisting of carefully rationed items from my storage, which I believe were bestowed upon me by the God of Creation. We’ve dined on these simple yet nutritious offerings, but despite our tireless journey, we still find ourselves at the very edge of the fabled Monster Forest—a place whispered about in stories told to frighten children and adventurous souls alike.

"Uhmm, Vin, where are we going?" Princess Laira asks me, her voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and concern. By the way, she's my wife now, thanks to the sacred Vow we've taken together. I’m grateful for her steadfast presence; she has proven to be a wonderful companion in these trying days. But this is the first time she’s questioned our direction since our fateful meeting—an event that seems both recent and infinitely distant at the same time.

“I don’t know," I admitted, feeling a twinge of uncertainty grip me. “For now, let's try to find a village or a town—whatever it is you call it around here." The truth is, I feel lost. Cassiel, the ethereal being who once guided me with her wisdom, has drained all her powers and cannot speak to me directly for the moment. It seems she’s overexerted herself, needing time to recharge and recuperate. I’m finding it increasingly challenging to navigate this world without her guidance. To make matters more complicated, she’s communicated that she isn’t physically here with me but is instead reaching out through her dwindling powers.

“If you’re looking for a town, then there is a human settlement nearby. However, we helped pass the road leading to that place,” Laira pointed out, her tone a mix of exasperation and help.

"Why didn’t you tell me that there was a town nearby?" I said, frustration creeping into my voice. Doubts about accepting her vow have begun to flood my mind. Was it the right choice? Perhaps I should have remained aloof, uncommitted to any bond in this strange world.

"I thought we were just… strolling." Strolling? I can't help but feel a flash of incredulity sweep through me. Strolling for almost a week? I had lost my memories, which should have been more than enough reason for her to realize that I was completely clueless about the ways of this world. "We need to be calm," I reminded myself. It’s important to keep that in mind; after all, she is just a cute girl trying to make sense of this bizarre situation alongside me.

“Strolling? Why would you think that?” I asked, not entirely masking my disbelief.

“Because if not, then we wouldn't be walking for so long. If we’re searching for villages, at least we should be riding horses or perhaps even flying!” She added excitedly, her eyes lighting up with a mixture of innocence and hope. A horse? Flying? What on earth was she talking about?

“I’m sorry,” I said, trying to manage my confusion. “But given my amnesia, I can’t remember anything about this world and, quite frankly, I don’t know what you mean by horses or flying.” It was frustrating to not grasp the very basics of this new reality I'm thrust into. Where would we even find a horse out of thin air? And if flying were a commonplace thing here, why wasn't it a feature in the game I had once played?

“Vin!” Her tone suddenly shifted, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts of confusion.

“Yeah, why?” I queried, sensing the gravity in her voice.

“Are you an otherworlder?” she asked directly, her expression piercing. The question hung in the air, and my heart raced. Is being an otherworlder normal here? If so, it seems I’m not the only one who has been transported into this realm. Is it safe to admit the truth to her? After all, she’s already made a vow of commitment to me; she’s my wife. She has the right to know such significant truths.

“Yeah—” I began, hesitantly.

"I had a feeling," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly as though she were attempting to unravel a mystery. The atmosphere around us felt charged, electric with anticipation and curiosity. "That's why you were talking to yourself. You clearly don’t know much about our world." Her expression shifted, betraying a hint of understanding mingled with trepidation. I could sense that my unfamiliarity was evident, like a neon sign flashing above my head. "I hesitated at first," she continued, her voice taking on a reflective tone. "I’ve heard that otherworlders are often nothing but scum, arrogant individuals who believe they are the heroes of their own grand tales. But you... you're different. You don't give off that vibe at all."

When she mentioned my amnesia, I could see a flicker of intrigue in her gaze; it was as if she were seeing something beneath the surface, something that went beyond mere words. "When you mentioned amnesia, I thought there might be some truth to your story. So why hide it? Why not shout it from the rooftops like the others, who can’t wait to flaunt their status as otherworlders?"

Her words resonated within me, a comforting recognition that stirred a flicker of hope. In this bizarre new existence, I wasn’t entirely alone. There were others like me who had been brought here, thrown into the chaos of a world that felt entirely alien.

"I don’t need to," I replied simply, trying to convey the practicality of my reasoning, though my words hung in the air, bare and unadorned.

"But why would you turn your back on the Kingdom that summoned you?" she pressed further. Her voice was earnest, tinged with genuine bewilderment. It struck me how much weight was carried by the word "summoned," how it resonated with implications I wasn’t ready to face or unpack just yet.

"Summoned? I’m not summoned here; I was transferred," I corrected her, the emphasis on the word "transferred" making it clear this was not a matter of choice but circumstance.

"Transferred? What’s that? Is that a new way of coming here?" She looked genuinely puzzled, her brow furrowed as she tried to grasp the nuances of my experience. The realization hit me: my experience of being transferred was an anomaly here, just as bewildering to her as her world was to me.

"What methods do the otherworlders use to arrive here?" I asked, c*****g my head slightly, eager to delve deeper into this new context and the intricacies surrounding my presence in this strange realm.

"There are two primary methods," she explained, her tone shifting to one of knowledge, every word filled with an air of authority. "One is REINCARNATION, which involves individuals who have died, then received a blessing from the gods, and are reborn here as babies, but with the memories of their past lives. The other is SUMMONING, where ten master-class magicians sacrifice their own lives to summon a hero from another world. Essentially, they transfer their powers and abilities to the summoned individual. From the very beginning, a summoned hero possesses the strength of ten master-class magicians, making them an invaluable asset to any kingdom." She paused for a moment, her eyes searching my face, perhaps gauging my reaction. "But this is my first time hearing about a transfer method that you mentioned, Vin."

As I processed her words, a sense of foreboding settled in. The implications of what she was saying became painfully clear: there was no record of anyone being transferred like me. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. "It’s essential to keep this hidden for now," I thought to myself, recognizing the precariousness of my situation.

"I understand. Thank you, Lai," I said, my tone steady even as my mind raced with thoughts. "Let's maintain the secrecy of my transfer for the time being. For now, I’d like to learn more about this world. Oh, and could you elaborate on that remarkable concept of horses and flying that you mentioned earlier?" I added playfully, giving her a gentle pat on the head, an instinctive gesture of camaraderie. I preferred to call her Lai; something about using the full name Laira felt off to me, a little too formal for the bonding we had just begun.

"Well, it’s common knowledge that master-class magicians and above can create their own vehicles for transportation," she said, her enthusiasm clearly palpable. "The most basic vehicle is the horse. In fact, being able to create a vehicle signifies that you’ve reached master's class—it’s considered a fundamental achievement. A horse is our first type of vehicle, but you see, those from other worlds have imaginations that extend far beyond ours, allowing them to devise various transports beyond mere animals. As for flying, only those who are master-class in the wind element or those who have reached the King class can achieve such feats. The King class is special; they have mastered all the elemental basics," she explained, her tone filled with a mix of admiration and respect for the abilities I was still grappling with.

At that moment, it dawned on me that I was deemed a king by this world’s standards, yet I felt utterly incompetent. The weight of her words settled heavily on my shoulders, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I might be the most oblivious and weakest individual in this realm, especially when placed alongside otherworlders who had trained since birth to harness their powers. By comparison, summoned individuals began with an inherent advantage, wielding the abilities of ten master-class magicians from the outset. What was I? Just a transfer with a cool affinity for ice magic—a curious talent, perhaps, but rather paltry in this new context that demanded greatness and mastery.

As we traveled atop Lai’s water horse—a surprisingly sturdy creature, as I had initially doubted the viability of a water-based horse—I felt an insatiable hunger for learning. My curiosity surged within me, igniting a fire that propelled me to engage Lai with more questions about this new world. I yearned to absorb as much knowledge as I could, grappling with my identity and purpose in the midst of these revelations, desperately seeking a foothold in a reality that threatened to swallow me whole.