Ephemeral World (Chapter 2) Exploring the unknown
Morning came and the crow of the rooster was heard. The three heroes was summoned at the throne room. They saw the king sitting on the throne and beside him are girls that seems to be princesses.
"Human, thou hath the nerve to call me in this time of day."
The first one to arrive was Azazel which is visibly in a irritated mood.
"Good morrow your majesty. May I know the reason for you to call us this early?"
Levus is the next one to arrived. He is unexpectedly in a cheerful mood.
"Morning you fatass. What do you want us to do? Help you exercise?"
The last one who arrived was Xyndis. He seems to be in a angry mood for some reason. Hearing what Xyndis said, Levus hits Xyndis in the head.
"That is no way to speak to a king!"
"What? Do you wanna fight me?! I ain't scared you ugly ass shit!"
Xyndis was even more angrier because of what Levus did.
"Now now. It's not good to fight this early so I request you to calm down."
Levus and Xyndis stopped fighting. Azazel and Xyndis just glared at the king while Levus was anticipating what will the king say next.
"These girls here are my daughters. The eldest is Phaenia Lindde Ymirad. The second is Theamia Obelia Ymirad. And the youngest is Fenrhea Riaka Ymirad."
The princesses bowed once the king introduced them.
"Tch. Let's get this over with. What do you want us for? I'm getting tired of waiting."
"I told you! That's not the correct way to speak to the king!"
Levus tried to hit Xyndis again but Xyndis dodge and hit levus instead. The two of them started chasing each other around the throne room while the king and princesses watch them in amazement.
"Ahem. State thy reason human, and make haste."
Azazel who ignored all the events happening hurried the king.
"Oh right. I want you three to go to the town and familiarize yourselves with the atmosphere and common sense of this world. You can also buy weapons and other things you need or want. We'll just send a messenger if we need to discuss something important with you."
-----
The three are standing outside the castle with the drawbridge behind them and they are carrying pouches containing the currency of this world.
"Damn! What a pain in the ass! Atleast I can finally get out from that shitty castle."
"Your sharp tongue never let a single moment pass by without an insult."
"What's that!? Wanna fight huh?!"
"I don't have time for this so I will go now. I want to memorize the town before sundown."
Levus started to walk towards the town without looking back at the two.
"Well then, I shall also take my leave."
Azazel flew towards the town.
"*sigh* Such a pain."
Xyndis also headed towards the town.
-----
Xyndis arrived at the town and decided to ask some questions.
"Hey you! Guy with a round hat. Tell me where's the blacksmith is at."
"A-another one!? E-eeek!"
The man ran as if his life depended on it and Xyndis was dumbstruck of the man's reaction.
"Tch. What a coward. I'm not that scary or frightening compared to those two."
He wandered around and asked where the blacksmith is at but the people showed the same reation due to his unnatural appearance and clothing.
"This suck- Huh? That sign, a hammer and a anvil. That's the blacksmith! Ha! I know I should have not wasted my time asking people questions and just believe in my self."
Xyndis pridefully entered the blacksmith to ask for all the metals and materials they have and analyze it in order for him to know which one he can use.
-----
Azazel descended to the town and use magic to scan the area around him to determine if there are people who wants to attack him or those who have malicious intent.
"Since this is a different world. Their magic must be different compared to mine."
He wandered to for a few minutes and then decided to ask for direction.
"Hey! Guy with a funny looking hat. Thou shall tell me wherever is the library located."
"A-ahhh!"
The man ran away from Azazel as if he was scared of him.
"Wait!"
The man didn't hear Azazel's words and continued to run.
"I said wait! Ye foolish human."
Azazel teleported in front of the man and grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt.
"Human. Thou shall answer my question without withholding any information. Understood?"
"Y-yes Milord"
Azazel used a skill available to vampires, hypnotism. When this skill is used the victim is compelled to do the orders of the user. But this skill can't affect the one's who has a barrier, protection spell and protective talismans that negates or blocks psychological attacks.
"Now then. Tell me wherever is the library in this place located."
After receiving information, Azazel headed towards the library.
"'Tis seems I can still use my world's magic and skills in this world. Come to think of it, I flew towards this town without thinking of the consequences of using magic unknown to this world."
He arrived at the library and began to read books about this world and it's magical structure.
-----
Levus, who was the first one to head towards the town, arrived in a cheerful mood due to being able to have the chance to walk around the town with people and not guerilla soldiers or rebels.
"How nice~ The air is clean, the noise of a busy town can be heard. What a nice and peaceful place~ I can't really believe this world is at war with an ruthless enemy. Humans can be so interesting."
Doing what he planned, he wandered around aimlessly to remember the geography of the area. A few minutes of walking, he saw a man with a funny looking round hat that was about to fall from a building. Levus reacted swiftly and caught the man.
"Hey, you alright?"
"U-uh y-yeah... thank- aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Once the man saw his saviour turns out to an orc with an scary face, he dashed away from Levus without looking back as if looking back and stopping will kill him.
"..."
Levus continued his wandering in a disheartened mood.
-----
Xyndis was surprised because the blacksmiths willingly offered their materials to him and without wasting a second, he used his eyeglass to scan the materials. After scanning all of the materials he bought a few and left the building.
"I see. There are materials in this world similar to mine and materials that doesn't exist in my world is here. Interesting. Now then, time to check this area's geography."
Xyndis didn't ask people for directions and just headed to the highest place he can see, which is the watchtower built in the center of the town. After getting lost several times, he finally arrived at the watchtower. Since it's mainly used as a attraction, he got inside by paying a small amount of money. There, he saw a panoramic view of the town and the castle which is located at a higher location than the town.
"Yui, draw a map of the area and start scanning the area for any potential danger."
"Roger that!"
A voice of a girl replied to him in a energetic tone from the earpiece that was with him from the time he was summoned. That was the AI he created back in his world, Yui, she helps him in various things and do what Xyndis commands her.
"By the way, Master."
"What is it?"
"I have completed the command you gave me last night. I have determined that we really are in a different world. I cannot contact the master AI or any form of communication in our world and the geography of this world is far different from ours."
"I see. It can't be helped then. How much time left to finish the task I gave you?"
"Estimated time is 30 minutes."
Xyndis just observed the buildings and the culture of this world which is different from his world.
-----
Azazel decided to read only the necessary books and just scanned the other books. He obtained some useful information and some information which is of no use to him.
"The information regarding this world is somehow lacking. They only have records of the war in the past between the kingdoms before the catastrophe appeared. other than that, there are no records of what came before that. Maybe due to the catastrophe that the records are missing or it was forcibly removed. 'Tis useless to overthink things when I was only summoned in this for a day's time. However, the magical structure in this world is strangely similar to mine but at the same time it differs."
After reading the books he wanted to read he left the library and decided to know the geography of this area. When he arrived at a place without people, he flew upwards until he can see the whole town.
"O unholy Gremoire of Darkness, I command thee, come forth at once and serve me."
After Azazel finished the spell, darkness gathered in his left hand and soon materialized in to a book. The Gremoire of Darkness, the gremoire created by Azazel by taking various spells from forbidden gremoires in his world and combined it into a single gremoire.
"Now then."
He opened the gremoire and searched for a blank page. He then used magic to create a map of the town with specific details.
"With that out of the way, 'Tis time for a meal. That human forgot to prepare breakfast and now 'tis noon."
The bloodline in which Azazel belongs to is a special bloodline of vampires that allows them to replenish their energy not just by drinking blood but also eating food.
-----
Levus finished wandering the town and decided to rest for a bit.
"I can't believe walking aimlessly in a relaxed manner can be very tiring.*sigh*"
He just observed the blue sky which was different from his world. His world was covered by smoke, ashes and dust turning it's skies dark in colour. While remembering his world, a ball fell into his feet and a little girl approached him.
"U-umm... C-can... I.... Get m-my ball?"
"Here."
Levus picked up the ball and gently threw it to the little girl.
"T-Thank y-you, M-mister Orc."
The girl bowed and left Levus. With the smile of the little girl brought a smile on Levus' face.
-----
"So? Why the heck are you guys here!?"
Xyndis shouted at the two persons who are also sitting with him at a table in a inn.
"Can't be helped. The other inns are afraid of me because I'm an orc."
Levus shrugged at Xyndis which made him even more furious.
"Why are you eating at a inn anyway!? You should just go to the woods and search your food there!"
"I can't let that remark slide."
Levus and Xyndis started to quarrel while Azazel reads a book he borrowed from the library and ignored the two. While two continued to fight, someone slammed their table so loud that Xyndis and Levus stopped quarreling. Levus, Xyndis and Azazel, which stopped reading, stared at the culprit.
"You bastards... SHUT THE HELL UP! You're disturbing the other customers. If you won't stop, imma kick you out of this inn!"
"S-sorry..."
The two apologized to the inn owner which is a tall man with a huge build.
"Your orders are ready. So eat quietly."
"Y-yes."
When the inn owner left they breathed an sigh of relief and started eating.
"Hey you, guy with white hair."
"Art thou referring to me."
Xyndis can't hold his curiosity anymore and asked Azazel.
"You're a vampire, right? Then why are you eating food and can walk under the sun?"
"The bloodline in which I belong is considered special even among vampires. We can replenish our energy not just drinking blood but also eating food. And we can walk under the sun without turning to ashes is because of our great regenerative ability and magic can also help."
"Magic? What do you mean?"
In Xyndis' world, magic did not exist. Xyndis uses Science in his everyday life which is different from Levus and Azazel which uses magic.
"Hah! You don't know magic? Acting high and mighty but don't know magic. What a joke."
Levus, who still angry at Xyndis' remarks before mocked him.
"So what? I bet you don't even know Science."
"Science? What's that? Is it tasty?"
"Thou both, stop fighting or the inn owner shall once again shout at thee."
"..."
Both of them fell silent when Azazel mentioned the inn owner.
"Ye can read basic magic in the library which is not far from here."
"Huh? You saying that to me? Are you freaking taking pity on me!?"
"Not at all. 'Tis just that we are in the same boat so why not help each other? Futhermore, the library only contains books that is an introduction to magic and doesn't let people cast dangerous spells."
"Tch, Since I don't like to owe someone any favors. So take this."
Xyndis tossed a stick-shape metal that has a button on one end to Azazel.
"Press the button to activate it. It contains the basic principles of Science. Just touch and swipe the thing that will appear upwards to make it go downwards and vice versa."
Azazel pressed the button and a hologram appeared that showed some text and he tried to do what Xyndis said and the hologram scrolled downwards and upwards.
"This is indeed quite interesting. Thou have my gratitude."
"Hmph, don't need it."
"Since we're in the topic of helping each other. Do any of you two know a high place where I can see the whole town?"
Levus who was quiet until now asked this question in order to determine wether his memory of the geography of this town is accurate.
"I think you can do that at the watchtower at the center of the town."
Xyndis unexpectedly answered Levus' question without any rude remarks.
-----
Xyndis headed towards the library following Azazel's directions. When he arrived, he prioritized reading the history of this world and read books related to magic occasionally.
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Azazel arrived at the blacksmith to determine if there are materials he can use to create his sword which was left in his world. He found some materials similar to what his sword is composed of and bought it.
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Levus was surprised that Xyndis wasn't lying about the watchtower and entered it and started to inspect the town.
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Quite some time has passed by and a messenger of the king informed the three of them that they were called by the king. They arrived at the castle wondering what does the king want.