You Just Had to Ask, Didn't You?

"So since you're the owner of the house and the man who saved my life, I guess you can go first."

Rudra snorts and says sarcastically, "Why thank you for giving me this great honor? I wouldn't know what to do if you didn't let me go first."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you going to ask your question or do you need more time? I can wait. I know people your age need more time to think."

(Smack)

"Ow," I grabbed the back of my head, "why did you hit me?"

"I told you if you say something stupid; you're going to get smacked, brat. I'm currently in the prime of my youth. So keep making old age jokes and suffered the consequences."

"What about my freedom of speech?"

"By all means, you're free to speak, just like I'm free to retaliate."

I'm mumbling something under my breath. Rudra called out, "What was that? I can't hear you. Do you have something to say? Speak up"

'Dont make a joke about his hearing, don't do it.' I wrestle control the urge to sass back and replied, "No, Rudra,"

"That's what I thought. Before you say something stupid again, my first question for you is: What the hell were you doing in the middle of the woods, and how the hell did you break your leg? Before you say something smart, yes, I know it's two questions, but they are both related."

"tsk"

"I bet you were waiting to say something, weren't you?" I respond, "What have you never heard of casual conversation or witty replies?"

"No, trust me, I have but those type of people who make jokes all the time are the first ones to die. Answer the damn question before I start being mean."

"Wait, you haven't been mean. Is that what you call being nice, smacking me?"

(Flick)

"Ow my forehead." "Focus, shitty brat, and I'm pretty sure now you seriously injured your head with your leg, if you can't stay focus. I don't if you were always like this but I'm going to give you the benefit of doubt and blame it on a head injury."

"Hey, I might have ADHD, you don't know me."

"What the bloody fuck is A-D-H-D, that's some kind of new sexual disease people getting now, if it is get the fuck out of my house"

I let out a sigh "Never mind it's just a term for people who have problems focusing from where I'm from" he snorts back " why didn't you just say so, can you just get back to answering my question."

"Well, to answer your first question, I was minding my own business when you can say an acquaintance of mine who will be referred to as a douche bag Truck-kun, lame name I know, who used some kind of teleportation magic. Next thing I know, I'm falling thousands of feet above ground, and by some godly miracle, I crashed into trees and only broke one of my legs."

"So you're telling me you got hit by some kind of magic that landed you randomly in the woods, near where I live? Do you expect me to believe that?"

"Hey, it's my turn to ask a question." "I don't give a shit, answer it."

"Look, I was doing my own thing. Boom, I was falling. All I know is that the last thing I saw, was some kind of assholeish hazy figure, taunting me by waving goodbye while I was being sucked into some kind of portal, I guess. I am literally not bullshiting you, no matter how stupid it sounds. I'm willing to bet that douche bag Truck-kun and the asshole hazy guy were in on it. I don't know how else I can prove that I'm telling the truth, but that's the story I'm sticking with."

"That has to be the stupidest thing I ever heard more than that fucking Goblin nonsense. I seen some weird shit in my life but who knows it might be true. I'll let it go because if I try to push it I feel like ill lose brain cells, with whatever else come out of your mouth next. Now than, ask your question."

"Just give me one second, and by that i wasn't being literal; I was being figuratively; it's an expression." "I know what a fucking expression is."

What should I ask first? The most logical thing is to know what time period I am in, but first I need to slowly introduce that. I need to make it seem like I actually know what year it is and not come off like a lunatic. Technically, I could play the memory game since he thinks I already have head problems. But I know what I need to ask first.

"Rudra, are you by chance an adventurer?"

"Yeah, what about it, and how do you figure?"

"Sorry, it's just a guess since the way you move and the way you took down Gobta the goblin" he asks questioningly "Gobta?", which I ignore. "easily. You just had this overall vibe, I guess, and seeing how you live in the middle of the woods with monsters running around, I figured you might be an adventurer who received a blessing from a god or goddess."

"Huh, I thought you were a fool or an imbecile," I cut in "aren't they the same thing" he just continues talking, while clenching his fist, which was my que to shut up. "but it seems like I misjudged you. You actually quite a observant little brat aren't you" I quitely whisper "I'm 18, not a brat" "Still a brat compare to me. However I'll give credit when credit is due. Don't let it go to your head though you're still an idiot in my book."

"Thanks, I guess."

"If you must know, I'm a level three retired adventurer from orario, which makes it possible to defeat these weak variant monsters that live on the surface. To save you the trouble before you ask later, I won't tell you which god or goddess I serve because it's none of your business. Do you understand me?" He says it simply but with an underlined, threatening voice.

"Got it, no asking about your god or goddess."

He starts again "It's my turn now. What were you doing before you were transported to the forest?"

"You could say I was getting important research material"—'manga and novels'—that he helps me better understand the world; they have valuable information and life lessons. Hell, one of them actually has a story about a small guy in the everyday life as an adventurer in Orario. This is how I have a basic understanding of how things work. I was walking like I said until I ran into the douche that I mentioned. Better yet he literally ran into me. Which leads me all the way here talking to you."

He starts to comb his beard, thinking about what I just said. I quickly asked my next question before he try poke holes in my story.

"Look, I have no idea where I am. I was planning to go to Orario before all this bullshit." I gesture to my bandage leg "Since I was teleported and have absolutely no idea where i currently am. Can you tell me where we are now and how far orario is?"

Rudra lets out a sigh. He gets up, heads to the desk, and pulls out an old map. He comes back and sets it on the table that's between us, "assuming I believe your outrageous story involving actually teleportion magic, you say you want to know how to get to Orario and far it is. Well heres a map of the world. Unfortunately, we aren't that close to orario, it's probably a week or 2 journey on foot. That's from a level 3 perspective, it's proper be longer for a falnaless person like yourself. My home currently is located at the edge of Wishe Forest, the home of the elves, and before you ask what a dwarf is doing living near them regardless of our natural hatred for each other. All I can really say is that I like how calm the forest is. So long story short, I made a deal with some elfs that we wouldn't bother each other, and I was allowed to live by the edge of the forest." He points to our current location, and then he appoints Orario on the map.

"Damn, it's farther than I thought. Probably going to have to hitch a ride or something"

In light of that, should I wait till Orario or risk my life to realize one of my desires, meeting an hot elf girl, Who I might add are probably biased/prejudice toward other races, just because I'm close to their home in Wishe Forest? Hmmmm tough choice really. Have to put a pin on that.

He starts speaking again, "Moving on from your petty issues, my next question was going to be regarding your crazy stupidity involving the goblin." "Gobta, his name was Gobta," he's right eyes start twitching, and he pretends I don't exist, continues on "but I fear I would catch your brand of stupidity if I heard your thought process. Instead, I want to know, Why do you desire to go to Orario, anyway? Do you fancy yourself as an adventurer?"

"Honestly, there's no real reason; I always heard stories about gods and goddesses and the falna. I find it super cool how something like that can give an ordinary person skills and magic, and I just thought I wanted to have it as well. And being an adventure wasn't actually on my mind. I don't really know what I want to do with my life yet, but I thought if I go there and find the right god or goddess to give me a falna, it could be a start."

"Look, Orario, it's not a place for people who don't know what they want to do with their lives; hell, some familias won't even accept you just because, and if you don't even have an ambition like most people who just want to be adventurers, no one's going to accept you. I mean, what do you even have to offer?"

"Yes, yes, I get it. That's why I want to find a god who will give me a chance, who knows, I might have the potential to go far. I mean, adventuring is not the be all end all which I have dedicate my life to. I heard there's blacksmithing familias, potion familias and so on. So I might have a talent for something other than being adventurer. If I don't try I will never know. Don't get me wrong slaying monsters sounds cool and I might have talented doing that but I want to see all my options. To do that I need to go orario or at least gain a falna from a god"

"Well, whatever, before you even get to Orario, you still have to make sure you're capable of surviving the journey to get there, and from what I seen, you will die literally half an hour after you leave this home."

"Yeah, about that, I have one question I want to ask, but I'll save it for later. What I really want to ask is, who is the top familia currently in Orario?"

"Hmmmm, last I remember, it's been some time since I was there. I think it's the Loki and Freya Familia."

Okay, so Zeus and Hera have probably been excommutated from Orario; I can work with this.

While I was thinking he asked his next question, "So you still plan to go there?"

"Why ask me again, but yes, I just want to make life for myself, and I'm trying to look for a god or goddess to take me in. I have some who I want ask which narrows it down. I don't feel like sharing if that's okay, but the best source of information I can get is located in Orario."

"Your business is your business, but be careful; there are some shady people that will take advantage of you, be it God or mortal."

"Thank you for the honest advice, but I still want to go. I have a question: do you have any recollection of when the Zeus and Hera families were excommunicated from Orario?"

"What a weird question, but last I recalled, it was about 13 to 14 years ago give or take a month or two, when they failed to subjugate the last of the great three quests, the one-eyed black dragon."

""Thanks," if my math is right and Bell was born after the excommunication of Zeus and Hera Familia, his mother Meteria was already carrying him at the time, according to the details I've gleaned from the manga, novel, and anime. Bell's current age is likely between 12 and 13 years old, depending on how far along his mother was in her pregnancy. In any case, considering that Canon came when he was fourteen, that implies I am between a year and a few months before he arrives in orario. Not a precise date but I can work with this. That also implies that Evilus has been dealt with, or at least the majority of them, meaning I'm not in the dark ages, and that Astraea has already left Orario. It's real pity though, I really wanted to meet Bell's gorgeous aunt, Alfia.

While I was left thinking, majority of it was fantasing about Bell's hot aunt, I heard a cough. I looked up and saw Rudra looking at me and I realized he's been waiting, "Oh, right, sorry, I was just taking in the information."

"No, it's fine, brat. Since I really don't care to learn more about you or your history, I truly don't have any more questions." He claps his hands like he's done with all of this nonsense.

"So, here what's going to happen. I'll let you stay here until your better, hell I'll even set you up for your journey with supplies. All i want is you out of my fucking home as quick as possible. So do you have any more questions or are we done here?"

"I do, just one." I stand up, turn to face him, and make a 90-degree bow. "I know you're already giving me all the help you can, and even going so far to give me supplies, but I beg of you, please, old man Rudra, can you please teach me how to survive or be able to take care of myself on this journey?" What I really need is this. I still have a lot to learn about the world, but before I can go to Orario, I must first learn how to survive.

I held my breath, waiting to hear his reply with my head lowered. It seems like ages before he says anything.

.

.

.

.

.

"No"

A/N

That plan seemed to have failed, or did it?

Will our MC try to push his luck or just leave things as they are? Even having the answers to the most questions answered for him. Now having a basic understanding of his location and time period. He finds that it might take some time to get to his destination.

What will he do now?

Should he travel to Orario or attempt to reach the core of Wishe Forest?

Perhaps look for a god/goddess somewhere else.

We'll find out later, so Stay Tuned.

Bonus

( Should I change the author notes, stop with the recap and the questions, instead leave stuff for people to vote on)