Chapter 77

I blankly look at the potential rapscallion who forced me into this savage world. Though I don't actually know if it was him who did such a thing—maybe it was those gods these idiots have been preaching about, or maybe it's some other high-level being. Maybe I am currently playing into their plans, and every move I make is being calculated by them. Hmm, how would one get out of such a situation?

Though, I suppose it is not currently time for introspection. The black-robed bastard, whose name seems to be Henbrick, looks at me, and I look back. Now that I have a good view of him, he seems to be the spitting image of a wizard—old, long beard, the works.

Henbrick switches his gaze back to the two other men in the room and orders them to leave. They quickly obey his orders and leave, leaving only us two.

Henbrick looks back at me and, with an unhurried voice, starts talking. "I see you're still breathing; that's quite an oddity." Yes, even his voice sounds like one.

"Sounds like what?" he asks.

When I hear that question, I am stunned for a moment. Wow, he's not even hiding the fact that he can read my mind. So why did the previous wizard not just read my mind also? Was he just sadistic? That doesn't sound very professional. You hear that, generic wizard? You should fire him. Serves him right for sullying my beautiful mind with such horrible pain.

"That's because only I can speak your native tongue."

I give up trying to think any thought and just ask the question, "That doesn't make sense. Then how can anyone understand me, or vice versa?"

"It's a gift to you by the gods. It alters what you say and hear while not changing your mind in any way. Truly a great blessing."

Really now, though how come I just noticed? Is it tha—

"It is preferred for otherworlders not to know about the language matter, so if any hero gets captured, their mind would stay protected from being read, like in your situation before. So the gods decided in their great glory that it would be best for all of you to stay ignorant, magically so. I personally decided to learn the Mandarin language because most of the otherworlders speak it, and I am currently learning English."

Wow, good for you, show-off. I suppose this is nice to know, yet I don't understand why he is telling me this. It seems quite idiotic to ramble on about all this to a person who is probably going to die.

I look up at Henbrick, and he seems quite conflicted.

Finally, he blurts out, "It is because I pity you a little, forcing you out of your previous world to fight a foe you do not know about."

Oh, please, I can practically feel the bullshittery coming out of every word of his.

Henbrick looks at me and squints. "Fine, it's because I know you are going to die. There is no point caring about your future threat, so I decided to use you to practice my English. None of the current heroes speak it."

where does this confidence even come from? I broke into the academy with not much effort, and if their magic academy is so undefended by magic—the very thing it's supposed to be good at—I can't imagine what the prison will be like.

"You are wrong. The magic academy of Eloureth is not strong in defense because there isn't much reason to break in. There are far better places to learn magic. The soul-bound necklaces are enough to counter any commoner with big thoughts, including you too."

Stuff it, Dumbledore. I got caught because I underestimated the stupidity of you nobles.

Apparently, generic wizard number 451 didn't like my insults because he unleashed a pain spell once more upon my mind.

I cringed and writhed like last time. Although, this time my body decided to throw me a surprise as I felt a twisting sensation in my stomach, and bile started to rise up.

I realize if I vomit now, my escape plan will be compromised before it even has a chance to be implemented.

I try to hold it in, but unfortunately, that's not how vomit works. It moves up my digestive tract and into my throat. I can physically feel the damned ring scratching my throat. Before the vomit can escape my throat, I swallow it back down, leaving a horrible taste in my mouth.

After an annoying amount of time, the horrendous pain fades away, and I look back up at the wizard with what must be bloodshot eyes.

The wizard states, "I grow tired of you insulting me."

I continue glaring at the wizard for his misdeeds against my comfort.

He pulls out an orb, probably from a spatial ring. It's the same orb from the first time I came here.

He puts it onto my head and waits a little. The orb starts glowing, and writing appears on top.

Henbrick reads it and states, "Stability, huh? Quite the unremarkable skill, though a lucky find for you, I suppose. If you didn't have it, you'd probably be dead by disease."

I look at the wizard with a slightly less maddened and more confused look.

Henbrick sighs and starts to explain, "You other-worlders seem to be vulnerable to diseases after coming here. That's why we slowly introduce the heroes to different types of diseases before letting them out into the world. But it seems your ability gives you resistance. I issued a bounty on your head, but after no one found you, I assumed your death through disease and didn't pursue further."

I suppose that makes sense, in fact I should have thought of that earlier, this other world must have different diseases, though I wonder what happens to the diseases from our world that are on our bodies at the time of our kidnapping, though knowing this place, I don't doubt that the gods could just remove them from us before bringing us here.

Hmm, this stability power must have been the one that disrupted the mind control too. Quite the neat ability. Yet, I doubt anything given by the gods. If I were in their place, I would have definitely added a kill switch too.