Chapter 1 - The Runaway From Land of Wisdom

When I opened my eyes for the first time, the first thing they had seen were those beams of light peeking through the foliage above me, all results of the Tyndall effect.

It had taken me some time to recover, but from what remained intact of the original's memory, I could remember my name and my basic whereabouts. Having the memory and some knowledge about a world that I was remotely familiar with didn't strike any strings in my mind at that time, simply because I was already under too much pressure, mainly from a dream-like, traumatizing death experience.

I slowly blinked multiple times to adjust my eyes to the light coming from above. It took me a while, but I was able to look at the forest ceiling above me without much discomfort or squinting.

Slowly I got up to sit on my ass, while I looked around the forest I was in. I would later get to know that, that "forest" wasn't much of a forest. It was, at most, a small troupe of trees, barely making it a "woods".

I looked at my surroundings and couldn't help but notice a lot of big and thick trees, and soft, lush grass. It was unexpected for me who came from a world where we destroyed our mother nature's beauty, to see a sight this beautiful.

Lulled into acceptance and submission to my fatigue by that sight, I could only lay back down again. As relief washed over me, I found myself slowly but surely succumbing to the embrace of sleep.

It will be when I'll wake up again after this peaceful sleep, to the orange-lit sky of the approaching sunset, that I'll truly realize my situation.

When I woke up for the second time, the foliage above me didn't have the same light peeking through it, and the surroundings had gotten darker. I slowly got up to sit and look around again, this time taking my situation not just into my eyes, but my brain as well.

Seeing a place so foreign to me. I was reminded of the fact that I had experienced death, and a few hours ago, I got the memories of a person foreign to me; and as well, a world foreign to me.

Yet, that feeling of strangeness with this world also had a tinge of acceptance and adoration. Whether it was from a past memory of mine, or of "his", I didn't know. But what I had to do was accept the fact that, I died, and I'll have to live again as this man called Fujimura Kazemaru.

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From what I could get from this man's murky memories, his life had been nothing short of a short adventure. He was born in Inazuma, the nation of Eternity, and lived what one could call a happy life in his home with his parents, where his father worked as a Hanashika, and was quite a popular storyteller in the neighborhood. He was also imparted the art of Rakugo by his father, for the sole purpose that he could someday continue their clan's tradition. But there was more to him than just that.

He seemed to be different from children his age. He was more curious and more inquisitive, and while others' curiosity dampened, his only increased as he grew older.

There was a time when he had gone to the Grand Narukami shrine at the age of 12. There he pulled a fortune which told him that he'll have great pursuits, but his life will be short. At that time, he didn't really understand the implications of it, but he was thrilled by the part about him having great pursuits.

It will be the appearance of a Driyosh, a traveling Akadamiya scholar from Sumeru, which will inspire him to set his path for the future, for his great pursuits. At the age of 14, he decided, that he will leave his country to go and study in Sumeru.

Yet, for almost another year, he did not know how he would breach this topic to his parents. It was when his 15th birthday was around when he heard some behind-the-wall talks of his parents and relatives planning to find a girl to get him engaged with, that he finally decided that it was time to leave.

The next day, he would pack a small bag, taking a set of clothes and what little savings he had been making in the last year for his travel. He would then leave his home in the dark of the early morning, leaving his parents nothing but a letter, which told them to stay good and healthy, and his apology for not having enough courage to be able to tell them.

It was then, that he set sail for Sumeru, and arrived at Port Ormos in a ship that was taking back the Akadamiya researchers that had come to conduct studies in Inazuma. Seeing the beauty of Sumeru, the land exceptionally blessed by mother nature, he was perplexed. With those same researchers' group, he would set the trail for Sumeru city, also volunteering to carry their luggage on the way for the food and some Mora they provided.

On the way, he talked with them about themselves and himself. When he talked about himself, he left a good impression on one of the older researchers from the Amurta Darshan in the clique with his knowledge and curiosity at that age. And he seemed even more impressed when he heard why he came here from Inazuma all on his own. He was amazed to the point that the man went as far as to help him prepare for the Akadamiya admission, even offering him to be his student. He gave him some of his old books and helped him register with the Akasha Terminal to finally be a part of the Sumeru City as well.

He then joined the Akadamiya as a student and became a disciple of the old man, who turned out to be a Dastur from the Amurta Darshan. His master's interest in plants' biology and their effect on humans aligned with his own, so he spent two years studying plants all around Sumeru, from Caravan Ribat to the Gandharva Ville.

But at some point, he was getting tired of it. Not the research per se, but the extreme rules and regulations that made him feel constricted. This time, he was courageous enough to tell his worries to his master, and that man happily told him to take his time and decide what he wanted to do now.

He took several weeks to think about what he wanted to do, but couldn't come to a decision. It was then, that he heard of the exemplary alumni who graduated under advanced study in just two years, and then in a surprising move, went to become a humble librarian in Monstadt that he finally had a "Eureka!" moment. He decided then, that the thing he would value first above all would be freedom, and everything else would come after that.

He told his master of his desire to leave, and the old man smiled in satisfaction, later telling him that he was glad for him to have found a path for himself, unlike many others, who would follow their masters. He told him to go out, explore the world and learn from mother nature, that he will have the blessings of Lesser Lord Kusanali in his endeavors.

He set the trail for Monstadt two days later, after bidding farewell to his master and the friends he'd made in the Grand Bazaar where he had started performing as a Hanashika. This time, other than clothes and savings, he also had his research to take with him, so he left with a slightly larger pack this time.

He took a week to reach Liyue through the Chasm. He believed himself to be fortunate to not have encountered much danger on his way. He spent some time in Liyue and grew to like that place a bit. But it was when he entered the windy slopes of Monstadt from Liyue's rocky hills that he truly felt free. At one point, he almost felt like a gust of wind had come to greet and welcome him to the land of freedom.

When he reached the gates of the city, he could only marvel at their architecture. The huge windmills inside the city held the power to magically pull anyone's eyes to them, and make them keep staring at their majestic brilliance. He seemed to have stood open-mouthed so long, that one of the guards on the gate had to shake him awake while the other tried to stifle his laughter. In response, he could only blush and rub the back of his head in embarrassment.

His entry to the city was pretty smooth sailing since all he had to do was just show his Akadamiya documents and he was allowed in, though becoming a citizen of Monstadt would take time. The more specific terms were at least an year of residence in the nation with a background check and approval of the Knights of Favonius. Yet, not being a citizen didn't have any limitations, for it was the city of freedom.

His life in Monstadt would become less dramatic compared to Sumeru though. Enjoying the peaceful stay in the city, he would slowly get accustomed to their customs, their traditions. He would also continue his research in the way he desired, while also continuing performing as a Hanashika.

His most favored place to perform was the foot of the Anemo Archon statue in front of the Cathedral. As he continued living in Monstadt, he also started sending letters to his parents in Inazuma. In the first response they sent him, they seemed to have been really happy to hear that he was fine after not hearing news of their child for more than 2 years, which just made him reflect on how he turned his back on them and put all his mind into his research in Sumeru. They seemed to have forgiven him and said that they understood that he didn't want to get tied to one place. He could only beat his past self for being stupid and not courageous enough to talk to them about it.

It was in midst of this, when his letters seemed to have stopped being received, and he was not getting any response, that he got to know of the fact that the Shogun has ordered the Kanjou and Tenryou commission to execute the Sakoku and the Vision Hunt decree respectively. It pained his heart, to know that the ruler of his nation has restricted the freedom of her own people, and not just that, but to even start taking away what she herself blessed them with.

Yet, he could do nothing more and accepted to live with this fact. It only further dampened what little desire he had of going back home. So he carried on with his life here, in Monstadt. It has been more than 10 months since then, and he was about to reach the age of 18.

It was one of those regular trips to look at vegetation around the city, that he went to the Whispering Woods that day. For some reason, the sun seemed to have been too strong that day. Feeling dehydrated, he took some water to drink from the cider lake and laid down to rest under the dense foliage of trees. He didn't know when he fell asleep, but that seemed to have been the last memory that I could get from him.

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Maybe that was when he passed away, only for me to arrive here. Going through his life from his memories, I couldn't help but be thrilled by the life this man had, while also simultaneously admiring him for the courage he had to travel the world alone.

It was also now, that I went through his memories in detail, that I understood why this world felt familiar. This world had a name, Teyvat, and for that name, I didn't have to look through Kazumaru's memories. Yes, that was his name - Fujimura Kazemaru. And that will also be my name from now on.

Honestly, I was having a hard time digesting the fact that I had been isekai'd, and that too, to the world of a game. And yet, for some reason, I find myself weirdly accepting this as a fact.

Slowly, I got up to my feet, deciding to not spend any more time outside the city, since it was about to get dark now, and my contemplation had taken me longer than I thought. Maybe because this man's life was a tale worth telling. And I would love to tell his tale if I ever got an opportunity, because we seemed to have one thing very much in common, and that is our love for storytelling.

After getting up, I looked around to see if there is something I was missing. And lo and behold, there was indeed something that was laying beside me all this time. Yet, for some reason, I couldn't find any instance of this thing in Kazumaru's memories. It was when I went nearer and looked closely at what seemed to be a claymore that I realized what it truly was, and why it was not present in Kazemaru's memory. Because it's very likely that it had come to this world along with me.

Looking at its intricate hand guard, and claw-like grooves made on its scabbard, I felt something click in my mind. I could imagine a red-haired man standing alone in a field while the wind blew his hair to the side. The man stood alone in that vast field of nothingness, in his white, Knight uniform. But what was most striking was the sword adorning his waist.

That scene pulled me out of my stupor and looking at the sword in front of me, I realized just what it was.

"Dragon Sword Reid."

Later, I would realize that these were my first words since I came to this world, but at that moment, I was only sitting mindlessly on my knees while staring intensely at the strongest Holy Sword in a world only wielded by the strongest, the Sword Saint. Honestly, this situation made me feel like I was in a third rate self insert, crossover fanfiction.

I finally got up and picked up the sheathed sword from the ground. When I tried to pull it out, I was half expecting it to resist, after all that was what Reid was known for. It will not allow itself to be drawn until it faces a foe it considers worth its attention. But the sword came out smoothly from the scabbard. I was pulled in by the beauty of that claymore, which was simplistic, with little decoration, yet looked so elegant and majestic.

This was the sword that had slain over a thousand dragons when wielded by the first Sword Saint Reid, thus named the Dragon Sword Reid. It was a sword of utter brilliance, which also had a semblance of sentience to itself. It would never allow itself to be used against the weak, against something it didn't consider worth its strength. It was for that purpose, that the strongest Sword Saint Reinhard had to use regular swords most of the time. Yet, a sword was a sword. Any finely forged sword is worth the respect it deserves.

Finally taking in the impossibility of my situation, I sheathed the sword and started walking my way back to the city while trying to keep my mind off of the things that have happened, lest I overload my brain with too much tension.