The next morning, I woke up due to sounds coming from outside my room. When I stepped out of the room, I saw Ella and Burla preparing food in the kitchen section of the living room.
Ella was the first to notice me and greeted me with a smile.
Ella: Good morning, Erlik.
Then Burla also greeted me with a smile.
Burla: Good morning, my child.
Erlik: Good morning.
Ella started speaking excitedly.
Ella: The food will be ready soon. Once it's on the table, we can eat and chat.
Burla interrupted and continued the conversation.
Burla: Since you lost your memory, you can ask anything you're curious about, just like yesterday. We'll answer as best as we can.
Erlik smiled.
Erlik: I would be very happy.rum.
Erlik's eyes were drawn to the ingredients Ella was using while cooking.
Apart from the tomatoes, he had no idea what the other ingredients were. They were things he had never seen before.
Erlik: (I wonder if they also call tomatoes "tomatoes" in this world? This is a good opportunity to gather some information.)
Without looking at the tomatoes, Erlik directly looked at Ella's face and started speaking.
Erlik: These tomatoes look very fresh and ripe. They seem to be well-grown.
Ella: Oh yes. Our village's tomatoes are very delicious. You'll understand once you eat them.
Erlik: (They're beautiful tomatoes, but still just tomatoes. The likelihood of the other things being the same is very high. Or maybe what helps me understand them and communicate with them is that they're calling even the name of tomatoes by their own name. Anyway, it doesn't matter. It's the same in the end. I can be comfortable talking about it.)
Erlik sat at the dinner table and waited for the food. Once Ella finished preparing, she brought it to the table. Burla then sat down at the table. After serving the food into wooden plates, Ella placed the food in front of them. The dish was a soupy one.
Erlik looked at the food.
Erlik: (There's a pepper-like vegetable in the red-colored liquid from the tomato, but I've never seen this one before. What could this be?)
Erlik tasted the food.
Erlik: (Quite good. Of course, since I've eaten food prepared by the best chefs in my world, it's a bit mediocre compared to that, but for a medieval-like world, it's tastier than I expected.)
Erlik: Thank you, it's very delicious.
Ella smiled.
Ella: I'm glad you liked it.
Burla: If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Erlik: (So, there are no etiquette rules about not talking while eating here. Maybe there are in the noble class. Anyway, it doesn't matter. What's important now is what I need to ask.)
Erlik: Could you tell me more about this village?
Burla: As I mentioned yesterday, this is Derhim village, which is part of Darkız city. Darkız city, in turn, is part of the Vorgod Kingdom.
Erlik: (As expected, a monarchy.)
Burla: But before explaining about the kingdom, I need to give you some information about the location of this village. Derhim Village is located in the northernmost part of Kormot Island, which is the largest island in the world and situated in the southeast of the Classical world map. Due to the Hapis Mountains, we can't exit the northern part of the island by land. So, for normal people, the only way to leave this island is by ship.
Erlik: (So, we are in an isolated and peaceful area. Whoever brought me here seems to want me to get used to it first. Maybe I should gather what I can from here before heading out into the world?)
Erlik interrupted.
Erlik: If access to this area is so restricted, why was a settlement established here?
Burla: Because this region is one of the most fertile areas in the world.
Erlik: I see. I assume Darkız City is a port city. You sell your products to the city or pay them as tax. The city, with its port, then exports these products to the world.
Burla was surprised and paused for a moment.
Burla: Y...yes. Everyone is required to give 25 silver or products worth 25 silver to the city lord every month.
Erlik: I see. So how do these products manage to travel so far without spoiling?
Burla: It doesn't take too long to bring the products to the city. And when they are loaded onto ships in the city, they are placed in special crates that are cooled using magic.
Erlik: (So magic isn't only for war. If they use magic for things like this, the technology here might be lower than I thought.)
Erlik cut to the chase.
Erlik: So what exactly are "Do" and "Magic"?
Burla scratched the back of his head sheepishly and chuckled.
Burla: Honestly, I don't know much about them either. Those who undergo training in these areas are nobles, people whom nobles see potential in, or those who can enter an academy. Of course, there are people in the village who use Do or magic, but they do so improvisationally and instinctively, so they aren't very strong. For example, my friend in the village can control fire as an element, but all he can do is start a small fire to heat up food. Or my daughter Ella, she can sense her Do, but all she can do is strengthen her body to carry more wood.
Erlik: (It looks like I can't learn much about Do in detail for now.) So how did your friend and daughter acquire their Do or magic?
Burla's face immediately fell.
Burla: Another way to acquire Do power is to go through a life-threatening experience. My daughter awakened her Do power when she fell from a very high rock, and her body used it to protect her.
Burla suddenly yelled at Erlik in concern.
Burla: But never think about risking your life on purpose! This is a very rare occurrence. If she hadn't awakened her Do... my daughter...
Ella immediately held her father's hand.
Ella: It's over now, father. Look, I'm alive, and...
Ella grabbed his arm.
Ella: Now I'm strong. I can carry wood just like a strong man.
Erlik laughed.
Erlik: Don't worry, I don't have such a plan.
Erlik, Burla, and Ella continued eating and chatting. Erlik had learned a bit about the workings of this world. This was a village involved in agriculture. It was one of three villages in Darkız City, located beyond the Hapis Mountains.
After finishing their food, Burla began washing the dishes while Ella took Erlik with her to show him around the village. When they went outside, they noticed that some people were looking at them strangely.
Erlik: Why are they looking at us like that?
Ella's face showed fear. But this fear seemed more like a traumatic kind than a normal one. She hesitated to speak but eventually decided to say it.
Ella: When we found you, some people didn't want to let you into the village. The village has had problems with some gangs recently. They thought you might be one of them.
Erlik didn't say anything. In fact, he inwardly agreed with the villagers. A man appearing with a beam of light, injured and unconscious, in a village that had gang problems.
Erlik: (The amnesia play might cause me trouble here. They might think I'm a spy sent by a gang.)
Of course, not everyone treated Erlik and Ella that way. Some elderly people and Ella's friends were very friendly when he met them.
As Erlik and Ella walked a bit more around the village, they heard a woman's voice.
Woman's voice: Hey Ella!
Ella smiled and looked toward the source of the voice.
Ella: Berilla!!
Ella ran over to Berilla and hugged her. Then she turned to me and began speaking to introduce her friend.
Ella: Erlik, this is Berilla. My closest friend.
Then she turned to Berilla.
Ella: Berilla, this is Erlik.
Berilla gave Erlik a mischievous smile and walked toward him.
Berilla: When Ella told me you were handsome, I looked at you while pretending to help her.
Ella's face turned red, and she shouted at Berilla in embarrassment.
Ella: Berilla!!!
Berilla ignored her.
Berilla: You were handsome even when you were unconscious. And now... you're even more handsome.
Erlik laughed.
Erlik: (If my mind were as young as my body, I would have already gone to make a move on this girl, but... I'm not sure if it's because of my mind, but I don't feel any sexual attraction. I find her more cute.)
Erlik: Thank you for the compliment.
Berilla didn't seem to expect this response and froze for a moment. After a while, she burst into laughter.
Berilla: HAHAHAHAHA "Thank you for the compliment"? Who says that to a girl who's flirting with them?
Erlik and Ella waited in confusion until Berilla's laughter subsided.
Berilla: Did I surprise you? I just wanted to see if you're a pervert.
Erlik: (Didn't seem that way to me, but okay?)
Erlik: No problem.
Erlik chatted with Berilla and Ella for a while. Berilla was the mayor's daughter. The reason she was here was that her father, the mayor, had called for Erlik. They all went together to the mayor's office.
When they entered the largest building in the village, the Village Council building, they saw a man in his 40s or 50s standing in the center of a church-style hall. Berilla smiled and ran to the man.
Berilla: Daddy... I brought him.
Erlik: (This man must be the Village Mayor.)
The mayor patted Berilla's head affectionately and then turned to Ella, nodding and smiling before finally looking at Erlik. He extended his hand in a more serious manner.
Mayor: Hello, young man. My name is Sermon. I'm the mayor of this village.
Erlik, still not used to the fact that he was in a young body, hesitated for a second when someone called him "young man," but shook the mayor's hand.
Erlik: Hello, Mr. Sermon. My name is Erlik. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Mayor: After you woke up and went back to sleep yesterday, Burla came and told me a bit about you. He mentioned that you don't remember anything except your name. Apparently, you even have a last name: Erlik Kılıç.
Ella didn't react to this, but Berilla was surprised. The mayor then looked at Erlik with a slightly suspicious expression.
Mayor: I took a look as well. In every village's council, there is a copy of the Vorgod Kingdom General Encyclopedia. I couldn't find anything about the Kılıç family among the nobility.
Erlik stayed calm. With the experience of having a much older mind and, of course, his job, he had faced many situations where he needed to conceal something or lie.
Erlik: (He's pretending to be clueless in places where he should be suspicious, so he can gauge my reactions and figure out whether I'm lying based on my movements.)
Erlik maintained his composure.
Erlik: Maybe so. I still don't remember anything. I'm sorry I can't be of help. Thank you for looking into it for me.
Erlik: (I understand his suspicion. Especially if there are gang problems, I can't blame him for being wary. In fact, he's probably less suspicious than he should be. I think it's because of my last name. After all, a spy wouldn't be so easily caught.)
The mayor, Sermon, looked Erlik over one last time before letting out a sigh and not pressing further.
Mayor: It's not a big deal. I'll help you as much as I can.
Berilla couldn't contain herself any longer and interrupted.
Berilla: Are you really a noble?
Erlik smiled and responded.
Erlik: Since I don't remember anything, I have no idea.
Erlik, Ella, and Berilla continued chatting when the mayor, Sermon, continued to observe Erlik.
Mayor: (Honestly, I still have many questions, but for now, he doesn't seem like a bad person. He didn't react to the trap I set, so the amnesia story could be true. From his posture and voice, it seems like he's been through the same kind of training as the nobles I've met. But the fact that he hasn't awakened his Do power makes me suspicious.)
Sermon sighed once again.
Mayor: (At least for now, I'll deal with this amnesiac kid. Though, judging by his body, he doesn't look like he needs much protection, but oh well.)
Sermon's thoughts were interrupted by an uncomfortably loud voice.
Man's voice: IS THAT GUY HERE?
Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice, and four armed men entered the Village Council building, approaching them.
The leader of the group appeared to be a 25-year-old man, and he was at the front. Right next to him was a girl with black hair and brown eyes. Behind them were two men with millitary haircuts.
All four were armed and wore light brown leather armor, but it was clear that they looked more like villagers than soldiers.
Sermon looked at the group leader.
Sermon: Volgar!!