After Uncle Dallen saw me flinch and widen my eyes in shock, he looked a little panicked for a moment. Perhaps he was afraid he'd frightened me. He quickly stowed away his grimoire and explained,
"Relax, I just wanted to check... if I still need a lot of points to level up."
After hearing that explanation, Ray finally began to calm down. The tension that had hung in his chest slowly eased. Deep down, he couldn't help but feel amazed by the book that could appear and disappear out of nowhere.
In his heart, Ray wanted to ask: What exactly is that book? How can it float as if weightless, untouched by the laws of nature?
But he couldn't just ask freely. He was afraid of making the hunter suspicious of him.
So he just stared silently, swallowing his curiosity. He wasn't just afraid of the book but of everything in this world he didn't yet understand.
Seeing that Ray still looked tense and fearful, Dallen let out a soft sigh. In a calm voice, he spoke again while summoning the book and glancing at it.
"Don't worry, Ray. I won't hurt you. I just wanted to see if I'm close to reaching level seven."
He pointed at the floating book his grimoire.
Once the tension between them began to fade, Uncle Dallen closed his grimoire, which gently floated back down into his hand. He looked at Ray with softer eyes and asked,
"By the way, how old are you now?"
Ray paused for a moment, then slowly shook his head.
"I... don't remember exactly. But... I think I'm about to turn twelve."
Dallen nodded slowly. "Twelve, huh..." he murmured.
Hearing the hunter mutter while staring directly into his eyes made Ray uneasy again.
Noticing the boy's reaction, Dallen calmly explained with a reassuring smile,
"Don't worry, Ray," he said gently. "I just thought you looked more like a ten-year-old. I didn't expect you to be turning twelve soon. Kids your age once they turn twelve will receive their own grimoire."
Ray looked at him, confused but somewhat relieved.
A brief silence fell between them. Only the soft crackling of the campfire echoed around them.
Ray couldn't remember everything clearly. There were still too many things he had to process about this world. The memories some of which didn't even feel like his were scattered, blurry, and overlapped with unfamiliar emotions he had yet to understand. But one thing was certain he was about to turn twelve.
Uncle Dallen gazed at Ray with a gentle expression, then spoke softly, as if careful not to startle him further.
In the stillness of the night, Dallen said,
"No one really knows what a grimoire is. Some say it's the Book of Fate. Others say it's a gift from the world itself. But one thing's certain when someone turns twelve, their grimoire will awaken from within. It's not something that can be bought or crafted. It's a part of one's soul."
Ray stared at him puzzled, but paying close attention.
And that night, for the first time since arriving in this strange world, Ray finally began to learn a little about it.
Dallen spoke as he sat near the dimming fire. His voice was calm, like a bedtime story.
"We're currently in the western region of the Drexia Kingdom," he said, gazing up at the night sky.
From the hunter's tales, Ray began to realize that this world felt like medieval Europe he mentioned kingdoms, barons, and such things.
And because of the exhaustion building up in his body, Ray didn't even notice when he finally drifted into a deep sleep.
The next morning, as Ray woke from his deep sleep, he saw Uncle Dallen cooking something over the campfire a kind of warm soup. Some of the plants he added looked familiar, as if they existed on Earth, while others were completely foreign.
Noticing Ray was awake, Dallen turned and said,
"Get up and have some breakfast. After this, we need to head back to the village. I have to sell my game before noon."
After eating and doing a quick clean-up, Ray followed Dallen on the journey back to his village. Dallen explained that he would ask the village chief for help in finding out where Ray came from and who his family was.
On the way, Ray began paying attention to his surroundings. The day before, his mind had been too foggy to notice anything. But now, under the morning sun, he took in the dense trees, the calls of strange birds, and the rich, earthy scent that filled the air.
Slowly, he realized this forest wasn't so different from the ones he'd seen on Earth at least in the documentaries and videos on his phone. Towering trees, tangled undergrowth, and shafts of sunlight piercing through the canopy. And yet, here and there, some plants and flowers looked alien perhaps native only to this world.
As they walked, Dallen tried to start another conversation. His voice was calm, careful not to intimidate.
"So? Have you remembered anything? Maybe the name of your village? Or your parents' faces?"
Ray shook his head slightly, eyes lowered, his steps faltering a bit.
"I… still don't remember. Just fragments, but nothing clear," he said softly.
Dallen didn't press him. He simply nodded and gave Ray's shoulder a gentle pat.
After a few hours of walking, the trees grew sparse, and sunlight began pouring more easily through the branches. The forest slowly gave way to open fields and a dirt path that looked well-traveled.
In the distance, Ray could make out the faint outline of buildings.
He squinted to be sure of what he was seeing. And indeed a village appeared. Wooden houses with thatched roofs stood enclosed by simple wooden fences. A faint stream of smoke curled into the sky. The scene radiated peace.
Ray stared at it, a mix of awe and strangeness swelling inside him.
It looked exactly like something out of the medieval period a village he'd only ever seen in movies or illustrations.
"Welcome to Puta Village," Dallen said with a faint smile.
As they entered the village, the atmosphere grew more lively. Children ran through the dusty paths, and when they saw Dallen arriving, they rushed toward him with cheerful faces.
"Uncle Dallen! Uncle Dallen!" one of them called, waving his little hand.
Several others followed, but their eyes soon landed on Ray, walking beside Dallen. Curiosity sparkled in their gaze as they stared at the unfamiliar boy.
"Who's that, Uncle?" asked a girl with braided hair.
Ray felt a bit nervous under their gazes and looked down, unsure of what to say.
Dallen chuckled and ruffled one of the boys' hair.
"A new friend. He'll be staying in the village for a while," he said calmly.
After a brief round of questions, the children eventually scattered, laughing and running off to continue playing. The atmosphere relaxed again.
Dallen let out a long breath and turned to Ray.
"Come on. I need to drop off my hunt first, then we'll visit the village chief."
They walked along the simple village road, passing wooden houses. Some villagers greeted Dallen warmly and curiously asked about the boy following behind him. Not long after, they arrived at a slightly larger wooden building than the others. Standing in front was a burly man with a short beard, wearing a thick leather apron.
"Poton!" Dallen called out, raising a hand.
The man, Poton, turned and smiled broadly when he saw Dallen.
"Ah, you're finally back, Dallen! What did you catch today?"
"Not bad. I caught a bear," Dallen replied, unrolling a bundle of leaves containing cuts of meat. "A forest bear. Still fresh."
Poton nodded in satisfaction, taking the meat and weighing it with his hands.
After a short chat about the hunt and payment, Poton turned his gaze to Ray, his expression showing curiosity.
"Hey, who's the kid you brought along, Dallen?" he asked.
Dallen turned and nodded slightly.
"His name is Ray. I found him alone in the middle of Tortora Forest. Seems like he's lost his memory."
Poton nodded with a concerned look.
"So, you'll take care of him until his memory comes back?"
Dallen replied, "I'll ask the village chief if anyone from a nearby village might be missing a boy named Ray."
After that conversation, Dallen led Ray to the village chief's house. It wasn't far from the center of the village, built from sturdy old wood. There, Dallen hoped to get some information about Ray or news from other villages that might have lost a child.
When they arrived, Dallen knocked on the door. Soon, an old man with gray hair came out and asked what brought them there.
"Oh, Dallen. You're back from hunting already? How did it go?" the old man asked.
"Yeah, I returned this morning. I finally got the bear I've been tracking for weeks," Dallen replied proudly.
Ray stood quietly, a bit nervous as he watched them speak. After a moment, the village chief looked at him and said,
"Hello, Ray. Welcome to Puta Village," he said in a raspy yet kind voice. "I'm the village chief here. You can call me Old Man, or just Chief like most people do."
Ray raised his head slightly and gave a small nod.
"Hello, Chief," he replied softly, almost whispering.
The Old Man chuckled gently, not at all offended by Ray's shy response. He then asked in a calm tone,
"Dallen said you were lost in the forest. May I ask… do you remember your family name or which village you're from? It would help us search for them."
Ray lowered his head, pretending to think hard. In truth, he didn't know what to say. He truly wasn't from this world. His mind was still processing everything. He couldn't even remember the name of his supposed parents or where he was supposed to have lived. Saying anything might raise suspicion, especially since he still knew so little about this world.
"I… I don't remember," Ray answered quietly. "Everything feels blurry."
The Old Man nodded slowly, as if he had expected that.
"I see... That's alright, child. You must've gone through something difficult. What matters now is that you're safe. We'll do what we can to help find your family."
He added,
"For now, you can stay with Dallen. He lives alone anyway."
Standing beside them, Dallen added,
"Ray, you can stay with me for now, until the chief finds your family or your memory returns."
"Alright… thank you. I'm sorry for the trouble," Ray replied.
The Old Man smiled warmly.
"Good. For now, let him stay at your house. I'll also send word to the neighboring villages, asking if anyone is missing a boy named Ray."
Ray nodded slowly, feeling a little relieved. Though still nervous, at least no one seemed suspicious of him yet. But he knew that eventually, he would need to find firmer footing in this world especially if he was to uncover who attacked the family of the Ray whose body he now inhabited.
After leaving the chief's house, Ray followed Dallen along the now quiet dirt path through the village. The sun was higher in the sky, warming the rooftops and small fields nearby.
Dallen led him to a modest house on the edge of the village.
"This is my home," Dallen said as he opened the slightly creaking wooden door.
"Not fancy, but warm enough for two people."