Right now I am in the forest because of Guiver's request. It is still daytime, the chirping of birds echoes above the leaves, the rustling of leaves can be heard due to the blowing wind, the scent of soil, grass, and moss wafts from every direction.
This atmosphere gradually soothes the mind. But to be honest, I don't know how to survive in this world.
Even though I can see his memories when he was still alive, I still don't understand many things. So yeah... The memories that flow into my head are useless. "What are we doing here?" I asked in confusion.
"Ah! Try going over there!" He shouted, he can only see what I see. So if my eyes are closed, he also can't see.
I followed his words, "Take that! It looks edible." He said that, "Isn't that color very suspicious?" He told me to pick something medium-sized and red, and then eat it?
"Relax! If you die, I die too." His words really irritated me. But he was right though. If it was something dangerous, he would suffer the consequences too.
I tiptoed hesitantly to pick something hanging above me. "Can this really be eaten?" I asked nervously.
He only smiled. "You don't trust me?!" It's not that I don't trust him, but still, who would eat something bright red like this?
I fell silent, staring at the thing I was holding. He let out a long sigh. "Haaa…"
"Why are you sighing like that?! It's scary, damn it!" I grumbled. Was he deliberately giving a sign that my time would be up soon?
But he just laughed. "Hahaha! Just relax. I think it's safe." His friendly words were not convincing at all. "Alright."
I tried taking one bite reluctantly, "Hum..." And when I ate it, the taste was a little strange. I tried chewing. "Hum hum." I closed my eyes and slowly turned my face away, then reopened my eyes.
"Boom!" His sudden shout made me jump. Damn it, he really enjoyed seeing me panic. "Hahaha!" He laughed in satisfaction at my reaction. "So? It's good, right?" He added.
I nodded slightly. "Very sweet." I said, then he asked again. "Don't you know what that fruit is? Why were you hesitant earlier?" Even though he asked that… Ah… Now I remembered when he said it, "Is this... an apple?" I asked quietly.
He replied to my words. "Exactly. Turns out the fruit here is the same as the ones in my world." I see. "Sorry, I can't clearly remember your memories." I said softly, he must be disappointed. Well, that's understandable.
But instead, he laughed inside my head. "Hahaha! Don't think too much about it!" He said with a small laugh. "It's only natural for you to be like that since you didn't get proper education, so your memory ability declined." He added. I lowered my head slowly when he said that.
I looked forward again and ate the fruit in my hand eagerly. "Hey, kid." He was curious about one thing. "What?" I asked back.
"That fruit is delicious, right? But why do you poor people not know about it?" That was true. Even when my parents were alive, I had never eaten this before. "Even though it's so easy to find." Guiver added.
I couldn't answer his question, but I forced myself to give a stiff reply. "Maybe... because of the bright red color? Who would eat something suspicious like this."
He let out a long sigh. "Haaa..." After finishing his sigh, he said, "But in my world, bright colors like this are what make things appealing." He added.
Then he began giving me orders. "Take just enough for a stock. And... don't eat it in public." He said firmly, I wondered why he told me that.
"Why?" I asked, and he gave a reasonable answer. "So it doesn't spoil. Besides, if you eat it in public, you'll lose your food rations later."
I nodded slightly, "Alright." And began taking a few apples, around three. He also told me to wrap them using wide leaves, he said those were banana leaves.
I folded them neatly so they wouldn't tear and fall. "You're done." He said softly. "Next, you have to train." He added, "Train?" I asked curiously, I had no idea what he was thinking.
He suddenly shouted enthusiastically inside my head. "Of course, magic training!" Making my head ache immediately. "Huh?! Magic training?" I asked in disbelief. "I already told you I don't have abilities like that!"
It's true that I don't have any abilities at all. Magic? What kind of nonsense is that?
But he just laughed, "Hahaha! Why are you so pessimistic? What's wrong with trying?!"
It's not that I'm pessimistic, but still, it's impossible for someone like me to use magic. "Only the Imperial Knights can use magic." I replied.
He fell silent for a moment, maybe trying to think. "The Empire?" He asked. "Didn't you see that in my memory?!" I replied.
He stayed silent. Why was he suddenly quiet? I wanted to ask him that, but I didn't want to bother him. "I didn't see anything about an 'Empire' in your memories." He said softly. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"That's what I mean. I only know that this is a world of swords and magic. And I know what an empire is, but I can't be certain unless it's explained." He replied.
What does that even mean? If he can see my memories, shouldn't he be able to see the 'Empire'? I just stared in confusion.
He began asking, "Can you explain?"
"Alright." I started explaining reluctantly. "This world is divided into two regions," I said softly, beginning to draw on the sand with a branch. "One, the 'rich region' and the other, the 'poor region'." I said as I drew on the ground.
I also started explaining to him that this world has been ruled by a single absolute 'Empire' for 1,000 years. Under the leadership of the 'Emperor', the world is divided into two parts, and between those two parts, there is an iron wall stretching very far.
If he came from Earth, then it would be easier to say that the wall encircled the entire surface of the Earth and split it into two.
"And lastly, the Empire has a knight force called the 'Quiet Guardian'." I ended my explanation with that, and I could feel him nod slightly.
"Hm, I see." He muttered, "So this 'Quiet Guardian' are the Emperor's fanatics, huh?" He really was quick to grasp things, scientists are on another level.
"Correct." Guiver was right. The 'Quiet Guardian' is a group of knights with ten commander leaders and hundreds of thousands of subordinate soldiers. They are a force ready to die for the Emperor and silence anyone who dares defy the Emperor's orders.
Not only are there many of them, but those hundreds of thousands of soldiers can all use magic. So the title of 'Absolute Empire' is not just empty talk.
"But something feels off." He asked again, explaining things to a genius was really difficult. Every time he asked, he demanded more detail. "What is the reason the world is divided into two?" He added.
Before I could answer, he added another question. "And... wasn't your family middle-class? Why couldn't you enter the rich region then." He continued. This time he didn't add more questions.
I nodded slightly, beginning to explain one by one. "The reason this world is divided into two is because the 'rich people' don't want to mix with the 'poor people'." I answered, he nodded.
I continued. "And even though my family used to be 'middle-class'. It still wasn't considered 'rich' and still lived in the poor region." I finished my explanation.
He nodded, but slowly he began smiling and then laughing. "Hahaha! Interesting! I now have another goal in this world!" He shouted loudly in my head.
Every time he shouted, my head hurt, but it was still manageable because I was starting to get used to it.
"A goal?" I asked. He stopped laughing and began speaking confidently and with determination. "How about we create a 'new Empire' to make them pay karma for dividing this world into two."