Kaelan felt a cold sweat break across his back. The razor-sharp blade was a mere centimeter from his neck; its keen edge could slit his throat with ease.
He had only just escaped a monster, and now he was caught in another peril!
"I—I don't know what you mean!" Kaelan answered honestly.
Rebecca only stared coldly as she attempted to press her sword closer. "There is no use in lying."
This woman was serious and did not hesitate to kill. From her piercing gaze, Kaelan was certain that this girl named Rebecca was not joking.
In fact, the man called Reynold simply watched all this in silence without offering any response.
Yet Kaelan himself had answered truthfully. To all of Rebecca's questions, the answer was: he knew nothing.
He didn't know the reason he was in this forest outside the walls. No, what even was a wall? He had never even seen one!
The first thing he did upon emerging from the grave was see a tombstone before being chased by a Big Eater monster!
He had never encountered anything called a wall by Rebecca.
"I—I swear!" Kaelan raised both hands in a vow. "I don't know anything. I don't know the wall you're referring to or why I'm here. I don't even know who I am!"
Kaelan did not lie at all while explaining. Naturally, he only hid the fact that "Kaelan Veradis" had just crawled out of a grave.
Seeing how extreme Rebecca was made him worry that if he told her that, he would be cut down instantly for lying.
"You have quite the nerve," Rebecca began the motion to swing her sword. "But it is safer to kill you now."
Rebecca intended to behead him, but her actions were immediately halted.
"You don't need to overdo it!" Reynold patted her shoulder.
He approached Kaelan while remaining vigilant. Reynold showed a friendly smile toward him.
"Have you lost your memory?"
Kaelan nodded in agreement. Reynold accepted the answer without suspicion.
"Then do you remember things like your name or anything else?" Reynold asked again.
Kaelan was unable to recall anything that happened before he climbed out of the grave. However, he could sense that everything was strange. The sky shouldn't be red, and a monster like a Big Eater shouldn't exist.
No—.
Kaelan quickly realized something quite odd.
—Why can I read if I don't even have any memories?
He could read the text engraved on the tombstone without effort. Did that mean he hadn't truly lost his memory?
Were the abilities to read and speak engraved in the soul rather than the memory? That was possible. Yet Kaelan still felt there were many anomalies.
"Do you hear me?" Reynold asked again, waving his hand in front of Kaelan to get his attention.
Kaelan startled slightly, "Y-yes. I'm Kaelan... Veradis. That's all I remembered when I woke up."
Reynold patted his shoulder and smiled, "I see. Then it could be said you have no place to live, right?" He quickly supported Kaelan and helped him stand.
Kaelan nodded. Let alone a place to live, he didn't even know where he came from. His memory was non-existent; he was the same as someone just learning to remember.
"In that case, you can come with us. No, you have no choice but to come with us," Reynold laughed as he helped Kaelan walk. "Otherwise, you'll have to accept having your head removed."
Reynold glanced at Rebecca, who was ready to draw her sword at any time. He then looked at Kaelan again and smiled.
"My advice is, you had better be obedient."
He was casual while talking about such a horrific thing. To Kaelan, this man brought more terror than the girl did.
"Is that alright? Killing him would remove a latent danger," Rebecca asked, still holding her sheathed sword.
"Whether he's a danger or not, the Captain will decide," Reynold answered nonchalantly. "We're going to the tents to determine his fate."
Kaelan had no choice but to comply. His life was certainly more valuable than anything. Furthermore, he hoped he might remember something.
After wrapping his wound with cloth, they left the forest. There was a vast open field with blood-red grass and flowers with pointed petals.
There were also strange black specimens, round and the size of a coin, with only bat-like wings and a sharp, needle-like mouth.
They were called Blind Mosquitoes because they had no eyes. These small creatures would crash into their prey by instinct and suck the target's blood until dry.
They possessed no intellect and would die on their own if they didn't crash into a prey. Blind Mosquitoes also did not reproduce; they were born from their own corpses. If a Blind Mosquito died, another would be born from its remains.
Reynold had given a warning that such small creatures could be very dangerous in large numbers and swarms.
Before long, Kaelan could see a tent standing in the middle of the field. A dark green tent and several others.
There were several people there—people cleaning mud from their boots, sharpening swords, even processing meat that writhed strangely.
They looked like they wanted to greet Reynold and Rebecca. But as soon as they saw Kaelan, they stopped. Everyone's gaze fixed sharply on him.
Kaelan swallowed hard and felt nervous. Not just because of the cruel stares, but because he was nervously awaiting his fate.
"Um, where are you taking me?" Kaelan asked awkwardly.
"You're going to meet the Captain, Lunaria Veil. I'm sorry, but that's all you need to know. You will be treated like a prisoner and, sorry again, your wound won't be treated until the Captain decides."
Reynold didn't speak further. Due to the suspicion toward Kaelan, it was natural for him to withhold as much information as possible.
Kaelan didn't blame him. Since he was suspected, it was only natural the treatment he received would be a bit harsh.
"Captain, I'm coming in," Reynold entered without waiting for a reply.
Inside was a table with a map that likely depicted the forest and this area. The map appeared to be marked with several signs Kaelan didn't understand.
And in front of the table was a beautiful woman with red hair reaching her waist. Her face was elegant with long eyelashes and a slender build. Her clothing was just as revealing as Rebecca's earlier, as it made it easier to move.
"You're back early," the woman smiled kindly before her gaze saw Kaelan. "What did you find?"
Reynold helped Kaelan sit while Rebecca introduced him.
"I found him being chased by a Big Eater. He claims to be Kaelan Veradis. And, I think... he's an Outcast."
The woman called Captain furrowed her brow and stared intently at Kaelan. Her gaze was enough to make Kaelan flinch.
"We found him while hunting. He was wandering the forest while being chased by a Big Eater." Rebecca began to tell the chronology of their meeting.
Reynold and Rebecca had been patrolling and hunting. They heard a sound from a distance and approached it. At first, they thought it was a large animal.
But the sound came from the Big Eater chasing Kaelan. Initially, they intended to observe him until Kaelan was cornered.
"At first, I thought to let him become a meal," Rebecca said. "But it's possible he's an Outcast."
Reynold nodded, "It's not easy to meet an Outcast. If he is one, then it's a good chance for us to learn about them."
Lunaria nodded. She stared at Kaelan again with anticipation.
"You—what is your name? Where do you come from?" Lunaria asked as she leaned on the table with both hands.
Kaelan swallowed his saliva, "Kaelan Veradis. I don't know where I come from. I don't remember anything."
"He only remembers his name, Captain," Reynold interjected. "That's why he seems suspicious to me."
"Ho?" Lunaria smiled and approached Kaelan. She grabbed his chin and brought their eye contact very close.
"Are you telling the truth?" she asked in a voice almost a whisper but cold.
Kaelan stared at her without hesitation, "I don't remember anything. Only my name—which means a great deal."
Lunaria continued to stare at him for less than a minute. Finally, she ended it.
"Ahaha, sorry about that," she said sincerely. "He isn't lying about his memory."
"However, we need to implement surveillance and further investigation."
Reynold smiled and welcomed Lunaria's response, but it was different for Rebecca.
"But, Captain, he could be lying, right?!" Rebecca looked at Kaelan with pure hatred. "Maybe he's a spy!"
Lunaria stared at Rebecca firmly. That made Rebecca flinch.
"Do you doubt my judgment?"
"N-no, Captain." Rebecca looked confused. "I just—"
Lunaria cut her off with a sigh.
"I understand your feelings, Rebecca. As I said, he isn't lying. But I will still conduct an investigation and keep an eye on him."
"...Alright."
Rebecca appeared very obedient. Lunaria possessed a charisma suited for leading. Kaelan only watched this without a word.
He could feel the immense hatred Rebecca held. But that hatred was not directed at him—but at the Outcasts that were always mentioned.
"Good, you may go back. Reynold, you can tend to his wound. Please take the necessary medicine."
Reynold nodded with satisfaction, "Very well. Come, Rebecca."
The two left the tent, leaving Kaelan alone with Lunaria.
Lunaria smiled gently and began to untie the bindings on Kaelan's hands.
"Sorry about earlier. I hope you understand that we live in a world where a small carelessness can cause catastrophe."
Kaelan rubbed his wrists. Carelessness would lead to disaster. Kaelan felt that this world was a very harsh environment to live in. Yet instead of being afraid, he had already expected it.
"My name is Lunaria Veil. People usually call me Captain or Luna. Call me as you wish."
Kaelan nodded, "...I'm Kaelan Veradis. As you know, I don't remember anything."
"Now let's sit and hear your story." Lunaria smiled and prepared a chair as well as water.
Kaelan did not refuse her hospitality. He elegantly reached for the cup of warm drink offered to him. It was a dark black color and had a unique bitter taste.
"This is coffee," Lunaria explained. "Rest assured, neither the water nor the powder contains much corruption. So there's no problem consuming it."
"Corruption?" Kaelan asked. He clearly didn't know about it.
Lunaria looked at him strangely, "You don't know about corruption?"
Kaelan nodded. He hid nothing about his ignorance.
"Huh, before that, tell me as far as you can remember."
Kaelan revealed everything to Lunaria. Naturally, he covered up the fact that he had dug himself out of a grave.
To make a long story short: Kaelan suddenly woke up in the middle of a forest without any memory. The only thing he remembered was his own name.
In a state of confusion, he wandered looking for a city. But unfortunately, he met a Big Eater on his journey. He fled from the Big Eater until he finally met Reynold and Rebecca.
"Truly strange. In all my time on duty, you're the first to suffer from memory loss."
At first glance, it was clearly very suspicious. Kaelan did not complain about being suspected. In fact, it was a reasonable action.
"Do you not even remember or have an understanding of the environment?" Lunaria asked. "You understand language, etiquette, and more. Logically, you should also have knowledge related to the environment you live in."
Kaelan also agreed. Even though his name came from the tombstone near where he rose, there was a sense of familiarity with that name.
However, the environment and nature felt completely foreign to him.
"I only feel a certain familiarity. But that's all."
Lunaria was concerned. Kaelan looked like a pitiable man. In a cruel world, he must feel isolated.
"Now it's your turn to ask. I will answer as best as I can."
Kaelan had so many questions in his head. From the Outcasts, corruption, and the monsters he had met. He even wanted to know who he was.
But his instincts felt strong and seemed to command him. For now, the most important thing for him was survival. To stay alive, Kaelan needed knowledge of his surroundings.
"I want to know this world better. Why the sky is red, the trees look damaged, and the environment feels so gripping."