Maeyurai had been walking near the plains for almost half an hour.
His main purpose was to walk around Yugihanata for the whole day, learn about the different shops there were, know about the culture, and see how the people reacted to him.
Since he already saw how the people in Yugihanata looked at him, he figured that there might be people who might react to his presence unpleasantly.
Much like a hardcore racist seeing the type of human they absolutely loathe.
However, Maeyurai didn't let his first impression define his image of the people in Yugihanata.
Maybe to them, it was odd that an archer was visiting Wyumatsui Island due to it being a place full of swordsmen, despite Wyumatsui Island being a fishing capital.
Even if the people do treat him like garbage, it wouldn't change anything. He'd just brush it off like nothing, the same way that he did to Merico's antics during his whole life.
Of course, it would be unbearable if there were dozens of Mericos jumping their insults towards you.
But it's Maeyurai we're talking about, right? He wouldn't let such things bother him. He's the Final Survivor.
Several thoughts came to Maeyurai's mind.
I wonder...
What may be the difference between Tahaktatsu and Yugihanata?
Why are they split apart?
Why is there an unclaimed territory between them?
Why do they act like archers are the strangest objects in the world? Do they not accept other weapon types?
Are there even any people that aren't swordsmen in this place?
Why are the people so peaceful despite the lingering Leviathan just near the island?
What are the other parts of Wyumatsui Island like?
Who really is Kaienley? How strong is he? Who's his master?
Why is it that I've never heard of any strong people in Gangumen? Like... Being above Lord-level or above.
Even Wyumatsui Island has a strong individual that's a High-Lord-Level.
Is Gangumen treated the same way as the Baofuming Region?
No, it can't be. Baofuming is treated as bland, while Gangumen is called the Nation of Freedom.
Wait, actually, Baofuming is called the Ordinal Center. It's possible Gangumen is really perceived as bland, despite being the Nation of Freedom.
So... Gangumen just has weak individuals and a boring layout. It's just a free nation.
It's kind of weird how Wyumatsui Island is called the Central Fishing Capital and not anything swords-related.
Do the people even like to go fishing?
Or is it just a job widely known here aside from being a swordsman?
Hm... Is swordsmanship here being treated as actually using swords in battle?
From what I saw earlier, the people in the parks are dancing with swords. Maybe Kaienley does the same.
Oh, if Kaienley trains as vigorously as he told me earlier, then swordsmanship really is practiced as a way to battle.
But is it practiced by a lot of people...?
Maybe it has a connection to how there are two cities.
It's possible that the two cities have their own purpose. Yugihanata is a city where swordsmanship is practiced by everyone, while Tahaktatsu is a city of fishing because it's closer to the wider part of the sea.
But wouldn't that make Tahaktatsu much more prone to danger?
Point Weyu, as I've read from the map in Ahrgo Fischerre, is a dangerous place full of Hell's Spawns. If the Hell's Spawn near Point Weyu ever surfaces, Tahaktatsu will be in great danger.
Or maybe Kaienley's master is in charge of protecting the area near Tahaktatsu's shore or port.
I'm curious... What will a battle between two High-Lords be like?
If Kaienley's master faced off against the Leviathan... It would be interesting to watch.
I wonder what Kaienley's master looks like. Now that I think about it, Kaienley didn't even mention his master's gender, nor their name!
A few minutes later, Maeyurai finally reached the outskirts of Yugihanata. It took quite a while, but he managed to return to the city.
Maeyurai, once more, met the gazes of the people. Just like it was when he first arrived, they weren't pleasant. Or, it wasn't pleasant to Maeyurai, because he didn't like getting stared at.
Maybe the people were just looking at him because he was an archer amongst the hundreds of swordsmen there are. It's possible their stares were just curious, not judgmental.
However, the idea was immediately shattered when Maeyurai walked into a park.
"Ew, an archer?!" a voice yelled out with an exaggerated gag.
The jeering voice immediately caught Maeyurai's attention. His gaze sharpened like a knife, puzzled by the sudden call-out.
"Huh?" Maeyurai muttered in confusion as he saw the gazes of several teenagers, mocking his appearance.
"Oh, she's looking at us!" said one of them amongst the group of six.
"Uh oh, look at those tiger eyes. Scary!" another one spoke sarcastically, feigning fright as the others excessively gasped.
Laughter from several voices rang in Maeyurai's ears.
Such exaggerated expressions and reactions pissed off Maeyurai like lighting up a fuse. If he didn't hold himself back, he would've exploded with a thousand insults hurling towards the group like a bald eagle passing by with its wings spread out.
Or maybe he would've conjured a large fireball and thrown it their way, but that would be very petty since they're merely mocking him.
"Tsk," Maeyurai clicked his tongue in annoyance as he turned away.
He felt self-conscious.
While walking, Maeyurai felt how visually awkward his movements were due to the fact that there were six people watching his back and mocking him.
The teenagers' laughter echoed behind him, followed by the faint aftersound of each snicker from the teenagers' voices.
Maeyurai cursed them in his mind. If it weren't for the fact that he knows how to stay rational, he would've shot several Firecrackers their way.
I'm not even a woman! What are they talking about?!
Is it because of my long hair? Stupid people.
They are so prejudiced against other weapon types.
I don't want to think that everyone else is like them, but it still feels horrible to be made fun of just because I'm different.
Generalizing people based on what surrounds them is bad, and so is ridiculing others. If I believe that everyone in Wyumatsui Island is like that, then I'm no different from those people that are making fun of me.
I'll choose to stay doing what I think is right, no matter how others influence me or what they think of me.
While Maeyurai was walking around, he reached the central part of the park. There was a large fountain and a statue of someone holding an odachi. His great stature emitted an aura of class and elegance; the odachi in his hand displayed majestic prowess. The statue's left foot was elevated on a boulder; he seemed to be dazed by what he saw in the great distance.
Looking closer at the statue, it was facing north.
Maeyurai's eyes examined the statue in curiosity. Such a large sword with a curved blade was something he'd never seen before. His eyes continued to stare at the statue until they landed on the fountain's plinth, where there was a carved signboard.
"Oahbal of the North," as written on the signboard.
"Of the north..." Maeyurai muttered under his breath. "It seems this person is in a region different from Baofuming. There's no land above Wyumatsui Island, besides the other regions that I saw on the map."
After speaking, Maeyurai continued. "The only possible place I can think of is the region of Sailzlovaria and the other one above it. If I remember... It should be Erj... Erjgesten...?"
He continued to stare at the statue, intrigued by what this Oahbal could've possibly done and what his connection was to Wyumatsui Island's history. More than that, he was wondering about what Yugihanata and Tahaktatsu are truly like.
"You're curious about Oahbal, young lad?" an old voice asked behind Maeyurai.
Maeyurai turned his head to see who spoke behind him. It was an old man with a hunched back due to old age.
"Ah, yes, I'm curious," said Maeyurai as he made eye contact with the old man.
The old man smiled as he looked at the statue of Oahbal. "This statue has been here since 50 years ago. I was 20 years old at the time this statue was carved."
"50 years ago? That's pretty recent," said Maeyurai as he shifted his gaze from the old man to the statue. "So this person is possibly still alive but is living off somewhere due to old age?"
The old man shook his head; a disappointed expression intruded on his face. "Sadly, Oahbal passed away due to a great war 50 years ago."
Wait... 50 years ago? Great War?
If I remember, Huizen once told me that the Golden Age lasted for 950 years.
And then, the Romantic Age started 50 years ago. Could the end of the Great War have started the new age?
It can't be a coincidence.
Maeyurai's face contorted into confusion as he tried to fit the pieces together.
"What happened 50 years ago?" he asked.
"Many things happened," answered the old man. "But the fabled climax of the Golden Age was too great for the ordinary eyes to witness. Only those of immense power like Oahbal participated and saw how the great war unfolded."
Before Maeyurai could ask more, the old man continued. "They say that it was a war of the south and north. And Oahbal was said to be one of the greatest contributors to ending the battle. However, after entering the battlefield, Oahbal never returned."
"He was known for protecting Wyumatsui Island once. Even I was there to witness just how frightening his power was. The way that his golden hair gleamed whenever he swung his odachi, the way that he elegantly ended battles with one strike—Oahbal was a living legend that everyone admired despite his single appearance."
Maeyurai listened intently to the old man's words. Everything about this Oahbal seemed mysterious, and he was left wanting more.
Maeyurai's eyes lingered until it landed on the statue. His eyes narrowed, and a new thought occurred in his mind. He opened his mouth to ask. "Why was there not a single witness of the climax of the Golden Age?"
The old man paused as he glanced at Maeyurai. This was a question he couldn't answer.
"I don't know," said the old man. "There's not a single memory recorded in any books or journals, not anywhere. Even my memory can't serve to lay out information despite being 70 years old."
"Fascinating," said Maeyurai. "It's like history forgot its past, bringing the people with it. No one saw, no one heard, no one remembered; it's all very mysterious."
"You're right," the old man said with a chuckle. "That's how I used to describe it."
"Are there even any traces of the great war?" Maeyurai asked, turning his head to look at Oahbal's statue.
"Not a single one," the old man replied.
The two individuals stared at the statue in silence. A quiet contemplation for their conversation.
After a while, Maeyurai opened his mouth and broke the silence.
"Mister, you've been in Wyumatsui Island since your birth, no?"
"I have," answered the old man. "I've been living here my whole life. But of course, I visit the other nations from time to time."
"I see, good to know," said Maeyurai. "If that's the case, do you mind telling me a little about Wyumatsui Island?"
"Sure, I'll tell you about it," the old man replied as he shifted his attention from the statue to Maeyurai. "What do you want to know?"
Maeyurai nodded and asked his first question. "Have most people never seen other roles aside from swordsmen?"
"Ah, of course you're asking that," said the old man. "The people here have never left the island due to safety concerns, which explains why a lot haven't seen other roles. There's also a belief here that swordsmanship is the most superior of all other arts. Most people here stay even if there are occasional regional celebrations, like the celebration of the new king in South Kijisagi; people still choose to stay in the nation they reside in."
"Wait, what are regional celebrations?"
"They are celebrations where people from all over the entire region of Baofuming gather in one nation to celebrate something grand. In these cases, an ID or permission is not needed to leave a nation, as this is culture here in Baofuming."
Maeyurai nodded in understanding. "Oh, that's cool. I've never known about that since my father's never brought me to one before."
"Well, regional celebrations are often rare, since there's always a 5-year gap between each celebration. Sometimes, even more than that. On certain occasions, a celebration happens the year after."
After speaking, the old man added, "The last regional celebration was 17 years ago. It occurred here in Wyumatsui Island."
"That's quite a long time," Maeyurai said as he continued to ask more questions. "I've seen people dancing with their swords. Why do people do that? Is it culture or just for entertainment?"
"Oh, those," the old man muttered. "It's both, actually. It's culture and a type of entertainment we have only here in Yugihanata. This city focuses on showcasing the elegance of swordsmanship and how it can be used for dance and art."
"Ah, no wonder. If Yugihanata's all about swordsmanship as the art of dancing, I take it that Tahaktatsu treats swordsmanship as the art of combat?"
"You're right!" the old man exclaimed. "In Tahaktatsu, swordsmanship is indeed practiced for self-defense and is treated as art, but more for combat. The reason why is because Tahaktatsu is nearer to Point Weyu, a dangerous area of the sea, so the people are preparing to protect themselves in case a disaster occurs."
Maeyurai's eyes opened with a knowing glint and a soft grin of understanding. "That makes sense, since Tahaktatsu is more prone to danger compared to Yugihanata."
The old man took two steps back, his gaze wandering around the park.
"Yugihanata is much more peaceful than Tahaktatsu," he murmured in an uncertain voice, as if he shouldn't be stating such a comparison. "The people in Tahaktatsu love duels, a contrast to what we love here. Though, duels here are still enjoyed by the people, whether it is combat or dancing."
Maeyurai glanced at the statue one more time before placing his attention on the old man. "Same culture, but greatly different, right?"
"Right," the old man nodded.
Then, the old man's eyes glimmered in realization as he recalled something. "Oh, I forgot. I should return to my wife now; she's probably worrying."
Maeyurai let out a cheerful chuckle before adding, "You definitely should."
"What's your name, young man?" asked the old man before walking away.
"Yhodth Maeyurai."
"I see; it has been great to talk to you. If you ever need anyone to talk to again, just look for me, Asideo."
The old man, Asideo, turned away from Maeyurai and started to walk back home. He bid farewell to Maeyurai, waving his hand rhythmically.
"See you around, young lad!"
Maeyurai leaned forward as he raised his hand to bid farewell.
"Goodbye," he muttered under his breath, grateful to Asideo for talking to him normally, unlike the other people.
While he shifted his legs to leave the park, Maeyurai had a new perspective of Wyumatsui Island.
This place is... Interesting, to say the least.
I may have gotten made fun of for being an archer, but at least there truly are those kind people like Kaienley and Asideo.
Not to mention Sanrovina. I almost forgot about her.
Well, time to learn more about Yugihanata.
Maeyurai then left the park to continue walking around Yugihanata.
*
Several hours have passed. Maeyurai skipped lunch due to the fact that he had no money. While he could visit Kaienley's household to eat, they weren't close enough for him to visit just to eat.
Maeyurai couldn't possibly think of taking advantage of Metilda and Kaienley's hospitality. And so he endured the hunger for a couple of hours until he got used to the stinging sensation in his stomach.
During his walk around Yugihanata, he figured out several things.
Most people weren't exactly kind, but they weren't disrespectful either. While there are people like Asideo and Kaienley, there are also those people like the teenagers he met at the park.
And those in between? The passersby who stared without a comment. Even if they were silent, the gears running their brain to develop several thoughts as they stared caused Maeyurai to feel conscious of his being and the fact that he's an archer in a city full of swordsmen.
The city of Yugihanata was filled with people who loved the art of dancing and swordsmanship, which was why the two concepts were combined into one known culture.
As he wandered around the city, he noticed that there were purely melee weapons sold by the specialized shops. There were also several blacksmiths creating unique swords named "katana" and "odachi."
Around the city, there was almost no one using swords with straight blades, only the so-called katanas. On the other hand, odachis—which are the bigger versions of katanas—were used by those who believed in swordsmanship being the art of combat and protection.
There are also different types of structures that served different purposes. The one that Maeyurai took note of was the "hot spring," which was a popular term he's only heard of in Wyumatsui Island.
Not to mention the different cuisines that the people had. Maeyurai actually wanted to try out the food named "sushi."
But of course, his pockets were as empty as his stomach, so he continued to endure the physical pain of hunger.
Though the financial pain hurt his heart even harsher, prickling every part as it enveloped him in a blanket made of thorns.
Around noon, Maeyurai returned to the park to nap at the benches to pass the time due to hunger.
In the afternoon, he woke up with a grumble from his stomach. He was still hungry. But despite that, he continued walking around since he had nothing better to do.
He continued walking for a few hours nonstop.
It was a stupid decision since his energy was gradually reducing due to hunger and continuous stress applied to his legs from walking.
But it didn't matter to Maeyurai; he told himself, "I've handled worse," and that mere starvation for a few hours couldn't kill him.
Around evening, he returned to the treehouse that Kaienley lent him. The moment he plopped down on the bed, he immediately fell asleep. That's just how tired he was.
He slept soundly.
...
Until he woke up directly at midnight, drowsily staring at the entrance of the treehouse.
His eyes directed at the ominous figure illuminated by the shimmering moonlight.
Anxiety filled his heart.