Online In Another World

"Well, I can safely say I've melded you into a proper man now," Veldalla said with a smile, resting her sword on her shoulder.

"I'm still twelve years old, but thanks…" He said, catching his breath.

"It's up to you now to improve from here. I've helped you build your fundamentals, but you've got a long road ahead of you," Veldalla gently knocked her fist against his chest, "You've got a good head on your shoulders–use it, kid."

He nodded, wiping the sweat from his chin.

With the end of his mentorship under Veldalla, the red-haired woman finally took her leave from the Dragonheart household, though it was a begrudged leave.

They made sure to share a big dinner together, with Irene as well, to thank Veldalla for her help and to send her off with happy memories.

She wasn't wrong; he had made a lot of improvement over the past few months, but he still didn't have much understanding of a style as of yet, only how to wield a blade properly and a body capable of swinging one.

–

"Whacha doing?"

Popping her head into the library with a bubbly smile, Irene posed her question, holding her hands behind her back. She was wearing a light-green jacket with a beige skirt with her curly, dark-blue locks bouncing with the slightest movements she made.

–A total shift.

It took a couple months, but eventually Irene completely opened up. She's a kind girl…An angel, actually. Just thinking about how they treated her back then…It makes my blood boil. But, it's okay now, he thought.

He smiled, closing the book he had on his lap as he sat against the wall, "Just studying."

Currently, he was studying books that pertained to the history and culture of Arcadius; it was a vast, diverse world, with almost too much to learn.

There are seven countries on the "Continent of Man":

The one we live in–Milligarde; a luscious land of green mountains and springs. It's vast in scope and ruled by a powerful hero-king who suppressed a war against the dark races known as "The Black Tide."

Vasmoria; it's our neighboring kingdom and considered the "sister land" to Milligarde. It's said there that the magic is the richest on the Continent of Man, with impossible architecture and grand cities of magic. Apparently, it's the only kingdom on the Continent of Man ruled by a matriarchy.

Transluvia; the militaristic empire that is at odds with Milligarde, currently. It's ruled by a tyrannical lineage, built upon slavery, and even welcoming dark races such as orcs into their army. From what I've read, their lands are flat, resulting in most of its cities being built into the ground, or even beneath it.

Yulagsdra; it's said that it's contested by the other kingdoms if it should even be considered a so due to the primitive nature of the land, which inhabits the world's largest jungle known as "The Great Green", housing trees that reach the clouds, fruits that either will grant power or death, and magical beasts rivaling natural disasters. Even if Yulagsdra is contentious on its state as a kingdom, nobody denies the greatness of the Yulagsdra warriors, notably the ruling clan: the "Lycan Half-Bloods."

Jubra; the kingdom bordering the sea, yet filled with sands that stretch endlessly in all directions. It's said to be the kingdom closest to the gods, housing spiteful deities and vengeful spirits which have cultivated its warriors into fearsome fighters.

Bellmisa; the holy kingdom–

Before he could finish his thoughts, daydreaming the wondrous lands of only a small portion of this world, he was snapped back into reality as he noticed Irene standing over his shoulder.

As he opened the book again, she watched him.

Irene sat beside him, looking at the pages as she squinted for a minute but gave up, letting out a dramatic sigh.

"...I can't read it…" Irene pouted.

He laughed a bit, "You know, I can teach you, if you want."

"Really?" Irene said as her eyes lit up.

"Yeah, of course," he nodded.

From then on, starting on that same day, he began tutoring the blue-haired girl, helping her to learn to read and write the "Horizon-King Language": the language shared by the alliance of three kingdoms known as the "Azure Table": Milligarde, Bellmisa, and Vasmoria.

Since the language is used by three of the most powerful kingdoms in the world, it's sort of like the common tongue of Arcadius. That explains why Irene can speak it, but doesn't know it herself, he thought.

On that thought, he remembered what she told him of the homeland she came from when he originally asked:

What she told him was "It's a pretty land. Orange fields and golden trees…Half the year it's perfectly warm, and the other half it rains constantly."

He didn't know which country she was talking about at first, but after reading more, he found her words to be perfectly describing a land known as Hollowvale.

[A Month Prior]

When he opened a large, heavy book that was laden with dust, titled "The Continent of Man", he found the passage of Hollowvale, entranced by the description of the enigmatic land:

Marlu, Vasmorian Explorer, Hollowvale IIV:

"'I remember the first day my eyes laid on the island hidden behind such mist. It felt as though the land was too pure to be touched; something so beautiful that the hands of corrupt men such as myself shouldn't be allowed to graze it.

The sea swirled around our ship, lightning struck our sail, monsters of the depths slammed into its side…but, somehow, by some miracle…I washed on those shores. The grains of sand were silken smooth and pale white like snow.

It never stopped raining; the clouds cried upon the trees which bore golden leaves, flourishing the vibrant fields of orange grass. I felt as if I was in some sort of wonderland.

I soon learned it wasn't simply an island, but a grand land expanding far, housing a civilization of its own with humans just like myself.

At first, I believed such isolated people would be primitive, but I was wrong…They were far more advanced than us; steel moved on its own, smoke billowed above their buildings of such stalwart architecture, and those buildings themselves reached towards the heavens.

I couldn't find the words in my throat to voice it; I was simply in awe. They had wagons that moved without horses or beasts to drag them; self-sustaining water systems that didn't require wells. It was I that felt like a primitive creature in those wonderful lands.'"

A passage like that felt as if he was hearing of an entirely new world within the one he inhabited.

Unfortunately, that was about all of the knowledge there was on Hollowvale. Though it didn't sound like they were adverse to outsiders, it did seem like most that came in were unable to leave.