The LionHeart Kingdom.
One of the three most powerful kingdoms in the Dragon Empire.
Rumors had been circulating that the old king was preparing to step down from the throne, causing a ripple of uncertainty and speculation throughout the kingdom and even the empire as a whole.
Why was the king retiring?
It was the question on everyone’s mind—nobles and commoners alike.
Yet, no clear answer could be found.
One thing was certain.
A period of unrest had begun to take hold of the kingdom.
Amidst this uncertainty, another major announcement shook the realm.
The king’s brother, the Duke of Evermoon, had declared an upcoming competition—open to the men of the kingdom and beyond.
However, the entry requirements were said to be extremely strict, making it clear that only the most exceptional individuals could participate.
But when one considered the grand prize, it became clear why the competition demanded only the best.
Treasures so valuable they could leave even the empire’s most powerful figures in awe were rumored to be among the rewards.
Yet, the true prize lay elsewhere.
The winner would not only gain riches but also marry the duke’s precious daughter, securing a noble title of at least Viscount within the LionHeart Kingdom.
For a time, all eyes turned toward LionHeart, as the kingdom became the center of attention across the empire.
Blackstone Town
Though night had fallen, in some places, the day had only just begun.
Inside a bustling bar inn in Blackstone Town, a female server flashed a playful smile at the young man before her.
“Handsome, care for a drink?”
“I’m broke. I don’t have any money.”
“Then why are you here?”
“For the atmosphere.”
A brief conversation was exchanged between the two.
The youth was none other than Michael.
After leaping over the rooftops and avoiding the guards stationed along the town walls, he had been anxious at first.
But two things quickly reassured him.
First, his attire didn’t seem out of place.
Second, there was no language barrier—not because the locals spoke English, but thanks to another perk of being an Awakener.
The ability to understand and speak all languages.
Much like the sensation of using a skill, the knowledge of the local tongue came instinctively when conversing with natives.
However, there were limitations.
One still had to practice the accent and learn the language properly to read and write it.
Awakener perks didn’t cover literacy.
So, in a way… most Awakeners were illiterate at first.
It wasn’t all sunshine in the Land of Origin.
After wandering through the streets and exchanging a few words with a few locals to confirm that he could, in fact, communicate here, Michael took a deep breath and stepped into a nearby establishment.
A bar inn.
His goal?
To gather information.
To be honest, Michael’s decision was influenced by the entertainment he had consumed on Earth.
Whenever a character arrived at a new location in a medieval-themed world, they would often head straight to a bar or inn to gather information.
The female server’s expression twitched.
It wasn’t that she was shocked by Michael’s words—just a little taken aback by his blunt honesty.
Plenty of people in the bar weren’t actually there to buy drinks.
Some came just to chat, gossip, or freeload from others.
In a way, they weren’t too different from Michael.
The difference?
Most wouldn’t outright admit they were broke.
Instead, they would say they simply weren’t in the mood for a drink yet.
Even Michael was surprised by his own words.
Though he appeared calm on the surface, deep down, he was anxious.
The quick-paced conversation with the server had been a result of him simply blurting out whatever was on his mind.
But since he had already spoken, he could only pretend everything was normal.
Fortunately, the server didn’t make things more awkward.
After giving him an odd look, she moved on to another table.
Michael sighed in relief and shifted his focus back to observing his surroundings.
Near the counter, a man was performing—a singer, or maybe a bard.
Michael wasn’t sure what to call him.
The man strummed a guitar-like instrument, his voice carrying over the lively chatter of the bar.
Michael had to admit, the song—though a little strange—sounded surprisingly good.
But this wasn’t what Michael had come for.
His goal was information.
A bar was the perfect place for people to let loose and spill all sorts of things.
If he was lucky, he’d be able to figure out exactly where in the Land of Origin he had arrived or what was at least going on in his current location. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire
Every new Awakener had to go through this challenge.
Michael had read about it on the forums.
Even those who appeared near civilized areas struggled during their first entry into this world.
And sometimes, things could be even worse.
Rarely, but not impossibly, an Awakener’s first arrival could end in death—all because they had landed in the wrong place at the wrong time.
All of this meant one thing.
Integrating into the Land of Origin depended almost entirely on an Awakener’s abilities.
And right now, Michael was undergoing his own trial.
“In a way, this feels like real transmigration. Appearing in an unknown location, trying to figure out what’s going on, what to do next, and how not to expose yourself.”
Michael couldn’t help but think that his situation mirrored some of the entertainment he consumed back on Earth.
As several thoughts flashed through his mind, he pieced together what he could from the people around him.
“My wife cheated on me today, brothers!”
“Ahh, what did you do?!”
“I told her I wanted in too!”
“Huh?”
“I now understand the type of man you are.”
“No, you all don’t understand. She cheated on me with another woman. Apparently, I haven’t been giving her attention because of you brothers, so she cheated. But now I want to give her all my love so we can both cheat together with the same woman! She’s hot!”
“Yay!”
Yes.
Most of the conversations around him were like this.
The atmosphere was unfamiliar and a bit uncomfortable for Michael.
Not only was this awkward for Michael from Aurora, but also for the Michael from Earth—they weren’t extroverts who went out all the time, especially to places with this kind of vibe.
This was his first time.
But after going through a lot these past few days, way more than this, Michael found that a little discomfort wasn’t so bad.
He quickly adapted.
Fortunately, not all the conversations around him were useless.
Some were quite interesting and informative.
“Do you guys know the latest news?”
Michael’s senses sharpened as he caught onto a conversation at a nearby table.
“Tell us, what is it?”
“They say a group of knights from the kingdom arrived yesterday and entered the Everlong Forest.”
“Ah? Why?”
“I’m not sure, but I heard a terrible monster has appeared in the forest.”
“Wait… doesn’t that mean we’re not safe? The Everlong Forest is practically just outside the town walls!”
“No, no, no need to panic. Don’t you trust the kingdom’s knights? They’re incredibly powerful!”
“You’re right, you’re right. I just can’t help but worry a little. Hopefully, the goddess continues to bless us.”
Michael took mental notes while his ears caught another conversation.
“They say the application for the duke’s competition is closing soon. Ahh, how I wish I could have joined!”
“You pervert! I’m pretty sure you’re old enough to be the princess father!”
“Ay! I’m old, but I’m not that old!”
“Whatever.”
“Aye!”
“Even if you weren’t too old, what would you even do in the competition? If someone throws a fireball at you, are you going to lick it?”
Laughter followed that statement. Then another voice spoke.
“I’ve decided to travel to the big city, brother.”
“Ah? Why?”
“I don’t want to die a farmer! I want to be an adventurer! I want to join the Adventurer’s Guild, hunt monsters, and create a story that bards will sing for centuries!”
The last speaker sounded young, drunk, and full of dreams.
Kingdom knights. The duke’s competition. The Adventurer’s Guild.
Michael absorbed every piece of information.
However, out of everything he had heard, what concerned him the most was the first conversation.
“They’re not talking about that monster from the ruins… right?”
He wasn’t sure, but something told him it was probably the case.
There were many possibilities.
For one, the monster could have left its original location.
Another possibility was that the battle in the ruins—his fight alongside Lucky, combined with the prince’s desperate last struggle—might have drawn attention.
The mana usage had been immense, after all.
But as much as the thought worried Michael, there was nothing he could do about it.
Against that monster, he was still too weak.
Even if he had a strong undead by his side, Michael knew that he needed to grow stronger personally too.
After all, he had nearly died to a monster that had barely been conscious.