Chapter 2: Are...you kidding me?
Pain.
It was the first thing Kazuya Shirou felt, searing through his skull like a white-hot knife. His body was heavy, his limbs unresponsive, and the scent of damp earth and fresh grass filled his nostrils. A cool breeze brushed against his skin, and the distant murmur of voices reached his ears.
He forced his eyes open.
Above him stretched an endless sky, bright and blue, dotted with drifting clouds. Sunlight streamed through the swaying branches of towering trees, their leaves rustling in the wind. He was lying on the side of a dirt road, his body aching as though he had been trampled by a bicycle.
"Ouch..." he muttered, pushing himself up.
His clothes were different—simple, rough fabric, with a copper looking coin in his pockets, nothing like the hoodie and sweatpants he was used to. His fingers curled into the dirt beneath him. This wasn't home. This wasn't even close.
Maybe he was drugged and sent to some deserted place, Kazuya thought, refusing to believe any of that cult business.
A sudden shout caught his attention.
"Oi! You there!!"
Kazuya turned toward the voice. A man in steel armor, bearing a sword at his waist, strode toward him. Behind him, a wooden cart creaked under the weight of sacks and barrels, led by a pair of weary horses.
Is this guy into cosplaying or something? If he is, he must be wealthy; that armor looks pretty pricey, but he does look retarded wearing it.
"You look lost," the man said, easily towering over me. "What are you doing in a place like this?" he asked calmly, with a hint of suspicion.
"I...don't know..." Kazuya admitted. "Wh...Where am I?" Kazuya asked with a disorientated look.
The man frowned. "You're on the outskirts of Eldora. Are you by any chance a peasant?"
A peasant? You have to be kidding me, peasant? Peasant?! Kazuya slowly got agitated but didn't let it show.
For a brief moment, the man wore a surprised look before returning to his usual demeanor. "The Holy City of Eldora, under the rule of King Aldric Van Eldora, is blessed to have such a magnificent King!"
--
The "Knight" kept rambling about how wonderful this "King" was, providing no useful information and then hurriedly leaving me behind. Regardless, based on what I've gathered, I must face the truth... I must have been summoned to another world by those crazy cultists. Just like in light novels, they referred to me as their "Hero," so I should possess some kind of special ability or something.
I should have asked the knight for directions, but there's no use dwelling on it now. For the moment, I'll just follow the road ahead.
--
After what felt like hours, I finally stumbled upon a quaint little town. The buildings had a distinctly medieval charm. As I wandered through the streets, I noticed a bustling crowd, and to my surprise, I could comprehend their conversation, even though I struggled to read their language, which was frustrating.
Suddenly, I felt a slight tap in my pockets, and quickly turned around and saw a shadow rushing out of the crowds. Was someone messing with me? What the hell is going on?
Kazuya instantly realized what happened...
He was missing his copper coin that he didn't care for, but he still felt angry because he got pickpocketed.
...Damn that person!!!