From Gamer to Mage: The Reincarnated Hero's Tale

Chapter 6

Philip folded his arms, a tacit expression of his judgement. The predicament might escalate if his deity held prejudice against heretics. Yet, it was too late to retract my proclamation.

"An unfamiliar name, indeed...but it stands to reason that your deity champions the righteous cause, considering it has a follower who would harness his powers to vanquish the fiends," Philip conceded, gracing me with a smile.

"Master Emberus might indeed be remarkable, but he also possesses a great kindness...um, a truly profound kindness!" Lana chimed in, leaping to my aid once more.

The irony was not lost on me; here I was, heavily reliant on the endorsement of a girl I had only acquainted the previous day. Nevertheless, she had an uncanny knack for interjecting at just the opportune moment.

"Surely, it would be unjust to withhold our trust from a hero who has just liberated an entire village," remarked Petr, his face adorned with a peculiar expression—a blend of a smirk and a smile.

Despite his benevolent intent, I wished he would refrain from labeling me as a "hero." I was not prepared to don that mantle yet.

"Possibly, this 'Lord God' of yours destined you to venture here. I’ll be relying on you," said Petr, a comforting pat landing on my shoulder. Between the two of us, however, I was more inclined to place my faith in him, rather than in myself.

Resuming our journey post the respite, we treaded along the winding path, emerging onto the primary thoroughfare, with our compass pointing towards Maridal Village in the east. Petr and Vaness maintained their vigilance against potential fiend attacks, but thankfully, our journey remained undisturbed.

The primary artery of the land extended from east to west across a vast expanse of open terrain, graced by stone pavement. Its well-kept structure hinted at the advanced level of civilization in Dravus. We planned to spend the night encamped along this route, ensuring our arrival in Maridal by dawn.

As I cast a glance over my shoulder towards the south, tracing the path we'd trodden, my gaze wandered up towards the forest-clad mountain. I then turned to Petr.

"As I've mentioned earlier, my knowledge about this place is practically nonexistent. Could you provide some insights about Dravus? I assure you, a simplified version would suffice."

Before we reached the bustling village, where encounters with inhabitants were inevitable, I yearned for a foundational understanding of Dravus. Not to mention, considering the time I would be spending here, gaining a basic grasp of my surroundings was a necessity. My interest gravitated particularly towards information related to fiends and magic, but starting with the rudimentary aspects was logical.

"That's a rather broad query. What exactly do you wish to know, Lord Xandros?"

So the title of "Lord" has found its place, I mused. However, I appreciated Petr's straightforwardness, a refreshing contrast from David and Greg's veiled apprehension.

"Well, I suppose...it would be valuable to gain insight into the nations of Dravus and their historical context."

"History, indeed?" Petr responded, a grin lighting up his face. "That's a subject vast enough to demand more than a couple of days. However, once we establish our camp, I could delve into some of the most significant epochs in depth..."

"Truly, a concise summary would be more beneficial at this point. Let's adhere to the basics."

"Well...I suppose that's an acceptable approach too."

Despite his palpable enthusiasm, Petr's explanations remained remarkably digestible. His scholarly inclination was quite evident, I pondered.

Firstly, I was introduced to the title of our present locale: Lumeos. It was strategically nestled at the core of the Dravus continent, encircling Lake Lumeos, the region's centrepiece. A coalition of city-states, known as the Lumeos Concord, was established around this expansive body of water. Their confederate nature conferred a substantial degree of political clout.