Another Path Taken [Rebirth, Regression, Isekai, System]

First Mission

Erika seemed to notice, and her glare grew sharper. Before she could speak, Alwyn asked, "What about you? Erika and I each had our own reasons, but I still don't understand why you chose to become a Starvanguard. According to you, you're not even from this world. You don't know its history, and you have no real connection or stake in it."

"I mean... you're not wrong. But fighting the Starfiend still feels like the right thing to do," Han said. "That said, I wouldn't mind if you two told me more about this world. All I really know is that Starfiends are everywhere, and they often show up in the Wastes."

"Good grief... you didn't even bother to ask our stupid Master for details?" Erika sighed.

"Well, I suppose it's best to start with the basics," Alwyn said, frowning. They couldn't let Han wander around without a proper understanding of where he was. While Auren didn't care much that Han came from another world, Alwyn knew plenty of people who wouldn't hesitate to capture and interrogate him for information. Some might even go as far as experimenting on him to see if he was different from the rest of them.

"The world you're in now is called Arboren. Two major races live here: humans and fae. But it's been a long time since humans last saw any fae," Alwyn explained.

"Are they extinct?" Han asked.

"No. They're supposedly still alive, but they dwell in another realm," Alwyn said. "The path to that place has been lost to time. Long ago, during the War Beneath the Burning Sky, the fae allied with humans to repel a massive Starfiend invasion. As you may already know, the Starfiends are creatures from beyond this world who suddenly descended from the firmament and began attacking all living beings. Conflict was unavoidable. The war claimed countless lives, and though we won, the world paid a steep price. One of the lasting scars is the Wastes, which now stretch across most of the land. Only a handful of regions remain untouched, protected by the Wards the fae left behind at the war's end."

"Now the Starvanguard lead what's left of humanity. If we can't make things better, we at least try to keep them from getting worse," he continued. "Hunting Starfiends and maintaining the Wards. Those are the two main responsibilities of any Starvanguard."

Han nodded. It really did feel like something straight out of a story. A transmigrator thrown into a world in peril, now destined to defeat evil and save everyone. Just because he'd been branded a nepotist by accident wouldn't stop him from doing what needed to be done. He would definitely save this world!

Once the three of them finished eating, they left the restaurant. Since it was Han's first time in Windale, Erika decided to be a nice senior and let him tag along for some sightseeing. Of course, if that somehow turned into Han and Alwyn becoming her personal bag carriers during a spontaneous shopping spree, then that was just her way of getting some payback for her generosity.

Alwyn, who had expected this outcome from the start, said nothing. Han didn't really mind carrying a few things either. In fact, Erika even bought them some extra snacks as a reward for their "hard work."

By the time Erika was finally done with her shopping, the sky had turned a deep orange, the sun slowly setting on the horizon.

"Come to think of it, where are we going to be staying?" Han asked as he and Alwyn trailed behind Erika, their arms loaded with bags.

"There are dormitories for Starvanguards," Erika replied, still leading the way, "but Master hates staying there, so he just gave us rooms at his place."

After winding through a few side streets, they eventually reached a decently sized home in the suburbs. It looked completely new, with its freshly painted walls and clean exterior. With her hands free, Erika was the one to unlock the front door.