Nefarious Family

While my body recovered from the trials of my careless life in the forest, it was the doctor who engaged with me most frequently. Three times a day, he conducted thorough examinations, his eyes scanning my bare skin, uncomfortable and invasive. He would inquire about any changes I felt in my body and attempted small talk on various matters, all the while sporting that cunning smile of his. I trusted him none at all. On the days I finally managed to get out of bed, I made sure to avoid bumping into him as I wandered around Crawley's mansion.

Fortunately, getting lost in such a spacious building was easy. It was larger than the orphanage I hailed from, or even the community building where I and several others without homes gathered. The maid who discovered my awakening was far from the only one here; in fact, there were numerous ladies buzzing about the place. Their appearances and ages varied, but they all wore the same fancy clothing: a white and black dress with a white apron. There were also a few butlers in neat attire, though their numbers were much fewer. A poor look for the lord of the house.

Lord Crawley, or Michael Crawley, was a reserved older man who spent most of his time in his study or in the garden outside. Whenever he traversed the mansion's hallways, he observed his surroundings keenly, often noticing small details amiss—a family painting slightly askew, pot flowers with overly dry soil, or curtains on a particular window that were wrinkled. Later, he would call for the maids to rectify these issues, never scolding them for their sloppy work.

Michael had a daughter, Elen Crawley, who was around my age but seemed far less intelligent than one might expect a noble's daughter to be. She clung to me whenever she found the opportunity, prattling on about her hobbies, well-being, literature, and more. I cared little for the Clement guy she frequently mentioned, but regardless of my disinterest, she continued to babble about him as if she were being paid for it! She wasn't the only one causing trouble; she also gave her personal maid a hard time, though more often than not, the maid's eyes were locked on me, waiting for my friendly facade to slip.

In short, this house was not a desirable place to stay, but I couldn't leave yet, not during the day or at night. The doctor forbade me from leaving until my recovery was complete, and my awakening here had brought to light the absence of some crucial items: my dagger and the red gem Solitaire had given me. At first, I feared my life might end at any moment after the gem disappeared from my possession, but as the days passed, nothing strange occurred. I doubted that annoying ghost—or whatever Solitaire was—would free me so easily. The gem had to be somewhere in this household.

Every day, I searched every nook and cranny, sneaking into every vacant room, but I struggled to find my belongings. And now, here I was, sitting at the dining table—the only graceful part of the day. I thoroughly enjoyed the chef's cooking, though I had never met him in person. Today, we had roasted duck with wine sauce and fried vegetables—a delicacy my tongue had never before savoured.

"Well then, how is our guest's recovery progressing?" Michael suddenly asked the doctor with a smile. Adjusting his glasses, the doctor replied, "He is in good health, but still needs a couple of days before he's back on track for his journey. Although I am concerned that you still haven't remembered anything, young man."

I could come up with a convincing story, so my name and desire to avoid Wülgenville were the only things they knew about me. Surprisingly, one of those was actually true. I shook my head and glanced thoughtfully at the doctor. "I believe I come from somewhere further north of Wülgenville, but I'm struggling to remember the exact name of my home."

"There are plenty of towns up North!" Elen exclaimed, counting them on her fingers. "Wiskoscha, Mälburg, Fraera, Edgerbern… Father, am I remembering these names correctly?"

Michael chuckled and patted his daughter's head. "You're correct; this region is among the smallest in the human realm, which makes the number of towns quite modest."

"But their names are so annoying to remember!"

Michael laughed again, while I pondered what had just been said. First, I had heard about the existence of the monster realm from the guard, and now they mentioned the human realm. Solitaire also mentioned human realm not that long ago, but now I wonder how many of these were in total? Honestly, Solitaire was truly useless—a freeloader!

Carefully considering my next words, I whispered, "Human realm, huh."

Both the doctor and Michael looked at me, while Elen giggled and said, "It's huge and full of wonders, isn't it? I really miss our home region, but I'm still glad to be in a different place."

I raised an eyebrow and turned to Michael. "Are you not originally from this region?"

He shook his head and leaned back slightly. "We come from the neighboring Dlayla region. The strip of monster realm between these two regions is quite narrow, making it easier to cross. I suppose that's why people here and from our home region aren't all that different."

"I see," I whispered, delving into my thoughts. Now I understood—the human realm was divided into smaller sections by the monster realm, where creatures like darewolves hailed from. Sort of like forests dividing big cities, but seemingly more dangerous. The nearest section to this region was the Dlayla region—good to know, although it wouldn't hurt to find out the name of this specific region as well. It would feel odd to know about Wülgenville but not the name of the region itself. So, I formulated a slightly indirect question.

"Well, this strip is... maybe narrow? But still, why did you choose to live in a region without currency?"

The doctor and Michael exchanged looks in response to my question, but it was Elen who answered it in her typically awkward manner. "Because Mom wanted to live in the Schöltum region! It's such a wonderful place where money doesn't matter! We can take whatever we like in exchange for our goods, isn't that marvellous?"

Bingo! Schöltum region. I celebrated this revelation inwardly, then raised an eyebrow at Michael. He only averted his gaze in embarrassment. The doctor stood up and walked past me, saying, "This isn't a topic to explain to strangers, Elen."

Elen tilted her head in confusion. "Why not? Simon is our friend; isn't it natural to share our secrets with friends?"

I stifled a laugh into my arm, while the doctor shook his head at Michael, who shrugged his shoulders. Elen was indeed too pure-hearted to be around someone like me; now I understood even better why the maid always kept an eye on me. But I wasn't overly interested in their intrigues, as long as they didn't affect me. They were free to engage in whatever shady business they pleased.

Before I finished my meal, I decided to inquire about my belongings. When I raised my head, however, I noticed that only Michael remained with me, although his plate had been empty for some time. He studied me for a moment, then leaned forward to ask me something strange in a serious tone.

"Listen, Simon, are you by chance a hunter?"