Vantias was walking behind Gazel. Everything in the capital felt new to him—as if he were in a dream. The various races, the different languages and cultures compared to his previous world, the clothes and appearances—everything was giving him a fresh sensation.
Then he turned to Gazel and asked in a calm, curious tone:
"Hey Gazel, can you answer a question for me?"
Gazel glanced back while still walking and said:
"Yeah, sure. What's on your mind?"
Vantias hesitated a little, then said:
"What kind of person was I... before I lost my memory?"
Gazel raised his eyebrows slightly, then answered in a soft tone:
"Oh... you want to know more about yourself. Well, you were a bit reckless... but you cared about your friends and family. Just like now. Seems like even if your memory's gone, your nature hasn't changed."
Vantias looked surprised and asked:
"What do you mean by reckless?"
Gazel stopped and turned to him.
"You had a thing for gambling. You even told me once that you were in a lot of debt because of it... I don't want to upset you, but you weren't exactly a strong adventurer either—couldn't really keep up with your team. People used to talk behind your back because of that."
Vantias lowered his head and said:
"So basically... I was useless."
Gazel chuckled.
"I wouldn't say useless. Actually, most adventurers are like that. Not everyone's at the top. A lot of them are gamblers, drunks, womanizers... That's what keeps their nights going."
Then he continued:
"Many people believe adventurers are crazy. Because they do things regular folks wouldn't dare—walking into places that terrify them, and still going through with it. That's what being an adventurer is."
Vantias lowered his gaze and thought to himself:
"I can't judge Vantias when I was even worse than him..."
Then he asked:
"Besides my sister... do I have anyone else? Like a brother or another sibling?"
Gazel replied:
"Yeah... you have an older brother named Hannibal. He's a knight. He's been taking care of you and your sister ever since your parents died when you were young. I haven't seen him much, but you always spoke highly of him, so I know a bit."
Vantias was moved. He thought:
"A knight... He must be a successful man. Having carried such responsibility since childhood shows what a reliable person he is."
Gazel and Vantias finally reached the outer gate of the capital—the place where they could leave the city and head toward the dungeon. The area was crowded with people coming in and out of the city. Guards stood by the gates, monitoring the flow of traffic.
Vantias, curious, asked:
"Do you know where he is right now?"
Standing in the line of people waiting for an exit permit, Gazel answered:
"Last I heard, he was out on a mission. Probably got a message from William about what happened. I think he'll be back in the capital in a few days."
Vantias, a little excited, said:
"A mission, huh? He must be really busy..."
Gazel nodded. The two of them waited patiently in line. After a few minutes and showing their documents, they received their exit permits and set off toward the dungeon.
An hour of walking later, they finally arrived at the dungeon's entrance—a giant tree with crimson-colored branches. In the center of its trunk was a stone door.
Vantias stared at the tree, a strange feeling washing over him: fear, anxiety, excitement—all mixing together. He thought:
"What a strange entrance... It doesn't even make sense."
Gazel looked back at him and asked:
"Are you scared?"
Vantias paused, then said:
"Yeah."
Gazel smiled.
"It's normal. You'll get used to it."
Then Gazel cautiously opened the door. Vantias drew his sword and stood behind him.
Grrrrnk...clunk!
The heavy stone ground open.
After the door opened, Gazel stepped inside, followed by Vantias. It felt like a basement, with stone stairs leading downward. The deeper they went, the colder the air became. A stinging chill hit their faces, and a foul stench—like that of a sewer—lingered in the air.
Vantias held a sword in one hand and a lantern in the other. Reacting to the smell, he asked:
"What's that smell?"
In a calm and low voice, Gazel answered:
"That's the smell of monster corpses. Try not to talk much in here—it can draw the attention of the monsters. If you really need to say something, whisper or use hand signals."
Vantias nodded, and they continued forward. Suddenly, a terrifying scream echoed through the dungeon, freezing them both in shock. A deep fear surged through Vantias' body. The scream was so horrifying that even Gazel—a professional adventurer—looked shaken.
Vantias instinctively moved forward toward the sound, but Gazel stopped him with his hand and said:
"Sometimes, certain monsters can mimic human voices. They lure adventurers toward them... and then they become victims. Be careful. From here on out, it gets dangerous."
Vantias nodded. The fear still clung to him. As a normal person from a modern world, there's no way he could be prepared for this... But still, he tried his best to adapt.