"Hmm?"
Belle Cranel noticed a gaze on her and turned her head to see a boy who seemed to be around her age staring at her.
Although he was handsome, it was his enchanting purple eyes that captivated her, leaving her dazed.
"Um, hello."
Belle said with a meek voice.
The woman sitting next to her, who shared some of Belle's features, had white hair and wore a dark-themed dress.
Up until now, her eyes had remained closed, but she opened them momentarily when she sensed Judas approaching.
She had heterochromia, with her right eye green and her left grey.
"Hmm?"
Alfia raised a brow.
'There was someone this strong?'
Her senses were sharp and her instincts flawless. With a single glance, she had already identified Judas as a dangerous individual.
Finding himself at the center of attention from the two white-haired women, he did not flinch. Instead, he gave Belle a small nod.
"Greetings."
He sat across from them and said nothing further.
His gaze shifted, sweeping over the other passengers—two men and three women.
They were also staring back at him, but he paid them no mind and quickly laid down on the floor.
He didn't waste his energy on unnecessary thoughts, such as why the protagonist had undergone a complete gender swap.
He was far too tired to care, having not gotten a single ounce of sleep the previous night.
Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, his eyelids drooping.
He mumbled something inaudible and fell asleep the next second.
Everyone in the carriage was a bit surprised by his behavior, but most minded their own business.
Except for the two men, who tried to make moves on the women, only to be put to sleep by Alfia, annoyed by the noise they were making.
"This guy is a bit weird, right, Aunty?"
Belle asked as she glanced at Judas, soundly asleep. Alfia promptly smacked her on the head.
"Ouch!"
"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that? It makes me feel old. Call me mother."
Alfia said with a cold glare.
Belle shivered and nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.
Alfia then turned her attention back to the boy, eyes still closed—not from weakness, but because opening them was exhausting for her.
'Where did this brat come from? Someone this strong should already be well-known.'
Alfia was both surprised and wary.
As a level 7, her strength placed her at the very peak among mortals of the Lower World.
'This brat... he cast a barrier the moment he laid down. Not even a trace of mind was left behind. The others probably didn't notice a thing.'
'Which familia does he belong to?'
She was tempted to rip open his shirt to see the falna on his back, but restrained herself.
'I'll get information about him once we reach Orario.'
She committed his face to memory.
The ride continued smoothly from there.
The usual tropes of bandit ambushes or a damsel in distress never appeared.
'How is he still sleeping in this condition?'
Everyone on the carriage wondered the same thing as they stared at Judas, who slept deeply and soundly.
It was astonishing. Most of the road wasn't even paved.
The majority of the path was nothing but a rough dirt track, riddled with bumps and holes.
Remaining comfortable in such conditions was futile.
Yet Judas slept like a log, unbothered by everything around him.
"We're here! We've arrived in Orario!"
The carriage driver shouted from outside.
"Mother, we're finally here—the city of heroes!"
Belle exclaimed with stars in her eyes, waking Judas from his slumber.
Yawn.
When Judas opened his eyes, everyone had already exited the carriage—except for Belle and Alfia.
"Ah, would you like to join us? You look like you're the same age as me. Maybe we can search for a familia together."
Belle offered with a pure smile, extending her hand.
Judas felt the aura of a protagonist radiating off her, compelling him to take it.
'The charisma is off the charts. Even if the main character changed gender, a protagonist is still a protagonist, huh.'
'It almost feels like I'm being dragged into her harem.'
He resisted, staring at her for a few seconds before shaking his head.
"Thank you for the offer, but I have my own arrangements."
"Oh... okay."
Belle looked a little sullen, but quickly brightened again as she introduced herself.
"My name is Belle Cranel, and this is my au—mother, Alfia."
Alfia didn't so much as move an inch, as if the conversation had nothing to do with her.
"My name is Judas Spade. It was nice to meet you."
Judas replied, his gaze shifting to the woman behind Belle.
She stood there in silence, as though her very presence could consume everything.
'The woman accompanying Bell... she's strong. At least a first-class adventurer, if not higher. Who is she?'
He had never seen her in the anime, yet her overwhelming presence was undeniable.
'Last I remember, Bell went to Orario alone after his grandfather died.'
'Did my presence already change the timeline this much?'
Judas frowned, realizing the world had already diverged from the story he once knew.
"I'll be on my way."
He said curtly and walked off.
"What? Did he just leave like that?"
Belle was left stunned by his abrupt exit.
"What a weirdo. I guess there really are all sorts of people in the world, huh."
Belle scratched her face and chuckled awkwardly.
"Enough chit-chat. We should go as well."
Alfia reprimanded, pulling Belle along by the ear.
"Ow ow ow! Hey, let go!"
As the so-called center of the world, Orario was home to countless races and cultures.
As expected, the line to enter the city gates was long.
'Yeah, I'm not waiting.'
Judas turned his body into mist. His physical form became transparent, undetectable, and untraceable unless someone specifically sought him out.
To others, it was no different than a breeze passing by.
"Hmm? Did someone sneak in?"
A guard frowned when he noticed a handful of coins suddenly appear in the toll box.
"Must've been the wind."
He shrugged and returned to his post.
After leaving the correct toll fee, Judas took his first steps into the city of heroes.
"It's not as grand as I thought it would be."
Of course, as someone who once lived on modern Earth, he had seen greater cities filled with skyscrapers and towers.
"But that giant tower is impressive. Is the Babel Tower taller than the World Tree?"
Judas wondered aloud, continuing his walk through the streets. But after a few minutes of sightseeing, he noticed something troubling.
'The elves... all of them are staring at me. I completely forgot about the influence of Estelon's power.'
It hadn't even been that long, yet he had already become the center of attention.