When Jason awoke, he immediately caught sight of a tree; “Wha? A tree in a mountain? No, that’s not it, that can’t be it.” he jumped up and back in shock, almost bumping into another nearby tree.
“Calm down, please!” a fair-skinned girl with pale orange eyes and wavy, shoulder-length creamy off-white hair exclaimed, looking at Jason with mild curiosity. “You should be careful. This world isn’t the most forgiving to people from other worlds.”
“So now I’m basically an Isekai protagonist then?” Jason lowered his eyes and tilted his head slightly, with a small semi-smug smile; “I mean that’s not half bad, getting to live in a fantasy world after all.” he let out a big grin.
“I won’t even ask what you mean by ‘Isekai,’ but I think I get your point,” the girl sighed, lightly dusting her armour, which appeared to be plate armour made of either dull silver or iron, for no apparent reason, “Anyway, my name’s Maira, what’s yours?” she asked, with a friendly smile on her face.
“Jason Rose, nice to meet you Maira, mind explaining where I am?” Jason reached out his hand, noticing a piece of dark blue velvety-fabric wrapped around it, “Wait a little bit, I’m guessing you wrapped this fabric around my hand for some ridiculously preposterous and unnecessary dumb reason?”
“It isn’t a dumb reason, it’s necessary for this world, any scrapes or cuts or the like that are deep enough to cause oneself to bleed need covered or else the person will be weakened until it heals.” Maira sighed and turned her head around to her right, “And you’re in the Boundary Forest, where the boundary between universes is thinnest, also this part of it is the southernmost part of the Sky Kingdom.” she explained, still looking to her right.
“Ookay, so some stupid law of the universe, makes sense, can I talk to some sort of upper-class person from the kingdom or something so that I can learn even more?” Jason asked, thinking hard.
“Well, you’re talking to me, the Duchess of the Boundary Forest soo...” Maira gave a somewhat long, stern glance at Jason.
“Uh, um, ah! Sorry, sorry, I am SO sorry, I didn’t realise please forgive me Duchess!” Jason splutter out, hastily dropping a curtsy.
“You don’t need to do that, or call me ‘Duchess,’ it’s not really all too special a position here, just treat me like you would anyone older than you,” Maira kindly looked back at Jason, holding back from laughing.
“O-oh, uh, sorry?” Jason got up and dusted down his dark grey trousers, “Also, I’m not entirely sure if I’m younger than you, I’m really short,” he tilted his head and let out a small laugh as he finished talking.
“Oh? How old are you then? You look around the height of 15 year-old here.” Maira tilted her head to the left slightly.
“Heh, yeaaah, I’m 19, so that kinda proves my point that I’m short.” Jason smiled nervously, lightly brushing his hair.
“Oh, well that would mean you’re older than me then, I’m sorry for the confusion.” Maira bowed slightly, her hands on her chest.
“Nah, don’t worry, it happens almost daily, boy my sister can be annoying...” Jason sighed, turning his head to the left slightly.
“Siblings often are, the younger of my two brothers is the most clear example there is,” Maira tilted her head slightly and sighed, shaking her head a little.
“Sheesh, you have two brothers? That must be pretty hard to deal with.” Jason said, his eyes wide with surprise.
“Mostly at parties when Misu starts being an absolute 100% pain in the backside.” Maira sighed, frowning and shaking her head slightly.
“Oh boy, I guess I don’t wanna talk to him then.” Jason brushed his hair back a bit, smiling nervously.
“Yeah, he really seems to hate anyone who isn’t an adult by Sky Kingdom standards, despite not being one himself...” Maira shook her head and looked up towards the sky,
“Uh-huh, wait when do people become adults by Sky Kingdom standards? ‘Cause where I’m from its 18...” Jason nervously chuckled.
“21, only my eldest brother is that old.” Maira sighed, still looking at the sky.
“Aw c’mon!” Jason sighed, falling backwards, on to the tree he nearly bumped into.
“If you don’t mind coming with me to the Sky Kingdom proper, then I’ll take you there.” Maira smiled, looking back over at Jason.
“Sure, why not?” Jason pushed himself off the tree trunk.
“Calm down, please!” a fair-skinned girl with pale orange eyes and wavy, shoulder-length creamy off-white hair exclaimed, looking at Jason with mild curiosity. “You should be careful. This world isn’t the most forgiving to people from other worlds.”
“So now I’m basically an Isekai protagonist then?” Jason lowered his eyes and tilted his head slightly, with a small semi-smug smile; “I mean that’s not half bad, getting to live in a fantasy world after all.” he let out a big grin.
“I won’t even ask what you mean by ‘Isekai,’ but I think I get your point,” the girl sighed, lightly dusting her armour, which appeared to be plate armour made of either dull silver or iron, for no apparent reason, “Anyway, my name’s Maira, what’s yours?” she asked, with a friendly smile on her face.
“Jason Rose, nice to meet you Maira, mind explaining where I am?” Jason reached out his hand, noticing a piece of dark blue velvety-fabric wrapped around it, “Wait a little bit, I’m guessing you wrapped this fabric around my hand for some ridiculously preposterous and unnecessary dumb reason?”
“It isn’t a dumb reason, it’s necessary for this world, any scrapes or cuts or the like that are deep enough to cause oneself to bleed need covered or else the person will be weakened until it heals.” Maira sighed and turned her head around to her right, “And you’re in the Boundary Forest, where the boundary between universes is thinnest, also this part of it is the southernmost part of the Sky Kingdom.” she explained, still looking to her right.
“Ookay, so some stupid law of the universe, makes sense, can I talk to some sort of upper-class person from the kingdom or something so that I can learn even more?” Jason asked, thinking hard.
“Well, you’re talking to me, the Duchess of the Boundary Forest soo...” Maira gave a somewhat long, stern glance at Jason.
“Uh, um, ah! Sorry, sorry, I am SO sorry, I didn’t realise please forgive me Duchess!” Jason splutter out, hastily dropping a curtsy.
“You don’t need to do that, or call me ‘Duchess,’ it’s not really all too special a position here, just treat me like you would anyone older than you,” Maira kindly looked back at Jason, holding back from laughing.
“O-oh, uh, sorry?” Jason got up and dusted down his dark grey trousers, “Also, I’m not entirely sure if I’m younger than you, I’m really short,” he tilted his head and let out a small laugh as he finished talking.
“Oh? How old are you then? You look around the height of 15 year-old here.” Maira tilted her head to the left slightly.
“Heh, yeaaah, I’m 19, so that kinda proves my point that I’m short.” Jason smiled nervously, lightly brushing his hair.
“Oh, well that would mean you’re older than me then, I’m sorry for the confusion.” Maira bowed slightly, her hands on her chest.
“Nah, don’t worry, it happens almost daily, boy my sister can be annoying...” Jason sighed, turning his head to the left slightly.
“Siblings often are, the younger of my two brothers is the most clear example there is,” Maira tilted her head slightly and sighed, shaking her head a little.
“Sheesh, you have two brothers? That must be pretty hard to deal with.” Jason said, his eyes wide with surprise.
“Mostly at parties when Misu starts being an absolute 100% pain in the backside.” Maira sighed, frowning and shaking her head slightly.
“Oh boy, I guess I don’t wanna talk to him then.” Jason brushed his hair back a bit, smiling nervously.
“Yeah, he really seems to hate anyone who isn’t an adult by Sky Kingdom standards, despite not being one himself...” Maira shook her head and looked up towards the sky,
“Uh-huh, wait when do people become adults by Sky Kingdom standards? ‘Cause where I’m from its 18...” Jason nervously chuckled.
“21, only my eldest brother is that old.” Maira sighed, still looking at the sky.
“Aw c’mon!” Jason sighed, falling backwards, on to the tree he nearly bumped into.
“If you don’t mind coming with me to the Sky Kingdom proper, then I’ll take you there.” Maira smiled, looking back over at Jason.
“Sure, why not?” Jason pushed himself off the tree trunk.
