"To be expected." Kaida blinked, her expression showing calm calculation.
She dusted off her own clothing, which she got from the old man from before. She, for a moment, wondered how he was doing. Though for now she couldn't check. She needed to get back to her world, but also explore this one.
"A world like this isn't too bad, but I can't trust anyone. I need to still see how humans are doing." Kaida sighed at the thought of not being able to check up. She'd expected it to take a few years. Maybe even longer.
"Though this clothing is comfortable..." Kaida paused. "I doubt that system is going to stay gone for long-"
"_______?"
A voice spoke in a language she couldn't understand. She waved at them. From the looks of it, it was a Banshee, one that stood right in front of her, a few feet away.
Her ears caught the fact that it was similar to that of the Japanese Dialect, yet had mixed in with German. Something peculiar to her. It took a few moments to decipher their language and how it worked. From the sound, it had asked what was close to another creature, saying 'Human.'
"You could say that. Could you tell me where I am?" Her voice changed, deadpan, which is how she would treat those in this world unless she got to know them better.
"How dost thou not know this place? It is secluded—no humans should be able to enter—"
"I apologize for the intrusion, then. I'll be on my way. Not much reason to stay. My life's gotten a bit more interesting."
She stepped back, but the banshee lunged with a spear. Before it could strike, Kaida stepped on a nearby tree trunk and launched herself upward. Twisting mid-air, she kicked off the tree behind her and used the momentum to catapult herself out of reach. A loose branch fell and bonked the creature on the head.
"You know," she called from a distance, "Hostility is but a nuisance. I am not here to do anything; I have nothing to gain from staying here."
"No! You must forget about this place for—"
"Look," she interrupted, "I don't care what goes on here. I'm not going to tell anyone. I wouldn't gain anything from it."
"That doesn't matter!"
Kaida sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why are you acting like knowing about this place is such a hassle. I am leaving."
She turned her back and walked away. Moments later, she found herself outside the barrier. She didn't comment on the magic—it wasn't worth the effort.
"I already know this adventure's going to be a wild one. Wonder what this world has to offer." Her voice is still serene. Though her looks... Different to say the least.
She crouched under a low-hanging tree branch and plucked a fruit. It was dark blue, about the size of an orange, with a smooth, peelable skin. She had no idea what it tasted like. As she studied it, rustling came from the bushes nearby.
Something was there. Definitely not human. Kaida ignored it. If she had to fight, she would—but it didn't seem worth it yet. Her focus returned to the fruit. Was it even a fruit? She couldn't tell. She stood up and began walking deeper into the dense forest.
Lush greens and heavy shadows blanketed the area. Light filtered through breaks in the canopy. The air was hot, the sun high—this world was currently at its closest orbit.
"I GOT YOU!"
A man lunged from behind, screaming his attack like an idiot. Kaida turned smoothly and slapped him across the face. He flew into a tree with a dull crack.
"AGHH—FUCK! What the hell are you?!"
"None of your goddamn business."
She walked off without another word. Based on his dumb ambush, civilization had to be nearby.
He probably came from a village or a city. Hopefully, they weren't all like him. Though Kaida doubted that they were, it wasn't like this world was some one-note, same-motives world; the sight of Banshee was already rare, so she had high hopes for this place.
[Zarathushtra Empire]
"...Hell of a coincidence."
She stood before the gates of a walled settlement. Two guards eyed her cautiously as she tossed them the strange fruit.
"Could you tell me what that is? I just want to know before I leave."
"This isn't a common fruit," one guard said, inspecting it. "It could sell for thousands of silver! Most call it a Sulam, but around here we just call it a Tangerine—tastes the same. Still, it's a delicacy. Real tangerines are rare now. What brings you here?"
"I really just wanted to know what it was. But if it's worth that much, could I have it back and enter the city? I don't have any ID, though."
"At least you're honest. Pleasure to meet you, uh..."
"Kaida is the name."
The guard tossed the fruit back. She caught it easily and walked through the gate. One of the guards gave a small wave. Neither smiled, but both looked visibly excited, trying hard to hide it.
The city was a beautiful surprise.
The people wore clothing reminiscent of Taisho-era Japan—elegant, layered, textured. A few passersby wore modernized cheongsam-style attire. The streets buzzed with life. Thousands moved about, yet the ground stayed clean. Stalls and food vendors lined the avenues, offering hot meals with surprising hygiene. A soft, floral scent drifted through the air—something like dandelions in bloom.
"I could get used to this place. It's lovely."
Her frame was slender. She looked almost childlike in size, but her face gave away her adulthood. At 5'4", she barely counted as grown by most standards—but for her, gender never truly applied anyway.
The more she explored, the more curious she became. People just... lived here. Shopping. Eating.
Laughing. Kaida saw dogs and cats. But then she noticed something more—people flying in the air above the city in old-fashioned military uniforms.
She found it charming. Most places she'd been to weren't fit for living.
Further in, she saw a young boy laughing as he ran through the crowd, chased by a massive dog—something between a German Shepherd and a Newfoundland. Its thick, dark brown coat rippled as it bounded after him, tail wagging.
She smiled faintly.
It was rare to see such simple joy in a world still so strange to her.
A soft chuckle escaped her lips. She wasn't laughing at the boy's distress—just at the harmless absurdity of it all. Her eyes looked ahead calmly as she continued to walk. Her clothing shifted slowly to fit the others like water, yet remained unnoticeable. However, in the distance, she could see a castle.
{"...I guess it's still in the past, or it's better this way."}