Panting, Joe laid on his back, his eyes closed. Flashes of images that weren't of his own—a foreign, alien memories of someone he had never known, flooded his mind.
'What the…'
The foreign memories belonged to Zeon Von Alexander, eldest son of Duke Rion Von Alexander. They resided in a luxurious mansion in the Alexander duchy, ten days' ride by horse from where Joe now lay.
Zeon was a spoiled rich kid, skipping school and training, and instead spent his time chasing women, drinking, and gambling. One day, he got extremely drunk and assaulted a young noble girl sexually, making the Duke angry and outcast him.
He worked as a waiter on Rampant County, but got fired due to his lack of experience. Then he joined an adventurer's guild, but wasn't skilled enough to do much. Then, he became a porter, carrying stuff for others on dungeon trips. But even that wasn't enough to keep him safe from being bullied.
And that's how he ended up here, lifeless on the ground, with a sword wound in his chest. His own teammates had killed him after he refused to be used as cannon fodder during the raid.
The memory of Zeon clutching his bloody chest, reminded him of his own bullet-ridden body. He sat up, checking his own body, but was relieved to find no wounds
The memory when Zeon holding his bloody chest made Joe startled, remembering his own body which was shot with dozens of bullets. He got up to sit, and checked the body, and the tunic he wore was drenched in blood.
'Wait…. a tunic?'
His mind froze for a few seconds, then running his hands over the coarse fabric. He still remembered what he wore today, a simple white t-shirt and jeans.
Joe touched his chest again, pressing down on the spot where the sword had pierced Zeon's flesh unconsciously. Nothing. Not a scratch, not a scar, just smooth, unblemished skin.
The memories of Zeon's life were all mixed in with Joe's own. He saw himself, or rather, Zeon, and felt a strange wave of anger and pity wash over him.
The sound of unfamiliar jungle animals entered his hearing, and he looked around to make sense of where he was now. The unfamiliar city laid under the hill where he sat, he knew from Zeon memories that it was Bracken, the capital of Carja.
"I need to understand what is happening…" he murmured, but then suddenly, the melodic woman's voice chimed in his head.
[Memory synchronization complete.]
[Host vital stable. Ethereal adaptation phase concluded.]
[Sin System Activated.]
[Host's initial Sin Level: 1, Rank F.]
[Sin Level monitoring active.]
[Anomalies caused by non-sinful actions detected: None.]
[Advice: Maintain behavioral parameters within acceptable Sin Level thresholds.]
Joe's bow furrowed, totally didn't understand what those words mean. Hesitating, he asked the voice in a polite tone, "Ma'am, I don't understand what you are talking about. Can you explain to me in a simpler way?"
The woman didn't reply, and there was a few minutes of awkward silence. Joe scratched his head, thinking he was dreaming. The incident from him being killed until now, was unbelievably real for him.
Joe waited, but the system still was not replying. Greeting his teeth, he decided to do what was more important, to know where he was and who the young man of memory implanted him.
Gazing at the Bracken city with unusual architecture before him, Joe knew he had to go there to find out what kind of world he was now. But the memories of Zeon making him hesitate.
His father, the Duke, had ordered the entire empire's army to capture him and throw him in a dungeon if he ever set foot in the capital again. Returning to the Rampart county he once called home was now suicidal.
Turning his head, he saw a forest behind him, not too dense, but it would at least provide some safety. Maybe he might even run into someone there, someone who could give him some information about this world.
And he was hungry. The sound of rumbling of his stomach since time ago grew louder and louder, as if this Zeon guy hasn't eaten for days. And the sun had begun to set, giving a golden glow over his surroundings.
With a groan, Joe rose to his feet, his head throbbing from hunger and the lingering effects of the memory synchronization, and walked into the forest. The air here was different from what he sensed in the modern city he once lived, it was thick with the scent of damp earth and wild foliage.
As he made his way far deeper into the woods, his mind raced with questions. What exactly was this Carja? Why was he here, sharing this strange new body with Zeon Von Alexander, or so he thought? And what exactly was the Sin System that kept whispering inside his head?
A sudden snap of twigs nearby startled Joe, and he instinctively ducked behind a broad tree, his hand reflexively gripping an imaginary gun at his side.
"Shit…" he cursed, recalling he was not in his old world. The sound of footsteps drew near, and a young woman with braided dark hair and tight leather pants and tunic that fit her surprisingly well, emerged from the bushes.
She walked carefree, carrying a basket full of cloth, humming a gentle tune. Suddenly she stopped, then scanned her surroundings with alertness.
"Who's there?!"
Joe, still hidden, held his breath, wondering how this woman had sensed his presence. But then a thud sounded on the tree he was hiding behind. He peeked cautiously and saw a small dagger lodged in the trunk, making his heart racing with unease.
He was unarmed, and finally decided to step out from his hiding spot slowly. The woman watched his movements with squinted eyes.
"Who are you? What are you doing out here?" her voice was edged with suspicion.
Joe swallowed hard.
"I-I don't fully understand either. I'm Zeon. Sort of. Honestly, I'm kinda lost. I don't really remember how I got here," he said, and for the first time since waking, he felt a spark of hope that she could be someone he could talk to.
The woman studied him for a moment, and saw the blood stain on his tunic. She slowly lowered her hand that was holding the second throwing dagger, no longer poised for attack.
"I'm Carrie," she said, her voice softer now but still cautious. "You're lucky I wasn't just passing through. This forest isn't too welcoming to strangers, especially ones who seems as lost as you."
Joe nodded, still unsure what to say anymore. Just then, a loud rumble echoed from his stomach, making him flushed and rubbing his belly awkwardly. "Sorry… I'm…. like… starving right now."
Carrie chuckled softly, easing the tension between them. Now Joe could observe her closely. She was around her mid-thirties, but her features still looked as if she were in her late twenties.
He could see her shapely lower body through her tight pants, and her shirt, revealing part of her chest, made his blood run faster than it should
Then the woman's voice echoed in his head, announcing something he had never expected.
[Emotional stimulus detected: External influence may lead to temptation.]
[Tip:
Giving in to temptation may increase Sin Level.]
[Higher Sin Level grants more power.]