Chapter 72: The Last Message

So why hasn’t he used his awesome new ability to summon a ride yet? Of course, there were solid reasons. He couldn’t just summon a modern, unfamiliar vehicle that didn’t run on mana into this magical world. Other Awakeners would quickly find out that his weird vehicle was totally unauthorized!

He might even get branded as a criminal for using a vehicle not officially recognized or branded by the World Association.

The Association didn’t just focus on protecting the world from terrifying monsters; they also handled the internal structure of society. Branding and authorizing company items for public sale was one of their major jobs. No person was allowed to use an unauthorized vehicle produced outside the known companies, not inspected by them. He could seriously get thrown in prison just for driving a car.

Also, he couldn’t just summon piles of cash from his old world. The currency here was totally different from Earth’s money. Sure, he could summon basic food and small necessities, but it still felt like he was stealing someone else’s stuff. He didn’t know the exact source his system pulled these items from, so he was indirectly stealing from unsuspecting people. Even though Alden was perfectly willing to steal if it benefited him, he still wanted to avoid doing it unless it was necessary.

Guided by the little girl, with the thin boy pushing her wheelchair, Alden spotted a house in the distance. It was a little bigger than the rest of the village homes, but still quite small compared to the normal houses in Arclight City.

"That is my house! My father must have come back from inspecting the people staying down in the valley."

The village girl pointed at the exact house Alden already assumed was hers. He nodded and walked over. They passed through the small front yard, and Alden knocked firmly on the wooden door.

As he waited, he heard heavy footsteps nearing the entrance. The door opened to reveal a tired-looking man with dark circles surrounding his eyes. He looked at Alden blankly at first, but when his gaze fell on the little girl sitting in a strange wheelchair, his expression cracked in sheer shock. He rushed past Alden immediately.

"Ellie?! What happened to you? Is everything alright?!"

The little girl, Ellie, looked at her father and replied in a light, casual tone.

"Yep, I am okay! A dangerous wolf with sharp teeth and a scary look tried to eat me! But then this Mage Bro appeared, and the monster’s body exploded into a million pieces! Then he just flicked his fingers, and this cool chair with wheels appeared out of nowhere!"

She babbled on excitedly, explaining the whole dramatic scene to her father in vivid detail.

Alden looked at them with a blank face, sighing internally.

’Sigh, I really shouldn’t have killed the monster right in front of her. Now I am starting to feel embarrassed.’

Before he could step in and stop her excited rambling, the man finally turned toward Alden. His eyes were wide and practically shining with unshed tears.

"Thank you so much for saving my daughter! I will always remain indebted to you. I do not know how to express my thanks in mere words, but please, tell me if there is anything you need!"

Alden tilted his head and replied coolly.

"Let’s skip the appreciation stuff. Tell me about the mysterious things happening around this village. Is it just a silly rumor? I came here to earn a hefty sum of money."

The Village Lord looked at Alden with a surprised expression, taking in his very young, student-like face.

"You do not have to get involved in this dangerous stuff, boy. It is not your matter to handle. I think you should leave the village while you still can." He looked up at the falling sun as the evening shadows started to lengthen. "Well, now that it is already late, you should stay with us tonight. It is too dangerous for you to go out at this time."

Alden narrowed his eyes as the man tried to dismiss him so quickly.

"I came here specifically for the problem. I just want to know if there is a real reward for solving the mystery or not. If you are not going to answer me, then I will just leave right now."

The Village Lord looked startled, struggling to find the right words. He couldn’t let this young man roam around the dark village; he might get into a deadly situation or disappear into thin air like everyone else.

"Well... Yeah. There is a reward of one thousand gold coins. I offered it to the Guild, and I was waiting for a proper hunting party to come for help. But it seems everyone just thinks it is a fake rumor."

"Okay. So is there any place for me to stay around the village tonight?"

The Village Lord blinked, then shook his head.

"It is just a small village, boy. There are no hotels or inns around here. But you do not have to worry about that. You can stay with us for tonight. Please, come in."

Alden nodded involuntarily, seeing as he didn’t really have another choice.

The Village Lord turned toward the boy holding the wheelchair.

"Kane, thank you for bringing Ellie back here safely. Now, return to your house immediately, or your mother will get worried. I will give you a nice gift later on."

The boy’s face lit up at the mention of a gift. He nodded eagerly, dashed out of the yard, and started running toward his own house, which was just a few doors down from Ellie’s.

The Village Lord, named Byron, turned back. He pushed Ellie’s wheelchair inside the house and nodded for Alden to follow him.

Alden stepped inside. The house was cozy and warm, filled with simple wooden furniture and basic necessities. Everything was humble but well-kept. For a brief second, the atmosphere made Alden feel like he had returned to the quiet village from his past life.

But he quickly dismissed the nostalgic feeling and focused on the real task at hand. He was going to handle this mysterious problem. Not because he pitied or sympathized with the people staying in the village, but because he wanted to earn that sweet reward money—and maybe feel a little thrill while doing it.

He always told himself he hated getting into trouble. But after living such a hectic, crazy life in this world, a part of his heart genuinely enjoyed the rush! And why not? His past life had always been boring and repetitive. Now he could enjoy his new life to the fullest by facing exciting troubles that made him feel more alive than ever before.

But he suppressed his excitement for now. This problem seemed far more serious than he initially expected. The rumors he heard in the city were actually true: many people in the village had vanished without a trace, forcing most of the residents to migrate to safer areas. That was exactly why the Village Lord looked so tense, and why the village felt so empty.

Alden settled into a cozy extra room inside the house. He ate a warm dinner with the family, formally introduced himself, and got to know them a little bit. As night finally fell, both the father and daughter went to sleep.

Alden lay calmly on the soft bed in the guest room, waiting for the dark night to deepen.

[Ding!]

[Your phone has been successfully charged!]

Suddenly, a device materialized in the air and fell right onto his bed. Alden picked it up immediately, a happy grin spreading across his face.

There was a very important reason he summoned his old phone. He had been worried about losing his memories and forgetting his own parents’ faces. With his phone and its photo gallery, he wanted to try and remember them again.

He immediately turned the phone on. Thanks to his luck, the wallpaper displayed a clear image of his parents standing proudly beside him. He stared at their smiling faces as they placed their hands warmly on his shoulders.

Alden felt a strange churn in his stomach. Even though he knew these people were his parents, the individuals in the image felt weirdly unfamiliar to him now.

For some unknown reason that he couldn’t quite explain, he felt like he was slowly losing himself. His thought processes and his emotions had started to change drastically after he stepped into this magical world. He hadn’t noticed it at first, but now that so much time had passed, he could sense the shift clearly.

He pushed his worries aside for now. He was just glad he finally had something to prevent his memories from fading away.

He checked the other applications. Besides the photos, videos, and camera, nothing else worked. There was no Wi-Fi or internet connection in this world—at least not the kind that existed on Earth.

But the strangest part about comparing the two worlds was that the smartphones used in this world did not even have a built-in camera system. It sounded crazy that other magical technologies were so advanced here compared to Earth, yet such a simple feature hadn’t even been invented yet. He almost felt like laughing at the comparison, but he couldn’t blame them. The way people thought differed from world to world.

Still, this world did have separate, cameras that took photos much clearer than anything on Earth. How did he know that? Because during the tour to the beastriheim, he was forced to stand with his team and awkwardly pose for a high-quality group photo.

Alden then tapped the messaging app to check the very last message he received before his transmigration.

It was a text sent from an unknown number on the exact day he disappeared from Earth. How did he remember that specific day? Because it was the exact same day as his parents’ death anniversary.

Curiosity spiked inside him, and he opened the message immediately.

As he read the text on the glowing screen, his face twisted in pure shock!

"Shit! Damn it..."