Leo looked at him intently again. "This part is up to you. What we know is you can't go back to your original world. You will stay here until your end." He tried to say everything in a flat tone so as to avoid being too dramatic especially with the last line.

Sebastian replied in kind with Leo's intent gaze. He also studied Leo's body language, how he seemed calm and calculating. How everything he was doing depended on his own actions first.

"You don't have to decide that now. What I would suggest first, is you get a bearing as to what this new world of yours is. You just learn the basics - how we survive, what we generally do, and what the outside world is." He didn't break away from the gaze and stared back at Sebastian. He was definitely a.s.sessing the other party's reactions, he didn't attempt to hide his fascination.

Sebastian was the first to break away and look at the surroundings in the room. It appeared to be a basic office but in a medieval setting. There was a desk, books, and surprisingly, candles strewn about. It seemed that there was no electricity as there were no lamps or switches. Leo saw him looking around curiously and interjected, "So are you curious about your new world?"

Looking defeated, Sebastian managed to force a smile saying, "well I'm here now. I might as well learn the basics and then take it from there right?"

"Don't be too downtrodden. Depending on where you came from, this world might be a better improvement or be more fascinating than your original world." Leo stood up from his chair and moved behind his desk. He looked more authoritative now especially with his serious face. He rummaged in the side drawers before pulling out a piece of paper.

"I take it you've finished eating now?" Leo gestured towards the remnants of the food platter in front of Sebastian.

"Yes, thank you. I'm sorry I lost my manners then." Sebastian suddenly felt abashed with regards to his eating speed and how he almost seemed ravenous while wolfing down the food.

"Don't mind it. You've gone through much in the past few hours, I'm sure that food was the least of your concerns then. You only noticed your hunger when food was placed in front of you." Leo smiled to rea.s.sure him, although his smile must also be from relief as he was able to talk in lengthy sentences now.

"If you follow me, I'll show you where you will study about this world." Leo motioned for Sebastian to follow him as he stood up and started walking towards the door.

"Ah, by the way. I don't know where you come from but over here we have multiple races aside from humans. You have already met a half-elf, we also have elves, beastkin, and dwarves. Are you familiar with these races?" Leo paused to make sure that Sebastian was still following him in terms of understanding.

Sebastian paused for a moment, racking his brains for these terms when something finally clicked. "I have read about them. But from where I come from, these were more from fantasy settings or something in games." He was trying so hard not to act fl.u.s.tered, but it was slowly spilling out.

"Here this is common knowledge. I could sort of guess from how you were dumbfoundedly staring at me when we first met. Which is also why the route the guard took coming here was a roundabout one though a bit isolated. It's so as to avoid overwhelming what you see in public." He said in a matter-of-fact way that made it seem really annoyingly familiar.

"Where are the other Forgotten Ones?" Sebastian curiously asked. If they seem to have lots of protocols and guidelines regarding this situation, it should seem a bit common then. Heck, they even have a place where people like him could learn about this world.

"Unfortunately, the last Forgotten One that came here was about 100 years ago. Before that, it was a bit common so most people know about them. Nowadays, only a handful of common folk know that it's true and not just fairy tales." Leo was about to sit back down to continue with the explanation but Sebastian stopped him and motioned that they should leave soon. Leo then continued towards the door while casually talking. "In any case, follow me. I do ask that you keep your reactions to a minimum."

Those words felt like an impossible challenge for Sebastian as he was subjected to the sights and sounds of an entirely new world that seemed to exist only in fantasies.

***

Sebastian took a seat in his room. He managed to secure a cozy room in an average inn. Although there were a lot of choices with regards to accommodations, this inn was personally recommended by Leo, the guildmaster of the adventurer's guild. After giving him a brief tour in the district, he could see that Sebastian was getting overwhelmed and couldn't handle any new information. He then suggested that he rest up and they continue the next day. Before he parted, Leo gave him a small book for him to review regarding this world.

Sebastian took out the book and laid it on the table. He then looked at the crystal lamp in front of him. It was glowing in a clear and bright light, it almost reminded him of LED lights. This lamp is powered by mana. Everything here has something to do with mana. Sebastian reminded himself while absentmindedly looking at the crystal lamp. That was one of the main things that Leo stressed during their short tour. It was almost like Leo knew he wouldn't be able to absorb that immediately - and he was spot on.

"Mana is an energy that exists in everything and what has allowed us to thrive." Leo was saying as they walked out the adventurer's guild building earlier. They took lots of twists and turns down the corridor, but it seemed like there weren't many people as they walked past.

"The mana allows us to bend the laws of this world, at the cost of energy. Everyone has energy within themselves so it has been established that everyone can use mana." Leo glanced over at Sebastian, to check if he was following him in terms of lecture and in walking. Sebastian noticed this and nodded slightly, to quietly affirm. After pausing for a few more seconds, Leo continued.

"Mana can also affect the surroundings thus it creates certain dangers for everyone. The reason why we have adventurer guilds is to create a form of order as we help out with keeping the surrounding areas safe for everyone. While we can use mana to aid us in our daily activities, it can also be used offensively."

"You've been quiet for sometime. Do you understand what I just said?" Leo said almost impatiently, catching Sebastian off-guard.

Sebastian walked slower this time, while repeating in summary what he just heard. "Mana is everywhere, people can use it, but it has it's advantages and disadvantages. Is that right?"

"Yes, for the long and short of it. You did absorb that part. I'm glad." Leo gestured for Sebastian to walk beside him and also to hurry up his pace.

"So am I able to use it? When I don't even come from here and I'm considered a forgotten one?" Sebastian asked him this time, while walking and matching Leo's pace.

"Not right now, but yes. You will need training, but you should be able to. I've already a.s.sessed your abilities to use and sense mana. In terms of ability in manipulating mana, you are quite similar to toddlers - full of potential and needs guidance." Leo was quietly forming a smirk on the side of his face which seemed strange and mysterious to Sebastian. "You ask good questions and are quite sensible considering your circ.u.mstances. That part of you is commendable." Leo didn't even break his stride when giving lectures or compliments.

Sebastian gazed at the book cover while tracing his fingers around the edges. It was bound in leather and st.i.tched together, but it definitely looked well aged and tattered. Sebastian drank a gla.s.s of water before opening the book and reading it quietly.

[[ A Guide to Kalonia

- As you may have heard by now, your are in a different world. Mana is abundant in this world, the fauna and flora are also different depending on where you come from. There are multiple races of creatures here. Each has their own characteristics and nuances but they are able to live in harmony.]]

Sebastian had to read the first few sentences repeatedly. There were a lot of statements within the few sentences that raised multiple questions. His confusion seemed to grow exponentially from simply reading the first part. He quickly read the rest of the page,

[[If everything went well, Leo should provide this short book to serve as a guide for you. Let's start with the explanation for mana and how it affects you.

Mana is the energy that is contained within all living things. It allows for plants to grow, animals to move, and for people to function. Think of it as a life source. By utilizing this potent energy, people are able to affect their surroundings. Perhaps the comparison to magick might be familiar for you. A simple explanation of how people use mana for their everyday tasks is to use it in creating fire to cook or to draw moisture from the air to help nourish their crops. These are just examples of how people use it for basic ch.o.r.es. As people become advanced in using them, they are able to manipulate the elements around them for defense or offense.]]

This time, Sebastian had to put down the book and gaze out the window for a while. The sun was setting, and the crystal lamp was becoming brighter. He was trying to connect what he had learned so far without thinking too far ahead. He was trying hard not to fall into a panicked state and simply shut out everything new.

He took a few deep breaths and had another gla.s.s of water. Fascinatingly, this world seemed like a fantasy novel he read before. He also played his fair share of fantasy games, but that was when he was still a nursing student - a long time ago. Back when people had to grind in role playing games unnecessarily and telephone modems connected the internet. Information like that would be seriously outdated anyway and would have no bearing whatsoever in the current situation. Sebastian gave out a hollow laugh - he didn't want to remember his age. He was in fact wondering what his age in this world would be. Feeling a bit calmer, he continued to read on.

[[ For the races, there are humans, dwarves, elves, and beastkin.

Humans - Generic sentient beings which are quite common. While they have no notable flaws, they also have no outstanding advantages as a race. They are seen as being all rounded in terms of profession or cla.s.ses.

Dwarves - Slightly smaller than humans but stocky in build. Perhaps it is because of their stocky build but they are the strongest among the races. They are mainly interested in crafting and trade.

Elves - Can be taller than humans and slender in build. Their distinct feature is that they have ears that point upwards. They have great affinity to mana and are thus able to wield it expertly. They are private creatures that do not like to socialize and avoid it if possible. With their affinity to mana, they are able to live extremely long life spans.

Beastkin - Similar in size to humans but their bodies are sleeker. Their ears are in the form of feline ears and have tails. They are are preferred in terms of combat abilities and they have heightened senses. ]]

There didn't seem to be any mention of any half races in this part of the text. Sebastian kept looking but he couldn't find any traces of half-elves or anything like that. He was sure that he heard Leo say that he was a half-elf. Strange, but he couldn't contact Leo now. He decided to ask him tomorrow when they meet in the morning. After he read the rest of the basic information, he then looked around. It seemed that it was already deep into the night. With no clock whatsoever, there was no way of knowing what specific time it was. That part seemed quite troublesome and inconvenient. He wondered if mana was able to tell time or something like that. Feeling fatigue creeping upon him, he then decided to use the water basin in the room to wash up. He didn't know how to turn off the crystal lamp on his table and he was just too tired to care, so he just put it under his bed before retiring to bed. Needless to say, sleep came quickly and heavily upon him.