Simula Arka - Chapter 8 [1]

"Will you be going home next?"

Isaiah became perplexed by the question.

The answer would be 'no'.

But,

'Should I ask them?'

Should I ask them if I can stay here?

Isaiah didn't have a place to call home here in the first place, and even if he did, the question of where in the world was he was still to be solved, and then, even if he knew where he was, could he make it out of there alive?

Isn't the outside world dangerous? Full of monsters and creatures that didn't exist on earth?

What if he encountered one of these monsters and it turned out to be something powerful, could Isaiah fight back against it? Well, he did have magic, but he wasn't confident that they would be of any help in the first place.

The mere thought of having to survive on that kind of outside world all on his own scared him. Well, that and also because Isaiah really didn't want to walk for how many months when he could just crash in this home for a while.

'Like, I can help them out or something.' Isaiah thought as he opened his status screen and selected one of his skills.

*beep* [Electric - Electric magic capable]

But the question remained, should he ask them? Ask them if he could stay in their home for a while as he tries to get his bearings.

'Its probably embarrassing,'

Isaiah unconsciously tapped with his legs which Oji noticed,

'Does he... Hmm.'

"I see, Isaiah-san... Do you know who you still are?" Oji asked a different question.

Isaiah looked at him. 'What does he mean who I am? Didn't I give him my name, ohh...'

"I-I couldn't really remember much except for my name."

"So not only do you not know how you got those wounds, but you also don't know, or you forgot where you came from?" Oji asked, shocked.

"Yes." Came the shy answer.

"Tsk tsk tsk tsk." Saichi shook her head in pity.

"Well then-"

"Ah, I'd like to ask something," Isaiah interjected.

Interested, Oji asked. "Hmmm? Go on."

"Is it alright if I..." Isaiah turned his head to the right and left before continuing, his hands forming a triangle under his chin with his index finger hitting each other in suspense.

Isaiah took a deep breath and said with a low voice. "If I can stay here for a while."

"Hmm?" Yumi asked, not being able to hear Isaiah's response.

"If, if I can stay here, for a while that is."

Yumi was surprised at the question and stared in disbelief.

"Are you sure Ise-san?"

"Yes?"

"Yes?!"

"I-I don't know what to do right now, and well, I am embarrassed to ask but I have no choice, it'll only be for a while."

Yumi began to think hard but,

"What is he saying Yumi-chan?" Oji asked.

"Ah, eh, he." Yumi looked back at Isaiah for confirmation, "He wants to know if he can stay here."

...

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, noticing the sudden change of mood, Isaiah's cheeks turned red.

...

....

Then, Saichi placed her hand under her nose as if thinking, to cover her sly grin.

Oji took one look at his wife before looking back at Isaiah.

"Why?" He asked.

"Please," Isaiah said as he lowered his head on the table in a begging position, he didn't really have an acceptable answer to that question.

"Hmmm." Oji placed his hand on his cheeks as he 'thought' about whether or not to accept his request.

"Please. I-I don't know where to go, where I am and, and..." Isaiah again said, lowering his head even further.

The room fell into another moment of silence as Oji looked at Isaiah's bowing figure, then a smile crossed his lips, before instantly disappearing.

Oji shrugged his shoulders "There is no reason for me to accept you."

"I have unique sets of skills and talents that may be of use somehow, I do know farming and construction."

"Is that so? If you say so, then I have no problem with that."

Yumi sighed in relief expecting that her father would start to berate Isaiah for such a request. Isaiah having heard of Oji's voice, looked up once, and when he heard the translation a smile of relief floated in his face.

"Thank you, thank you very much, sir, you will not regret it."

"Then make sure I don't, I'll take your word I might need your help someday."

"Whatever it is, I am sure to prove useful."

"Really now? You better not be all talk no work, I will however warn you that those who do not work will not eat, therefore you will have to work around the village in the meantime while you try to figure out whether or not you will leave or live here. Secondly, I want you, no, I order you to learn about our language and culture so as to make your life here smoother. Am I clear?"

"Opo. (Yes sir)"

"Opo?" Yumi asked.

"It means yes sir on our language."

"Okay."

"Good, now then you may leave," Oji replied after hearing the translation.

"Right, wait, po."

"Hmm?" Oji raised one of his eyebrows.

"How would I call you?"

Oji looked hard at Isaiah, then laughed. "Ahahahahahaha, where are my manners, right right, I am, Koda Oji, son of Ryuji. And this is my wife, Koda Saichi. My two daughters, Koda Senzuki and Koda Yumi."

"Isaiah Petre. A pleasure to meet you all." Came the reply.

"Good, now then, anything else before you go?"

"No, thank you."

Nod. Then with a wave of his hand, Oji dismissed the group.

"Ne Senki-chan, can you come with me," Saichi asked as they were all preparing to leave.

"Hai." With a quick bow, Senki then left with her mother while Isaiah followed after Yumi.

"We have a library here." She said.

"Really. that's, that's cool. Aren't books expensive?" Isaiah asked, the family never had the aura of being rich in the first place.

"Not all, some, some yes, some."

Yumi then led Isaiah deeper into the house and right next to his bedroom, they stopped and Yumi slid the door open. Inside, unlike most rooms, was filled full with furnishings from a low table in the middle to bookshelves on both sides. There was quite a collection of leathery old-style books though some shelves were empty.

"This is where I study." She said as she went on one side a picked an old worn-out book.

"Dictionary? You have a dictionary here?" Isaiah raised his brows as he saw the book that Yumi took out. The title of which was 'Beastman and Human Languages Study'.

"Hmm, dictionary?" Yumi asked.

"It's a book which gives the meanings to words, also it sometimes tells you what the words is in other languages."

"Hmmm?" Yumi wondered as she examined her book, "then yes, maybe this is a dictionary. Human merchants came selling this. This is also how I learn the human language." She said as she handed the book to Isaiah.

Placing it down, Isaiah opened it to a random page and inspected the contents. 'Thank God it uses Latin characters.'

There were a lot of inefficiencies in the book itself, but nevertheless, this was the medieval ages a time where books are supposed to be super expensive and writing styles are new.

"I heard that there is a tool to write books faster. Humans made one." Yumi randomly pointed out.

At the sudden mention of the 'tool', Isaiah raised his head. "A tool?" 'the press exist already?'

"Mhm, They put black ink in like small boxes where they then squish it all together creating letters in the paper." She said as she explained with her hands how the press worked.

'Wait a minute, it doesn't sound, right? No movable-type? They just skipped a lot of the processes to create a better version? What kind of loopy land have I entered?'

"I would like to see one myself. If possible."

"They wouldn't really allow anyone to see, but I heard there is one in the capital."

"I see."

"I can tell father if you want to go to the capital, we usually go there every month to buy food. Maybe since you human, they will let you watch them."

"Sure sure, please do."

"Mhm. Now then, as father said that book should help you in learning things if you need help, just call me. You must be able to speak our language, Kusinei quickly..."

"Quickly?"

"I learned yours in 3 years, just try your best, learn our language. I'll go now, bye."

"Eh, sure, sure. Take care."

And thus Yumi left the room, leaving Isaiah to read the book.

'Okay... Languages, yes. My least favorite subject apart from math.' Isaiah flipped the book to another page that's when he realized.

'Isn't Yumi supposed to help me? Why did she leave?' Isaiah sighed as he began reading and mouthing the words that were in the book.

'At least they provided pronunciations.'

...

"Hyah!"

"Hah!"

Wooden swords were clashing on an open field just outside of the Koda family's compound, which was surrounded by low fences and occupied by seven male kitsunes, six of them are in their mid to late teens.

"You're getting overwhelmed Juchi, calm down, don't let your opponent get the better of you." Cried Myuki.

Juchi, hearing Myuki's instruction, quickly leaped backward to find a breather, but...

"Woo." As soon as his foot left the ground, Tuyi a yellow-haired kitsune who was his opponent quickly thrust his wooden katana which landed cleanly on Juchi's leg.

'If it was a metal blade, he would probably be dead now.'

Thud! Crash.

"Wait, wait wait wait no." Juchi crossed his arms in defense as Tuyi was about to slam his katana, though he stayed his hand.

Reveling in victory, Tuyi then wiped the wooden blade of his katana on Juchi's clothes before turning his head onto Juchi and bowing low.

"Well done Tuyi, though next time be a lot more gentle."

"Yes, master."

"Now then, as you see don't rely only on your muscles, trust also in this," Juchi said, pointing onto his head. "Have you learned your lesson now Juchi?"

"Yes, master," Juchi said, breathless.

"Now then, as punishment, all of you, two laps around the village."

This sudden punishment was met with a gasp of "Whats"

Juchi glared at the complaining children, before changing his order "Three laps, now go."

"Yes..." The young kitsunes said with a defeated tone, formed up in pairs, and began pacing down the road. The grey-haired Juchi watched them as they turned into the street when a voice called out to him from behind.

"You don't have to be too harsh on them."

It was a voice he was too familiar with, "Ehh. Oji." Juchi bowed in greeting with Oji doing the same, before turning his head back "You know, the lord's orders and again with his stupid wars. These children have to be ready so when the father's leave, at least someone will protect this village."

"Mhm." Oji agreed as he knelt to examine one of the wooden katanas. "That man Tuyi."

"Ohh, the young man, I bet he was once a great samurai, he is a godsend."

"He's that good?"

"Really, I bet he's better than anyone here in the village. That said, your face, what is going on?"

"Hmmm?"

"I mean, you have the weird smile on you. It's very disturbing, I recommend that you fix that before rumors start popping out."

"Ahh." Oji quickly placed his hand under his chin and fixed his face which was smiling uncontrollably.

"Did something happen that an upside-down moon has appeared under your nose?"

"He's awake now." Came the reply.

There was no need to mention who that 'he' was as nearly everyone in the village had witnessed the human who washed up in the river down south.

"That is good news. How long is he staying?"

"That is even greater news."

"Huh, what do you mean by that?"

"It seems that..." He motioned for him to get closer. "He has forgotten his past, he didn't know where he came from or how he got here in fact."

"Strange."

"Strange what?"

"Do you even trust that?"

"He seems trustworthy enough."

"Trustworthy? What if he is a spy of some sort?"

"They would send a spy in this tiny village? Just who would."

"Who knows... What if the village isn't his target and its something else?"

"But he is a human."

"Then a human spy sent here to gather information about us."

"Look, there is nothing to worry about."

"There is a spy under your roof, a human spy at that, and you're telling me not to worry?"

"Look, I don't know okay, but last night."

"Last night?"

"I had a dream."

Chapter 8 Fin...

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Changed the headers abit, hope you don't mind.

[1] Simula means Starting and would be Arc 1 out of 13.

Also, I have now divided the stories into arcs this time for easier timeflow. All of them would be in Tagalog for coolness.