Ever since I had opened the door, the pain of an intense wave of memories had been striking my head. I staggered backwards and collapsed to one knee, breathing heavily and breaking out into a cold sweat. After taking a moment to sort through the information shoved into my head, I am surprised to find out that the majority of it is an extensive medical and biological database.
I stood up, slightly dizzy from the experience, and looked at the other gathered people as they were trying to call their own names they couldn't hear while noting down what each are wearing and their behavior, before turning around and reentering the house from before. While it was indeed agonizing that I can't hear my own name as well, I was prioritizing on something else. After quickly closing the door, I stood in silence for a long moment as the events of the past a little while ago are playing through my mind.
Now, after calming my beating heart, I rush to the dining area and clear the small table. Reaching down to my side, I find a small oriental box attached to a holster on my waist. Even without opening it, the memories of its contents and how to use them flood my mind. With shaking hands, I detach the small box and place it on the table. I fiddle with the small mechanism for a moment before the box gives a click and the box opens up, revealing several small long acupuncture needles.
Each needle reflects off the light, causing them to appear as though they were glowing. I reach down and pick up one of the needles, twirling it around my fingers with practiced hands, as if I had been doing it for years even though I have never done such thing in my life.
I take out the notepad from before and start writing down the details of everything I have observed; each person's dress, their attitudes, the Baron and the words he spoke. I am surprised to find that my cognitive and thinking ability have greatly increased after being augmented with Eric Grey's memories and skills.
I look down at the list for a long time, deep in thought. Assuming the other seven people had gone through similar experiences as myself, it is safe to think that they each have been given their own “memories” as well. But for what purpose? The Baron had mentioned “Heroes”, but this is far from what I had imagined when I thought of a “Hero's Welcome”.
No. There is something going on here. We have yet to hear the whole story. For now, what is needed above all else, is information.
I stand from the table and return the needles to the small box and return the small box to the holster on my waist. Afterwards, I pick up the backpack I once more and head towards the exit. Eric Grey had a favorite saying he had picked up from his master; “For the want of a horse shoe-nail, the kingdom fell.” Every bit of information I could gather now would be one step closer to figuring out the truth. I steeled my heart and approached the front door.
---
It took a while before the five understood what the man in white said. They were all confused, and shouted words of confusion.
“Well, if we are only going to stay in this place, we won't get any answers, right? Whether it be to do what we are summoned here for, or finding out the truth about why and how we are summoned in the first place, the answers to these mysteries is not easily to be found in these houses. I have already searched my house nook and cranny, and I found nothing which leads me to the answers. So, I think that my chances of finding them outside is higher than just staying here.”
“If it's information that you want, couldn't you just wait until the assistant arrives?” asked Neon, the man in black.
“The Baron said that the assistant will arrive within three days, meaning that we have three days to do whatever we want to do. In my case, I plan to scout the vicinity.”
It was starting to become difficult to convince him to stay. It was then when Haru returned to the group after changing clothes. A blue jacket over a white shirt and black jeans replaced his funny pajamas. He listened to the situation from Pierre. Suddenly, Gon the swordsman stood up before the man in white and asked: “But what if these ‘mutant beasts’ that senile noble was talking about are beyond what you are capable of? What happens if you run out of food? We are stronger when we are together rather than when we are alone.”
As if he had prepared for this question, the doctor then immediately responded: “I know my limits, and these new memories of Eric Grey will surely be helpful by then. As I mentioned before, I plan to only scout our surroundings, so it's not as if I will be camping outside tonight. I will be back before it gets dark, and I am bringing canned food with me as well. They should at least give me enough nutrients to make me last for a couple of days in the event I get lost in the woods.”
Eric smiled at the others, and asked: “I won't force you to do anything, but does anyone want to join me scout the vicinity?”
The little princess hid the lower half of her face with her unfolded fan, and responded first: “Well you all can do whatever you want, but poor May is too weak to defend herself. This cute girl doesn't deserve such a terrible fate out in the woods, so she will stay at my home!”
With a sigh, Angelie, the farmer girl who didn't have headache while others had, opened her mouth: “I don't know about you guys, but I think I will be better off if I stay here. I am thinking of contacting the magician guy since he's the last person we have yet to talk with.”
“I will leave to scout,” Pierre responded. “We need to know what happens around us. Though... is the last person really a magician?” The last person was the one who wore a fantasy-like robe and held a book in his hand. He had entered his house the moment the Baron finished talking, and didn't come out thereafter, so not much is known about him.
“I don't know, but we don't have anything else to name with anyways, so we may as well dub him as the magician,” Angelie explained.
“Fair... In any case, I will leave to scout as well,” said Gon. “Every one of us got an item when we arrived, and so far the only ones who seem like they can fight are only me and Neon. I doubt that Mr. Eric here has enough experience, to be honest.”
“Actually, I would like to be called Matthew if possible. If possible, I don't want to use Eric's name forever,” said the man in white.
Neon nodded, and replied: “I shall stay here to protect the ones who stay. We can't have our home unguarded after all.”
“Hey, I am here too you know!” Angelie retorted. “I don't know if you guys have noticed, but I have been carrying this thing ever since we arrived with ease! I can handle for myself, you know?” She then swung her farming hoe around in all directions with precise control. It appeared that she was indeed able to protect herself.
“Um... Has everybody already forgotten about me?” a weak voice said. It was Haru, who had gotten a pillow as his starting item of all things.
“Oh! Sorry lad! I completely forgot about you!” Gon said and laughed.
“Haru, what will you do?” Neon asked. He seems to be worried as Haru is also one who looked like they can't fight. Haru gave a weak smile and answered: “I will join the scout. I want to know what is going on around us as well.”
“Erm... will you be okay with that pillow though?” Pierre asked. Confused at Pierre's words, Haru looked at this right hand, only to find that he was holding the pillow.
“What the-- I thought I had left this thing at the table!” Haru screamed, as he threw the pillow to the ground. The others however, were already giggling and laughing all over the place.
---
