A New Beginning
Chapter 1 — A New Beginning
Within the four bleak walls of a dark, lifeless room—so miserable that even a grave would seem more welcoming—a young man sat alone on his worn-out bed, as though the darkness itself was slowly swallowing him.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"Don't they say that on your birthday, you're supposed to make a wish?"
A faint, mocking smile appeared on his face.
"How ridiculous..."
He lowered his gaze.
"But... if I could wish for anything..."
"I'd want a new beginning."
"A new place... a new life..."
"Maybe... somewhere I could finally be useful."
Moments later, he lay back on his fragile bed, which barely supported his weight, and drifted into a deep sleep.
---
"What... is that sound?"
His eyes slowly opened.
Then they widened.
"Birds...?"
He gave a dry laugh.
"Maybe my landlord finally threw me out for not paying the rent."
But as his vision cleared, the joke died on his lips.
Above him stretched a brilliant blue sky.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of a massive tree that shaded him, while birds filled the air with cheerful songs.
Still lying on the grass, he whispered,
"I have no idea where I am..."
"But this is amazing."
He sat up.
The moment he looked ahead, his heart nearly stopped.
A rough voice called out behind him.
"You there!"
"What are you doing in the Kingdom of Umbra?"
"Which kingdom do you belong to?"
The young man turned around.
Standing before him was a towering guard clad in heavy silver armor, the kind seen only in medieval tales.
"I'm... just a traveler."
The guard frowned.
"Didn't you hear me?"
"Which kingdom are you from?"
The young man hesitated.
He knew nothing about this place.
Seeing his silence, the guard narrowed his eyes.
"I see..."
"You've been exiled."
The words gave him an idea.
"Y-Yes."
"I've been exiled."
The guard looked at him with open disgust.
"People like you aren't welcome here."
"Leave... before I exile you from life itself."
The young man forced a smile.
"Fine... but where exactly am I supposed to go?"
"Every direction is nothing but forest."
"Not my problem," the guard replied coldly.
Then he asked,
"What's your name?"
The young man hesitated once again.
If this world truly resembled those medieval fantasy stories...
Using his real name might not be wise.
"Yuri..."
"My name is Yuri."
The guard gave him a strange look before shrugging.
"Whatever."
"Disappear... or I'll kill you myself."
"Alright..."
Yuri turned away.
"‘Disgusting,' huh?" he thought.
"Maybe he caught my smell..."
As he faced the kingdom once more, his expression changed.
It was nothing like the peaceful scenery where he had awakened.
Dark streets.
Gloomy faces.
Cries of people being robbed.
Desperate screams echoing through every corner.
A suffocating atmosphere that reminded him of the room he had spent years trying to escape.
For reasons he couldn't explain...
A voice deep inside him urged him to step forward.
"Am I really insane enough..."
"To walk back into a place like this?"
He turned around, ready to leave.
Then...
Voices echoed from the city gate.
"I can't believe it..."
"Someone fell into the cursed cave again."
Another guard sighed.
"This time..."
"It's a child."
Yuri froze.
A forgotten memory resurfaced.
His older brother...
The only person who had ever truly cared about him.
An explorer of ancient caves.
The one who had died before Yuri's very eyes while trying to protect him.
The memory stabbed deep into his heart.
The guards continued talking.
"There's nothing we can do."
"No one who enters that cursed cave ever comes back alive."
Yuri clenched his fists.
"Enough..."
"I've spent my whole life running away."
"If I hadn't run back then..."
"If I hadn't been there..."
"My brother wouldn't have died."
His trembling eyes slowly grew determined.
A quiet smile appeared on his face.
"Maybe..."
"It's finally time..."
"To stop running."
