The man introduced himself as Brandon, the appointed aide helping Tullus. He bore the responsibility of guiding the five outsiders to their lodging. Despite Subaru and Rory's active involvement in helping the villagers, they were still treated with a level of dignity that didn't go unnoticed.
Their accommodations were provided in a sizable inn, ample enough to host each of them in separate rooms, all arranged along the same corridor for convenience.
The rooms were located on the upper floor, just a short descent from the main staircase. Rory's room was positioned closest to the stairs, followed by Subaru's beside his, then Marvelous's. Nathan's room came next, while Anna's rested at the far end, near a wide window that overlooked the sleepy village.
Nathan collapsed onto his bed the moment he was alone, his body heavy, his mind foggy. Hunger gnawed at his insides like a restless beast, and his thoughts drifted aimlessly, worn thin by the events of the day.
Brandon had mentioned food would be brought shortly. That alone was enough to stop Nathan from complaining. He'd give them that grace, at least.
"Origin Expanse," he muttered aloud, lying on his back, staring at the wooden ceiling, arm outstretched as if reaching for something invisible.
The name still felt surreal. Not quite a dream, yet not rooted in any tangible sense of reality either. It was the kind of place that gnawed at one's certainty.
Nathan couldn't understand why he was chosen, why someone like him had been brought into this strange realm. Of all the qualities sought by this mysterious system, ambition was the one he lacked the most.
If he was being honest, he had no burning drive, no compelling hunger to survive this world. Calm reasoning was all he had, the ability to think things through. But that vital flame desperation, the raw will to press forward even when logic failed, it was mostly absent in him.
At present, he was merely going through the motions, doing what he must, not because he felt compelled, but because he simply could.
If he did survive the initial trials and made it into the greater world of Origin Expanse, Nathan doubted he'd ever rise above mediocrity. His past mirrored this too. He'd always done just enough to get by, never more.
But perhaps things would change. After all, this wasn't Gaia, where distractions came in the form of celebrity gossip or political outrage. No, here, every awakened soul was given the power to shape their destiny not just in theory, but through tangible action.
And Nathan? Though he lacked the yearning now, a shift was inevitable. Once he witnessed what this world truly offered, his mindset would evolve.
"For starters," he murmured, "I need to learn more about the Whispering Wake. Like... where did it first appear?"
Thus far, hope remained a scarce commodity.
The Whispering Wake, it wasn't a sickness, nor had anyone clearly defined it as a living thing. All the villagers knew was its timing relentless in taking lives and its cruel constraint: no one could leave Oakheart.
"Strange," Nathan whispered.
That part disturbed him. The barrier on leaving the village? It screamed intelligence. An entity enforcing rules, limitations... That implied thought. And thought implied life.
"The Whispering Wake... it's alive," he gasped, bolting upright on the bed as a spark of clarity lit up his thoughts.
"Four years," he muttered. "It's been tormenting this village for four years."
Yet in all that time, not once had it been seen. That fact alone made everything all the more unsettling.
Was it truly possible for something living to harass an entire village for that long without ever showing itself?
He shook his head. "No. Not possible."
So what did that mean?
His heart pounded. He felt himself drawing closer to something, a realization on the edge of his mind.
"If it thinks, then it lives," he reasoned aloud. "And if it lives, then how has it killed for so long without anyone seeing it even once?"
The village chief had mentioned the only sign left behind after a death was the method of the kill and an X mark, like X marks the spot for a treasure.
Odd, wasn't it?
A sharp knock interrupted his train of thought.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Nathan froze.
A chill slid across his spine, and his breath caught in his throat. His feet edged back, one cautious step from the door.
"Wh-Who's there?" he called out, voice tight.
He wasn't a fighter, not even remotely. No martial background, no strength to rely on. Yet instinct screamed at him to be wary.
"Uhm... I-It's me," came a timid voice from behind the door. "I brought your food."
"Food," he exhaled, tension melting away in a heartbeat. The word was all he needed to drop his guard entirely.
Without a second thought, he flung open the door. If she had been an assassin, he would've died without even a struggle. Fortunately, she was exactly who she claimed to be, a young attendant with a tray of food.
"Come on in. You can place it over there," he said, gesturing toward the small table like he had owned the place for years.
She set the tray down neatly and left without much of a word.
The meal looked impressive, especially considering the village's suffering. Clearly, the villagers had gone out of their way to treat the newcomers well.
Nathan wasted no time. He dug in, abandoning all thoughts of the Whispering Wake. Hunger took priority.
Then, without warning!-
"Kyaaaaah!!!"
A shriek, high and panicked rang through the hall.
Nathan dropped his utensils and rushed toward the door. He wasn't the only one. Doors along the corridor swung open as the others emerged, their faces pale with alarm.
They all converged in the hallway, finding the same scene: the attendant, collapsed in front of Anna's room.
Her face? Not just scared, utterly petrified. Horror so pure it robbed her of expression.
Nathan moved first. He was closest. His steps were hesitant, cautious, but he kept going. As he neared her, his eyes caught the open door behind her, the entrance to Anna's room, wide open like an invitation.
The maid hadn't moved. Her gaze remained fixed inside.
Why?
Nathan leaned in, peering through the threshold.
What he saw—