The instant the light faded, Allen felt the world spin around him. When he opened his eyes again, the valley was gone, replaced by an unfamiliar woodland. A gentle breeze rustled the treetops, and the air was filled with the scents of earth and grass.
"Precht?" Allen looked around, but Precht was nowhere to be seen. He immediately sensed the magical mark he had previously placed inside Precht's body and confirmed that Precht was still alive, though he was far away. The fluctuations coming from the mark were somewhat erratic, making Allen frown.
I need to determine the time and place first. Allen thought about it, then looked up at the sky.
The sun hung high in the sky, but its position differed from what he remembered. He spread out his magical senses and discovered signs of life to the southeast. It should be a village.
To avoid alarming the locals, Allen chose to land outside the village. He passed through the dense undergrowth, taking care with every step. However, when he approached the village, he realized his worry had been unnecessary—the villages of this era were far more primitive than he had imagined.
Low thatched huts stood in disorder, and livestock droppings littered the muddy roads. Several ragged children were chasing each other and playing, but the instant they saw Allen, they fled in fear.
"Wait!" Allen reached out, trying to call them back, but all he heard was a succession of doors slamming shut. In the blink of an eye, the entire village fell deathly silent, with only a few frightened pairs of eyes peering at him through cracks in the windows.
Allen sighed helplessly. At over two meters tall, dressed in exquisite knight's armor, he really did stand out too much in this era. He walked toward