Morning light appeared, chasing away the darkness in the room. All of the objects became visible, even though there were not many of them. A candle that had lost nearly all of its body still stood on its throne like a king.
The warm light illuminated Kagayama's body from the window, slowly raising his temperature. But this man did not seem disturbed at all and showed no signs of waking up. He was truly a lazy man.
Despite the afternoon drawing near, he remained asleep. His body lay in a prone position, making him seem even lazier. Kagayama scratched his back several times before his hand fell back onto the bed. He slept peacefully, as if he had no problems at all.
All of this behavior might have been due to his exhaustion from what he had gone through yesterday. His mind and body had run out of energy, but that did not mean he could spoil himself too much, considering he was now in a different world that was quite dangerous and full of mysteries.
While Kagayama was still sailing in a soft and comfortable ocean of cotton waves, several guards wearing metal armor in the style of ancient Rome burst into his room. They moved very quickly as if they were in a hurry, each step they took displaying great coordination.
The guards watched Kagayama for a few seconds before gently tying his hands. His prone sleeping position made their work easier. Kagayama did not even wake up in this situation—he remained asleep.
When his body was lifted by two guards, he slowly opened his eyes and regained consciousness. He did not know what had happened, but when Kagayama realized something strange about his hands, he began to panic.
"Hey, w-what just happened? H-hey, release me now!"
"I'm sorry, but the government has ordered your arrest. I have no right to stop it."
A little relief appeared when he realized that his power could also be used on humans. At least he did not feel completely isolated by the language barrier. But now, another problem was about to crush him, making this small relief feel insignificant compared to the obstacles he had to face.
"H-hold on, let me hear your explanation first."
Another guard, who had nothing to do at the moment, replaced his comrade to speak with Kagayama.
"We are just doing our job. If you want more explanations, ask the judge in court."
"So you're really taking me there?"
"Yes, that is our objective for now."
"Well, at least let me prepare myself first. You don't want the judge to see someone who just woke up from sleep, do you?"
"I think the judge doesn't even care about that."
The two guards pushed Kagayama forward, forcing him to walk. He could barely control his legs before he could match their pace.
Fear washed over Kagayama. His mind screamed, but his mouth remained silent. Each step felt like torture. The furniture in the room became silent witnesses, lifeless yet present.
Sweat flowed like a waterfall as Kagayama's hands trembled. His breath became heavy as they were about to leave the room.
He could not believe this was happening to him. Being sent to court on his second day in another world was just ridiculous. But now, Kagayama could not laugh at all.
(This world sucks.)
He yelled in his mind while the guards continued pushing him forward.
They finally left the room and entered a long corridor. The walls were made of white-colored concrete without any carvings or decorations, making them look dull. Numerous doors lined the hallway, leading to other rooms, making the place resemble an apartment or a hospital.
As Kagayama walked through the corridor, more and more people gathered behind him, their eyes filled with curiosity. Like wildfire, rumors spread swiftly among them, their hushed whispers growing into animated discussions.
It became clear that the people of this world thrived on gossip, their social connections strengthened by shared intrigue. Even those carrying books—scholars or students, perhaps—were no exception. Despite their learned appearance, they too were drawn into the spectacle, proving that knowledge and curiosity were not always separate traits.
Kagayama was still trying to process what had happened. But even after searching his mind for any mistake that might have caused this bad luck, he still could not find one.
At the end of the corridor, Kagayama saw something familiar.
A bald old man stood there, his head reflecting the sunlight from the window. His hands were small and dry like chopsticks, trembling with each step. He moved slowly and carefully, as if one wrong step could send him to his grave.
Kagayama was shocked to see him because, just last night, the old man had looked healthy. Even though his hands had always been thin, at least he could walk properly.
A small hope flickered inside Kagayama. Maybe this old man could help him.
As the gap between them grew smaller, Kagayama pushed himself forward and stopped in front of the old man.
The old man immediately halted, surprised. He then turned his gaze toward Kagayama's face and noticed the fear and slight relief in his expression, as if he expected help.
The guards behind him also stopped, watching the interaction. It seemed the old man was an important figure in this place, making it easier for Kagayama to speak with him.
Gathering his courage, Kagayama spoke.
"Sir, if I'm right, you're the person who checked on me last night."
The old man was surprised by Kagayama's ability to speak his language fluently. Last night, this tied-up man had spoken in words he could not understand.
The power of the Adersl bird allowed Kagayama to communicate with others without studying their language. He heard the meaning of sentences directly, as if they were automatically translated in his mind. Meanwhile, the old man heard Kagayama speaking fluently in their native tongue.
Despite the surprise, the old man remained calm. He then replied in a flat tone, seemingly uninterested in the conversation.
"Yes, I checked on you last night."
"Good. Now can you explain to these two guards that I didn't do anything wrong?"
The old man lowered his head and sighed before looking at Kagayama with a serious expression.
"I was the one who ordered them to arrest you."
Kagayama's face fell in disappointment. His hands trembled, and his eyes dimmed with hopelessness. He could not defend himself because he still had no idea why he was being arrested.
To make things clearer, he asked again.
"W-wait, what? But I was just sleeping after our meeting last night. What mistake did I make?"
The old man seemed tired of dealing with him. He rubbed his lower back and looked away before finally responding.
"You'll find out once you're in court."
Kagayama clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. His disappointment burned into frustration. He felt like the old man did not take his situation seriously, treating it as nothing more than a tiresome task.
He glared at the old man, his frustration evident.
"At least tell me what I did wrong, old man!"
The atmosphere grew tense. The guards behind Kagayama pulled him back slightly, as if signaling him to stop. Meanwhile, the old man's face darkened in mild anger, though he had anticipated this reaction.
The nearby crowd, who had been gossiping, began insulting Kagayama. It seemed that courtesy was an important rule in their culture. Violating it could lead to reprimands or even social rejection. In extreme cases, it could be considered defamation.
A vein throbbed on the old man's forehead, his fingers curling into a shaking fist.
"Guards, take him to court now!"
Despite his anger, his voice remained composed, as if he was trained to control his emotions.
Following the order, the guards shoved Kagayama roughly, nearly making him fall. The ropes tightened around his wrists, sending pain through his arms.
Kagayama endured the pain while trying to regain his balance. Deep inside, he wanted to curse at them but held himself back.
As he was pushed forward, the old man watched him leave, rubbing his aching back.
A few onlookers who had witnessed the scene began following Kagayama, eager to see what would happen next. It seemed they just wanted something to gossip about with their friends.