"Boss, our food hasn't been served yet. It's been almost an hour. Why so slow? We're in a hurry, got stuff to do after eating."
With an urgent shout thick with local dialect, the boss smiled and placed a steaming pot of the regional specialty, "Diguo Ji" (Iron Pot Chicken), on the table:
"Sorry, little brother. It's packed today, so the service is slow. My apologies—enjoy your meal," the boss said as he served the dish.
"What's the rush? You got nothing important after this. Today, we're drinking a whole jin—no one leaves until it's gone."
"Can't drink too much today. Mount & Blade II just arrived a couple days ago. Gotta finish up quick and get back to play."
"Grown man like you, still playing games? Useless. No one's leaving early today. Whoever leaves first is a coward."
"What do you know? This was my childhood dream. Back in school, I played Warband but didn't have a computer at home—always had to go to a friend's place. Now the sequel's out—it's like reliving my youth. You wouldn't get it. All you knew as a kid was playing with dirt and bird poop."
In the end, after a heated back-and-forth with my friends, I lost the argument and ended up diving deep into the "culture of liquor."
As soon as the taxi reached the neighborhood entrance, I told the driver to stop. I wanted to walk the rest of the way to sober up a bit and play my game. I wasn't the type to leave a fresh meat pie uneaten in the doghouse—now that the game was in my hands, no way was I waiting till tomorrow. Staggering into the house, I moved quietly, figuring my wife was already asleep—dodged another scolding.
Carefully, I turned on the PS4 and TV, trembling as I unwrapped the disc and slid it in. Picking up the controller, I settled onto the sofa with deliberate calm, slowly closing my eyes. The whole routine was smooth, like second nature.
*"The Calradic Empire ruled this land for five centuries..."*
I couldn't tell if the voice and the eagle's cry were in my head or on the screen. A gruff yet fluent English-speaking woman narrated, as if recounting an ancient legend. Gradually, darkness swallowed me.
"Little brother... little brother..."
My head throbbed violently as I cursed my friends for serving fake booze yet again. Slowly, I opened my eyes, the blurry world sharpening into focus. A middle-aged man with a thick beard, dressed in medieval Western garb, was shaking me vigorously while calling out.
"Who the hell are you?"
My question clearly startled him. His face twisted in anger:
"Who told you to drink so much last night? Don't mess this up. We've been tracking those bastards for three days—I think we're close. Now, figure out how to rescue Varic and Valda. How are you gonna fight in this state?"
I was baffled. "Uh... what's your name again? And who's Val-something?"
"I'm Nogan. Your *brother*, you idiot. Get your head straight!"
He looked like he'd slap me if I said one more wrong thing.
"Up ahead, there's an old Imperial training ground. We can spend some time there sharpening our skills before catching up to those raiders. Pull yourself together—I'll scout ahead. Follow me soon. No time to waste."
Sitting in the jolting wagon, I shook my head hard, trying to make sense of the man and his words. Rubbing my eyes, I took in the narrow dirt path flanked by trees and wildflowers. The air was crisp—I inhaled deeply, savoring the earthy scent mixed with floral notes. Then I noticed my own outfit: a rough brown linen tunic, scuffed boots, and a sword at my hip.
A sudden realization hit me: *Am I dreaming or have I actually traveled back in time? Why do I look like this? Am I the protagonist now?*
I steadied myself.
*This has to be a dream. I've had similar ones before—usually chaotic nightmares with no real plot. But this one feels so real, and it's set in the Mount & Blade world I love. Time to carve out my legacy! At the very least, let me unify the continent before waking up. Or at least get married first—heh!*
A smug grin crept onto my face as I fantasized about conquest and romance.
Just then, Nogan rode back on his horse.
"Finally awake, little brother? I checked—it *is* an old Imperial training ground up ahead. Should we train there before moving on? What do you think, Cattail? We need to decide fast."
I cleared my throat.
"Brother, do you think we can catch up to those raiders quickly if we skip training?"
"I've been tracking their trail—it's fresh. I also spotted their old campfires. If they're still looting villages, they can't be moving too fast. We could catch them soon."
"But we can't fight alone. We need to recruit villagers or mercenaries—improve our odds."
"Good plan. Let's split up and gather more men—efficient. Once we find those bastards, we slaughter them."
Truthfully, I had no idea how capable I was. First time in Calradia—was this a dream or time travel? My outfit was shabby, but I was tall, muscular, and well-armed. Probably decent in a fight.
*Whatever. If I'm here, I must have plot armor. Even if it's a dream, it won't end so soon. If it's real? Even better.*
I adjusted my gear and dismounted to leave. Nogan suddenly called out:
"Wait, Cattail. If we're leading troops soon, we need to look the part—like nobles. We should name our clan and choose a banner."
At the training ground, we found tailors who could sew banners. After much insistence (and endless explanations), I named our clan **"Great Tang"**—a nod to the prosperous dynasty I hoped to emulate. And as a proud son of modern China, I chose a **red banner with a golden five-pointed star**.
This flag would fly in every battle for unification, planted across every corner of Calradia.
With that settled, I rode off. My pockets held only **1,000 denars** and some rations.
*Time to hit nearby villages for recruits. No pillaging peasants—but bandits and looters? Fair game. Train my men, earn some coin, and build a war chest for the future.*
A few hours later, I spotted a wounded man under a tree. Acting on instinct, I stopped, bandaged him, and gave him water.
He was a traveling doctor. Grateful, he handed me a small bronze artifact—a gift from a warrior he'd once treated, tied to **"Neretzes' Folly."** He claimed it was valuable.
I examined it—unimpressed—and tossed it into my saddlebag. *No time for mysteries now.*
Little did I know, this trinket would later become proof of my divine right to rule Calradia.
*Fate had chosen me.