In the morning I woke up to a new atmosphere—my own place to live. The house given to me was only one floor, not luxurious and not large either, suitable enough for a family of four. The layout was standard, consisting of two bedrooms, a bathroom styled like a stone pool that could also function as a private hot spring bath, a kitchen, a dining area, and a lounge with a fireplace.
The interior design still looked traditional, far from what could be called futuristic. Yet for some reason I liked it; it reminded me of medieval-themed fantasy fiction I had once seen in films or comics.
I wondered when Hellraider would be able to get a decent place like this. Honestly, if he could accept my presence, I would gladly offer to let him live together with me in this house, occupying the other bedroom.
Yesterday afternoon, when I watched him training in combat again with Gruzhnil as his mentor, I felt happy. Hellraider had begun to act a little more like a normal human being. In hell, he lived on blind violence and bloodshed.
I was grateful that Gruzhnil could make him more civilized again. I did not go to meet either Gruzhnil or Hellraider today. I thought it was better to leave them for a while and observe from a distance.
I walked along the edge of the city to buy some groceries to cook. On the dining table in my house earlier, there was a bag containing quite a lot of coins for me. Perhaps the money was given by Gruzhnil or Grelmure under the emperor's orders.
Honestly, I had not yet fully learned the culture and social customs here. However, I could understand what they said, and I could speak with them without having to translate first, so it was not too difficult for me to blend in.
I observed that the native people of Grivendal generally had body proportions and facial features similar to humans on Earth. Of course, it made sense—otherwise it would feel very strange if the game developers had made the people of Grivendal look like aliens. Their hair colors were dominated by black, brown, blonde, and occasionally bright yellow. Most of their skin tones were fair, with some being brown.
I wondered whether people with darker skin had ever experienced discrimination here. I did not find any such information in The Mayhem lore. Perhaps since Gruzhnil, who also had brown skin, had become the most respected supreme commander, such discrimination no longer existed.
The clothes they wore were also typical of ancient Roman society, though some had futuristic patterns and certain technological elements. This likely indicated that they belonged to the middle or upper class. Most people here traveled on foot. I saw several Graendall soldiers patrolling back and forth.
The buildings were Roman in style but also infused with technology. There were still many trees and imperial and military order banners lining the streets. What was unique was the presence of floating robots carrying holographic banners that appeared to display nothing but Graendall propaganda.
On the main roads, there were some vehicles passing by, though not heavily trafficked. Most were public transportation such as buses and patrol vehicles that could be called Graendall "police" cars. Interestingly, these vehicles did not have wheels; instead, several small rockets underneath lifted them, allowing them to hover above the road.
I thought perhaps only nobles or high-ranking officials were allowed to own private vehicles like that, and in my opinion, it was a good thing, as the city did not appear chaotic with traffic congestion. In my homeland, traffic jams were common because everyone had the right to own private vehicles. I also learned that only the military was allowed to fly above the city.
I arrived at what seemed to be a large grocery store that sold daily necessities quite comprehensively. Fortunately, it was not crowded at the time, allowing me to ask more about local food ingredients.
I wanted to buy protein first. In the refrigerated display, I saw various kinds of meat that at a glance resembled cuts of meat from my world. Prices were listed as well. I wanted to eat red meat again. I checked the amount of coins I had and compared it with the price—it was rather expensive. I did not know when Gruzhnil or Grelmure would give me more coins again. To be safe, I had to be frugal.
There was meat that looked whiter, seemingly poultry, and it was much more affordable. I asked the meat seller, a chubby bald man with a mustache under his nose. However, he was busy playing with a tablet-like device and did not look at me. I tried excusing myself again and asked what kind of meat it was. He glanced at me, slapped his forehead, then searched for something on his pad and showed me an image indicating that the meat came from a turkey-like animal native to this planet.
I immediately bought it, and the seller wrapped it up and handed it to me without saying a word. I thought he probably did not realize I was not a native and simply considered me a chatty young man. Well… that was just his temperament.
I then went to the vegetable and bread stalls. This time, I was served by a middle-aged woman who looked friendlier and smiled warmly. When she asked where I was from since she had never seen me before, I honestly answered that I was not from this planet. She looked at me again, examining my face carefully, and seemed shocked—she had seen me fighting in the Judgement Arena through videos circulating on their version of the internet.
She became excited and told me that her son, a Graendall soldier, had once escorted me into the arena. Oh… I remembered—he was the one who had shouted at me when I claimed I was not guilty. The woman apologized, and as compensation, she gave me extra vegetables and bread. I was amazed and thanked her sincerely.
I returned home and began cooking my breakfast. I had been used to cooking for myself since high school. Aunt Nancy and I preferred home-cooked meals and rarely bought food outside. I cooked grilled Grivendal turkey, vegetable soup, and bread. There were two types of stoves here: a modern version using evenly distributed blue flames, and a traditional fire stove. I used the modern stove to cook faster. I stored the leftover ingredients in the available refrigerator since I was cooking only for myself.
I imagined cooking for Hellraider as well someday.
After eating, I went to the coliseum to see Hellraider again. I assumed he would be training in the arena. However, I did not see him there. Could he still be in his room? I immediately entered the building and went to his room. When I arrived, he was not there either. Where had Hellraider gone today? Was it his turn with Gruzhnil to meet Emperor Gregustus? I doubted it, because with Hellraider's temperament, it seemed impossible to make the emperor feel at ease.
Suddenly, I was approached by a Graendall soldier whom I recognized as one of the elite troops who had trained as Hellraider's sparring partner. His face still had bandages, but the bruises and swelling had improved.
"You're looking for him, right? He's in the weapon storage room. I suggest you don't disturb him too much," he said, then left.
I immediately searched for the room the elite soldier mentioned. I asked patrolling guards along the way. When I arrived, I saw a man sitting on a bench. As I approached, it turned out to be Hellraider sharpening his sword with a whetstone. As if sensing my presence, he glanced at me. I stopped walking and sat on a nearby bench.
His face looked flat and expressionless as he stared at me sharply, then took several deep breaths. He stopped sharpening his sword.
"You… why are you here??? Don't you know what I'm holding?!?!" Hellraider said in a slightly growling tone, beginning to show his displeasure at my presence.
I realized Hellraider was holding a real sword, and without caution, he could attack me or throw it at me at any moment. Still, I was confident he would not do that to me. It crossed my mind that if he truly wanted to attack, I could simply say his real name and he would immediately collapse.
"I'm sorry if I disturbed your time, sir. I just wanted to make sure you're alright. If you feel uncomfortable, I will leave immediately," I said as I stood up.
Hellraider remained silent.
Suddenly, I heard someone enter, and I saw that it was Commander Gruzhnil. He looked pleased to see both Hellraider and me there.
"Ahhh… it seems things are getting better. I came because when I visited your house, no one was there, and I received information that you had already come here and met Sir Hellraider alone," Gruzhnil said enthusiastically.
He informed me that Hellraider would also be leaving the coliseum and receiving special housing like mine. I was very happy to hear that. However, on the other hand, I really wanted to know where Hellraider would live.
Would it be far from my place? And most importantly—would Hellraider join The Graendall? What about me? Would I live as an ordinary citizen? I wanted to ask Gruzhnil, but I held back until Hellraider's fate became clearer.
Gruzhnil then spoke with me further. He had already met Emperor Gregustus before I did. Gruzhnil said that the emperor actually wanted to immediately induct Hellraider into the military order. However, as usual, he himself was unable to clearly convey the details to Hellraider.
Gruzhnil explained that yesterday he had only used hand gestures to invite Hellraider to train in combat like an honorable knight. Fortunately, Hellraider seemed to understand the gesture and followed him without showing worrying emotional reactions.
Hellraider was not immediately placed in the main forces, but rather in the reserves, ready to assist if unexpected situations arose. And what about my fate?
Gruzhnil had already prepared it as well. He had held meetings with other high-ranking military officials and decided that I would also become part of The Graendall, though in a different role—as an observer stationed in the rear.
Hearing that, I felt shocked, happy, and worried all at once. Deep inside, I was relieved that I could finally observe Hellraider directly under military supervision. What worried me was Hellraider's reaction. At present, he did not yet understand what Gruzhnil was saying, but sooner or later he would find out that The Graendall had assigned me to observe him. He would surely press me to explain the reasons.
If he learned that I was acting under The Graendall's orders, he would become angry again, and the worst-case scenario would be him turning against the military.
I did not want that to happen. What he had already done to Gruzhnil was enough. I had to be extremely careful and not speak recklessly if Hellraider suddenly pressured me. I saw Hellraider's face remain flat, occasionally glancing at us while continuing to sharpen his sword. As I walked out of the room, I gave Hellraider a smile for today, which he happened to see.
I spent the rest of the day wandering around the city. Many people recognized me from the now-famous Judgement Arena fight videos. I could only smile and explain that I was innocent and simply trying to survive that madness.
Some people supported me and said that the tradition felt less relevant as times changed. Some even treated me to local snacks. I did not take their words too seriously. I only hoped that someday Hellraider could enjoy moments like this as well—living normally among society.
I could not be sure whether that would ever happen. But I felt that it might, if I could eventually build a good relationship with Hellraider.