Chapter 1, I come from another world

Thresh Town is an ordinary small town located in the inland of the Valoran continent, lacking any renowned specialties or picturesque scenery; its only notable feature is the adjacent Winter's Embrace Forest.

It was a type of fabric different from linen, which the townsfolk had only seen on the person of Lady Freya, the mayor of the small town. Unfortunately, these once fine fabrics now appeared tattered and were combined with the leather of an unknown beast to form a strangely styled outfit

Time passed quickly for the townspeople, who did not feel pressed in their lives. Gradually, people adapted to the presence of the young man, becoming accustomed to having a silent youth standing beside them while they chatted and conducted transactions, and this continued until May

He was a young man in his twenties, yet his hair, a mix of white and gray, gave him a slightly worn appearance. His tattered clothing suggested a once exquisite craftsmanship.

On a day when the first snow began to fall, someone saw a young man setting out alone on the road to Tianxin City, the capital of Tiannan Province, accompanied only by his pet white fox that never left his side, and from that day on, the townspeople never saw this young man again

Since the young man began conversing with the townspeople, they have gained a slight understanding of him—he is a taciturn man

When conversing with him, the townspeople generally do not dare to look into his eyes, as those pitch-black eyes seem to contain an overwhelming amount of sorrow, like a pool of desolate stagnant water, unable to stir even the slightest ripple, which holds too much allure for these simple farmers

Generally speaking, the residents of Thresh Town, located near the Winter's Embrace Forest, should be able to draw the necessary resources from the woods. However, in reality, the townspeople of Thresh Town find it quite difficult to derive any significant benefits from this forest

Such a distant distance makes it quite normal for there to be a language barrier

Sometimes, when they can no longer bear the entanglement, the youth will teach some melodies that are completely different from the mainstream music of the mainland. Although they may seem a bit strange, they are quite pleasant to listen to. At this time, the children in the town who enjoy joining in the fun often gather around, humming along with a cheerful tune.

It was a summer afternoon when Old Johnson's son, holding the instrument called "guitar" that he had bought in the big city, began his relentless assault on the townspeople's ears with noisy sounds. Just as the townspeople were preparing to scatter, the young man seemed momentarily startled by the appearance of the "guitar" and then politely asked Young Johnson if he could borrow the instrument.

The young man did not introduce his identity, so the townspeople defaulted to this assumption

"Surely, he is a small noble fleeing from afar," the townsfolk speculated. However, the young man appeared very taciturn; upon his arrival, he never spoke a word to the townspeople. He would only sit quietly at a distance when the townsfolk gathered to chat, silently listening to their conversations, though he seemed very silent and aloof.

Thus, on the cobblestone streets of the small town, melodies of songs echoed continuously from the innocent mouths of the children, and the pleasant notes swept through the high sky, brushing past the white clouds, traversing the winding narrow paths between the houses, and soaring amidst the golden waves of rice outside the town

However, the experienced elders in the town can generally discern the youth's curiosity about all of this

The climate has begun to warm, and the youth has started to communicate somewhat with the townspeople. However, at first, he spoke haltingly, as if he were a child learning to speak, but gradually he became more proficient.

This is quite evident; he must certainly come from another country, perhaps one that is completely different from our own. Curiosity is also a normal response

Such an inconspicuous town naturally does not have many legendary stories; simplicity is the theme of the town

For Xiaoqiang Sen, the townspeople usually regard his beloved music as a ferocious beast. Now that he has finally encountered someone who appreciates his music, he is naturally overjoyed. He immediately expressed that there was no problem and directly handed over the guitar he usually treasures like a gem to the man

Xiao Mu Yu, I am called Xiao Mu Yu! The young man murmured to himself, as if emphasizing something, or perhaps reminiscing about something. This was the first time the townspeople learned the name of this unknown man.

A lovely white creature always follows the young man, which is a very cute little white fox. Occasionally, it emits a sound resembling "wuji wuji," seemingly very interested in everything in the town, constantly blinking its large, dark eyes as it observes the townspeople.

However, starting from October, the youth gradually came less frequently, sometimes only once every half month. Nevertheless, the townspeople temporarily had no time to pay attention to him, as the harvest season was approaching, and almost every household was overwhelmed with work. Even Xiaoqiangsen could only temporarily set aside his beloved music to devote more energy to farming.

Then, for the townspeople, it was an unforgettable scene for eternity

People are curious about the residence of the youth, but every time they inquire, the youth always remains silent.

Xiao Qiangsen was completely in awe; every time the young man arrived in the town, he was always the first to appear before the youth, pestering the man named Xiao Mu Yu to teach him music.

The diverse array of wild beasts and ferocious monsters within the forest serves as the most formidable protective barrier against the encroachment of human civilization into the woodland

Although the language of the youth is not understood, often, it is merely the soulful lament of the musician that is sufficient to transcend the barriers of language, allowing the townspeople to feel the profound sadness embedded in the music

Moreover, apart from deepening the townspeople's understanding of the youth coming from other countries, these matters did not bring any other troubles to the youth. Although most of the townspeople had never left the Southern Province, in their perception, other countries were already a very distant place

Beneath the lush camphor trees, strands of sunlight occasionally filter through the verdant leaves. A slightly aged young man gently strums the strings of his guitar, accompanied by the soft sway of his grayish-white hair and his quiet singing. An unfamiliar melody, akin to the gentle whispers of lovers, reverberates through the ancient town.

Then, the young man, just like in the past few months, slowly walked towards the direction of the winter-clad forest, stepping into the afterglow of the setting sun, leaving the small town behind

What has this person truly experienced? Why is his melody so sorrowful? The townspeople are perplexed, yet the young man does not give them the opportunity to ask questions.

What could be of interest to this young noble from afar in an ordinary small town

In the days that followed, the young man gradually visited the town less frequently, sometimes not coming for five or six days at a time. Each visit involved purchasing a portion of daily necessities, after which he would disappear once again

The Winter Embrace Forest is located in the western part of the continent. Its area is neither particularly large nor particularly small, and it is one of the three major gathering places for magical beasts on the continent

However, around March of this year, the diligent townspeople discovered an unknown visitor in their town

The young man seems to be very proficient in music