Chapter 5: People Found!
The reaction was instant.
The riders pulled on their reins, halting their horses in place. Spears were drawn in a flash. One rider even unsheathed his sword.
The driver stood up from the carriage bench, narrowing his eyes. "Oi! Who goes there?!"
Inigo blinked. He understood that.
"Uh... a lost traveler?" he said cautiously, lowering his hands just a bit. "I'm not armed—I mean, I am armed, but I'm not using it. That's an important distinction."
The riders glanced at each other.
The man on the left trotted forward, his spear angled downward but ready. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"Not even a little bit," Inigo said, trying to smile. "Also, this may sound weird but... what's the name of this country?"
The man gave him a skeptical look. "...You don't even know where you are?"
"I... hit my head. Real bad. Memory loss. Very tragic," Inigo lied, giving an exaggerated shrug. "So yeah. Country?"
"You're in the Kingdom of Eldrath," the driver replied, still watching him with narrowed eyes. "This road leads to Valebrook. Closest village to these woods."