The road to Solmere was uneven, narrow, and half-swallowed by nature.
Tall grass brushed against their legs while old wagon ruts cut through the dirt path like scars worn smooth by years of travel.
Tree roots had pushed through sections of the road. Stones littered the path. In several places, the route narrowed so sharply that two carts would have struggled to pass each other without one surrendering to the weeds.
Jax didn't mind the walk.
Actually—
It was nice.
After dragons, exploding trees, shadow magic, and discovering that he apparently possessed enough power to break several laws of nature, a quiet road through the countryside felt surprisingly therapeutic.
Bunny moved ahead energetically, hopping over rocks and roots without slowing down once.
Nyxian walked like the road existed entirely for her personal entertainment.
Zee remained near the middle of the group, observant and calm, occasionally glancing back to ensure Jax was still following.
Llandra maintained a steady lead, her eyes constantly scanning the forest around them.
Even when nothing appeared dangerous, she moved like someone who expected danger to become offended by the lack of attention and attack out of spite.
Jax respected that.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Jax used the silence to study the women around him.
He had questions.
A lot of questions.
Enough questions to become annoying.
He was aware of that.
Mostly.
"So," Jax said eventually, "am I allowed to ask questions now, or am I still technically under investigation?"
Nyxian glanced back over her shoulder.
"You've been staring at us with questions since we met," she said. "Might as well make it official."
"Excellent."
Jax pointed toward her horns immediately.
"Those real?"
Nyxian smirked.
"Very."
"Functional?"
"Extremely."
"Cool."
Nyxian blinked once.
Then again.
"…That's it?"
Jax looked confused.
"What else would I ask?"
Nyxian placed a hand dramatically against her chest.
"You're talking to a succubus."
Jax stopped walking.
"A what?"
Nyxian's grin widened.
"Oh, this is adorable."
Jax pointed toward her.
"Wait. Aren't succubi dangerous?"
"Extremely."
"Like seduce people and steal their souls dangerous?"
Nyxian nodded solemnly.
"Yes. I seduce people and consume their souls."
Jax took an immediate step backward.
Bunny started giggling.
Zee looked conflicted between correcting Nyxian and allowing the joke to continue.
Llandra already looked exhausted by the conversation.
Nyxian slowly examined Jax from head to toe.
"Though admittedly, you're not usually my type."
Jax relaxed slightly.
Then Nyxian smiled wider.
"But with that body and physique, I may reconsider my preferences."
Jax nearly stumbled off the road.
Bunny burst into laughter.
Zee turned bright red.
Llandra pinched the bridge of her nose.
Nyxian finally laughed.
"I'm kidding. Relax, human."
Jax narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Mostly kidding?"
"I can't steal souls," she admitted.
"That is very important information to lead with."
Nyxian looked pleased with herself.
"Oh, I'm going to have fun with you."
Llandra sighed quietly from the front.
"That makes one of us."
Jax pointed toward Bunny next.
"So how accurate are the stereotypes?"
Bunny tilted her head.
"What stereotypes?"
"Carrots. Jumping. Super hearing."
Bunny immediately brightened.
"I do like carrots."
"Important information."
"And yes, my hearing is really good."
Jax nodded seriously.
"That's awesome."
Bunny grinned.
Then he looked toward Zee.
"Green hair," he said. "Natural?"
Zee nodded shyly.
"Yes."
"Huh."
Jax smiled.
"That's really pretty."
Zee immediately turned pink.
Nyxian grinned knowingly.
"Oh, he's smooth too."
"I'm literally just observing things," Jax defended himself.
"You complimented her within thirty seconds."
"I compliment everyone equally."
"That sounds fake."
"It probably is."
Bunny burst into laughter again.
Llandra glanced back over her shoulder.
"You truly haven't seen beastkin before?"
"Nope."
"Or elves?"
"Nope."
"Or demons?"
"Definitely not."
Nyxian placed a hand dramatically over her chest.
"I'm his first succubus."
"Congratulations," Jax said. "You're making history."
Nyxian looked delighted by that response.
They continued down the road.
For a few moments, the conversation returned to the lighter topics.
Bunny explained that rabbit beastkin did not survive entirely on carrots.
Nyxian claimed succubi survived entirely on attention.
Zee quietly corrected several things Nyxian said.
Llandra pretended she was not listening.
She was.
Eventually, Llandra slowed her pace until she walked beside Jax.
"You've certainly asked enough questions."
Jax smiled sheepishly.
"I suppose I have."
She studied him for several seconds.
"Then it's our turn."
He nodded.
"Fair."
"You knew nothing about elves, beastkin, succubi, dragons, or the Empire," Llandra said. "Yet none of it truly surprised you."
"It surprised me."
"Not enough."
She wasn't accusing him.
She looked genuinely curious.
"You've reacted to everything like someone visiting another country."
Jax released a quiet breath.
"That's actually pretty close."
The others slowed their pace.
Zee turned toward him.
"Where are you from?"
Jax opened his mouth.
Then closed it again.
How exactly did someone explain another world without sounding completely insane?
Especially when he barely understood it himself.
"I'm not from any kingdom you've ever heard of," he said carefully.
Llandra frowned.
"A hidden nation?"
Jax shook his head.
"Another world."
Silence.
Even Nyxian stopped smiling.
Bunny blinked several times.
Zee stared at him with open confusion.
Llandra's expression hardened slightly.
"That's impossible."
"I know."
"You expect us to believe you?"
"Honestly?"
Jax shrugged.
"I wouldn't."
The girls exchanged uncertain looks.
Jax rubbed the back of his neck.
"The strange part isn't just that I'm from somewhere else."
He looked ahead toward the road.
"It's what I remember."
"And what I don't."
That captured all of their attention.
"I remember history."
"I remember inventions."
"I remember science."
"I remember architecture."
"I remember wars."
"I remember music."
"I remember stories."
"I remember recipes."
"I remember how bridges were built."
"I remember how governments rose and why they fell."
He paused.
His voice became quieter.
"But I don't remember me."
The road fell silent.
"I don't know my parents."
"I don't know whether I had brothers or sisters."
"I don't know whether I was married."
"I don't know whether I had children."
"I don't know what I did for a living."
Jax looked down at his hands.
"I don't know what I looked like."
"I don't even know if Jax was my real name."
The knowledge remained.
The world remained.
History remained.
Everything personal had simply vanished.
Zee's expression softened.
"I'm sorry."
Jax offered her a small smile.
"It could be worse."
Bunny's ears lowered.
"How?"
"I could have remembered everything about myself and forgotten everything that made me useful."
That answer didn't completely satisfy her.
It didn't satisfy Jax either.
But it was the closest thing he had to comfort.
"I remember the world," he continued. "I just don't remember where I fit inside it."
Llandra watched him for several long moments.
"So you're building a new life."
Jax looked down the road.
"I don't have much choice."
"I can spend my days chasing memories I don't have…"
He smiled faintly.
"…or make new ones."
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Even Nyxian had lost her teasing grin.
Finally, she folded her arms.
"You're a strange human."
Jax chuckled softly.
"Yeah."
He looked toward the road ahead.
"I suspect that's very true."
The group began walking again.
The mood remained quieter for a little while.
Not uncomfortable.
Thoughtful.
Bunny eventually moved closer to Jax without saying anything.
Zee did the same.
Nyxian resumed her usual swagger, though she glanced toward him more often than before.
Llandra returned to the front.
But something had changed.
They were no longer merely escorting a mysterious human.
They knew a little more about the man walking beside them.
Not much.
But enough.
As the road continued, the conversation slowly shifted toward the world itself.
The Empire.
Adventurers.
Systems.
Trade routes.
Kingdoms.
Jax listened carefully to everything.
More importantly—
He listened without judging.
That alone seemed to surprise them.
"So Solmere is part of the Empire?" he asked eventually.
"Technically," Llandra replied.
"That sounds like there's a 'but' attached."
"There is," Zee said quietly.
Bunny's ears lowered slightly.
"The Empire controls the region," Llandra explained, "but towns like Solmere are mostly left to survive on their own."
"Because it's a beastkin settlement," Nyxian added bluntly.
Jax frowned.
"No humans live there?"
"Rarely," Zee said.
Interesting.
That bothered him more than he expected.
His thoughts moved automatically toward opportunity.
Trade isolation.
Infrastructure problems.
Resource suppression.
Artificial poverty.
Poor transport.
Lack of investment.
His mind started connecting pieces almost immediately.
Nyxian noticed his expression.
"You make strange faces when you're planning things."
"I'm not planning anything."
"You absolutely are."
Jax paused.
"Maybe a little."
Llandra narrowed her eyes slightly.
"You process information unusually quickly."
Jax shrugged.
"I like understanding how things work."
That answer felt true.
Even to him.
A few minutes later, another question occurred to him.
"So how do people normally transport dragons?"
The women exchanged glances.
"They usually don't transport the whole thing," Bunny explained.
"Most hunting parties destroy large sections during the fight," Llandra added. "Scales crack. Organs rupture. Wings tear apart."
"It normally takes dozens of adventurers to kill one," Zee said softly.
Nyxian looked sideways at him.
"Which is why your story sounds completely insane."
Jax nodded.
"Fair."
Llandra crossed her arms.
"I still don't fully believe you."
"Also fair."
Nyxian smirked.
"I believe he punched it."
Everyone looked at her.
She shrugged.
"Mostly because I don't think he's clever enough to invent a lie that stupid."
"Wow," Jax said. "I'm honored."
"You should be."
The conversation drifted again.
Eventually Nyxian glanced toward his suit.
"So what exactly are you wearing?"
Jax looked down at himself.
Black suit.
White shirt.
Tie.
He looked ridiculous standing beside four fantasy adventurers.
"Where I'm from," he explained, "this is considered formal."
Bunny blinked.
"That's formal?"
"Very."
"It looks uncomfortable."
"It absolutely is."
Zee tilted her head.
"It doesn't seem practical for combat."
"Also correct."
Nyxian smirked.
"I liked the no-clothes version better."
Llandra nearly tripped.
"Nyxian."
"What? We were all thinking it."
"We were not," Zee squeaked.
Jax rubbed his forehead.
"I'm starting to understand the group dynamic."
Bunny laughed.
"Don't worry. You get used to her eventually."
"That somehow worries me more."
The road curved around a hill.
Then Solmere finally came into view.
Jax slowed.
"Oh."
The mood shifted immediately.
The town looked tired.
Buildings sagged beneath age and neglect.
Wooden walls leaned unevenly.
Roads were cracked, muddy, and dirty.
Roofs had been repaired so many times that some looked like patchwork quilts made from wood and desperation.
Even from a distance, the exhaustion was visible.
Not destroyed.
Not dying.
Just forgotten.
Jax's expression changed.
He noticed the people next.
Fox ears.
Wolf tails.
Rabbit ears.
Horns.
Different forms of beastkin moved through the streets carrying supplies, repairing buildings, hauling carts, and struggling through daily work.
And not a single human.
"Interesting," Jax murmured.
Llandra noticed the shift in his expression.
"Most people see poverty first."
Jax shook his head.
"I see potential."
That earned him four very different looks.
Llandra looked thoughtful.
Zee looked hopeful.
Bunny smiled.
Nyxian looked at him like she had discovered a particularly interesting puzzle.
Before anyone could respond, Llandra pointed toward the town center.
"We should secure rooms first."
Nyxian crossed her arms.
"And sell the dragon before our mysterious human accidentally becomes wealthier than a kingdom."
"That sounds bad when you say it aloud."
Nyxian smirked.
"Come on."
She motioned for him to follow.
"If you want real money, you sell beasts."
They entered the town.
Jax took in everything.
The smell of cooking food.
The sound of carts rolling over damaged roads.
Children playing near worn buildings.
Merchants calling from small stalls.
Workers repairing the same structures that would probably need repair again next month.
This place didn't need charity.
It needed investment.
Organization.
Opportunity.
Jax felt ideas forming faster than he could sort them.
They stopped in front of one of the few stone buildings in town.
Heavy reinforced walls.
Iron shutters.
Expensive construction.
A business.
The moment they stepped inside, a massive troll in elegant clothing approached with startling speed.
"Well now," he said smoothly. "A succubus and a human. That's either profitable or dangerous."
Nyxian smiled.
"Possibly both."
The troll's grin widened.
"Oh, I already like this conversation."
"We need space," Nyxian said.
Understanding flashed across his eyes immediately.
He led them through a narrow doorway.
Jax stepped through—
—and entered a warehouse far larger than the exterior building should have physically allowed.
He stopped.
Dimensional storage.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Jax's smile widened.
This world was getting better by the hour.
The troll moved toward the center of the warehouse.
"Whenever you're ready."
Jax opened his system.
[DISPEL STORED CREATURES?]
He selected:
[YES]
The dragon appeared instantly.
BOOM.
The entire warehouse shook.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
The troll froze.
Silence filled the room.
Then—
"Sweet merciful greed."
He rushed toward the corpse.
His hands moved rapidly across scales, teeth, claws, wings, and the massive head.
His breathing quickened visibly.
"This is immaculate," he whispered. "No structural collapse. Minimal scale damage. Intact core region."
Then he slowly turned toward Jax.
"Who killed this?"
Nyxian pointed casually.
"Him."
The troll stared.
Then looked back at Jax.
"You?"
"Long story."
The troll narrowed his eyes.
Then suddenly smiled.
"I am Grathok."
He extended one massive hand.
"And I would very much like to do business with you."
Jax shook it immediately.
"Jax."
Negotiations began.
Nyxian watched the exchange carefully.
Very quickly, she realized something.
Jax was dangerous.
Not merely because of his strength.
Because he understood value.
He didn't negotiate like an adventurer.
He negotiated like a merchant.
Questions first.
Positioning second.
Value framing third.
Grathok initially discussed the worth of meat, scales, organs, claws, and magical components.
Jax listened.
Then redirected the discussion.
"What about trophies?"
Grathok's eyes sharpened.
"Kings buy trophies, right?"
"Oh yes."
Jax pointed toward the dragon's head.
"Then this isn't merely a fire dragon."
He smiled slightly.
"This is the Fire Dragon of Solmere."
Grathok's grin widened slowly.
Now he understood.
Story increased value.
Fear increased value.
Reputation increased value.
A noble would pay for dragon scales.
A king would pay far more for the head of a beast that had terrified an entire region.
"Oh," Grathok murmured.
"Oh, I like you."
Nyxian watched Jax closely.
He didn't know this economy.
He barely understood the currency.
Yet he understood people.
He understood desire.
Status.
Pride.
Greed.
That was rarer than raw power.
Several minutes later, Grathok reached into a tiny ornate chest and pulled out an enormous sack filled with gold.
The sack absolutely should not have fit inside the chest.
Dimensional storage again.
Jax stared at it with open fascination.
"Two million gold upfront," Grathok said. "I can liquidate additional assets by tomorrow."
Nyxian nearly choked.
Even Llandra looked startled.
Bunny's mouth fell open.
Zee stared at the gold like it might explode.
Jax remained calm.
Mostly because he had absolutely no idea how much money that actually represented.
"Sounds fair," he said.
The gold vanished neatly into his system inventory.
Convenient.
Extremely convenient.
Grathok looked pleased.
Jax looked thoughtful.
Nyxian looked concerned about what would happen once Jax understood how much money he had just made.
As they stepped back outside, the town of Solmere stretched before them.
Broken roads.
Aging buildings.
Struggling merchants.
Hardworking people.
Opportunity everywhere.
Nyxian looked at Jax differently now.
Most people feared Grathok.
Others tried to intimidate him.
Some begged.
Jax had simply understood him.
Then he had turned a dragon corpse into a legend before the beast had even been sold.
Nyxian smiled faintly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Jax looked down the neglected streets of Solmere.
He didn't see a forgotten town anymore.
He saw businesses.
Roads.
Trade.
Jobs.
Homes.
A future.
And somewhere beyond those battered streets—
the world had already begun to change.