A New Day in Balyaas Village (Volume: 2)

Balyaas Village was an exceedingly small settlement, nestled between the Velsen Forest and Morgan City.

Legend had it that when the village was first established, it was constantly plagued by magical beasts from the Velsen Forest.

One day, a villager inadvertently wandered into the forest’s heart, yet miraculously returned alive, bringing with them a rabbit. Due to this rabbit’s presence, the village began to flourish.

Even though it remained a small village to this day, the inhabitants eventually learned from adventurers that the protective rabbit was named Balyaas Rabbit.

Consequently, the young man who had brought the rabbit back, now the village chief, renamed the settlement Balyaas Village, a tribute to the revered rabbit that had aided them.

As dawn barely broke, within a humble home in the small village, a black-haired girl yawned softly.

She rubbed her eyes with one fair hand, while the other supported her as she slowly sat up from her warm, wooden bed.

Her long black hair, like cascades of silk, flowed down her snowy neck and delicate shoulders as she straightened, fanning out across the soft bedding.

The girl slowly opened her eyes. Though slightly reddened from sleep, their beauty was undeniable.

Her dark pupils, like polished obsidian, held the clarity of a still pond when focused, yet sparkled like stars when she blinked.

Beneath her captivating eyes, a delicate nose rose above fair cheeks, which were now faintly flushed from just waking.

An inner amusement seemed to cross her mind, causing her thin, cherry lips to press together. Her eyes curved into crescent moons, and two deep dimples on her cheeks appeared to smile along with her.

“Good morning, Umi~” The girl’s voice, though soft, was remarkably full and melodious, like pearls rolling together.

She turned her head, greeting a hair clip resting beside her pillow. Adorning the clip was a charming, plump yellow chick.

“Good morning, Jing~” To anyone’s astonishment, the yellow chick hair clip suddenly spoke in a delightfully simple voice, reminiscent of a chubby, adorable child. Yet, no one would ever imagine such a sound emanating from a hair clip.

“Hehe, it’s a new day! Ah, I never imagined this world would be just like ours, with everyone so friendly. It’s truly wonderful, Umi~”

Jing, the girl, stepped off the bed and onto the floor, taking a deep breath. As the fragrant, fresh air filled her lungs, a profound sense of happiness welled within her.

“Jing! Don’t get too carried away~ Though we don’t know why we ended up here, it’s crucial to be cautious in this unfamiliar environment!” Umi advised Jing calmly, despite its endearing, simple voice lending little authority to its words.

“Alright, alright~ Umi truly is the most dependable!” Jing giggled, saying to Umi. Immediately after, however, she covered her mouth with both hands, her shoulders trembling slightly as if struggling to suppress her laughter.

“Hmph~ Of course I am… wait, Jing, you, you’re making fun of me!” Umi, about to swell with pride, seemed to catch Jing’s muffled laughter and exclaimed in exasperation.

“I’m sorry, Umi, please don’t be mad at me.” Jing paused, realizing Umi genuinely sounded upset, and quickly apologized in a plaintive tone.

“Hmph… seeing how pathetic you are, Umi forgives you~” As if unable to bear Jing’s crestfallen expression, Umi magnanimously pardoned her.

“Hehe, I knew Umi was the best to me!” Jing beamed once more, her two deep dimples appearing on her fair cheeks, looking utterly adorable.

Jing skillfully changed into a simple, unassuming dress. This dress had been a gift from an elderly couple she met upon arriving in Balyaas Village.

She was currently staying in the kind old couple’s home. With their own children no longer by their side, they doted on Jing as if she were their own granddaughter.

The dress itself was one the old grandmother had personally sewn for her daughter long ago. Though plain, Jing cherished it deeply, for it was the very first gift she had received in this new world.

“Jing, Mom and Dad told me to remind you on their deathbed: always remember to eat breakfast!” Umi suddenly recalled something, stating it with a serious, yet charmingly simple voice.

“Alright, alright~ Umi, you’re becoming just like Mom now.” Having dressed, Jing gently ran her fingers through her long black hair.

It was exceptionally well-maintained, smooth and silky to the touch. She let her hair fall behind her, then picked up the yellow chick hair clip and carefully fastened it to her head.

The plump little chick now seemed to perch on Jing’s head, wiggling playfully with every movement.

“Umi~ Do I look good?” With Umi clipped in her hair, Jing, in high spirits, spun in a circle within her small room.

The hem of her simple dress billowed gently with her turn. She then took the sides of her skirt between her fingers, curtsied slightly as if performing a graceful bow, and asked Umi with an expectant tone.

Her sparkling eyes clearly betrayed her desire for praise.

Jing possessed a very slender figure. While her chest was only subtly curved, her waist was remarkably delicate, appearing almost too fragile to grasp.

Beneath the hem of her dress, a pair of long, shapely legs were revealed. At present, Jing wore cool sandals, displaying her fair, rounded feet. Her toes were even and neat, like ten slender scallion shoots.

“It’s… it’s not bad~” Umi’s charmingly simple voice sounded almost shy at this moment.

Hearing Umi’s compliment, Jing playfully stuck out her tongue. She then turned and retrieved two long blades, each about 1.7 meters in length, from beside her bed.

Both longswords were exquisitely crafted, their blades currently sheathed in ornate scabbards. Their hilts were adorned with golden embroidery, one red and the other blue.

To an ordinary person, they would simply appear as exceptionally beautiful longswords. However, if the Klaham Continent’s most esteemed artisans were to behold these blades, they would likely be driven to madness.

These two swords represented the pinnacle of craftsmanship from another world—a world where the sword was life itself.

“Dad~ Mom~ Jing is doing very well now, so please don’t worry. Jing will definitely take good care of herself! Oh, and the people in this world are incredibly friendly too!”

“When I first arrived in this strange world, I was so scared I cried, hehe, a bit embarrassing, right? But thankfully, Mom’s Umi has been by my side, allowing Jing to bravely persevere!” Jing gently stroked the blades of the two longswords as she spoke to them, a happy smile gracing her face.

As mentioned, Jing was not originally from this world. Two months prior, she had suddenly appeared on the outskirts of the Velsen Forest, fortunately discovered by the elderly couple who were returning to the village after purchasing goods in Morgan City, and subsequently rescued.

Jing’s former world was one where the sword was life. Every person, from birth, possessed a unique blade.

The abilities of these swords varied greatly among individuals, and as a person’s personal strength grew, so too did the power of their blade.

Despite being a world where weapons were paramount, the people of Jing’s original world were remarkably pure-hearted.

They strove only to continuously hone their own abilities, devoid of war, intrigue, or plunder. It was a realm of absolute peace, where martial arts served as a means of friendly exchange, and blade techniques were their language.

Alas, a world existing only in human fantasy was destined not to last.

The people, accustomed to peace, were invaded by a force that descended from the heavens. Though possessing immense power, they were utterly unversed in harming others.

Consequently, they were easily conquered by this new power, and the peace-loving inhabitants were imprisoned as test subjects. Jing was among them.

Jing’s parents, two supreme experts who stood at the apex of this sword-centric world, used their combined might to breach the invaders’ territory.

They rescued countless imprisoned compatriots. However, even the most formidable individual power was helpless against a civilization beyond their comprehension.

Jing’s world was annihilated in a mere instant. Everything — her memories, happiness, and warmth — could only remain in her mind. Yet, Jing survived.

Each member of Jing’s clan possessed their own blade. However, to burn one’s own essence meant forfeiting the right to be human.

It also meant losing the capacity for growth, transforming forever into a cold, mindless weapon. This was a legend Jing’s mother had told her since childhood.

Jing gazed silently at the two exquisite longswords in her hands, as a single tear silently dropped onto a scabbard.

Jing’s parents had burned their own essences, transforming themselves into sharp blades to protect her. This peculiar power allowed Jing to survive the destructive force that annihilated everything, ultimately awakening in this unfamiliar world.

“Jing, don’t cry~ Mom and Dad are still with you, you mustn’t cry.” Jing fought back her tears, choking out the words to herself.

“Umi~ It’s time for us to go! We still need to help Grandpa Joseph chop wood today, and Grandma Ila’s egg porridge should be ready by now. Let’s go~”

Jing sniffled lightly, then reached up to wipe away the tear stains on her cheeks. A radiant smile bloomed on her face, her charming dimples appearing, looking exceptionally beautiful under the glow of the rising sun.

“Jing~ That’s more like it! Cheer up, we’re going to stack Grandpa Joseph’s woodpile to the brim today!” Umi’s charmingly simple voice sounded a little muffled at that moment.

“Mm!” Jing nodded vigorously, placing the two longswords on her back. Her flushed cheeks once again displayed her deep dimples as she pushed open the door to her small bedroom, filled with hope.