Peak Between Two: Mushoku Tensei

-Ryu Dedoldia-

I found two humans—and both were still children.

Even though in this world, someone was considered an adult at twelve, facts were facts—they were still kids.

I myself was probably ten years old this year, but my body was more like a teenager's, thanks to years of insane training.

But that didn't mean my mind was childish.

I was already an adult.

…Even though Kazuya somehow always insisted that my way of thinking was still immature.

But clearly, I was a full-fledged adult trapped in a young body!

Ahem.

Forget about that.

I needed to focus on the situation in front of me.

Why were these two human children wandering around here?

They had just passed through a hunting ground, a place full of monsters and wild beasts.

I narrowed my eyes, analyzing the situation.

Communicating with them was a bit difficult for me.

Beastman language was my daily speech, and I rarely interacted with humans.

The only exceptions were the occasional traveling merchants who stopped by the village.

I could understand a few words in the human language, but speaking fluently was still hard.

So…

Instead of bothering to talk to them myself, I figured I'd just take them to the Elder or Uncle Gyes.

They were more fluent in human language than I was.

We finally arrived at the Dedoldia village, the home of the beastman tribe deep in the forest.

As soon as we entered, several beastmen immediately took notice.

They eyed the two humans behind me with suspicion.

I ignored them and walked straight to the home of the village elder, Gustav Dedoldia.

When we reached his house, I knocked firmly on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

A few seconds later, the door opened.

Elder Gustav stepped out, his sharp, dignified gaze piercing through me.

He was an old beastman with a towering build, a long white beard, and eyes that always felt like they could read your mind.

I lowered my head slightly as a sign of respect.

"I brought humans. They're lost."

Gustav narrowed his eyes and looked at Rudeus and Eris.

"Humans?" His deep voice carried an air of authority.

I nodded. "Yes. They were in the forest… dangerous."

I glanced at Rudeus, signaling him to speak for himself.

Rudeus quickly understood and raised his hands slightly in a peaceful gesture.

"Forgive us. I'm Rudeus Greyrat, and this is Eris Boreas Greyrat. We got lost due to a teleportation incident that happened in the Central Continent."

Elder Gustav Dedoldia stared at Rudeus for a long moment, as if assessing something within him.

I didn't care.

I had done my part.

I turned to Gustav. "Old man, I'll leave them to you. I need to put away our dinner first."

Gustav shifted his gaze from Rudeus and gave a slight nod. "Yes… Go. I'll handle this. And thank you for your hard work, Ryu."

I simply shrugged. "No problem."

Without lingering any longer, I left the two of them with the old man.

I had other things to do.

I needed to take the game to the storage or get someone to process it.

After all, dinner wouldn't prepare itself.

-Third-Person Perspective-

"Now, let's discuss this in more detail."

Elder Gustav's deep, commanding voice filled the room, making the atmosphere heavier.

After their brief exchange, Gustav had invited Rudeus and Eris into his home.

His house was built inside a massive tree, like most homes in the Dedoldia village.

This wasn't without reason—every year, the area experienced large floods, and houses built on the ground would be destroyed instantly.

Gustav sat in his sturdy chair, his sharp gaze fixed on the two human children before him.

Across from him, Rudeus and Eris sat quietly, though the tension in the air was palpable.

Rudeus kept his expression calm, but in his mind, he knew this was a delicate situation.

Meanwhile, Eris looked impatient, though she held herself back from saying anything reckless.

Gustav folded his hands on the table, staring at them intently before finally speaking.

"You claim to be from the Central Continent… and that you arrived here due to a teleportation incident?"

Rudeus gave a slow nod. "Yes. We don't know how we got here. We only remember a sudden light appearing, and when we woke up, we were already in this forest."

Eris nodded as well. "That's right. We don't even know if our families survived."

Silence filled the room.

Gustav let out a long sigh.

"Teleportation…" he murmured, his expression hardening slightly. "That is not something that happens by mere coincidence."

His gaze grew even sharper.

"Do you realize that this isn't just your problem?"

Rudeus raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Gustav leaned back in his chair, his expression growing even more serious.

"I don't know much about teleportation magic, but if this incident was large enough to drag you all the way from the Central Continent to here…"

He paused for a moment before continuing,

"Then chances are, many others have been affected as well."

Rudeus's eyes widened.

Eris froze.

They hadn't considered that possibility before.

"Not just us?" Rudeus thought.

If that was true…

How many others had been separated from their families? How many had been thrown into places far more dangerous than this?

If ordinary people had been caught in it…

How many had already died?

The silence grew heavier.

Gustav observed their expressions, then spoke in a low voice, "Now, what will you do?"

The question struck straight into their hearts.

Rudeus clenched his hands on his knees.

"What will I do…?"

The answer was obvious.

He had to find a way back to the Central Continent.

He had to find out what really happened.

But…

How?

How could they leave the Milis Continent without enough information?

How could they survive in this unfamiliar world?

Rudeus grit his teeth.

For the first time since his reincarnation, he felt like he had no control over his own life.

Eris looked equally frustrated.

Not because she was angry at anyone—but because she hated feeling powerless.

Gustav quietly observed their reactions, then said, "I can provide temporary shelter for you, but I cannot guarantee your safety if you stay here without a plan."

Rudeus lifted his head. "What do you mean?"

Gustav narrowed his eyes.

"Our village does not trust outsiders."

"If it weren't for Ryu bringing you here, you would have likely been tied up and detained from the start."

Eris clenched her fists, her eyes flaring with anger. "What the hell?! We didn't even do anything!"

Gustav gave her a cold stare. "That is what we call distrust. Humans and beastmen have not always had good relations. And because you are human, you must be careful."

Rudeus swallowed hard.

This situation was more difficult than he had expected.