Gateways to Casselonia Vol1( Light Novel )

Chapter 7

Sorata's day had taken a turn for the worst. But fortunately, that part was done with for the time being. He walked quickly on back to where the jewelry stand was, his head hang low in a depressive manner amongst the busy crowds of the Casselonia market streets.

The shameful episode clung onto him like dead weight, only slowing him down the more he went back and thought about it. Never had Sorata experienced anything as embarrassing and cruel like what had just happened. It was uncalled for and unnecessary. This was also the first time he had been discriminated against for anything in his life, only this first time was because he was being mistaken for a certain race he didn't belong to. So it seemed like this world wasn't all that different from our own to begin with. Apart from having gargantuan castles surrounded by floating lights and other kinds of architecture pulled straight out of a fantasy rpg game,there was also the ugly, ever-so-infamous social conflict known as racial prejudice present here as well. Sorata had come from Japan: a predominantly homogenous country where it would be difficult, if not impossible, for him to experience any kind of racial discrimination from his fellow citizens. And because of that, he had no idea whatsoever how to respond to it, he could only stand there stock-still from the shock. But what didn't make any sense was that neither him or Mizuki had felt any hostility from anyone since they were rescued from the river three days ago. Mr. Risenmarc, the inn keeper lady Mrs. Finlogg, lord Maxwell, Lola, and everyone in the village treated them like family even though they were all strangers. So why was it any different now? It didn't make any sense to him.The awkward sensation of being hated because of having a different colored anything was all too foreign to him. Thus, this incident would only serve as a bad memory from now on. If he knew he'd be humiliated like that in the middle of a busy street for everyone to see, there'd be no way Sorata would've left Sir. Bowen's side in the first place. In the end, Sorata came to the philosophical conclusion that no matter where a place was, as long as there were humans living in it, there was bound to be some form of prejudice.

Already near the jewelry stand, Sorata forced his weak neck to raise his heavy clinging head to check if Sir. Bowen was still there, and he was. The knight was having what seemed to be a good chat with the owner of the stand. The two of them were laughing, their faces nothing but smiles. Sorata with an undecipherable expression on his face, looked over at them blankly without giving a clue as to what he was feeling or thinking. Ironically enough, a lot more was happening within him in some of the deepest parts of his mind where conflicting emotions ran amok stampeding all over his mental stability. He wondered if the happy-go-lucky scene in front of him would play out differently if he was the one doing business with the stand owner. A sudden feeling of emptiness then began to bombard his stomach violently without mercy, a kind of emptiness that makes you sick and want to throw up. Everything around him began to darken, and the noise level of the bustling street became louder and louder. It all seemed as though the universe revolved around him, not in any egotistical fashion, but more of being surrounded by a menacing presence with the intent of doing nothing but psychological harm.

To any other person around him, daily life went on without the slightest acknowledgement of his existence. Everything outside of Sorata was the same old mundane routine as far as the townspeople were concerned. They walked past him without bothering to even stop and ask what was troubling him. In a sense you could say he was already dead. Not just in this world, but in his former world where surely everyone watching the news in Japan already classified him and Mizuki as deceased for not being able to find their bodies. And there was some truth to that.

Sorata started to question this reality all over again, as the feeling of being stuck here in this strange world forever rapidly made it's way into his psyche, forcing him to abandon all hope of returning back home. A skyrocketing heartbeat and legs shaking, he somehow managed to not fall over from the overwhelming pressure building up inside.