Story Chapter 12: Medieval Village

Haruka continued along the unfamiliar road, still unsure whether she was dreaming or somehow trapped in another world. Then, beyond the trees, she finally saw something that made her stop. A village. Her eyes widened. “Huh…?” She could see wooden buildings clustered along a dirt road, small market stalls, carts, and people moving about. More importantly, there were people everywhere. Haruka let out a quiet breath of relief. “Finally… people.” She slowly approached the village, her earlier anxiety easing for the first time since arriving in this strange place. But as she got closer, she began noticing something unusual. The villagers weren't dressed in modern clothes. Men wore simple tunics and trousers. Women wore long, modest dresses and aprons. Some carried baskets, while others pushed wooden carts through the busy street. Haruka blinked. “Wait…” She looked around again. “This really is a medieval village…” For a moment, she felt relieved simply knowing she had found civilization. Maybe someone here could tell her where she was. Maybe someone could help her. Then she noticed the villagers staring. One person stopped walking. Another whispered something to a companion. A merchant slowly lowered the basket he was carrying. Haruka's smile faded. She looked down at herself. Her white sleeveless athletic crop top was tied at the front, leaving her midriff exposed, while her blue athletic shorts looked completely foreign compared with the villagers' clothing. “…Oh.” She swallowed nervously. One by one, more villagers began turning toward her. Their expressions became wary. Suspicious. Haruka stood frozen in the middle of the road. “Uh-oh…” The village had noticed her.