After a long journey that lasted over a week, the carriage finally arrived at the merchant city of Fortunia, a mandatory stop between Maralto and the Gate of the Abyss.
As such, it was time to part ways with the people I had met and move on.
— ...They're all gone.
There wasn't even a goodbye. As soon as the wheels stopped, everyone grabbed their belongings and disappeared into the busy streets, without so much as a glance back.
It was as if I were a nuisance, someone they wanted to distance themselves from at the first opportunity.
— Is there something wrong with me?
Sometimes, the problem might be me, and I just haven't realized it.
Thinking about it, maybe it was because of that topic.
During the trip, conversations always revolved around trivialities like food, monsters, fashion, rumors about the Noctis Royal Academy, and things like that, until one of them commented, a bit awkwardly, that her breasts seemed to be growing since she started dating a guy.
Seeing that, for some reason, the others didn't seem to understand what was happening, I commented that the female body goes through several changes, especially during pregnancy, and that breasts enlarge to produce milk.
Since then, they all started looking at me strangely.
— What am I supposed to do when they barely understand their own bodies? — I muttered, frustrated. — I only stated the basics... but I guess it sounded bad.
Maybe they saw me as some kind of pervert, or someone who sleeps with anyone.
— Haa... I don't understand what I did wrong. I better go find out when the next carriage leaves... and find a place to sleep.
Even the whip girl, whose name I found out was Dandara, started avoiding me, limiting herself to teaching me the art of the whip from a distance.
— Why she still insisted on teaching me that... is a mystery.
I still can't quite understand this world, even though I read the novel about it. It's as if the book only described a small fraction of reality.
With the focus almost exclusively on the harem and the main events, details about the daily life and worldview of common people were missing.
In the end, I only know about characters who were supposed to be ordinary but end up becoming absurdly powerful.
— Anyway... I'll really have to wait a few days before leaving…
Looking at a board with the departure days and times, I realized I was lucky to have stayed longer in Maralto; now I had enough money to stay a few days in Fortunia.
After filling out the transport request for the Gate of the Abyss, I set out in search of lodging.
— This city, though not very large, is quite vibrant.
As a city connecting various regions, Fortunia is teeming with merchants and inns everywhere. The rough stone streets intertwine with narrow alleys, bridges, and steep slopes, echoing the constant shouts of sellers offering their wares.
The air is heavy, mixing spices and smoke. Cargo vehicles circulate non-stop, pulled by horses, deer, and other creatures I can't even name.
It would probably be a great place to set up a shop, if I had any product. Even without one, it might be the best spot to gather information about the surrounding area.
Although most rumors revolve around the Noctis Royal Academy, some caught my attention.
— The Saintess... didn't go to school?
Although I don't remember the names of all the characters in the novel, titles like "Saintess" always stand out to me; after all, she is one of the few who stay with the protagonist until the very end.
Because of this, I still clearly remember some of her events. And, as I recalled, she was supposed to join the school along with the protagonist, being one of the highlights there.
— Could the course of history have changed? How was that possible? — I thought, while searching for the cheapest available accommodation.
If it's just a late enrollment, maybe it won't change things much. She only gains importance after the protagonist emerges from the dungeon, anyway.
— But still... I hope nothing else has been altered.
Listening to a few more rumors, I realized there were some relatively useful ones. One was that someone "promising," whom many speculated was the chosen one of an ancient prophecy, had appeared at the school. This stems from a legend about the moment the ancestral demon returns to this world, a hero would arise to defeat it.
— It must be the protagonist. Even though he only has the talent and nothing else, for now.
The protagonist is still relatively weak at this point in the story, so only speculations surround him. Furthermore, the church has not commented on the matter, nor has the royal family, making the rumor seem unfounded for now.
Another interesting rumor mentioned the entry of several influential figures into the Noctis Royal Academy this year.
— I might not remember all of them, but some names sound familiar…
Even though it was a novel I read casually, there were characters I liked.
— Maybe I'll try to meet up with them someday... after the protagonist saves the world.
After a good search, I finally found the cheapest place in an isolated corner, but since it was too isolated, I decided to go for the second cheapest, which was slightly run-down, but would suffice.
— After a few days here, I'll have to travel for quite a while to reach the next city…
In these moments, I miss fast transportation like airplanes. Or better, if the vehicles at least had shock absorbers, that would be good enough.
— My whole body aches... why don't I have a healing magic?
While lamenting, I rented a room and headed toward it. On the way, I ended up crossing paths with Dandara.
She stopped in front of me, in a more secluded corner, and, visibly embarrassed, asked:
— ...How much?
—Hm? How much for what? — I asked, confused.
— How much... for one night?
— …
Now I finally understood why the people on the trip distanced themselves without saying anything.
It seems they confused my profession, even though I said I was going to become an adventurer. And even more surprising is that someone actually tried to buy my services.
— I'm not doing business at the moment. — I replied.
— ...I understand.
I don't know exactly what she understood, but she seemed a little dejected. I had a slight suspicion that she thought I had questionable tastes like hers.
— It's not my fault she thinks I work in that career. — I thought, as I walked past her.
I might have even considered it for a moment, but my body was so broken from the journey that all I wanted was to rest for the next few days and then leave for the next city.
— …Actually, with my appearance, I should be calling the guard.
Upon entering the room, I notice how simple it is. Not caring much, I lock the door and throw myself onto the bed. Looking up at the ceiling, I say calmly:
— Show panel.
[Name]: Rafael
[Race]: Human
[Level]: 4
[Magic Power]: 101
[Skills]
[Whipper]: 39
[Cook]: 10
[Stabber]: 22
[Fisherman]: 17
[Magical Harmony]: 31
[…]
[Magic]
[Connection]: 82
[Protective Membrane]: 61
[Remembrance]: 61
— Hmm... Even after a month of training, my magical power only reached 101. And the more it grows, the slower the progress becomes... This is going to take a long time.
After checking the magical power, I analyze my skills and notice that [Whipper] is the one that has increased the most, a clear sign of how training with someone is much more efficient than trying to learn alone.
Another detail that stands out is [Magical Harmony], showing that my magical training truly bore fruit and generated a new skill.
— Harmony... could this skill be linked to the [Connection] magic?
If that's the case, the reason for the improvements in the execution of the magics makes sense.
Furthermore, the magic levels, especially [Connection], have risen significantly.
— If I'm not mistaken, at level 100 they evolve... and Connection is almost there.
This only confirms that it's time to change the way I train this magic and better understand the connection with the core and the fate of my recollections.
— Well, let's leave that for later... Buh.
Sending my final word to the core, I lie down on the bed feeling a little tired. Thanks to the high level of the magic, I can avoid spending all my magic power at once, but it's still not enough. The magical power remains low, and the fatigue always comes soon after using it.
— Time to sleep…
[To be continued…]
[???]:
— While he is on this journey, the poor Saintess is freaking out, especially when it's time to sleep.