The first thought that came to mind when she said that was that someone might have taken advantage of her naivety. However, that thought was dismissed seconds later, as she was strong enough to defend herself and wouldn't allow men to even touch her.

When she pointed me out as the father, it confirmed the hypothesis I had been considering for a while now… Myrina was stupid!

She had spent decades swinging a spear and shield around and that would make anyone a bit dumb. But my parents didn't know that, and they looked at me with shocked expressions.

Myrina probably mistook the comradery between her and myself, a man, for something more. Common sense wasn't even in her vocabulary.

I mean, even if she was pregnant, who would announce it like that?

"Son, when I said-" my father began to speak, but I stood up and approached Myrina.

I placed a hand on her shoulder, but she avoided eye contact with me. "Alright, explain to me how you ended up pregnant."

"I-I kissed you on the forehead. My teacher said that when a man and woman show affection for each other, the woman becomes pregnant with his child," she said, her cheeks blushing from embarrassment.

If this were any other woman, I would be annoyed with her, but she had saved my life. I turned to my mother. "Can you please explain how these things actually work to her?"

My mother intervened, taking Myrina to another room. Meanwhile, my father stared at me intently, using his only usable hand to stroke his stubbled chin as if he were a contemplative philosopher. "Do you think she has feelings for you?"

She grew up on an island of only women who hated men and killed them for a living while being taught for decades that men were monsters. Ah yes, that sounded like the perfect place to grow up and our love to bloom in about the two weeks I knew her—which was complete buffoonery.

Besides, I was physically fifteen years old, while she was over fifty. I was too young to consider settling down. The only reason our connection could be classified as friendship was because we had saved each other's lives. "I don't believe she has any romantic interest in me. It seems like she's more focused on smashing monsters."

I refrained from bombarding my father with the sarcastic thoughts racing through my mind. However, he seemed to understand and shrugged. "You know, you should take your chances. Women like her don't come around often."

"Sure," I nodded. But I had no intention of pursuing romantic endeavors. My previous life had taught me not to chase after the person I liked, but to find someone who liked me. The games of romance were exhausting at my age.

Furthermore, there was a fascinating world waiting to be explored. Myrina exhibited superhuman strength, and there had to be an explanation for that. Why had humanity forgotten such knowledge? Perhaps this situation was more complex than it appeared. It definitely was more interesting than chasing after women.

…

After yesterday's debacle, I woke up feeling refreshed, my Magic Energy, or Kar, fully replenished. I collected the wood chunks from yesterday's paper-making endeavor and sketched a new transmutation circle, envisioning what I desired.

The wood shifted, transformed, heated, and soon took the shape of a wooden wheelbarrow. In this world, they had something similar called a hand carriage, but it had two wheels, was difficult to maneuver, and didn't offer much improvement over the horse. Wheelbarrows, on the other hand, were accessible to anyone, even children, and their construction was relatively straightforward.

Using all my Kar solely for wheelbarrows would be inefficient since I had other items to create. Instead, my plan was to present this prototype to the carpenter, who could then mass-produce it for the villagers.

Suddenly, the door to my room creaked open, and Myrina entered. She hadn't slept in her bed last night, seemingly ashamed after my mother's explanation. Even now, she avoided making eye contact, indicating her lingering embarrassment.

"Good morning, Myrina," I greeted her, but my attention was limited as I needed to transport the wheelbarrow to the village square.

"Apologies for yesterday," she said, explaining. "I found some wine in the old wooden cottage and ended up drinking more than I should have."

"No need to worry; we all make mistakes," I reassured her. However, there were more pressing matters at hand, and while her actions might have caused personal distress, they held little significance to me.

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At my age, I had long since realized how little people cared about the embarrassing moments of others. People were primarily focused on themselves, on their own insecurities, and wondering if they made a mistake or did something stupid. Few really paid attention to what someone else did.

"I can assist you with that," she offered, effortlessly lifting the wheelbarrow onto her shoulders. We proceeded outside, accompanied by Billy, who persistently but futilely butted his head against Myrina's leg.

As we reached the village square, people glanced in my direction, whispering among themselves. It seemed a few individuals were mustering the courage to approach me. In response, I hurriedly entered the carpenter's shop, locking the door as soon as Myrina and Billy, the goat, joined me.

Myrina set down the wheelbarrow, taking charge of Billy by his scruff, much like a cat. The carpenter emerged, wearing a respectful expression that didn't exhibit the same overpowering attitude as the others outside."

Myrina, on the other hand, looked displeased upon seeing the carpenter and seemed on the verge of uttering something rude. Sensing the tension, I nudged her, and she gave me a strange look in return. However, I didn't want to spoil the positive relationship I had with one of the few people who treated me normally.

"Hello, I wanted to show you something I've come up with. It's called a wheelbarrow," I explained, demonstrating how its parts worked and loading it with wood. The carpenter nodded and smiled.

"I wonder if we could mass-produce these and offer them at a low price, encouraging villagers to buy them. It would make work more efficient, and even children could help with chores." I shared my plans with him, and his eyes lit up with excitement. He was a genuinely good person, which is why I was willing to let him take credit for 'inventing' the wheelbarrow.

"I'll make them for free," the carpenter offered.

"You don't have to do that," I replied.

While his generosity was admirable, I knew that without compensation, he might lose the incentive to continue doing a good job. "At least charge for the wood."

"Sure," the carpenter added as an afterthought. "Your miracle potions saved both my daughter and wife's lives. Compared to that, these favors are insignificant."

His words brought a smile to my face. Saving lives was a rewarding experience.

Unlike the others in the village, the carpenter saw it for what it was, and not as some weird divine intervention.

…

By the end of the week, every village home had acquired at least one wheelbarrow, and my initiative to mobilize the villagers had proven successful. While we hadn't fully recovered from the recent wolf attack, the loss of a large number of men who had tried to defend their families meant fewer mouths to feed. Despite a potentially low harvest, it should be manageable.

I diligently applied basic double-entry bookkeeping to calculate income and determine the village's path toward self-sufficiency.

Suddenly, the door to my room creaked open, and Myrina cautiously peeked inside, checking for any other occupants. Billy, who had been hiding under the sheets, popped his head up. Myrina's expression turned melancholic as she spoke. "Winter is approaching, and I should leave before then. If I delay, the journey will have to wait until spring, and by that time, they may send another Amazon to hunt down Arachsh..."

"Good," I replied. It had been evident for a while that she would eventually have to depart. But I struggled to find the right words. She had saved my life and the lives of those I held dear in this world.

There were countless ways I wanted to express my gratitude, but they eluded me. So, I locked eyes with her and simply said, "Thank you."

She looked away, her gaze fixating on the wall. "No problem, thank you too. I apologize if I was annoying at the beginning."

"Was annoying? What are you talking about? You're still annoying," I joked, trying to lighten the mood. Despite our sadness, we didn't have to make it a funeral.

Her brows furrowed. "You ruined the moment. In stories when the hero departs from the friends he has made along the way-"

"What? But I'm not departing?" I interjected, feigning ignorance.

Her frown deepened. "You're not the hero! That was obvious from the start!"

We bantered back and forth for a couple of minutes until Myrina finally let go of the uneasiness surrounding her actions. In the end, she lay on her own bed, a smile gracing her face. "You know, your talents are wasted in a small village like this."

Talents? What talents? I was merely emulating scholars from thousands of years in the future.

Though I disagreed with her words, I understood the underlying message she intended to convey. In this world, I had no divine purpose, no grand mission or epic battles to fight. I felt adrift, with no specific destination or role to fulfill.

Apart from the occasional cringe-worthy memories from high school, I had no regrets about my previous life. Perhaps whatever brought me here intended to transport me back to high school, but overdid it by a long shot.

"You're right," I concurred. "There are many things in this world I have no explanation for, and I would like to see them."

Initially, I had assumed that there was nothing to learn in such a primitive world. However, I was mistaken. In my time, there were no horse-sized spiders with human heads, nor women like Myrina possessing extraordinary strength!

There was no grand destiny awaiting me in this world, but perhaps that was what granted me a liberating sense of freedom. Unburdened by constraints, I could explore anywhere and engage in whatever piqued my interest, all while encountering the bizarre and the extraordinary.

Yes... I discovered my true calling.

"If it is the will of the Gods, our paths shall cross again," Myrina rose to her feet and departed, wearing a smile on her face.