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Blinker
Chapter 7: Barnabas

Chapter 7: Barnabas

I’m currently walking along a dirt road holding my egg on one hand and my spear in the other. My knife was tucked in my pants.

I met an old man earlier who lived in these woods and he gave me a lot of information which I was quite grateful for.

After I was passed out by the light from the magic circle, I awoke on the ground in front of the dungeon cave with my weapons and egg around me.

I got up and surveyed my surroundings. Seeing that there was no immediate danger I took my items and went right.

I mean I didn’t really have a map or anything like that and I didn’t know the area well, so I just went right.

Walking while holding onto a large egg was really annoying. I contemplated eating it, but I didn’t have a frying pan to make scrambled eggs. Considering its size it would make a huge meal.

So I walked past trees. Lots and lots of trees. That was pretty much all there was to see. Luckily there were no monsters.

I decided to take a break on a large rock.

‘I’m lost… I have no idea where the hell I am.’

I looked around my surroundings and there was a downward slope and at the bottom of the hill of trees, there was a small wooden hut.

Excited I quickly grabbed my things and rushed down to the hut.

‘Hopefully there will be someone who can tell me some directions.’

After five minutes of light jogging I reached the small hut.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” I called out.

There was no response.

I decided to go knock on the door. Right as I was about to knock a voice rang out.

“Get lost you brat! Gods be damned! I moved out here precisely so that no one would bother me. And what the hell happens? Someone manages to find me the very next day!”

“Um… sir? I think you have a misunderstanding… I’m actually lost, and.. I don’t know who you are…”

“Huh? You don’t know who I am? Impossible! Get lost kid! I’m not signing any autographs.”

“What the fuck? You old fart! Screw you! I’m seriously lost out here! I hope you fall down and break your spine!”

With that I left. Whew… seriously… what the hell was up with that old man?

I heard the door open behind me.

“You really lost kid?”

I turned around.

“… Yeah…”

When he saw me he must have noticed how dirty my clothes were from the dungeon.

“Sigh… If you go in that direction, after roughly ten miles you’ll come across a small town…. Wait… How did you get that egg? That’s a demon beast egg!”

“Hmm? Oh, this? I got it from a dungeon.”

“What do you mean you got it from a dungeon? There are no dungeons around here for miles!”

“Oh, I discovered it and I got this egg on the third floor.”

“How the hell did you manage to discover a dungeon? And why are you alone? Where the hell are your parents?”

“I told you, I’m lost old man. As for my parents… I don’t know. I don’t remember anything.”

“You have amnesia?”

‘Ah… the good ol’ amnesia card. Hopefully this old man buys it and takes pity on me.’

The old man’s expression changed into uncertainty.

“Sigh… okay, why don’t you come in and have some rest, then I’ll send you off.”

‘Sweet! It worked!’

I entered his house and he told me sit on a chair. Then he brought me a bowl of porridge. It tasted quite plain, but considering I’ve only had water to drink ever since I’ve come to this world, I didn’t complain and wolfed it all down.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I had two more bowls before I was satisfied.

Seeing the content look on my face the old man asked what happened and I began telling him my made up story.

“Well it all started when I woke up in the forest…”

I proceeded to tell him about how I killed a goblin accidentally, got chased by goblins, and accidentally stumbled into a dungeon and how I escaped. Of course, I left out the part where I got [Blink] and the part where the Dungeon Master sent notes to me. 

This took a long time and by the time I was finished, it was already late in the afternoon.

“Well, I don’t really know what to make of this story, but I believe you.”

I inwardly sighed with relief.

“Wait, earlier you said this was a demon beast egg. What’s that?” I asked.

“Oh, demon beasts just monsters that evolved and gained greater intelligence and strength than normal monsters. This demon beast egg must have been a reward from the dungeon.

Anyway… I’m gonna make dinner. You can leave tomorrow.”

‘Y’know, maybe this old man isn’t that bad at all.’

“What’s your name kid?”

“Huh? Oh, I’m Rane, Rane Coult. What about you?”

“Heh, me? I’m Barnabas.”

Dinner was a simple meal of stew with some vegetables and some chewy meat with a piece of bread. During dinner I asked him questions about this world and how things were.

“The forest we’re in is the forbidden lands between the human kingdom, Septom and the Greenwood Elves.

Roughly 50 years ago, the kingdom of Septom coveted the resources and territory of the Greenwood Elves and declared war. The result was devastating defeat for the humans. The elves were enraged and forced the humans into submission with their deadly archers and capable magicians. The elves even marched straight into the capital of Septom and demanded tribute from the king.

Septom used to be the strongest of all the seven human kingdoms but now it is the weakest. The news of this all across the seven kingdoms and now they are all wary of the might of the elves.

The elves and the Septom Kingdom now have a peace treaty but they must give yearly tribute to the elves and the Septom Kingdom lost a huge chunk of their land.

The forest that we’re currently in is a part of the land that was taken away and Septom cannot set foot on here or they will risk the wrath of the elves once more.

It wasn’t until recently that the Adventurer Guild managed to make a deal with the elves, allowing adventurers to enter the land to take on missions, which is why I’m hiding out here in the forest.”

I gained a lot of information that was useful and I was thankful to old man Barnabas. I went to sleep with a lot on my mind and the next morning I set off.

“Hey kid, take this with you.”

Barnabas gave me a bag filled with food and a map of the kingdom of Septom. My heart grew warm because of this act of kindness. Barnabas gave me, a complete stranger a place to stay and food.

“Also, if you go to the Adventurer’s Guild and tell them that you discovered a dungeon, they will give you a reward. Here, take this letter too. Give it to a man named Renton and you won’t have to go through much trouble. That bastard owes me.”

I said my goodbye and Barnabas told me to get lost already.

With a smile on my face I headed toward the town of Arton.