I closed the journal in my hands. Five years—rather, five summers to be exact—have passed already since that event. I took a deep breath of the fresh air of the countryside while I laid my eyes upon the now familiar scenery of rolling hills with outcrops of rocks and occasional vineyards and wheatfields in between the hills. Beautiful. It was like the opening of an RPG. The feeling of the soft grass and the damp earth beneath my hand made me wish I went outside more when I was still alive.

A sigh escaped my mouth as the view made me look back at the last five years. What did I accomplish within these five years? Absolutely nothing! Well, that's not really true but when compared to the light novels I read, I'm really far behind in terms of accomplishments. I may not have the harem, but at least I have money to buy a farm if I wanted to. But what's the point of buying a farm when you're living on one? The sound of a door as it creaked open made me stop my contemplation. The voice of the angel that saved my life beckoned to me.

"Luke! The pumpkin and tomato soup is ready!"

The voice belonged to the brunette that stood at the doorway.

Her name was Althea. Her long, brown hair was tied behind her into a long ponytail and she wore a simple wool shirt and brown overalls. It was a sight I've grown used to and one that meant she's going to tend to the farm. Her emerald-green eyes stared at the journal in my hands. She smiled as I hid it under my coat along with the pencil I made. For all the good she's done for me, I cannot allow that girl to touch or read the contents of this journal.

I let out a sigh as I patted off the dirt from my coat and the back of my legs. I followed Thea into her home as she sat down on the table where we usually ate our breakfast. I would've liked some coffee but that's not possible. The smell of pumpkin, homemade sausages, and fresh eggs made my stomach gurgle, it was the oatmeal with goat's milk that drew me in. I sat down in front of her and watched as the girl cut herself a slice of bread and dipped it in the oatmeal.

"Is there something wrong, Luke?"

She asked as I tasted the soup. Mhm, it's good.

"Yeah... I'm just wondering if I should start selling my wares in other towns."

I said before I took a bite out of the spicy sausages.

"Well, you should probably do that when you have something else to sell other than my produce and alcohol. How about selling those things you make, the sticks that you use to write."

"Nope. They're not that easy to make you know. Besides, I'm only working as a merchant to save up money to buy myself gear."

I said while I broke up the stale bread over my soup to serve as croutons.

"Man, now that I think about it... I'm more like a delivery boy than a merchant."

Thea smiled as she shook her head.

"If you work hard enough, you'll probably be one in the future. Oh, wait! That reminds me! Since you're going into town today, can you buy some honey as well? I wanted to try and brew some mead."

"Oh... Uhh... Sure! Do you have other errands I could probably do?"

Thea paused for a moment. She tapped her right cheek with a finger as she thought about something.

"If it's not too much to ask, can you submit a request to the adventurer's guild? It's probably two silver for an inspection request."

That's odd. The shift in her tone made it clear that she was worried about something. Still, it'd be best to not foul the mood.

"Oh, sure! I can pay. Although, if I may ask, what is it about?"

Thea shifted in her seat as I finished the last of my sausages.

"I think wolves are starting to move into the area since the traps I keep setting for rabbits keep disappearing."

I nodded as I ate the soup she made.

Wolves, huh? Those were definitely a problem. If I was an adventurer, I could've easily taken them out and earned some coin from their hides. Unfortunately, it seems that five years of exercise and a rigid diet only served to tone down my fat and make my abs and chest slightly bigger and noticeable. I can't afford someone to teach me swordplay and I'm probably too old to do it anyway. Man, I really let my 20's pass me by, huh? Well, I still have some time left and the past five years weren't a complete waste either.

Sure, I barely know the people in the village and in town even after five years of doing business with them, but I don't really need to know them to earn money. Besides, Thea does the talking with the neighbors and I'm the one that sells the goods at the villages I go to. In fact, I could probably count the number of people whose name I remember in one hand... Damn it, I need to add that to my to-do list. For now, I need to focus on my main goal of being an adventurer. For that, I need money.

"Erm, have you seen the honey, Luke?"

I looked up at Thea, her eyes locked onto the spice shelf that's a foot higher than her height.

"Oh, nevermind. I found it... Damn it, Luke. You always put stuff on places I can't reach."

Of course I will put stuff there. I did it intentionally for moments like this.

She placed one knee on the counter as she tiptoed on the other in an effort to reach the jar of honey. It was a nice view; her exposed armpit and a bit of her chest could be seen as she reached for the jar and the position of her legs just made her ass stick out. Of course, I averted my gaze back to the soup after a moment. Although we lived together, I tried my best to not be too hasty when it came to our relationship. I say relationship but the only relationship we have is basically that of roommates. Maybe brother and sister in some cases. Over the last few years, I've been trying my best to lay the foundations that two months ago, she finally allowed me to wash her clothes.

She got off the countertop and I hid my smile by finishing the bowl of soup. She smiled like a kid with a fresh bottle of maple syrup as she slathered the sweet liquid onto her bread. I let out a content sigh as I stood up and fixed my coat. This leather coat is probably the most expensive thing I owned and probably the most expensive thing in this whole house. The fabric in its underside was weaved with magical thread that kept the inside cool or heated depending on the temperature outside and it was pretty sturdy as well.

"I'll be off now. I'll probably spend the night in town to take care of something so don't make dinner for me."

"Really? W-Well... Take care! Oh! Don't forget to pick up some flour as well!"

She smiled as she wiped away the drops of honey on her face. I waved her goodbye and made my way out of the front door.

I made my way to the stable where Thea kept Kleo. She was a fine horse with a beige coat and a mane of white and powerful legs. For some reason, she's really friendly to me even though I've never touched a horse in my old life. I always found them scary for some reason, but Kleo was different. I fed her a handful of hay which she happily accepted. I smiled as I looked at the spot beside her, the same spot where Thea found me five years ago. I remember how I crawled over the haybale and slept soundly after five days of being lost in the forest. Kleo had a kid back then and for some reason, she let me drink some of her milk when I was dying of both starvation and thirst.

"I wonder if Old Man Reiner has been taking care of Cherry... Eh, we can probably visit them tomorrow."

I said as I rubbed the back of Kleo's neck. She neighed and let out a snort as she walked out of the stable.

"Yeah, yeah... Let's get this over with. I've already loaded the cart earlier so we'll just have to tie you to it."

I untied the leash from the beam of the stable and the two of us walked over towards the cart.

I attached the cart to her saddle like how Thea showed me. Kleo didn't make that much of a fuss as I climbed onto the cart filled with various harvests and products from Thea's village. I held the reins tight and whipped Kleo on while I checked the inventory. She moved forward in a steady trot while I grabbed an apple from one of the baskets. At this time of year, greens were plentiful due to the amount of sun while fruits like the apple I ate are limited to a few villages. All in all, they weren't much if they weren't delivered immediately but I know just the place to drop all of these off.

A little ways off the town near the base of a mountain whose name I forgot is a small community. I really wished they were Dwarves when I first stumbled upon this gold nugget of information, but it seems they were just regular people that lived near an iron mine. At least I learned from them that Dwarves live farther south near the coast. Anyway, no one really traded with them since the only thing they could trade was raw iron and weapons and there were other more profitable mines around so they had to sell their iron cheap.

I head about them three years ago at the merchant's guild and decided to stop there before going into the town. Like always, I traded the most precious commodity, booze, in my cart for things like arrowheads, nails, tools, and raw iron. Sure, they made swords and armor but if I bought and sell those, I would be at a loss. Anyway, I managed to sell them all of the dried meat as well for a bag of silver coins. Once I was done, I thanked them like always and headed on my way.

Now that most of the perishable goods on my cart was gone, I was left mostly with potatoes, carrots, some spices, and a whole lot of iron things that I could sell. The path that led from the mining community to the town was dotted with small villages and farmsteads. As I made my way towards the town and passed by the villages along the way, we sold off most of the tools and nails to the villagers since they were busy expanding the village. At this point, I've made a pretty large profit for myself already but I'm not gonna leave things half-assed.

Kleo and I crested over the hill that overlooked the town. It looked like an overfilled bucket; scores of houses and farmland surrounded its walls. The town's name was Ardenton. It was a peaceful town in the region of Lorona within the Kingdom of Lisurien, a kingdom that has known peace for more than two hundred years. At least, that's what I've gathered from Thea and Old Man Reiner. I looked at the contents of the cart to see what I could sell and what I could barter. I could sell the potatoes and carrots at the Laughing Dragon along with the spices. The raw iron I'll probably auction off at the merchant's guild.

"Speaking of auctions... I need to withdraw the money I've earned from the previous auctions."

Kleo snorted at my words as I continued to mutter to myself.

"You know, Kleo, I never would've expected I'll be working like this. I may not be earning as much as I want, but at least I'm working. I'm still a bit inexperienced when it comes to these things, but being a merchant is easier than I thought."

Kleo neighed in response.

"Right? Sure, Thea does most of the work by talking to everyone but delivering and selling things is hard. Anyway, once I have enough money, I'll try my best to give Thea a comfortable life while I go out into the world and adventure!"

I liked that idea. And based on Kleo's proud neighs and snorts, I think she likes it too.

"Don't worry, I'll buy you a barrel of apples when I become rich. For now, let's focus on making me rich so that we can achieve that dream of ours."

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"Oh! Hey kid! Nice to see ya' here! Ya' looking to dump more potatoes on me?"

The old man behind the bar laughed as he shooed away a drunk man from one of the seats.

"Hey, Old Man Reiner. I've got 3 sacks of potatoes, 5 sacks of carrots, a box of dried sage, two boxes of rosemary, and-"

"Lukey! How many times have I told ya' to stop with the number shit and have a drink first! I'll buy all of 'em, don't worry 'bout it. Besides, I'm runnin' low on taters anyway to make my famous mash. Here, some beer on the house for ya!"

He poured me a large pint of beer as I sat down on the stool. I sighed quietly and took a swig.

"So? How's it? Anythin' to say or are you blown away by its flavor?"

I wiped away the foam as I focused on the taste of the strong beer.

"That's pretty strong... But not as bitter like before. It'll go great with some roasted nuts."

"Oho! You flatter me boy! But this brew ain't for us, it's for the blacksmiths down at the forges. Special order and all of that. Mind if ya' deliver it for me? I'll give ya' a tip."

I let out a say as he jingled a bag of coins in front of me.

"Sure... Just load it into the cart later. Anyway, I heard from Thea that you haven't been home much. Is it about the wolves?"

My words must've made something click in that brain of his since it looked like a lightbulb just lit up over his head.

"Oh, right. Listen, Luke..."

That's not good. This old man never uses my name unless it's a favor or something serious.

"Everyone thinks it's wolves, right? Look, a bunch of adventurers came 'ere a few months ago. Cheap beer and ale managed to loosen their flappers and I heard somethin' nasty is brewin' around our village."

The way he said it made me shudder. His tone wasn't serious, but it wasn't relaxed either. It was more like he was worried about something.

"Anyways, Chloe and I are stayin' here at the tavern for now until the coast is clear. I'm not sure if it's a big deal or not, but tell Thea to keep an eye out for any funny business in the woods."

"Y-Yeah... She told me to submit a request at the adventurer's guild for that. I'll do it after I drop off the booze and the raw iron."

Old Man Reiner nodded and took the beer from my hand. The man fucking downed it as if it was water before he tossed me the small bag of coins.

"Drivin' while drunk is bad. Anyways, let me help you out with the sacks."

As he said those words, Old Man Reiner walked out of the bar and hanged his leather apron onto the wooden beam. Every time this happens, I'm reminded of the sheer difference between a 5'10" man and a 6'4" giant with rocks for muscles.

"Agatha! You man the bar for now!"

A barmaid nodded and quickly entered the bar while Old Man Reiner ushered me to the back.

There, I helped him bring the sacks of potatoes and carrots inside the tavern. We were done quickly since the damn giant could carry a lot and still move quickly. The old man gave me the payment for the ingredients as well as for the booze I'll deliver for him. He slid me a tip as well, which was nice of him. I left quickly after I said my goodbyes and made a detour towards the shopping district where I dropped the booze off at a place called "Redrick's Forge" and made my way towards the merchant's guild.

The street that led to the glorified restaurant that is the merchant's guild passed by the fort-like building of the adventurer's guild. It looked like a castle with its imposing design and the many rough-looking people that entered and left the building. I could see mages among them, their iconic robes and staff hard are hard to miss. I let out a sigh as he passed them by. I can't use magic and he can't swing a sword, but I still have time to learn it if I dedicate myself. A long sigh escaped my lips as I continue

Unlike the adventurer's guild, the merchant's guild was grand and drew the attention of those who passed. To its right is the auction house, where things such as raw ores, monster parts, valuable items, and even slaves exchange hands. I grimaced at the thought. I've read enough hentai to know what they do to those people to turn them into slaves. Still, it's not like I can do anything about it. A guard recognized me and approached the cart without hesitation. I nodded and showed him my badge and pointed at the raw iron in my cart.

"Good day to you, Mister Luke! I see that you brought another shipment of low-grade iron once again."

"Yes, like always. Do you mind if you watch over my horse for a little bit? I'll just make a withdrawal inside."

I said as I got off my horse and handed him the reins and left him no choice to say no.

"Oh, of course. Feel free to take as much time as possible."

"Thank you."

The inside of the guildhall was like the lobby of a five-star hotel. When I first laid eyes inside, I was amazed by the beauty and grandeur of the place. Even after five years of making regular visits, the place still captivates me. The lobby served as a restaurant and a cafe for the merchants. People that wore butler and maid uniforms gracefully ran around and served treats and drinks to the merchants as they discussed and did business with one another. A few of the merchants recognized me and smiled at me, some even offered me drinks. I declined all of their offers as I made a beeline towards the reception area.

I leaned against the intricately carved counter of the kiosk. Smooth table. I could see the board used by merchants to inquire about products to buy as well as the prices set by the guild regarding various items. Behind the kiosk is a Beastman, a Rabbitgirl dressed in the elegant, corporate attire that served as the guild's uniform. Her ears twitched as I reached for my badge. Damn, that's pretty cute. Wait! Focus, Luke! We don't have time to ogle at cute rabbit girls.

"H-Hello. Can I make a withdrawal at this time?"

I said as handed her my badge.

"Of course! Let me just check your badge for a moment... Lucas Belford? Ah, yes. Do you have your record book and the receipt from your last transaction?"

The girl handed me back my badge as I reached for my journal.

"Here. The receipt is bookmarked over there."

"Thank you, sir. Hmm... Belford... Belford... Do we have the- There it is!"

The rabbit girl pulled out a file from one of the many cabinets and opened it.

"The last time you withdrew money from your account was nine months ago. Your current balance is 118 gold pieces and 95 silver coins."

"I would like to withdraw 50 gold pieces and I would also like to put up another shipment of low-grade raw iron for auction."

"Of course, sir. I'll have your gold pieces ready in a moment."

The girl disappeared behind a door as I stared at the journal and the record.

It's a system that works, I'll give them that. I know that the paper they used to keep records is magical papers that cannot be easily tampered with but it really puts me on edge sometimes. Still, I relaxed as I wondered how much money I have on me. Maybe I should get her to count my money while I drink some tea. I was about to entertain the idea when my eyes darted towards a man who just entered the guild. He waved at one of the merchants that sat near the door, the bald one who looked pissed about something.

"Sorry I'm late. Seems that Goblins have moved into the southern roads from the mountain. Had to get around them somehow."

"Goblins? Those green pests? Damn it, the shipment of slaves will be delayed... What else did you hear about them?"

"Well, it seems that the guild already received word about it... But it's unfortunate. Seems that they'll have to sacrifice two villages before the teams they dispatched would be able to take care of them."

"Shame. What are the names of the villages? I might be able to fund reconstruction once the tragedy is over."

"Hmm... I think one is called Riverridge, and the other is Wind's Howl. I'll-"

The sound of coins as they scattered all over the floor silenced the hall.

"Mister Luke, I have the- Mister Luke?"

I ignored the bunny girl's voice as I dashed for the door of the guild. Merchants and receptionists shouted at me as I shoved them aside, but I didn't care.

The doors flew open as I turned my head towards the young guard who stroked Kleo. I made a dash towards him. His eyes were a mix of confusion and wariness as I steadily approached him. Without a single word, I drew the sword at his side and shoved him away before I turned towards Kleo. I let out a cry as I slammed the sword down onto the ropes and wood of the cart. Kleo seemed agitated, but I managed to climb onto her without issue as I pulled on her reins.

"Kleo! Wind's Howl! Now!"

Kleo reared on her hind legs to turn quickly. As she did, the guard shouted at me to stop.

"S-Sir Luke! What are you doing?! Sir!"

"Shut it! I'll be borrowing your fucking sword!"

I whipped Kleo's reins hard. She neighed and quickly galloped forward down the street we came from.

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The trip that should've taken us four hours took only an hour and a half as I rode Kleo to exhaustion. The familiar rolling hills of Thea's village finally appeared in the distance but there was something wrong. Smoke rose from various hills and I could see something in the distance. Green. It was a sea of green that moved like ants. Even from a mile away, I could tell from their green shapes what they are.

"Goblins."

I mutter as Kleo galloped through the small valleys between the hills.

Wind blew against my face as the two of us approached the village. I glance at the sword I held. Fear. Fear and anxiety should be welling up in my chest and clouding my mind but for some reason, it wasn't. Instead of fear, I was excited at the thought of killing Goblins, at the chance of proving to myself and the world that I could be a hero and finally, the thought of being Thea's knight in shining armor made my heart race with trepidation. Maybe it was the adrenaline, I'm not sure. But I know for a fact that somewhere deep in my mind, there was a thought I do not want to acknowledge. If I were to put it into words, it would simply be;

That this may be the best thing that could've happened to me in years.

I smiled as Kleo turned a familiar path. It was the dirt path that led towards that peaceful house on the hill. I was excited. The thought of me barging into the house, stabbing some Goblins, and saving the girl made me grip the sword tightly. In just a few moments, I would become the hero of some light novel. Kleo turned quickly and two shapes appeared in the middle of the road. Kleo flared but continued forward. Before I realized what was in front of us, Kleo charged and trampled the two Goblins that dragged a handful of dead chickens behind them.

Their heads were crushed and split open like melons. Brains and gore splattered all over the ground, Kleo's hooves, and onto me. It was at that moment that realization hit me. No, that was not realization. It was pain, excruciating pain that washed away my delusions. Moments later, I was on the ground with an arrow on my shoulder. Kleo did not stop. I shouted at her not to and to run away from the fight. In my rush to get to Thea's house, I failed to realize just how dangerous the situation was.

"F-Fuck... Fuck..."

I stammered out as I pulled myself up.

Goblins were all over the hills. I looked up and saw that the house was boarded up, but a bunch of them were trying to get through the barricades. From inside, I could hear Thea crying out desperately for help as the sound of wooden boards being broken rang out from the house. Finally, the feeling of fear and dread gripped me. I couldn't describe it, but it was like I suddenly switched modes from hero to zero. No, that's not it. I felt my body quake in fear and my bladder give out, but I felt something else as I stared up at the Goblins that approached me with their weapons raised.

"I... I give up! Please! Don't! Don't kill me!"

I cried out as I tried to crawl away from them. The strength I had earlier disappeared and left me unable to move out of fear and utter terror.

"Kikikikikikikiki!"

The Goblins laughed as they steadily approached me.

Fuck! Not like this! I threw some dirt on one of them out of desperation, only for an arrow to pierce my hand. I screamed. I tried to crawl away once more but the Goblins finally reached me. One of them bit down on my leg. I kicked his face, hard. Sweat, tears, and snot ran down my face as I continued to kick at the Goblins in desperation. I let out a desperate cry as I tried to swing the sword I had in a desperate bid to defend myself. Moments later, I felt something sting in my wrist. I looked at my hand, or rather, where it was supposed to be.

"AAAAAAARRRRRRGGHHHH!!!"

I clutched my wrist as the Goblins pulled me closer to them.

Is this it? Is this how I die? I bit my lip until it bled as pain, fear, terror, and finally, frustration filled my mind. I should've left her behind, to be honest. I had the money to start a new life, find a new girl to take care of me, and possibly spend some at a brothel. Tears flowed out at the thought of me dying once again, at all my efforts being wasted once more. Well, I didn't really make any effort to change myself to be honest. Once again, I chose the easy route in life to avoid the hard route in life.

I closed my eyes as I grit my teeth. The pain was mind-numbing, but I didn't care anymore. I wasn't a hero, and I will never be able to repay Thea for the things she did for me. Worst of all, I wasted five years of my new life being a merchant to earn such a meager amount of money. Fuck! I slammed my fist onto the Goblin out of frustration, only for them to slash at my hand. I cried as I continued to swing at them wildly.

"Damn it! Damn it all! If you want to fucking kill me, KILL ME ALREADY-"

Time seemingly stopped as a bright pillar of light appeared above me.

"[Divine Retribution]"

That voice, have I heard it before?

"[Divine Healing]"

Oh yeah, I remember that angelic voice.

"Do not dare give up after having me use such a spell."

"Huh?"

A feather of light passed by my cheek. It found its mark deep into a Goblin's skull and killed the creature instantly.

It was like a storm. Feathers shot out from the pillar of light and slaughtered the Goblins around me. Then, I felt a warm light in my chest as the familiar figure stood beside me while she shielded me from the feathers with her wings. A bright light enveloped the stump where my left hand was supposed to be and after a moment, I could feel the sensation of moving my fingers again. I wanted to ask why she was here, why she saved me, why she was doing this when I heard an unfamiliar voice coming from the house.

"Lucas Belford. Heaven rarely makes a mistake... But when it does, we work quickly to try and fix said mistake."

Pax said coldly as she pointed at a group of Goblins as they fled for the hills.

"[Divine Immolation]"

The Goblins ere quickly struck down by bolts of flame, their bodies left a charred husk that quickly turned into ashes.

"Take care of the Illyria's chosen. That shall be your purpose."

With those words, the angel disappeared quickly from the battlefield.

I laid in the blood-soaked grass. Bodies were all around me, all of them had no traces of the attacks Pax used. I stared up at the sky as the sound of someone fighting Goblins rang out from the top of the hill. I wondered if I should help them. After a moment spent thinking about it, I figured that if I couldn't even defend myself, how the hell could I help whoever that was. I closed my eyes in defeat as I waited for them to finish. Maybe I could ask them to kill me and send me back to Earth where I could probably reincarnate as a person this time.

"E-Excuse me! S-Sir! Are you alive?!"

The sound of footsteps as it approached did not faze me. I continued to pretend I am dead instead of answering the voice.

"Jesus... S-Sir! Are you conscious? He doesn't look hurt but..."

The voice was that of a boy. Probably one in highschool since it's a bit deep. Out of curiosity, I opened my eyes to take a quick look at the boy.

"W-Who are you?"

I asked weakly in an effort to not rouse his suspicions.

"Thank God you're alive. I'm Perseus Anderson, and I'm here to help you."

Fuck... The way he said those words made it clear to me. It was like having your parents tell you that you're adopted straight to your face during your birthday.

I'm definitely not a Hero.