"Let me start from the very first thing I remember," I said after clearing my throat. "Better listen to me carefully, because it'll be the first and… probably last time I'll ever mention any of this…"

I look down and fidget my thigh with the other while both of my clenched fists rested on my lap. My face puffed up, adding a frown while I faced down.

"Even I… get bothered with sharing this, but I think it’s okay if I’d share a bit of it."

Before anything else, I looked back at the table and grabbed my food. A bit off another decent chunk chewed and swallowed while chugging down some cold wildberry juice. I licked my lips clean before continuing. I still didn't look straight at them but started with my sharing.

"I really couldn't exactly remember everything that had happened to me, but the next thing I knew, I found myself waking up in some mossy wooden ‘shack’. I just realized shortly after that I was wearing… rags, yes! Let's go with that. I should also mention I was totally dirty and dusty, head to toe. I couldn't see myself nor the surroundings around me as it was all darkness in that area. My other senses worked… I was just too bothered that I knew what was wrong from where I stayed. I was confused, dirty, and cold… but after gaining a sudden burst of resolve to act, I was able to at least set foot out of that shack. Was I kidnapped? Was I abandoned? Was I put to the test in some trial? These were just a few things that were wandering in my mind as I tread through the unknown. But that unknown wasn't 'unknown' anymore in just a while after actually feeling and coming to my senses on what I was treading."

I felt disgusted for what I was about to mention next, so I became conscious of what I was drinking and checked on it. Sighing before drinking again, I continued.

"I didn't know why I even left the temporary comfort that wooden shack provided, but I ended up getting lost and found myself stepping in something thick and mushy. No thanks to the fresh smells of dirt, moss, and… other stuff, I realized that I was staying in a swamp, of all places…"

I had a hard time with just sipping what I was drinking, but I did alright and drank shakily anyway. I still needed to continue my story.

"I just cut my losses, tried to shake off the disgusting feeling that reached all over my body. Originally, I only wanted to stand still and wait for help to… not make things worse, but… after hearing a voice of someone, I was… persuaded… to blindly tread forward, just hoping for a single light to break my shady vision or a motivation to keep going, in an unfamiliar place… in that moonless night."

An unfit shut-in brought into a dark, dense swamp without a single clue as to why or how. What are the odds?! (and also, what could possibly go wrong?~)

"I could only imagine how scary it would be to be in that situation. What'd the voice say to get ya' movin?" Clyde jumped in with his question.

" ‘Help me’, a faint voice whispered into my head. I thought I could hear it more if I approached the probable source of the voice."

I made another bite, then heavily swallowed my load before continuing. Perhaps, I bit off more than I could chew this time.

"Moments after, something was moving underneath the loose earth I was standing in. My lurking fear just worsened with what was happening. I panicked and tried to move away… only to take one wrong step and stumble over the patches of mud I was walking in because something heavy had already latched itself onto one of my legs. Already shoved to the dirt amidst the darkness, I panicked blindly searched for anything solid, digging through the mud for anything I can use to get myself back up or maybe for defense against the unknown. My mind was rushing me with orders to move. My heart raced in all the wrong ways. My body ended up squirming uncomfortably amidst the mess because what I heard and faintly felt from there started making itself more known, working its way up to one of my legs. Even with the panic, I managed to feel something long and solid. I frantically pulled out whatever I found under the mess I was in. I took it out–"

From my magical bag, I brought out my staff, synchronizing concrete visuals from my story, and placed it on the table with my one, free left hand.

"… and I used it to get myself back onto my feet." I briefly paused to reminisce a few memories involving this old wooden staff I owned then continued. "As soon as the end of that thing touched the wet soil, this once dirty slender, rod-like thing suddenly created a magic circle and momentarily illuminated a small area. I felt so weird while I was getting back up from lying around in the muck, not because of the feeling of experiencing a swamp, but the idea that I was able to find an actual staff through all that and use it! I could only remember complaining about the darkness, and then a sigil of light emerging out from the magic circle. Contrary to the wonder I would be feeling for successfully doing something like that, I still felt something wet and disturbing clinging onto my leg so with the ample light I immediately checked over it. I was horrified at the sight of seeing a [Slime] clinging onto my left leg. And I'm so small, it had almost captured my right leg whole."

The monster was pastel green. The mud itself was the same color but a shade darker than it. It only had a plain face. But with all the darkness and contrasts of light, it looked so terrifying. That didn't compare to its feel, as its name suggested, was like gooey jelly, flowing and pressing itself on my leg simultaneously, as if it was gently sucking(?) on my leg. I didn't underestimate its horrific, plain face, knowing that if I let it, it WILL devour me whole… or just my clothes (like what happens in some anime)… at least… maybe?… any of which was still very bad either way!

I continued after taking short careful sips from my juice.

"After grimacing my situation, I then heard some… words in my head again. The same voice that brought me to that exact mess. Hearing it… actually helped with preventing me from panicking further. I used my other free hand, and I tried something with the murky, wooden staff. It was my first time using a magical weapon, but I managed to do this-"

From all the games that I played, of course, I retained a little bit of knowledge when it came to magic. I didn't hesitate to try it. Logically speaking, it was no different from playing these kinds of games using a magic staff. Plus, I kept hearing the same voice chanting in my head from that one point. I had nothing else in mind in that situation, so I followed.

I thought my demonstration through, then stood up and drew my staff in front of me. I concentrated my focus, raised it horizontally, and with one free hand,

"Hyaaaaah!" I squealed as I struck the floor with the lower end of the staff. "[Force of Light]!"

What I did was send out a forceful wave of bluish-white light. All that was done without using chants or incantations, but I did intend to tone its intensity down. Clyde seemed entertained with what he's witnessing so far. His jaw slightly dropping was concrete evidence for that. He must've been underestimating my easily-overlooked effort to be in awe by that much. The waitress, on the other hand, was too busy keeping both mugs and the basket of Terranaturkey cuts onto the table, preventing them from toppling over rather than minding what I was doing.

I raised my staff again so that I could stop channeling the spell, stopped before my mana laid to waste, and then went back to my seat.

Good thing no one else was there at the moment, otherwise I would've gotten the usual scolding sessions from veteran adventurers… as I may have accidentally caused a scene by casting the same spell once before.

"I've got a question-" The waitress asked.

I was glad to notice that she was finally ready to interact, and decided not to be just an awkward bystander. I emphasized that by repositioning my seating.

For a quick break, I went back to my unfinished turkey leg, licked the saucy bone, and cleaned each of my fingers before taking another piece. As I did so, I just noticed that Clyde seemed to be focusing on the waitress in our company. He hasn't even taken his share of the basket and left his beer untouched. I dismissed unrelated thoughts for now and focused more on whatever the waitress was to ask.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's not that I was being suspicious of you but– how was it possible for you to use a staff if you've clearly said that you were using it for the very first time?" She asked.

With her question, I sensed Clyde's determination to learn from me grew, and the waitress' curious eyes suddenly focused on me. But since both didn't seem like they were done in a bad way, I just kept my mind open.

"That's… erhm… a really good question--", I answered with uncertainty and panicked mentally so I paused to think before giving an unsure answer. "I… couldn't explain exactly how, but uhmm… I just felt it- and I moved with it… as if it was… c-controlling me? A-also I heard a voice in my head… and it- t-told me what to do? Something like that." I muttered.

To be honest, I was gambling with my time just to try waving it, and then thought of slamming its lower end to the ground… too much referencing from fantasy themes… For all I knew, all I had to do was to move the staff and focus on what should come out of it, and let the game work its magic.

"Oh. Thank you for answering! Please continue."

She replied, refixing her seating and straightening her back in attention. I for one sighed softly in relief.

"Anyway-"

I cleared my throat, then continued what I was talking about.

"That single Slime was overwhelmed with the force and got blown away. With decent distance, it had been thrown back outside the range of the light sigil I incidentally created. Needless to say, the mud that I was stepping in felt more shallow as it seemed to also be pushed back. It sure seemed powerful for its level and was too much for me at the time. That became clear to me after forcing me to catch my breath after casting it. But I just passed it off lightly; that it was just me not being cut out for that much 'excitement' and… Slimes in general."

There was just so much information hitting my senses simultaneously. Me not being prepared for… everything, was given by that point.

"I was relieved that it was all over and I could finally get a moment of breath before moving to get out of that disgusting place– or so I thought. My… relief instantly left me as soon as I noticed there were more Slimes slowly approaching me. Perhaps they were drawn to the light sigil that the staff generated. It really was that dark, so I quickly picked up on why it stood out to attract that many." I said, trembling a bit.

Both of them noticed my subtle hint of trauma, so both of them shifted their faces with concern.

"Then… what did ya' do? Did ya' take 'em all head-on??" Clyde jumped in, staring at me with that look of concern.

To distract myself and act tough and superior over my topic, I took a large bite of the turkey leg and stuffed my mouth before answering.

"I did what any noob-"

But just like that, I choked with my words… and literally choked on what I was chewing, as the word 'noob' slipped out of my mouth. And conveniently, I just had to take such a large bite. Curse my gaming background!

"These people aren't gamers. I should be more careful and not assume them as such!"

I gulped down my juice mug in an attempt to recover. After which, I replied with occasional coughs.

"I-I mean- what any inexperienced person would do…"

"So you just repeated using that Force spell again, correct?" The waitress concluded with a question.

I nodded, mainly because I started stuffing my cheeks with small bites again.

"But wouldn't that mean?-"

I swallowed and replied immediately. I knew exactly what she was going to say.

"Yes, and that's because I was becoming more and more desperate from my situation… adding to that would be my inexperience to the consequences at first so…"

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Actually, I wasn't really in the position to think critically as to why I felt tired. But all in all, I just didn't expect the whole feeling of fatigue that came along with it to be that drastic. Analyzing it better, the magic spell drained my 'mana'. Judging from my body's reaction, I then concluded that my mana had room for only one spell that time… I was and still am weak… I guess in this game:

mana = stamina

As I was about to get to the real nitty-gritty stuff, I quickly summarized it to prevent having to… open up too much. Though, I think I'd trust these people well enough to know my past, it just wasn’t the type of thing one would really be putting out in the open like that. Since Clyde shared only a fraction of his, wouldn’t it be fair to also only share a fraction of mine?

"So… what happened next?" Clyde asked amidst my thinking.

"Well. I casted it, but failed to defeat the monsters. That’s all I remember about it…"

With that quick summary, I basically avoided a lot of… nasty stuff being brought to light. Clyde and the waitress lady gave me a puzzled look.

I'm aware that it’s unclear without at least giving a hint of what I meant by that… but now that I suddenly have actual people to talk to, I felt very weak and insecure about how they’d think of me if I’d let them know in better detail.

Being in a world like this is suffering and I learned that in the earliest and harshest way possible…

What I said held some truth to it, though. It was hella weird but I don't remember the feelings associated with the scenes… I remembered all the intricate details and never had to feel so negative… but now, at any given moment I felt like bursting into tears out of my own story. Was I being pathetic, or was it all warranted…? Did it only put me down this time… was it because I actually had people to share a bit of it with…?

The waitress saw through my prolonged pause and tried her best to comfort me and break through the silence. Silence of which I wasn't really aware of until she spoke.

"I know this is an odd question but… didn't anyone come to save you? I mean. You did end up still well and breathing with us here." She asked.

Then that's where it hit me– so hard that my supposedly imminent tears instantly just disappeared.

"Someone actually did come. As far as memory goes, I faintly remember someone… a man. A big man… dashing through the swamp, and slaying all of the monsters, and helping me up. He even… called me by my name. Before I could even think of thanking him, I reached my limit and blacked out because of fatigue." I answered with an unconventional smile on my face. "I woke up momentarily to see that I was being rushed to some place I didn't know. Perhaps, that should be the part where you first saw me."

I pointed to Clyde and shot a glance. He seemed to have flinched after I did so.

"Oh sorry- I spaced out afta' thinkin' 'bout somethin'… ye can continue."

"Anyway, I was barely lifting my eyes open, but I think I saw the face of the one who saved me. More specifically on what covered it. I was highly positive that the person I saw had a blindfold on or something." I added.

"Blindfold, blindfold, blindfold…?" Clyde muttered to himself repeatedly. "Aye… Nevah' heard of him. That's too vague of an idea. Maybe I did see him, or maybe I didn't. I was too busy thinkin' about other stuff too ya' know… Ahk- I uhhh… wasn't much help with details. Sorry 'bout that."

"It's okay- that’s all in the past. I'm fine now…" I straightened my skirt, conscious if anything was on it. "… and clean now."

I finished the turkey leg, drank my last sips with my mug, and wiped my mouth clean, reaching for a different cloth to use.

"I eventually asked how I got here, though." I added. "They just mentioned the same things– about the man with the blindfold, saying that he was popular yet so covert that no one knows his actual name. I didn't give the search any more effort than that."

"You kind of make it sound like whatever that man did for you was no big deal." The waitress girl stared at me as she mentioned.

I just realized how my words did sound much like that, so I flinched and humbled myself for it.

"I-it's not like that! I just… feel like I shouldn't actively look out for the one who saved me as my primary goal. I need to be strong enough to get out there. I want to thank him myself if I do get to meet him someday… as that is one of my main reasons for becoming an adventurer." I looked down as I mentioned.

"I-I… see. Sorry for the hasty reaction." She replied.

The waitress slightly bowed her head in my general direction.

"I-it's okay. That's actually the end of my sharing since I got nothing more to add from there." I remarked, facing them with a small smile.

"So… all in all, you found yourself waking up in the middle of nowhere, but you don't remember how or why that happened?" the waitress asked.

I nodded, thinking a bit about how miraculous my tragic past turned itself around.

"It's the roughest way to start and I don't think I'd be the only one to think that– and yet… you've still chosen to be an adventurer and made it as far as you've reached now. It’s a rarity to find strength such as yours~" She said, reaching out to me with a small smile.

Well, I don't really remember the feelings, so I'm very fortunate that that is the case.

"Let's look at the bright side– at least I got a staff for free!" I replied, half-jokingly.

The waitress laughed. Looked like she got my point-- setting aside my frail dignity.

"That'd be a level one wooden staff, though. It took me a while to notice it but that kind of staff is almost a farce equipment fur beginners to blindly accept as an actual weapon. Judgin' by its appearance, I'd reckon that what ye’r holding right now was simply an accessory cane for [Aristocrats]. Probably from high class origins, probably." Clyde jumped into the conversation.

I was immediately shocked, not because Clyde knew all that, but the part that all this time I was training with a freaking level one staff?! No wonder I wasn't improving! I felt a slight headache all of a sudden, that I literally had to support my head using my right hand.

"I was surprised actually. Concerned, even. Ya' still managed to keep usin' it for as long as you did. It looked like it was gonna' break afta' that spell ya' just did earlier. Prolly 'cause of the user?" He added with a cocky shrug.

I registered that as some sort of mockery.

"Well… uhhh- the spell was just too powerful! Duh! It's not like I didn't know that or anything! I'm practically more knowledgeable on these things so b-back off!!"

I pouted bitterly while I was gripping onto my staff tightly using both hands. He laughed hard as an initial response.

"I was just kiddin'! Ye’re way more into magic than me!" He said, laughing at my overreaction. "Although… I'm serious about the part that the staff' was pretty weak fur the spells ye're usin'." He added, immediately switching to a straight face.

He seemed awfully concerned with what he saw with my staff. In immediate response to that, I looked at the staff I was holding onto and examined it carefully but found nothing wrong with it. A little chipped and worn out, otherwise it looked nothing out of the ordinary.

"Don't ya' think it's time to get yourself a new staff?" He asked.

As embarrassing as this would sound, I never thought about that before… but I guess I was just content with what I already had, and used to the difficulty with using it, especially with all the things my staff and I had been through.

"I was so content with this that I forgot about it. But… even if I wanted to, I don't even have the money to buy a new one." I admitted while gripping on to the staff that was still in my hand before I followed a sigh. "A-and if there were quests that offer staves as rewards, they'd be way over my rank and skill level, so I'm really stuck with this one."

He crossed his arms attentively and smiled at me.

"What if I told ye' I can give ya' somethin', for ya’ to obtain a new staff. Would ya' consider takin' it?" He said.

"I will… if you really can. H-h-how much can you even give anyway??" I replied with a question.

From the tone I used, one could easily tell I suddenly became desperate after hearing it.

He scratched the back of his head. I immediately knew what that meant. I could already deduce that he was going to offer something else rather than money.

"Actually I wasn't gonna suggest money…" He replied with a dry chuckle. "What I could give you is this--"

Then he reached from one of his many pockets and took out a small piece of wine-skin cloth.

"What is that?" I asked attentively.

"It's a map to a long abandoned advanced quest commissioned by a resident there. Well, former resident. It was given to me despite me not havin' any use for the rewards."

He reached and left the crumpled map onto my hand. I checked to see where it was pointing, of course. My eyes narrowed after seeing where it was making me go. It was another place I never knew about.

"That is where ye'll get the staff, but ye'll have to be strong enough to make it to the end 'f the trail. Not suggestin' that ya'd go alone, will ya'?"

He suddenly seemed worried about that last part.

"Can you really help me?" I calmly asked, while expectant to make sure of something.

"I’ll admit… I may not have the wits in thinkin' up plans, strategies and the like, but ye' can totally count on me with combat. I've been… busy, solely on that part." He replied confidently with a cocky smile, while pointing his thumb to himself. "And don't ya' worry- I'll protect ya' with everythin' I've got!" He added along with his gesture.

I knew it… he just said he was going to protect me… with everything… To others, that may sound like such a sweet thing. Something anybody could capitalize on easily. But to me, it immediately sounded like he was indirectly looking down on me. I can't really blame him if he felt that way- he did lose his teammates before, but that's just it…

"I'm not… that useless… am I…?"

I stood up and quickly stopped him by putting my hands on the table before he completely sank into my belittled side.

"Let me stop you right there… I would go on ahead and say thank you for this! I appreciate the help and I really do! But… I think it would be best for me to do this alone. If you can trust me, I will know and believe that I really can do it, and I can really be strong. I don't want to become some carried surplus. I don't want to put all of my work on anybody. The last thing I wanted for myself is to be someone who ‘magically’ got stronger because of someone else’s efforts. I know you've felt the same way before… so I do hope you’ll trust me on this one." I requested calmly.

He paused, looking disappointed, but even so, he nodded.

"I didn't really look at it that way. Just… promise me one thing 'kay?" He stood up and held my chin up. "Get stronger so that we can be able to party together sooner. I…”

He looked as if something caught his tongue… it was the feeling of being dejected. It was an image I had to push all the way to the back of my mind for the sake of the little dignity that I have for myself.

"… believe ye' can do it… just… don't ya' dare die on me. Ya' got that??" He said to me, with a pained smile on his face.

Even after seeing that, I sighed with relief upon hearing his answer. He actually trusted me with this. The least I could do is assure him that I will come back.

He let go as I reached for the cloth I kept on using earlier and pulled out my hair clip. I put the clip inside the cloth and handed it to him.

"Here. Take care of it for me. I'll come back and I'll make sure I am stronger than ever soon after."

I simply smiled at him. I was expecting that it was enough to stop him from worrying too much for me. Actually, I was the one who should be worrying about the journey I was supposed to be taking.

"Well- I should prolly’ just get restin' fur now-"

He turned around, while placing the items I gave him in one of his many pockets.

"Take care 'f yerself…" He said after turning his back on me, while gradually walking towards the stairs, waving his back hand at me.

"He really was holding in his disappointment. Are you… really sure you still want to do this alone?" The waitress asked without looking at me.

Even my new waitress friend found my decision doubtable, or maybe for another feeling that I still haven't noticed for myself. From there I started to feel something bad with my impending course of action, but I still stubbornly chose to stand by it. I meant what I said.

I believed for the longest time (of my adventuring career, that is) that being stubborn about things is my way to go… I mean… it certainly worked all this time. What difference does this last one make?

"I'll need this. It'll be the last time, the very last time. I know I'm weak… but I'm not that weak… do you think I'm weak..?"

She took a while but ended up shaking her head profusely as a response.

"Then, I should probably start making my journey there. I'm going to finish it all today." I replied.

Then all of a sudden I just realized… I haven't asked for her name all this time.

"Oh! by the way, we’ve never caught your name?" I asked.

"I'm Aria. I almost thought you'd never ask~" She answered with a giggle.

"I was too preoccupied. It's embarrassing that I forgot to ask. Sorry about that."

"It's okay!" Aria replied while mildly laughing at my apology with her left hand over her mouth. "But- if you really are set on going alone, at least take this along with you."

She hurriedly repackaged all of the leftovers and added more to it, as 'take-out', using a knapsack she provided me with. Those leftovers were quite big by portion, but hey– it’s a fantasy world so of course it would have the physics to fit in there because… magic.

She offered it to me as soon as she was done.

"No being modest! I already packed it just for you."

Without being given the chance to hesitate, I then gladly received it and placed it inside my adventurer bag.

"Thanks a lot for these! I'll get going now!" I said to Aria as I made my way to the door.

She waved while saying, "Byeee! Take care and good luck!"

I faced her momentarily and did a thumbs up with a bright smile. She smiled back. Then I turned again to face the door and finally went outside.

…

I was greeted with really humid weather. I didn't mind it too much and just went to follow along the path leading towards where the map was leading me.

I started to wonder about something as I was leaving the building I was just in.

"Don't ya' worry- I'll protect ya’ with everythin' I got…"

I remembered what Clyde said to me. I rubbed my cheeks with my palms and shook my head to focus on where I was headed.

"I will get stronger. So strong that I won't need protection all the time! That I don't have to rely on risks… that I won't have to feel… pathetic and slow anyone down…" I said to myself.

I've done so many adventures alone, yet I still seem all the more nervous about what lies ahead. But if it's one way for me to get stronger than what I am today then I'd better do it now. Here I start my quest in finding a new staff, and finally end my days of adventuring alone… and besides–

What could possibly go wrong~?