My divine patron hasn't been lying about my starter gear package. There really isn't all that much. Some clothes, a small pack and a sword. That's it.

I check the contents of the pack first and am once again a little underwhelmed. There is a purse with a few coins. There are three bronze coins and two silver coins in total. I don't exactly know how much that will get me, but it probably won't be much. Besides that meager purse the backpack contains only a whetstone for the sword, a single loaf of bread and an empty brass water bottle.

Especially the latter two are worrisome. One loaf of bread won't get me far. I'll either have to forage or find other people sooner rather than later. Well, at least I can fill up the bottle. The water of the creek looks clean enough after all. I hope it really is. Without delay I fill the sturdy brass bottle at the creek and put it away again. That's that.

The sword isn't anything special either, but it looks sturdy enough for sure. It'll probably serve me pretty well. Except, I don't exactly know much about swordsmanship. My brief glance at my character sheet suggests that hasn't changed from my past life. I only have the skill [Melee Weapons] in general. Maybe I'll be able to upgrade it eventually? That would be nice.

I'm already about to put the sword away again when I think better of it. Instead of sheathing it again, I pull it free of its scabbard completely to focus my full attention on it and trigger the [Identify] skill once more.

The mental drain that accompanies the expenditure of Mana is by now familiar to me. It is once again accompanied by a divine whisper at the back of my mind. This too is becoming increasingly familiar.

[*Ding!* Your skill Identify has leveled up to level 3!]

This time there are no other messages though. I guess there is a learning curve of sorts, with ever increasing costs. I'll just have to figure it out.

For now I focus on the information revealed by my skill though.

[Long Sword (Steel, Common) – A simple, straight mass produced steel sword. Weapons like this one are usually found in the hands of knights, but others like men-at-arms and even brigands and bandits use them too. Category: Melee Weapon/Blade/Long Blade, Attack-Power: 15]

That is not entirely surprising. According to what I remember of my character sheet this weapon will roughly double my attack power right now. Will that change if I level up some more? Will I have to get a better weapon to make a difference eventually? Questions over questions.

At long last I put the sword back down to have a better look at my clothes next. There is a decent enough blouse and a pair of sturdy pants. The leather boots look good too, as does the sword belt.

The fingerless gloves on the other hand look a little adventurous. The same is true for the leather west with the integrated bodice. Well, it might be adventurous, but it isn't anything I will get embarrassed about though. I have worn more immodest things in the past after all. Something else is bothering me though.

“No underwear. Seriously?”

I go through the small pile again, but the result doesn't change. It isn't like I'm expecting modern amenities, but nothing? Nothing at all?

“Fox, I really hope this isn't your idea of a practical joke!”

There is, of course, no response.

I shake my head and sigh. There is no helping it. Either I wear what I have, or I go around naked and that doesn't exactly strike me as the better choice. No, that option really doesn't appeal to me.

After one last heartfelt sigh I slip into the things. And I have to admit, I actually like how the ensemble looks on me. The sword belt with the sheathed sword is the last piece I fasten in place.

With the small backpack slung over one shoulder I'm essentially ready to go. I don't get going right away though. No, first I have a quick drink from the creek and I splash some water into my face too. That isn't all though.

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No, afterwards I wait a moment for the water to calm back down. Once I can see my mirror image again I focus on it once more to trigger my [Identify] skill again.

I feel the drain on my Mana reserves, as I use the skill and I'm rewarded with the same result as the last time I did this, except, the image now reflects some of the changes since then.

Now my status includes the level ups I earned since the first time I looked. It includes the gear I wear now and its effects as well. I take a long, hard look to memorize my status to the best of my abilities.

Eventually I have to blink though and it fades. It is only then that I notice an important difference. This time around there was no divine whisper. Very curious. It is, as my divine benefactor mentioned, the first levels are easy. Afterwards it gets harder to earn them. How much harder will it be though? I still need more data to figure out the actual progression.

I tilt my head in thought. Should I try to do some power leveling? I have some more skills that could provide an easy boost.

Or should I just get going? Where would I go though? I have no clue where I'm at after all. The only thing I know is that I'm in the middle of some forest. Or rather, I'm in the middle of some wood. This place doesn't exactly look like a purposefully cultivated forest.

Maybe I can do both? I eye up one of the nearby trees. Maybe I can climb it to get a better look around? Yes, that is what I will do!

I take a moment to get a better look at the nearby trees. I might as well pick one that is moderately easy to climb for my first try after all. In the end I settle on an old, gnarled tree.

It's trunk is thick and it's bark is pretty rough too, offering plenty of handholds. That it's branches are pretty evenly spaced and sport lush leaves instead of prickly needles doesn't hurt either. It even grows at a slight angle, which should allow me to reach the lowest branches without too much trouble. Yes, this one will do nicely!

The climb overall is not too hard. Only the first bit, until I reach the lowest branches, is a little tricky. Thankfully the rough bark still provides ample hand- and footholds.

It takes me a while, as I'm not in a hurry, especially not in a hurry to break my neck, but eventually I'm as high up as I can expect to go on this particular tree. And what can I say, the view is quite rewarding. It isn't the only reward for my hard work though.

I tighten my grip on the branch currently steadying me a little to make sure I don't slip, as I hear the first divine whisper at the back of my mind.

[*Ding!* Your skill Climbing has leveled up to level 2!]

The first divine whisper is immediately followed by another. Even better, this one is once again accompanied by the sound of clattering dice. I can feel my Mana pool refill too.

[*Ding!* Your class Scoundrel leveled up to level 4!]

[*Clatter!* Your Health increased by 1!]

Oh! Ouch! Just as well. I guess I can't get lucky every time when I roll my hit dice.

I decide not to fret and look around instead. The view is indeed breathtaking. I'm not here to be awed by the marvelous landscape though. No, I'm up here to figure out where I should go. And it almost seems like climbing a tree will not provide an easy answer to this question.

“Damn, I'm really out somewhere in the middle of nowhere.”

These words of mine sum it up pretty well.

There are densely forested hills all around. The creek I'm at seems to be making its way in between them. The hills get steeper and more rocky in the direction I roughly presume to be south. In the distance they are eventually replaced by real mountains. In the other direction the hills become more gentle.

That is pretty much all I can tell. I strain my eyes a little, to check for any signs of civilization. But there isn't anything as far as I can see. There aren't any noticeable roads cutting through the forest. There are no big clearings. I can't even see any smoke columns or dust clouds that might hint at distant settlements.

I'm already about to give up when I do spot something in the direction where the hills grow steeper and more rocky. At first I almost gloss over it, but then realization strikes me. There, on the slope of the next hill over, almost completely hidden by dense foliage is something that might be a building. Or maybe it is a ruin that has been a building some hundred years ago. I'm not quite sure. One way or the other, it is the only point of interest I can spot.

[*Ding!* Your skill Spot has leveled up to level 2!]

Well, that decides it! I grin to myself. If the system thinks it is worth noting I might as well check it out.

First I have to get down though. Well, what goes up, must come down. I let out a chuckle as these words come to me unbidden. Preferably I would like to get down without breaking anything. Thank you very much.

It turns out climbing down a tree is a little harder than climbing up the very same tree. Maybe because I can't see my next foothold quite as well as on my way up? Or could it be that distances are a little harder to judge from this perspective? Well, whatever, as I reach solid ground once more, I'm rewarded with another divine whisper.

[*Ding!* Your skill Climbing has leveled up to level 3!]

It's almost embarrassing that I receive a reward for such a basic task, but I really have no place to complain. Every little bit helps!

Now in which direction is that ruin again?