Already after the first few hundred meters he could see significant changes. The property was completely overgrown, but certain structures could still be seen. Many of the areas looked like laid-out fields! Collapsed farmhouses, former storage facilities. Even something that could have been a dirt road or a stone path? The overgrown trees seemed to stem from some of the ornaments that lined the roadside.

The further they got, the more obvious it became that this place was not empty, but that something once lived there or still is. Even if everything looked weathered, abandoned and abandoned, could you never really be sure? Perhaps he stumbled upon a city when he got to the center? The people at the foot of this elevation didn't look like archaeologists or scientists, but more like hired thugs, maybe mercenaries too?

Not much longer and they came across a small village of collapsed buildings along the narrow path. This made it clear that this place was clearly being abandoned, but his mood brightened because, regardless of the risk of encountering the strangers, he still needed some resources. Scraps of metal, scraps of fabric, scraps of glass and everything else that he could exchange in a city were on his list.

He almost forgot his caution the moment he stormed into the next house. The door of the building hung on a single hinge and swayed slightly in the evening breeze. The roofs of the buildings were overgrown. Some of them had collapsed for a long time or a tree grew out of their midst through the middle of the roof.

The place itself wasn't even particularly small. For the first time he had to pause, because he saw a figure leaning against a house wall, which clearly had humanoid features and that was it again, because nothing else reminded of a person. It looked more like a massive wooden doll with a human face that was missing an arm. She seemed to be missing a leg even more. Some of it reminded him of stories about golem or games he once played in connection with it.

A little more cautious, but still greedily looking for the resources that had restricted his progress lately, he entered one of the buildings that looked more stable. No doubt that some of the structures were only a gust away from total collapse.

Everything in his sight was covered with a massive layer of dust, somewhere above on a beam a bird was nesting, which eyed him suspiciously. Plates, glasses, and other household items were still on the table. There was a distinct grin on his face under the half mask.

Without hesitation, he walked through the rows to collect everything in the building that matched metal, glass, or fabric. Unfortunately, he did not find the latter, because everything that could once have been fabric seemed to have rotted away for a long time.

He also collected the thing in front of the door that resembled a golem for investigation purposes. Then he slowly began to work his way through the place. More and more small metal objects accumulated in his attic. But there was also something quite disturbing about the whole scene, as he occasionally came across some of the Golem corpses in a variety of designs, from rustic models for outdoor work to smaller models that looked like domestic helpers, but nowhere could he see remains of humans or even other humanoid creatures.

There were also no books to be found, because like the fabric, the paper had also long rotted away if it was improperly stored. Whatever happened in this place must have been an extremely long time ago. Some of the metal started to rust, but how sure could you be with magic metals, glass was also a bad indicator, because it was known to last forever.

In the same way he worked his way through a few other smaller places, working his way in the opposite direction of the found camp so that he could be sure to avoid contact. However, his plan had a small flaw that he became more and more aware of the deeper he went on the plateau. Because the circle just got smaller over time, like in one of the popular Battle Royal games of its time. The situation inevitably had to remind him of PUBG at some point. Contrary to the game, of course, he hoped this wasn't a battle royal! In theory, he did not run deeper into the plateau, but moved in a circle. The places lay as if on circular lines connected by stone paths.

This made it increasingly clear that there was an entire city in the center. One of the locations was even on a river that almost certainly came from inside the plateau and was possibly the river that became the waterfall under which he lived.

It was in this place that he decided to return home until Leica straightened his ears, because a figure stumbled out of one of the houses and was in terrible condition.

Unknown: “Did my father send you?”

Inwardly, he wanted to curse. As hard as he tried to avoid the steaming pile of shit that was waiting on this plateau, the next moment he seemed to have stepped into it. If only he had used the mana waves again, he could have avoided this pile. These should be other people's problems, not his problems anyway. Still, he had always hated that talent most about himself, that he kept kicking in the middle of the shit.

The figure seemed terribly weak because it kept tripping over its own feet. The dire condition only became more apparent after the young man stepped into the moonlight.

The whole thing just seemed like a shitty situation, for one thing he could just say lies and yes, but if he investigated or they inevitably encountered the others, then reality came back for sure. With the whole of reality he smiled in his mind, for the truth was always in the eye of the beholder.

He could certainly have let Leica eat him, with which nobody would suspect him, because it would have been an animal, on the other hand could he really do it or even allow it? That poor drip had done nothing to him, or in any way caused his anger, other than simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He would leave it to his reaction.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Magna: “No, I am, a traveler. I saw this wonderful vacation home and thought I was going on vacation here. ”

Unknown: “ Vacation What? How come? Are you after the secrets of this ruin or why should someone else visit this cursed place? "

Magna: " Secrets, no. I just needed a bit of glass and metal. This place just stinks of anger and I don't like anger and was just about to leave this elevation. ”

Unknown: “ Could you take me with you? ”

Magna: “ Why aren't you afraid? We're in the middle of nowhere and you don't know me. ”

Unknown: “ If you had wanted to kill me, then I would be dead or at least food for your wolf there. ”

He pointed to Leica, which was a short distance from Magna taking a defensive pose but not attacking.

Magna: “Maybe I'll kill you.”

Unknown: “Wouldn't change anything anyway. Out here alone I'm already as good as death and after what I've seen in the ruins ... "

Magna: " What do you have, but I don't even want to know. Look, I'm not a very philanthropist, but you can call me Magna. I can spice you up and help you on your way, but you are responsible for everything else. Just don't drag me into your shit.

Leica, it's okay. ”

Leica took a few steps to the side whereupon the stranger could get closer to him.

Magna: "Perhaps you will ask me into your wonderful house first?"

Unknown: “What happened to my etiquette? My name is Bard Astoria. Second son from the Astria family. Nice to meet you Miss? "

Magna: " Magna. Just call me Magna. "

Bard: " It's a pleasure Miss Magna "

Magna grimaced because that person just smelled like an endless bunch of problems to him. Adel, he was familiar with the whole concept, but still he couldn't really get used to it outside of stories and tales.

Upon entering the house, Bard began to speak again: “I apologize for the chaos. I'll scold the servants later. I would offer them food and drinks, but the servant hasn't brought anything back from the market. ”

He followed him inside and listened to his words, which sprang from his cracked lips as if they had been practiced.

Magna: “Humor! I like it. But is this the moment? "

Bard: " Sorry, I couldn't offer anything more. "

Magna took off his combat pack and reached in after showing some of his food supplies inside. As soon as the young noblewoman saw the flesh, Magna thought she saw it salivate.

Magna: "Nothing special, but hunger drives everything in."

Bard: "May I?"

Magna: “No, I took it out for you to see. Of course take it. I've packed enough to be fine for a couple of weeks. ”

You didn't have to tell him twice, almost like a starved animal fell, he ravaged the meat, ate it like the most delicious food he was ever served. A person could survive for a few weeks without food but not without water. He had not yet tried how this was related to the statistics; when he felt like consuming something, he usually did.

He also seemed a little hurt, but not enough for Magna to offer him one of his healing potions. So far he was still unclear about the structure of society, as well as its composition. Nor did he know the real value of potions, money, or resources. The last thing he wanted was to reveal a wealth that only got him into trouble.

Instead of him, he cast a new spell, his scan experiments, as well as the repeated attempts at healing at a higher level, brought him at least one new skill called [healing]. It wasn't a game change, but it was still a very practical skill.

The young nobleman looked up in surprise: “A skill for healing? Are you a healer? ”

Magna: “ No, a by-product of my research. I'm not a healer, maybe more of a magician? Or something of everything? You have to be able to do a lot out here if you want to survive almost on your own. ”

This only earned him a nod from the nobleman. A cautious, slow nod: “Are you fleeing from anything, anyone, what kingdom do you belong to, maybe the republic?”

Bard: “By the way, thank you for the healing. I would say yes, that I owe you one and will reward you richly, but I have not yet found the treasure trove. "

Magna: " I prefer acquaintance or a favor for later -

he reached into his pocket, where he still had a lot of supplies, which he draped on the table in front of the noble one.

And they should be able to cope with that for a while. As I said, I'm not interested in money. My main concern is my rest. ”

Bard: “ Which still doesn't answer my question. ”

Magna: “ Actually, I would say it's none of your business, but I'm not from here, or rather from here? At some point I woke up in this forest and decided to live here too. Not forever, but at least until I ... Well. Until I feel ready for other people. "

Bard: " That was quite honest, I guess. Could I perhaps still see the face of my rescuer? "

He didn’t avoid being addressed like a little lady all the time, but at the same time this man didn’t seem sleazy like the crazy one in the dungeon or intrusive in an uncomfortable manner. Yes, it always brought his fate before his eyes, which made his eyes and the corners of his mouth twitch again and again, but he had to learn to control himself. Again and again he whispered to himself to remember the theater lessons. Play a role. Besides, it was better to go with the truth, not because he didn't want to lie, but the truth always sounded better and, above all, sold better!

With a little practice, the truth could also be achieved. People didn't ask often, because ordinary conversations were not an interrogation where something had to be checked. Another factor was that people were very fond of making their own assumptions.

Bard: "Have you seen anyone else here?"

Magna: “Yes, I came across a camp at the foot of the plateau, but the people there didn't look particularly hospitable, so I decided to bypass them. Presumably here because of you? ”

Bard: “ Did you happen to come across something strange while you were up here? You should know that tags can be very dangerous up here. I wouldn't be surprised if they were still after me. "

Magna: " What ...? "