We left the alley and headed to the closest possible restaurant. Over warm food and a few drinks, the adrenaline of the fight began to fade, and Silvia opened up. Soon, she was sharing bits of her life story with me. She had been adopted by human parents and had learned swordsmanship from a young age.

That explained her fiery personality and her skill with the blade—traits not typically associated with elves, who were more into archery and subtlety. As she spoke, I could see vulnerability beneath her tough veneer. Her upbringing clearly shaped her, making her firm but also isolated. In turn, I shared my story, explaining how I wasn't originally from this world.

I told her about the accident that ended my life back home and how I woke up here in this strange, new reality. Silvia blinked at me in astonishment and wonder. "So, you died... and got sent here? In some kind of second chance?" "Pretty much. Kind of weird, right?" I shrugged while munching on the steak.

She languidly reclined in her chair, folded her arms, and said, "Weird doesn't even cut it. Well, stranger things have happened." Silvia smiled—not that smug snicker or even that sneer, but a genuine smile. For the first time, I finally made a friend in this world.

Day 22

Since Day 18, everything has simply turned into a blur. But I did do something noteworthy today: I was promoted to E Rank. Fast, huh? That's the result of working hard every day. However, it will only take a few weeks at most to catch up to Silvia.

When hunting with Silvia, I also discovered several peculiarities about her. She's a little sadistic, to start. She prolongs the moment before striking her victim as if she enjoys torturing them. Although it can be unnerving at times, her propensity to leap into danger without any preparation is more concerning. No wonder her former team referred to her as useless. She is far from incompetent, yet her carelessness makes her unpredictable and even dangerous in certain situations.

However, I'm not here to criticize her or focus on her shortcomings. My objective is to mold her into a cooperative team player and transform her unadulterated talent and enthusiasm into something more meaningful. Nobody ever becomes the strongest by themselves, after all.

Day 24

It was time to move on from Ashwind City and begin our journey to Erisnow City, the Achard Kingdom's capital. The trip was expected to be lengthy, with miles of twisting roads and unknown experiences to come. So, we carefully planned our route to stop at a few small towns and villages along the way. We might even resupply or take on a mission at each stop.

Day 27

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Halfway to our destination, we stopped at Netheridge Town to restock our supplies. While I was haggling over dried meat and fruit, I overheard snatches of conversations between a few locals. Apparently, a young man had recently saved a king from being poisoned and single-handedly thwarted a coup in a neighboring country. My first thought was: What kind of story was that? It was like a story made by a 13-year-old.

But the rumors did not end there. They claimed this man was now engaged to not one but two princesses: the Princess of the Archad Kingdom and the Princess of Yelarien—the place where he was supposed to have stopped the coup. Moreover, they said he had then gone on to create an entirely new country with the help of Archard and Yelarien kings.

"What the hell? That's crazy." I muttered. It was so insane that you could easily dismiss it – except that the locals said it so seriously. Silvia was even more dramatic when I told her. Still, something about this story did not sit well with me. How could a person just appear and then start saving kingdom after kingdom like it was his daytime job? If he were a high aristocrat with connections, then it seemed too convenient.

Well, I hope I don't run into that man. I don't like getting involved in politics. We finished shopping quickly after that, but the story stuck around.

Day 28

I got a feeling of unease mixed in as I traveled together with Silvia to the country's capital. I always relied on my skills with the bow and its focus distance, yet I became uncomfortable with the idea of fighting someone in close range. Even though I was not built to be a brawler, the situation called for self-defense proficiency, to say the least. The thought of abandoning my bow for a sword was daunting, to say the least.

One evening, under the dying daylight's reddish hue, I turned to Silvia. "Teach me swordsmanship." I requested it straightforwardly. Her guidance was a beacon in the uncertainty of close combat. "That's out of the blue, having an interest in swordsmanship all of a sudden," Silvia replied.

"I just felt like I didn't have any self-defense when going into close combat," I said. "You could've asked me a long time ago. I would love to teach you swordsmanship." Silvia responded. "Not to mention, I'll have a partner to spar with any time!" she added. I'm starting to regret my words since she might have a sadistic way of training. But it will be all worth it.

Day 29

I started training. However, Silvia lectured me first about swordsmanship. One factor contributing to swordsmanship was preparation for combat: attempting to place all the stress on the most critical muscles of the body. She seemed to know it all, demonstrating much softer mechanics for holding the sword. Despite the passion in her statements, I could see she was having fun.

After putting the theory aside, she grabbed a solid branch from the ground and gave it to me, saying, "This will be your sword for the time being," while spinning another branch for herself as if it were the best blade in the world. First, we took stances. "Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Balance is the key," she urged, tapping my legs and shoulders quickly to correct my posture.

Next followed parrying and blocking. I was a complete mess at first, staggering with every step and tripping over my own feet. Every time I fell, Silvia's sadistic grin widened, but she corrected me quickly and firmly. After my fifth fall, she yelled, "Pay attention to your footing!" "A swordsman can't fight if he can't stand!" After several hours, as the sun surrendered to the moon, a transformation began.

My reflexes sharpened, my stance solid, and I managed to parry one of Silvia's strikes without stumbling. The journey from a stumbling novice to a proficient swordsman was underway. "Not bad," Silvia acknowledged, hinting that there was still room for improvement. It was a modest beginning, but it was a beginning nonetheless, and that was an accomplishment in itself.