Callum watched with eager anticipation as the neat, inky words spread across the page of their own accord. He couldn’t help but smile as the young and energetic words of his oldest companion appeared on the aged parchment. Callum had noticed long ago that Book didn’t seem to age or develop as a bonded companion, instead staying young and sometimes immature. Their relationship had slowly changed to one closely resembling older and younger siblings, who happened to be inseparable friends.
Hey Cal!
Oh man, you won’t even believe what’s happening in this tiny village! Well, honestly, not much is going on. I can’t even believe they’re still standing! They only have like 15 to 20 guards, and half of them seem to be adventurers. They have a few local shops, but the most interesting ones are the general store and the blacksmith stall. I didn’t see any magic or alchemy shops, though. The biggest building is a tavern in the center of the town, but their quest board isn’t even upgraded to a town quest board yet. It’s mostly just regular people’s houses around there, and most of them are low-level.
I don’t get how they haven’t been attacked by monsters from the nearby areas yet! This early into the game, starting areas should be swarming with monsters from rifts that have overflowed.
Also, get this: there are only humans in the village! I didn’t see any other integrated races around there. You might want to be careful since they might freak out if they see a dark elf for the first time!
Oh, and by the way, some of them looked pretty soft, but a few of them seemed pretty jumpy. I even made a few of them freak out just by flying around! Ha ha! Anyway, I’m sure you can handle anything in there, but then again, you’re a weakling now, so be careful! Ha ha!
-B
Callum closed the heavy tome with a resonant snap, relishing the weighty thud of the pages colliding. Tucking the notebook into his pocket, he felt the reassuring heft of her presence, a source of comfort in his journey ahead. Despite his subpar Charisma and woefully inadequate stats, Callum knew taking a direct approach if he was most likely to succeed. If he were caught skulking around, then he was sure there would be a negative reaction.
Summoning his courage, Callum stood tall and spread his arms wide, taking a deep breath. With a decisive step, he stepped onto the dusty path leading toward the village, his gait steady and determined. As the guards clustered around the entrance to the palisade, their eyes flickering towards him. Callum tensed his muscles, ready to dodge any incoming attacks. Before he could even call out a greeting, several arrows whizzed toward him, notched, and fired with surprising speed.
Instinct drove Callum to shift his weight to the side, but the results were less than graceful. Instead of a lithe and elegant dodge roll, he found himself careening toward the dirt in an unceremonious flop. The whisper of swords leaving their sheaths filled his ears. In this position, exposed and immobile, Callum knew he was in a bad spot. But he didn’t panic. Instead, he raised a hand and called out, “Hold, hold! I come seeking shelter!”
Another arrow whizzed by, but it missed its mark and stuck into the dirt a few inches from Callum’s knee. Callum felt a wave of relief wash over him as the barrage stopped. It seemed his plea for mercy had been heard.
A burly figure, clad in leather armor and armed with a spear, pushed his way through the crowd. The others parted before him like waves before a ship’s prow, allowing him to approach Callum. From the way they deferred to him, Callum assumed this man was the leader of the small band of guards.
The man spoke in a heavily accented language, asking if Callum was of one of the other races. Callum nodded, but he remained where he was for a few moments, cautious and uncertain of his welcome.
As Callum approached the guards, their leader stepped forward, his hand gripping the shaft of his spear tightly. “Hold there, stranger,” he said, eyeing Callum’s unusual appearance with suspicion. “What brings you to our village?”
Callum held up his hands in a gesture of peace. “I mean you no harm,” he said. “I am simply passing through.” Callum felt it would be unwise to give this group more information on his situation than was strictly needed. He knew they had no way to identify his level without some form of the [Analyze] ability, and it was unlikely that they had one.
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The guard leader chuckled and scratched the back of his head. “Well, we mistook you for a monster with that skin of yours. But I can see now that you’re no threat.” He turned to his men. “Stand down, boys.”
Callum couldn’t help but feel a twinge of annoyance at the guard’s unintended insult, but he pushed it aside. He had more important things to worry about. “I am a dark elf, not a monster,” he said, hoping to put their suspicions to rest. “We are a race of ice and shadow mages. Surely you’ve met some of the other races since the start of the integration?”
The guard leader frowned, his eyes narrowing a fraction. “I can’t say that I have,” he said. “But I suppose that doesn’t mean much. We’ve been dealing with a lot of strange things since the integration began. You’re the first intelligent species, other than our own, that has come to our village.”
Callum nodded, understanding. “I see. But I assure you, I am not here to cause trouble. I simply need to pass through your village on my way to meet with more of my people.”
The guard leader studied Callum for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Very well,” he said. “You may pass. But if we hear of any trouble caused by your kind, we will not hesitate to take action. Larry, here,” he gestured at one guard with the butt of his spear, “will be coming with you during your stay to make sure that you don’t get lost.” His implication was clear, but Callum could see no way to argue without causing more of a problem. He simply nodded in reply.
Despite the help of the system’s translation, Callum found it difficult to follow the guard leader’s thick accent throughout their conversation.
As he stood there, surrounded by the wary and cautious villagers, Callum couldn’t help but feel a sense of determination rising within him. He knew he was here to climb the ladder and grow in power, and he was ready to do whatever it took to achieve his goals. Even if that meant putting up with these scared low-levelers with paranoia. He steeled himself and prepared to face whatever challenges this group may cause him.
Callum was introduced to Larry, a wiry man with a keen eye, who led him through the village. Though cautious at first, Larry soon proved to be a surprisingly amiable guide.
As they walked, Larry shared the history of their humble village. It had been founded by a man named Niles, who was granted a Town Node after defeating a powerful forest field boss. Since then, the village has grown into a thriving trading post and haven for travelers seeking refuge in the Laidrian Forest.
As Callum set his eyes upon the newly integrated race of humanoids, he couldn’t help but be taken aback. The tales of humanity’s resilience had spread far and wide across the multiverse, but he had never seen one himself.
The stories were told that, though their strength was not the most impressive, their unyielding spirit was a force to be reckoned with. Humans had proven time and time again that their unwavering tenacity, and their reputation for being irremovable from one of their planets, was well-earned. He was impressed that they were able to make so much progress in a village in such a short amount of time without extra resources or guidance.
When Callum inquired about the local inn, Larry happily led him there. As they passed the blacksmith, Callum couldn’t help but feel the weight of the suspicious gazes of the villagers upon him. Some of those gazes were filled with a kind of wonder that could only be compared to that of a child discovering a new plaything. It was as if he were a mysterious object of fascination, something to be prodded and examined. It put him on edge though he was certain that his tall thin frame was just as odd to them as their flesh, pink appearance was to him.
The inn was shrouded in shadows, its flickering lanterns casting a dim glow over a few patrons slumped over their drinks, their eyes vacant and forlorn. Yet, it was the adventurers who drew Callum’s attention; their lively banter and confidence marked them as a force to be reckoned with. In Callum’s mind, those few adventurers proved that this small village of humans had some fighters who were seeking power in it after all.
Making his way to the bar, Callum was met with the hearty greeting of Hamish, the innkeeper, whose accent was as thick as the ale he served. Hamish seemed not to notice Callum’s obvious foreignness, which Callum found refreshing compared to the constant glances and whispers he’d received thus far. His sharp wit and piercing gaze left a lasting impression on Callum.
But when Callum admitted his lack of funds, Hamish’s laughter boomed through the inn’s tavern room. “Ye cannae expect to stay here for free, lad,” he chortled. “But dinnae ye worry, the village board is always lookin' fer brave souls to complete quests. Niles updates the postings each day, so there's always somethin' to be done.”
Callum sighed, knowing that he would not have time to complete a quest before nightfall. Yet, through practiced skills of negotiation, he managed to convince Hamish to let him rent a room for the night at twice the standard rate, promising payment the following day. With Callum’s promise of extra coin and a thinly veiled threat from Hamish, Callum was granted permission to retire to his rented room upstairs.
Ascending the stairs, Callum cursed his lack of Charisma, feeling a small vibration in his pocket. Gently patting his notebook, he whispered, “Not long now, friend. You’ll be able to shift and stretch in a few moments.”