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The Dream Life
Chapter 1: Journey

Chapter 1: Journey

My parents have taught me sword fighting, archery and all the common sense of an adventurer. My mom also taught me how to track certain animals and monsters while my dad taught me battle tactics against monsters. I was also taught the skills of a thief and an assassin as well as dagger fighting techniques by Mary. My parents also wanted me to learn magic but they knew very little about it themselves so they decided to send me to the magic acadamey in the capital city called Shanta. To get there from our village will take about a week of walking while a carriage would get me there in 4 days. In this world a day is 24 hours, and hour is 60 minutes and a minute is 60 seconds. A week is 7 days, a month is 30 days and a year is 12 months. My parents wanted me to gain experience by travelling solo so they told me to walk there. Yesterday, the day before I turned 15, they explained all of this to me and gave me directions to the capital. It was sudden but I know its because they love me. They don't own land so I can't inherit anything from them and will have to make my own life and all of the skills they taught me will help. They also gave me a beautiful bow colored black with hints of blue as well as a sharp sword with a black handle and a lion pommel.

Right now I am saying my farewells to my parents and Mary. I made sure that Mary rmembered our bet and then started walking out of the village. Now lets figure out what kind of dangers I could run into on the way to the capital. First of all there are animals, I don't have to worry about these because even if its the strongest animal they can't do anything to me, I'm too strong for them. Next up monsters, my parents told me the different kind of monsters I am likely to meet on my way to the capital. They are Goblins, Orcs, Slimes, Giant Ants and Giant Spiders. They say I might also run into Ogres but that's not too likely. Now out of all these monsters the only ones I haven't faught and killed are Slimes and Ogres. Slimes because to kill them you have to use magic and I wanted to keep mine hidden, besides they are pretty weak so not a big concern. Ogres on the other hand could be strong and we didn't have any near the village, but as long as its not a big group of them I think I can win and if worst comes to worst I can run pretty fast. Next up we have humans, by humans I mean actual humans and demi-humans like Elves, Dwarfs, and Beastmen amog other types. There are a lot of bandits on the path to the capital according to dad and he said should I come acros them I'm allowed to kill them and I should cutt off the leaders head and take it to the capital to give to the adventurer's guild and in return I'll get money. I think I should be strong enough to kill bandits but I haven't killed a human before, well atleast not in this life. I just hope I don't get that feeling when I kill the first one that I got back in the other world.

While I was confirming the possible dangers I was still walking and right now its a little past noon so I think I'll take a small break to eat and then head off again. I decided to sit down by a big boulder and take out the lunch that Mary had prepared for me. I opened it up and thought, 'I guess she didn't forget about the bet'. I quickly ate the tasty meal and then decided to rest for a bit. Apparently, on my way to the capital there is one city that will see before hand. Normaly this would be after 3 days of walking but I dont like walking so much so after my break is done I get up and push mana into my legs and take off running at an explosive speed. I think at this speed I could outrun a fast sports car going at top speed. What would normally take 3 days to travel only took me about 5 hours. I slowed down a lot before I got close to the gate to not let anyone see my ridiculous speed. The sun is about to set soon so I think I'll spend the night here and then set off again tomorrow morning. I get in line in fron of the gate and wait my turn.

After a long time of waiting in line I'm now in spot to be the next person that gets checked when a fansy looking carriage with 4 knight escorts pulls up next to the gate. The carriage has to wait for the soldiers to open the big gate so it can proceed inside. The carriage is closed and is colored white with some hints of pink, fit for a yound princess. While I was admiring the carriage I looked in the window and accidently made eye contact with a young girl. I'm not sure what she was wearing because I could only see her face but she was beautiful. She had blond hair and baby blue eyes that shined with innocence. We kept staring into each others eyes until the carriage moved along. I exit out of my daze when I hear the gaurd yell for the next person in line.

I walk up and pay the entrance fee of 5 bronze coins and the gaurds check my belongings real quick before I go inside. Oh yeah I never explained how money works. Well here it goes. There is no paper money only coins they go bronze, silver, gold and platinum. 10 bronze coins is 1 silver coin, 100 silver is 1 gold and 100 gold is 1 platinum. Most people would never even see a gold coin in their life and only the richest would be able to use platinum coins. An avergae meal at a restaurant with a drink alltogether would cost around 1-2 bronze coins while a peasants monthly earnings are probably around 6 silver coins. Regardless I walk in and start looking for an inn.

My parents told me this city is callled Shima city it has ome nobles here and I should be careful not to get in trouble with them. They told me that if I see one I should bow and no matter what I see happening I shouldn't get involved. hat shouldn't be a big deal since I don't really have a sense of justice, even if I see someone getting killed as long as they are a stranger its not my problem. I have been walking around for a while and can't find any inns, I guess I'll ask this girl. I walk up to a good looking girl wearing clothes a resaturant might have its waitress wear and ask her where I can find a good inn. She told me that her parents actually run an inn just down the stret and decided to walk me towards it as she was about to go home soon anyway.

"So are you a traveller? What's your name? Aren't you quite yound to be travelling?" She rattled of questions without giving me a chance to reply.

"Slow down, I can't answer so many questions at once and before you ask someone else's name you should give your own you know?" I responded with a bit mischief in my voice."Oh sorry! Thats a bad habit of mine, my name is Ari. So now you tell me yours!" She said with excitement.

'I'm Alex, Im heading to the capital to enroll in the magic academy and just arrived here today." I decide to answer her previous questions while giving my name. "Ooh, so you're gonna be a mage? That's so cool! My mom taught me a little bit of water magic but I'm not that good." She responded with even more excitement than she had before. "This is it! My home, The House Inn!" She said whith exaggerated actions that you might expect from an auctioneer as we arrived to a 3 floor building.

We walked in and Ari shouted "Mom, I'm back and I brought a customer!" and then ran off into what's most likely the kitchen area. The place we enterred in seems to be a restauant place and I can see its quite busy. As I stood there looking around at the restaurant Ari came back out with a middle aged woman who like an older version of her.

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"Ara, ara, You brought back quite a handsome young customer Ari." She said while smiling. " My name is Emily, normally my husband deals with assigning rooms but hes out right now so tell me how long do you plan on staying here?" she asked with a soothing tone. I like this lady.

"I'm just gonna be here for tonight." I replied with a smile. "Okay and do you want an individual room or are you fine with sharing one?" she asked back. "Individual please."

"Okay and do you want dinner for tonight and then breakfast morning?" she asked again. "Yes I would like both and could I also get a packed lunch tomorrow to take with me?"

"Yes I can get that for you, and all together for the one night stay and the three meals its gonna be 1 silver coin and 3 bronze coins." I handed over the money and sat down at a table until Ari brought out the food. It seems to be some sort of stew alongside a piece of bread and some vegetabel dish. She also asked if I want something to drink and I got water. I could have gotten alcohol since there is no age restriciton in this world but I don't really like it and I hate the feeling of not having control over my own body.

I finished up the tasty meal and then Ari showed me to my room. Its a small room with a bed and a small dresser. I'm only here for the night so I'm not gonna unpack anything. I just went to the bed and layed down ready to sleep. The bed is comfortable in this world's standard which I have gotten used to by now but it would be considered extremely uncomfortable in the other world. Regardless, I'm able to sleep quickly but for my own safety I set up an alarm magic so I will be forced awake If anyone in a small area around me starts acting hostile. I set it up so it covers the whole building and then go into deep sleep.

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I woke up in the morning normally and was just about to cancel my alarm magic when I fel someone gather hostility around them downstairs in the restaurant section. I quickly got up and went down. The hostility isn't directed at me so normally I wouldn't care but Ari helped me yesterday and Emily was also very kind to me even though that's just normal customer service. Also she called me handome.

As I arrive down stair I see a nicely dressed young man accompanied by a couple armored knights staring at Ari. Ari on the other had is looking down and shivering. I look over and see Emily clenching her fist but she knows she can't do anything in this situation. I first walked over to her to get a clear sense of the situation even though I think I already know looking at th e young man's lust filled eyes. She told me that the young man is a noble by the name of Kloud von Sherman and his father is a Viscount. She also told me that he came in here with his knights and demanded that Ari come with him because she was rude to him yesterday by not bwoing when she saw him. Ari on the other hand has probably never even seen him before. He probably saw her from far away and had one of his knights find out where she lived because he liked what he saw. Ah man, this sucks. Mom and dad told me not to do anything even if I see something like this happening but I owe Ari for helping me so sorry mom and dad but I'm gonna break my promise to you guys.

"Ari, is everything okay?" I ask with a smile on my face as I walk up to her. I can feel Emily staring at me from behind in complete shock while Ari turns around and is telling me with her eyes to not get involved. At the same time the knights look at me with a bit of caution and Kloud looks a bit annoyed by my precense.

"Who the hell are you?" He asks in a haughty manner acting like he's better than me. I really hate spoiled brats like him, even in my last life they annoyed the fuck out of me. Looks like they exist in every world. "My name is Alex but who might you be?" Of course Emily just told me but I want to annoy him.

"This is none of your business but how dare you not know the name of Kloud von Sherman!" he got annoyed just as I expected but what the hell is that? What's with the way he talks about himself? I almost burst out laughing. I have now walked until I'm standing next to Ari and I put my arm around her shoulder and secretly use a small light magic to get rrid of her fear. "Actually its is my business, you see she belongs to me and just now I walk down from room only to see somebody yelling at my property so naturally I would like to know what's happening." I lied through my teeth. Emily and Ari are both surprised at my words but don't show it on their faces.

"Your property? Whatever, that doesn't matter. She didn't bow before me yesterday so I have come to take her and deliver punishment." He said with a righteous look but he can't hide the lust in his eyes from me. "Deliver punishment? You will? Isn't that the job of the knight group?" A noble has the authority to declare and deliver a punishment to a commoner whenever he wants so me asking him that mean I'm not recognizing him as a noble.

"How dare a mere commoner speak to me like this! Enough! Knights kill him!" All of a sudden he snapped and ordered his 2 knights. They seemed stunned for a second but then started to move. I pushed Ari back towards Emily and then created an invisible wind barrier around them so they dont get hit by any stray energy. I knew this was going to happen or rather I made this happen so I already had my magic ready. As the knights got closer to me I created a wind on my hands. When the knights raised their weapons to strike down on me I moved forward and placed my hands on their chests. I shot the magic instantly and the two knights went flying back a little bit before falling to the ground. They didn't fly far but they won't be getting up agin, ever. I pushed my wind magic through their bodies instead of forcing the wind on their bodies and yet they still flew back. Their lungs and heart alongside their ribcage is most likely shredded completely right now, from the outside there isn't even a scratch on their armor.

After I killed th knights I looked at Kloud and smiled like a devil. I This time I drew my sword and cut off his head while he begged for mercy. I then used void magic to get rid of the bodies and water magic to clean the blood from the ground and my sword. I also used wind magic to get rid of the smell. The restaurant hadn't actually opened yet so nobody saw what happened and I think he wouldn't have told anybody what he was planning on doing today because its still a crime if a noble gets found out forcing unfair punishment onto an innocent commoner. I turned around and saw Emily and Ari holding each other tightly with a scared look on their eyes.

"I guess I'm not gonna get that breakfast huh?" I said calmly. Its only natural they are scared of me. I just killed 2 knights and a noble. The punishment for that is death and yet I did it without hesitation. On top of that the 2 knights should be quite powerful yet I killed them so quick they didn't even know what happened. If someone without any strenght saw something like that of course they would fear that person. I went back upstairs and grabbed my bag beofre coming back downstairs and giving my room key to Emily and leaving.

I sure made a mess in there I thought as I walked towards the city gates. I did however confirm one thing, I didn't get that feeling that I had the first time I killed someone this time. This is good, it means I'm not gonna be left vulnerable after I kill one opponent. I have to get strong because this is my dream life and I don't wanna lose it so quickly.

I slowly made my way to the gate and left the city while walking until I was quite far from it and then I instantly broke into my full speed run so I can get to the capital quickly.