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NOTIFICATION
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* Side Quest Completed
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+ XP Gained: 15
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| Current XP: 75 / 100
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| Progress: ████████░░░░░
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I glanced at the map again, eyes drawn to the small yellow exclamation marks scattered throughout the city. My guess had been right—side quests. There were plenty of them, too. If the crocodile encounter was anything to go by, these quests weren’t pointless. The experience gain wasn’t bad either. If I knocked out a few more, I might even level up and unlock another spell.
That thought lingered longer than it should have. A new spell could change everything. I just hoped whatever I learned here would stick with me if I ever made it back home. If I made it back… no, when I made it back. I had to hold on to that belief. Otherwise, I’d lose it. Another day here was already too much.
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* Crocodile slain!
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+ XP Gained: 5
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| Current XP: 80 / 100
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| Progress: ███████░░░░░░
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I frowned at the numbers. Only five points? Killing a crocodile had to be worth more than that. It didn’t add up. Then it clicked.
Hunting vs. slaying.
The translucent box was counting them differently. The rabbit I ‘hunted’ gave me more XP than the crocodile I ‘slain.’ So, hunting animals provided more experience than outright killing them. It explained why the bear near the cabin barely gave me anything. The box must’ve flagged it as ‘slain’ since I didn't hunt it properly.
“Where are you looking?” Mox's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “You see another crocodile?”
“Huh?” I blinked, still piecing everything together. “No, nothing. Just… thinking.”
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “You sure?”
“Yeah,” I muttered, brushing past her. “Just distracted.”
“Uh-huh.” She fell into step beside me, glancing at me with that familiar grin. “Whatever you say, hotshot. Whatever you say.”
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
I didn't bother responding this time. “Hmm…”
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Back at the dormitory, I collapsed onto the bed, letting out a long, drawn-out sigh. My boots hit the floor with a dull thud as I kicked them off, not caring where they landed. My head sank into the pillow, and for a moment, I just lay there, eyes closed, arms sprawled at my sides. My limbs felt like they were made of stone.
The bow Mox had given me lay against the wall, its arrows scattered haphazardly next to it. My eyes stayed on it longer than I meant to. I'd never thought I'd be hunting anything, let alone killing something. It didn’t sit right with me. Ending the rabbit's life wasn't hunting. It was mercy. But I had to accept it. This world didn’t play by my rules, and I had to adapt.
I buried my face in the pillow, muffling a groan. “Man, I miss my bed.”
I turned onto my back, staring at the ceiling as I brushed the hair out of my eyes. Then, just as I was thinking, a translucent box appeared in front of me, displaying my level and stats. I still didn’t understand what the item materials meant, and it seemed like I would have to wait and figure out their purpose. Because none of the options on the box provided any information about them.
I sat up, propped a pillow against the wall, and leaned back. My eyes shifted toward the window. The weather had cleared at last, the sun peeking through the clouds. The breeze swayed the branches outside, and everything looked peaceful for once. No rain. No storms. Just quiet.
Then, voices.
“Who did that?!” someone shouted from outside. “Look at him!”
“Stop yelling!” another voice snapped. “Help me get him inside!”
My gaze shifted to the window, curiosity tugging at me. I got up and peered outside.
Down below, three figures stood near the entrance to the dormitory. Leo, Aiden, and... Seker? Yeah, it was definitely Seker. He looked awful. His face was swollen, his lip busted, blood staining his shirt. His uniform was a mess—his cravat torn in half, one sleeve hanging loose like it had been yanked. He looked like he’d been through a street fight.
Leo had an arm around Seker, supporting him as Aiden held the door open. Leo was furious, his face locked in a scowl so sharp it could cut stone. His mouth moved fast, words too distant to make out, but I didn’t need to hear them to understand. Someone had messed with Seker, and Leo wasn’t happy about it.
“Who!” He asked again. “Where have you been? We were looking for you the entire---”
“Don’t yell!” Aiden snapped. “Look at him, Leo! Just calm down. We’ll understand what happened soon enough.”
“Ugh…” He was able to say, holding back his anger. “Fine. Fine! Fucking fine! Let’s wait.”
“Thank you.” Aiden replied. “Just calm down.”
Aiden glanced around, his eyes scanning the area like he was expecting trouble to follow them inside. Once they got Seker through the door, the three of them disappeared from sight.
I stayed by the window for a moment longer, eyes fixed on the door below. My chest felt heavier than before. Part of me thought about going down there. But my legs stayed where they were. I didn't have the energy to get involved, and honestly, I didn’t want to. My plate was already full, and I wasn’t about to add someone else's problems to it.
“Not my business,” I muttered, letting the curtain fall closed.
I returned to the bed, dropping onto it like a stone. The pillow was cool against my cheek as I rolled onto my side, eyes already half-lidded. The voices from below drifted upward, faint but still loud enough for me to catch bits and pieces of it.
Leo’s voice was the loudest, sharp and biting. “Who did this? I mean, why? Why would do something like this?”
Aiden's voice followed, calmer but firm. “Keep your voice down. You’re making it worse, Leo. Chill out a bit, man.”
“Worse?” Leo's tone was ice cold. “Worse would be letting it slide.”
“We are not letting it slide. We ‘will not’ let it slide. But it is not the time, Leo. Not the time.”
“Agh… you’re right. Okay. You’re right.”
Their muffled argument continued, but I tuned it out, letting the words blend into the background. My eyelids felt heavy, and sleep tugged at me with each slow breath I took.
‘They’ll handle it,’ I told myself, shifting to a more comfortable position. ‘Not my problem. Not even the slightest.’
I stared at the ceiling one last time before shutting my eyes. Dinner with the Queen was still on the horizon, and I'd need all the energy I could get.
“Dinner with the Queen.” I muttered. “What a joke…”