I couldn't shake off the overwhelming thoughts and decided to stay awake, despite the temptation to join Sieg in sleep. I remembered that every time I slept, I was transported to the golden prison, where I was unable to rest. Instead, I took a break to contemplate my current situation. I had just learned that the place of birth could have a direct impact on one's biology, which was a revelation to me and a stark reminder of how different this world was from my own. I wondered if my own world was like this before the Devourer arrived.

In that vein I spent the next few hours thinking of examples that didn’t commute with earth logic. The biggest one that came to mind was I had no idea how I could speak to Sieg. Whenever I talked to him he seemed to respond in English, but that really didn’t make any sense. To be fair, I had little trouble understanding Gerinier, or even reading the signs in town. Thoroughly perplexed, I decided to ask for some divine guidance.

I fell asleep easily and was transported to the golden world, where I found Verethragna standing before me in all his golden glory. He raised one arm as if to stop me and said, "Before you ask, little warrior, I don't know why all sentients are able to understand each other. All I know is that as long as one learns to speak or read, they can understand any kind of speaking or writing. I find the idea of having multiple languages novel but wasteful."

"After clapping his hands together and rubbing them a bit, Verethragna continued, 'Now, let's move on to more interesting topics. I'm impressed by your first true technique, [PRIDE'S FALL]. Its creation and powerful message are both noteworthy. Most young assenders take a year to create their first technique.``In response I couldn't help but think, 'Does this mean I'm a genius?' But Verethragna quickly brought me back to reality. “Remember, I'm a peak rank ten deity. All other assenders start at rank one and work hard to raise their rank. While [PRIDE'S FALL] is a good finisher and potent, it's painfully slow and leaves you vulnerable after use. For now, you should stick with the basic infused slashes until you improve your basics.”

I finally had the chance to ask, “Do you have any ideas for my next technique?”

“That's a good question,” Verethragna replied. “Your next technique should be simple and fast. You need something that can respond at high speeds. After you wake up, your focus should be on soul sheathing. Your vessel doesn't need to be present in the material world at all times and can be stored in your soul. It's a basic skill, but mastering it is crucial for dealing with sneak attacks. Enough talk, get to training. Your basics still need a lot of work."

That's what I did for the next few hours: I engaged in endless sword drills, dodging marbles, and other activities that taxed my mind. When I finally woke up, it was a relief. I spent a while just lying in bed, letting my mind decompress. Finally, feeling a rumbling in my stomach, I got up and woke Sieg. To my disappointment, Sieg seemed fully rested and far too enthusiastic for my unrested mind. The two of us went downstairs and sat at a table. After a few minutes, a cute wolf-eared girl approached us. Judging by her attire, I assumed she was a barmaid, and I wasn't disappointed. She asked,

"What will it be this fine morning, gentlemen?" Just as I was about to order pancakes and homefries, I quickly stopped myself, remembering that the barmaid likely had no idea what those were. I looked to Sieg for help, and he quickly ordered for both of us.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

"I'll have two malatics with a plate of shneck, and he'll have the same," Sieg said. The barmaid nodded and held out her hand.

"That'll be four bottom-grade fragments," she said. Sieg handed her four pieces of what looked like glass, and she left. The glass, which seemed to be the currency of this world, interested me, so I asked Sieg about it. He showed me a number of different-colored shards and went on to explain how the currency of this world worked. Affinity fragments, or just fragments, were the primary currency used here. Different affinities would mix in random pockets and over time become solid, very rarely, one affinity would dominate the rest, forming a divine essence. Most of the time, the chaotic blend of affinities would shatter, sending the shards flying everywhere. These shards were both common and distinct enough that they were adopted as currency. The shards came in different grades, each with escalating value: bottom, low, mid, high, profound, and peak. Exchange rates varied, but were generally about 100:1 for each ascending rank.

Sieg even had a ring called a spatial ring, where he kept all his fragments. I asked him why he only kept fragments in his ring, and he told me that only the rich could afford spatial rings for larger objects. Observing the other patrons, I got the sense that none of them had a spatial ring.

My thoughts on Sieg's economic status were cut short as the food arrived. The food arrived and it was a carnivore's delight. Malatics seemed like steaks I would order on Earth, except they were green and covered in a purple sauce. The plate of shneck was a plate of fried insects. Sieg dove in, but I was more cautious. I started with the malatics and was surprised by the taste. Despite its color, the meat tasted like lean pork and the sauce had a sweet blueberry flavor. It was a strange combination, but not a bad taste. I happily devoured the two malatics. The shneck, however, was a different story. I didn't want to eat them, but I figured that in a new world, I should be open to new things. I quickly picked one up, closed my eyes, and popped it into my mouth. The taste was crunchy and not unlike any other fried food, but I really disliked the taste when its head was crushed. I managed to swallow it, but that was it for me.

Pushing the plate away from me, Sieg happily picked it up and ate it in record time. Giving me a smirk, he asked, "How was your meal?"

"Just great," I replied sarcastically, "What was that?"

"Malatcis are a steak cooked in a sweet sauce. From our location and the color, my guess is it's wolf." He responded.

"Wait, if it's wolf, why is it green?" I asked in surprise.

"Because we are on the border of Garm's sector of Fenrir's territory. Garm is the green wolf, so it's natural that wolves from his territory would be green," Sieg explained.

Not fully understanding, but resigned to the fact that nothing would make sense in this new world, I continued to listen to Sieg. "The shneck are a local delicacy and favorite of mine. The one thing I missed from my childhood after moving to Arknosis was fried insects," Sieg added.

Hearing this, hope was reignited in me. Perhaps this world wasn't as barren as I had feared. It was just Sieg being himself that had led to the shortage of reasonable food.

"Why are there no vegetables or grains?" I asked. Sieg gestured around him and responded, "Did you see any farms around?" Upon shaking my head, he continued, "This is a frontier town on the border of the Great Forest. Anything that isn't hunted or gathered from the forest is brought in by merchants, and of course, it's much more expensive and in short supply."

I was going to ask about the dietary effects of eating like this, but realized that nutritional balance in this world probably didn't matter or if it did Sieg likely didn’t care. Rising from his seat, Sieg extended his hand to me and said,

"Come on, I'll show you around town."