I wake up to the sound of something scratching the box I'm sleeping in. It seems an animal is using my makeshift home as a scratching post. I sigh and push the box lid open, peeking out to see a cat, completely absorbed in its task.
"Hey, little buddy, mind if I touch you?" I say, getting closer to it. The cat continues scratching, completely indifferent to my presence. I move my hand slowly to pet the top of its head, and even then, it doesn't seem alarmed at all.
"Are you someone's pet cat?" I ask, starting to give it head scratches. Its fur is dirty, suggesting it's been on its own for a while. "No, it doesn't really look like you are," I muse aloud. "Then why are you so friendly?"
The cat purrs contentedly under my hand, accepting the attention without a care in the world. After a few minutes, it seems satisfied, stretches lazily, and begins to leave without a backward glance.
"Goodbye, I guess," I call after it, watching as it saunters away. A small smile tugs at my lips, the brief interaction a comforting reminder of the simple joys still present in this strange, new world."
I sigh. "Looks like it's time for work, and by work, I mean eating so I can get more food to eat."
I open the burlap sack I found yesterday and take out the nuts and berries I foraged. The sour taste of the berries and the nutty taste of the pinecone don't really make for an appetizing meal, but it's all I've got.
"Right, today's plan is simple," I mutter to myself between bites. "I need to explore the town and try to learn something by observing the locals for a few hours. Then it's back to the forest to get more food."
With a final grimace at the last sour berry, I stand up, brush off the crumbs, and stow the remaining food back in the burlap sack. I step out of the alleyway and into the town, ready to start my day of exploration and learning.
The town is beginning to bustle with activity as I walk through the narrow streets. I keep my eyes and ears open, hoping to pick up on the rhythm of life here, to understand the patterns and customs of the people. I watch as merchants set up their stalls, artisans open their workshops, and children dart around, playing games and chasing each other.
As I wander, I pay close attention to the way people interact, the snippets of conversation I can catch, and the subtle nuances of their behavior. Though the language is still foreign to me, I begin to pick up on certain phrases and gestures that seem common.
After a few hours of observing, I decide it's time to head back to the forest. I need to gather more food to sustain myself, but the knowledge I've gained today feels like a small step forward.
Leaving the town behind, I make my way back to the forest, my thoughts buzzing with everything I've seen and heard. With determination, I venture deeper into the woods, ready to forage and prepare for another day in this strange, new world.
As I make my way to the forest, I think back to the things I have observed, trying to learn as much as possible from them. "First things first: money, or rather coins," I mutter to myself, piecing together what I've seen.
The coins come in a few shapes and sizes. The most common one I saw was a squarish copper coin, likely the one with the least worth, only used to buy small things like loaves of bread and vegetables. Then there were the silver coins, much more round and seemingly valued more. They were mainly used to buy larger quantities of things. I'm not sure if there are other coins besides those two, but there most likely are.
As I continue walking, I mentally catalog other observations. The townspeople seemed friendly enough, engaging in casual conversation and going about their daily routines without much concern. The market was the busiest place, with vendors shouting out their wares and prices, and customers haggling for better deals. I noticed a few people dressed in finer clothes, possibly indicating a higher status, while others wore simpler, more worn garments like my own.
Another thing I noticed was the language. Although I still couldn't understand it completely, I picked up on a few common phrases and greetings. Watching people interact, I could see patterns in their speech and body language. The gestures they used seemed to complement their words, adding emphasis or emotion to their conversations.
As I approach the forest, I feel a bit more prepared, armed with the knowledge I've gained from my observations. Entering the woods, I set my sights on finding more food. The familiar scents and sounds of the forest welcome me back, and I start my search for berries, nuts, and anything else that might sustain me.
While foraging, I keep thinking about what I've learned, formulating plans for the future. Maybe I can find a way to earn some of those copper coins, or even silver ones, to make my life a bit easier. But for now, survival is my main priority. I gather what I can, filling my burlap sack with provisions, and then take a moment to rest by the stream, reflecting on the day's events and what tomorrow might bring.
Foraging for food is much faster this time around since I already know where to find it. In just an hour or two, my burlap sack is full of edible berries and nuts. There are even a few new berries mixed in—some red ones I found along the way that turned out to be safe and a bit sweet.
"This took much less time than I thought it would," I say aloud. "Should I go back already? It's not even midday."
I look around the forest and see a few critters wandering about, which gives me an idea. "I wonder..." I walk up to a hedgehog. It doesn't seem afraid at all as I get closer. I reach my hand out to touch it, and still, it shows no reaction. I pick it up and look into its eyes. "You don't care at all... why?" I put it down, and it goes about its hedgehog business.
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"So it wasn't just the cat that didn't care; it's other animals too." This realization is curious and a bit unsettling. The animals' indifference to my presence feels almost surreal, adding another layer of oddity to this already strange world.
With my sack full and a bit of time on my hands, I decide to explore the forest a bit more. There might be something I've overlooked, something that could provide more insight into why things are the way they are. As I walk, I keep an eye out for anything unusual, hoping to find clues about the nature of this place and my place in it.
After a while, I come across a small clearing bathed in sunlight. It's peaceful here, with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves and the sound of birds chirping in the distance. I take a moment to sit down and reflect on my situation.
"Why are the animals so unafraid? Is it something about me, or is it something about this world?" The questions swirl in my mind as I rest
iI decide to go back to town and look around some more, maybe find a place where I can work. As I make my way back to town, I wander through the bustling streets, keeping an eye out for any opportunities. After a while, my eyes land upon something special.
It's a building with people inside, all carrying weapons and wearing armor. There seems to be a reception desk with a lady handing out papers to some of the people and taking small bags from others. She glances at each bag, nods, then puts it away and takes out some coins from under the desk, handing them to the person in front of her.
"Could it be? An adventurer's guild of some kind? And here I thought they only existed in novels and manga, but there it is, in all its glory," I whisper to myself, feeling a surge of excitement.
(Could this be my chance to make it in this world?) I think, standing at the entrance, contemplating my next move.
Taking a deep breath, I step inside, feeling a mix of nerves and anticipation. The air is filled with the clinking of armor and the murmur of conversations. I approach the reception desk, waiting for my turn as I observe the interactions.
When it's finally my turn, I approach the lady at the desk. She looks at me with a curious expression, probably noticing my worn clothes and young appearance. I point to myself, then to the adventurers around me, trying to convey my interest in joining.
She raises an eyebrow and looks me up and down, seeming to assess my capabilities. After a moment, she hands me a piece of paper and points to a bulletin board filled with notices. I glance at the paper, not understanding the language, but I get the gist of what she means.
"Thank you," I say, even though she might not understand. I take the paper and head over to the bulletin board, scanning the notices for anything that seems doable. There are various quests posted, ranging from gathering herbs to hunting monsters.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed but determined, I decide to start small. I spot a notice with a simple drawing of a plant and a small reward amount. It seems like a gathering quest, something I might be able to handle.
I take the notice and bring it back to the lady at the desk. She nods approvingly and gives me a small pouch, presumably for collecting the herbs. With a mixture of hope and anxiety, I head out of the guild, ready to tackle my first quest in this new world.
I run back to the forest excitedly, clutching the paper tightly. As I reach the familiar trees, I take out the paper and look at the drawing of the herb, scanning the ground for any sign of it. After several hours of careful searching and foraging, I finally find enough of the herb to fill a quarter of my burlap sack. Satisfied with my haul, I decide to head back to the guild to give the lady the herbs.
I make my way back to the guild, the excitement and exhaustion making my steps a bit unsteady. When I finally arrive, I approach the reception desk and hand in the paper. With a sense of accomplishment, I empty out the sack on the desk, displaying the herbs I've gathered.
The lady at the desk examines the herbs, nodding approvingly. She reaches under the desk and pulls out five copper coins, handing them to me with a small smile. I take the coins, feeling a rush of triumph.
"Thank you," I say, even though I'm not sure she understands. The weight of the coins in my hand feels both strange and satisfying. This is my first earning in this new world, a small but significant step towards survival and maybe even prosperity.
It's only five copper, not much I can do with it besides getting some proper food. But for now, it'll do just fine. I already have an idea of what I want to get.
I decide to look at the board again for any other simple quests, but most of them seem to be about hunting, which I'm not too sure about. I don't have a weapon or anything to protect myself with. I continue scanning the board until my eyes catch something different.
"Is that a wanted poster?" I whisper to myself. Below the poster is a number that seems to go on for a while. I look back at the hunting requests, noticing that the numbers below those posters barely reach double digits, while the wanted posters are in the triple digits!
My mind races as I consider the possibilities. "The reward for catching these wanted individuals is much higher," I think. But the risks are undoubtedly higher as well. Without any weapons or combat skills, it would be foolish to go after criminals.
Still, the allure of the higher reward is hard to ignore. If I could somehow find a way to take on one of these bounties, it would solve a lot of my problems quickly. But for now, it's just a thought, a distant possibility.
I turn my attention back to the simpler quests, searching for anything else that might be within my capabilities, sadly there dose not seem to be any. I decide to get back to my box and end the day, but on the way, I catch a familiar smell. It's the scent of freshly baked bread. "The bakery is still open at this hour?" I wonder. I let my nose guide me to the promised land of yeast and dough, and I end up right outside the gates to bread heaven.
I knock on the door and wait until I hear footsteps approaching from inside. Instead of the door opening, a window next to it opens, and the face of an angel greets me. She speaks in a language that is incomprehensible to me.
I put down my offerings—five copper coins—and pray to the bread god to grant my wish. The angel takes my small offering and goes back inside. Moments later, she returns with a small basket containing several small loaves of bread. I take the bread and place it inside my burlap sack, feeling a sense of salvation.
"I must spread the word of the bread god to these heathens. All shall know bread as the one and only true god in this land," I say, half-jokingly to myself, as I take out one of the loaves and eat it. The taste of the fresh bread is heavenly, a welcome change from the sour berries and pine nuts.
With my sack now holding both the foraged goods and the blessed bread, I make my way back to my makeshift home in the alleyway. I settle into my box, using the burlap sack as a makeshift pillow. As I lie there, I feel a strange mix of hope and determination.
Tonight, I rest with a full belly and a renewed sense of purpose. Tomorrow, I'll explore more of this town, find new quests.