Day-20
...
Before I knew it... it had already been more than a week since I joined this party.
At first, I felt pretty awkward, but it seemed like I was starting to get used to it.
Lying on that straw bed, I thought to myself.
Today, everyone had gone to their respective guilds to learn new skills.
And honestly, it made me jealous, seeing them have someone who could help them become stronger.
Meanwhile, me? Stuck alone in this inn, regretting my stupidity on the first day I arrived in this world.
Ah... why couldn't I just ask someone back then?
But regretting it now wouldn't change anything anymore.
The only thing I could do was try my best.
I got up from the bed, then left the inn while carrying my sword.
-
At the very least, I could train by myself. That was what I thought as I held the sword in my hand. I started swinging it around randomly.
There was no purpose behind any of those swings. I was only doing it to make myself feel better.
Then after several swings, my hand stopped moving.
'This is pointless...'
I realized that what I was doing was completely useless.
So—what should I do now?
I asked myself what I truly wanted. At least, what did I want right now?
And yeah... I guess I wanted to become stronger too.
Everyone went to their guilds because of that as well. And me, I didn't want to be left behind by them.
I'm not talented, nor am I a genius. But that doesn't mean I want to stay stagnant. I want to keep improving too.
I guess that was my goal for today.
The problem was how?
Unlike everyone else, I hadn't joined any guild, nor did I have any profession.
Even when I fought, all I relied on were instincts and the memories I still had.
My grip on the sword tightened.
Then I started swinging it again.
But suddenly, something came to mind.
Back when I was still solo, I remembered fighting two goblins and eventually running away from them.
Those moments felt strangely nostalgic, even though it hadn't been that long ago.
I wondered... could I defeat them now?
If not, I always had the option to run away.
Besides, over the past few days, it felt like I'd learned a few things.
You could say I had far more experience now compared to who I was back then.
I still didn't have the confidence to defeat two goblins.
But maybe I could use a few strategies against them.
Filled with motivation, I immediately went back into the inn to prepare myself.
Equipping myself with the gear I needed and preparing a few items.
"Alright, I guess I'm ready."
With that, I left the inn.
-
It was still morning, nearing noon. The streets were never particularly crowded. This city was large, but not densely populated.
I looked up at the sky above me, watching the bright blue stretch endlessly in every direction.
The sun shone warmly overhead.
"It feels nice."
That was probably the best way to describe its light.
After walking for a while, I finally arrived at the gate.
As usual, I showed my Crimson Moon trainee membership to the guard there.
Then I stepped past the gate.
For now, my destination was the forest—the place where I used to hunt alone before joining the party.
It had been quite a while since I last came to this forest.
Somehow, that alone made me feel happy.
"..."
Once I entered the forest, the sight of trees welcomed me.
Birdsong echoed everywhere, yet not a single bird could be seen.
Passing through the trail, I began searching for prey.
I wondered if those two goblins were still somewhere in this forest.
I didn't really know much about the habits of those creatures.
But they didn't seem like the type to move around often.
Or at least, that was what I thought.
After walking for quite some time, I eventually found a river.
It was the same river I used to visit often. I figured a lot of monsters probably came here too.
After all, it was the only river in this forest.
I began following the riverbank, walking along the flow of the water.
Along the way, I encountered several monsters, such as wolves, horned rabbits, and a few creatures I didn't recognize.
But for the most part, I avoided them.
Huh. Looks like I'm not very lucky today.
After wandering around for a long time, I still hadn't found a single goblin nearby.
Honestly, it was pretty frustrating, but I guessed it couldn't be helped.
I turned around and started walking back.
Sometimes luck just wasn't on my side, and I knew that.
Not everything would go smoothly.
I knew that too.
Well, nothing I can do about it, right?
After that, I returned to the main path.
But then I found something unexpected.
A goblin was walking in the distance.
It didn't seem to notice me.
It looked like a Mud Goblin, one of the goblin species. They didn't wear any clothes, and well... their bodies were obviously filthy.
You could say they were weaker than the goblins we fought in Old Town Damroww.
I drew my sword, then jumped into the bushes beside me and carefully moved toward it through the brush.
The rustling sound echoed with every step I took.
I knew this was stupid, but—
Once I got close enough to the goblin, I immediately crouched down inside the bushes.
That made quite a loud noise.
The goblin looked startled. It glanced around in every direction, trying to find the source of the sound.
Until eventually, it realized it was coming from the bushes where I was hiding.
Then, with slow steps, the goblin started approaching.
There wasn't any caution on its face at all.
It approached like an idiot.
Well, that was only natural. Mud Goblins were known for being less intelligent compared to other goblins.
Then, the moment it arrived right in front of me, completely unaware that I was waiting inside the bushes—
A sword suddenly burst out from the bushes, aiming directly at the goblin's neck.
I thrust my body forward, and in an instant, the blade pierced through its throat.
The goblin grabbed onto my sword, trying to pull it out.
Then I kicked it away, forcing it backward until it fell to the ground.
After that, I immediately jumped toward it and stabbed its head until it died.
"Phew..." I wiped the sweat from my forehead. "That was nerve-wracking."
Then I looked at the goblin's miserable corpse, still lying there.
I saw a silver coin with a hole in it. It wasn't worth much, but I took it anyway.
I didn't really fight. All I did was use a cowardly tactic.
It felt like I hadn't gained any experience at all today.
Maybe it was already time for me to head back.
-
By the time I returned to the city, it was still midday.
The same guard was still standing watch at the gate. I passed by him, then headed straight toward the inn.
My clothes were dirty from the blood splatter earlier. I'd have to wash them once I got back.
Nothing particularly interesting happened on the way back.
I went straight behind the inn and drew water from the well there.
Wiping my weapon clean so it wouldn't rust, washing the blood off my clothes.
Then I returned to my room to grab another set of clothes.
After that, I decided to rest.
...