Levi hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he slowly nodded and said to Rudolf, "In that case, let's travel together."
"When we reach the city of Zelantu, we'll find an inn. I'll treat you to a meal," Levi said.
He still had a bit of money on him.
"Let me treat you instead, my friend. To me, money is the least important thing—friendship is far more precious," Rudolf replied.
Levi gave him a strange look but said nothing.
"Ride my donkey, Levi. You need it," Rudolf added.
Just as Levi was about to refuse, Rudolf had already pushed and guided him over to the donkey, helping him up as he said, "I wouldn't let just anyone ride it."
"It's my treasure."
"But Levi, you're a friend who crossed life and death with me. You're an exception."
Those words gave Levi goosebumps.
He originally intended to refuse, but the moment his hand touched the donkey, a strange glint flashed deep within his eyes.
Because Levi's Origin Energy reacted.
It flowed through his hand, entered the golden donkey, circled once, and then returned to his body.
And within the sea of his soul, a new crystal was forming.
[Conversion]
This was an ability that could transform matter.
It could turn leaves into gold—but that wasn't the only possible outcome.
It could also transform them into other things, and could even be used to enhance one's own attributes.
Of course.
The ability Levi copied was only the basic version. It needed to be used repeatedly to level up and improve its effects.
Just like his Detection—if he wanted it to reach the same level as the Magic Mirror, it would need to be raised to a very high level.
However, even though his Conversion couldn't yet turn leaves into gold, it still had its uses.
When he activated Conversion, the food he had just eaten in his body could be broken down by a mysterious force into energy, which his body rapidly absorbed.
[You used Conversion once. Experience +1. Current EXP: 1/100.]
Levi immediately felt much better.
The flush from the alcohol disappeared, his strength returned, his fatigue lessened, and he even felt he still had enough energy left to use Detection one or two more times.
Most importantly, his physique had permanently improved.
His Constitution increased by 0.01.
From 1.01 to 1.02.
This was what he saw using Detection:
[Name: Levi]
[Identity: Transmigrator, Fugitive]
[Strength: 1.12]
[Constitution: 1.02]
[Agility: 1.03]
[Spirit: 1.92]
[Charm: 1.7]
[Abilities: Origin Energy (non-upgradable), Detection LV2 (28/200), Conversion LV1 (1/100)]
[Note: After obtaining a new ability, certain items that normally would not affect you may, upon being absorbed, undergo special reactions with you. This may permanently enhance your physical attributes—or it may harm your body.]
...
Looking at this note, Levi's expression turned strange.
So that meant… he couldn't just eat things carelessly in the future?
He originally wanted to activate Detection to figure out what exactly was going on.
But after hesitating for a moment, he ultimately didn't.
After all, he had already used Detection many times today. His mind was nearing its limit, and a dull pain throbbed faintly in his head.
Levi glanced at Rudolf, who was leading the donkey beside him, and at the donkey itself, his gaze becoming somewhat peculiar.
...
Night fell.
Levi's mental strength had recovered somewhat.
He could now use his once-per-day Information Detection—
[Information 1: The Magic Mirror Queen has already learned your current location through the Magic Mirror and has dispatched a true knight-level subordinate to hunt you down.]
[Information 2: Snow White is living a carefree life with the Seven Dwarfs. They like her very much and are currently trying to find a way to completely remove the scar on her face.]
[Information 3: Rudolf's golden donkey can eat leaves and produce gold. It is a treasure given to him by his teacher.]
...
Levi only glanced briefly at the first two pieces of information.
His gaze immediately locked onto the third.
His expression sharpened.
If Levi still couldn't figure it out at this point, then he would truly be a fool.
This was another Grimm fairy tale—"The Table, the Donkey, and the Stick."
Rudolf was the second son of the shepherd in that story.
And this donkey—the one that had just granted Levi a new ability—was undoubtedly the golden donkey that could eat leaves and produce gold.
He hadn't expected that this world was actually a fusion of fairy tales.
It wasn't just Snow White and the Magic Mirror Queen—
There were other fairy tale characters as well.
'This is actually fascinating. I wonder what other fairy tale characters I'll encounter in the future… and what stories I'll experience?'
Levi couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation.
Maybe he would gain even more abilities.
No wonder this guy Rudolf was so rich—wine, white bread, even the dagger he carried for protection was inlaid with gemstones.
With a walking gold mine at his side, how could he not be wealthy?
Fortunately, Levi now possessed this kind of ability as well.
Of course, that would require him to raise the level of Conversion before he could achieve it.
Even though Levi currently couldn't turn leaves into gold, this low-level Conversion was already incredibly useful to him.
It could actually help him convert certain special energy substances.
Some materials from the outside world could enhance his physical attributes.
This was something that had never happened before.
Clearly, it was the effect of Conversion.
To Levi, this was far more important than gold.
Because money was an external possession, but an improvement in physical attributes was something he would benefit from for his entire life.
The combination of Conversion and Detection would produce tremendous results.
Levi's eyes flickered, a hint of excitement rising in his heart.
He was even a little impatient to start using it.
However, it was already night. The two of them lit a campfire and found a place to rest.
Levi had just used his daily Information Detection, and his mind was slightly fatigued.
So he suppressed the urge and spent the night in a half-asleep, half-awake state.
...
The next day.
The two of them set off toward the city of Zelantu.
Along the way, Levi couldn't help but activate Detection, scanning his surroundings. Lines of information appeared in his vision:
[Red-Eyed Mushroom. Poisonous. Eating it will cause the eyes to turn red and induce hallucinations. In severe cases, it may lead to death.]
[Unnamed Berries. Compatible with the user's physique. If 100 grams are consumed daily for three consecutive days and processed through Conversion, they can permanently increase Constitution by 0.2 and Strength by 0.1. Side effect: diarrhea for three days.]
[Snake-Tongue Grass. Shaped like a snake's tongue. Non-toxic. Fishy taste.]
[…]
When Levi saw one of the entries, his gaze sharpened, and he prepared to gather it.
After hearing Levi's plan, Rudolf frowned and warned him, "That stuff isn't pleasant. I know it, friend. Trust me—you won't want it."
"Friend, I have another use for it," Levi insisted.
Rudolf had no choice. He personally went into the bushes, picked a large amount of the unnamed berries for Levi, stuffed them into a pouch, and only then did the two of them set off again.
...
Just like that.
An hour later.
After crossing a long stretch of grassy slopes, the outline of a city appeared within the breath of the morning wind.
They had arrived at the border city of the Kingdom of Francis—Zelantu.
The city gates were already open, with guards carefully inspecting merchants and farmers entering and leaving.
Outside the gates, peddlers pushed wooden carts, bringing fresh bread, cheese, and vegetables from the nearby countryside, preparing to set up stalls at the morning market just inside the gates.
Levi and Rudolf followed the flow of people, paid the entry fee, and smoothly entered the city.
Inside, the streets were still quiet, the stone pavement retaining the dampness of night rain or dew.
The wooden doors and iron railings of the houses slowly opened. Housewives began fetching water, lighting fires, and preparing breakfast for their families. Children, urged by their parents, rubbed their sleepy eyes and prepared to start the day—perhaps helping tend livestock or learning a trade.
From the bakery came the crackling sounds of a freshly lit oven and the faint aroma of fermenting dough. The forge of the blacksmith's shop also gradually came to life, preparing for a new day of weapon maintenance and horseshoe crafting.
It all looked so peaceful.
If one ignored the fermented stench of excrement and urine in the air, as well as the filth-coated ground.
Standing in such an environment felt like walking through a massive public latrine—the kind no one cleaned, where something might fall from above at any moment.
Rudolf was already used to such surroundings.
Levi, on the other hand, wasn't—but had no choice except to endure it.
The two walked along the street and arrived at an inn called Old Bar's Inn.
Levi pushed open the inn's door. With a creak, he and Rudolf stepped into the main hall.
This was also a tavern—a place where information was exchanged, where idle men could sit with a mug of ale all day.
The floor of the hall was packed earth, with some areas covered in worn stone slabs. Walking across it, one could feel the slight dampness and unevenness.
Several heavy wooden tables and benches were scattered about, some already missing a leg and propped up with chunks of stone. The tabletops were carved with marks of varying depths—some left by bored travelers, some drunken ramblings, and others, it was said, were oaths made by soldiers before battle.
In one corner, an old harp leaned against the wall, its strings slack, as if no one had seriously played it in a long time.
Above, a thick beam ran across the ceiling, from which several oil lamps hung. Their wicks emitted a faint hissing sound as they burned, casting flickering shadows that made the already low ceiling feel even more oppressive.
Several travelers sat around a table in the corner:
Two mercenaries wearing leather armor, short swords at their waists, their faces marked with the fatigue of long journeys. They were cutting into a piece of roasted venison with daggers, their sharp eyes scanning every person who entered.
A traveler draped in a gray cloak sat nearby, the brim of his hood pulled low, his face obscured. Only occasionally would a hand emerge from the shadows to lift a wooden cup, as if he had no desire to speak with anyone…
When Levi and the others entered, that hidden face tilted up slightly, his gaze sweeping over them from the corner of his eye, carrying a hint of surprise—but it quickly faded, and he lowered his head again.
In a tavern, you could run into all kinds of strange people.
Levi's expression remained calm. Rudolf was long used to such things as well. But at this moment, a troubled look appeared on Rudolf's face, and he hesitated, not stepping into the inn right away.
"My dear guests, is there something that displeases you?"
An old man with silver hair and a white beard, deep-set eyes, and dressed in a neat yet slightly old-fashioned elegant robe walked over to the entrance and spoke to them. He looked ordinary at first glance, yet there was a unique bearing in his every movement.
"I am the owner of this inn—Bar. Everyone here calls me Old Bar."
"Would you like to come in and have a mug of ale?"
"Most importantly, the first mug is free. It's my treat," Old Bar said with a smile, carrying an inexplicable air of trustworthiness.
Rudolf's impression of him immediately improved. "Of course I'd like to."
"But this old fellow of mine—I need to settle him in first. He's more important to me than my life," Rudolf said with a grin.
"The friendship of animals is often purer than that of humans," Old Bar replied with a smile. "Leave it to me."
"We have a stable specifically for livestock."
As he spoke, Old Bar naturally reached out to take the reins from Rudolf to tie up the animal, but Rudolf reacted strongly. He gripped the reins tightly and said, "No need. I'll take him to the stable myself. I know where he needs to be tied."
Old Bar found this rather strange. In his view, someone who insisted on tending to their own livestock probably didn't have much money.
But at that moment, Rudolf took out two gold coins from his pocket and handed them over, asking him to prepare some good food.
Old Bar's eyes widened in shock, and he hurried off to buy the best provisions.
Meanwhile, Rudolf and Levi first settled the golden donkey. After repeatedly looking back three times for every step, still uneasy even after checking several times, they finally returned to the inn hall and found a place to sit.
Rudolf said to Levi, "Levi, I told you—I'd treat you to a good meal."
"Not only that, I'll also give you a large sum of money—enough that you won't have to worry for the rest of your life."
Levi knew that to Rudolf, money was no different from leaves.
And he just happened to need money for his training.
So he nodded and said to Rudolf, "I know money means nothing to you."
"So I won't stand on ceremony."
Levi's straightforward response made Rudolf very happy. He liked this kind of directness.
He smiled faintly.
After a while, Old Bar returned with a table full of delicious food.
Smelling the rich aroma, Rudolf grew hungry and invited Levi to start eating.
Levi didn't hold back. He ate heartily, and while eating, he activated Conversion, converting the food into energy to enhance his physical attributes.
In the end, seventy percent of the food went into Levi's stomach, yet he was only about half full.
Both Rudolf and Old Bar were stunned.
"Can you still eat?" Rudolf asked, looking at Levi.
Levi patted his stomach and said, "Next meal."
Rudolf clicked his tongue. "Looks like I'd better leave you more money, or I'm afraid you won't even have enough to eat."
As he spoke, Rudolf turned to Old Bar and asked, "How much do we still owe you for this meal?"
In truth, the gold coins Rudolf had given earlier were more than enough.
But seeing that Rudolf was a bit unusual, Old Bar deliberately named a higher price to test him.
"You still owe three gold coins," he said.
Rudolf didn't think much of it. He had no real concept of money, so he reached into his pocket.
Unfortunately, he had just run out of coins.
"Sir, please wait a moment. I'll go get some money," Rudolf said to Old Bar. Then he turned to Levi with an apologetic smile. "Levi, wait here for me. I'll be back soon."
Levi nodded. He knew Rudolf was going to squeeze some gold out of the donkey.
Rudolf then picked up a tablecloth and left.
Old Bar's eyes flickered. He gave Levi a polite smile, then made an excuse about going back to work.
He headed toward the backyard, not noticing Levi's gaze lingering on him.
Detection!