After tossing and turning on the floor for hours, I finally manage to get some sleep. I still feel tired and my body aches, not to mention the constant pain in my arm.
— ...I need to find another place to live.
I get up slowly, as carefully as possible, and walk out of the shed.
— The sun is still weak…
Feeling the morning sun on my body, I start walking toward the stairway that leads to the city.
— I wonder if that old man is home?
My goal is to find some way to get money, so I decide to go see the old fisherman who saved me. He’s the only one I think I can trust.
— I guess I was too distracted by being in another world, but… Isn’t it dangerous for me to walk around alone like this?
Looking toward the city, I see, just like yesterday, that there are almost no men there. Those walking the streets are always accompanied, probably for protection.
The story focused more on the hero’s perspective, who lives surrounded by girls, and therefore, is always protected.
— But what about me?
This is certainly a fear I never felt in my world, but one that now requires me to find a solution.
— Going to school is an option, but… I’d rather not go.
I push the thought aside and keep walking until I reach the old man’s house.
— Excuse me! Is anyone home!
I call out as I knock on the door, and it opens right away.
— What is it? Why are you back here, boy? — says the old man, opening the door a little.
— I need your help…
He looks at me for a brief moment before opening the door and letting me in. When I step inside his house, I see it’s a mess, with overturned chairs, a knocked-over shelf, and various objects scattered across the floor.
— What happened here? Did a hurricane hit? — I wonder to myself, but I refrain from saying anything.
Asking questions might put him in a worse mood, making him refuse to help me.
— Haa… As you can see, I’m a bit busy right now. — says the old man, heading toward his usual chair. — What do you need?
— …Can you get me a job?
The old man stares at me for a moment before asking.
— Didn't you get shelter at the orphanage?
— About that… They left me in an isolated shed…
— I see…
The old man looks at my arm for a while, as if thinking about something, before standing up with a sigh.
— Haa… Brat, do you know how to fish? — he asks, heading toward the back of the house.
— I know the basics. — I say, following him.
At the back of the house, there’s another exit leading to a backyard where the old man keeps his boat. As soon as we step out the back, he heads toward a shed and starts looking for something.
— You won’t make much, but you should be able to improve your current situation a little.
With that, he tosses me an old fishing rod and a straw hat.
— I'm not taking you out on the boat, since you're too weak to catch big fish, so just stay near the shore as you go down this hill.
As soon as he finishes explaining, the old man points to a path leading to the sea, made of pebbles and marked with wheel tracks from the boat.
— ...I’d like to ask you something, — I say, holding the fishing rod.
— Go ahead. — says the old man, handing me some worms to use as bait.
— Can I fish, knowing that the aquatic race exists?
— What kind of question is that? Of course you can. — the old man says, as if it were obvious. — It's the same when they hunt domestic animals. We don't mind, but we generally avoid hunting those animals.
— I see…
I feel like it’s a little different, but I can understand what the old man meant. Probably the aquatic race doesn’t consider fish or creatures without intelligence to be members of their family.
Maybe some of them even eat fish, but for the most part they probably just avoid it and eat something else, leaving the fish for the other races to catch.
— Now I understand why you’re able to make a living as a fisherman, since it would be impossible to fish if the aquatic race were fishing.
— If you understand, then go on. — the old man says, heading back inside his house. — Later, bring them to me and I’ll teach you how to fillet them to sell.
— Okay… Thanks!
Saying that, I follow the trail to the seashore. I have nothing but my fishing rod and bait, which makes my fishing much harder.
On top of that, since I can only use one arm, putting the bait on the hook is a real struggle.
— …How am I going to carry the fish?
This doubt crosses my mind, but I decide to just try my luck first. If I manage to catch something, I’ll take the fish back to the old man’s house and ask for something like a bucket to carry the next ones.
— I don’t have any chum, and I don’t even know what kinds of fish are in this area…
I look out at the sea stretching to the horizon and start to wonder if this will really help me make any money.
— The sea is so vast…
I wade a little into the water, but because of my arm, I can’t go very deep.
— This isn’t going to work…
Looking for a solution, I spot a rocky outcrop further ahead. If I’m careful, I should be able to fish a little deeper while standing on them.
After some effort, I sit on one of the rocks and look out at the sea. A few birds circle above the water, diving occasionally as the gentle breeze blows past my body.
— This will be my fishing spot.
[…]
I don’t know how much time has passed, but it seems like it’s already mid-afternoon, and I’ve finally managed to catch my first fish. It isn’t very big, about the size of my hand, but with this I can go see the old man.
When he saw my fish, the old man just stayed silent and taught me how to fillet the fish. I feel like he must have felt sorry for me for catching only one after so long.
I also take the chance to drink a glass of water, and my stomach starts growling with hunger.
— Since it’s so late and you only caught this one fish, I’ll let you stay here tonight while I keep it as payment.
— Okay, better than going to sleep at the orphanage… Ah, I need to step out for a bit, but I’ll be back soon.
Saying that, I head out of the house and make my way toward the orphanage. Climbing the hill really tires me out, but it’s necessary.
As soon as I arrive, I head toward the shed to see if that girl is there.
— …No one's here.
I look around, trying to see if she's nearby, since I don't want to have to call that woman from the orphanage.
— I guess I have no choice…
Thinking that, I walk over to the orphanage door, only to find Estela coming out.
— Opa, are you leaving?
She gives a slight nod.
— I see… When will you have time to help me with my arm again?
The girl remains silent, looking at me for a few seconds, before starting to walk in a certain direction.
Not knowing what to do, I end up following her to what looks like an old stone bench, under a tree that offers pleasant shade. A quiet, almost forgotten place, with tall grass all around.
This place must have been where children used to play in the past, but seeing the orphanage’s current state, I don’t think anyone comes here anymore.
Estela sits on the bench and then looks at me.
— …
I don’t say anything and just sit down beside her. I’m not entirely sure why I came here, but I need to take advantage of this opportunity.
— So… You already started?
Before I realize it, she has already pulled gently on what remained of the poorly placed bandage on my arm and started working. Four pink petals fall in succession, dissipating on my skin.
— How did she do that so fast? — I think, but I decide to just let her take care of my arm.
After using her magic, the girl stops and takes a deep breath. Just like the day before, her magic power ran out quickly.
Taking advantage of the fact that we’re just staring at the horizon, sitting on this bench, I decide to ask a few questions.
— ...Your name is Estela, right? Nice to meet you, I’m Rafael… Have you ever told anyone about your magic?
The girl continues staring at the horizon for a while before shaking her head, denying it.
— I see… How long have you lived here?
— ... Since… I was a child… — she murmurs as she closes her eyes and leans against the tree.
I watch her enjoying the atmosphere and relaxing, feeling a little strange. Her face is completely relaxed, just enjoying the gentle breeze.
— Does she really trust me that much? — I wonder, looking at her face.
Her appearance is, by far, the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. I don’t know the standards of this world, but in my world she would certainly be very popular.
As I watch her, I feel that something is wrong, mainly because of the reason she helped me and even used a magic she hadn’t told anyone about to heal me.
— ...Well, that kindness is helping me, so I’ll put that aside for now.
I lean against the tree and start to relax as well. My arm still hurts, but I feel it’s getting better little by little.
We stayed seated until dusk began to fall, signaling that I need to head back. I don’t want to have to sleep on the wooden floor again.
In the meantime, the girl used her magic a few more times, making my arm feel a little better.
— I wonder if I’ll recover in a week?
The way things are going, I should be fully recovered in a week or two.
Before leaving, I also take the opportunity to grab the bread and water they left for me again in the shed. Even though I’m starving, I try to eat only half the bread and save the rest to use as chum.
— In the end, I didn’t test my magic… Well, I’d better just keep practicing to level up, and then I’ll test it.
I’m still suspicious of Estela, so I’ll wait a little longer before testing it on her.
[…]
And so, a few days passed.
My routine basically became going fishing at dawn, returning around lunchtime, leaving the fish with the old man and going to eat, meeting Estela to recover my arm, going fishing again as night falls, and then sleeping at an inn the old man said was trustworthy.
I don’t know exactly why the old man wouldn’t let me stay at his house, but it must have something to do with the previous mess.
I also made a little money with the old man’s help selling my fish. He took a small cut as a fee, but I still managed to make a small profit.
— It would be good to sell these fish to a town farther away… I should be able to sell them for double or more.
Besides, my arm is finally starting to work again. It doesn’t hurt as much as it used to, and I can open and close my hand.
This helps me a lot when fishing, and I’m also starting to be able to clean the fish I catch, even though the cuts come out a bit crooked due to my lack of precision.
As I get used to this life, I start thinking about ways to make a living, since I won’t always be able to count on the old man.
— I think the time has come, then… Open panel.
═══════════════════════════════════
| [Name]: Rafael | | [Race]: Human |
| [Level]: 02 | | [Magic Power]: 72 |
───────────────────────────────────
[Skills]
| [Armorer]: 09 | | [Weaponsmith]: 09 |
| [Hunter]: 10 | | [Gatherer]: 15 |
| [Builder]: 08 | | [Cook]: 16 |
| [Determination]: 47 | | [Stabber]: 18 |
| [Scythesman]: 08 | | [Toolmaker]: 05 |
| [Immunity]: 52 | | [Spearman]: 07 |
| [Fisherman]: 16 | | [Survivor]: 50 |
| [Tolerance]: 51 |
───────────────────────────────────
[Magics]
| [Connection]: 20 | | [Protective Membrane]: 32 |
| [Remembrance]: 28 | | [Trail]: 23 |
═══════════════════════════════════
I stare intently at my skills and magic, noticing how much they’ve improved. They’re still far from being truly useful, but compared to when I started, there’s a huge difference.
— Even so… My level is still two.
Looking at the level section, I remember a certain detail that exists in this world. According to the story, at level 50, a title that will define your life will be unlocked.
The reason for this is simple, when you acquire your title, your body will begin to be influenced by it. An example is someone who unlocks a warrior title or something similar, as that person levels up, their body begins to gain muscle and their characteristics start to become those of a warrior, such as a tendency to resolve things in battle or train daily.
Generally, this title comes in accordance with the way a person lives their life, but there are also some exceptions that have completely transformed the lives of certain people.
— If I want to live normally in this world, I’ll need to discover my title…
No matter what happens, a title will certainly make my life easier from here on out.
— And to level up as safely as possible… I’ll need to go to the Dungeon.
I don’t know exactly how many dungeons exist in this world, but the only one I know that even a child could go to alone is the Abyssal Dungeon.
Despite its menacing name, it is actually the first dungeon to appear in the story, and it’s also the Dungeon where the protagonist is thrown.
Its difficulty is so low that it’s the first place Noctis students go to gain a little more knowledge about the world. In the first month, they’re taken there so that everyone can quickly reach level 50 and be guided more effectively.
Some students have already surpassed that level and earned their titles, but many have only trained their skills and magics at home, without ever facing a single monster.
— The protagonist must be around level 20 when he enters the academy, right? I think he has faced a monster or two before, but he’s always focused on training…
Thinking about it, I remember that the Noctis Royal Academy is about to start classes, so they should be heading to the dungeon soon.
— Well, if I consider the time I still need to recover my arm, save up money for the trip, and make my way to the dungeon, I should arrive there only a month or more after the protagonist’s fall.
With that thought, I stand up, feeling some aches in my body from sitting for too long.
— I think my time has come. — I say to the girl beside me.
Estela is there, sitting in silence, gazing at the sky. After a few days together, I’ve started to notice that she’s a bit absent-minded.
After a few seconds, she gives a slight nod as she turns her gaze toward me.
— I still can’t quite figure her out, but… I think I can trust her a little now. — I think as I approach her. — How should I test that… Ah, how about…
The girl looks puzzled, seeing that I’ve come close to her. Without a word, I place the tip of my index finger on her forehead.
After using the trail magic several times, I’ve began to understand a bit about what magic power is.
— I've never really tried to control magic power, but maybe if I do this.
While my finger is on her forehead, making her tilt her head slightly, I use the [Remembrance] magic and record this scene in my mind.
Soon I try to use the [Connection] magic, wanting to pass this image to her. For a brief moment, I managed to feel the magic power of both magics and merge them, using the same concept as the [Trail] magic.
That way, I feel that the connection magic is working, though I can't confirm it myself.
— Is that… me? — the girl asks, looking at me.
— So it worked… Don’t you know your own face? — I say, joking.
— It’s not that… But… In my mind…
— No need to worry, it’ll only last a few seconds.
— …Weird magic.
I withdraw my finger from her forehead and keep looking at her. Seeing that she’s still distracted, I realize the [Remembrance] magic must still be working, even after breaking the connection.
— She doesn’t seem to have heard my thoughts or my feelings of wanting to surprise her… I need to learn more about this magic.
For now, I’ve only discovered that I can transfer one of my magics through this connection, but nothing beyond that. I even try using the [Remembrance] magic again and realize I can still use it, which leaves me relieved.
— Good thing I don’t lose my magic… — I think, before speaking. — Well, now I’m really off, tchau!
— Mhm…
She gives a slight nod, and so I head to the old man’s house. I still need to go fishing this afternoon to make some more money.
As I walk, a new idea comes to mind, based on the description of the world according to the novel.
— …If we’re all connected to the core, would it be possible to use that magic in it?
As I think about it, new theories pop up, making me give up on fishing for today and head to the inn.
— Time to test!
First, I lie down on the bed and close my eyes. I need to concentrate to see if I can find the connection.
— This is turning out to be much harder…
I search for the connection for a while, but seeing that I can’t find it, I decide to try another method.
— Maybe I need to activate the magic first, so… Let’s test [Remembrance].
After using this magic several times, I began to notice that it can record not only images, but smells and sounds as well.
— I wonder if I can record all five senses? If so… — I activate [Remembrance]. — AAHH!
I let out a scream so I can hear my voice loud and clear and record it.
— …It works! So now it’s time to test the other theory…
I activate the [Connection] magic while searching for a magic point in my body, but I can’t find any, and as the magic’s duration runs out, I use [Trail] to finally feel a slight sensation of something attached to me.
It’s the first time I’ve used [Trail] on myself to locate my own source of magic, but it seems it was a success too.
— That’s it, it’s working, so now…
Without thinking, I connect my magic to the spot I found, and before I can even be happy about it, I feel a massive headache.
And then my vision goes completely dark, and I pass out.
[To be continued…]
[???]:
— …
[+++]:
— …
[ ]:
— So, how’s your work going?
[???]:
— …I’m still on vacation.
[+++]:
— …I’m doing everything I can.
[ ]:
— …I can see that your everything doesn’t seem to be much, with so much work left to do.
— …I’ll be waiting for you in my office.
[+++]:
— Okay…