After hours of walking with the sun starting to rise, a small town comes into view, on the sign it reads 'Florandale'. Carriages going in and out of the towns, people smiling and celebrating, a festival seems to be in the making.
Pulling my hood over my head, I make my way to the main entrance, and as I walk in, I go to the nearest inn I can see.
[Florandale Inn]
I push the door open as it rings a bell, and the barman turns his head up to look at me.
"Welcome, Sir, to Florandale Inn. My name is Herdor. How may I be of assistance?"
I sit down on the stool in front of him. It's early, so the dining place is empty.
"How much for a room?"
"It's 20 silver per night, sir"
I throw him a gold coin. "Please open a tab for me, I do not know how long I will be staying. May I know what this town is celebrating?"
The man picks up the coin " It's the defeat of the Demon King, Sir. Our hero, Sir Theo, killed the almighty beast, so we can all now live in peace without fear of our town getting destroyed!"
The man sighs with relief. " Everyone is celebrating the glory of the empire and, of course, our hero too. Everything has happened because of him; without him, this world would be in ruins"
"I see, thank you."
The man hands me my room key as I walk up the stairs to the assigned room, room 13.
I open the door and step inside. It's just a basic room with a bed, table and an adjoining bathroom. Taking off my hooded cloak and throwing it on the chair, I throw myself onto the bed as I lie down, staring at the ceiling.
A celebration, huh? I guess the world has become a safer place now without the Demon Lord. Then why did he need to kill me? What sort of threat was I to him to kill me with cold blood?
Theo... you may live a blissful life now, but I will come for you. Bastard.
I get up and walk into the bathroom and fill the tub. I step into the water, it's warm.
While I sit in the bathtub, I think of what to do next.
I definitely have to level up, it gives me stat points every time I do. Then I need to find someone here who can help me learn how to manipulate magic.
I soak in as I make my plans for the day.
After cleaning up, I had to resort to putting on the same dirty clothes as I did not have anything else. Still soaked with dry blood and mud I walk downstairs and order a meal.
There are more people here now eating.
I make sure to keep my hood up as I eat my meal. I hear the chatter of the people around me.
"Did you hear Sir Theo asked the princess's hand in marriage for his reward?" I heard the gossip of the group behind me. " This could be the peaceful era we have all been waiting for the union between the Church and the Monarch. All the members of Sir Theo's expedition group is being rewarded with lands and riches."
" Oh but did you hear about that crazy swordsman that used to be in that group?" another guy chimed in.
I stop eating as I listen even more carefully at what was being said about me.
"The red haired bastard, Cain, apparently at the end tried to kill Sir Theo so he could gain all the fame and fortune but was killed by Sir Theo in the end. They are treating him as a traitor and did not even search for his body for a burial and left it to be eaten my the wild animals in the battlefield."
I gripped my fist hard nails digging into the palm of my hand, hearing my name being dragged into the mud.
That bastard is now spreading rumours about me like this? After being an essential part to the defeat of that monster this is the repayment I get?
Confused overall at the situation I try to think why he would want to even do this to me.
What did I ever do to him? I did nothing but help that so called companions this whole time. The endless days and nights we spent killing monsters and sleepless nights spent together. What does he get out of killing me and defaming me, I have never been a threat to him.
The taste of food sours in my mouth, rumours spread through civilians mouth of my false betrayal. My blood boils.
I drop my fork and stand up as I push myself outside of the inn.
I don't have time to keep thinking about that right now I have to level myself and get stronger. Theo is still stronger than me and he has divine magic, he really has it all...
I find my way into the Mercenary Post, I feel the sense of nostalgia as I step into the building. My roots, my very way or survival.
I walk up to the reception.
"Hello Sir, are you here to pick up a request or make one?" A boy no younger than 15 asks cheerfully.
"I'm here to pick up a Monster Hunting request. The harder the better."
"No problem sir, we have a lot of those recently. Everyone is wanting to get their hands on new materials for the new festival that is going to be on for the coming week."
The kid hands me 3 request cards all needing to kill certain monsters for specific furs and feathers.
I need to get a bow.
I grab all 3 of the cards making the little kid flustered.
"Kid is there a place here to buy and hell weapons and materials?"
"Yes sir! If you head on downstairs we also sell and buy a lot of items from normal to extreme rarity."
I walk towards the door he points at. As I descend it opens up to a big storefront with a guy snoozing an a chair behind the counter arms crossed leaned back.
I knock on the counter.
He gruffs as he opens his eyes.
"What do you want?"
"I am looking to sell these and buy some things too." I place the Shadow Wolf fur and fangs onto the counter.
His eyes jolts wide at the sight of the items.
"You must be one hell of a strong bastard to get your hands on a Shadow Wolf."
I ignore him as I look around the shop. He stands up and checks the quality of the fur and fangs.
"Looking to trade or sell?"
"I need clothes with a hood and mark and also a good bow." I spot the rows of swords in the corner " Is that all the swords you have?"
" We are not a big warrior town so that's all we have, have a look you may come across something good it's normally all picked up from uncollected bodies of warriors from the battlefields near here." He lets out a smirking laugh, "I'm gonna get the other items you want."
I look at the buckets full of discarded and abandoned swords, still unclean. I see one that catches my eyes. Two identical blades, daggerlike short swords, the black hilt hand veins engraves into it swirling towards the blade. I pick them up holding one in each hand, removing it from their seath.
>> Luck is in motion. <<
Taken aback by this sudden message I look at the twin swords.
Is me finding these swords luck? Just by increasing it by 2 points I am already getting lucky? But what is so great about these swords? I guess I just have to trust this system since it's here to help me.
I take them out of their sheaths and swing it around. It resonates with my body, perfect weight for my body and amazing balance. I feel one with it as I move with it.
"You got a good eye"
The shopkeeper is back with some cloths at hand.
"Those are magic swords, rare to come by but then again most swordsmen don't use magic. Here look at these cloths, I got some good quality ones, they are not so heavy. Should help you move unnoticed... from most people"
He eyes me understanding me need for secrecy whatever the reason may be he does not prod for answers.
"Wouldn't want such a precious customer who brings such rare items to die, the fur and fangs will cover all the costs."
He puts down the cloths and the bow as he sits back down on his chair.
I change the cloths in the booth and leave with my newfound items.
Time to kill some monsters.