Wednesday morning in the city of Elfier, Kingdom of Mythesan.
Fyar slowly opened his eyes. He rose from the bed, wiped his still heavy eyes, and then yawned widely. He walked over to the window, opened it, and let the cool morning air wash over his face. The sight of the stirring city greeted him. He could see a merchant pushing a cart loaded with goods and a guard walking wearily, likely having just finished the night shift.
Fyar took a deep breath. "Ahhh, a day without a mission is truly wonderful." He savored the morning atmosphere in a world he once thought could not possibly exist. His gaze then shifted to the katana he had bought yesterday, leaning in a corner of the room.
It's so cool. I wonder how much this would sell for on Earth? he thought for a moment, before reality hit him again. Well, I'm here now. If I can't go back, I have no choice other than to enjoy it. Fyar had initially been confused about what to do in this world. But after a night of reflection, he had finally made a decision.
He would live peacefully and try to fulfill his teenage dreams, from back when he used to fantasize about going to an isekai world. Back then, when I was obsessed with reading novels and watching anime, I used to imagine what I would do in another world. Start a harem, become an adventurer, be a merchant, or a bounty hunter.
Fyar smiled to himself at the thought. Yes, for the next two years, I'm going to live peacefully.
He then remembered when he was making his adventurer's card, when he was pulled into a cosmic world and met a strange man who said his fate would be difficult. If I remember correctly, he told me to eat a fruit. He also called me 'friend'? What a try-hard, Fyar grumbled in his mind, still confused by everything that had happened.
Ah, whatever! I've been in the dark world for almost ten years. Taking a two-year break to live peacefully is fine, right? After solidifying his resolve, Fyar went to take a shower.
Finished with his shower and dressed, he went downstairs. His plan was to enjoy breakfast before heading out to train with Rasie and Zaefal.
He descended the stairs and saw Laura cleaning glass mugs at the reception desk with a cheerful smile.
"Laura? Are you on the morning shift?" Fyar asked as he casually walked toward her.
"Sir Fyar! Good morning!" Laura greeted him brightly.
"Master Renhuar is currently on leave because his wife is heavily pregnant, so I'm covering for him."
"Ahh, I see," Fyar replied with a smile.
Laura was a little surprised to see it. Initially, she saw Fyar as a gloomy figure with a flat way of speaking. But now, he seemed more alive, showed emotion, and could even smile like that. Curious, Laura asked,
"Master Fyar, you seem more... normal today. When I first met you, you were like someone who had lost their way and kinda loser and corny. I'm curious, what happened?"
Fyar was taken aback by the question. He let out a pretend cough to compose himself before answering. "Ah, yesterday I was just a little lost in my thoughts."
"I-is that so! Mmm, I see isee!!," Laura replied,
"By the way Laura, I'd like to extend my rental period to thirty days. What would the cost be?" Fyar felt comfortable at this inn. Besides already knowing Laura, there was also a bar downstairs, which meant he didn't have to go out to find food. On top of that, his room was equipped with a private bathroom,
a true luxury for him.
Laura smiled widely. "Fifteen gold coins, sir Fyar!"
Cheap. Ugh, I really don't understand the value of gold in this world, Fyar grumbled internally.
He then took twenty gold coins from the bag he had bought with Cyhas yesterday and handed them to Laura.
"Fifteen is for the rent, one gold coin is for two servings of fish and water. All the rest is for you."
"F-for me? Master Fyar, are you sure?" Laura was extremely surprised, though she couldn't hide the wide smile on her face.
Fyar simply nodded.
"Th-thank you, sir Fyar!" Laura bowed deeply in gratitude.
After breakfast, Fyar returned to his room to retrieve his weapons. He was now wearing a set of local clothes he had bought yesterday, covered by a long, black coat. He then went back downstairs to wait for Zaefal's arrival.
Laura, who was cleaning a glass with a cloth while humming softly, shifted her gaze to Fyar. She looked over his outfit, which she found strange yet a little cool, and asked, "Master Fyar, are you heading out on a mission or an adventure?"
Fyar smiled and replied, "Ah, I'm going to train with the adventuring party from yesterday."
"Ahh, those weird people," Laura quipped. "Good luck, Master Fyar!"
After waiting for a short while, Zaefal arrived to pick him up. He led Fyar to a mountainous area not far from the city. There, a vast field was spread out before them, surrounded by trees with beautiful, light-blue leaves. A river with clear water flowed along the edge of the field, creating a peaceful scene.
By the side of that clear river, Fyar saw Illya grilling a fish using her fire magic, while Rasie sat nearby, waiting impatiently to taste it. As Fyar observed Zaefal, he sensed that something was different. The man seemed calmer, yet at the same time, there was a trace of sadness hidden in his eyes.
"What kind of training are we doing today?" Fyar asked as he readied his katana.
Zaefal glanced at the katana in Fyar's hand, then answered, "Swordsmanship." He then drew his own sword, a straight, dark purple blade that radiated a powerful aura.
"Zaefal, are you alright?" Fyar felt a little worried about his companion's condition.
Zaefal gave a faint smile. "Haha, don't worry about your opponent's condition. Fyar... I will suppress my magic energy so this fight is fair. Your task is to successfully land four slashes on me." Zaefal took a breath. "Are you ready?"
Fyar immediately regulated his own breathing. He focused his entire attention on Zaefal, convincing himself that he was in a life-or-death situation. This was his first time dueling someone from another world. Back in his middle school days, he had imagined moments like this so many times.
Fyar settled into his signature low stance. "You can make the first move."
The hiss of parted air was the only warning. In the blink of an eye, Zaefal had already dashed forward. His movements were so fast that he left only a blurred afterimage. His purple sword swung down fiercely from above, aiming directly for Fyar's head.
With reflexes honed over many years, Fyar raised his katana, parrying the attack just in time.
Fast! He's so fast. Damn it, what part of this is 'not using magic'?! Fyar cursed inwardly.
The clash of the two blades produced a loud, sharp clang. The force behind Zaefal's attack was so immense that it made Fyar's arms tremble and pushed his feet back several centimeters. This was no longer just training; it was a display of pure physical power against precise technique.
Zaefal leaped back, creating distance. That thin sword is absorbing some of my strength. What kind of sword is it? he thought, sensing a strangeness as his blade met Fyar's katana.
Zaefal gave him no time to think. He attacked again, this time with a barrage of swift horizontal and vertical slashes. Each of his swings held the power to split a stone. Fyar, however, was not intimidated. He held his position, not advancing to attack. He knew he would be hopelessly outmatched in a contest of speed. A frontal assault would be far too risky.
Fyar danced in the middle of the storm of attacks. He did not block Zaefal's blows directly, instead using his katana's blade to deflect each strike with minimal movement. His feet moved nimbly over the grass, his body twisting and evading, allowing the purple sword to pass mere inches from him. He turned Zaefal's destructive power into wasted energy. His best option right now was to wait. To wait for an opening, for one small mistake from Zaefal, to launch a deadly counterattack.
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