The last rays of sunlight painted Thornfield Village in warm orange hues. The sounds of children running through the streets and merchants packing away their wares filled the air. Loid and Selvara moved through the cobbled lanes together, drawing glances as they passed. Not many villagers had silver-eyed mercenaries walking calmly at their side.
Loid adjusted the strap on his shoulder where the boar tusk hung, wrapped in cloth. The ivory-colored curve peeked out about a foot and a half long, gleaming faintly under the fading light. It felt heavy, but in his mind it was already turned into something better: coin.
"Alright," Loid muttered, scanning the signs above storefronts. "If I were a merchant… where would I buy animal parts? Not the bakery, that's for sure…"
Selvara followed wordlessly, her eyes sharp as ever. She wasn't looking at the signs. Instead, her gaze flicked over every corner, every shadow, every villager that got too close. A silent sentinel at his side.
Loid finally spotted a stall stacked with pelts, claws, and bundles of herbs. Behind it stood a man with a balding head and a gut that strained against his vest. His eyes lit up when he saw Loid approach with the tusk.
"Well now," the merchant said, rubbing his hands together. "That's not a bad find you've got there."
Loid smiled faintly. "Boar tusk. Big one. About a foot and a half. Interested?"
The merchant leaned forward, peering at it closely. He tapped the surface with a thick finger, nodding. "Solid. No cracks. Hunting stock like this always sells to craftsmen. I'll give you… three silvers."
"Three?" Loid balked. "Come on, that's robbery. You and I both know a tusk this size is worth more."
The merchant raised an eyebrow. "You've got a sharp tongue for a stranger. Four, then."
"Five," Loid said quickly, holding the tusk tighter. "And you know that's fair."
For a moment, the man hesitated. His eyes flicked from Loid to Selvara, lingering a bit too long on the silver-haired woman's unreadable expression. She said nothing, but the weight of her stare seemed to settle on him like a stone. His throat bobbed.
"…Five," the merchant muttered, digging coins from a small chest. He placed them on the counter with a grunt. "Don't push your luck next time, boy."
Loid swept the coins into his palm with a grin. "Pleasure doing business."
As they walked away, he held up the coins for Selvara to see. "Five silvers. Not bad for something you pulled out of a boar like it was nothing."
She gave no answer, only a small tilt of her head. Still, Loid caught the faintest glimmer in her eyes a satisfaction, maybe.
---
They wandered toward the bakery next. The scent of warm bread drifted out of an open window, rich and comforting. Loid's stomach growled audibly.
"Okay, that settles it," he muttered. "Food first."
Inside, rows of golden-brown loaves lined the shelves. Behind the counter, a stout woman with flour-dusted hair smiled as they entered. "Evening! What'll it be?"
Loid placed a silver on the counter. "Two of your biggest loaves, please."
The woman's eyes widened slightly. "Two big ones? You'll be stuffed for days!"
"That's the plan," Loid said with a grin.
Moments later, they left the bakery with two enormous loaves tucked under his arm. Each was the size of his forearm, crusty and steaming hot. He tore a piece off one and shoved it into his mouth, groaning with satisfaction.
"Oh, gods… this is heaven. Actual bread. Not instant noodles, not canned tuna bread." He looked at Selvara and offered her the other loaf. "Here. Try it."
She accepted it without hesitation, tearing off a piece with delicate fingers. She chewed slowly, silver eyes lowering just slightly. When she swallowed, she said softly, "Good."
Loid blinked, then chuckled. "That's high praise coming from you."
They walked together, eating in companionable silence as the village wound down for the night. For the first time in what felt like forever, Loid's chest didn't ache with exhaustion or hopelessness. The bread was warm, the air was cool, and he wasn't alone.
---
When their stomachs were full, Loid guided Selvara toward the inn. A wooden sign creaked above the door, painted with the shape of a stag. Inside, the common room was lively with talk and clinking mugs. The innkeeper, a broad man with a trimmed beard, raised a hand in greeting.
"Rooms?" he asked.
"Yes," Loid said quickly. He set three silvers on the counter. "Three night."
The innkeeper nodded and slid a key across. "Upstairs. Last door on the left."
Loid picked up the key, muttering, "Three silvers… that's steep. But at least we'll have a place to sleep."
He unlocked the room and pushed the door open then froze.
There was only one bed.
It wasn't small, but it wasn't generous either. A single mattress, a thin blanket, two pillows. Loid's face flushed instantly.
"Uh. Okay. That's… unexpected."
Selvara stepped inside without pause, setting her sword against the wall. She glanced at the bed once, then at him. "Problem?"
Loid's throat worked. "It's just... there's only one bed. And, you know, usually… people don't… share unless…"
He trailed off, ears burning.
Selvara tilted her head, unbothered. "It is a bed. For sleeping. We will share."
Loid stared at her, aghast. "You say that like it's the simplest thing in the world!"
"It is." She pulled off her boots and sat at the edge of the mattress. "Unless you prefer the floor."
Loid groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "You're going to kill me. Not with a sword, not with speed but just with this."
Still, when she lay down and closed her eyes, he found himself sliding into the other side. He kept his body stiff, angled as far from her as possible, staring at the ceiling like it held all the secrets of the universe.
Minutes stretched. Selvara's breathing slowed, calm and steady. Loid's own heartbeat thundered in his ears.
"…This is fine" he whispered to himself.
Eventually, exhaustion claimed him. His eyes drifted shut.
---
Loid woke to a faint chime.
He blinked groggily, vision clearing. A translucent panel hovered above him, glowing faintly in the darkness.
[ Contract Bonus: Active ]
[ Daily Reward: +0.10 Reputation Coins ]
Loid sat up slightly, rubbing his eyes. "What the… daily reward? From the village contract?"
Another line appeared.
[ Source: Thornfield Guard Contract ]
[ Duration: Ongoing ]
Loid grinned sleepily. "So just for being on the payroll, I get… reputation coins. That's… that's amazing."
He turned to the side only to find Selvara already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed, fastening her armor. Her silver eyes glinted faintly in the moonlight.
"You're leaving?" he asked, voice rough from sleep.
"My post begins," she said simply. "West barracks. Patrol duty."
Loid sat up fully, swinging his legs off the bed. "Right. Guard shifts. Of course." He hesitated, then smiled faintly. "Good luck out there."
Selvara glanced back at him, unreadable as ever. Then, with the faintest nod, she said, "Rest well." And with that, she slipped out of the room, silent as shadow.
Loid exhaled, rubbing his face. "She really doesn't waste words, does she?"
He lay back down, staring at the faint glow of the system screen still hovering before him. Slowly, a grin tugged at his lips.
"Alright. Let's see what else you've got."
---
The next hour passed with Loid exploring every corner of his system. The menus unfurled like branches, each more enticing than the last.
The shop was the first thing to catch his eye. Weapons, armor, spells, passives, artifacts, pets and mounts all ranked from F to S. His mouth watered as he scrolled through. An F-rank short sword, gleaming with faint enchantment, cost 25 reputation coins. A simple leather cuirass with durability enchantments, 40 coins. Even at the lowest rank, the prices made his measly 0.10 coins feel like pocket lint.
But then he found the stat menu. His eyes widened as he read. Each attribute has the maximum of 20. If Selvara have 20 in her agility, she could run at mach 20.
Loid's mind raced. "Mach 20... She could cross the entire continent in minutes… with just stats? That's not even counting skills or passives…"
His hands trembled as he flipped through. Skills could be bought. Passive boosts. Abilities that bent reality. All locked behind prices he couldn't yet reach.
And then another menu.
[ Mercenary Upgrade ].
Loid's breath caught.
[ Selvara: Level 1 ]
[ Cost to Level 2: 100 Reputation Points ]
[ Mercenary Tycoon: Level 1 ]
[ Cost to Level 2: 1000 Reputation Points ]
"Leveling her up…" he muttered. "And each level probably unlocks more stats, more skills. This is… this is insane."
Excitement roared through his chest. His pulse quickened. For the first time since stepping into this world, he wasn't just surviving he was building. Growing. Planning for something beyond the next day.
He closed the menus at last, lying back against the pillow. "Alright, system. I get it. This… this is going to be fun."
And with that, he drifted back into sleep, dreams filled with glowing menus and impossible futures.
---
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Thornfield, Captain Roderick stood in the chief's office. The air smelled of parchment and smoke.
"So," the chief said, steepling his fingers. "The newcomer. Did she pass?"
"Absolutely," Roderick replied. "Specialized in speed. Her agility must be around five. I'm not sure about her other stats, but one thing's certain she's a skilled combatant."
The chief nodded slowly. "Good. Just keep an eye on her. A rank-five agility is no small feat."
---
At the same time, Selvara entered the west barracks. Roderick awaited her, arms crossed.
"Your patrol," he said, gesturing toward the forest. "Keep close to the village. Report anything unusual."
Selvara nodded once. No wasted words. She slipped into the night, boots silent against the earth.
The forest loomed ahead, shadows deep beneath the trees. She moved like smoke, eyes scanning, ears attuned to every rustle.
Then she saw it. A set of deep gouges in the earth, claw marks pressed into the soil. Fresh. Her gaze narrowed.
She followed the trail deeper until the trees opened into a clearing. There, three massive boars snuffled at the ground. Each was the size of a wagon, tusks glowing faintly with unnatural light. Their eyes gleamed red in the darkness.
Selvara's hand rested on her blade. She studied them calmly.
Then one of the beasts drifted away from the others, snorting as it rooted through the brush. Selvara's silver eyes flicked, measuring.
Separate them first, she thought. Then strike.
And with a blur of movement, she vanished into the forest.