Four years before the New Calendar
[Wind Month], May 30
[Note: Spring = Wind, Summer = Fire, Autumn = Earth, Winter = Water]
The streets were bustling with people as Sakeer walked along the main road. The stone pavement beneath his feet had grown uneven in places, likely worn down by countless footsteps over the years.
Despite the wear, the road remained surprisingly clean. Only faint traces of moss clung to the cracks along the edges of the street.
The surrounding buildings were painted in light colors, their dark, European-style rooftops giving the cityscape a distinctive charm.
Sakeer kept his pace steady, quietly observing his surroundings as he moved toward the Adventurer's Guild in E-Rantel.
His first priority was to find a place to rest.
Since leaving the royal capital on May 17th, Sakeer had spent thirteen exhausting days on the road. Now that he'd finally reached his destination, advancing his level was his next objective — and it needed to happen soon.
In his mind, there were two ideal leveling locations nearby:
The Great Forest of TobThe Katz Plains
Of the two, Sakeer decided to head to the Great Forest of Tob first.
Not only was the forest teeming with beasts and monsters, but his current abilities were poorly suited to fighting the undead creatures that roamed the Katz Plains.
But before anything else...
Sakeer needed to stock up on supplies. Fortunately, the Rock team had given him some useful wilderness survival tips before parting ways.
Instead of heading directly to the Adventurer's Guild, Sakeer made his way toward the nearby inns — establishments known to be closely affiliated with the guild.
These inns catered primarily to adventurers. Some high-ranking teams could even stay there free of charge.
After walking for over ten days straight, Sakeer would've expected his legs to feel like lead — or worse, to have painful blisters on his feet.
Yet oddly enough, aside from some mild fatigue, he felt completely fine.
Could this be the result of my level improvements?
Sakeer suspected his recent gains hadn't just boosted his strength — his overall physique seemed stronger as well.
Unhooking the water pouch from his waist, Sakeer took a refreshing sip before continuing down the street.
Soon, he spotted a modest inn directly across from the Adventurer's Guild.
The establishment offered two types of rooms:
A shared room for 4–6 people, costing one copper coin per person per night.A double room for five copper coins per person per night.
These inns were clearly designed with adventuring parties in mind — after all, local civilians didn't typically stay in such places unless they were part of a traveling caravan.
Naturally, Sakeer had no intention of sharing a room with strangers.
He rented a double room for himself, booking it for two days — enough time to gather supplies. The total cost came to one silver coin and seven copper coins.
Click!
The wooden door creaked loudly on its worn hinges as Sakeer pushed it open.
The room was modest, roughly eleven or twelve square meters in size. Two simple wooden beds stood against the walls, separated by a small, rickety bedside table.
Aside from that, the room contained no other furniture.
Yet one feature pleased Sakeer — a private toilet.
Although this world resembled the Middle Ages in many ways, magic had influenced its development enough to set it apart.
For instance, both the royal capital and E-Rantel's main streets had what appeared to be magical street lamps — a subtle reminder that while this world shared medieval aesthetics, it was anything but ordinary.
Of course, those so-called "street lamps" weren't ordinary lights — they were magical constructs known as Sustainable Light.
Though the journey had been long and tiring, Sakeer didn't find it particularly difficult. What truly tested his patience, however, was the inconvenience of... well, using the toilet.
Thankfully, this world had paper.
The problem was that the papermaking process here was primitive — inefficient and costly. No one seemed to care about improving it either.
Why?
Because in this world, there was a type of magic absent from YGGDRASIL: Zero-Tier Magic — also known as Life Magic.
With just a small amount of mana, you could create paper with ease. Naturally, this eliminated any urgency to improve traditional papermaking methods.
Well...
For wealthier folks like the Rock team, such conveniences were easily affordable. As long as people had money, their quality of life would improve.
Otherwise—
"Ahem."
Sakeer cleared his throat, snapping himself out of his thoughts.
The existence of zero-Tier Magic had first come up during his conversation with Captain Dosari.
According to Dosari, this magic was purely practical — used to simplify everyday life rather than for combat or power. Because of this, most magic casters didn't bother learning it directly. Instead, they purchased corresponding magic scrolls whenever the need arose.
This detail was crucial.
It reminded Sakeer of how his unique ability allowed him to acquire skills by spending skill points whenever he witnessed someone else casting a spell.
If scroll-based spells also triggered this...
That opened up a whole new opportunity for Sakeer to expand his skillset.
But that wasn't the only thing on his mind.
Money.
Whether he liked it or not, the next phase of his journey would require funds.
Venturing into the Great Forest of Tob meant investing in proper gear.
At the very least, he'd need to buy armor — and definitely a new weapon. The short sword hanging from his waist was barely suitable for a handful of fights before the blade would inevitably dull or chip.
Magical weapons were out of the question — their prices were absurd.
Even a simple enchanted cup with a cooling effect could cost 150 gold coins.
Weapons imbued with magic? Even the weakest ones fetched over 1,000 gold coins — an impossible sum for the average person to earn in a lifetime.
Given his limited funds, Sakeer could only afford a few decent standard weapons at best.
During his journey to E-Rantel, Sakeer had already been thinking of ways to make money. His earlier questions to Nfirea about crafting recovery potions had been part of that plan.
However...
After learning more about potion-making, Sakeer realized that gathering herbs and mastering herbalism would take far too much time — time he couldn't afford to waste.
Instead, another idea had taken root.
Zero-Tier Magic.
Life magic could potentially offer a quicker way to earn coin.
"Fortunately..." Sakeer muttered, glancing at the pouch of gold coins Captain Dosari had given him.
Opening it, he counted 20 gold coins inside. Combined with his previous savings, Sakeer now had 22 gold coins, 4 silver coins, and 4 copper coins — enough to manage his immediate needs.
He placed the pouch into his inventory box, then ran a hand over his temples, massaging away the tension that had built up over days of constant thinking and planning.
Boom!
Without another thought, Sakeer collapsed backward onto the bed.
Days spent sleeping rough in the wilderness — combined with the stress of staying constantly alert — had taken their toll.
Now, at last, he could relax.
What he needed most now was simple: rest.
Lying on his back, Sakeer turned his head to glance out the window. The afternoon sun streamed in, casting warm light across the room.
The inn's proximity to the Adventurer's Guild — combined with the safety of broad daylight — reassured him. He could finally get some proper sleep without worrying.
With that comforting thought, Sakeer closed his eyes and drifted off.
(End of Chapter)