As soon as I woke up, I was met with an unfamiliar ceiling.
Well, that's unfamiliar indeed
I get up form the creaky bed. Each movement I made seemed to make the bed cry even more.
I was currently in a room made out of lumber. It was somewhat reminiscent of the room that I go to when picking my evolutionary paths. Though, some things were different.
For one, this bed
That's right. Unlike the lonely room with the symbols on its walls, this place was properly furnished. I inspect my surroundings even more.
Beside my(?) bed, was a table with my armor on it. On the side of it was my sword and dagger. A stream of light invaded the room. I covered myself with my blanket.
Damn 「Light Weakness」
My eyes burned at the sudden burst of light. This damned skill was really annoying, now that I think about it. Even though the skill its was paired with was something of essential use, I still had complaints.
Not like anybody will hear them
Covering my face with the blanket, I used as a makeshift robe to obstruct the light. Further into the room, I spotted a line dresser. It was pushed to the corner of the room, unattended. I approach it.
Step Step
As I approach the dresser with my face practically covered by the makeshift robe, another burst of light blasted the room. This time much brighter and stronger. The color was different as well.
Mana
I ignored the bursts of light, putting my current situation as top priority. I open the dresser, my expectations somewhat high. My hopes were quickly disproven.
There was… well, at least something. Inside the wooden dresser was a singular pair of shirt and pants–shorts, judging by their length.
Why are they so small…?
It was probably meant for smaller people, like children. I just left it be and put on the clothes. My equipment and clothing are all torn up. They were all barely hanging in there. The cloth was only connected by thin pieces.
While I was putting on the undersized clothes, the distracting shine finally disappeared. The furious 'boom' had also passed.
Does she do this every morning…?
If so, then were gonna have a problem. While I don't like oversleeping, I don't like being forcibly woken up either. I looked back at my equipment.
My sword and dagger were still there, just laying about. Turning my attention to the one-and-only window in this room, I spot that the light was truly gone. I leaned on the windowsills.
What filled my vision was the aftermaths of a recent battle. There were multiple craters, glaciers, fires, and branches mixed together. I also couldn't tell the beasts apart.
They were all mangled, burnt, crushed, or impaled. The beasts must have suffered a lot. They were practically unrecognizable from each other. It was a grotesque but highly informing scenery.
So that's what she was capable of
Though I knew what elements or streams of mana she would be most attuned to, having some information will be good for the foreseeable future. It never hurt to know more about the people around you.
…Well, sometimes
"Hey there sleepyhead. I see you're already up. Come help me with this. Oh, and take the stairs. Just because you can survive a jump from that height, doesn't mean that you should."
What a weird concern
Following her words, I made my way to the lone door and down the stairs. Every step made the floor creak. Like the bed, it sounded like the cry of the wood it was made out of.
When I made my down the crying stairs, a normal-looking kitchen greeted me. There was a simple round table made out of wood, chairs – two of them – made out of the same material. A light from a corner of the room irritated my eye.
I turned away form it, looking for an exit. After a bit of searching, sure enough, I found it.
Down a hallway that connected to and from the kitchen was a door. Like the rest of the place, it too was made out of wood. Though unlike the rest of the furniture in this place, the door had runes carved all over it.
I didn't understand their meaning, or if they even had one. The runes could have been nothing at all. Maybe some kind of decoration or tradition. Either way, it was none of my business. Before I could reach for the knob, the door swung open.
"Where is he–oh. There you are. What took you so long? Anyways, did you bring your dagger?"
…Oh. That's why I felt like I was forgetting something
It had completely slipped my mind. I shake my head in resignation.
"Hmmm… well, that's fine. Here, you can have mine."
She rummaged around her full-body robe for a bit before finally presenting me with a small knife. I took it, not alarmed whatsoever that she apparently just had a knife in such a baggy robe.
NOT.AT.ALL
I made my way through the door and out of the small cabin. I don't remember what happened after I accepted her request. All I know was that I had made another promise. To me, that alone was enough to go on.
I turn around, admiring the small cabin facing the lake that I–we had bathed in earlier. The memory had burned itself in my mind.
Idiot
I shouldn't get distracted when I have something I should be taking care of first. I followed the witch to a beast.
Like I saw from the window, the beast was tangled. It's arms, legs, and torso was wrapped by veins. The veins themselves had thorns which dug into the beast's skin and drew blood.
Looking at the beast more closely, I notice a familiar face.
A Night Beast
It had a small stature, black skin and burly arms. Normally, anyways.
What was in front of me right now was something clearly multiple levels above that. It's formerly black skin was even darker somehow. The arms of the beast had lines similar to my own–albeit not as clear. The lines were faint, even broken in some parts. It seemed to be damaged. It's chest was rising up and down in a rhythm. I look back at her, my gaze suspicious.
She just smiled at me.
Ugh, my pride
To think that my first duty after becoming a knight would be mooching of my master. What a disgrace.
「You have leveled up」