The woman, on the verge of tears once again, possessed something Ethan could utilise: her inventory items. While it wasn't her intellect or her body, the items she carried held value for him.
Knowing that the sword he used to kill the wolf was a level 2 weapon, Ethan recognized its superiority over the magic staff in his possession, although he still wasn't certain of its exact worth.
If only he had known the current outcome beforehand, he would have never chosen the mage class. However, dwelling on regrets was futile.
Ethan knew he needed to focus on more important matters, such as becoming stronger and, most importantly, staying alive. He aimed to survive for the remaining three days, even though he had no idea what awaited him.
While his mage class might aid him in future endeavours, one couldn't ignore the fact that he was a skilled warrior, both in games and in real life. Killing a wolf more dangerous than those on Earth demonstrated his combat prowess. However, in this world, he was a mage and not a warrior, which meant he was given a staff instead of a sword.
Nonetheless, Ethan sensed that acquiring a sword was within reach.
"I want your sword," Ethan stated with a serious expression. Before he could explain his reasons, the woman had already approached him and responded, "Take it!" She held his right hand tightly, as if afraid he would abandon her.
Ethan was slightly taken aback by her assertive approach, and the scent of vanilla that accompanied her overwhelmed him momentarily.
Shaking off the distraction, he turned his neon eyes to meet her neon gaze.
His main objective was to obtain everything in the woman's inventory, with the sword being his primary focus. Despite being a mage in this world, the fact that he could wield a sword effectively against a formidable opponent showcased his warrior capabilities. Although his stats might be inferior to real warriors when they levelled up, Ethan believed his skills could compensate for the gap.
Then there was the potion in the woman's inventory. He wasn't sure if it was a health or mana potion, but its level 2 status made him eager to acquire it.
As for being a mage, he also intended to make good use of it.
With these thoughts in mind, Ethan made another demand. "I want the items in your inventory as well," he stated. Without hesitation, a glass potion with blue liquid appeared in the woman's other hand, while she continued to cling to Ethan's other hand. "This is all I have left. Please let me follow you," she pleaded.
Ethan, not paying much attention to her pleas, used his free hand to place the potion in his inventory. He would examine it later.
The fact that the woman had brought only one item from her inventory hinted at two possibilities. Either, like Ethan, she had received only three items from the system governing this world, or she still had hidden items in her possession. However, Ethan didn't concern himself with the latter possibility, as he was already content with what he had acquired: a valuable sword and a potion. To him, these items were worth taking a small risk.
With these thoughts in mind, Ethan turned to face the woman once again and spoke seriously. "Okay, you can follow me, but remember something," he stated, adding, "If something too risky happens, don't blame me if I suddenly abandon you despite what you have given me."
Upon hearing Ethan's words, the woman, who was on the verge of smiling, visibly trembled as he finished speaking. She had been about to instinctively reply, overcome by fear, but she managed to restrain herself just in time. Bitterly, she realised the bigger picture. Ethan had already saved her from certain death, and despite what she had given him, she understood that, in a way, she owed him nothing. Yet, he still allowed her to follow him, and he hadn't said he wouldn't protect her. His only condition was that he would leave if something excessively dangerous occurred.
The woman believed this was still better than traversing the unfamiliar forest alone. All she could do was hope that nothing too risky would cross their path.
Pondering this, the woman nodded slowly in obedience and released Ethan's hand. Observing her compliance, Ethan nodded in satisfaction and happily picked up the sword he had used to kill the wolf, placing it in his inventory—an item he would examine later.
After acquiring the sword, Ethan then took a look at his surroundings.
The forest was still as dense as it could be. It appeared to be morning in this world, but seeing as it was getting hotter by the second as the sun's rays penetrate between the towering trees to light up the surroundings, Ethan knew that noon wasn't far.
In truth, Ethan could have taken the sword without the woman's permission, and she would have been powerless to stop him. However, he refrained from doing so because he found it cruel to leave her defenceless. Ethan wanted to provide her with a means of protection, and taking the sword from her would have been akin to killing her—a burden he was not prepared to carry.
With the decision to take a slight risk and let the woman accompany him for protection, things had changed. Regardless of whether the woman truly believed his words or not, he was serious when he said he would abandon her if things became excessively dangerous.
"Hopefully, nothing goes wrong," Ethan muttered, turning to gaze in the direction the woman had mentioned, where a cluster of huts supposedly awaited. Then, he looked at the woman herself to address her. "Let's go," he simply said, starting to move.
Observing this, the woman didn't waste any time and quickly followed Ethan. However, just as she caught up with him, Ethan abruptly turned to her and said something that caught her off guard. "Take off your top."
"What?!"