He helped him to his feet, and they began their journey, looking for a good spot to set up camp. On the way, Donovan explained that they were on the continent of Solasta, a land surrounded by the sea and dense forests in the south. More than half of the continent remained unexplored. From his description, it seemed like a Pangea-like continent.
He also mentioned that the habitable part of the continent was divided between two kingdoms: Eridia and Darrantel, both highly hostile to each other. He further explained that due to the appearance of invading demons in both territories, there was a rare and fragile time of peace.
Upon hearing this, Draken hurriedly interrupted, "Is there a demon king, by any chance?" he asked with panic. "If this world expects me to be a hero, they can go to hell. A world that needs the sacrifice of one person for everyone else to be happy is not a world worth saving," he thought.
"I suppose there might be more powerful demons, but I doubt they have a centralized government. After all, they are mere beasts," Donovan replied, seemingly amused by the question.
"Sorry, please continue," Draken apologized.
Donovan went on to tell him that despite the demon invasion, the kingdoms didn't take them too seriously, and both believed that the other would attack them at any moment. War could be declared at any time. Additionally, he explained that besides the royal family, the church held significant influence in both kingdoms, and both kings allowed them to preach in their countries.
He explained how the church could use divine magic to heal wounds in exchange for offerings and gifts to offer to their god. With every word about the church, Draken could only think, "Oh great, here we go again," as in any fantasy or real-life setting, the church was evidently corrupt and would undoubtedly get in his way. Donovan told him how most people who wielded magic knew that the church was nothing special, but they couldn't disobey because there were inquisitors—church assassins—who hunted down anyone who tarnished the church's good name. Even if you knew how to use magic to heal a wound, you were forbidden from helping civilians, as it undermined the church's authority.
"Let me tell you about the powers in this world," Donovan said with a smile, settling into a more comfortable position to speak. "Those who can obtain and wield powers beyond the ordinary humans are called Awakened," he continued. "Warriors like us draw our power from our life force, which gives us superhuman strength, speed, and dexterity, as well as improved health and endurance. Did you know there are legends of warriors capable of cleaving mountains with their swords? Although, honestly, I've never heard of one in person," he laughed aloud, mocking the idea.
"Then there are the mages, quite physically weak, but they are usually very intelligent and cunning. It's always better to spit in a cyclops' eye than to incur the wrath of a mage; they are incredibly vengeful, and messing with one without a good reason will have the whole guild coming after you. I don't really know how their powers work, but they usually require wands and long incantations to cast magic," Donovan continued as he took a sip of water from the canteen and began eating the cured meat he had offered.
Meanwhile, Draken absorbed all the information at lightning speed. The quick processing of his brain allowed him to draw quick conclusions, and he soon came to an obvious one: "Stay away from the church, don't anger the mages." He almost laughed at how obvious it was, almost wasting his high intelligence points.
Taking advantage of the fact that he wouldn't be hunting monsters for a while, he carefully planned his next steps: once he reached level 50, he could unlock most skills and obtain the first low-level legendary items that would improve his stats. With upgraded equipment and attribute gems, he would be even harder to kill. The ability to escape when he had low health had been his strategy in his past life, earning him the title of "The Unvanquished." Not that he had never lost a fight, but he had always managed to get away before it was too late.
Suddenly, Donovan spoke, "What are your plans, my friend? Do you intend to keep wandering in this forest? I wouldn't recommend it, to be honest, no matter how strong you are."
"Well, actually, I had planned to look for a human settlement when I came across you. Perhaps you can guide me to the nearest town," Draken replied.
"That would be a village north of the Marquisate's capital. It borders this forest; we can get supplies and transportation there. Afterward, I'll accompany you to the capital myself—it's the least I can do," Donovan said with a kind smile.
For some reason, Draken didn't like that smile at all. He wouldn't say he mistrusted Donovan; their encounter had been too perilous for that. If Donovan hadn't shown up, he would undoubtedly have died. Still, he remained on guard... most of the time.
"Very well, Donovan, it's decided. Tomorrow, we'll leave at first light. I'll accompany you to the village, and then we'll continue together to the capital. So let's get some sleep; I'll take the first watch, so take this opportunity to rest," said with determination.
Upon hearing this, Donovan leaned against a tree and fell asleep almost immediately. The night passed quickly, and the morning light illuminated the two men as they walked to exit the forest.
As friendly as ever, Donovan explained that they were inside the so-called "Sea of Oaks," and not many people ventured in there. He also suggested that once they reached the capital of the Marquisate, Draken should see a healer to address his memory loss.
"Hey, Draken, I have a question," Donovan asked curiously. "When you found me, you mentioned that you healed me with a potion, right?"
"Yes, I used a health potion to stop the bleeding and heal your wounds," replied, wondering why Donovan suddenly seemed interested.
"Hmm, interesting," murmured Donovan. "Those potions are quite expensive and hard to come by. How much did it cost you to get one?"
"Well, I was lucky to find some herbs and ingredients while exploring the forest, so I could make it myself," Draken explained.
"Wow, you're quite skilled then," Donovan praised. "Potions are really useful, so I want to repay you for it. When we get to the village, I can give you the gold to replenish the ingredients or even get you another potion if you want."
"Alright, if you insist," Draken accepted.
"We should talk about something if we don't want to die of boredom," Donovan suggested.
"I don't have any memories, so you'll have to do the talking," Replied dryly.
"Sure, what do you want to know?" Donovan asked.
"Do you have any family?
I mean, parents or siblings," Inquired as they continued walking.
"Yes, I had a family in the village we're heading to. My parents were hardworking and kind, and I had a younger brother, Liam. We were a close and happy family," Donovan said, sighing sadly.
"What happened?" Asked with interest.
"A group of bandits attacked, looting and destroying everything in their path. The men of the village tried to fight back, but there were too many of them," he said, his voice turning cold. "It was a nightmare. My brother and I fought with all our might, but..." he clenched his teeth.
Donovan touched the scar on his arm. "I received a wound that knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, I had lost everything. My family, my home, everything vanished in the blink of an eye," Donovan said the last part with evident anger in his voice.
"I'm really sorry, friend," Draken patted his shoulder. "Forgive me for bringing up unpleasant memories."
"Don't worry, it's in the past," Donovan brushed off the topic with a wave of his hand. Nevertheless, the rest of the journey was silent.
"He seems truly affected," Sighed to himself, "Poor man, this world is really different," he thought. Pain wasn't unfamiliar to him; one could even say they were great friends, but it was nothing compared to Donovan's tragedy.
Unfortunately, for him, the sympathy directed toward Donovan would only bring more pain, but of course, he couldn't know that.
The next four days consisted of the two men walking through the dense forest, barely engaging in small talk. Draken was surprised at how far they were from civilization, but Donovan quickly explained that they were actually heading away from the nearest kingdom. Given the current political situation, they could be arrested on suspicion of spying. Being a mercenary of the kingdom Eridia, Donovan had unrestricted access to all the cities within the realm.
When Draken finally saw the dirt road that would lead them out of the forest, he felt motivated after quite some time. What the medieval novels didn't tell you about living in that era was that the heat, the smell, and going to the bathroom were a nightmare for someone accustomed to a toilet.
"Note to self," he thought sarcastically, "Find a toilet to plagiarize as soon as possible."
"Besides, I hope this world has flying mounts or something. If it weren't for not knowing where we're going, I would have used Blink and arrived in no time," he sighed.
After what felt like an eternity, Draken saw the dilapidated wooden wall that surrounded the village. As he was about to pass through the village gates, soldiers stationed on the battlements shouted:
"Halt there, strangers! Identify yourselves and state your purpose in this village!" shouted a soldier with dark skin and a slender build.
Quickly, Donovan stepped forward and shouted, "It's me, Elron! Let us pass; I'm here with a friend!"
"Donovan, you wretch! Are you still alive? I thought you had died along with everyone else! Only a few came back."
"Obviously, I'm still alive, idiot! Now shut up and open the gate!" Donovan impatiently retorted.
The man named Elron responded by barking orders to the gatekeepers, who quickly opened the gates.
The inside of the village didn't look much different from the wall. Every house, path, or fence seemed ramshackle and on the verge of collapse. The people looked even worse. Everyone had gloomy and dirty faces, and most seemed skinny and weak, as if they were constantly starving.
The Crow Village was a small and dark settlement hidden in the forest, surrounded by wooden walls in an attempt to protect itself. Donovan invited Draken to the mercenary base, but Draken preferred to explore the village himself and find an inn for a proper rest. Besides, he needed to check if his coins could be used in this world.
"All right, my friend, we'll see each other around the village. You can find me if you need anything," Donovan shook his hand.
"I'll meet you in ten days to discuss our journey to the capital," Draken said as he pointed out the way to the village inn.
"Sure, don't worry," Donovan replied cheerfully. The idea of sleeping in a bed pressed all the right buttons for him.
"Before I go, do me a favor and don't get into trouble. I wouldn't want to hear that you got beaten up for sticking your nose where it shouldn't be," Donovan said seriously.
"Don't worry, I promise no one will beat me up," Draken said confidently. "It's not like they could," he thought to himself.
After leaving him at the inn's entrance, Donovan turned around and walked away.
The entrance of the inn had an old, crooked sign hanging, where the faded letters barely revealed the name "The Golden Rose." The paint that once adorned the sign was faded, giving it a humble yet charming appearance.
Inside, the inn was even prettier. Although everything seemed old and worn, it was carefully maintained and carefully repaired, giving the place a vibe that on Earth would be called "vintage." Furthermore, the place was warm and welcoming, as if it was wrapped in a comforting embrace.
As Draken entered through the door, the young girl at the reception opened her eyes wide and almost let out a high-pitched scream. Unbeknownst to him, for any villager or merchant, seeing a 1.90-meter-tall giant, whose back was as wide as a wardrobe and had scars on his face, would have made them run away immediately.
The girl couldn't be more than 12 years old, with dark hair, pale skin, and a slender build. She seemed on the verge of tears, but he put on his best friendly smile and said in a gentle voice, "Good afternoon, miss. Do you have rooms available for about two weeks?"
The girl continued to stare at the claw scars on his face, not hearing anything he said. "Ahem..." he cleared his throat, feeling somewhat exasperated.
"Y-y-yes, of course," the girl stammered nervously.
"Before anything else, I have a question for you. I am a traveler, and I don't know if the money I have can be used in this realm. If you would be so kind as to tell me, where can I check it?" he asked, still smiling kindly. The girl seemed adorable to him.
"W-w-we can... we can check it!" she almost shouted.
"Well, I'll leave it in your hands then, little one," Draken nodded as he handed her one of his in-game coins. According to his thoughts, if he was lucky, these coins would also be made of gold, and he could exchange them for money that he could use in this world, giving him a considerable fortune. The girl's eyes widened, and she almost screamed when she saw the gold coin he gave her.
"I'll be waiting here; take your time, little one," he pointed to an empty table.
"Yes, I'll be right back, sir," the girl made a small bow and ran off as if her life depended on it.
The inn's dining room was illuminated by old chandeliers hanging from the worn wooden walls. Still, they seemed to complement the place's atmosphere, giving it a unique look that, combined with the faint smell of food and freshly baked bread, made it pleasant.
Most of the tables were empty, except for one in the back, where two men played cards with malicious expressions. One of them had an unkempt beard, dirty skin and hair, and clearly hadn't taken a bath for several weeks. His clothing was barely scraps of thin and dirty cloth, making him look unpleasant and unhygienic. The other man was somewhat better off. He had a trimmed beard and hair, wore clean clothes, including a linen jacket, and had a copper ring on his right hand. His arrogant gaze and smug smile gave Draken the impression of meeting a legendary "Young Master." He prayed to the heavens that, if that was the case, he wouldn't get involved in his tedious shit.
As they played, Draken overheard them making unpleasant comments about women they had been with, laughing mockingly and showing complete disrespect, even mentioning how one had forced a poor girl. Their obscene words and unpleasant laughter filled the dining room with a despicable atmosphere.
Draken frowned as he looked at the men's statistics:
Name: Lucas Grudd
Profession: Assassin
Level: 7
Strength: 11
Dexterity: 14
Intelligence: 11
Vitality: 11
Health: 110
Mana: 2
Physical Damage: 7
Abilities:
1. Backstab (+1):
2. Shove (+1):
Name: Roderick Thorn
Profession: Warrior
Level: 12
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 12
Intelligence: 12
Vitality: 12
Health: 120
Physical Damage: 7.2
Mana: 2.5
Abilities:
1. Quick Thrust (+1):
2. Taunt (+1):
Seeing their pathetic statistics, he only hoped they wouldn't try anything funny; otherwise, he would beat them within an inch of their lives and leave them in some dumpster.
He cleared his mind of the human scum sitting at a table and took a deep breath to relax. That's when the little girl from the reception came back, bringing with her a man with dark hair, pale skin, and a worried expression, who stood at no more than 1.70 meters tall. The girl seemed to seek protection behind him, so he was probably her father.