"Mother, I had an appointment with the adventurer as he was planning to hunt down the monsters who were appearing on the village end." As soon as I dropped this bombshell, my mother's smile vanished. Replaced by a look of shock and worry.
Ahh. I regret it. [My condolences, Father.] I prayed. I knew this would eventually happen if I told her I was going hunting.
Well, I was borrowing some adventurer's name, which doesn't even exist, so it wasn't as big of an explosion as I was expecting. I mean, I need to take more responsibility if I have to make this bitter-sweet family a sweeter one, right?
Yeah, that sounds about right. It wasn't like I was embarrassed by the air around my parents. I have to leave eventually to hunt down monsters later, so wasn't it better if I went a little early and caught some more in the process?
I mean, I wasn't that strong, so it did take much longer to hunt down monsters. Well, harmless monsters, by the way. Yeah, that sounds about right. I only hunted monsters who weren't harmful to me at all.
I have to admit something: I couldn't bear to sit here all embarrassed, feigning ignorance, showing I wasn't hearing anything at the moment while my parents were having a moment for themselves.
I believe this was their time to reconnect while having each other's company, and I shouldn't intrude. So I decided to slip away and grind some monsters in the process.
Deep down, I knew I would have been able to change this situation if I'd tried, but it wasn't something I should meddle with.
"Did you really have to go, Ard? You can just ask him to give you one free day," she asked, her voice laced with desperation.
"I can't. I already promised him I'd be there before him. I can't possibly lie to him." I told her, my tone firm and resolute.
My mother nodded her head understandingly, already aware that I couldn't back down from helping the adventurer, no matter how dangerous it turned out to be, as it could skid me into an even more dire situation.
"Okay, honey. But please take care of yourself on the way."
I smiled, stood up from the bed, and caught my father's hesitating gaze, his eyes filled with deep guilt and full of regret. But still, he didn't utter any words or try to look me in the eyes.
[He still feels guilty for everything.] I can see his sour face. But it can't be helped. I can't just change everything in one day; I know it will take a longer time, but our relationship will eventually come to a mutual understanding as it was before.
"Father, eat properly and take your medicines on time; do not throw a tantrum like a sour child." I admonished, trying to sound stern but caring.
"Mother, you shouldn't push yourself every time either. Please take some rest after looking over Father. I'll come back after my work is done." I added, trying to reassure her.
"Okay then. I'm off." I said, giving some earfuls like any old adult and saying these parting words, grabbing the bag to carry the body of the monster, securing a small machete, and clutching it to my waist belt.
"All right! Take care, now!" I bid my farewell to my parents, leaving the house and trudging toward the mountain near our village.
My mission was clear: to hunt down the monsters that lurked within the mountains.
....
The first thing I did was stamp down the overgrown greenery with my foot, cutting a path through the taller weeds to make my way up the mountain.
Well, now that I think about it, it seems like a great day to take down the monsters.
"It looks like I'm far away from my village," I thought to myself, having walked for at least half an hour into the depths of Sunheller Mountain, northwest of Seipheor village.
Although the mountain wasn't far from the village, rarely did any villager visit this mountain out of fear.
As I stand here, I realize that there aren't any vicious monsters in this place or any myths or legends that terrorize ordinary people.
The reason for the people not visiting this place was completely different.
The Sunheller mountain wasn't itself anything big, only about two kilometers long and one-half kilometers wide.
However, the problem was that it was connected to Black Slumber Mountain, one of the most feared and vicious places on the continent.
The place was entirely shrouded in black miasma, blocking even the sun's light from reaching its depth. You can even hear the eerie, heart-throbbing cries coming off that place with the angry roars of a monstrous beast, striking fear into the hearts of all who hear them.
Although there were some times when the party of brave heroes entered this place, attempting to explore but never returning to their homes, that's also the reason it's become one of the forbidden places on the Avon Continent.
I walk here alone, one step at a time, my footsteps echoing in the silence.
I didn't act hastily similarly when I was in the village; instead a walked carefully.
I have prepared myself by devouring all kinds of books to absorb the information about different types of monsters.
Upon memorizing every last word of vocabulary word by word, I'm confident I can distinguish every monster's weakest part and counter-attack them.
You see, in life, wisdom trumps all else, but I also learned that you need at least some strength to back it up.
"Slurp, slurp." I heard a slurping voice coming from my left.
"Is this a stone rat?" I looked in its direction, holding my breath in complete silence. What I could see were its two glimmering red eyes staring back at me, hiding behind the bush.
I stare in his direction, stepping backward stealthily and carefully without making any noise and not losing sight of its direction.
I retreat at least 10 meters away from its territory, taking a roundabout way and walking away from his direction, letting out a heave of sigh.
The stone rat was a level-one monster with a strong rock-like body and pin-sharp teeth. If I pick a fight, I will lose most of my limbs. Although I won't die from its attacks, my life will become even harder than it is now.
I'm glad that I made the right choice, holding my breath and not invading its territory, knowing that dozens of villagers fall prey to stone rat attacks every year.
Although they seem small, they are agile and fast, making them difficult to catch even with your naked eyes.
To defeat them, one needs at least exceptional eyesight, agility, and a synchronized body. After all, agility is the best weapon to defeat the stone rat.