The Day Before
POV of the Young Adventurer
My name is Feris, a Copper-ranked adventurer. Today, I felt incredibly unlucky.
Just earlier, while I was exchanging herbs at the guild's reception, an incident I didn't want to happen occurred. Pennay, a notorious Gold-ranked adventurer known for his arrogance and cruelty in Sharkdile, suddenly appeared from behind. He saw me and, without hesitation, threatened, "Move aside, you lowly adventurer! I don't have time to wait in line like the rest of you!" he shouted at me, then yanked my hair hard and said, "I am Pennay, a Gold-ranked adventurer! Don't make me smash your face here!"
I felt angry, but the fear was far greater. How could I, a Copper-ranked adventurer, possibly challenge someone like Pennay? His power far exceeded mine, and even other adventurers didn't dare to oppose him. I was forced to apologize and run out, giving way to him, though my heart churned with feelings of shame and anger.
I bowed my head, holding back the pain in my heart, and walked through the streets of Sharkdile, which at that time were bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun. Fortunately, I had already received payment for the herbs I had gathered. With that money, I headed straight to the market to buy food. I could only afford one portion of food for my sister, Lilia, who was gravely ill. Lilia, my precious little sister, was the only family I had left.
Since the death of our parents from an incurable disease, I had become the family's sole breadwinner. The overwhelming sense of responsibility haunted me every day. Lilia, who was once cheerful and full of life, now lay weak in bed, her body thin, her skin pale. Every time I saw her, it felt like my heart was being crushed over and over again.
As I walked home, my mind was filled with worry. "What if I can't cure Lilia? What if I lose the only family I have left?" My tears almost fell, but I quickly held them back. I couldn't be weak; I had to be strong for Lilia.
Before I knew it, my steps had brought me close to our small, simple home. I felt the familiar warmth. This house, though small and modest, was where all our memories with our parents were kept. Here, Lilia and I had once known happiness, before everything changed.
In front of the house, Auntie Al, our kind neighbor, greeted me. "Welcome back, Feris. You work so hard," she said with a gentle smile.
Auntie Al's smile always managed to comfort me, even if only for a moment. "Hehe, yes, Auntie. It's for Lilia," I replied with a forced smile.
Auntie Al smiled even wider, trying to give me the moral support I desperately needed. "Your sister's been waiting inside." She then took a sniff of me and said, "And don't forget to take a bath, okay?"
I chuckled softly, even though my heart was still filled with anxiety. "I'm home!" I called out as I entered the house.
From inside the room, I heard the soft voice I had missed so much. "Welcome back, Brother!" It was Lilia's voice, who, though weak, still tried to sound cheerful for me. I saw her walk out of the room with unsteady steps, but she kept smiling. Seeing Lilia's smile, I felt a mixture of happiness and pain. She was trying to be strong for me, just as I was trying to be strong for her.
Lilia, who was now only 11 years old with her soft, flowing blonde hair and blue eyes that resembled mine, was the only reason I kept going. Despite her illness, her beauty was starting to show, reminding me of our mother, who was also very beautiful. I approached her and handed her the food I had bought. "Here, eat this," I said, trying to hide my guilt.
Lilia seemed happy to receive the food, but her smile faded briefly as she asked, "Where's yours, Brother?"
I could only manage a weak smile as I stroked her head. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't eaten since morning. "I already ate outside. Go ahead and eat; I'm going to take a bath," I replied, trying to hide the truth.
I then took a bath, letting the cold water wash away the dirt and my worries.
After the bath, I went to check on Lilia in her room. The room always felt cold, no matter how much we tried to keep it warm. Lilia, sitting on her old bed, looked so fragile.
"Did you take your medicine?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Yes, Brother. But the medicine is almost gone," she replied with a sad tone that made my heart sink even more.
I stroked her head again, trying to offer comfort. "Don't worry, I'll buy more tomorrow. You should get some rest now."
Lilia gave a faint smile and nodded slightly. "Okay," she whispered softly. She lay down on the bed, her eyes slowly closing, but I could still see the traces of worry on her young face.
I left Lilia's room with mixed emotions. In my room, I lay down and stared at the cracked ceiling, which seemed to reflect my shattered feelings. Hunger gnawed at my stomach, but I ignored it. "I will heal you, Lilia," I whispered to myself. But the voice in my heart felt far weaker than I wanted it to be. Eventually, mental and physical exhaustion pulled me into sleep, my mind still filled with anxiety.
---
The Next Day
I woke up early, feeling slightly calmer after sleep, though the worry never really left me. As soon as I woke up, I took a bath and prepared a simple breakfast for Lilia and myself. After eating my breakfast, I left Lilia's portion on the dining table, hoping she would eat it with enthusiasm.
I then went to Lilia's room, where she was still sound asleep. Her peaceful face while sleeping always warmed my heart, even though there was a pain that couldn't be erased. I approached her and gently kissed her forehead. "I'm heading out," I whispered softly, hoping she could hear me even in her sleep.
With a mix of hope and anxiety, I left the house to search for the herbs I needed. I promised myself that today I had to earn more money to ensure Lilia got the medicine she needed.
---
Back in the Eastern Forest
Arthur slowly lowered his sword, wiping the blood from the blade before sheathing it. He turned to the young adventurer who was still standing in shock, his eyes showing a hint of sympathy.
"Are you alright?" Arthur asked in a calm tone, as if what had just happened was nothing out of the ordinary.
The young adventurer finally managed to gather his words, though his voice still trembled. "I-I'm fine, sir," he said, his tone much more respectful than before. "How were you able to do that...?"
Arthur didn't answer right away. Instead, he simply stared at the young adventurer for a moment before finally saying, "Help me gather the mission evidence." Then he walked towards the ogres' corpses.
The young adventurer was startled but quickly replied, "Y-Yes, sir!" and immediately began helping Arthur collect evidence from the ogre bodies, such as teeth and finger pieces. After placing them in the pouch Arthur had brought, the young adventurer politely handed the mission evidence to Arthur.
The young adventurer then gathered the courage to ask, "Sir, may I know your name?"
Arthur didn't answer immediately, merely gazing at the young adventurer for a moment. The young adventurer then realized his mistake and nervously said, "I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself first. My name is Feris, a Copper-ranked adventurer."
Arthur nodded and replied, "I'm Arthur, Silver rank."
Feris was shocked. He wondered how someone who could single-handedly kill four ogres so quickly without a scratch could be just a Silver-ranked adventurer, or even lower. However, he didn't dare ask further, fearing it would be disrespectful. Feris thought that perhaps Arthur had not yet taken the rank-up exam. The rank-up exam is an assessment that adventurers take at the guild to advance their rank, but it can only be taken in certain cities. The capital of the Arcelio Kingdom, Evermor, located just north of Sharkdile, is one of the cities where adventurers can take the rank-up exam.
Arthur, who had been silent all this time, finally asked, "Why are you here? From the gear you're wearing, you should have stayed at home."
Indeed, the equipment Feris wore was inadequate, with no armor and only a small sword. "I wasn't planning to hunt monsters," Feris explained. "I just wanted to gather herbs to sell and buy medicine for my sick sister. But I ended up getting lost." Feris continued, his voice heavy with despair.
Arthur was silent for a moment, thinking, before saying, "Then let's find them." He then began walking towards the outer part of the forest.
Feris was surprised. "Eh, sir, are you going to help me?" he asked.
Arthur didn't answer and kept walking, while Feris, still surprised, then smiled brightly and hurried to catch up to Arthur. "Wait for me, sir!"
---
Later that day, thanks to Arthur's help, Feris managed to gather many herbs and smiled with satisfaction. "Thank you, sir!" he said gratefully.
Arthur nodded and said briefly, "Let's head back." They began their journey back to Sharkdile with steady steps. Along the way, they talked a little about light topics, although Arthur's cold demeanor made Feris feel somewhat awkward.
After passing through the city gate inspection, they went straight to the guild to submit the mission evidence and the herbs they had gathered. Upon reaching the front of the guild, they entered and headed for the reception desk. The lively atmosphere of the guild accompanied them as they walked.
The receptionist quickly confirmed Arthur's mission, though she looked slightly surprised to see that Arthur had completed the mission alone, especially since he had just arrived in the city. While handing Arthur six silver coins, the receptionist asked, "How long have you known Feris?"
Arthur replied briefly, "We just met on the way back."
Feris then handed over the herbs he had collected. After weighing them, the receptionist gave him one silver coin. "It's unusual to see so much today," the receptionist commented.
Feris chuckled a bit and replied, "Hehe, I had help from Sir Arthur."
The receptionist smiled and thanked Arthur, "Thank you for helping Feris."
Arthur simply nodded in response, then left the guild with Feris.
Outside the guild, Feris once again expressed his gratitude. "Thank you so much, sir," he said sincerely.
Arthur took out two silver coins from his pouch and tossed them to Feris. Feris was surprised, catching them and staring at the coins in confusion. "T-This is too much, sir. I can't accept it!"
But Arthur didn't care about his refusal. He simply turned and started to walk away. Before leaving, Arthur said briefly, "It's for your sister."
Feris was stunned, tears starting to flow down his cheeks. "Thank you so much, sir!" he called out, his voice trembling slightly, as he watched Arthur's figure fade into the distance.
However, in the distance, Pennay was lurking, a sneer on his face, his eyes filled with malicious intent.
---
POV of Feris
I felt today was my lucky day. Being saved by someone strong, then helped to gather herbs, and he even gave me two valuable silver coins. I was deeply touched and happy. To me, although Sir Arthur was very cold, deep down, he was a very kind person.
Clutching the three silver coins I earned today tightly, I walked happily towards the pharmacy, thinking about what food I would buy for my beloved sister and imagining her beautiful smile when she received the medicine and food later.
However, as I passed through an alley, Pennay blocked my way with his two followers. "Oh, look what we have here," he said with a sinister laugh.
"A delicious treat, boss," added one of his slimy followers with a disgusting grin.
I shouted, my voice trembling with fear, "What do you want?!"
Pennay smiled, a cold smile that made my skin crawl. "What do I want, huh. Hand over what you have!" He walked closer, intimidating me.
"Never!" I refused, and his anger flared. "Huh, a lowly adventurer like you dares to defy me?" Pennay's smile widened, full of hatred. "Feel this!"
Bang!
With a swift move, Pennay kicked my stomach hard. I was thrown against the wall, the pain instantly searing through me. My mouth filled with the taste of blood. Pennay and his lackeys laughed and mocked me.
"Let me go! This money is for my sister's medicine!" I screamed, trying to stand even though my body was shaking.
"Oh yeah? Why not get some medicine for yourself too," Pennay sneered.
Pennay grabbed me and punched me hard in the face. The pain was unbearable, as if my facial bones were cracking. He thengrabbed my head and slammed it into the ground. A wave of dizziness hit me, and my vision began to darken.
"Hey, boss, he looks like he's about to die!" said his fat lackey, his voice tinged with panic.
Pennay was slightly surprised, but he didn't care. He snatched all my money and walked away, leaving me there.
As I slowly lost consciousness, I couldn't do anything. Before I completely blacked out, I remembered my sister's smile. "Lilia, I'm sorry," I whispered weakly before finally succumbing to the overwhelming darkness.
---
"Such an unfortunate adventurer."
---
2,289 words.
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Map of the Arcelio Kingdom: