The morning light streamed through the window, accompanied by the cheerful songs of birds. Slowly, I woke up, realizing it was morning. My first instinct? Pinching myself.
"Awwww!"
Yep, the pain was real. This wasn't a dream — I was really in another world.
"Good morning, Ryuu! I made breakfast. Huh? Why are you pinching yourself?"
Luka entered the room, looking puzzled.
"Good morning, Luka. Don't worry, just a reality check."
"Ooooh... I don't understand, but breakfast is ready in the kitchen. Come and eat."
"Yeah, thanks."
"You're welcome! It's nothing."
Following Luka to the kitchen, I sat down and glanced around. I had to admit, this kitchen was impressive — pots hung neatly on the walls, and there was even a furnace. Some of the furniture looked straight out of the Middle Ages.
But I wasn't here to admire the kitchen. I was here to eat. On the table were eggs, bread, and salad. Simple, but it looked delicious. Luka really was known for his cooking in the game.
"Alright, time to dig in!"
Before my fork reached the plate, Luka's panicked voice stopped me.
"No, Ryuu! You can't eat yet!"
"Huh? Why not?"
"We need to pray and thank Ilias for the food first."
Ah, right. In the early stages of the game, Luka was a devout believer in that annoying goddess.
"Is that really necessary?"
"YES."
His determined eyes left no room for negotiation.
"Okay..."
I muttered a fake prayer while Luka earnestly prayed.
"We can eat now!"
Finally! I was starving. As I ate, I decided to ask Luka some questions. I needed a plan — build my body and learn magic.
"Hey Luka, is there a library in this village or someplace I can learn magic?"
Luka gave me a weird look.
"You can only find libraries in grand cities on the main continent. As for magic, humans hardly use it. Only the talented ones, like the church's pope, can use holy magic."
So, no library, and magic was practically non-existent here. Great. Just great.
"But," Luka added, "my mother left me a strange book. Maybe it has what you're looking for. You can borrow it, but I need it back."
"Luka, you're my savior! If you were a woman, I'd propose right now!"
I hugged him dramatically. Luka, surprised, pushed me away.
"Ay! Don't get too excited. I just said it's a weird book."
"It's okay! As long as it's something."
Now for my money problem... I remembered seeing a blacksmith shop while roaming the village. Maybe I could work there.
"Luka, is there a blacksmith in this village?"
"Yes, why?"
"I can't freeload in your house forever. I need to work and earn my keep."
"You don't have to pay me!"
"Luka, I appreciate your kindness, but what about food and clothes? You can't cover all that, right?"
"I... no, I can't."
"You see? I need money."
Even though I knew nothing about blacksmithing, I had no choice but to learn.
"Hmmm... I'll talk to the shop owner. He's my friend, so he won't turn me down. But this village is poor — don't expect much gold."
"Don't worry. I want experience more than money."
"You're serious about this, huh?"
"Another thing, Luka. You're training to become a hero and defeat the Monster Lord after your baptism next year, right?"
"Yes!"
Luka's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"You really love heroes, huh?"
"Of course! Who doesn't?"
Well, me, for one. But I kept that to myself.
"Like the legendary hero Heinrich, who defeated the Monster Lord 500 years ago. I want to be just like him and make humans and monsters coexist."
Ah, Heinrich — Luka's ancestor. If I didn't stop him, he'd probably talk for hours.
"Yeah, yeah, heroes are great. Anyway, do you know any martial arts you can teach me?"
"Hehe! Of course! I've been training for four years."
His eyes practically turned into stars. Why did I have a bad feeling about this?
"What are we waiting for? Follow me to the backyard!"
"But I'm still eating—"
"Food won't run away, but morning is the best time to train muscles!"
Now he sounded like a gym bro. Luka dragged me to the backyard, ignoring my protests.
"Watch closely, Ryuu. I'll show you my moves."
"Got it."
I observed his movements closely, ready to engrave them into my mind.
[30 minutes later]
"Hah... hah... So, how was it? Did you learn anything?"
Luka, panting heavily, looked at me expectantly. For a whole 30 minutes, all I saw was a kid flailing a wooden sword like a clown at a circus. No real technique at all.
Think, Ryuu, think. Don't hurt his feelings.
"Euuuh... It was impressive, Luka. But since I've never seen sword techniques before, I can't judge."
"Hehe, that's fine!"
His stupid grin meant he was satisfied with my answer.
"Luka, where did you learn those moves?"
"Heroes pass by this village sometimes. I ask them to teach me, then combine what I observe into my own style."
Ah, no wonder it looked like a mess.
"Aha... no wonder it looked like a...clown ."
"Huh? Did you say something?"
"Nope."
Luka's "style" was just a chaotic mix of everything he saw, good and bad alike. I wanted to help, but I was probably worse than him.
Anyway, he's the protagonist. He'll eventually learn proper techniques and gather the four spirits.
The spirits... I loved them in the game. I wondered how they'd look in this real-world version.
"Huh? Ryuu, why are you drooling?"
"Huh?"
I quickly wiped my mouth. No way I could tell him I was thinking about how cute Sylph would be.
"It's nothing! Just hungry. Can we go to the blacksmith now?"
"Okay!"
After that, Luka and I headed to the blacksmith's shop. It took us about fifteen minutes to get there, passing through a handful of quaint shops along the way. This village really felt like it came straight out of a medieval fantasy setting—fishmongers, cloth merchants, and other stalls selling things I didn't recognize. Even a few peaceful-looking farms dotted the landscape.
"Okay, we're here," Luka said, stopping in front of a rustic-looking building. "But I need to warn you—Uncle Mars doesn't like impatient people, so be patient, okay?"
"Huh, his name's Mars? That's kinda cool." I grinned. "Don't worry, patience is my middle name."
"Wait, really? So you're Ryuu Patience?"
"No, you dumbass, I was joking."
"Oh... got it."
Luka opened the door, revealing a shop filled with the earthy smell of metal and rust. Weapons and armor were scattered everywhere, some hanging on the walls, others stacked haphazardly. At the counter stood a burly man who looked to be in his fifties. His impressive biceps made me envious.
"Hello there, Luka! Long time no see. You were asking about a job yesterday, weren't you?" The old man greeted Luka warmly, like a grandfather doting on his grandson. But when his gaze shifted to me, his smile faded, replaced by a skeptical look.
Ah, yeah... I'm probably not making the best first impression.
"Good morning, Uncle Mars! Sorry I haven't dropped by—I had to help Aunt Bitty with errands and then train. But I promise I'll bring you fresh vegetables next time!"
While they chatted, I looked around the shop, noticing a room behind the counter. That must be where he forges weapons. My inspection was interrupted when Luka grabbed my arm and spoke earnestly.
"Uncle Mars, this is my friend Ryuu. He just arrived in the village yesterday, penniless, lost his memories, and got attacked by monsters. He's staying with me for now, but... can I ask if you'd give him a job?" Luka bowed deeply.
I was surprised, feeling warmth bloom in my chest. He barely knows me but went out of his way to help. Luka... I'll repay this kindness a thousand times over.
Mars rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Since you're asking, Luka, I'll give it a shot. But I'll be honest—this shop might close in a year or two. There's not much demand for weapons, and prices are tough. That's why I rejected that kid yesterday."
"What do you think, Ryuu? Do you still want to work here?" Luka asked.
"Yeah, I'll do it."
Mars narrowed his eyes at me. "Why do you want to work here? Do you know anything about forging weapons?"
"To be honest... not a damn thing," I admitted. "I just wanted some gold, but after seeing your biceps, I changed my mind. I want to work here so I can build muscles like yours."
Mars stared at me for a long moment before bursting into hearty laughter. "Hahaha! Young man, I like the way you think. Fine, you're hired."
Luka's tense expression relaxed into a relieved smile.
"Thank you, Uncle Mars! I'll bring an extra portion of vegetables as thanks."
"There's no need, Luka. This young man's funny enough to make it worth it."
"Thank you, old man!" I bowed deeply, feeling genuinely grateful.
"You can start tomorrow, one hour after sunrise."
Wait... does that mean eight in the morning? There's no clock here, so I'll have to guess.
"I'll be here on time!"
"Good. Now, either buy something or get out."
Wow, he sure switched to business mode fast.
"Ehh... Uncle Mars, can you show us some swords? I want to buy one," Luka said.
"Oh? Did your training sword break? I can fix it for you."
"It's not for me—it's for Ryuu."
I blinked in surprise. "Wait... me?"
"Of course, silly. We're living together now, so consider it a gift."
"Luka, you really don't have to—"
"It's fine, Ryuu. A gift between friends."
Damn it... If he keeps being this kind, I might actually fall for him.
"Thanks, Luka. You're a true friend."
Mars brought out several swords of decent quality. "Take your pick. They're all the same price—100 gold. No refunds."
Tsk, what a stingy old man. I quietly cursed my new boss and began examining the swords.
One minute...
Five minutes...
Ten minutes...
Thirty minutes later, I was still staring at them. Something inside me snapped—I wanted to touch them, hold them, maybe even... lick them?
I was jolted back to reality when Luka shook my shoulder. "Oi, Ryuu! You've been staring at those swords for thirty minutes like some kind of weirdo. You looked... almost sexual about it."
Without thinking, I blurted out, "Hey, Luka, don't you think these swords are... sexy?"
As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. Both Luka and Mars stared at me like I was a total freak.
"No, wait! I didn't mean it like that! I just got lost in thought and—"
"It's okay, Ryuu," Luka said with a straight face. "I won't judge you if you have a sword fetish."
"I see... so you're what they call swordsexual," Mars added with a smirk.
"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT, GUYS!"