Joseph stepped out of the Church of the Gods, inhaling the crisp morning air.
Despite the quiet streets and the soft glow of dawn, his mind was anything but calm.
The moment he left the church, his thoughts immediately returned to his dream.
The goddess Alexandra.
The visions she had shown him.
They weren't just normal dreams. They had felt too real. Too vivid.
He remembered it clearly.
Flashes of fire engulfing a city.
A shadowy figure, standing alone against something vast and monstrous.
People screaming, running, being consumed by chaos.
Joseph clenched his fists.
Alexandra had said he wasn't chosen.
She had made it very clear that there was no prophecy, no destined path.
And yet, she had still given him something.
A blessing.
But what kind of "blessing" didn't actually do anything?
He hadn't gained super strength.
He hadn't unlocked hidden magic.
Hell, even his health bar (if he had one) still dropped alarmingly fast when bitten by rats.
It was infuriating.
If something big was coming, shouldn't he at least know what his so-called blessing even was?
Joseph let out a long sigh, rubbing his face.
"Alright, calm down," he muttered to himself.
Getting angry at a goddess wasn't going to do him any good.
He needed to focus on what he could control.
Keep making money. His little party was barely scraping by. Find better equipment. He was still swinging around a literal pipe. Figure out what the hell his blessing actually did.
And the best way to do that?
Keep adventuring. Keep testing himself. Keep pushing forward.
Shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets, Joseph turned back toward the guild.
Whether he liked it or not, he was stuck in this world.
And if Alexandra's warning meant anything?
Then he was headed straight for trouble.
Might as well be ready for it.
Joseph hadn't planned to be gone that long.
But as he approached the guild, he spotted Kara and Lily waiting for him outside.
Lily waved frantically the moment she saw him. "Boss! You disappeared!"
Kara crossed her arms. "You better not be ditching us already."
Joseph sighed. They acted like he ran away.
"I went for a walk," he explained. "You know, fresh air, quiet thinking, not listening to Kara snore like a dying bear."
Kara punched his shoulder.
Joseph winced. "Ow! Damn, that wasn't necessary!"
Kara smirked. "You'll live."
Lily giggled. "We were gonna get breakfast, but then we had to find you first!"
Joseph frowned. "…You guys couldn't just eat without me?"
Lily looked horrified. "A party eats together, Boss!"
Joseph blinked. Huh. That was… oddly wholesome.
"Well," he said, rubbing his shoulder where Kara had definitely bruised him, "let's get some food, then. Preferably something that isn't gruel."
They ended up at a street food stall near the guild—mostly because actual tavern meals were still too expensive.
For two copper each, they got:
Bread that was slightly stale. Some mystery meat on a stick. Water. Because anything else cost extra.
Kara devoured her food instantly.
Lily ate delicately, like she was having a fancy meal instead of something that was probably made yesterday.
Joseph stared at his food for a moment before taking a bite.
As they ate, a random thought hit Joseph.
He had zero idea how old his party members were.
And given that one of them was a brawler with a death wish and the other was an aggressively cheerful healer, it felt like something he should probably know.
"…Hey," he said, swallowing a bite of bread. "How old are you guys, anyway?"
Kara raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Joseph shrugged. "I just realized I don't know. Thought I should probably check before I get arrested for child endangerment."
Lily giggled. "I'm fourteen!"
Joseph choked on his food.
"Fourteen?!"
Lily nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! I started training as a healer when I was twelve!"
Joseph turned to Kara, still coughing. "And you?"
Kara smirked. "Eighteen."
Joseph exhaled in relief. "Okay, good. At least one of you is an adult."
Lily puffed out her cheeks. "Boss! I'm not a kid! I can take care of myself!"
Joseph sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't expect me to stop worrying when we're getting attacked by literal monsters."
Kara grinned. "Heh. Softie."
Joseph ignored her. This conversation was over.
After finishing their meal, the trio headed to the guild board.
Joseph scanned the available quests, actively avoiding anything involving goblins, wolves, or anything with the words "mysterious disappearances."
Lily pointed excitedly at one. "Oh! What about this?"
Quest: Herb Gathering
Reward: 7 Copper per bundle
Details: A local apothecary needs medicinal herbs from the forest. Collect and return.
Joseph stared at the paper.
"…So, we're basically picking flowers?"
Kara shrugged. "It's easy money."
Joseph sighed. "Alright. Fine. Anything's better than goblins."
Lily cheered. "Yay! Field trip!"
Joseph had no idea how gathering herbs could possibly go wrong.