About ten minutes later, the old man came downstairs, holding a set of brown clothes. In a deep voice, he said, "These are my smallest size. You won't fit into anything else."
"Thank you, my dear neighbor," Glen replied, taking the clothes. He knew that with the old man's height and build, it would be hard to find anything that fit him well, but having something was better than nothing.
He gave a polite bow and then stepped out through the door.
The old man kept watching Glen leave until his figure disappeared from sight. With a sigh, he muttered, "Annoying little brat…"
…
After receiving the clothes, Glen nearly jogged back to his house. He boiled some water, then rushed into the bathroom, filling the bath. Stripping off the clothes that made him uncomfortable, he sank into the warm water.
He couldn't help but wonder where this water came from. He didn't have to pay any water bills and could use as much as he wanted. In towns like this, there would usually be some kind of water and power company, but this one seemed different. Maybe the whole town was strange, so using endless water was just normal, right?
While soaking in the bath, Glen found himself thinking more about the oddities of this town.
After a relaxing scrub, Glen felt much better. He changed into the clothes the old man gave him. As expected, they were a bit too large, but still wearable.
He tidied up the bathroom, lit an oil lamp, and sat in the living room, his mind swirling. Today's events had been so chaotic and unpredictable—nothing seemed to be going right. He could only hope tomorrow would be better.
With no phones or entertainment, and nothing else to do, Glen went to bed early, planning to rise early the next morning.
At first, he had trouble falling asleep. Going to bed too early left him restless, but eventually, exhaustion took over, and he drifted off to sleep.
Rustle...
A noise from outside interrupted Glen's shallow sleep. His eyes fluttered open, and he quietly slipped out of bed. He remembered the strange sounds from his first night in this world. He wondered what it was this time.
Could it be another monster like Ab? The original owner of the house had lived here for so long without trouble... Glen thought, his mind racing as he moved toward the window.
Peering through a crack in the window, his enhanced vision easily cut through the darkness, revealing everything on the street below.
He didn't have to search hard. It was immediately obvious where the noise was coming from.
A very thin and elongated creature, almost snake-like in form, was carefully searching through his yard. It was pale all over, with a round head, and it seemed to be searching for something.
What the hell is this thing? Glen felt a headache coming on. He was getting exhausted by all the bizarre happenings in this place.
The creature had probably been here for a while. Since the original owner had lived here without incident, it seemed like the creature didn't attack the residents. So maybe it wasn't worth worrying about.
After a brief pause, Glen decided to ignore it and went back to bed, trying to sleep again.
True to his prediction, the night passed without incident, and he slept soundly until morning.
Today, he still planned to go hunting. Despite yesterday's frustrations, he wasn't discouraged.
This time, there were no unexpected events. The hunting trip went smoothly, and he and the beast captured eleven black pigs, plus a deer-like creature, a pretty good haul.
He picked one of the pigs, killed it, and used a wooden cart to drag it out of the dense forest. The rest of the animals were left in the traps, being guarded by the beast.
Though pulling the cart wasn't strenuous for Glen, it still felt a bit humiliating.
If it weren't for not wanting to scare the others, I wouldn't even be doing this… he grumbled inwardly, though his pace never slowed.
Unsure if he could sell the meat, he figured it was best to reach Dud Town early, so he could get home before it was completely dark.
…
Meanwhile, Bob and the two burly men had just arrived in Dud Town after a long journey. The scare from yesterday made them hesitant to continue running down the dark road, so they found a hidden cave to sleep in for the night.
This also caused them to miss the two girls who had followed them earlier.
After a night of anxiety, the trio walked back into town the next morning, moving swiftly under the rising sun.
They kept a low profile in town, not drawing attention to themselves. They moved quietly through the streets, eventually reaching a dark alleyway.
This area was filled with petty criminals and beggars, indicating there were few, if any, security personnel here. It was a place that didn't receive much attention, and if you got caught, it was easy to slip away.
The three men walked through the alley with practiced ease. Ahead, a lively building could be heard, the noise growing louder as they approached. Two large men stood guard at the entrance.
When the guards saw the trio approach, they didn't speak, merely letting them pass.
Inside the noisy building, a group of people were drinking and talking loudly, their behavior matching their rough appearance.
Bob and his companions weren't given much attention as they entered.
"We're back. Please inform Lord Glas," one of the burly men said, walking up to a small man with a mustache who was standing in the corner.
The man glanced over the newcomers and nodded before disappearing into a back room.
A few minutes later, the mustached man returned and told them, "Lord Glas wants to see you."
Upon hearing this, the trio tensed up, wondering how they should explain themselves to avoid punishment.
But the inevitable came quickly. When they faced the powerful figure standing before the fireplace, all the words they had rehearsed seemed to vanish.
"So, you saw a monster and abandoned your mission, running away like a bunch of scared dogs?" The deep voice immediately silenced the trio, making them lower their heads in fear.
The strong figure turned around, revealing a terrifying face—red eyes, protruding fangs, and a monstrous appearance resembling an orc from the Warcraft universe. But this world had no orcs, and this was definitely not one.
Even though they had seen Glas's face before, it was always as shocking as the first time.
"Please, you have to hear us out! Lord Glas, we've never seen a monster like that! It was terrifying! It was stronger than a lion! If we hadn't run, we'd have all died!" one of the men pleaded, his voice trembling.
"I only know that you ruined everything," Glas said calmly. He gestured to the burly men standing nearby.
At his signal, the men grabbed Bob and his companions, preparing to carry them out. According to the rules, those who failed their missions would lose a finger. If they weren't short on manpower, the punishment would be far worse.
Ignoring their pleas, Glas turned his attention to something else.
"How much more life energy do you need?" he suddenly asked, his words cryptic.
At that moment, the room was silent, and only Glas should have been there.
"The more, the better, my reliable friend. You've experienced the feeling of power, haven't you? Find more young lives and sacrifice them to me. When I fully awaken, I'll lead you to the highest position," a hoarse voice replied, seemingly coming from nowhere.
The eerie voice echoed in the room, leaving the situation even more mysterious.