9 Starfel City

Underneath the thickets, my lifeless body lay still while being surrounded by shadows.

I look up only to see me surrounded by darkness. An eternal darkness that I could never escape from.

There was a time when the forest felt like home. A tranquil, serene and comfortable home. Now, I lay motionless in an empty room surrounded by nothing.

Crssshk

The shadows disappeared only to be followed by more shadows.

What is this sound.

I hear the echoes of muddled voices. It sounds almost as if being underwater.

After some time, the muddled voice became much more clear and heard the voice of a woman.

"Uhmmm~"

I look up and see two identical figures.

They both had long blonde hairs, emerald eyes, and shared the same features.

The only reason I could distinguish them apart was because one was shorter than the other and was wearing a frilly skirt and a long sleeve buttoned up shirt. Whereas the taller one is wearing a full plate of steel armor and an iron sword gripped with his hand.

"Oh you finally heard me!"

"May I help you?"

Who are these people..

"Isn't it the opposite?!"

The woman in front of me retorted while puffing her cheeks out.

"I don't follow what you mean"

"Mou! You were surrounded by goblins just now! If we didn't found you, you would have died!"

…

'Mou!'

Leiya..

You told me to forget about you but how could I. We spent time with each other for so long. How do you expect me to forget about you? About the promises that we made? The vows that we took?

As long as we had each other, it didn't matter.. So how could you make that decision..

I grit my teeth and mist started to form in my eyes.

Did all the trials we went through meant nothing to you?

All those promises that we made, was it all a lie?

You protected me but I never got to keep my promise and take you back to my world.

You're unfair..

The promise that you made, you kept it. But you didn't even let me keep my promise!

Leiya..

"Did you hear me?"

"Sorry"

"Mou! I asked if you're ok!"

"Yes I'm fine"

I stand up and look at the surroundings. The scenery, it's something I'm used to yet unfamiliar with.

Spending nearly a year inside of a forest made me very familiar with this scenery yet it's not the same anymore.

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"Ya.."

After the words left my lips, my vision became blurry and darkness surrounded me once more.

(*)

When I woke up, I found myself laying on a soft wooden bed. My body was covered with a freshly scented blanket and a towel on my forehead.

"Oh you've finally woken up!"

I look at where the voice is coming from and saw the figure of Leiya.

"Leiya.."

"Leiya?"

I look closer and see that it was the girl from earlier. Her long blonde hair flows down ever so gently on her shoulders. Her eyelashes are long and thing while her lips are seductively pouting.

"Ah- Forgive me for my rudeness. You've been taking care of me right?"

I look around and finally realize that I'm inside of someone's room. The woman beside me is sitting down by a table. On the table, steam could be seen from a small plate of soup.

She came closer and helped me get up.

"Don't worry about that right now. Here, eat up"

A spoonful of soup slowly touched my lips and warmed me up from the inside.

"It's good"

I smile at her and continue being taken cared of by this girl who I've never even met before.

Just like how it was back in the forest.

After I finished the food, she finally loosened her expression.

"Looks like you're fine now"

"Thanks to your care"

"I'm Reika"

"Nice to meet you Reika. I'm Haruto"

A warm smile hidden with grief greeted her kindness towards me.

"Is it ok if I ask you questions?"

"Yes it's the least I could do"

"Well then first off, what were you doing in that forest? You don't look like you're from around here"

What was I doing in that forest..

I don't know the answer to this question. I don't even know where I currently am.

Judging from the clothing of these people, it looks like I'm still in the same world.

"If I had to say, I suppose I'm lost. While travelling for a very long time, I ended up in that forest and the rest of the story, you know"

Although my story is slightly different, it's not as if I'm lying to her. I truly am lost after all.

"Oh? Then does that mean you're headed to Starfel City?"

"Starfel City?"

She wore a shocked expression on her face.

"You don't know? It's a city inside the Faeya territory"

…

"I'm sorry. I come from a far away place and I don't have any knowledge concerning this place"

"Ahh it can't be helped then. Let me explain. We are currently in the kingdom of Afleroth, a far off kingdom beside the western seas. In Afleroth, there are eight clans that holds the highest authority. Each clan is in charge of their territory including the Aelia Clan which holds the highest authority. One way to put it is the leader if the Aelia Clan is the King of our kingdom. Well I wouldn't know what our king looks like hehe. We are inside of Starfel City which is under the jurisdiction of the Faeya Clan!"

Ohh!

I have a better understanding of my situation now. At the very least, I now know that I'm inside of civilization.

"I see.. Thank you for explaining it to me"

"No worries! But you don't even know where you are.. Will you be fine?"

"Ahaha.."

"You don't have any money do you.."

"What if I told you that I'm a travelling merchant that lost his merchandise by hungry wolves"

"Liar!"

I laugh wryly at her.

"It can't be helped.. I'm assuming that you're broke. You can just work for me then!"

"Work for you?"

"Mn! I'll even let you stay here!"

What a nice person..

…

"Thank you for the offer but I think I'll be fine"

"Are you sure?"

"Ya.."

(*)

Before I left, we conversed some more.

She explained to me that there are places where I can earn money such as the adventurers association. Apparently, she used to be an adventurer before but because her mother passed away, she decided to take over the inn left behind by the mother.

I would have gladly taken her offer but I simply couldn't.

I need to stay strong.

Just wait for me.

Haaaa.. I'll come visit her every now and then. We became friends after all.

Well then, I thank her once more and leave the room. I head downstairs and see several people sitting around drinking in the middle of the day. Some of them are wearing simple clothing such as tunics and shirts while some are fitted with leather armor or simply just wearing a full plate of armor.

I open the door and what I saw before me was simply fantastic.

The streets were busy with people and festivity. On the middle of the road, trees that are glowing with a blue luminescent light stands brightly. The roads are filled with people in carriages and horses. The sidewalks are filled with stalls where people are merrily eating and drinking. Not even a minute has passed and the aroma of spices fill the air as I take in everything.

?

I felt something tap my shoulders.

When I turned around, a freshly cooked meat on the skewer was shoved forcefully in my mouth.

"Guo-"

"Hehe"

Reika stood beside me with a victorious smile.

"Let me atleast walk you to the adventures association"

"Thank you"

She looked at me mysteriously with hints of worrisome.

"Are you sure you want to become an adventurer? It's a very risky job you know.. You don't look strong either.."

A sigh came out of her small body.

"I'll be fine~ I may not look it but I can defend myself at the very least"

"Really~?"

She started giggling and not took my comment seriously.

"I'll show you around the city first"

"Ok"

Reika seems like a very straightforward and easy going person.

(*)

She took me to some food stalls and ended up eating all day.

"That's right! I was supposed to show you to the adventurers association!"

"Ugh.. I'm too full I can't move"

"Mou.. It's just around the corner come on"

She brought me around the corner and a large building quickly filled my vision. It was a three story building. Fairly wide and people are busily walking in and out of it. There are two equally large buildings right beside it.

When we entered the building, Reika quickly ran up to the counter.

Hmmm.. The place is fairly large. There are multiple booths where people are lining up on. To the side, there's a bar of some sort where people wearing armors and equipped with weapons are sitting around drinking in broad daylight.

Geh..

I want to join too.

"Haruto come here!"

Wait for me.

I walk up to where Reika was and see that she's standing by a small booth where a lady in a unique sort of uniform is sitting down.

"Reika, is this the one who wants to become an adventurer?"

"That's right"

"Hmm"

She stared at me profoundly.

"Hello. My name is Haruto. I'd like to become an adventurer"

"Well then, please stand over here and place your left palm on the surface of this stone tablet"

I do as I'm told and placed my hand on the tablet. Soon after, the stone tablet started to shine ever so slightly and the engravings on the tablet were glowing.

"Geh.. You're still only level 1?"

"Level I? What do you mean.."

Reika on the side started to sigh deeply with a dejected look.

"Reika stop interrupting my job. Just go sit there for now"

Reika then left and sat by the bar.

"Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Aurora, one of the association's adviser. You would like to become an adventurer correct?"

"Uh yes that's right"

"Well then let me first explain how everything works. In the adventurers association, we are dedicated to provide plenty of services that would benefit optimistic adventurers such as yourselves. The main service that we have is that you can sell magic crystals to us. Magic crystals are crystallized energies that are created after slaying a beast or a monster. You can bring it here and we will buy it for a fair price. We also have other services such as job postings and monster bounties that you can take. Apart from that, we have many facilities such as the food and bar that's directly to our left. We also have an underground battlefield where you can practice and train as well as to have friendly matches with other adventurers"

Magic crystals? I wonder if it's enough to make a living out of.

"We also have different associations that are correctly correlated with the adventurers association. To the left of this building, you can find the hunters association. In there, you can ask for them to salvage materials from slain monsters and beasts. They can also buy specific meats that they would want. To the right, you can find the merchants association. There you can sell raw materials such as the ones that you could get from the hunters association. They will buy it as well. Also, the merchants association has a program that allows adventurers and others to set up stalls in the back for a price. You can sell things there and adventurers might buy it"

I listen to her intently for about half an hour as she explains everything. It was full of important details and I'm glad she explained it to me.

It seems like this country's system is fairly good. Strong people are able to earn a living as long as they decide to risk their lives.

But the question is, I don't know how strong the enemies are..

Back in the forest, I did fairly well against beasts but how far can I truly take it..