Fifth day, some progress and a bothersome issue

The journey was a hot and tired one, a different experience to the last four days of traveling. The Slime wasn't much affected, and neither would I be if I wasn't a human.

'...Dammit, if only I could conjure my higher tier Spells to alter this horrible weather.'

It was draining my mentality quicker than normal, making my fatigue rise faster by the second.

'Shit… I can feel my consciousness dimming.'

I decide to escape this heat and take refuge into the forest. I gather the humidity, or what's left at least, and cool my body off. The sweat slowly dries off and my human flesh suit is a little bit better now.

"Ahhhh… nice and cool~."

I lay back against the tree and with the nice shade that it provided, my mind began to slip unconscious.

'Gah! Damn, I shouldn't do that. I'm too exposed right now, and the Human's Sins are slowly polluting me. Sloth is extra potent, and deadly.'

If I don't keep a steady mind, I might fall into a hard situation with little options but to reveal myself.

'...Should I?'

I deliberated on using it, as it has a unique Aura to its appearance that might attract unwanted attention.

'...'

I take out the Item that'll solve my human needs. Eliminating the need to worry about it as long as I wanted it to.

[Deceased Ring]

[Item Rarity: B]

[Item Effect:

+If you're a Race that's specified as 'living', all of your bodily needs will no longer affect you

-A foul and unsettling Aura will be enveloped around you as you wear this Item

[Durability: 433/450]

It was chipped a bit around the edges, but it's metallic, silver beauty still remains as charming as ever. It was very dazzling to look at, but if one had a fairly sensitive nose, then they would've picked up a terrible stench coming from the ring.

'It is a cursed Item that drops from a Cultist of Undead, a level 160 Mob that spawns at locations related to a Death God.'

I inspected the ring for a few seconds, not putting it on before I made up my mind about the risks and potential benefits it could give me.

'I guess… I can wear it during journeys to minimize time lost from basic needs and necessities.'

It was a huge benefit, but the disadvantages were still looming relatively high.

'If the Sky notices this ring, then it'll put me in danger of being misunderstood as one of those Cultists.'

Regardless of Worlds, the Cultists of Undead or some organization that functions relatively the same, they all appear in a World as a passive threat one needs to keep at bay.

'I didn't need to worry about that though.'

I decide to put it on for now until I arrive at the destination I have in mind.

[You have equipped the Deceased Ring]

[The Thirst meter has stopped progressing]

[The Hunger meter has stopped progressing]

[Lack of Sleep will no longer cause any debuffs on you]

[Regeneration Rate has been slowed down due to the inactivity of your body]

Of course, there was the 'hidden debuffs' that I have to worry about. But, it was just a slight inconvenience at best for me as I have many means to heal myself during and out of combat.

'Alright, the heat doesn't seem that bothersome anymore.'

I stand up, my mind clearer than it has ever been since I started wearing this flesh suit. I could no longer feel my dry throat from a feel seconds ago, along with the prickly feeling in my stomach.

'Ahhhh, what a liberating feeling. I should've done this sooner."

I resume my journey after a few minutes' pause. My spirit was lifted as the Human Sins no longer affected my psyche anymore.

I walked for miles, and soon the sky turned orange signaling noon. I continued onward as I could sense my destination being ever so closer with each step. I pressed on for a little while more, and as the sky was settling on dusk. I arrived there.

'Finally…'

From afar, I could see a pretty neat village with a wooden barrier surrounding it. A faint light emanates from the village, showing human activity inside.

'A primitive protection.'

I walked forward to the village, and soon I could hear the small sounds of laughing and children's playful chatter. Musical, a somber and relaxing melody to my ears that brought back the memories of my youth, of my humble beginnings.

......…

Upon reaching the opened gate, the guard on two sides of it called out to me.

"Hey, you there. Got any… ew, you stink."

And just as expected, the smell from my ring that now envelops me was making the guards look in disgust towards me.

"Got any… identifications on you?"

"Afraid… not, my apologies. I am a wandering Mage, you see."

"A wandering Mage?"

The two guards looked at each other with raised eyebrows, their fingers blocking their noses to block out the horrid stench coming from me.

"Then, were you trained anywhere?"

"No, afraid not. I'm self-taught from a young age."

"Oh?"

The two guards looked in astonishment towards me.

'Was what I said strange?'

Back in my World, there were many wandering Mages that roamed the lands and practiced their Magic wherever and whenever. They're self-taught just like what I've said, and they were always more powerful than the tamed and generically bred Mages from the various Towers.

"Then, can you show me proof that you're a Mage? Cast a… tier 3 Spell?"

"Tier 3… okay."

I turned around, raised my hand up towards the sky at a 75 degree angle and cast my requested Spell.

"Shooting Starfire."

A red Magic Eye appeared before my palm and charged up the Mana required for it. A red glowing fireball formed and shot out towards where I pointed it to. A loud boom sound reverberated as the sky that was shrouded in darkness lit up once more like dawn had arrived.

Screams of shock and awe came from inside the village. The two guards, they were stunned beyond belief at the spectacular demonstration of Magic, the most wondrous ability in this World.

"...Now, do you believe me?"

"Y-Yes! Apologies for doubting you, sir Mage!"

Their tone turned 180 and they even respectfully bowed to me. I got to be let inside, and upon crossing the gate I was met with numerous gazes and whispers.

''Hey… was that…"

"A Mage? Why is there a Mage here…?"

"That explosion, that could be tier 4 or 5 Magic!"

"No way, is that a Mage?"

Shocked and awe-filled voices were exchanged between the townspeople, their gaze fixated on me.

"Hmm…"

"Interesting."

Alongside the townspeople, there were the merchants who had their stalls set-up to attract customers. They weren't doing anything, and were just looking at me like the others.

'Looks like I made quite the impression…'

It was tough, but not too bothersome. It meant I got a reputation, and now is the time to guide my reputation to appeal to the watching masses.

I approached a stall with a female merchant. Upon seeing my approach, she was surprised with her eyes being wide.

''H-Hello, esteemed Mage."

"I would like to seek knowledge, miss. Where is the capital? How far is it from here?"

"U-Uh, the… capital? It's a whole 2 month walk if you're going by foot, carriage'll be 1 and a half month. You can… ask the other merchants if they're leaving soon for the capital, it'll probably cost you though, greedy bastards."

As she made that last comment, she glared at the other merchants. They averted her gaze for some reason, most probably out of fear.

"...Then, when are you leaving?"

"Me? Well, tough to say. Some folks still haven't made it yet, there's at least 1,400 people traveling here to make exchanges with their crops, and I count only 1,285 people minus the regular folks and merchants."

"You… remember their faces?"

"Yeah? I have a good memory."

From our brief exchange, I deducted that she can be a reliable source of information. A merchant is one of the influential and most traveling types of Job Classes a Human Player can orient themselves towards.

'There was a Player who got to the 30s with a Merchant Build.'

I didn't catch her name nor remember it since her Player Name isn't often spoken of. They call her Sakura Blossom, a nickname that's very different to the nickname her rivals called her. Alluring Vixen, Demoness Merchant, Control Freak, those kinds of nicknames were associated with her when her rivals talked about how to destroy her completely.

'She was praised as the Merchant Goddess, the Fortune Goddess, and the Goddess of Wisdom and Insight. Her titles in her World are really considerable, along with her military might.'

If I were to scale her World's military might, then it would take two of my most powerful Monarchs strength wise to completely avoid amassing many casualties on my side. At most, I would just need one of my Monarchs to completely slaughter one World.

'Well… I guess wealth is also a form of power to be sought for.'

"Then, how long will that be? I can wait."

"You're… gonna wait? Why? Aren't Mages supposed to value every second of time?"

"I.. have some to spare."

"Huh… you're a strange one, Mage."

The woman smiled at me from her stall, but my height ruins the feeling of superiority.

"Anyway, you can't stay in my stall, nope. You'll have to find your own place to stay."

"Alright, fair enough, I suppose."

I didn't judge her words and just went along with it. Being obedient now instead of bargaining will get me more benefits later on.

'I don't need to sleep now… and the others don't seem to mind my stench if I just keep a good distance, so I'll go explore the nearby forest again to see what's there.'

I could sense a road connecting to the nearby forest, the same forest I went to in order to gain food on my journey here.

'Does it connect to one of the three small villages?'

If so, then maybe I can take refuge there in order to lay low and further my disguise and impression as a human. If I were to disappear or just loiter around here for hours on end while it's nighttime, that would certainly look somewhat suspicious.

I left the place and went towards my destination. I walk further down the merchant-filled street that's now filled with loud voices again. However, the gazes are still on me. My clothing was, after all, many times more special than the people here.

Most of them have simple clothes, while the women have tighter clothes that cling to their bodies. Curvious, beautiful bodies that attract many lecherous gazes of men towards them.

'...'

I arrive at an intersection. I turned left and followed a short road that ended at another gate leading to a pitch black forest. It looked scary for the faint of hearts, but to me it felt like home.

'Ahhh… my darling.'

I walked forward and exited the village, heading into the forest at night. Many of the children followed me back in the village, but as soon as I left into the forest, they all stopped and dispersed shortly after.

All, except for one child.

'So… cool.'

A child of unknown gender was the only one still standing at where I left. I could sense her heartbeat spiking from afar.

'I want… to follow.'

I wondered where her mother was, along with the other children's mothers. They allowed them to follow me seemingly without a care.

'...What is this kid doing?'

Halfway into my walk, I stopped and glanced back. The child also stopped in the distance, looking at me with their green eyes.

"What are you doing? Go back, child."

"...But I am?"

They tilted their head to the side with a monotonous look on their face. I couldn't see much visually, so I read her mind instead.

'He's… so cool.'

'...What is this?'

Cool? What nonsense…

'Hahhh, this is gonna be troublesome.'

A dangerous sentence just came out of a child. Me being cool? What is this, Earth?

"Go back to wherever you came from, I don't have time to entertain you."

"Time…? Ah, then how about I buy some time from you?"

"..."

As soon as I was about to walk away, a very peculiar sentence came out of their mouth. Then, a clanging sound reverberated across the quiet atmosphere of the forest.

"I'll buy some time from you so, can you… entertain me?"

I looked back to see they're holding out a leather bag. The contents of it were clear from the sound I heard earlier.

'...This cheeky brat.'

I'm unsure whether or not they're tempting me or mocking me, maybe both, but I am lacking in funds of this World.

'I can sell a few of my gems and jewelry from my conquests but, this could do just well for now.'

I don't want to resort to them that quickly if I can earn my own money just fine. So, with a sigh as I resign my pride, I turn to the child and approach them.

"Alright, you got a few minutes from me, then what do you want?"

"Magic… you can do Magic?"

"You want to see Magic?"

"Yes, Magic… what, type of Magic should I see?"

"..."

What type of bullshit is this? Is this child messing with me?

"You have limited time, and my patience is even more limited. Say it quickly."

"Uhh… a cool, Magic. Can you show me cool Magic?"

"Cool, Magic…?''

What kind of… arghh, whatever.

''Snow Orb."

I adjusted a simple Spell that's meant to send compacted snow and frost inside to a harmless and 'cool' Spell. A light blue Magic Eye appeared on my palm and aimed upward.

It shot up like a flare and exploded into white snowflakes and glowing frost, mesmerizing the little child with its simple yet beautiful glow.

''Satisfied?"

"More…"

"...Whirling Flames."

Another Magic Eye appeared and this time it was above the two of us. About 3 meters in diameter, it sends down orbs of fire that swirls slowly around us, lighting up the dark atmosphere of the forest.

''Enough?"

"Woah~, beautiful."

I extinguished the flames that lit up the surroundings and returned the scenery to an ambient darkness. I looked at the child with a cold gaze and aimed a little of my Demonic Power at her, but my attempt to intimidate and scare the child away was unsuccessful.

''Hm? I'm uncomfortable for some reason?"

"...Interesting."

I wasn't going to bother, but now I'm quite curious why this child wasn't afraid of me. It even followed me into this dark forest without hesitation.

'Soul Gaze.'

Its Status was revealed to me, and the information that I gave me was very intriguing.

[Name: Seriphyl Embras]

[Condition: Spirit]

[Mentality: 8 years old]

[Mindset: Blissful]

[History: A child who died in the forest due to dehydration. She was uncared for by her parents, left out by the group of village kids, and due to that she wandered off one day and was too far and lost to find her way home before dark. Days go by and her parents didn't even notice her disappearance, until it was the fifth day, too late to find her still preserved corpse. All that's left was a maggot infested feast for the forest omnivores and carnivores]

[Wish: I just want to be cared for, to see the world beyond the green prison I was born into]

A Spirit, a child's Spirit that unfortunately died because she was too weak to survive in this World. A pitiful child, and it is my duty to release her from this World.

"...Child, do you… perhaps remember how you died?"

"I… died? Yes… I did, I felt too dry and just laid down under a tree. When I opened my eyes, I couldn't feel that dryness anymore. I… wandered for days on end until I found home again. But, mother and father weren't able to see me anymore, not even noticing me when I cried loudly."

She shed some light to her experience. A sad glimpse into a child's mind after death.

"It is… okay, child."

"The children, I followed them for months. I try to be with them, play along with them, or at least pretend to. I wanted to live, but I can't anymore."

Her eyes started to water up, and her hands that gripped on the bag slipped and revealed that the bag wasn't even real in the first place.

''I… I'm dead, mister Mage. I'm… not alive anymore."

"...Yes, child. You are no longer alive on this Mortal Realm anymore."

I spoke to her the truth, the cold hard truth that she must've been avoiding until now, coping with her mind. But it seems that, this day is the day she faced that truth.

"I… followed you because you looked cool, but when you turned around and looked at me, I was… confused."

"..."

"When you spoke to me, I was even more confused. Mister Mage, can others like you do what you did? Talking to ghosts?"

"No… I'm, special. I can see you because… well, nevermind."

"...When mister Mage spoke to me, I was confused yet excited. I thought that, I wasn't dead anymore. That the other kids and my parents were just ignoring me like they used to. But, it was-"

"It's okay, child. Everyone dies, old and young alike."

I interrupted her since this was getting nowhere. Sure she's grieving, venting her sadness that's probably been bottled up for months on end due to the loneliness she'd felt in her short lifetime. It was progress, but now it was just words.

I knelt down to the same eye level as the little child, and spoke with a soft tone.

"Do you have any wishes? All beings have one, what is yours?"

"My… wishes. I, wish to get out of this place. I tried following the merchants on their way to the so-called capital, but my fears got the better of me and I returned every time."

"You wish to travel? Then, would you like me to hold your hand on your travels?"

"You… would? You would, mister Mage?"

"Of course, anything for an adorable little girl."

The cheeks of the young spirit blossomed red. It looked down to the ground and stayed there for some time.

"...Thank you, mister Mage."

When she said that, I received a prompt in front of my view.

[You have comforted the deceased Spirit, Seriphyl Embras of her loneliness]

[You have formed a contract to fulfill her Wish]

[Unable to resolve this contract will damage your Godhood's Reputation in this World]

[The Quest {Travel Companion} has been generated]

I expanded the Quest for its information.

{Travel Companion}

[Difficulty: C]

[Quest Clear Condition: Travel with the Spirit, Seriphyl Embras, throughout the World or until her Happiness meter is completely filled]

[Quest Clear Rewards: Godhood Reputation +1, able to call upon the Spirit in times of need]

[Quest Failure Punishment: Godhood Reputation -3]

'So, another person to accompany me on this journey.'

I sighed before closing all the prompts. Then, my Slime companion poked its head out from my robe.

''Ah, I told you to stay inside, what if someone saw you?"

"Oh? What do you have there, mister Mage?"

"..."

I quickly slid the little blob back into my robe without raising my hands.

"It's nothing, ignore it."

"No."

"..."

This is going to be tricky, I can feel it.

'Hahhh~, this Quest is gonna be bothersome.'

A child Spirit, I've dealt with many of them in my lifetime. And as always, they remain one of the hardest to deal with.

'Well, it's a job thing.'

I turned around and continued walking.

"Come, I'll show you the World and once I'm done here, you may even see more of what's out there."

"Ohhh, then I'll be waiting."

The child was added to my list of current companions, another headache to deal with.