A Proposal

After leaving the room, Lucas finds himself in a narrow corridor. As he walks forward, he soon comes across a small room with a table in the center, where the head of the fish that tried to kill him was resting.

Next to the table, there was a counter separating the kitchen from the dining area. Despite the small space, it conveyed a certain sense of comfort.

On the other side of the counter, the old man was cutting the fish into pieces.

— H-Hello? — Lucas said, uncertain whether he should interrupt him.

— Oh, you're already here? I was about to call you for dinner in a little while — the old man commented, continuing to clean the fish.

— Ah, don't worry about that... Anyway, thank you so much for saving me — Lucas thanked as he observed the old man.

— You were lucky to be in the area where I fish — the old man said, turning to face the young man. — But tell me, what was a boy like you doing in the middle of the desert?

— W-Well, would you believe me if I said I just appeared there without knowing why?

The old man looked at Lucas with a sympathetic gaze.

— Maybe you lost your memory... How about taking a walk outside to get some fresh air? It shouldn't be as hot now — the old man suggested, resuming his work. — When you're ready, I'll call you.

— Ah, thank you... By the way, what's your name? Mine is Lucas.

— I'm Domingos — he replied while cutting the fish. — Just an old fisherman who lives around these parts.

— Well, thank you very much, Domingos. I'll go take a look outside.

— Go ahead.

With Domingos' words, Lucas was led out of the kitchen. He walked to the surface of the boat, where he could contemplate the vastness of the desert.

— ... Hm? Who's controlling the boat? — the young man wondered, noticing that the helm was unoccupied. — ...Eh!?

Lucas hurried to the helm to investigate and found that he was tied, with a rope, to the current position.

— ...Isn't this somewhat dangerous?

Despite the doubt, the young man decided to set that question aside, after all, Domingos was the experienced one there, not him.

Lucas took a deep breath, contemplating the vast desert stretching before him. The gentle breeze brought a welcome relief, dissipating the feeling of suffocation he had experienced earlier.

— A different world... — he murmured, feeling a mixture of anxiety and fear. — Will I be alright?

The young man could only hold onto any negative feelings he was experiencing and move forward.

— But... What should I do now? — he questioned, looking at the sun that was almost setting. — The system has some interesting things I can try to obtain, but I don't have a goal myself.

While reflecting on his choices, he remembered something to ask the system.

— Hey, System, can I return to my world?

[No]

— As I expected...

This journey was imposed on Lucas without his consent, so he certainly didn't have a specific goal to accomplish in this world. Even if he could try to do anything, what did he really want to do? That was the most important question for the young man at the moment.

Sitting on the bow of the boat, Lucas enjoyed the refreshing breeze until he was called by Domingos.

— Young man, dinner is ready!

— I'm coming. — he replied, slowly getting up and entering the boat.

Upon returning to the kitchen, a delicious aroma filled the air, making Lucas salivate.

— Sit down, let's eat while it's hot — the old man said, ready to eat.

— Okay — the young man responded before sitting across from the old man and seeing the fried fish fillets.

Without hesitation, the two began to eat. Meanwhile, Lucas took the opportunity to ask a question.

— Hm... Domingos, I'm a bit lost and don't know exactly what to do... Do you have any recommendations?

— Recommendations? You're too weak for any kind of physical work, so... Maybe becoming a teacher or a merchant would be best? — Domingos answered, unsure.

— I don't think I'm good at teaching, and I'm also not skilled with finances... — Lucas muttered, still lost about what to do.

— Young man, I don't think you'll be able to get a good job that way. Maybe it's better to work in a restaurant.

— I see...

Lucas continued to eat in silence, lost in thoughts about what Domingos had said. Meanwhile, the old man thought that he had saddened the young man and reflected a bit before speaking again.

— Well, if you don't want to start from scratch, I have a proposal for you.

— What is it?

— How about participating in a race?

[To be continued...]

??? — A chapter of little importance.

??? — Well... This chapter focuses more on the protagonist's initial concerns, as he appeared out of nowhere in another world.

??? — Even though he has such concerns, it's not like he has any chance to choose his future.

??? — You... You're right, that system is treacherous.

[The system only serves to follow the established guidelines when it was created]

??? — And it doesn't have anything for newcomers?

[There are no records of such a thing]

??? — Indeed, we can't expect anything from that system.