Chapter 12: First meeting with the locals

"Fairytales by nature only talk about the victors. The survivors. Nobody speaks about what happens to those who failed, except in the abstract: as cautionary tales to guide others onto the path to success. How many brave knights fell to the dragon before he was slayed by the noble prince? How many children burned to a crisp and eaten before the wicked witch received her due? These stories are lost, but the lesson behind them is not: it is not enough to be merely pure and good."

― Nenia Campbell, Evergloom

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I woke up the next day feeling strangely empty.

There wasn't the negative gloomy feeling often associated with it, but more along the lines of boredom and staleness. I have been living on this island for quite some time now. More or less, I was settled and making slow but steady progress here.

But I couldn't quite forget the fact that my little isolated paradise was also connected to the world of Remnant.

Sure, I'd been there on multiple occasions and had done some serious exploring, but most of it was just us trudging through wild forests, clearings, and hills, fighting various Grimm we could find—or that found us.

I was tired of it.

What I truly wanted was to find civilization. That had been my goal from the start, but so far, my luck had been lousy. It made sense, though. From my fragmented memories, there were four main patches of civilization on Remnant: the so-called Four Kingdoms or City-states. There were also villages and outposts scattered around and in between them, but those weren't exactly safe. Villages were often torn apart by Grimm or bandits, making them very temporary in nature. I had no interest in stumbling upon an outpost either; it would likely turn out to be a bandit camp.

I opened my [Menu] and checked the amount I had on me.

It's getting there. Slowly.

After the renovation yesterday, I had to let my Gold reserves recover and fill up to a certain amount. Specifically, I needed half a million Gold to tier-up the Portal which will allow me greater control over the locations I could go through.

I just had to be patient and let the earnings from my Dragon Habitats pile up.

***

Dang it, I couldn't wait.

Just a couple hours later, I was so restless that I decided to do some short dives in the world of Remnant to see if I would luck out. This wasn't full-on exploration dives but more along the lines of hop-in, check map and surroundings, then hop-out if there's no civilization visible.

After a dozen tries, I finally lucked out!

… Aaand it was a mirage in a desert. Never mind.

Damn it!

The giant sand scorpion Grimm hidden in one of the sand dunes also managed to give me the spook of my life. I had never run back to the portal faster. The thought of fighting it never even crossed my mind. It was freaking huge and my wood spear couldn't possibly deal with its tough looking skin.

As the tries approached the 20s, I finally managed to reach somewhere with clear signs of civilization.

"Aha!"

I smiled widely as I looked at the very obvious footprints on the forest floor—several dozen of them!— near where the portal had opened.

The forest itself looked similar to many I'd been to, if not as dense and wild. Honestly, it was almost tame in comparison and I wondered if there were even any Grimm here— oh wait, never mind. Think I heard a snort that sounded very much like the Boarbatusk Grimm.

From the portal, Pyra came out and I turned to look at her in mild surprise.

"Oh, hey, girl. Did you get bored? Want to explore the forest with me?"

I asked, petting her snout as I felt her growl lightly in affirmation. I had asked Pyra to stay close to the portal in case I needed help. I learned my lesson after that scorpion. Pyra could deal with those surprises.

On another note, I missed the cute 'Kyu!'s Pyra used to make when she was little, but she exchanged it for a ferocious and cool growl which sounded like an Apex predator, so I couldn't blame her. Still, sometimes I missed her little dragon self.

I briefly wondered if I could experience that cuteness once again if Pyra had any babies. But that thought brought back memories I was trying to repress for reasons.

Nope. Not thinking about it. No way. Exploration. Yes. Focus on here and now, me.

It was a good thing I had a really nice diversion to bring me out of my questionable and weird thoughts.

I had civilization to find!

While it might have been a risk to keep Pyra with me, especially since I was (possibly) near a spot frequently visited by others—judging by the fresh-looking footprints—it was a calculated one. Not that I was an expert at determining the age of footprints; my assessment was just an educated guess.

"Alright, but you have to be very careful this time. There may be people ahead here and we don't want to scare them, okay?"

I asked as I petted her more.

Pyra nodded her head in affirmation, and I couldn't help but adore her.

"That's my good girl."

She absolutely deserved a generous helping of neck and belly rubs, along with some treats, which I happily provided. Her belly—likely housing a supermassive black hole—always seemed empty when it came to dragon berry treats, even if she'd had some just moments ago. Considering her new, larger size, I doubted even a normal stomach would object to a snack of a few dozen berries.

After that little break, I started following the footsteps while I made sure to keep an eye out on the surroundings as well as the map. We didn't walk for long before it happened.

My eyes widened when the Map's outline captured something other than the wilderness and I lit up in joy as I saw it was a road.

"YES! Civilization!"

I grinned wide, my heart racing with excitement. Civilization! It wasn't much, just a road, but it was enough. I hurriedly glanced down at the map, following the road that stretched out before me like a welcoming hand, eager to lead me toward where I'd been longing for in this world. The faint outline of a path came into view, winding between trees, offering a subtle sign of life nearby. It was narrow, well-worn, and most importantly, clearly used. That was all the confirmation I needed.

Pyra let out a soft growl beside me, her tail swishing slightly. I petted her head again, trying to soothe her growing excitement. I wondered if she was sensing my excitement and acting accordingly. My dragons did seem to have a sort of bond with me. It was what let me understand them so easily.

"Alright, girl. You need to go back now, okay? I'll check this out… Don't want anyone freaking out after seeing you."

I added the last bit almost in a whisper to myself.

She whined slightly in protest but, as usual, complied. I gave her a last scratch under her chin, which quieted her, and opened the portal back to the island. Then, I carefully made my way toward the path, mindful of my every step as I ventured deeper into what was now unmistakably civilized territory.

I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of relief—finally, a break from the wilderness. My feet led me on the path, following the trail easily as a sense of anticipation and slight nervousness started building inside me. Eventually, the sounds of the forest faded behind me, replaced by the faint hum of distant activity. The smell of fresh earth and wood remained, but there was a subtle undercurrent of something else in the air—dust, smoke, and something that felt a bit more... human. It reminded me of old memories, the bustling streets and marketplaces I'd wandered in my previous life. I was almost there. I never realized it until this moment but the smell of the city and the smell of the wilderness was quite distinct.

… or was it due to my increased stats? I guess my senses had been sharpened as I raised my stats.

After another few minutes of following the trail, I spotted it. A glimpse of stone and wood, something structured and purposeful. The buildings! At first, they were just silhouettes between the trees, but as I crept closer, they became clearer. Simple but sturdy, their roofs pointed upward, crafted from artificial materials. My pulse quickened.

I was on the edge of the town. I could feel it. Not a village, but a real settlement. Most likely a city.

I made my way cautiously toward the outskirts, the road growing wider and more distinct underfoot. As I moved, the static noise of human voices drifted to me, snatches of conversation, laughter, the faint clink of metal against stone. The bustling life I'd craved, ever since I came into this world.

"Hah… Haha… Land ho."

I didn't care if the quote wasn't accurate; I was too overtaken by sheer relief and joy to think of an appropriate quote.

I reached a small clearing, just before the city's gates. They were tall, imposing. And they felt like a symbol of safety, of civilization. I hung back in the side, just observing the movements of the people in and around the area. There weren't many but seeing people at last was a joy in itself. If I was maybe a few weeks further into my unexpected life of solitude on the island, I might just have hugged the first person I found. Luckily, I hadn't gone that far down yet.

The city wasn't quite what I had imagined, yet it was still overwhelming. The sights, the smells, the hum of energy—it all felt strangely familiar, and yet there was something undeniably unique about it. At the same time, an odd sense of not belonging lingered, a subtle feeling of foreignness I couldn't quite put into words. I wasn't sure why that thought crept in, mingling with the city's electric energy. It was… strange.

Luckily, the feeling didn't last long, and I overcame my awe and joy eventually as well.

As I looked around, a few things immediately caught my attention. Amid the humans, I noticed individuals with distinctly animalistic traits—elongated, uniquely shaped ears, rare and vivid skin tones, the occasional presence of horns or antlers, and even tails!

Faunus.

I realized with a sense of curiosity. They moved through the crowd with a mix of ease and tension. Their presence piqued something in me, but I pushed it aside for the moment. There would be time for exploration and subtle inquiry later.

…

Surprisingly, it wasn't hard to pass the city gates and soon I was approaching what appeared to be a market, not too far from the gates—Huh, lucky me!—my eyes scanning the stands set up along the streets. The shopkeepers here were calling out to passersbys, peddling various wares—food, tools, and other goods. All sorts of curious things. It felt like the sort of place where deals were made, and travelers like me could blend in with surprising ease due to the varying shapes, sizes and dressing styles of the people here.

I glanced down at the handmade basket containing dragon apples which I'd gathered from the Apple Trees(?) back on the island. I'd taken it out of my Inventory just before approaching the city gates. The fibers I'd spun together from whatever materials I could scrounge in my free time from the tree leaves and fibers near the Breeding Den had held up surprisingly well for this brief trip. Honestly, I was proud of myself for actually managing to make it. I'd started the project on a whim during the long hours of spare time I'd had in recent days, and somehow, the final product had turned out not just usable, but functional. Sure, it was bare-bones and uneven, but it was mine—a creation I could genuinely take pride in.

"Excuse me."

I said to the first fruit vendor I approached, a burly man with a thick brown beard, combed hair, and heavy-set arms. He looked me up and down, eyes narrowing slightly at my attire.

Ah.

I guess I probably looked a little out of place even here, then. Unfortunate, but nothing I could do about. What I was wearing was the only set of clothes I had on my person, and they had been a bit overused by now. Too bad the only set of

"clothes" offered in the DTS Shop was of Dragon Rider variety. The Shop was really bare bones when it came to anything not related to Dragons.

"Yeah? What'chu want kid?"

He grunted.

"I've got these Apples here."

I said, giving him a polite smile. He eyed the basket in response.

"Fresh from the forest near my home. They're sweet and juicy. Perfect for a snack or to make a pie. I was wondering if you'd be interested in purchasing them."

I honestly couldn't come up with something better for my sales pitch and just ended up copying a line from a children's book series I read long ago. Not sure why that line stuck with me after all these years.

He looked down at the apples, then back up at me.

"Uh-huh. And how do I know you didn't just grab 'em off some random tree? How fresh are they, really?"

I raised an eyebrow in return. What kind of question was that? It's not like Apples grew on random trees… right? Wait—was that how it worked on Remnant? Was I dealing with an active case of lack of local common sense being an outsider? Otherworlder? I mean, sure, the trees on the island which grew these Apples didn't look like the Apple trees I'd seen in the images of Apple Orchards. Too thick for it. But I just thought that was an anomaly on the island itself. Was it actually a native tree from Remnant? If yes, then color me surprised.

I tried not to lose my flow over that thought and pushed forward.

"Well, I mean, you could always try one? They're fresh. You'll see for yourself. If you don't like, I'll try my luck elsewhere."

I ignored the small part of me who wondered if there was any possibility of an issue arising from others consuming these apples. I mean, from my experience they were pretty normal, if sweet and tasty, apples. But… well, it was too late for that. If there was any serious issue with me selling these Apples outside of the Island, I think the Admin would have said something. Probably.

Oh well.

The vendor hesitated for a moment, eyeing me thoughtfully, then sighed.

"Fine, one apple. But don't expect me to pay much for 'em if they taste like garbage."

Huh, so, he's actually ready to purchase them already? Neat!

I reached into the basket, plucked one of the apples, and handed it to him. He took it with a grunt, rubbed it on his sleeves, and then bit into it. His eyes immediately widened.

"Huh! Damn. This thing's pretty good."

I nodded, trying to suppress the elated grin threatening to spread across my face. "Told you. Handpicked, from the best tree around."

Maybe I was laying it a little too thick there, but whatever. The shopkeeper looked too occupied with the flavor of the apple to comment on anything.

The vendor chewed thoughtfully for a moment, likely relishing the taste, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Alright, alright. I'll buy 'em. What do ya want for it?"

Well, now this was the truly difficult part. I had no idea how much to ask for to be honest. Ignoring the common sense I learned from media back on Earth about negotiations, I decided to be straightforward with my offer.

"The thing is, I'm new here and trying to earn some money for necessities so I can settle in. I'm not sure what apples go for in this area, so I'm hoping you'll offer me a fair price for these. I know they're good quality, but I don't know what good apples sell for around here—I didn't really have time to do my research."

In hindsight, I should have started with that. Gone to a few stalls, asked for the price of Apples and then decided on a price for mine. But hindsight is 20-20 and I honestly didn't want to do all that research even if it could get me a better deal. I was just hoping to earn a little bit of Lein and just go around, look at the city and maybe buy a few basic items of necessities.

"I see. Assuming you're from one of those settlements outside, then. What brings you to Vale, kid?"

Vale, huh? So, I am definitely inside one of the 4 Kingdoms. Nice. It's also the place where Beacon is, I believe. That's also nice.

"Here to look for opportunities, I guess. And buy some new clothes."

I replied sheepishly.

"That so? Yeah, those look pretty ragged."

He pointed towards my clothes.

"Thought you were one of those slum folks looking for charity. Well, good luck. It's a big city. It's not that hard to find jobs here… unless you're a faunus, I guess. As for the apples, you made things awkward with that overly honest answer."

He crossed his arm and huffed.

"Should have just quoted a price and then I could have simply bargained. Now you go and put in on my conscience. Bah, fine. I'll pay you good for your apples. They are pretty good, after all. But I gotta ask, can you get me more? They're way above the regular stuff I get around here. Plus, they're not exactly in large supply in these parts."

"I guess I can," I began hesitantly, but eventually I decided to go through with it. "I can't promise it frequently, but I can guarantee one batch very soon as I have a few more stored. I can get those today. After that… well, it'll depend on how profitable it is for me selling these apples, I guess. The place I got these from is not exactly close-by."

He grumbled hearing me, but after a moment's pause, he nodded.

"Alright, fine. I'll take all of it. Can't say no to that. I'll pay you 5 Lien per Apple, including for the one I ate. That's the most I can do without it cutting into my profits. That sound fair to you?"

"Fair enough." I nodded.

I had no idea if I was being ripped here or not, but I decided to trust in his genuine sounding offer for now. I could always check the prices for Apples later and find out how this deal truly went.

I pocketed the… credit-card-like items—momentarily confused but not pausing long enough to make it awkward—which I received in exchange for the apples. I also made sure to take back the basket, as it had sentimental value to me now. The cards felt light but solid in my hand, with a texture that reminded me of plastic. It was probably plastic.

It wasn't a fortune, I reckoned, but it was a decent starting fund. I nodded at the vendor.

"Pleasure doing business."

For some reason, I immediately felt embarrassed after saying that. This wasn't even close to a business transaction. I think the shop owner sort of pitied me a little. But at least he supposedly gave me a fair deal, so what's a little bit of embarrassment? Thankfully, he didn't say anything and simply nodded, and I headed out.

With my basket significantly lighter, I turned to explore more of the city, now pocket filled—uh, partially occupied, with the local currency. Lien. That's what it was called. The crowd had grown denser now, and I could see more faces—some curious, some indifferent. Nobody gave me a second glance as I walked among them.

None of them knew of my nature as an otherworlders.

I don't know why but that thought brought strange emotions within. It was like I was holding a secret from the world, known only to me.

Anyway, the city was alive, vibrant, and full of life—more than I could have hoped for in this world after traversing through the Grimm infested wilderness for so long.

There were more shops, more stands, more people with all sorts of goods, and the occasional shout of someone trying to make a deal. Every corner I turned, I found something new. A fountain with children playing around it, a stone bridge arching over a creek, some banners hanging above a marketplace with bold designs.

The sights, the sounds, the smells—all of it filled me with a quiet, unspoken joy. The city was alive, vibrant with energy and a positive lifeforce, and I was finally here. I might not belong in this world, but at this moment, I could almost believe that I might find a place here someday. For now, it was enough to explore. And maybe—just maybe—discover a way to make it my home. 

After all, I was stuck in Remnant. It was about time I started living in it. Cooping myself on the island was probably not healthy for my mental health, as much as I enjoyed taking care of my dragons.

***