Chapter 3- Unexpected Turns

A man leading his wife by her hand came to a stop, his eyes filled with distress as he looked around him. His wife had their child in her arms, and the child began crying.

Another young woman had a brightly colored sash around her waist, and she clung to the man who seemed to be her lover. This man held a cane the same length as him in his hands at the ready, but his arms were trembling.

However, the young shady-hooded girl watching all this couldn't see what was happening around them. She tried turning her gaze towards the pitiful villagers, but her vision was suddenly hindered by the rumbling dark clouds above.

Even though the sun was shining up from its slumber, she could hardly see anything at all, like walking in the moonless night without a light source. The only thing she could see was the glimmer of a faint light peeking through the dark clouds, including a series of lightning strikes.

And so, the black clouds reached the horizon's edge, slowly closing in. Right to the end, she couldn't see the culprit behind this tragedy.

Well, she and most adults in the village know what transpired behind this phenomenon.

Strong people making an unbreakable vow nearby, or should we say signing a powerful contract overseen by the heavens above.

Although it was simple to use, it was still prohibited in populated areas. Not to mention a hassle and dangerous to the caster.

The reason why the villagers are afraid is that an unknown danger will possibly come. Strong individuals coming here is unthinkable, not to mention performing such a large-scale oath.

Well, time will tell as the village prepares for the emergency and the hoody girl disappears without a trace.

****

The skies gradually cleared up as dark clouds disappeared in blue and white hues. As if sympathizing with my dilemma, the gentle sun embraced me again.

The ill pressure I felt intensifies as they walk towards me, laughing out loud for no apparent reason, and some saliva flows through their helmet's vertical holes.

Yeah, even without looking up at them, these guts tell me they'll eat me. Both literally and unliterally.

Though I admit it, I trust my instincts wholeheartedly and doubtlessly.

A ghastly sight of seven-foot-tall, ferocious, large men that would frighten even the most stouthearted woman.

If only I could discern their status...

As I am mulling over, the status menu under my black shirt patterned with pink flowers unexpectedly disappears.

So, it has the maximum time, huh?

Now they surrounded me in three directions. They ended their laughing spree finally.

"Hey Captain, we would want to play with her."

said the knight, wearing a blue handkerchief around his neck.

"She looks so good, Captain. Making her pet makes me drool, "

The knight donning mini skulls was added.

"STOP! I will give this to my daughter as a pet! And her smile is the most important thing to me! Ah, the scene where she opens it... Well, I'd like you to give me your first white animal? To think we can easily capture the most exotic pet."

The golden captain of the regiment said. A bulky knight captain wearing spiky armor and a devil-looking visor.

"Though I am a nice and smart captain, for short-term pleasure, your quality and freshness must be preserved. Hahaha!"

The royal knight captain added, followed by his men's agreement. His vice-captain shared an opinion that stimulated others' wallets.

He's sort of a nerdy man, I think. Since his armor is quite plain and just decorated with endearing contours,

Well...

Their insulting comments remind me of my past back then.

"Captain, I think we should sell her to the auction for quite a hefty sum of platinum coins. I tell you this animal belongs to another species."

"Hahaha, you're right about that. Hey animal, would you cast "status"? I promise we will not eat you... yet... Hahaha! Come on! "

This sensation of uneasiness troubles me a lot. These men are seasonal fighters, and more than that, the biggest of them all, the captain, is three times the height of mine-he just opens the cage's upper case with ease.

"Come on! Hey animal, show us your status!"

In a short period of time, I almost aggravated them, and it seems it'll be my end once this captain raises that gigantic battle-axed weapon towards me.

And of course, I complied before he sliced me to bits.

It was quite a surprise to see what appeared to be impossible: summoning your weapon from thin air is...

It's incredible and convenient.

Although sharing personal information about the only person I admired the most,

Well, just remain calm and act like an obedient kid.

"Estadoko-"

A rectangular screen popped out in front of me and the captain grabbed it faster than the blink of an eye.

Is there any way to flee? This person is so powerful, I even doubt if those titles could give me a bit of a bonus since there's no letter "i" button to see each piece of information.

Wait... why are you all frowning on me now?

You're going to wear me down after all?

"Hey, Vice-Captain, she's unusually weak."

"Absolutely, Captain, even just a poke in the head would kill her for sure."

"Vice-Captain, Captain, she's cursed and she has five hours left."

"Yeah, just one trust would rip off her body into two."

"What a waste..."

"What should we do?"

"Kill her Captain?"

For the last three, they wore the same white-gold plates except for the color of their cloaks.

Crap! If it comes down to this, I'll run as fast as I can to escape here!

"No, just let her live. "Let her alone"

"Captain, she wants to accompany us on her last day. Now it clears why she didn't resist at all. What an animal."

What are you talking about?!

Wait... is there anything wrong with my status? Cursed? Five hours left? Though I was disturbed by such a remark, I'm no animal and I possess cognitive ability better than you all!

Is it because I don't have time left to live, that you changed your attitude that quickly?!

Even on this planet too?!

Calm down. Stay calm. Just stay calm.

"Men! Let's go to that nearby forest! Animal, here's your status board and some fruits. "

No matter what, you all just empathize with me and nothing will change, even if you offer me a mountain of fruits.

After a minute of leaving me behind on the outskirts of the forest, I hastily engulf the tasty fruits one by one without any care for what will happen next.

Wait... I stopped and re-examined my status board for sure.

Now it is confirmed as to why they react like that.

-------------------------------••---------------------------

//User's Fake Identity: Active//

♌Race: Silver Fox

⛎Lineage: Common

♈Age: 9 y/o

♎Level: 10

♒Status: Death Curse <Time Left: 5Hrs, 21 Min>

♍Might: 8

♐Arcane: 9

♓Finesse: 13

♑Magic Arts: Dash(D)

♏Titles:

--Nature's Friend(A)

--Fruit Lover(B)

--Silver Fox Being(B)

--Scavenger(D)

--Marathoner(D)

Level Progression:| | 15%

--------------------------------------------------------

No matter how much I search for it, there's nothing to do with what these titles could offer. Not to mention this user's fake ability scope, I don't know.

I have some ideas about might, arcane, and finesse just from their corresponding English words.

And everything beyond that is impossible unless you inquire regarding status stuff, including the numerical value and letters.

Someday I'll attend a school. Education is important, after all.

"What a nature."

It is quite a sunny morning. This is more than enough to relieve stress. My voice is also gentle and lovely to hear. I wonder if I sang for myself.

I leave and start walking back to my forest while singing heartedly.

"and now starting over again and there is nothing easy to do."

Wow, what a voice. I am confident that I could win any singing contest and momentarily glimpse my blushed face reflected in a narrow river. Let's stop for a body stretch. Ah, muscle cramps.

Based on her memories, the peaceful and lush tropical forest is inside the mountain ranges. From where I stood at its base, these mountains soaring to unimaginable heights would give those attempting to reach the summit hopelessness. It's an almost impossible suicidal feat.

One knight said, "The higher the altitude, the stronger the monstrosities are and the colder the place is."

I turned around and squinted my eyes to see a few kilometers away, the walking knights were continuing their journey to the village.

Speaking of the village, I'll go there perhaps a week since those giant knights will stay there.

"I'll become an adventurer or hunter or whatever."

I hope there is an organization like that. I suppose there's one since monstrosities roam freely in certain areas.

Well, I know a lot of shortcuts, though only inside the mountains, and she doesn't have any recollections outside her territory.

She even classified these monstrosities as bad larger ones.

Just when I was about to take another step, I caught something soft screeching a hundred meters away in the right area of the forest.

Once I shifted my gaze in that direction, I was shocked to discover one silvery fox and a beautiful short-haired woman with multiple tails standing there gripping a thin long sword, ready to strike anytime.

In a mere second, she runs so unimaginably fast that I failed to notice she was in front of me already.

Also, my nervousness was betrayed since she didn't cut me with that dangerous sinister blade weapon, but instead she examined every nook of my stationary body while sniffing me like there's no tomorrow.

Another overpowered creep again. That Japanese-style mask gives discharging some sort of frustration. There I'm pretty sure that she was no more than a desperate pervert but...

'Please let me alone'