Before My Adventure Begin [2]

It wasn't long before a girl walked over and sat next to me after getting her [First Quest].

"Hi," The girl greeted me with a big grin plastered on her face as she waved her hand at me in greeting.

I looked at her but didn't reply because I was thinking too much.

"So, what's your name?" The girl said again as she looked at me expectantly. "Mine's Selina."

Selina is a cute girl with fair skin that is better than mine, but she has a light pink tone on her cheeks which gives her a sweet and innocent appearance.

Her hair is short and curly with red highlights that make it look fiery. Her eyes are blue which makes it hard to tell whether they are hazel or not. And lastly, her lips are a light shade of pink and are very smooth and soft making it hard not to notice them when she talks.

She's wearing a black cloak with a hood that covers the top half of her face and makes her seem mysterious and attractive at the same time. It also helps protect her from the cold weather and gives her an elegant and mature appearance.

But then again, I don't know how the other people see her because I've never talked to her before. Maybe she just an outsider who get chance to have her first quest in here.

"Ah, I'm... Artell." I said after staring at her for a while.

"Artell? Nice name." She said as she grinned brightly at me. "I'm glad we met."

"Well, I guess so." I replied as I looked around. There weren't many people around us since the area is small and the crowd is thinning out quickly.

"I saw you receiving your [First Quest] before. How do I say it... it was bizarre."

"Yeah, it was strange. But it's not bad though."

"You think so?" The girl asked with a curious expression. "What did you get?"

"A quest to leave this place in 5 years and explore the world."

"Oohh!" The girl exclaimed excitedly as she put her hand to her mouth and smiled happily at me. "That's amazing! So, what exactly are you planning to do in the world?"

"Nothing much. Just learn anything I can, train in different places, and die peacefully." I replied as I shrugged my shoulders.

"That's great! Learning and training are always important. It will definitely help you grow stronger, especially if you are still young. Plus, exploring new areas is also a part of becoming an adventurer. Maybe someday, you will find something valuable or useful somewhere else in the future. Who knows? Right?"

I chuckled lightly.

"Right, maybe someday." I nodded.

Then I noticed that Selina was staring at me intently.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked her.

"Oh, uhm..." She paused for a second. "There is nothing really, I just wanted to ask if you are okay?"

"Why would there be something wrong?" I asked confused.

"Because you look like you lost yourself."

"Lost myself...? What are you talking about?"

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, good luck with whatever you plan to do!" Then Selina stood up and started walking away with another wave of goodbye to me.

I watched her leave and was left wondering what could have happened. Did I miss something? Was I supposed to do something? Or was it just my imagination running wild?

After a minute later, the crowd started to disperse slowly as everyone went home and returned to their respective homes. Most of them left the church as soon as possible because they wanted to get back to their houses where they could rest peacefully. Some of the kids stayed though and played games and chatted together with the remaining adults.

Then a man in armor white came and called for me from the entrance of the church. As soon as he arrived, he asked, "What's your name?"

"I'm Artell." I told him.

"Okay. Follow me please." He replied and motioned with his head for me to follow him outside of the building.

Outside of the building, the far sky is filled with dark clouds as if it's about to rain. We were now standing on the front lawn where the grass was green and thick enough to hide our footsteps. The sun is shining brightly but it doesn't feel hot at all because of the strong breeze blowing across it. It feels nice, like it's cleansing me. But then again, it is still summer so it's not that surprising that it would feel cool like that.

The man in white armor then turned his back to me and began to walk towards the road leading to the north side of town. I followed behind him until we reached the edge of the forest that lies in between the road and the fields that lie in the east.

The man in armor white stopped in his tracks and turned his back to me again while looking at the surrounding scenery. After a few seconds passed by, he turned back toward me with a smile on his face.

"Now then, I will give you a few pieces of advice first." He said as he pointed at me with a finger on his right hand while he placed a hand on his chest. "These are just a few things I want you to keep in mind as from me a [Questar]."

[Questar] is a term for those who have completed their [First Quest] given by the [System].

"First and foremost, the most important thing is that you should be able to survive in the harsh environment that is the world."

"Survive? Like what?" I asked him curiously.

He looked at me in surprise and continued, "How can someone like you who is still inexperienced in the ways of the world be surviving in it?" he said with a raised eyebrow. "What is the purpose of living if you cannot even live?"

I was speechless. I have no idea what he meant by that. But it sure sounded ominous.

Then G's voice came to make me understand the meaning of the man's words.

[He's talking about death, you idiot. Death means death. If you can't survive, you'll die. You're not going to be alive forever. You're just going to be dead one day. That's why you need to learn how to survive because if you don't, one day you won't be anymore. It's better to avoid that than to let it happen, right? Don't you agree?]

I stared at him blankly and didn't answer.

"I mean, I know that's a lot to take in, but it is a fact that you must accept. Otherwise, it is impossible for you to live in this world. And without learning the way of the world, your chances of survival are slim to none. And because your chances are low, the only option you have is to become a puppet or slave. And I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like the latter choice, would you?"

I remained silent as my mind was reeling from what he said.

"That's why you need to learn about life and how to survive. Only after doing so can, you move on to more advanced quests and begin to explore more difficult and dangerous areas." He added. "If you are going to be a puppet or slave, you might as well just stay here for the rest of your life. At least, you will be fed properly and taken care of. But if you're willing to try harder and strive for more, then I suggest that you continue to work hard for a brighter future."

As I listened to his words, I realized that I had been foolish for being so naive and for thinking that I could just go out into the world and start my journey.

I've never thought about how I'm actually going to survive in this world. How am I supposed to live in this world? What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to eat? Where am I supposed to sleep? What am I supposed to wear? What am I supposed to protect? What am I supposed to fight against? What am I supposed to find?

My head was spinning with questions but there was nothing I could do but standing there and listen. My thoughts were completely clouded with confusion, and I couldn't think straight. But that's what happens when you hear too many new things all at once.

It's like when you read too many books at once and you can't think clearly. It's the same with me except I don't have the luxury to stop and take a break. This isn't a book or a story. I can't just close it and pick it up again later. There's no turning back time to read it again and figure out the meaning of it. I have to make a decision now or I'll regret it later. And I didn't know which to choose. So, I decided to do something I never did before. I made a promise to myself. A promise that I will never break.

"I will never let that happen." I declared. "And that's a promise that I will never break."

"I'm glad you finally understood." The man in white said with a smile on his face. "That's what I wanted to tell you, Artell. It's good that you finally figured it out. Now, let's get going."