NOVEL SIMPLE First Blood (4)
I looked at the heavy breakfast in front of me. Six sunny-side fried eggs, a whole belly’s worth of thick-cut bacon, and two large steaks with a pitcher of lemon juice.
If I looked back on it, I definitely wouldn’t have had the space to eat all of this, but I was different now.
I was not the same as I was a week ago, in fact if you looked at my arms, I definitely don’t look human… not that I was a human to begin with.
My wounds had healed, practically sealing overnight.
Scratch that, my whole body changed overnight.
[ Profile: Hyun / Race: Demon / Profession: Adventurer, Scholar, Civilian / Level: 6 ]
[ Strength: 11 (+3) / Speed: 11 / Constitution: 18 (+2) / Intelligence: 20 (+2) / Wisdom: 20 (+4) ]
I chose the permanent increase in my physical stats and dumped all the five points it allowed me to allocate into constitution.
I’m not going to say that I didn’t have a choice, but considering the circumstances, that was my only option to survive.
Or maybe strength, or speed to get away? Now that I think about it, I think I crack under pressure...
I looked at the fork as I cut a piece of steak and the clink of the knife onto the wooden plate reminded me of those men.
“Is there something wrong with the food?” The boy asked with a smile. “You’ve been staring at it for a minute.
I blinked and looked up to him. Did I blank out?
“Nothings wrong with it, I’m just thinking about some things.”
“What kind of things?”
Man, what’s with this kid? He’s so…
Clingy…
But… wouldn’t turning him away with harsh words just paint me to be an asshole?
I mean, look at all the effort he put into my food. Where are his parents anyway? It’s only him and his grandmother…
Oh.
He… doesn't have any… does he?
“Mister, I think you’re thinking about something mean.”
“N-No…”
I was!
“I'm Thinking about something.”
Quickly, I need to think about a lifeline!
“Something?”
I know nothing about this city, so why am I even considering chasing this kid away?
There’s free information in this kid's head! I should make use of it.
I need to know those things.
Yeah… let’s go with that.
What makes this city turn, I need to understand how each cog spins and what it turns.
I need information.
“Well, what I’m going to do now, that kinda stuff.” I wiped my mouth with the cloth napkin.
“Do you honestly think I’m going to just sit on my ass all year?” I shook my head with a chuckle, munching onto the last pieces of steak.
“I’m thinking about making some money.”
How I’m going to do that, I have no clue, but this kid will tell me. Just see.
“Are you an adventurer, mister?” The boy blinked in realization, “Now that I think about it! You can handle yourself in a fight, mister! You must be a strong adventurer!”
Bingo, adventuring.
It seems like an actual profession, not just a me thing.
“Well, I’m not sure about that kid, I’m confident I’m not going to die at least.” I answered, wiping the last of the lettuce off the salad platter.
The kid nodded with understanding. He crossed his arms and looked like he was thinking very hard. When he finally found what he was going to say, he opened his eyes with a smile.
“Then are you going to the guild? They should be open by now.”
Of course an organization like that would be open at the crack of dawn like this.
Come to think of it, I don’t think I slept at all since I was thinking about those two men...
But I wasn’t tired. This seems to be the effect of a level twenty constitution.
“I’m not sure, I’d have to register first.”
The boy only shrugged, “Well, I don’t think that’ll be a problem for you mister, you have gold to use! Grandma says you paid for your whole stay here a year in advance.”
I stacked the used utensils, my stomach satisfied but not completely full. “Well, that depends. How much does it cost to register, you reckon?”
“I heard it costs like thirty silver!” The boy answered with confidence, “I overheard some of the older guys talk about it when I passed the square on errands.”
Fuck–!
That’s all the silvers I have!
And, come to think of it, I don’t think I should be flashing anyone anymore gold coins.
If I spent all the silver, I’d be left with only sixty copper coins that are worthless and gold coins I can’t use.
Furthermore, I don’t think I should exit through the south gate anytime soon, since the south road literally has the least amount of people going in and out of it.
I won’t be able to get the scrap metal to the city anytime soon.
Damn it.
That’s a problem on my growing list of problems.
“Sigh.” I sighed, much to the boy’s confusion.
“You okay mister? You’re not broke, aren’t you?”
It irks me to admit this, but I am at the moment, circumstantially.
Thankfully, shelter and food won't be a problem. “Not really, but I don’t have the leisure now to just go and buy whatever.”
I’m still recovering from my fight with those thugs, so I don’t think I can go fighting monsters yet, not in my condition.
“Got any ideas, kid? Something that’ll get me a lot of money fast?”
The boy scrunched hi s face again, deep in thought.
“There is something that comes to mind…”
And just like that, a few days passed.