To Get Stronger

Nodding in response to Adrian's words, Valyr went ahead and seated himself on a table, waiting for the free dinner to arrive. While doing so, Adrian went up to him and struck up a conversation to pass the time, talking about various things regarding their lives.

During that conversation, Valyr revealed that he was actually a village guard for another village, making Adrian look at him a bit differently, his gaze now containing a hint of respect and admiration. Sometime later into their conversation, he thanked Valyr for his selfless sacrifice of being a protector for a village.

After that, the two continued to talk for some more, only for their topic to eventually become the upcoming monster tide.

"How prepared do you think Klaus Village is for the upcoming monster tide?" Valyr asked, which only made Adrian bitterly smile in response.

"Although we have full faith in our guards that they would be able to protect our village and keep it standing for years to come, we still can't help but think of the worst-case scenario," Adrian replied as he let out a wry chuckle. "According to what I've obtained, a small-scale monster tide will hit our village within the next few days at the earliest, which might not seem like too big of a problem for a village like ours to handle."

"However, the bare minimum for a village to more or less survive a small-scale monster tide is to have ten people at the peak of Rank 1," he continued, only for tears to well up around his eyes soon after. "We only have three of those, for fucks' sake! On top of that, one of them decided to leave the village just as the threat of the tide was getting closer!"

Realizing that he had gotten heated with his words, Adrian cleared his throat before letting out a long sigh, a sigh filled with dejection, anger, but most of all, acceptance to what fate might befall them.

With a wry smile on his face, he looked at Valyr and apologized. "Apologies for getting a bit heated there. I guess I just wanted someone to remember my existence. After all, there's no saying if the village will remain standing once the monster tide passes."

Just as Valyr was about to say something to Adrian, his dinner had finally arrived. With his words stuck in his throat, he looked as the plates before him were filled with delectable and hearty dishes that could fill even the hungriest of men up.

"Eat up, sir. You'll need to have a lot of energy before your departure tomorrow." After saying those words, Adrian turned around and left Valyr on his own, thinking that the latter wanted peace and quiet while eating. However, before Adrian could even take a single step, Valyr stopped him, grabbing him by the arm.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Adrian raised his eyebrow as he turned his head around.

"I'm quite satisfied with what I've gotten." Valyr shook his head. Though, soon after, he looked at Adrian with a gaze of determination. "However, I just wanted to say that, even though it looks like all hope is lost, don't ever succumb to those thoughts. Sometimes, the world will respond in ways that would surprise you."

Hearing that, a genuine smile appeared on Adrian's face as he nodded in response. "I appreciate the words, sir. I kind of needed to hear that."

"Anyways, let me not disturb you from your meal any further," he added before taking his leave, finally allowing Valyr to eat his dinner in silence.

As he watched Adrian's silhouette gradually move farther away from him, Valyr could not help but think about the words he told him as he dug into his dinner. Although it might seem that the words he said sounded like words of consolation from a stranger that wouldn't even be affected by such an event, Valyr knew that those words of his held a bit of truth. After all, the world had given him a second shot at life, even though he expected none.

If not because of that, he wouldn't have told Adrian those words, words that came from the bottom of his heart.

…

After finishing the hearty dinner that was given to him, Valyr went to find Adrian, asking him where he could stay for the night. In response, Adrian told Valyr the room that was assigned to him before giving him a key.

With that, Valyr thanked Adrian and asked him how much the accommodation was for the night. However, Adrian's response to his question made Valyr's eyes slightly widen, making him wonder whether the man in front of him was alright.

"You don't have to pay for the accommodations, sir," Adrian told with a smile. "The carcasses you've given us are more than enough payment for your food and your accommodations."

Although Adrian told him that, those words didn't sit well with Valyr. Because of that, he rummaged out the 10 silver coins that Adrian gave him as payment and gave it back to him. As a look of surprise adorned Adrian's face, Valyr told him, "Don't consider this as payment for the accommodation, consider this a gift from a stranger."

Hearing that, a peal of light laughter escaped Adrian's mouth before nodding in response, thanking Valyr as he allowed the latter to head to his designated room.

Once he was there, Valyr was quite surprised that the room contained more or less the same amenities his room back in the barracks had. However, compared to the somewhat cramped space of the dormitory, the room he had rented was more spacious, making him wonder if it was possible to get a space of his own back in Astarto Village.

Nevertheless, he placed the thought at the back of his head for now, recalling that he had arrived at this village for the sake of increasing his level to peak of Rank 0. With that, he took off his clothes and entered the bathroom to take a shower, allowing the water to flow through his body as thoughts of his earlier conversation with Adrian resurfaced in his mind.

Even though Valyr could not help but feel like he had to help Klaus Village after hearing Adrian's words, he knew for a fact that his existence there would only be delaying the inevitable. After all, unlike bona fide Rank 1 class holders, he didn't have the skills that came along with the ascension to Rank 1, skills that could unleash great amounts of destruction. The only thing he had going for him were his stats, though it still paled in comparison to peak Rank 1 class holders with specialized stats.

Feeling the lacerations he received from the wolves earlier as he scrubbed his body, Valyr could not help but let out a long sigh as he got out of the shower, changing into a set of clothes he had brought along with him as he lied down on his bed. Gazing at the wooden ceiling above him, he could not help but mutter to himself, "I need to get stronger."

"Not only for the sake of Adrian or for the sake of Astarto Village, but also for the sake of myself, my goals, and my people."

"I need to get stronger."