PART 1

After sometime I managed to find a way out of the ocean. I forget most of what happened and the memory is a bit blurry and hectic.

Few weeks later I step foot into the nearest continent, and rest in the nearest village which was about a hundred thousand kilometres in modern measurements.

It was around the time the sun sets when I entered a place that provides food and a place to sleep.

"Welcome! Master." A girl in her teens approach me as I entered the tavern.

She's kinda small to be working in such a place.

She led me to the table. "What will you order, Master?" She handed me a paper.

Order?

"What's this?" I asked.

"It's a menu." She said.

"I see... Well, can I get something to eat? Anything, you can recommend me." I said.

She seems to be dressed as a maid or rather she is a maid who runs the store all alone?

"I see then shall you have the beef meat set?" She smiled.

"..." I nodded.

"He'll be talking the grilled beef and some drinks." She shouted towards the kitchen as she stood at the entrance of the kitchen.

I guess she's not alone. Although it was pretty obvious I was still surprised.

How can someone possibly pull off a store that cooks and serve their customers at the same time by themselves, Right?

Also it seems like I'm the only customer here after some time. Doesn't look like anyone's coming in either.

After about twenty minutes my food arrive.

"Here you go." The girl dressed in maid said as she gave me my dish.

"Thanks." I said.

It was a dish that contains some meat, veggies, soup and whatever the mixed food it has on a small bowl.

"Thanks for the food, Father." I prayed.

After that I still haven't dig in my meal because something is bothering me.

"Uh... are you gonna stand there forever? Or do you want to eat too?" I asked.

"Huh! No, sorry. I'll be leaving right away. When you're done please let me know your opinion on the food." she left wearing a bit of a troubled expression.

I wonder where did all her enthusiastic acting moments before went.

I started eating as soon as she left and finished everything shortly after.

I stood up and reached for a mana crystals to pay for the meal but...

"That'll be 10 copper orion." The older girl came and said as I stood up. She slammed a paper on the table.

Orion?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Money, what else?" She smiled expecting me to pay.

"Sorry I must have forgot. I don't have any."

"Huh? Don't tell me you came to eat without having any money?"

Orion? Money?

"Money? What's that?" I asked.

"Are you serious? A money is a coin used to buy stuff. It is a medium of exchange." She said looking a bit hopeless.

It seems to be some sort of exchange device. I don't remember something like this.

How long did I even fell into a coma?

It's not that I'm going to leave them nothing but I'm just surprised that a specific item is set for an exchange method. I guess it's not a bad idea but the problem is I don't have any of that money thing nor do I have any idea how it looks like.

"Oh sorry. I'm sorry to say this but I currently have no money on me right now because I just arrived today. Can I pay tomorrow?"

"I see." She sighed." I guess it can't be helped, even though we finally got a customer." She muttered to herself but I overheard it.

"If it's not a problem with you, do you have any spare room I can use?"

As I brought up another request she almost burst into anger.

"Look here—"

"I'll repay you with more than you can imagine. Just lend me a place to sleep." I requested.

"..."

She thought over it.

"Really?" She asked still in doubt.

I seems like she's fighting inside her head. It's quite the good deal. Although it might sound too real to believe.

"I don't mean to take pride in it but I'm a man of my word." I said

"Is that so?" She asked not believing a single words coming out of my mouth.

"Yes, to prove it I'll keep this in your hand." I said and handed her crystal ball which I just summoned.

It has no speciality, just an ordinary crystal ball of no value.

"Alright, you can sleep in Chloe room." She said.

"Thank you very much! Wait Chloe?"

"The girl who served you earlier remember? Anyway, you better keep your words." She said.

"..." I nodded in response.

"Come I'll lead you to your room." She said and left.

I followed her and as soon as I leave the table. Chloe took over and cleaned everything.

"Can I get your name?" I asked.

"It's Panora. You?" She said

"Chàros."

We walked up the stairs and somehow this feels similar.

I've felt like I've been here before.

"This is your room for tonight." She said as she opened the second door.

"Thanks." I replied. " Sorry to bother you but can I ask you some question?" I said as she attempted to leave.

"What is it?" She stopped.

"This business... when did you guys started it?"

"Hmm... I don't know, maybe around two or three weeks ago. Although we literally had no customer coming here." Panora said.

"I see. Must be tough out here. Anyway is there a place where you can earn some of these orion thing?" I asked.

"There's many but in what ways exactly?" She asked.

"Hunting type,Maybe?" I said.

"I see... in that case there's a guild nearby that pays you for completing quest but I'm not sure if you'll be eligible for it though." She said.

"Thanks for telling me." I said.

"No problem." She said and left." Oh wait! Almost forgot to tell you, don't touch anything inside the drawer... Just don't touch anything or do anything weird." She said and leave for good now.

I closed the door and sat on the bed.

The common mistake human beings make is doing something we're not allowed to.

The room was decorated with nothing much and the walls are not painted nor is there any decoration except it's natural wooden texture appearance.

There's one table with some feather and ink along with a paper.

I looked at the drawer.

"I wonder what's in there?" I thought and went to checked it.

"This is..."

I opened the drawer and found a few books and checked the next one and the next. Then I finally looked around the room and found that there are books literally everywhere they was kept so neatly.

"Is she trying to become megamind or something?"

It seems that Chloe wanted to go to a university but which one exactly?

I guess I've found my ticket to staying here for as long as I wanted to, even though I don't really need have to but I should atleast repay them by helping her go to her academy. Also I have something to figure out while I was here.

I went back to my bed wondering how I can register without any Identity verification. I can just fake it but I don't really know how their verification works.

Since I just woke up from a dream loop prison set up by an unknown god, who knows what they might plot next in the real world. Although Serpent is a bit suspicious, I don't know what he really looked like nor what his capabilities are but one thing is for sure. He's working under the god's order.

Which leaves me with Lucifer but even Lucifer doesn't use such methods even before he was sent to hell. So, who could it be?

To prevent trouble, I have to take precautions on the possibilities that I might have a bounty on my head although I just revealed myself just now.

There's still a possibility that it's made public but I guess there's nothing to gain from it if they value their ego.

Anyway...

"Will they accept a masked guy?" I muttered to myself.

Even if I'm accepted, what if they have a rank system. It might become troublesome in earning money or whatever it's called.

But what really bothers me is that I feel like parts of my memories are missing.

"Thinking about it won't get me anywhere, let's stop here and sleep." I thought to myself and decided to close my eyes.

It was around midnight when I heard the door creaking. I thought nothing about it and decided to ignore it.

Then I started hearing strange noise, it was the sound of a footsteps getting closer.

Even after that I decided to ignore everything and sleep anyway because I haven't rest for weeks nor has eaten anything until moments ago.

Also what could possibly happened?

Thanks to the calm rain and the comfort of resting after being extremely tired I completely passed out not knowing what was to come.

Then morning came...

"Chàros! Wake up." A voice called out banging on the door like anything.

This voice! It's Panora?

And before I could properly open my eyes the door opened albeit by force and slammed on the wall.

"What's with the ruckus so early in the morning?" I asked. " Also why are you breathing so heavily?" I sat up.

I looked at the window and found that the sun has just fully showed up. Meaning it should be around 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. in modern time.

"Chloe! She's... She's gone." She broke down.

"What do you mean?" I asked specifically.

"I don't know but she's been acting weird last night and I also couldn't earn any money to send her to the academy this year so I thought she might be mad at me." She said.

As I thought Chloe really wanted to go to the academy.

"In other words, you believe that she had ran away, correct?" I asked.

She slightly nodded looking depressed.

"I understand I'll help you search for her—"

As I was about to leave the bed, I slowly move away the blanket and revealed a hand wrapped around my waist.

"You—" She pointed and froze.

I looked at Panora and she looks confused and petrified. I could feel the blanket moving as I look at Panora.

"What's going on? Isn't it too early to work?" Chloe said while yawning and wiping her eyes. Then she went back to sleep.

Honestly I'm just speechless, I don't expect to speak my way out.

"I didn't expect this from you...but h-how can you do that to my sister!" Panora shouted, somewhat in a weird way.

Do what now?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"This can't be— my sister got ahead of me." She said with her hands on her head.

It's not that I don't know what she's thinking but why is Chloe here though?

"Shut up it's annoyin— Huh! What are you doing in my bed?" Chloe regained full consciousness. She's finally aware of the situation she's in.

As I think back again, I do remember hearing footsteps last night but how did she not wake up from the door banging.

What's with this two?

"Technically I should be asking you that."

The misunderstanding went on for about a few minutes to the point that I thought they were trying to set me up.

Apparently Chloe woke up in the middle of the night to drink water and accidentally chug the wine that was preserved in a cup left by her sister. Being half dazed and drinking the wine she was left to act that way.

Which also explains the weird smell I've been smelling the entire night.

The smell of wine. I gotta note that down for future reference.

"Sorry! It's my fault for jumping to conclusion too quickly." Panora bowed apologetically.

"No, it's fine. Nothing bad happened." I said back not sure how to respond.

Although it be best if she just get this over with.

"Hey, Chloe! Apologize."  Panora forced Chloe to bow down too.

They're a bit over-reacting.

"No, It's really fine. Anyway, let's talk about today's plan."

"Huh!" They both raised their head.

"First, I want you to close your shop forever."

"Huh!!! Do you even know what you're saying? Moreover who are you to tell us that?" Chloe raised her voice.

She seems a bit mad. She was right that I have no place to say such things but as things stand for them. It's better to just give up on the this business they're running than holding onto it tightly.

Sometimes you should know when to quit.

"I do and that's exactly why I want you to close your business."

"No,no,no,no,no... That's just stupid." Chloe said.

I wonder what's more stupid? Opening a zero profit and a loss business or just dropping it.

It seems that Panora notices it already.

"How many did you guys make for the past few weeks, Panora?" I asked.

"Huh! Uh well about a silver orion worth maybe?" Panora said.

"You hear that?" I said looking at Chloe. " Don't worry, I will find a way for you guys to be able look after yourself properly." I added the moment Chloe seems down.

I shouldn't destroy someone's dream without a good reason.

"How?" Çhloe asked looking down

"If you trust me then that's all needed."

"Really?!" Chloe lit up.

"..." I slightly nodded.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Chloe said in excitement.

She changes mood too quick.

"How? No... rather why?" Panora asked.

It's natural to return the favor when something good is received. Albeit by a hundred-fold or so.

I can also asked why she let a complete stranger used one of their room but that's not necessary.

"I just felt like returning a favor for once." I replied.

Saying stuff like that doesn't seems to suit me.

"I see. Thank you very much for your consideration. I hope to be able to assist you in your plan for us." Panora said.

"Thank you!" Chloe said with a cheerful expression."I should get extra rewards since you used my room and also get the chance to sleep beside me...hehe." Chloe said.

Is she serious?

"Whatever you say." I agreed to it to cut the talk short.

After talking everything out the two sister went out of my room or rather the room I'm staying in and went to do their work.

It seems that I'm going to be stuck here for quite a while.

I opened one of the drawer and took out a book with the title 'Kingdom of Orion'.

I read the book which is about a hundred page thick or so. It has quite the design on the cover.

" I see..."

*Thump*

About thirty minutes or so I've finished reading everything since it contains a picture in some of the page.

The books contains of the Kings general story and how the functions of the nation works.

So, Apparently from what the book says, this king Otto Orion announced the use of these pieces of junks as exchange device just decades ago.

A pretty good and convenient method I'd say.

"Otto Orion,huh."

I picked up another book from the shelves and began reading it. This time the book contains monsters and their information.

"What a timing!"

I quickly opened the book and the first thing I saw was various types of classification and have various ranking system.

The monsters are ranked based on their physical attributes and the ranking have seven levels.

The ranks are distributed based on their feats, a monster capable of surpassing the avarage human is ranks as Bronze-tier, while a monster capable of destroying a couple of humans is ranked as elite-tier, next is grand-tier, then demon-tier, berserk-tier, legend-tier and then finally at the last was the mythic-tier listing an intelligent being that are capable of using magic of high sorcerer level, like the hybrid-dragons, hybrid-demons.

They also have another set of names like an A rank or so.

So according to this book, the last two ranked monsters are only defeatable by the so called heroes who were chosen as the Avatar of the gods.

"Avatar of gods? Plural?" I thought and then shrugged off.

Good grief...There really is a ranking based tasks.