Greytile Town (Part 6)

Early morning, the adventurers rose with purpose, ready for the day ahead. From Greytile Town, they made their way toward the eastern mountains, equipped with their finest weapons and armor. Each of them prepared for war.

I hadn't gotten much sleep last night. And yet… this feeling. My body buzzed with energy, even as my heart pounded in my chest. Nerves? Doubt? Probably. I was still inexperienced in situations like this, after all. After what happened at Elesis Fort… I wasn't sure I could stay calm if someone died right in front of me again.

The strategy meeting had taken place last night.

According to the plan, we were divided into five squads: defense, attack, scout, rescue, and marksman.

The Defense Squad would handle the front and rear lines, protecting nearby settlements and acting as tanks when charging the enemy. The Attack Squad—which I was part of—focused on offense, leading the vanguard. Most of us specialized in melee combat. The Scouts would find the safest paths through the heart of the eastern mountains and support the battle when needed. The Rescue Squad, made up of healers and teleporters, could retrieve anyone in danger within moments. And the Marksmen were our long-range support, capable of sniping enemies from afar.

Everyone's safety had been thoroughly considered. A solid plan was in place, with backups in case things went wrong.

Everything is going to be fine.

I just need to trust myself… and stop feeling weak.

"You look nervous, little girl."

A man with white hair approached, a fancy golden sword hanging at his waist. He had that smug look about him—like one of those overly confident types.

"You're not in the mood to talk, huh?" he said. "Anyway, I heard about your accomplishments. Defeating a giant Thunder Dragon on your own… that's something to be proud of."

"I'm not interested in boasting," I replied. "And you're bothering me. Please stay away."

"Hey, hey, that's a cold attitude. We're heading into a life-or-death situation here. We should at least try to bond." He held out a hand. "Name's Markus. Swordsman from the Northernlands. My party and I came here hoping to earn knighthood. Greytile Town's struggling financially, so they're offering rewards in… other ways."

Rebecca had mentioned the town was in debt. She said they were doing everything they could to keep it afloat.

"What kind of other ways?" I asked.

"After this quest, we're getting a knighthood recommendation. That's what we're after."

"So you don't really care about the people of Greytile."

He chuckled. "Do I come across as selfish? A lot of people say that. I care… a little. But not as much as I care about that recommendation. My party feels the same."

Markus glanced back at his group before turning to me again.

"There's something else I wanted to ask. My Appraisal Skill doesn't work on you. I can't identify anything. And I'm level 51, you know. So, who are you, exactly?"

His tone changed for a moment. It put me on edge.

I had a bad feeling about him.

My Data Hide Skill was working as intended. I'd learned it specifically to conceal my abilities and status. I realized last night that exposing my stats could bring all kinds of trouble. I just wanted to live an easy life.

"Just a passing adventurer," I said, turning and walking away.

After I put some distance between us, I ran into another person.

A man knelt dramatically in front of me and grabbed my hands.

"This must be fate tying us together! The red string of destiny! Surely, the universe itself is telling us to be one!"

It was the same idiot who tried to charm me before.

"What's wrong with this guy?" I muttered, glancing at his embarrassed party standing behind him.

"They say fighting fate is useless," he declared. "So let's be together forever!"

"Why would I?!" I snapped, before releasing a lightning spell that paralyzed him on the spot.

I walked away, making extra sure there were no more weirdos in my area.

I was wrong.

"Hey, midget!"

"…Midget?" I turned toward the girl who had called out. She was about my height. "By the way, we're the same height."

Wait. I was 14 when I died and reincarnated, and it's been about a year since then. That makes me 15 now.

Looking at her face, she was probably around 12.

"I'm fifteen," I said.

"I'm twenty-five," she shot back.

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not!" she yelled, puffing up like an angry puffer fish. "I'm a great scholar mage! I was top of my class in every subject—academics and magic! Everyone in town knows my name!"

I turned to a random passerby. "Do you know this girl?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Never seen her."

"I see," I said, nodding thoughtfully. "So, she's just a lost girl."

Her face turned bright red.

"I'm not a lost girl! And I'm here to make you confess!"

"Confess to what?" I asked, confused.

"You cheated! There's no way someone your size could defeat a Thunder Dragon!"

"I don't care if you believe it or not," I replied. "Honestly, I'd rather that story didn't spread."

"That indifferent attitude… I don't like it!" She drew her wand and pointed it at me.

Kids really do have short tempers. I should probably forgive her.

Attention seekers are often kids that was thirsty of love. I know because I know what it feels to be lonely.

Before she could unleash her spell—and before anyone else noticed—I stepped forward and hugged her.

"Living in this cruel world is hard, isn't it?" I whispered. "I get it. Surviving is tough."

She blushed so red she practically steamed.

"W-What are you doing?! Let me go!" She pushed me away, flustered. "I'm not done with you! I'll fight you later, so watch your back!"

She turned and ran.

Her expression was… kind of cute.

Finally, I thought my encounters with weird people were over.

Wrong again.

The acting guild master—the bald guy from earlier—gathered everyone and gave a final briefing on our roles in the quest. It was mostly a refresher.

"Before we head out," he said, "remember this: your lives are valuable. If you're faced with a danger you can't defeat, retreat. Immediately."

I agreed. Too many adventurers died because they bit off more than they could chew.

With that, we set out toward the eastern mountains.

As soon as we arrived, hordes of monsters appeared.

I activated my Appraisal Skill to gauge their levels and strengths. I'd come prepared for this.

For starters, I would act as a black mage, specializing in offensive spells.

"Sword Skill: Raging Storm!"

Markus charged ahead, leading his party. His sword technique tore through the monsters in his path.

"We'll be taking the MVP for this quest!" he declared, his team following close behind.

Selfish or not, his skills were the real deal.

"That's a relief," I muttered. "I thought I'd be stuck on the frontlines alone."

I stepped forward and cast a fire spell, incinerating the monsters in front of me.

"I'm heading straight for the heart of the mountain."