Chapter 7 Realization

After talking with Miss Jones, Daniel had the rest of the day free. Then, he'd be working in the kitchens for two days. 'Might as well go play some football with Victor and get some stats', he thought, stepping out of the orphanage and into the yard. The crisp air filled his lungs, and for a moment, everything felt normal, like it always had.

He spotted Victor resting against a wall. With a grin, Daniel approached him. "Need one more player?"

Victor turned his head, flashing a mischievous smile. "Sure, but you'll be the goalkeeper."

Daniel groaned dramatically. "Great..." but he didn't protest further. The game would be fun, even if he was stuck guarding the goal. And the rest of the day passed with the usual rush of energy, sweating, running, and laughing as they played.

The next morning, Miss Jones woke him before breakfast started. She led him to the kitchen, where the scent of fresh bread and vegetables filled the air. The cook, stood behind a counter, chopping something with precision. She gave Daniel a curt nod, her expression unreadable.

Daniel hesitated for a moment, then activated Observe.

[Maria Smith - The Orphanage Cook - Lvl 8]

[A strict but caring woman, dedicated to feeding the orphanage children. Hardworking, observant, and sharp-tongued, yet fair. Respected by staff, feared by troublemakers, and secretly enjoys seeing others succeed.]

The skill was getting more detailed as it leveled up, and he marveled at the newfound depth of information. 'The more I use this, the more I learn', he thought, reading the description.

"What do I need to do, Ms. Smith?" Daniel asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

She shot him a sharp look, her eyes narrowing. "First, no touching knives."

He nodded quickly, not wanting to test her patience. Maria handed him a bag of vegetables. "Wash them. Tell me when you're done," she instructed, her voice softer now, but still firm.

As he stood at the sink, a system window popped up in front of him.

[Quest Alert]

[Task from the cook: Wash the vegetables!]

[The cook asked you to wash some vegetables. Be quick and don't disappoint her!

Time Limit: 1 Hour

Reward: 50 EXP

Fail Penalty: Disappointment of the cook and possibly not getting to the library with Miss Jones.]

[Accept / Decline]

He stared at the notification, surprised. 'I haven't gotten any quests before', he realized. 'So that's why I didn't get any quests. I haven't been tasked with anything since I reincarnated.' He clicked Accept without hesitation.

The task was simple enough. He washed, scrubbed, and rinsed the vegetables, making sure they were spotless. When he finished, Maria quickly inspected them.

"Good job," she said, nodding approvingly. "Breakfast will be ready soon. You can head to the cafeteria. Come back when you're done eating."

[Quest Completed]

[Rewards Received]

The next two days were a blur of simple chores, washing vegetables, fetching ingredients, wiping down tables, and stacking plates and utensils. By the end of each day, Daniel was drained, his body sore from the constant movement. But there were gains to be had.

[Name: Daniel Wilson]

[Level: 3

EXP: 50/300

Class: The Gamer

HP: 190/190

MP: 195/195

SP: 195/195

Strength: 16

Agility: 17

Vitality: 22

Intelligence: 24

Wisdom: 15

Charisma: 11

Luck: 10

Stat Points: 15]

Seeing his stats after waking up filled him with a surge of excitement. He hadn't leveled up much, but it was progress. He'd saved his stat points for now, deciding to use them wisely later. He even got a charisma point, but couldn't remember when it had appeared. 'I'll have to be more attentive in the future', he thought as he headed to the cafeteria for breakfast.

After eating, Miss Jones dismissed the group as usual. She walked toward him, her eyes meeting his. "Are you ready to go?"

Daniel nodded, and she took his hand, leading him out of the orphanage.

The bustling streets of London stretched out before him, and Daniel's heart raced with excitement. It was his first time here. The towering buildings, the constant hum of life, it all felt so vibrant. 'Everything looks so pretty', he thought, his eyes taking in every fascinating sight around him. People hurried past, cars honked as they drove along the roads, and the mouthwatering scent of street food mingled with the city air.

After a while, Daniel's curiosity got the better of him, and he began using Observe on random people as they walked by. Each time, he got useful information, slowly leveling up his skill. Then, he caught sight of something, someone, who made him stop cold.

The man he observed was dressed oddly, his clothes mismatched in a way that screamed out of place. Daniel squinted at him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this person.

[Jack Lewis, ???, Lvl ???]

[???]

'What?' Daniel thought, his mind racing. Everyone else seemed to not even notice the man, unconsciously avoiding him as if he were a ghost. 'Who is he?'

The encounter left him shaken, his thoughts spinning. He couldn't stop thinking about it. He kept walking, but the man lingered in his mind.

By the time they reached the library, Daniel was lost in thought. He hadn't even realized how much time had passed. It wasn't until Miss Jones spoke to him that he snapped back to reality.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours. You can read until then," she said. Her voice took on a stern edge. "Remember, don't go anywhere. I spoke with the librarian to keep an eye on you."

He nodded, still processing everything.

The library was massive, shelves stretching endlessly in every direction. The scent of books filled the air, and the quiet atmosphere enveloped him, making his earlier thoughts feel distant. 'It would take me years to read all of this', he thought as he wandered aimlessly between the towering stacks.

'Should I look for history books or skill books?'

He had almost given up on the idea of magic in this world, but the strange encounter with the man had shifted his perspective. He felt certain now 'This isn't a normal world'. So, he spent the next few hours poring over history books, trying to make sense of it all.

When Miss Jones came to pick him up, Daniel still couldn't pinpoint a clear difference between his old world and this one. But on the way back, he started observing the people more closely, paying attention to every small detail. As they passed the spot where he had seen the strange man, he accidently used Observe on a nearby building.

[Leaky Cauldron]

[The Leaky Cauldron is a wizarding pub in London, serving as the entrance to Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley.]

Daniel's heart skipped a beat. His breath caught in his throat. 'I'm in the Harry Potter world.' The realization hit him like a train.