The Poor Girl!

As the morning sun rose, Sora woke up and headed downstairs.

"Good morning, young man! Are you hungry? Would you like to order something?" the innkeeper asked cheerfully.

"Yes, please. I'll leave it to you, Madam," Sora said, sitting down comfortably.

"No need to be so formal. Just call me Glenda," the innkeeper said with a smile as she introduced herself to Sora.

"In that case, feel free to call me Sora, Ms. Glenda," he said with a smile.

A few moments later, Glenda returned with the food.

"Here you go. Hope it suits your taste, Sora," she said kindly.

"Thanks for the meal," Sora said as he started eating.

Sora set down his utensils and leaned back slightly, letting out a quiet sigh of satisfaction.

"That was delicious," he muttered to himself, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Glenda approached the table with a gentle smile. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. That'll be two silver coins for the meal."

Sora reached into his pocket and took out a few coins. He counted carefully and handed over two silver ones.

"Here you go. Keep the change if it's a bit extra," he said casually.

Glenda chuckled. "You're quite polite for someone new around here. Not all adventurers bother with manners."

"Well, I'm not really an adventurer... at least not yet," Sora replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Is that so?" she said, tilting her head. "Then what brings you to a place like this?"

Sora smiled faintly and looked out the window. "It's a long story. But for now, I guess I'm just trying to figure things out."

Glenda nodded knowingly. "Well, take your time. The world's not going anywhere."

Sora stepped outside and went for a walk.

"The money the goddess gave me won't last forever... I need to figure out how to earn some," Sora thought as he walked along the path.

Sora stepped into the Adventurers' Guild and headed straight toward the receptionist, who looked quite formal.

"Excuse me," Sora said to the receptionist.

"Welcome! What can I do for you?" the receptionist replied.

"I'd like to register as an adventurer," Sora said.

"I used to read isekai manga back in my world, so I had a rough idea of how things worked here," Sora thought to himself.

A few moments later, the registration was complete.

"Here's your adventurer card. The registration fee is five silver coins," the receptionist said, handing it over with a polite smile.

Sora thanked the receptionist and walked over to the quest board.

"I'll take this one, considering I don't have any experience in fighting strange creatures," Sora said, choosing the herb-gathering quest before heading out.

Sora stepped out of the guild and followed the directions listed on the quest paper. According to it, the designated gathering area was a forest just outside the town—a short fifteen-minute walk from the main gate.

As he entered the forest, the smell of earth and greenery filled the air. Sunlight filtered gently through the canopy, casting dancing shadows on the forest floor. It was quiet—peaceful, even. Birds chirped in the distance, and a light breeze rustled the leaves.

Pulling out the quest sheet again, Sora muttered to himself, "Greenleaf grass... It says it usually grows near the base of thick trees, especially those near streams."

He glanced around, then began walking carefully between the trees, keeping an eye out. After a few minutes, he spotted a small cluster of pale green plants with thin, feather-like leaves.

"Found it," he said with a small smile. He knelt down and began picking them gently, making sure not to uproot the entire plant. "Even if it's a different world, basic foraging rules still apply."

As he moved deeper into the woods, he started to relax. The task was simple, repetitive, and oddly comforting. Still, he kept his ears sharp for any signs of danger—after all, even a low-rank quest could have surprises.

A rustle in the bushes caught his attention.

He stood up slowly, eyes narrowing. "...Please don't be a monster."

A moment later, a small creature hopped out—round, blue, and gelatinous.

"A slime," Sora muttered. "Of course."

The slime jiggled, sensing a living target. It bounced forward with surprising speed.

Sora stepped back, clutching a sturdy stick he'd picked up earlier for walking. "Alright... Guess this is my first fight."

He raised the stick defensively as the slime lunged.

Sora struck it with a swift swing, but the slime bounced back and attacked again.

He blocked it with the stick and countered with a solid punch.

The slime quivered, then flattened into a puddle—its body losing its form like a burst jelly.

"I finally killed it... Guess it's time to head back to the guild and turn in these herbs," Sora said, picking up the basket. With that, he made his way back to the guild to report the quest's completion.

Back at the guild, the receptionist smiled and said, "The reward for this quest is five silver coins." She handed the payment to Sora.

"I have these four gold coins the goddess gave me, and five silver coins from the quest. That should be enough to keep me at the inn for a few more days," Sora thought to himself.

While walking back to the inn, he noticed a poor-looking little girl standing by the roadside, dressed in dirty, tattered clothes.

Sora approached the girl. "Hey, little girl. Why are you all alone? Are you waiting for your mother… or maybe your father?" he asked gently.

"I... I don't have a family," the girl said in a low voice, her eyes fixed on the ground.

"Does that mean... she's all alone?" Sora thought to himself.

He paused, looked at the girl, and fell into deep thought.

After a quiet moment of thought, Sora knelt down and offered a soft smile. "Hey... would you like to come with me?"

The girl simply nodded in response. Sora gently took her hand, and the two of them walked back to the inn together.

"Excuse me." Sora spoke as he stepped into the inn.

"Hello, Sora... and who's the little girl with you?" Glenda asked, pausing from wiping the table as she greeted him and noticed the child by his side.

"I found her by the roadside. She doesn't have a family," Sora said.

"Poor girl..." Glenda said, her expression filled with pity and concern.

"I'd like to rent a room. Also, could you give her a bath, Ms. Glenda?" Sora asked politely.

"Of course, you can count on me!" Glenda replied with a confident, reassuring smile.

"Sora went in his room and the girl went with Glenda."

A few moments later, Sora was lying on the bed when the girl entered the room, guided by Glenda.

"Come, sit here with me," Sora said as he sat up from lying on the bed.

The girl walked closer and sat next to Sora.

"Can I ask your name?" Sora asked the girl gently, his expression calm and unreadable.

"My name is Lilith Edelweiss," she said softly, her voice low and hesitant.

"Lilith, huh... That's a lovely name. How old are you?" Sora asked kindly.

"Eleven..." Lilith replied softly.

"Would you mind telling me about yourself? Why are you all by yourself?" Sora asked softly.

"We were in the carriage... Then the bad men attacked us... My mother told me to run, and my father promised he would come and find me..." Lilith's voice trembled as tears slowly began to fall. She broke into quiet sobs.

"Her mother told her to run, and her father promised he would come find her... That means they might still be alive," Sora thought to himself.

"Don't worry, Lilith. I'll help you reunite with your family. But for now, I'll take care of you," Sora said, reassuring her.

"Let's get some sleep now," Sora said gently.

Lilith nodded quietly and curled up to sleep.