“…Status Window.”
[Johann Quartz]
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Occupation: Bodyguard
– Traits –
Insight: A
Digging: A+
Woodworking: A
Crafting: A
Pharmacy: C+
Handiness: A
Anatomy: B
Survival: S
Sewing: D+
Blacksmithing: A
Tactics: B
Performance: F
– Skills –
Crafting: A
Repair: B
Dismantle: B
Auto-translate: A
Trait Points: 3
– Missions –
– No missions available.
“…If you’re going to give me an F, couldn’t you just not give me anything at all?”
Looking at it was utterly ridiculous. Nothing even remotely decent showed up, yet somehow performance landed in the traits section without a care in the world.
Maybe it’s because Philia transmigrated and went berserk with her performance?
The fact that I got an F-rank trait was a bit unsettling.
I know I have zero talent for music, so why give me a performance trait? Just throw me something even remotely useful!
I was left seriously pondering whether the status window was trying to humiliate me or if it was just being stupid without a clue.
Thanks to that, I figured out that F is the lowest rank.
“F is the lowest…”
Surely, that wasn’t in there just to remind me?
Anyhow, the ranks go F, E, D, C, B, A, S, right?
I couldn’t help but feel dumb for just realizing this now. In this day and age, shouldn’t there at least be a tutorial? At the very least, they could’ve given me a Status Window like they do in Survival Academy!
When do you ever need to interpret the status window line by line?
And it’s not like they’re rewarding you with plenty of points, so being stuck with just a measly little bit made my irritation boil. Come on, throw me some freaking points!
I don’t know what the hell the guy who gave me the status window was thinking, but if you’re going to let someone possess me, you should take responsibility.
This is barely worth a single star rating.
[Contractor, look at that!]
What, am I going to discover something amazing? I turned off the status window and moved towards the bizarre magic book with tentacles calling me, sticking to the window. Beyond the window that Rue hadn’t covered, I saw a child making a snowman.
Is that what they want me to see?
It doesn’t look special at all. Just a kid making a snowman.
[Contractor, what’s that little kid making?]
“It’s a snowman. It’s what you can make when there’s a lot of snow.”
[Humans have such curious games? I want to try too…]
“Go ahead, why not?”
[But you told me not to go outside!]
Looks like she’s oddly obedient. I peeled Rue off the window and hung her at my waist. Since I still had some time, why not take a little walk?
[Contractor, are you going out?]
“I’m just thinking about a quick stroll.”
I immediately opened the door and stepped out of the inn.
————-
[Wow, amazing. How did humans create something like this?]
Rue was in awe, staring at a massive snowman someone had made. Her reaction was just like a little kid seeing a snowman for the first time, making me smile without even trying. She’s quite cute for someone who can use mind control beams, I suppose.
“Wanna touch it?”
[Can I touch it?]
“Just don’t break it.”
[I won’t break it!]
I took Rue, who was hanging at my waist, and brought her closer to the snowman’s head. As Rue approached, she extended her tendrils and clung to the snowman. It was quite a sight, resembling an alien invasion, but I just crossed my arms and watched Rue’s antics.
[Oh, this feels amazing! It’s hard, but there’s something oddly squishy about it!]
Rue was joyfully sticking to the top of the snowman, surveying her surroundings like a little child. Thankfully, with hardly anyone around, there were no prying eyes.
[Hmm, I want to try making one myself~]
“Just hold on. We don’t have a lot of time right now.”
[But making one during break time is okay, right?]
“…Do as you like.”
It seemed a bit harsh to just cut her off when she looked that eager. Since I had to build up my affection towards Rue to get her help anyway, I let her have a brief deviation.
[It’s a promise!]
…Looks like she picked that up from playing with Millia a lot.
I chuckled softly and hung Rue back at my waist. People were starting to appear, so it was time to quietly slip away.
[Where are we going now?]
“Who knows.”
A proper walk isn’t about going straight to a destination. You just wander aimlessly, looking around. I took Rue along as we strolled through the city.
Actually, calling it a walk isn’t entirely accurate; I was more on the lookout for any rumors that might be floating around the city. Eavesdropping on what people were saying and filtering out useful information.
I thought about hitting a bar, but the booze here was almost like rum—too strong. I could easily get wasted, so I figured gathering information on the streets would be the best bet.
“Let’s see, Leslie’s been saying…”
“Rumia said this yesterday…”
Filtering out useless gossip while sifting for useful tidbits.
It sounds grand, but really, it was just eavesdropping.
After wandering around for about two hours, I figured just roaming around empty-handed was no fun, so I ducked into a coffee shop. The staff at the counter flinched when they saw me but, showcasing their professionalism, they awkwardly smiled and asked me.
“What can I get for you?”
“Do you have iced Americano?”
“Excuse me?”
“You don’t know iced Americano?”
“Um… what is that?”
“…I’ll just order an Americano then. If possible, I’d like some ice.”
If they don’t have it, they can always make it. I grabbed a small wooden tag with the number 6 written on it from the bewildered receptionist and sat down to wait.
[What’s iced Americano?]
“It’s cold coffee.”
[Coffee is cold? Isn’t coffee made with hot water?]
“It’s refreshing when you drink it cold.”
[But it’s super cold here!]
“Drinking it when it’s cold just makes it taste better.”
“Your order of coffee and ice is here!”
“Thanks.”
I confidently dropped the ice into my coffee cup.
————————
[Contractor, people’s reactions the other day were incredible~]
“How many times are you going to say that?”
[But it was honestly the most intense response I’ve seen. Why did they get so mad over just putting some ice in coffee?]
Rue asked me, genuinely curious.
“There are people who hate drinking non-alcoholic liquids cold. Seems they were from that group.”
I responded to Rue as she gossiped in the carriage while I stared out the window.
The Crevasse Mountain Range was drawing closer. The faint sight of the towering mountains felt even more majestic now that they were nearer.
How tall are they, I wonder?
I just hope it’s not as high as Everest.
[Wow, that’s really tall.]
“Thinking about reaching the summit is already exhausting me.”
Hiking, huh. When was the last time I did that?
There wasn’t anything that could really be called a mountain on the Deserted Island, so it had been at least 10 years since I last hiked.
Now, I barely remember what walking at high altitudes feels like. It struck me just how tough it would be to trek those crazy-high mountains.
…Well, I plan to thoroughly prepare in the village before heading out, so I should be alright.
[Contractor, how much further until the next village?]
“About half a day, I think.”
The village name is Wendigo Village. That just sounds ominous.
Once I buy equipment at Wendigo Village, the real journey will begin for me as I start climbing alone. Tom would be waiting down below for now because the terrain is just too rough to take him along.
Unlike me, who’s confident I can survive in the wilderness, this coachman uncle is just an ordinary coachman.
I’m not even sure if “ordinary” is entirely accurate. After all, traveling with a great wizard, calling him ordinary feels a bit off.
[Still half a day, huh?]
“Yeah.”
[It’s so long~]
Rue started whining, tired from being cooped up for too long as she rolled around on the seat, after having watched for so long.
“Take a nap. We’ll get there while you’re asleep.”
[I want to look around more!]
“Alright, I’m going to take a nap, so you have fun.”
[What? You’re leaving me behind!? No way! I’m bored!]
Shush.
I ignored Rue’s noisy complaints and closed my eyes.
—————-
“Hey, you’ve arrived, so wake up.”
“…Finally, we’re here.”
I stretched upon hearing Tom’s voice. After such a long carriage ride, my whole body ached, and I felt like lying down on an inn bed right away.
[Ughhhh-]
Why is she acting like a zombie? I picked Rue up, who was sprawled on the ground, and tucked her back at my waist.
“As I mentioned earlier, you wait here. If you haven’t heard anything in about a fortnight, go back and inform Headmaster Merlin.”
“Got it.”
I looked up at the now much closer Crevasse Mountain Range.
Is it about to start?
I just hope the Phoenix hasn’t gone somewhere else.
I entered the village, Wendy-go, feeling anxious.
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