I went out of the guild building, wanting to return to the church and get some sleep.
It hadn't been long since sunset, but the sky was already dark and filled with stars. The nearby shops around the guild were closed, making the guild's light the most noticeable in the area.
As I was about to head toward the church, I noticed Myer and the others talking outside. They hadn't noticed me yet, so I decided to approach them.
"Hello, everyone," I said awkwardly, since I had left the team without notice.
"Ethan! What happened to you?! We haven't seen you in the guild for more than a week," said Lisa, who spotted me first.
"I was a little busy," I replied with a slight smile.
Myer noticed me too and said with a polite smile, "Hello, Ethan. I heard you're the new disciple of the infamous Mad Hunter. I'm happy for you."
"…Thanks for not being angry about me leaving out of the blue," I said, unsure.
"Never... The team is always happy for those who move on. Though, to be honest, I still don't believe you ever needed our help to get used to being an adventurer," he said with a grin.
"I appreciate that… By the way, what happened to Dan after the wolf encounter?" I asked.
"He's okay. The doctor said he needs to rest, since his injuries were a bit severe."
Hearing that, I was relieved and paused for a moment.
Then, I unsheathed the sword I had been carrying at my belt and said, "This sword is for Dan. I picked it up after he dropped it and have kept it ever since. I want you to return it to him."
"You can keep it if you want. I'm sure this is the least he can offer to his savior."
"…No, I would be much happier if it remained his."
Of course, after getting used to this sword and training with Diego, I couldn't go back to my old dagger. However, I couldn't bring myself to keep a sword that held so many of Dan's memories.
"Very well," Myer said, taking the sword.
We continued chatting about our daily routines, and eventually, we parted ways to take care of our own errands. I returned to the church and slept soundly, preparing myself for tomorrow.
The next day began as ordinarily as always. I woke up earlier than usual and thoroughly prepared myself for the upcoming hunting session. I knew I couldn't afford to slack off in my lessons with Diego by being sluggish or unprepared.
As I was walking out of the church, I could feel the warm air rising, adding a pleasant touch to the scenery. The natural beauty of the view was calming.
Err-my first destination after leaving the church wasn't the guild. Yesterday, I had returned the only sword I owned to its rightful owner, so now I needed to find a new weapon.
"Oh, hello customer! How can I help you?" asked the man seated behind the counter.
He was relatively muscular, with tanned skin, wearing work clothes suited to his trade. He looked exhausted, probably from working not too long ago.
"Can I see the items?" I asked politely.
"Look around as much as you like."
Blacksmiths weren't something new to me, even in my old world, but instinctively, I knew that this one was on a completely different level. The items on display were of such high quality that even a blind person wouldn't doubt their worth.
Armors, bows, blades, and countless other weapons reflected the light effortlessly, showcasing their polished surfaces. Being surrounded by so many weapons made me more excited than I had expected.
I grabbed one of the swords on display, feeling an immediate resonance with my swordsmanship. Holding it felt otherworldly, convincing me that its beauty matched its capability.
"How much is this?" I asked.
"That would be 9,800 Reels. It's a sword infused with a wild golem's core and crafted from a rare type of iron found only in foreign lands," he said with passion.
Despite knowing I was holding an expensive sword, the price was even higher than I had anticipated. After spending some time in this world, I had gotten a rough idea of how Reels worked, and by my calculation, this sword would cost around 15,000 dollars.
"Is there a cheaper sword I can buy? I don't have much money with me right now," I said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
The shopkeeper didn't hide his disappointment and pointed toward a corner. "You can grab one of the cheap swords from that barrel over there. Of course, I wouldn't recommend using one if you're a novice—it could be dangerous."
"I'll keep that in mind."
I walked over to the barrel and started browsing the shady-looking, worn-out swords. They couldn't be compared to the ones on display, but I had no other choice.
I picked the one that seemed the least damaged and tested it. It was unbalanced, and visible cracks ran along the blade, but I couldn't afford to complain.
"I'll take this one."
I paid the price, left the shop as quickly as I could, and rushed toward the guild, worried I was running late for my meeting with Diego.
When I reached the guild, I looked around. As expected, nothing was out of the ordinary—although the number of people had increased.
"Ethan, where have you been?" said Diego from behind, startling me a little.
"S-Sorry, master. I was out buying a new sword since I returned the previous one to its owner," I said, agitated.
He glanced at my sword, still tucked into the handmade sheath I had crafted in the forest. I pulled it out slightly so he could see it better.
"That's not going to last you even a week," he said bluntly.
"I know. It's just a temporary replacement. I'll buy a better one once I have more money."
"…Well, it doesn't matter. We need to get started with today's mission," he said, returning to his usual calm tone.
He walked over to one of the tables, grabbed a piece of paper from the top, and said, "We're going on a scouting mission that'll take four days to complete. The location is the surrounding mountain region."
"Scouting mission?" I asked.
"Yes. Being an adventurer isn't always about hunting monsters. Besides, a friend of mine requested my help with this one."
"Okay then… shouldn't we start preparing for the mission first?"
"That's not how I do my missions. We're heading to the mountain region right now," he said without a hint of humor.
Before I could even protest against his insane decision, he sprinted out of the guild building, and I had no choice but to follow him.
It turned into a non-stop running session. I couldn't afford to stop; otherwise, I would lose track of Diego and get lost, knowing nothing about the terrain.
We passed many familiar landmarks, and although I couldn't focus well due to the running, I realized we were approaching a dangerous area, which made me tense.
"Pant-! Diego, stop!" I shouted.
He stopped and said, "I thought I told you to call me 'Master.'"
"I-I'm sorry, b-but can we rest for a bi—!"
"There's no need. We've reached our destination."
I looked up and saw the steep ground ahead—but something was off, something I hadn't expected.
"Where are we?" I asked, confused.
"Oh, right. I forgot you lost your memory. Welcome to the Black Mist Mountain region."