I sat on the edge of the bed, fully dressed, my heart hammering against my ribs. I haven't taken off my clothes since earlier, tonight is the night. I'd purposely waited for Sylvia to fall asleep, watching the slow rise and fall of her breathing from across the room, counting the minutes until I was certain she was deep in slumber. It was time for me to leave, to finally start my journey. I needed to make it to Eris, to ensure her safety before it was too late.
I had no clothes to pack the outfit on my back was the only one I'd be wearing anyway. I traced my hand slowly down the worn fabric of the jacket I'd been given by Sylvia, my fingers catching on a loose thread. The material was soft from wear, warm despite its age. Hopefully, she wouldn't hate me when she discovered I'd left without saying goodbye. But this wasn't something I couldn't handle I can take her hate for me I'll bare all of it, This was necessary I have to save her.
I stood up carefully, testing each floorboard before putting my full weight down, and walked toward the door with silence. I slipped out of the room and made my way through the tavern without making a single sound, my footsteps light as a whisper. Each creak of the old building made me freeze, but no one stirred.
Reaching the front entrance, I eased the door open inch by painstaking inch, then closed it behind me with the same meticulous care. If this were an assassination, my target would already be dead that's how quiet I'd been. But the moment I turned around after closing the door, I jumped back instinctively, my hand flying to grip the hilt of my blade, muscles coiled and ready to strike.
Someone was standing right there behind me in the darkness, a silhouette shown against the moonlit snow.
"Calm down, it's just me," Sylvia said, waving nonchalantly as if this were the most normal thing in the world. Her voice was light, almost amused.
My heart was still racing, but I forced myself to relax my grip on the blade. "Why are you up so late?" I asked, genuine curiosity mixing with frustration. How had she known? Had I made some noise after all?
She only raised her eyebrow in response, a slight smirk playing at her lips. "In this situation, I should be asking you that. I'm your guardian, remember?" Her tone was teasing, but there was an edge of concern underneath.
Rudeus just rolled his eyes. She only pulled that guardian card when it was convenient for her, when she wanted to make a point or win an argument.
But then his eyes narrowed as he noticed the packed suitcase sitting next to her in the snow, ready to go. His stomach dropped. "No," he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for negotiation. "Absolutely not."
"Come on, Rudy! I've always wanted to go on an adventure!" she said, her eyes wide and pleading, her hands clasped together in an exaggerated begging gesture. "You can't just leave me here alone. It'll be fun! We'll be a team!"
But Rudeus just shook his head, his expression hardening. This was a mission meant for him alone he couldn't afford to bring someone with him on this dangerous journey. Too many variables, too many ways for things to go wrong. "I said no. This isn't some fun adventure, Sylvia. It's dangerous."
"Well, either you take me with you, or I'll be homeless," she said, her voice taking on a different quality as she adopted a smug expression. "Since I've already sold this tavern. The new owner takes possession tomorrow morning. So really, you don't have much choice here."
The wind blew cold and sharp between them, and the silence grew thick and heavy, stretching out uncomfortably. Which made her feel a little worried maybe she'd pushed too hard? The awkwardness settled over them like fresh snow.
He just stared at her for a long moment, his face unreadable. Then, without a word, he tucked his hands deep into his pockets and walked away, his footsteps crunching in the snow.
She just stood there, completely befuddled, her mouth hanging open slightly. He'd basically said yes without actually saying it, giving permission through his silence and departure. Her eyes gleamed with excitement as the realization hit her. She quickly grabbed her suitcase, nearly dropping it in her haste, and hurried after him, her breath forming clouds in the cold air.
"So, where's the first place we're headed?" she asked eagerly, practically bouncing as she caught up to him, her earlier smugness replaced with genuine enthusiasm. "What's the plan? Are we going straight there, or making stops?"
But he just kept walking, staring straight ahead, totally ignoring her questions as if she hadn't spoken at all.
Which made her puff her cheeks out in annoyance, her face scrunching up. "Fine, be like that then!" she huffed, adjusting her grip on the suitcase. "But you're going to have to talk to me eventually. We've got a long journey ahead!"
And with that, they were off into the night, two figures disappearing into the snowy landscape.
-----
When Nina woke up the next morning, stretching in her bed, the words Rudeus had spoken yesterday immediately went through her mind again, playing on repeat like an echo she couldn't escape. *Don't think one-dimensionally. Expand your worldview beyond just the sword.*
The memory made her feel complex, conflicting emotions churning in her gut confusion, anger, curiosity, and beneath it all, a growing sense of duty and determination.
She needed to become stronger to face him again, to prove herself. His words had confirmed something she'd secretly believed but hated to admit: that he wouldn't go all out with her because she was too weak, because she wasn't worth his full effort. The thought stung, but it also ignited something fierce inside her.
But this realization wouldn't stop her from walking down to that tavern to mercilessly, verbally attack him for his arrogance. Oh no, she had a whole speech prepared.
And that's exactly what she did. She wore the same clothing she'd worn yesterday a practical tunic with blue black and white designs and some small armor and training pants. That's what most people did here in the sword sanctuary, since they weren't focused on fashion or appearance but on training and improvement. Function over form.
She liked visiting the tavern. That Sylvia girl had built quite a good reputation around here over the years. She offered very affordable prices, which was important since most people training at the sanctuary were broke, having spent all their money on equipment or travel. And if you really needed it, if you were truly struggling, she'd give you drinks and food for free, no questions asked.
Sylvia always said she didn't do it for fame or fortune, but simply to help people who needed it. The only reason she even charged most customers was because she needed to keep enough money flowing to maintain the tavern, to keep the doors open. She was almost annoyingly selfless that way.
She even had a small, devoted fan club of boys who all wanted to marry her, hanging around the tavern at all hours. But they were all icky and obsessive, and Nina didn't like any of them. They gave her the creeps with their constant hovering.
When she made her way to the tavern that morning, expecting to see the usual peaceful scene, she instead encountered a crowd of angry, shouting people gathered outside. Their voices carried through the cold morning air, everyone seemed either frustration or confused.
Nina was very confused, her brow furrowing. She approached a random person at the edge of the crowd. "Excuse me, what's happening? Why is everyone just standing here yelling?"
The guy turned to Nina and shook his head sadly, as if mourning a great loss. "You haven't heard? Sylvia's gone. She left last night with that broody kid the one with the red scarf. Just up and abandoned the place."
Hearing this, Nina felt genuine shock ripple through her. This all made sense now why Rudeus would decline the Sword God's offer so quickly, why he seemed so determined to leave. He'd been planning this all along.
She looked up at the crowd and saw angry men shouting, their faces red with emotion. "Our Sylvia, leaving with that broody, ungrateful guy! He probably manipulated her!" "She was too good for this place anyway!" "I bet he forced her somehow!"
She looked at all of them pathetically, shaking her head. Didn't they have anything better to do with their lives than obsess over a girl who'd made her own choice?
But this interaction made Nina think more deeply about Rudeus's cryptic advice. What did he mean by "think beyond the sword"? Did his journey have anything to do with that philosophy? Was there something she was missing, some larger picture she couldn't see?
The questions lingered as she turned away from the crowd, lost in thought.
-----
Rudeus had several things weighing heavily on his mind as they traveled. One: getting to Eris before something terrible happened to her. Two: trying to save all the people the original Rudeus had saved in the timeline he knew like the beast tribe, who would be crucial allies later in the future. Their survival wasn't just important; it was essential. And three: trying to stay completely under the radar of the Man-God, that manipulative bastard.
Since he'd pulled that stunt back in Ars trying to kill one of his apostles, he'd wanted to stay low and avoid gathering too much attention. And since he was a good distance away from the central continent now, he probably wasn't even known on this side of the world yet. He hoped to keep it that way.
But the biggest, most immediate thing on his mind was actually figuring out where the hell they were going. He didn't have a map, didn't know the local geography beyond what he remembered from his previous life's knowledge of this world.
He turned slightly to Sylvia, who seemed to be completely absorbed in admiring the winter scenery around them, her eyes wide with wonder. They were currently walking through a dense, snowy forest with little to no signs of civilization or life for miles in any direction. Just endless white trees and the crunch of snow beneath their boots.
"Hey, do you know where any nearby cities are?" Rudeus asked without turning to fully face her, his eyes still scanning the forest ahead for any signs of a path or road.
"You know, this is literally the first thing you've said to me since we left half a day ago," she said, pouting dramatically. He'd really been ignoring her, treating her like she wasn't even there. "If it wasn't for the fact that I actually enjoy walking around and exploring, I would've been going off on you hours ago."
She crossed her arms, her breath forming little clouds. "And for your information, I haven't been outside that city since I was five years old. So no, I don't know where anything is. I'm just as lost as you are."
She really wanted to smack this infuriating boy in front of her. He could be so aggravating sometimes, so closed off and difficult. She wondered why she even cared for him at all in moments like this. But she knew the answer she'd seen glimpses of who he really was beneath that cold exterior.
He just sighed heavily, the sound conveying his exasperation. "So we're completely lost then? Great. Just great."
Sylvia nodded sheepishly. "You know, instead of trying to be all mysterious and dramatic by sneaking out in the middle of the night, you should've actually asked for directions first. But it's too late now if we go back, I'll have so many people pestering me about why I left, where I'm going, begging me to stay." She shivered, remembering the obsessive fan club she'd accumulated. They were very creepy with their constant attention.
"If we just keep heading east, we should be fine," Rudeus responded, looking ahead at the sun's position to orient himself. "West takes us toward the center central continent but that would take too long. So we need to hit neighboring cities first eventually. We'll hit civilization."
They traveled through the endless snow for several more miles, their legs burning from the exertion but neither willing to complain. Finally, as the afternoon sun began its descent, they spotted signs of civilization smoke rising from chimneys, the distant sound of voices. They'd reached a small town nestled in a valley.
"Are you tired? We can rent a room at an inn so you can rest," Rudeus offered, glancing at her. She'd been keeping pace without complaint, but he could see the slight drag in her steps.
She shook her head firmly, a bit of pride flashing in her eyes. "Hey, don't underestimate me! I'm also from the Holy Land of Swords, remember? So I'm in good shape. I've trained plenty in my life." She lifted her chin. "Plus, you're completely broke. I'm the one with the money here. And I'm older than you, so I'll make the decisions about when we rest." She smirked, clearly enjoying getting under his skin with that last bit.
Rudeus just smacked his lips in annoyance, making a disgusted sound. He should've been like Sasuke and just knocked her out, carried her unconscious body back and left her. Would've been so much quieter.
"Well, either way, the first thing we should do is register at the adventurer's guild," he stated matter-of-factly, already planning their next moves. "We need to start earning money. You couldn't have gotten that much from selling that old, run-down tavern."
Sylvia nodded in agreement, reaching into her pocket. "Well, our current budget is three Asura gold coins." She looked at the small pouch, weighing it in her hand.
Rudeus perked up slightly—that was surprisingly decent. In this world, an Asura gold coin was worth roughly 100,000 yen, which meant all together they had around 2,000 US dollars equivalent in purchasing power. That should get them pretty far, especially since they didn't need to buy weapons or armor. He could handle all the fighting himself with what he had.
They walked through the small town as evening approached, the streets beginning to empty as people headed home for dinner. They were still near the Asura Kingdom territory, so the population was mostly human, with some beast-folk scattered throughout cat people, dog people, the occasional lizardman walking around and conducting business.
"Rudeus, how long do you think we'll be on this journey?" Sylvia asked suddenly, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Like, realistically, how long until we reach where we're going?"
He thought about it carefully. Since Eris and her group were still moving through the demon continent, and he and Sylvia were traveling too, constantly in motion… "About a year or two, if we don't get caught up in any major shenanigans or disasters. Why do you ask?"
Sylvia nodded slowly, seeming to process this timeline. "Well, that should be about enough time then." Her expression shifted to something contemplative, distant.
She looked to be deep in thought, her eyes unfocused. Rudeus felt confused what was she talking about? Enough time for what?
"What are you going on about?" he asked, genuine confusion coloring his voice. "Enough time for what?"
Sylvia's face brightened, and she turned to him with sudden passion. "Well, ever since I was a kid, I've had this dream, you know? I've watched people get hurt and die every single day. And the thing is, not everyone is good at healing magic in fact, most people have zero aptitude for it. And what's worse, it's completely monopolized by the Millis Church. They control access, they set the prices."
The more she talked, the more animated she became, her hands gesturing expressively. "So I've always thought wouldn't it be better to build something some kind of system or organization that could help regular people who are struggling? People who can't afford to pay the absolutely outrageous prices these healing mages and churches demand? Something accessible to everyone, not just the rich?"
Her eyes were practically glowing with enthusiasm now, her whole face lit up with hope and determination. "I want to create affordable healing for the masses. Maybe through potions, or trained non-magical healers, or some combination. Something that doesn't require people to bankrupt themselves just to survive an injury."
The more she talked, the wider her smile grew, her vision spilling out in a rush of words.
I couldn't help but be taken aback by her passion, by the genuine care in her voice. She even reminded me of someone from my past life… I can't remember who? a friend who'd always talked about making the world better, about helping people on a large scale. The similarity was almost painful.
I studied Sylvia's face as we walked, but i couldn't help but be absorbed in something a memory fragment a image of a girl..
"That's… actually a really good idea," I admitted quietly, surprising even myself. "The world could use something like that."
Her face broke into a genuine, radiant smile not the teasing smirk or playful grin, but something real and warm. "Really? You think so? You're not just saying that?"
"Yeah," I said, looking ahead at the path before us. "I really think so." My head hurt I could feel it splitting but I just walked on like normal.
30 power stones for extra chapter