The door shut—leaving me alone again, alone with my thoughts. On a normal day, I'd often talk to myself in my head: 'What is that?', 'Is he really doing that?', 'That window's broken,' 'That dog is here today as well...' No detail would escape me, if I cared about what I saw, of course.
But now, the only thought I could form in my head was, 'I need to get out of here,' and nothing else. I was… not in a good mental state.
"Okay, Ax," I muttered under my breath as I pushed into the moving tide of people. "Onto the Guild…"
I wove through the crowd, head slightly down, my eyes half-lidded as I tried to focus on anything but that unnerving image still burned into my mind. That giant eye in the sky. No matter how much I tried to shake it, every time I blinked, I could still see it—watching me. The whole thing left a strange feeling in my gut, like an itch I couldn't scratch.
Emerging from the other side of the street, I found myself in an area that was calmer but still surprisingly crowded. I kept my pace steady, heading toward Mulda, where the Guild was located.
As if reading my thoughts, that translucent box appeared again, flickering into existence right in front of me, floating as I moved through the street. It was strange how natural it felt now—this thing following me, adjusting as I walked. Annoying, but undeniably useful.
╔════════════════════╗
- Level 1: Axel Millo
===================
- HP: [███████████] 98/100
- MP: [▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒] -1/0
- STA: [███████▒▒▒▒] 75/100
- Options: [Inv | Skills | Quests]
╚════════════════════╝
I let out a quiet breath and kept walking, only half-listening to the conversations happening around me.
"The tournament is close," someone nearby said excitedly. "Can't wait to watch it. My son's competing!"
"My daughter joined too!" another voice chimed in. "What class is your son?"
Their voices faded behind me as I neared the end of the street. I hesitated, glancing at the map to make sure I was on the right path before turning a corner into a quieter, emptier street.
Juz'n was now behind me, but my mind wasn't in the present—it had drifted back to my world. What would I have been doing at this hour back home? The answer should've been easy. Instead, all I found was a hazy, distant memory, as if the life I left behind was slipping further away. A hollow feeling settled in my chest. Was I already giving up on going back?
I clenched my fist, frustrated, but before the despair could fully take hold, I realized I had walked right past the Guild. With a small sigh, I turned back, retraced my steps, and pushed open the double doors. My boots echoed against the wooden floor as I strode toward the counter where the same man from before stood, his back to me.
I placed the quest paper on the counter and set the ring on top of it. "I've completed the quest," I said, my voice steady but low.
The worker turned, his sharp eyes scanning the paper before shifting up to meet mine. He gave a small nod, seeming satisfied.
"Good. Once we verify this is indeed the ring she lost, you'll receive your payment."
I frowned slightly. "Can't I… take it now?" My voice dropped, just barely above a whisper.
"Sorry. Rules are rules."
I held back a sigh and gave a small shrug. "Okay… fine. Thanks anyway."
"Mm." He barely acknowledged me before glancing down at some papers. "You should head to school. You're going to be late."
I forced a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah. School…"
Turning on my heel, I pushed through the doors and stepped outside. I figured the quest had to be counted as completed, but I wanted to double-check. Focusing on the system thingy, I called up the translucent box again.
╔═════════╗
- NEW QUEST
╚═════════╝
- Quest Title: Two Papers
===================
- Deadline: Today
===================
- Objective:
* Complete two quests from
The Guild. (1/2)
===================
- Rewards:
- 1x Rare Item Material
- Experience: 20 XP
╚════════════════════╝
I exhaled. "Finally. Something good for once." At least the thing was keeping track.
"Oi!"
A firm voice cut through the street. I looked up to see a guard standing a short distance away, arms crossed, eyeing me with mild impatience.
"You should be heading to school, kid."
I blinked, then quickly nodded. "Right!" I started walking, forcing a sheepish chuckle. "I lost track of time. I'll… change into my uniform and go straight to Redwood."
The guard narrowed his eyes slightly. "Be quick about it."
❂❂❂
I shut the door behind me and locked it, the soft click echoing louder than expected in the quiet room. I hesitated before turning to the window, where I could still see students in the streets outside. They wore uniforms—just like the one Aiden had. Which was pretty much the same as mine except for a few details. That couldn't be a coincidence. Two separate schools, two sets of uniforms… that looked nearly identical? Something was off. I could go and try asking Aiden or any other student about it, but if I stepped out now without heading to Redwood, I could get into trouble. I didn't want to risk breaking the law just for a hunch.
Sighing, I dropped down on the edge of the bed, one elbow resting on my knee as I cradled my chin in my palm. My body ached, my thoughts were a mess, and as much as I tried to keep it together, I still hadn't given up on the dumb hope that I'd eventually wake up from this—that I'd open my eyes and find myself back in my apartment, under familiar lights, surrounded by everything I knew.
"I guess I'm hiding here until school ends…" I muttered under my breath.
╔═════════════╗
- CLASS SELECTION
╚═════════════╝
- Choose your class:
===================
[1] Warrior: Strength & Defense
[2] Mage: Master of Magic
[3] Rogue: Stealth & Agility
[4] Healer: Restore & Protect
===================
- Options: [Inv | Skills | Quests]
╚════════════════════╝
The translucent screen blinked into view without warning, floating right in front of me. I flinched, instinctively leaning back a little before groaning and rubbing my eyes.
"Can you not appear out of nowhere like that…" I mumbled, standing up and walking toward the window. The box followed me, hovering close like a loyal pet.
I stared down at the options, lips pursed. My mana was still stuck at zero—or worse, negative. I remembered what that old bartender had said… in this world, people were born with mana. And since I wasn't from here… I wasn't born with mana. Did that mean I'd never get to use it? I didn't want to choose Mage and end up stuck with an empty bar.
I bit the inside of my cheek. 'No rush. I'll wait, level up first… maybe it'll change.' With a quick thought, I dismissed the menu. The screen faded out.
Then came a knock on the door. I froze mid-step, breath caught in my throat. Another knock followed. Then another. Persistent. The kind that said I know you're in there.