Morning light filtered through the window, falling across the boy as he slept. His black hair lay messy on the pillow, and his dark eyes were closed in peaceful rest. The sunlight touched his face, warm and soft, and he stirred, blinking open his eyes. The room around him was simple but clearly fantasy-like—made entirely of wood, with beams and shelves filled with small curiosities. The light crept further in, nudging him fully awake, and he sat up, stretching as the new day began.
"Well… it's not a dream. I really am in a fantasy world." The words slipped out before I could stop them, my eyes scanning the wooden room that would be my resting place for now. Someday, though… someday I'll build my own kingdom. A man can dream, can't he?
Shaking the unwanted thoughts from my mind and stretching my body, I walked out of the room to start my day.
"Morning, ma'am," I said as soon as I glanced at a mature woman standing behind the reception desk of the inn where I was staying.
"Morning, Arya. Don't you think you woke up quite early?" Mira replied in a teasing tone, her eyes glinting.
"Uh…" I raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard. "What time is it?"
"Heh! It's already noon, Arya," she said, still teasing, and I was shocked.
With no alarms to yank me awake in this strange new world, it was almost inevitable that I'd sleep in late. Back on Earth, I'd had a terrible habit of binge-watching anime until the small hours of the night, so waking up late had been a constant problem—but nothing had prepared me for just how long I would end up sleeping here.
The harsh sunlight spilling through the wooden window hit me like a reminder that time doesn't wait for anyone, and yet I couldn't bring myself to care.
After everything I went through yesterday—getting hit by Truck-kun, somehow surviving, and then being thrust into a fantasy world where apparently I'm playing with life and death—this long, uninterrupted rest felt not just deserved but necessary.
My muscles ached pleasantly from all the unexpected exertion, my mind still hazy from the weird mix of exhaustion and lingering disbelief, and for the first few moments of consciousness, I let myself simply luxuriate in the fact that I could still breathe, still lie here, still exist without immediate danger pressing down on me.
"I see. Can I have a breakf—lunch and extend my stay for one more night?" I asked, keeping my tone sincere.
"Hmm, go and wash up, and your meal will be ready in no time. It will cost 50 bronze coins, by the way."
Strangly i didn't find her daughter working here today... or probably she is also a sleepy head like me. Without replying, I hummed in response and moved towards the bathroom to freshen up.
And the fantasy world didn't disappoint me—well, except for that trip to the bathroom. This was going to be the worst part of my daily routine. Medieval settings have their perks, sure, but bad hygiene is by far the biggest downside. Taking a… dump in there was… let's just say it's better if you don't ask.
Shaking off the disgusting feeling, I moved to wash my mouth. The stench lingered, crawling up my nose, and for a moment I just wanted to forget it ever happened. But then it hit me—ahh! I'm going to need a damn toothbrush.
I splashed water on my face, trying to wash off as much of the filth as I could, and quickly moved out of that hellhole of a bathroom.
I had my lunch at one of the tables in the reception area, occasionally chatting with Mira—both the owner and the receptionist of the inn. The meal was better than I expected, and it was certainly welcome.
After finishing my surprisingly decent lunch, I stood, stretched again, and prepared myself to finally do some proper adventurer preparation. The last thing I needed was to wander around in a school uniform when the forest was full of things that could kill me in ten seconds flat. Time to get my gear in order.
Yesterday, everyone was staring at me like I was an alien, judging me by my clothes… damn racist people. Well… I guess I am an alien to them.
I slipped my hands into my pockets out of habit—and smiled. A tiny thought popped into my mind: what if coins just… appeared?
Poof!
Exactly as I imagined, a small pile of bronze coins shimmered into existence in my palm. Inventory magic, huh? The system wasn't lying: I could summon items from anywhere, at least the ones I already "owned" in some sense. Right now, that was coins—but hey, it was a start.
I stuffed the coins back, took a deep breath, and walked out of the inn. "I'll be paying when I come back from my little adventure," I said as I stepped onto the streets.
The streets were lively, more than I expected for a small village. Cobblestones crunched under my boots, vendors shouted about their goods, and the smell of fresh bread mingled with smoke from the chimneys. It was quaint, peaceful… a stark contrast to the forest bloodbaths I had survived just yesterday.
The first stop was a clothing shop run by a portly man. I scanned the rack: tunics, cloaks, leather pants, boots—adventurer-grade, exactly what I needed.
"Uh… do you have something… not too flashy and comfortable?" I asked awkwardly, trying to appear knowledgeable about adventurer fashion.
The man chuckled. "You're in luck, boy. Everything here is practical. Try this tunic and pants set."
I changed in the small fitting area. The material was surprisingly soft, and I grinned at my reflection. Not bad. Not bad at all.
The beige tunic's collar was well-made, making the overall outfit passable, and the fabric was breathable. A rope-like belt at my waist kept the pants in place.
I quickly grabbed three different sets of the same design in different colors.
Next were boots. I needed something sturdy, capable of surviving slippery riverbanks and swampy patches. School shoes just weren't going to cut it. After a few tries, I found a pair that fit snugly, laced them up, and felt a thrill of readiness.
After a round of bargaining, we finally settled on two silver coins for the entire outfit.
Next purchase… a sword.