"Good evening, sir."
Ashen walked up to the old man with a polite smile, putting on his best nice guy act. His plan was simple, earn the man's favor first, and then ask for what he needed later.
But the old man whose name, as Ashen later found out, was Gaius, was not the easiest person to deal with.
The first time Ashen greeted him, the man ignored him. The second time, he did the same. The third time? Still silence.
By the fourth attempt, Ashen was already frustrated. Only then did the old man finally snap, glaring at him.
"What the hell do ya want from me, ya brat?!" His voice was sharp, full of grumpiness and sass.
Ashen raised a brow. Just from the tone alone, he could already tell this old man would be difficult to handle. Should he bother, or should he just walk away?
After a quick thought, he decided to give the man the benefit of the doubt.
"Don't be like that, old man. I'm new here. I was hoping to find someone who could help me out." His voice was calm and friendly, even though he was irritated.
"Who are ya callin' old?! Brats these days, no respect at all!" Gaius barked.
Ashen bit back a sigh. Who's the one being disrespectful here? But he chose not to argue.
"If ya looking for someone to help ya," the old man continued, "ya better go elsewhere. Leave me alone."
Ashen had had enough. His patience ran thin.
"Hey, old man. Are you trying to die soon? Because trust me, that's what's going to happen if you keep being this annoying to deal with."
He had tried to stay polite. He really did. But with this man's tone, it was impossible.
"Ya dare talk to me like that?!" Gaius snapped, eyes wide with fury.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. I'm out of here." Ashen waved dismissively and began walking away.
But then—
"Ya! Come back here!"
Ashen stopped in his tracks. Part of him didn't want to return after the way he had been spoken to. Yet he knew better. This was a strange world, completely foreign to him. He had no information, no allies, and no direction. If he was going to survive, then pride was something he could not afford.
Reluctantly, he turned back.
"Ya said ya new in town? Where are ya from?" Gaius asked.
Ashen disliked the man's rough, broken way of speaking, but he let it slide. There were bigger things at stake.
"Out of town, sir. My group was attacked by bandits, and I got separated. That's how I ended up here."
"Ptooe!" Gaius spat on the floor. "All lies, ya tell."
Ashen stayed silent. He couldn't really argue.
The old man squinted at him. "Do ya even have a place to sleep tonight?"
"I don't, sir. But if you're willing to offer me one, I'd be happy to accept." Ashen decided to be direct.
"Mmph. Too forward. Who said I was givin' ya a place?" Another spit. "But… if ya help this old man wash, cook and run errands from time to time, maybe ya can stay the night."
Ashen hesitated. Washing and cooking weren't exactly part of his plan. But compared to sleeping outside with no shelter, it was a fair trade.
"I-I'll do it," he agreed quickly.
"Good. Come now."
The old man rose, grabbed his walking stick, and hobbled toward his hut. Ashen followed after a brief pause.
Inside, the hut was tiny, barely big enough to be called a room. It was even smaller than a standard storage shed.
What was Ashen expecting, really?
There was almost nothing inside. A bag of disheveled clothes lay tossed in a corner. A thin mat rested against the far wall. Aside from that, the space was practically empty.
"Ya can sleep there for the night," the old man muttered, pointing at the wall closest to the entrance.
Ashen stared. "You want me to sleep on the bare floor?!"
"I said I'd give ya a place to sleep. Never said anything about ya getting comfort."
His expression was stone cold. He wasn't joking.
Ashen groaned. "Fi—Fine."
It wasn't like he had much of a choice going for him, anyway.
"Where ya going now?" Gaius asked as Ashen turned to leave.
"To find something to spread on the floor," Ashen replied. He stepped out of the hut, though the truth was that he just wanted to waste some time. He wasn't ready to sleep yet. After all, going to sleep here meant returning to earth.
Or in gamer quote?... Logging out.
But quitting now? That didn't feel right.
The God's motive for summoning humans into this world was clear: save humanity from the Undead. Creatures who had once lived, died, and then risen again, immortal, unyielding creatures.
The thought of fighting undead didn't scare Ashen. He had played plenty of MMORPGs. He knew the drill.
What troubled him was his starting point. Where was he supposed to go from here? What was the first step?
"Stupid. Before I think about where to go, I should first find out where I even am. Better yet, I need to learn the layout of Thyrennor."
That had to be his first goal, understand the world itself before attempting to make any moves.
Hastiness was not to be pursued in matters like this. Rather, patience is what is adviced.
While he wandered, lost in thought, Gaius came back outside and sat down again in his usual spot.
"Perfect timing," Ashen muttered, heading toward him once more.
The old man groaned the moment he saw him. "I already gave ya a place to stay. What do ya want now?"
Clearly, he thought Ashen was nothing but a nuisance, disturbing his peace.
"What do I want?" Ashen said with a grin. "Simple. Information. Tell me about the world of Thyrennor and the land of Aldrion."
His eyes shone with anticipation. Believing he was finally about to learn something useful.