— The Beginning of Everything
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the middle of nowhere—
a forest, deep and unfamiliar.
To be honest, I was confused.
But I quickly told myself this had to be a dream.
Yes, a vivid, strange dream, but a dream nonetheless.
I looked around.
Towering trees, damp air, and strange creatures—
slimes, of all things—slowly moving between the roots.
Nothing unusual for a dream, right?
So I decided to wander around and see what this dream had to offer.
I picked a direction at random.
Maybe I'd get lost, but that didn't matter—it's not like dreams have consequences.
Along the way, I saw animals far larger than they should be:
beetles, bees, birds—even ants—
each one big enough to crush a human.
It was bizarre… and a little terrifying.
The morning sun peeked through the leaves, warm and gentle.
For a moment, the scene felt peaceful—almost nostalgic.
It reminded me of when I was a kid, playing in the woods near home with my friends.
Those were simpler times.
Just thinking about it made me smile.
But peace never lasts long, does it?
From the distance, a massive silhouette began to move between the trees.
As it drew closer, its form became clear—
a giant wild boar.
Its sheer size froze me on the spot.
Then I remembered—it's just a dream.
Maybe this monster showed up because I used to play Monster Hunter a lot.
It even looked a bit like a Bulldrome.
I decided to ignore it and keep walking—
—but the ground started shaking.
It was charging straight at me.
"Wait—it's chasing me!?"
Without thinking, I ran.
I mean, who wouldn't? A beast that size coming at you full speed—
any sane person would run.
I glanced back.
It was plowing through everything in its path.
Trees snapped, dirt flew, and my heart pounded louder than its steps.
And damn it—it was fast. Too fast.
I remembered hearing once that if you ever encounter a wild boar,
don't run—climb a tree.
Yeah… that advice clearly doesn't apply here.
"Damn it!"
My legs burned, my lungs screamed, my stomach churned.
If this was a dream, why did it hurt so much?
Maybe it's one of those ultra-realistic dreams, I thought—
right before I tripped over a root.
"Shit…"
My head spun, my vision blurred, my ears rang.
Pain shot through my leg.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
I couldn't breathe properly.
"This… this is a dream, right…?"
But no answer came.
And deep down, I knew.
This wasn't a dream.
It was real.
And reality, as always, was cruel.
When I looked back, the monster was almost upon me.
My mind raced for a way to survive.
Run again? Impossible.
Hide? Too late.
I tried to stand, but my body refused to move.
"Come on… come on, damn it!"
Tears welled in my eyes before I realized it.
It had been years since I last cried.
And now, I was crying out of fear—
fear of dying.
What a pathetic irony.
I shut my eyes and waited for the pain.
But… it never came.
When I opened them again, someone was standing there.
A sword in her hand.
The boar—dead at her feet.
She turned toward me, stepped closer, and reached out her hand.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly, smiling.
A breeze brushed past, lifting her hair just slightly.
Damn… why is my heart beating so fast?
Is this love?
No, impossible. It must be admiration—yeah, that's it.
"Eh? What is it? You're staring at me kind of weird," she said.
Ah, right. Staring too long is rude.
"It's nothing," I muttered, shaking my head.
I stood up without taking her hand.
After all, I was still alive.
"Thank you for saving me," I said, bowing slightly.
"There's no need for that," she replied.
"It's part of my job as an adventurer."
She smiled modestly.
A good person, I thought.
"An adventurer?" I asked.
For some reason, she frowned slightly.
"Hm? What, you don't think a woman can be an adventurer?"
Her tone carried a hint of irritation.
"Haha, that's not what I meant.
It's just… with your armor and all, I thought you were a knight."
She looked down at her outfit, then laughed softly.
"Now that you mention it, I guess it does look like a knight's armor."
Honestly, I'm not good at talking to women.
But hey, at least I tried.
"So, what are you doing out here anyway?" she asked.
Ah, finally, the question I'd been waiting for.
"Well… I left home," I said quietly.
"I just got tired of being there."
It wasn't exactly a lie—
more like a thinly veiled truth.
"I see… so you're lost then?"
"Yeah, you could say that."
I nodded.
"If possible, could you take me to the nearest town?
Or even a village—anything works."
"Of course!" she said proudly, puffing her chest a little.
"That's part of an adventurer's duty, too!
Oh, by the way, my name's Viola. Nice to meet you."
She extended her hand again, and this time, I smiled back.
"Nice to meet you too. I'm Clement."
I shook her hand.
Damn…
this was the first time I'd ever shaken hands with a woman.
Maybe this was the most colorful day I've ever had.
There were so many feelings—anticipation, fear, relief, confusion, and even… joy.
Amazing, isn't it?
But I know this is just the beginning.
Yeah… I'll try a little harder in this world.
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