Yuri lay under the shade of a large tree by the dirt road, munching on a piece of dry biscuit with another sticking loosely from his mouth.
The villagers didn't come near him, afraid for a reason Yuri could only guess. However, he didn't mind and continued on his quiet meal. Whatever it was, he felt there was no point talking to others about it.
He had long learned that actions spoke louder than words. Convincing people otherwise would just lead to them being pushed away.
"Oy, Yuri! Nice seeing you here." Dren waved his hand from afar, his body riddled with mud and weed.
"Dren. It seems you're done?" Yuri glanced over and was surprised to see this guy here. Was he not afraid of being scolded again?
"Ha-ha! Not yet. Pops said we could take a break, so I snuck off." Dren grinned and thumped his chest with a muddy hand, looking like a triumphant hero who had vanquished the demon lord.
Yuri let out a faint chuckle and shook his head, 'Kids… really.'
Dren plopped down beside him, seemingly unbothered by the distant villagers. To him, Yuri was nothing short of a normal person.
"Y'know," he said while picking mud off his boot and arms, "people are saying weird stuff about you. Even my pops said it, too."
"Let them," Yuri smiled without looking at him.
"I don't buy it," Dren shrugged, "Ghosts, curses, haunts? I feel it's just an excuse to be nosy."
Yuri smirked faintly, neither confirming nor denying it. Ghosts? Curses? Haunts? If even he were transmigrated here, clearly nothing in this world, or the entire universe, wouldn't sound surreal anymore.
Noticing the silence, Dren looked over and was surprised to see the changes on Yuri's arms.
Was it this big before?
Upon a closer look, Yuri's muscles weren't that big, but Dren knew they should have been smaller a few hours earlier.
"You look less dead this morning. Did something happen?" Dren joked, inspecting Yuri's arms.
"I feel fine," Yuri admitted, "No soreness or pain. I'm just tired, that's all."
"Heh, must be the soil. It does wonders." Dren chuckled, to which Yuri reacted differently.
'Was it a sarcasm, or a clue?'
"Damn, your muscles feels good! Just what did you do to your field this morning?" Dren stood up and approached Yuri's field.
Yuri followed, interested in Dren's sudden inspection. Maybe he could gather more information from this guy.
"Holy-! How did you do this, Yuri?!" Dren pointed at the uniformly tilled earth. Not only was it deep, but the chunks of dirt were finely split as if it was done by magic.
Yuri shrugged, "I don't know. I just swung my hoe and continued, I guess?"
Despite the lack of enthusiasm, Dren was more excited than he was after seeing the results.
"Yuri, do you know how many coins this tilling will get you?"
"Hmm?" Yuri raised his eyebrows.
"50 copper coins! For each quarter of a hectare you till like this, others can pay you at that rate, or even higher!" Dren excitedly spoke up as if he were the one who had done the tilling and was about to earn some money.
At that moment, the familiar shout called out again. Dren sighed in resignation and jogged off, saying his goodbyes to Dren.
"Dren, your tilling skills are godlike! I bet others would want you to till their lands at some point. Also, I'll guide you to that store later in the afternoon, when we're free! Wait for me at your house!"
Yuri smiled and nodded, though Dren's back had long faced him.
"Let's get back to work then, shall we?"
He continued striking the land with his hoe, each thud landing with a rhythm more pronounced and fluid than the last.
By the time the sun peaked, most villagers had retreated under shade, gathering in groups for a midday meal. Meanwhile, Yuri sat alone outside his house, silently reflecting on the changes creeping into his body.
"This is strange," he muttered, flexing his fingers. "At this rate, if I keep plowing like this, won't I end up replacing those modern tractors?"
His breath slowed as he leaned against the wall, staring at the sky. The exhaustion was real, but so was the improvement.
"I should rest for now. If I overdo it, I might not be able to move tomorrow."
Less than a quarter of the hectare field remained, which meant he could finish it before sunset. Besides, the sun was practically branding his skin at this point.
As someone who used to rely on SPF 50 and air-conditioned gyms, getting roasted alive under the sun wasn't exactly on his bucket list.
A couple of hours passed.
Seeing the sun no longer as high during noon, Yuri grabbed his hoe again and went over his field to finish the work for today.
He gripped his hoe with renewed focus and struck the earth precisely, falling into the same rhythm of lift, swing, pull, and breathe.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Then, an old voice drifted into his ears.
"Impressive, young lad."
It was soft yet carried some weight. Yuri paused mid-swing, turning his head to the source.
An elderly man stood past the fence, arms behind his back, and long sleeves swaying with the breeze. He quietly watched, like a man who had seen many fields and lives, but none as special as Yuri and his field.
Beside him were two tall men clad in armor, holding a shield and a spear while inspecting the surrounding land.
Yuri lowered his hoe and faced the elderly, expecting what this old man was about to say.
"You've worked the land better than the most seasoned hands," the elder praised, "But I wonder, what drives an abandoned one like you to till the soil with purpose?"
"I just want to start a new life, sir," Yuri replied calmly, sensing that there was more to the elder's words.
"A new life, hmm?" the elder looked to the skies and closed his eyes as if weighing Yuri's words, "We do all seek second chances, don't we?"
He smiled and looked back at Yuri, "Worry not, young one. Though dubious as you were before, I see far beyond one's names and histories."
Yuri's brows furrowed slightly.
Dubious? What kind of life did my predecessor live in this world?
Was he some kind of outlaw? Or just… unloved?
The elder noticed the change in Yuri's expression but said nothing more.
"We'll meet again once this land under yours blooms. For now, continue with your good work." He chuckled softly and turned away, his robes fluttering slightly as he resumed surveying the fields.
Yuri wanted to ask for the elder's name, but the old man had long been gone with his guards silently following. He turned around and looked at the almost completely tilled field, carrying the hoe once more and splitting the soil.
The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully. One by one, the villagers gathered their tools and returned to their homes.
Yuri noticed something as he went back to his house. The gazes of the nearby farmers shifted, a hint of amazement within them. A few wanted to come over, but when their eyes flickered towards his house, they hesitated in doing so.
Yuri narrowed his eyes, noting this peculiar sensation.
'So this house really has something wrong with it.'
Take a good look, his house did seem a little too shabby than those of his neighbors. As for the history of it, he could ask Dren or the elderly when the time was right.
For now, Yuri wanted to take a bath. The smell was a little strong, and as someone from the modern era, not taking a bath felt barbaric.
Yuri made his way toward a small stream he had spotted earlier. The gentle stream of flowing water led him to what seemed to be a communal bathing area. A few villagers were already there, carelessly undressing and rubbing dirt off their bodies.
Yuri blushed, unused to this kind of public exposure.
"Yo, Yuri!"
Dren's voice broke through the sound of splashing water. He waved from the stream, the mud from earlier mostly gone from his body.
Yuri raised a brow, amused, "You're still alive after ditching work again?"
Dren smirked, "Don't say that. Pops said so, told me I was stinking like a pig!"
Yuri shook his head and faintly chuckled. The life of a villager didn't look that bad, except for the sunburn one could earn while tirelessly working on the fields.
'I should find some clothing to cover myself during the day,' he thought, 'It might not be fashionable, but I'd rather not earn a ticket to skin cancer.'
As he stripped off his worn-out clothes, some of the villagers, including Dren, let out a surprised gasp.
"Dude, did you lift rocks on the way here? You were scrawny like a scarecrow earlier!"
"Nope," Yuri shrugged, "I just tilled the land like others did."
"Liar," Dren snickered, knowing that Yuri must have done something to his body during the afternoon, "Look at you. You're built almost like a mercenary now. Not even I can compare. Do you know how ridiculous that is?"
"Why?" Yuri raised his eyebrows, "Afraid I might get the girls?"
"Shut up," Dren pouted and sulkily submerged himself into the stream.
Yuri grinned and leaned back on the stream, enjoying the flowing sensation as the water slowly carried away the dirt stuck on his body.
And maybe a little bit of his previous self.