Knight awoke to the soft glow of morning light leaking through the small window. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt… rested. His body still ached faintly, but it was the sort of ache that followed real sleep not the restless tossing he'd grown used to on the streets.
He sat up slowly, blinking away the sleep, and let out a long breath.
The 50 copper was spent well after all
Rubbing his eyes, Knight stood and splashed some water from the small basin onto his face. The coldness shocked him awake.
He grabbed his things: his dull sword, his pouch of copper coins, and the tattered cloak he used for traveling.
With one last glance around the simple room, he stepped outside.
Knight turned to see the familiar figure of Toby leaning against the inn's wall, chewing on a piece of dried fruit. His cloak was messier today, and his boots were already caked with mud.
"Morning, roomie."
Knight froze. "How long have you been there?"
"Just long enough to see you try and act cool coming out of a wooden door." Toby straightened up. "Heading to the guild?"
"…Yeah."
"Perfect. I'll come too."
Knight blinked. "Why?"
"Why not?" Toby fell into step beside him as they headed down the stairs and out into the street. "I mean, Im also a newly registered steel ranked adventurer"
Knight sighed. "You're awfully comfortable around someone you just met."
Knight sighed through his nose. His footsteps grew heavier with each step, but he didn't say anything. Not yet.
Toby, of course, kept going. "So what's your deal? You always this quiet? Or is it just around guys who dare speak first?"
Knight stopped at the bottom of the stairs, shooting him a sidelong glare.
"I don't know you," he muttered flatly. "You act like we're friends."
Toby blinked, then grinned. "Well, that's how people become friends, right? Start with annoying conversation and see who breaks first."
Knight's brow twitched.
They stepped outside into the morning chill, and the quiet walk began again — except it wasn't quiet, because Toby kept talking.
"I'm just saying, if you're gonna keep brooding 24/7, you'll wear out your neck muscles. You ever tried smiling? Or blinking twice in the same hour?"
Knight suddenly stopped in his tracks, exhaled sharply, and turned to face him.
"I'm not interested in making friends," he said. "I'm here to survive. That's it."
For a moment, Toby looked almost thoughtful. Then he shrugged with that same easy smile.
"Well, surviving's easier with someone watching your back, right?"
Knight narrowed his eyes, lips twitching in irritation. But he didn't say no.
He turned again, marched toward the guild entrance, and muttered just loud enough for Toby to hear:
"…Do whatever you want."
Toby grinned wide and followed him in without missing a beat.
The morning was brisk but bright as Knight and Toby stood before the guild's quest board, scanning the postings. Dozens of parchment sheets fluttered in the breeze like dead leaves, each covered in looping letters Knight still couldn't read.
He watched silently as Toby's eyes moved across the board.
"There," Toby said, tapping one of the sheets. "Herb-gathering quest. Swamp just outside town. Not glamorous, but easy money."
Knight squinted at the posting. Just below the messy text was a crude drawing of a bush with puffy leaves and bulbous flowers. He gave a slow nod.
"…That works."
Toby raised an eyebrow. "What, no complaints about it being too 'low-level' for your taste?"
Knight sighed through his nose. "I'm not in a position to complain."
Toby grinned. "Fair enough."
They stepped into the guild hall and approached the same receptionist Knight had spoken to before. She greeted them with a quick nod.
"Herb-gathering, huh?" she said, glancing between them. "Good starter. The flowers you're looking for are called Glowleaves. They only grow in shaded swampy areas. Just don't confuse them with Mireweed. That one burns."
"Burns?" Knight echoed.
"Like, blisters on your skin. Nasty stuff," she said cheerfully, stamping their quest slips. "Be careful out there."
From there, they made their way to the market district.
The streets were busy full of clanging metal, shouted barters, and the smell of bread, sweat, and something vaguely burnt. They stopped at a general goods stall where Toby pointed out a cheap but decent satchel, a waterskin, and a worn map showing the path to the nearby swamp. They also picked up a pair of thin gloves "For picking without dying," as Toby put it—and a single vial of cheap antidote, just in case.
Knight paid his share without complaint, though his coin pouch felt noticeably lighter.
As they left the marketplace and started toward the swamp trail, Knight gave a side glance to Toby.
"You seem to know your way around all this."
Toby shrugged. "This isn't my first time living broke."
Knight didn't respond. He adjusted the satchel over his shoulder and kept walking.
Toby stretched his arms behind his head as they continued along the path. "Y'know, I was worried you'd be one of those serious, moody loner types."
Knight gave him a flat look. "I am."
Toby grinned. "Then this is gonna be a fun quest."
The trail thinned as they walked, the dirt path gradually turning to mud. The air grew damper with every step, heavy with the scent of moss and stagnant water. Trees loomed taller here, their roots twisting like coiled snakes through dark puddles. A buzzing chorus of unseen insects hummed all around them.
Knight swatted a gnat away from his face. "This is miserable."
Toby, a few steps ahead, chuckled. "Now that's the spirit."
The path eventually disappeared altogether, swallowed by the swamp. Greenish-brown water lapped at their boots as they trudged forward, keeping their eyes out for the plant the receptionist had described — Glowleaves: wide, flat, and slightly luminous if seen in the shade.
Knight paused, squinting under a leaning tree. "That one. Could be it."
Toby leaned over his shoulder, brushing his fingers through the air carefully. "Looks like it. Don't touch it yet—Glowleaves have these faint little vein lines that shimmer when you move 'em." He crouched down, reached out with a gloved hand, and gently turned a leaf.
A faint silver gleam shifted in the light.
"Bingo."
Knight crouched beside him and began plucking the plant with care, mimicking Toby's movements. Even with gloves, his hands moved cautiously, unsure.
"Never thought you'd be the type to fumble over picking flowers," Toby teased.
"I'd like to see you block a wolf's bite with your bare arm and still move your fingers right," Knight muttered.
Toby snorted. "Point taken."
The two continued harvesting for a while in silence, occasionally spotting more patches of the herb nestled under thick tree roots or half-submerged in murky pools. Mosquitoes buzzed incessantly, and Knight was sure something slithered past his foot more than once. His patience wore thin by the time their satchel was nearly full.
"We've got enough," he said, straightening up with a grunt. "Let's go."
"Hold on—there's a patch right there," Toby said, pointing toward a darker clump of roots half-covered in water. "Might as well grab a few more, right?"
Knight didn't respond, but followed.
As Toby bent to pluck another bunch, his foot slipped slightly in the mud.
Knight grabbed his arm, steadying him without thinking.
"…Thanks," Toby said, surprised.
Knight looked away. "Just don't want to carry your injured body back to town."
"Wow. Touching."
They sloshed their way back through the swamp, grime caked to their legs, clothes damp, and boots soaked through. When they finally stepped back onto the solid road, Knight exhaled.
"…Never again."
Toby grinned, holding up the satchel like a trophy. "Hey, we survived our first real quest together."
"Barely counts as a quest."
"Still counts."
Knight didn't say anything. But as they walked back toward town, he didn't lag behind, either.
By the time they returned to town, the sun had dipped low, casting long orange shadows across the dirt road. Knight's hands were nicked with tiny scrapes, his boots caked in mud, but he held his share of herbs tightly—proof of a job finished.
They passed through the gate, and the sight of the guild building under the warm twilight felt oddly… welcoming.
Inside, the receptionist blinked in surprise as they dropped off the herb bundles. "You actually found everything? Most newbies come back with weeds and excuses."
"We aim to please," Toby said with a wink, while Knight simply gave a short nod.
The pay was small—just enough for food and to save a few coppers—but Knight felt a quiet satisfaction bloom in his chest.
Once the brief debriefing was done, Knight lingered for a moment, eyeing the quest board again. His eyes darted over the flowing letters that still made no sense to him.
"Need help?" the receptionist asked, catching his stare.
He hesitated, then gave a slight nod. "…I can't read this."
She smiled gently, not mockingly. "You're not the first. If you want, I can help you get started."
"Thanks."
And so, the next week passed in a steady rhythm.
Knight and Toby took on various labor quests—hauling crates, cleaning stables, even assisting with some small repairs. It wasn't glorious, and it paid little, but it was steady. Knight began to understand the structure of this world, one coin at a time.
Every other evening, he'd return to the guild and spend a few quiet minutes with the receptionist going over basic letters and words. His progress was slow, but real. He could now pick out simple words on the board—like "herb," "urgent," and "goblin."
At the end of that week, an opportunity came from one of the caravan traders looking for two able-bodied adventurers to serve as night watch on their trip to a nearby town.
"You'll ride with us during the day, and keep watch in shifts when we make camp," the bearded merchant had explained. "We've had a few issues with beasts and thieves lately."
Knight and Toby agreed, and before long, they found themselves walking beside the clattering wheels of a traveling wagon, the woods rolling by as they made slow but steady progress along the worn road.
It was uneventful. For once, Knight was thankful.
That night, they made camp near a quiet bend in the road. A small fire crackled beside the wagon wheels. Stars blinked above through gaps in the forest canopy.
Knight sat alone, wrapped in his cloak, sword resting in his lap. His shift had just started.
Toby, seated nearby, yawned as he poked at the flames with a stick. "Y'know, I think this is the most peaceful job we've had all week. No angry chickens. No falling crates. No swamps."
Knight didn't reply, but the corners of his mouth pulled ever so slightly upward.
After a long silence, Toby added, "Think we'll keep doing this?"
Knight looked up. "Doing what?"
"This. Surviving. Working. Getting stronger. All of it."
Knight didn't answer right away. He stared into the fire, watching the embers dance like ghosts in the night wind. Then he nodded once.
"…Yeah. I think we will."
They returned to town under the golden haze of a setting sun, tired but intact. The caravan job had gone smoother than either of them expected—no bandits, no monsters, just long nights of walking, staying awake, and listening for rustling in the grass. By the time they passed through the city gates again, Knight's boots were more worn and his coin pouch was a little heavier.