– Day 3 –

Unexpected Visitor

Disheartened by dawn, yet gladdened by the achievement of fire, such complexity in my emotions right now! I’m really not sure if I want to cry or laugh uncontrollably.

I decided instead just to do the cooking so I can hopefully get 1 or 2 hours sleep before checking out the occupants of that house I found last night in the clearing.

[Night Eye disabled]

HP: 71 / 90 MP: 198 / 200

..Oh my, such good, much wow. If I had a tail, it would be wagging right now! Mm!

I had decided to start by cooking a leg as I could tie a fresh twig to the leg bone and hang it over my makeshift wooden spit. It took some time to prepare it this way but well, you heard my satisfaction earlier.

HP: 90 / 90 MP: 200 / 200

Hunger: 44% Thirst: 40%

Blood State: Low

It could be the fact that I haven’t eaten since reviving, the quality of the meat, or perhaps the achievements required to get to this point but I was once again bought to tears. The simple flavours mixing in my mouth are incredible.

..Might as well get a good feed in here as I don’t know how long it will take me to light a fire next time, plus it will help to see how long food will last in my inventory.

I rest myself against the nearby oak and allow the butchered meat to cook here before eating my fill and store what remains.

Hunger: 1% Thirst: 48%

Blood State: Low

Hmm. Not being able to carry water is going to become a problem before long. Especially since I have no way to boil it when I come to a river. I guess [Blood Syphon] does alleviate the need for water but I can only imagine what would happen should someone see me use that skill.

For now, with all the meat cooked, let's not sleep and instead visit that clearing again. I don’t really feel sleepy anyway surprisingly.

On my way to the clearing, I take a look at my inventory.

Inventory: 9 / 99

– Dark Sage of Agamenty –

– Sword of Edoas –

– Very basic fire-starter kit –

– Meat Ration x6 –

– Raisen Boar Carcass –

– Firewood: Large x10 –

– Firewood: Small x13 –

– Firewood: Kindling x24 –

– Flat Stone x1 –

It’s nice to know that 99 items are actually 99 classifications of item types and you can store multiples of that item classification without counting towards the cap of 99.

More experimentation is needed, like does food decay and is my strength a limiting factor but for now, this is handy to know.

Of course, none of this would be necessary if I had a new players guide.. I said; A new players guide! ...Hmm.

As I arrive at the clearing, a woman can be seen tending her crops. I decide to stay out of sight for now while I observe to gather more information. The last thing I want to do is end up in a ‘me or you’ situation if that can be avoided.

After about an hour of staying out of sight observing, I believe the woman looks to live here alone.

I can tell that she is quite muscular, even while wearing that yellow dress based on the activities she’s been performing.

She isn’t exactly what I would call cute, but her face, hands and well, skin is completely covered in dirt, so it’s hard to tell from this distance. She definitely isn’t unattractive though. I would also say based on her hair that she hasn’t bathed in some time.

Okay, I guess I need to make myself known and see what happens.

“Hi there.”

I emerge from the tree line while waving; this hopefully makes me seem friendly and has the advantage of also keeping my hands where she can see them.

As I get closer to her, I attempt a second greeting; chances are I don’t know her language but no harm in trying.

“Sa! Otta ou do an tisf mou?”

[ Sinki Language acquired ]

Well, the woman looks to be on guard, but she hasn’t run a mile, so this is an acceptable outcome. As expected though, I can’t understand a word she is saying.

I don’t like the fact that I’m going to have to spend skill points here to understand her as she’s unmistakably a hermit and she may not be speaking the common tongue of the town up ahead, but I have no choice at this point if I want to continue the experiment.

>>

Skill Points: 3

Sinki Language acquired Lv 2 / 10 [>]

Let’s try this again.

“Sorry, this isn’t my first language and didn’t catch that. Could you repeat it?”

“Not yer fer lango huh? Nah kidding, yer a’cnt is ‘orrible.”

Oh boy, nope you win.

>>>

Skill Points: 0

Sinki Language acquired Lv 5 / 10 [>]

One more time.

“Indeed, it’s been a while since I last heard this dialect. Apologies for my accent.”

“My, my, aren’t you a polite one. What’s someone like you doing way out here with the likes of little old me?”

From ‘orrible’ to polite huh? I can work with that.

“To be honest, I’m lost. I was crossing the mountains when my cart was attacked. I was lucky to escape with just my life, but I’ve spent the last two days after getting down from the mountains in this forest aimlessly wandering around.”

“Cart? You a merchant?”

“I was, but without my cart, I’m now just a lost traveller.”

“Eh? You sure do talk funny. Well, closest town is one day that way, but I really don’t think an Elf head there if he likes the current length of his neck! You want to head over there.”

Well, this has proven to be a wise investment of skill points with that alone. I’ve managed to avoid being strung up by the local populace. Happy Happy, joy joy!

“If I may, what is to that direction?”

“The Capital of course! You really aren’t from around here huh. Well, I can’t say you’ll get a warm welcome, but you’ll find all the races there, maybe even some of your kind.”

My kind? Doubtful, but I could be wrong. I mean, I do need blood, but I have no desire to slit this woman’s throat and drink her dry so Vampires could live in towns with humans I guess.. Of course, it could be the other reason why I don't want to drink her blood..

“I see, thank you kindly for the advice, I will gladly follow it. May I ask how many days will it take to get there from here?”

“Hmm..”

The woman puts her hand on her chin and ponders the question for a bit.

It’s kind of amusing to watch. The woman definitely hasn’t had a male visitor in quite some time and is trying to give flirtatious motions with her hips. I might have entertained the idea, but my previous assessment of her was correct… She hasn’t bathed in a long, long time and stinks to high heaven.

“Four days. Yes, four. If you head north first, you should find the highway. Just follow it, and it will take you straight to the Capital.”

“Much obliged. I will take my leave for the city then.”

As I start to walk away, I can see her looking at me perplexed. She’s realised her flirtatious motions have failed to hit the mark but she doesn’t seem too bothered about it, she may have expected this outcome.

“Hold up you. How do you expect to make it through the forest without a weapon?”

“Ah, I have my mage arts for self-protection. I should be able to manage… but now you mention it; I don’t have a water pouch so the journey will be difficult…”

“and you were gonna just wander off just like that huh?”

“Well it is my problem, and I have nothing to trade–”

“Stop right there, come with me a moment.”

I follow the lady to her house, slightly concerned at what might be unfolding before me but I do need a water pouch. I’ll do it if I have to!

“Here”

She returns from the house and throws a sizeable empty water-skin at my chest. It looks old but is probably large enough to hold two full litres of water.

“Are you sure? As I said, I have nothing to offer you in return but my thanks?”

“I think there is something you could offer, but I’m too much a lady to say it!”

Thank you for that. Truly, thank you.

“Besides, I would be cast down by Tian should I send you away to die when I could have stopped it. You can fill that skin in the well over there before you leave. I only ask that once you're on your feet again, you return the kindness you’ve been shown to another in Tian's name.”

Tian must be another god or goddess of this world. Must be a saint type from the way she’s speaking.

I should probably stay a while and converse with her seeing as she hasn’t had visitors in quite some time but that will undoubtedly raise the ‘sexy time’ flag so best to leave it like this. Antibiotics are probably not a thing here..

“I swear on my honour to do just that. Thank you once again.”

“Yeah yeah, you best be off if you want to reach the highway before nightfall.”

I fill the water-skin and head north as the lady recommends avoiding the town altogether.

Hunger: 6% Thirst: 0%

*blink*