A Cracking Encounter

I can hear her tsk and all of a sudden, my fall speed slows down dramatically, as if an invisible parachute has opened on my back. I softly float down towards the ground and… hit a tree. I tumble through the treetop and drop from branch to branch. It doesn’t exactly hurt, but it is uncomfortable. Well, I shouldn’t complain if I’m surviving a fall from the sky. A surprisingly fluffy bush breaks my fall and the worst I suffer is my injured sense of pride. Well, that and the rain of apples I must’ve shaken loose by my unintended escapades, which rain down on me like a hail storm. I shield my head as well as I can as the fruit pelt me.

My first instinct is to run away, but the city intrigues me, after all. And… Followers. Temple. I wouldn’t put it past the goddess to drop me from that height again if I don’t comply.

“Why don’t you just drop the Demon King from the sky?” I wonder out loud.

Unhappily, I grunt as I struggle out of the thicket, stumbling right into the arms of an inquisitive looking goat. It bleats at me and I realise I’m on a farm. In the distance, I see the city walls.

“That must be at least an hour to walk! Couldn’t you have dropped me any closer?” I shout up into the sky.

The goat bleats again.

“Sorry. I hope you like apples,” I say to it, but it doesn’t take the offered fruit.

Before anyone comes to investigate the crash, I grab another two apples and walk across the field into the direction of the city. The goat follows me for a while until it loses interest and disappears in a hedge. Good. I checked its attributes while it was following me and it had some interesting notes about past misdeeds. In fact, the goat had more crime under its belt than a petty thief. I was happy for the delinquent to vanish.

Finally, I reach what’s probably the main road, as it takes me straight ahead towards the city gate in the distance. The whole area is a huge grassy plain, and I can’t even make out any mountains on the horizon. As I walk, I pass more and more people, but instead of staring at me for my attire, they seem to rather avert their gaze. Curious. Does this armour have an effect I don’t know? Since its self-cleaning, the dust and stains from the fall are already gone. All I’m missing is a white horse.

I look around and concentrate on various things. At first, reading the text was kind of a headache, but I’m getting used to it.

[Wooden Bucket]
Attributes: None
Durability: 5/7

[Carintou Bush]
Attibutes: Water
Durability: 20/20

[Woolen Dress]
Attributes: None
Durability: 17/20

Interesting. So I really can see the properties of everything around me. I don’t know how that could be useful just yet. Maybe as a poison tester? I wouldn’t have to actually taste the food to know its lethality. Or a prospector? But would inspecting a whole mountain work with this Appraisal skill? There are certainly a number of crafting jobs this could be great for. But I’m not a craftsman, am I? I’m a hero. A Demon King slaying hero.

Sigh.

I look ahead and glance at a few more objects, when suddenly there’s a red text popping up.

[Wooden Axle]
Attributes: None
Durability: 0/30

“Watch out!” I shout as I jump forward.

The wood creaks mightily and with a splintering noise, the axle breaks in two. I can see the coachman jump off the wagon, and hear someone scream. As the open carriage topples, I snatch a woman from it, just before a crate falls over, breaking on impact just where she had sat, liquid splashing everywhere. The smell of beer rises to my nose as we’re both getting soaked in it. The woman in my arms looks up at me and as our eyes meet, a text pops up next to her head.

[Nono Lylt]
Attributes: Fire, Earth
Life Points: [100/100]
Skills: [####]

Huh.

Huh?

I release her, and at that moment, the text disappears. She clears her throat and wipes the beer from her face. Her red hair hangs in wet strands and her dress is soaked, but other than that she seems uninjured.

“Nono! Are you alright?”

The man, who has jumped off the wagon, approaches us. Nono looks at him and smiles.

“I’m fine. This gentleman saved me. I’m so sorry for the mess…” she says as suddenly my clothing glows.

It dries itself automatically, every stain and dust particle disappearing. The effect extends even to myself, as I can feel my skin and hair dry. Nono and her friend stare at me in shock and wonder, as do the few passersby who have decided to stop.

“This is… who are you?” she asks.

“My name is Hiroyuki Satoyama, but you can call me Yuki.”

Nono nods and reaches out to touch my sleeve.

“It’s a simple spell, but the craftsmanship is impeccable.”

I press my lips together. I cannot say I got it from the highest goddess of their pantheon, or can I?

“But where are my manners? My name is Nono Lylt, and this is my brother Charles Lylt.”

Charles reaches out to shake my hand and in that moment, the floating text appears next to his head.

[Charles Lylt]
Attributes: None
Life Points: [20/25]
Skills: None

It disappears as soon as he lets go. Huh. So I need to touch people to read their attributes? Is this why it didn’t work Erya? Her words ring in my ears still.

‘If you could appraise people’s skills, you’d at least be a bit useful…’

I shudder to think about what she might have me do if she realises I’m useful to her. Better keep quiet about this for now. But what if she can read my thoughts? I look skyward in fear. Nono looks up as well, spotting nothing, confused.

“We were on our way to Atol, though with the broken cart, we won’t make it today…” Charles says. “We should clear this out of the way and find someone to repair it.”

I look up at the sky. It’s clearly already afternoon and I need to be at the temple at sunset.

“I’m so sorry, I would love to help you, but I have an appointment in the city tonight…” I say.

Nono laughs. “You already helped to prevent injury. I can’t ask any more of you. Though, if you pass the next town, could you inform the craftsman we’ll need someone to repair the cart? It’s along the road and shouldn’t take much time.”

“Of course, of course!”

Charles reaches for my hand again and shakes it energetically in both of his. “We’ll be in your debt, Yuki.”

“Think nothing of it.”

We say our goodbyes amicably and I depart in the direction of Atol. Looking back, I can see Nono busying herself by collecting small crates and distributed wares like potatoes and corn. I can see the freshness of their produce when I concentrate on the individual pieces, but I can’t see the people’s attributes anymore. Nor can I see the ones of other travellers. So I really have to touch them to see. That could get awkward fast.

Soon the broken wagon is gone from view behind a curve in the road and I look ahead, seeing a few buildings on the horizon. That must be the town the two have talked about. It’s a way out still, but I can walk quite fast in this body, which looks almost like my own, but feels like an ideal, healthy version of myself. The only big change is that I’m at least a head shorter than I was in my other life… and, well, I haven’t seen my face yet. At least I’m still the same gender. I mean, nothing against women, but getting used to that on top of everything else? No, thank you.

The weather is nice on this summer evening, the air humid. I sweat under the thick clothes, but the magic cleans everything right up. It’s a weird feeling. I can’t decide if I feel hot or cold. Some people look at me as I pass by, but most just ignore the solitary wanderer. There are farmers with their carts, travellers on horseback, backpackers and even armoured guards all around me. Most people look like regular folk, but there are some I would classify as adventurers if this was a show with a fantasy setting. No, wait. My clothes are magic and a goddess tasked me with defeating the Demon King. This is definitely a fantasy setting.

“Hey, look! It’s the Hero of Light!”

I turn my head to see a young man pointing at me, the group around him staring at me curiously. I look down at my clothes. Ah. There are some symbols I don’t recognise on my chest. Of course that arrogant goddess would brand me as her own. One of the men approaches me and I instinctively flinch when he raises his hand—only for him to put it on my shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, man.”