Chapter Twenty Five: Living Ordinarily

“Haah! I didn’t know an inn would be this well organized.” Sitting on a chair in the room I’d been given, I couldn’t help but comment aloud.
“That’s because it’s an average inn for people with some money,” Leila replied calmly.
The room was spacious. A private toilet was attached, and a tall mirror stood proudly near the door. The walls were thick, muffling any sound from outside, and the furnishings gave the place a warm, lived-in feeling. A faint, sweet fragrance filled the air as soon as we entered.
After we finished our business at the shop, Leila brought me to this inn. It was enormous—three stories tall. Upon stepping inside, we were greeted by polite employees before requesting a room.
“That will be five silver coins per night, breakfast included,” said the receptionist, a demi-human cat girl.
Leila didn’t hesitate. She booked a room for ten days and paid upfront. That left us with exactly 185 silver coins.
My room was located on the second floor. The first floor was home to the diner and several other rooms, their doors tucked away from the crowd, closer to the stairwell.
“At first, I thought a gold coin wasn’t much when I heard the shopkeeper mention it,” I said, stretching out. “But you can do so much with just one coin. Still, it’s a shame those items didn’t sell as well as the herbs and white stones. I gathered over a hundred of them.”
Leila, who was sitting on the floor while spreading out a handkerchief, didn’t meet my gaze. “Of course, they aren’t as expensive,” she muttered. With a flick of her hand, the handkerchief vanished—and in its place, a tray of food appeared.
“Magic…” I whispered in awe. It was like a magician’s trick: abracadabra—and voilà.
My eyes widened. “Is that… steak?” My mouth watered at the sight.
Though I’d been eating decent meals recently, there was something special about having Leila serve me directly. On the tray were a steaming bowl of noodles, a plate with a juicy steak, a small dessert, and even a clear pet bottle filled with some kind of drink.
“Thanks for the food!!” I said brightly.
I picked up the fork and started with the noodles, savoring each bite before moving on to the steak. The drink washed it down perfectly. I decided to save the dessert for later, once we began talking.
“Guah!” I belched without thinking.
That’s when it struck me. “Hey, I know you work in a diner, but is it really okay for you to be bringing out food like this?”
She tilted her head cutely, her ears twitching. “Don’t worry. Everything I’ve given you before was paid for. This is the only time I brought food without permission.”
Her smile was meant to reassure me, to keep me from feeling guilty.
“But still… you won’t get into trouble or anything, right?” I scratched my cheek nervously. “I know I should’ve thought about this before finishing the food, but maybe I should pay for the—”
Leila’s expression shifted, her eyes narrowing in irritation before I could finish the sentence.
Gulp. “—Pay for the clothes?” I blurted out instead. What am I even saying? I’d already paid for those. Still, after seeing her face, I knew better than to mention paying for food. This girl got mad far too easily.
Luckily, my deflection worked. “We’ve already paid for the clothes,” she replied flatly.
That’s when I noticed she was wearing different clothes from before. Back at the diner, she’d worn a revealing outfit. Now she was dressed far more modestly—a long-sleeved shirt and pants that replaced the short skirt she usually wore.
Guess that’s her work uniform, I thought.
“Still…” I leaned back on the bed, sighing in relief. “It feels so nice to finally be able to talk with you like this.”
“Not that I’m happy about it,” she said, crossing her arms, “but I guess it’s better than us shouting all the time.”
She was still acting a little mad. I quickly steered the conversation away. “So tell me—can you see my real face, or do I still look like someone else to you?”
“The mask changes a person’s appearance into another,” she explained. “It’s useful, but if someone starts doubting your identity, they can use magic to see through it. Because I already knew you were wearing one, I used my magic to cancel its effect. Right now, I see you as you are. Just don’t cause trouble and you’ll be fine.”
“I see… so when should I bring over the rest of the monster drops?”
She pressed a finger thoughtfully to her chin. “Keep them hidden in the mountains until the time is right. You heard the shopkeeper mention how rare they’ve become, right? Once he gets too many orders, he’ll come to us himself.”
Apparently, those stones were enhancement tools. “For example,” Leila continued, “if I equipped myself with a scorpion stone, I’d gain about twenty percent extra defense for three days. Stronger monsters could give even greater boosts—over fifty percent, even.”
Three days, huh? For me, it felt different. I absorbed the stones directly, while others had to hold them and chant magic words. Fantasy logic at its finest.
“Well then, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Leila said, standing to leave.
“What, already? Why don’t you stay a bit longer?”
“Nope! Unlike you, I usually sleep right after work. I’ve got an early morning.”
“Don’t go~” I whined playfully, but she ignored me.
I flopped back on the bed with a sigh. “Haah. I just remembered—I need to head to the Nightmare Forest early tomorrow. Can’t slack off while I’m still learning how to fight, right?”
She froze in the doorway. “…Do you really have to go there? Can’t you train with odd jobs or hire an instructor? It’s dangerous…”
Hmm? Worried about me, are you? I grinned inwardly.
“What are you saying? I may be no-level, but the forest isn’t scary at all. Honestly, I don’t feel safe anywhere else.” Of course, that was a complete lie. But if it eased her worry, so be it.
She stared at me quietly for a long moment before murmuring, “No-level… You’re the strangest person I know. Good night.” And then she left.
“Phew.” Relief washed over me. At least she wasn’t ignoring me anymore.
I knew I was being selfish. Only a week ago, I’d told her we shouldn’t meet again—yet here I was, crawling back, asking for help. Still, with this mask, as long as I stayed out of trouble, I could remain by her side.
Before leaving, she’d made the tray vanish just as easily as she’d summoned it. She even wrapped the dessert neatly in a plastic-like bag. She wanted me to keep my money, but I insisted she buy something for herself too. At last, she agreed to split the coins evenly.
Just you wait, Leila. Even if I have to slay a million monsters, I’ll earn enough to free you from your debt.
But first… I needed to wake up early tomorrow, no matter how late I stayed up. The road to the forest was much longer now compared to when I lived in the mountains.
The next morning, I woke before dawn, took a hot bath—the first proper bath I’d ever had in this world—and left the town. The streets were nearly empty, the sky barely touched with sunlight.
Walking through the quiet town felt surreal. Me, moving like a normal person among others. Even though no one could sense my aura, I still kept my pace fast until I was safely outside.
Once I entered the forest, my mask slipped off automatically. I tucked it beneath my belt and unsheathed my sword.
The scorpions fell instantly to my blade. I wasn’t the same as before. Now, I had abilities: the toughness of the scorpion, the strength and leap of the gazelle, the agility and close-combat skills of the kangaroo. With just the first two, I could take down a kangaroo; with all three, they were child’s play.
By noon, I’d slain over a hundred scorpions, then moved on to gazelles. After hours of fighting, I reached ninety-eight kangaroo kills. I wanted to round it up to an even hundred, but no more appeared. So I climbed a tree and napped for forty minutes.
When I woke, two kangaroos wandered beneath me. I leapt down, pinning them beneath me, and headbutted each one until they fell limp.
“Great. That makes one hundred.”
Among all those kills, only twenty-three had opened their pouches. And thankfully, none of those monstrous creatures that once chased me had appeared.
Still, my thoughts lingered uneasily on the Winged Freezer. That monster had been too strong…
Sword in hand, I pushed deeper into the forest. My blood raced with anticipation.
Minutes later, the scenery shifted.
Badump. Badump.
Golden cherry blossom-like trees surrounded me, their petals gleaming under the sunlight. A bed of golden flowers spread out endlessly in the clearing. The air shimmered with an unnatural beauty.
Before I could marvel at it, the sound of wings tore through the silence. Flap! Flap!
Then came the cry.
“KAAA!”
I swallowed hard.
Descending before me was a massive golden eagle with two heads and four legs, its four eyes glaring into me.
My heart froze.
“So… you’re my next opponent, huh?” I raised my sword. “Don’t expect mercy.”
The eagle spread its wings, and without even flapping, unleashed a storm that hurled me a hundred meters back.
The battle had begun.
The wind hurled me backward, carrying me a hundred meters before slamming me into a bed of flowers. I hit hard but didn’t lose my grip. I’d made it a habit never to let go of my sword, no matter the situation.
Groaning, I stood up and quickly noticed something was wrong. When I left the kangaroo area earlier, I’d only taken a few steps into the eagle territory. That blast should have pushed me back into the kangaroo zone.
But when I turned around—there was nothing. No kangaroo fields, no golden trees, nothing. Just an endless plain of golden flowers stretching in every direction.
If I weren’t in the middle of a fight for my life, I might have admired the scenery. But not now. Not until that monster was dead.
The eagle screeched and rose high into the sky. Both heads opened their beaks, releasing a twin wave of sound.
VWOOOM!
Wherever the wave touched, reality vanished. Flowers, ground, air—everything was erased in a clean sweep.
Cold sweat broke down my neck. I didn’t need anyone to tell me how dangerous that was. I bolted, sprinting as fast as I could. But no matter how far I ran, I couldn’t escape the golden plains. The monster circled overhead, shadowing me, blasting wave after wave at the spots I had just vacated.
“This is not fair!!” I shouted, my lungs burning. Finally, I skidded to a halt, spun on my heels, and raised my sword.
“KAAA!!” Another destructive wave roared toward me, and I barely rolled aside.
“Come down here if you think you’re some big shot!!” I roared at the sky, slashing upward with my blade.
But it wouldn’t descend. No matter how much I taunted it, it just glared from above, untouchable.
Frustration gnawed at me. How am I supposed to fight something like this? If only I had magic… I could have shut it down in an instant.
Grinding my teeth, I screamed, “You ugly two-headed monster!!”
That did it. Both heads shrieked, and the eagle tucked its wings, plummeting toward me at terrifying speed.
“O-oh!” My bravado shattered. Panic surged through me, and I turned to run, stumbling over my own steps. “Bad eagle!! I’m no snake!!”
Too late. A crushing grip seized my shoulders—talons like iron hooks digging deep.
“NO!” I screamed, thrashing desperately, already knowing what was about to happen.
The eagle paid no attention. With powerful beats of its four wings, it dragged me higher and higher. The wind howled in my ears as the ground shrank to a distant blur. I slashed at its legs with my sword, but the cuts barely grazed its skin. The grip tightened, my bones creaking under the pressure.
We broke through the clouds. The air thinned, freezing against my torn clothes. The higher we climbed, the less strength remained in my body.
Finally, at a thousand meters or more, the eagle let out a triumphant cry.
“KAAA!!!”
And it released me.
“You’ll pay for this!!” I screamed, thrashing helplessly as the world inverted. “You’ll pay for this—you hear me!!!??”
The endless golden plain rushed up to meet me. My eyes bulged wide, terror hollowing my chest. A fall from this height wouldn’t even leave bones behind.
“I’ll make you pay!!!” My voice tore itself raw against the wind.
“KAAA!!”
The shriek echoed, accompanied by another annihilating wave.
My blood turned to ice. If that hits me…!
But it was too late.
The wave consumed me.
BAAAM!!!
Then Darkness.

---
“Curse you… Curse you… Curse you!!!”
When awareness returned, I was face-down, buried in earth and blood. A ragged hole five meters wide and deep marked my impact point.
Pain engulfed me—every joint, every bone, every nerve screaming. My body refused to move. Only my mouth worked, spitting curses into the dirt.
Minutes crawled by. Slowly, feeling returned. My sword was still clenched in my right hand, unyielding even in unconsciousness.
My clothes were shredded. Blood dyed the fabric, sticking it to my skin. With a groan, I tore the ruined shirt away and ripped my pants down into ragged shorts. The ground beneath me was crimson, soaked through with my blood. Some patches had already dried into crusty layers.
Rage flared hotter than pain.
“Curse you!!!!!!!” I screamed at the sky, my voice shattering against the emptiness.
I stabbed my sword into the wall of the crater and hauled myself upward, my eyes burning red as I climbed out.
And then I saw them.
Two golden eagles, circling playfully above.
The normal me would have collapsed in fear. One eagle had been enough to nearly kill me. Now there were two.
But I wasn’t afraid. I was calm—eerily calm. Only fury remained.
“It’s you…” My voice cracked.
Something inside me snapped. Like glass shattering, a surge of raw energy tore through my body. My breath grew ragged. My vision tinted red. The sword in my hand bled into blackness, turning pure midnight.
Energy exploded outward from me, a wave so thick it distorted the air. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel it devouring everything.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say I was using magic.
High above, the eagles froze mid-flight, wings locked.
“Come down here!!” I roared.
Like rocks, they plummeted.
“I’ve got you!!!”
I dashed forward. My speed doubled, tripled—I was faster than wind, faster than thought. Golden petals scattered into the air, and I cut through them like smoke. Dust and flowers swirled wildly, but I slashed so fast even the air trembled.
Steel flashed. My black blade carved merciless arcs. Flesh split. Wings shredded. In seconds, the eagles were reduced to particles smaller than sand, so quickly they couldn’t even scream.
As the storm of petals and dust cleared, flames consumed what remained. Two blue stones clattered to the ground, followed by a pair of massive golden wings.
I seized them instantly. One stone shone and melted into my body. The other remained inert. The wings dissolved into me, their size irrelevant.
That’s when the sky darkened.
Not from clouds.
From the arrival of three more golden eagles, diving fast with glowing mouths ready to unleash destruction.
Not this time.
As they drew close together, I tilted my head back, opened my mouth, and screamed.
“KAAA!!!”
A colossal wave of pressure erupted from my lungs. It ripped at my throat, threatening to tear my mouth apart. The backlash shoved me backward a meter.
The eagles’ wings shredded instantly under the force. Stripped and helpless, they tumbled from the air.
Before the first could hit the ground, I was there. My black sword split it into pieces. The second followed, then the third—slashed apart before touching earth.
Flames consumed them, dropping more stones and wings.
But more came.
Over and over, the same pattern repeated. Three, then five, then twenty at once. Their numbers swarmed me, but nothing could stop the rage burning in my chest.
I cut them all. My blade never slowed. Their screams never reached the air.
One after another, they fell.
By the time the hundredth eagle crumbled into fire and its blue stone clattered to the ruined ground, the plain had become a wasteland. Not a single golden flower remained. Waves of destruction had scorched the earth black.
At last, my strength gave out.
I collapsed onto the broken soil, the black sword still trembling in my grasp. Around me lay the spoils of war—stones and wings scattered across a dead land.
And then, silence.