Blessed Porter [1]

Golden sunlight filtered through the small window of the inn room, casting warm rectangles across the wooden floor. Dust motes danced in the beams as they crept steadily toward the narrow bed.

I stirred beneath the rough blanket, shifting against the mattress. One arm emerged from under the covers, fingers flexing as consciousness slowly returned.

My face scrunched up as the light hit his eyelids. I rolled over, pulling the blanket higher, but the damage was done. Sleep was already slipping away like smoke.

A long yawn escaped my mouth as he stretched, arms reaching above my head until my joints popped. Though my eyes remained closed, clinging to the last fragments of rest.

'Just five more minutes...'

I said internally.

But something felt off. There was a presence in the room, a weight of attention that made my skin prickle.

Then suddenly, my eyes cracked open.

A translucent figure sat cross-legged on the floor beside my bed, chin resting in its palm, staring at me with unblinking focus.

"GAH!" i jerked backward so violently I rolled clean off the bed, landing in a tangle of limbs and blanket on the wooden floor. "What the hell!"

Then I scrambled upright, heart hammering my ribs, before my sleep-addled brain caught up.

"Oh." I slumped against the wall, running a hand through my messy hair. "It's just you."

My echo also got jerked back, probably startled because of my action. "Why did you scream again?"

"Give me time to adjust, alright?" I muttered, untangling myself from the blanket. "It's my first time waking up to see my death version sitting there staring at me like some kind of creepy stalker. No sane person would stay calm about that."

The echo nodded. "Fair point."

Then I began to get ready.

Pulling on the leather armor piece by piece, the straps and buckles already becoming familiar under my fingers. I tested the fit one more time, rolling my shoulders and bending at the waist. Everything moved smoothly.

The sword and short blade came next, their weight settling against my hip as I buckled the belt. They felt heavier than yesterday, but in a reassuring way, like they actually belonged there now.

I grabbed my cloak from the chair and swung it over my shoulders, then took one last look around the small room.

'Time to see what today brings.'

The wooden stairs creaked under my boots as I made my way down to the inn's common room. The space had transformed since last night, what had been a quiet tavern was now bustling with early risers. The smell of porridge and bacon filled the air, making my stomach growl.

Other guests sat hunched over their breakfast, some already dressed for travel, others still rubbing sleep from their eyes.

I approached the bar where the innkeeper was ladling portions from a large pot.

"Morning meal's included," he said without looking up, handing me a wooden bowl. The porridge was thick and hearty, dotted with bits of dried fruit, alongside a chunk of bread.

I ate the food quickly, turns out nearly dying works up an appetite.

Then leaving the empty bowl on the counter and pushed through the inn's front door, I excused myself.

The morning air hit my face, crisp and clean. Millhaven was already coming alive around me. Merchants rolled carts toward the market square, their wheels rattling over cobblestones. Guards in leather armor walked their patrol routes, nodding to shopkeepers who were opening their shutters for the day.

The steady clip-clop of horse hooves echoed between the buildings as a caravan passed by, heading for the main gates.

I fell into an easy pace toward the guild, hands clasped behind my head, letting the familiar sounds of a waking city wash over me. But my mind was already elsewhere, drifting to thoughts I couldn't quite push away.

'Yuki probably knows by now.'

The thought settled in my chest like a stone. By now, someone would have found my body slumped over my gaming setup.

'What's she doing right now?'

I could picture her standing in the doorway of my room, calling my name. The confusion when I didn't respond. The growing panic as she shook my shoulder and felt how cold my skin had become.

'Is she crying? Angry? Both?'

My hands tightened behind my head as I walked. She'd probably blame herself somehow.

My echo drifted closer, its form flickering slightly in the morning sunlight.

"Thinking about our sister again?" it asked quietly.

I glanced at the translucent figure keeping pace beside me. Sometimes I forgot that it had all my memories, all my feelings. Of course it would know what was eating at me.

"Yeah," I admitted, not bothering to hide the weight in my voice. "Can't help it."

The guild building loomed ahead, its wooden sign creaking gently in the morning breeze. Other adventurers were already gathering near the entrance, some heading in for breakfast, others checking the job board before the good postings got claimed.

'Focus, Kaito. You can't help her by wallowing.'

But knowing that didn't make the ache in my chest any easier to ignore.

The guild hall buzzed with its usual morning energy as I pushed through the entrance. Adventurers clustered around tables, some nursing hangovers from the night before, others already geared up and ready for the day's work.

I made my way to the board, scanning the postings pinned to the cork surface. Most of the E-rank jobs had already been claimed, the early birds always got the decent paying work. What remained was mostly herb gathering, slime extermination, and basic courier runs.

"Moonbell Herb Collection – 60 copper reward."

I stared at that last line, frowning. Even for something as simple as picking flowers, they required a group. My echo drifted closer, reading over my shoulder.

Yeah, Aria had told me about this yesterday. Too many rookies get themselves killed wandering into the forest alone. Even herb gathering can turn dangerous if you stumble into the wrong territory.

Then I looked around the hall, trying to spot other solo adventurers who might need teammates.

Near the back corner, a young woman sat alone at a table, studying what looked like a map. She wore simple leather armor and had a staff leaning against her chair, probably a mage.

I approached her table, trying to project more confidence than I felt.

"Hey, looking for party members? I'm thinking about the moonbell herb job."

She looked up, revealing tired green eyes and black hair tied back in a practical ponytail. "You are new too?"

I nodded.

She sighed. "Okay, I'll. Name's Kira."

"Kaito."

We spent the next twenty minutes approaching other lone adventurers. Most of the experienced ones already had their regular groups, but we managed to find two more rookies in similar situations, a nervous-looking guy named Tom who carried a short sword like it might bite him, and a girl called Vera who seemed competent enough with her bow.

"Alright," Kira said once we'd gathered around a table. "Moonbell herbs grow in the eastern forest, about an hour's walk from here. We need to collect twenty stems minimum for the reward."

Tom fidgeted with his sword hilt. "Are there... monsters in that area?"

"Probably some slimes and maybe forest rabbits," Vera said with a shrug. "Nothing too dangerous during daylight hours."

'Hope so.' I thought, remembering yesterday's "simple" rat extermination job.

We gathered our gear and headed for the guild's exit.

The walk to the eastern forest took us through farmland that gradually gave way to thicker woods. The trees here were smaller than the massive ones I'd seen yesterday, more like what I was used to from back home.

"Moonbell herbs have distinctive white flowers with silver centers," Kira explained as we entered the tree line. "They usually grow in clusters near fallen logs or in shaded areas."

We spread out in a rough line, close enough to keep each other in sight but far enough apart to cover more ground. Tom looked nervous, jumping at every rustling sound, while Vera moved with practiced efficiency.

My echo walked beside me, occasionally pointing out things the others couldn't see. "Those mushrooms over there," it whispered urgently, gesturing toward a cluster of innocent-looking toadstools. "They're glowing faintly. That's not normal."

I glanced at the mushrooms, noting the subtle shimmer around their caps that my human eyes had missed.

"Hey everyone," I called out. "Stay away from those red-capped mushrooms. They look... off."

Kira looked over and her eyes widened. "Those are bloodcap mushrooms. They release spores when disturbed. How did you spot them from that distance?"

I rubbed my neck, "Just noticed something weird about the way the light hit them," which was technically true.

She nodded and then began searching.

We continued gathering, my echo proving invaluable as an early warning system. When Tom nearly reached for some berries, my echo frantically waved me over.

"Tom, wait!" I called out. "Don't touch those berries. The plant looks diseased."

Tom pulled his hand back just in time. Vera examined the bush more closely and nodded approvingly. "Nightshade variant. Would've made you very sick."

By midday, we'd collected nearly thirty moonbell stems, well over the required amount. As we prepared to head back, Kira approached me with a curious expression.

"You've got sharp eyes for a rookie," she said. "Most people would've missed half the dangers you spotted today."

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "Maybe just pure luck."

But I could see the impressed looks from my teammates. Having an invisible scout definitely had its advantages.

The walk back to the guild felt easier with successful job completion under our belts.

We approached the same counter where I'd registered yesterday. The clerk examined our collected herbs, counting stems and checking for quality.

"Thirty-two moonbell stems, all in good condition," she announced, pulling out a small pouch of coins. "Two silver total, as posted."

Kira took the payment and divided it among us – fiften copper each. I pocketed my share, feeling the weight of the coins against my remaining seventy copper from yesterday.

'Eighty-five copper now.'

I glanced toward the windows where sunlight still streamed in at a decent angle. "There's still time left in the day," I said to my party members.

But Tom was already shaking his head. "I'm done for today. My nerves can't handle another job."

Vera and Kira seemed content to call it quits as well, heading off to grab lunch and compare notes from their first successful mission.

'Fine, I alone will grind some ranks then.'

Then I turned back to the job board, scanning for something I could handle, I opted to try solo this time.

A delivery job caught my eye, transport a package to a merchant in the market district. Simple, straightforward.

But when I approached the clerk, she shook her head. "Even courier jobs require a partner."

'Fuck it.' I clenched my jaw, but said nothing and spent another few minutes recruiting, this time finding a quiet guy named Ken who seemed competent enough with his quarterstaff.

The delivery went smoothly, just a boring walk across town to hand over a sealed package to a grateful shopkeeper.

Another ten copper in my pocket.

As Ben and I walked back toward the guild hall, I could see my echo moving anxiously beside me and kept glancing around like it expected something to jump out at us.

"Relax," I muttered under my breath. "It's just a delivery job."

"I know, but... This whole day feels too easy. Like we're missing something."

I was about to respond when an unfamiliar voice called out behind us.

"Hey, you!"

I turned around to see a group of four adventurers approaching. They looked more seasoned than the rookies I'd been working with today, better gear, confident movements, the kind of easy coordination that came from working together regularly.

The one who'd called out was a tall guy with sandy hair and a greatsword strapped to his back. "You are Kaito, right?" he asked as they got closer.