Chapter 4 – Getting Ready for the First Adventure

A deafening shriek echoes through the village.

“KRRRAAAAAAAK—!”

“…Ugh… damn it…”

I groan and roll over. My body feels weirdly refreshed. Too refreshed. Like the kind of sleep you only get when you don’t have responsibilities.

Then I feel something soft on my left arm.

Warm.

Breathing.

“…Mmm…”

That sound definitely isn’t mine.

My brain freezes.

Slowly—very slowly—I open my eyes.

Luna is right in front of me.

Silver hair. Closed eyes. Calm breathing. Her face is way too close. One arm wrapped around my body like a restraint spell. My left arm is—

…Yeah. That’s bad.

Randy.
Don’t panic.
This is probably a misunderstanding.

My heart is beating so loud I’m sure the whole village can hear it.

Devil Randy: THIS IS IT. THIS IS YOUR MOMENT.
DO SOMETHING.

I do nothing.

I’m frozen.

My arm refuses to move.

“…Damn it… let go…” I whisper desperately.

Instead, Luna tightens her grip.

Suddenly—

CRACK.

She bear-hugs me with terrifying strength.

“G—GHK!!”

Pain explodes through my ribs. My vision blurs. My soul briefly leaves my body and considers reincarnating somewhere safer.

Darkness.

When I wake up again, I’m fully dressed.

That’s never a good sign.

I sit up slowly, groaning. Luna is sitting on a chair across the room, arms crossed, expression colder than ice.

“Congratulations,” she says flatly.

“…For surviving?”

Her knife appears instantly, the blade grazing my cheek.

“Say something stupid,” she warns.

“…You could’ve woken me up normally.”

The knife presses closer.

“…Noted.”

She looks away with a sharp exhale.

“…We are not discussing this.”

“Agreed.”

Silence fills the room.

Then she clears her throat.

“Now that you are officially an adventurer, what are you planning to do?”

“…Find information,” I say. “Teleportation. Going back to my world.”

She nods. “Teleportation magic exists. Rare. Dangerous. Unstable.”

“Figures.”

Her gaze shifts to the papers on the table—my rough sketches.

“…What are those?”

“Inventions.”

She picks one up and frowns.

“These shapes… they are strange.”

“They’re weapons,” I reply. “Well… future weapons.”

She sighs. “You will need a blacksmith.”

Later, Luna disguises herself in robes and light armor. Her rapier still screams noble, but no one questions it.

At the guild, the master stops me.

“Adventurers don’t usually use real names,” he says. “Got an alias?”

I hesitate.

“Kraton,” Luna suggests quietly.

“…No.”

“…Then Orion.”

The word slips out before I think.

The guild master studies me. “You sure?”

“It means hunter,” I say. “I hunt.”

“…Fair enough. Orion it is.”

Luna looks mildly disappointed.

The supply shop is simple. Old. Wooden shelves.

Then I smell it.

Black powder.

I freeze.

Saltpeter. Sulfur. Charcoal.

“…How much?” I ask casually.

“Ten bronze for two barrels,” the merchant says. “No one really buys it.”

“I’ll take all of it.”

Luna nearly explodes.

“Are you insane?! That stuff is unstable!”

“Yes,” I reply. “That’s why it’s useful.”

The merchant laughs nervously.

I buy gear—leather armor, boots, rope, flint, dagger, a used crossbow, camping supplies.

After haggling—

“Fifty bronze,” the merchant says. “Final.”

Deal.

Our first quest is simple.

Malcolm herbs.

We leave the village and climb into the mountain paths.

Slimes appear first.

“Harmless,” Luna explains. “Edible. Their hide is useful.”

I hit one with my wooden sword. It collapses instantly.

“…That was anticlimactic.”

Later—giant centipedes. Carnivorous plants. Large lizards.

Luna explains everything calmly while I sketch and write notes.

By evening, we make camp.

As the fire crackles, Luna grows quiet.

“…This reminds me of before,” she says softly.

“Before?”

“…Before I became what I am.”

She stares into the flames.

Later, she casts a spell.

“Breithmheas.”

Light forms in the air.

A display appears.

Her expression changes.

“…You have no magic.”

“Yeah. That’s normal.”

“…No. This isn’t.”

She leans closer.

“…Anti-magic.”

“…What?”

“You resist magic. Neutralize it. Possibly absorb it.”

“…So I’m broken?”

She smiles faintly.

“…Or dangerous.”

Then something strange happens.

A connection forms.

Images. Feelings. Memories.

She suddenly gasps and turns red.

“…Your thoughts are disgusting.”

“In my defense—”

She headbutts me.

“OW!”

“That is for being an idiot.”

Later that night, Luna falls asleep.

I stay awake by the fire.

Princess Verica approaches Raul as he trains.

“You impress me,” she says softly.

The door closes behind them.

Outside, Kuzman listens quietly.

“…So she has chosen.”

He turns away.

“…And where is Lady Luna now, I wonder?”