First Step in the new World

The room was quiet, but the silence was far from peaceful. As the moonlight streamed through the small window, casting a pale glow across the bed, James found himself unable to sleep. He had drifted off for a while, but the day's events replayed in his mind like a broken record—meeting Hegor, the trip to the merchants, the purchase of Ofelia. It was a lot to take in, and his thoughts kept him awake, staring up at the dark ceiling.

Beside him, Ofelia was trembling. At first, he thought she was just cold trying to give her more blanket, but as he glanced over, he realized her expression was twisted in distress. Her eyes were shut tight, and she was mumbling something incoherent. The moonlight illuminated the tears running down her cheeks.

"Ofelia?" James whispered softly, facing towards her.

She didn't respond. Instead, she whimpered, her body curling in on itself as if trying to fend off something unseen. James's chest tightened at the sight—she was having a nightmare, trapped inside her own fears in fetal position.

Without thinking, he gently reached out and touched her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay," he murmured. "You're safe now. It's just a dream."

Ofelia's breathing hitched, but she didn't wake up. She only seemed to settle slightly at the sound of his voice, the tension in her body easing just a little. James continued to murmur soft reassurances, stroking her hair lightly, trying to comfort her the best he could.

"It's okay," he repeated. "You're not alone anymore. I'm here."

Eventually, her breathing evened out, the tremors subsiding. James let out a small sigh of relief, feeling a wave of exhaustion hit him now that the trepidation had worn off. He hadn't realized how worried he had been until now.

"Poor girl," he whispered to himself. "You've been through so much, haven't you?"

He didn't know when, but at some point, he finally drifted off to sleep, his hand still resting on her shoulder.

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The morning light filtered through the small window curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. James blinked awake, feeling the weight of an unexpected warmth against his side. It took him a moment to realize what it was.

Ofelia had curled up against him in her sleep, her arms wrapped tightly around his torso, and her legs tangled with his. Her face was pressed into his chest, and she looked peaceful, a stark contrast to the fear he'd seen on her face the night before.

James bit back a laugh, his shoulders shaking with silent amusement. He hadn't expected to wake up like this—entwined with the girl he'd only just met, who had been so timid and reserved. It was almost endearing, in a strange way.

"Well, this is unexpected," he whispered to himself, a smile tugging at his lips. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face, feeling the softness of her skin. For a moment, he simply watched her, the sunlight catching in her golden hair, making her look almost ethereal.

He could feel her grip on him tightening slightly as she stirred, nuzzling closer into his chest with a contented sigh. He decided to let her sleep a little longer; after everything she had been through, she deserved a few more minutes of peace.

James leaned back, resting his head against the pillow, chuckling quietly. "I guess I'm stuck here for a while."

As he lay there, James's thoughts drifted to the strange abilities he had gained—the Appraisal and Item Box skills. He hadn't had much time to experiment with them, and now, with Ofelia sleeping so soundly beside him, it seemed like a good opportunity to test them out quietly.

He glanced down at her, feeling a bit guilty for wanting to use Appraisal on her, but his curiosity got the better of him. "Appraisal," he whispered, focusing on Ofelia.

A small, glitchy holographic display appeared before his eyes, flickering slightly as it loaded her information:

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N@me: Of@lia

R@ce: Elf

J%ob: Villager Lv 6

Unlocke%d Jobs: None

Ski%lls: None, (Locked)

Condition: Malnourished(Improving), Mana Depletion, Mana Sickness

St@tus: E&sl@ved(owner: J@me/s Bla()kwel!l), Emotionally Distressed (Improving)

Er@or: DN# M!smatch - D@ta Co^rrupted

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James frowned at the display, feeling a pang of sadness as he read through the garbled information. Her condition was worse than he had realized. "Malnourished… no wonder she's so thin," he muttered to himself. The title E&sl@ved made his chest tighten uncomfortably, a harsh reminder of the reality she was still trapped in despite his efforts. "Mana Depletion? Mana Sickness?" he muttered to himself. He hadn't seen these conditions before, but they sounded serious—likely another consequence of the harsh treatment she had endured.

He swiped his hand to close the display, but the interface flickered a few more times before finally disappearing with a small, distorted buzz. "I really need to figure out what's wrong with this thing," he grumbled quietly. 

Pushing those thoughts aside for now, he decided to try out the Item Box skill. He glanced around the room for something small to test it on and spotted Ofelia's pillow, which was unused since she had curled up against him instead.

"Let's see how this works," he said under his breath. He focused on the pillow, imagining it being stored away. The air in front of him shimmered with static, and the pillow vanished abruptly, as if it had slipped into a glitchy, pixelated pocket in space.

James's eyes widened, impressed but slightly unnerved by the glitchy effect. "It actually worked," he murmured, feeling the strange sensation of a small inventory slot now filled in the back of his mind.

He then focused again, this time picturing the pillow returning. The ripple effect appeared again, but this time it was accompanied by a brief static noise, and the pillow flickered back into existence on the bed, almost as if it had lagged for a moment.

"That's… incredible," James.

James leaned back against the pillow, still chuckling quietly as he watched Ofelia still sleeping even with the noise near her. His mind, however, was already racing, filled with concerns about the days ahead. It was one thing to have rescued her, but now, he had to figure out how they were going to survive—together.

Money. That was the first and most pressing issue.

He mentally reviewed what he had left after the events of yesterday. Between the coins he'd received from selling the bandits' gear and the remainder of his initial funds, he started calculating.

James's Coin Pouch:

Gold Coins: 5 (after Buying Ofelia for 2)

Silver Coins: 35 (including the 26 from selling the bandits' loot, and spending 4 on lodging)

Copper Coins: 43 (after spending 12 on Ofelia's clothes)

He realized that while it felt like a decent amount, it wouldn't last long if he wasn't careful. He and Ofelia would need food, shelter, and possibly new gear if they were going to attempt exploring the labyrinth in the future, or starting fund for peddling. He started doing rough calculations in his head, based on what he'd learned so far.

Estimated Expenses:

Inn Stay & Meals (Daily): 4 silver coins per night (including food for both of them, morning and evening)

Supplies (Basic Needs): Around 1-2 silver coins per day for any additional necessities

Unexpected Costs: He needed to factor in extra for emergencies or new gear

Hegor as told him yesterday that 1 gold coin were equivalent to 100 silver, and 1 silver coin were equivalent to 100 cooper. So...

James continued his mental calculations, factoring in the cost of buying Ofelia. He'd spent 2 gold coins on her—equivalent to 200 silver coins, or 20,000 copper coins. That had been a significant portion of his funds, but he couldn't bring himself to regret the decision. He knew it had been the right choice, even if it left him with less to work with now.

In total, James had the equivalent of:

535 silver coins, or 53,543 copper coins.

It seemed like a lot when converted to copper, but he knew better. Daily expenses would chip away at this quickly, especially since he had to cover costs for both himself and Ofelia.

Given his current funds, he'd be able to afford about 133 days or approximately 4 month at the inn if he only relied on his coins.

He sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. "Five hundred silver coins... we've got a bit of a buffer, but we can't just keep spending like this. I need to find a way to make more money, and soon."

Surviving in this world would require more than just conserving what he had. He needed to find a way to earn money—either by exploring the labyrinth, trading, or using his skills creatively.

His thoughts drifted back to the skills he'd unlocked—Appraisal and Item Box. Maybe these could help him find valuable items in the labyrinth or even make better trades at the market. He needed to test them out more thoroughly.

He picked up the pillow, feeling the familiar fabric beneath his fingers. "Item Box might really be useful," he said quietly. "I could store food, extra clothes, even weapons if we find any. It's like having a hidden backpack."

He let out a small sigh of relief. It wasn't a complete plan, but it was a start. With his limited funds, he'd have to be smart about how he used these skills. Every coin counted, and every advantage could make the difference between survival and failure.

James glanced back at Ofelia, still sleeping soundly on him, her breathing even and calm. He couldn't let her down—he didn't know how ruff her life has been, but he could imagine a little. He would find a way to make this work, no matter what it took.

"Alright," he whispered to himself. "We've got a plan to figure out. But first, we need to get through today."

James also made a mental note to discuss potential plans with Hegor later. For now, though, he'd let Ofelia rest a bit longer. They both had a lot to figure out, and they'd need their strength for whatever came next.

After that, James couldn't resist experimenting a bit more with his newly discovered skill. He glanced at the unused pillow on the bed. He took a deep breath, careful not to disturb her, and focused on the pillow.

"Item Box," he whispered.

The pillow shimmered slightly and disappeared into thin air. He grinned, satisfied with the smooth process. It was almost too easy. Next, he tried calling it back, but this time, he focused on making it appear at a distance—near the edge of the bed.

With a small pop, the pillow materialized exactly where he wanted it. James's grin widened. "Alright, this might actually be useful."

He repeated the process, testing the skill's range and precision. The pillow vanished and reappeared several times, shifting from one side of the bed to the other, then floating above him, just within arm's reach.

Feeling a bit more daring, James decided to push the limits. He focused on placing the pillow above the bed, just a bit farther this time. He misjudged the distance, however, and instead of appearing near the foot of the bed as intended, the pillow materialized directly above Ofelia.

Before he could react, the pillow dropped straight down, landing squarely on her head.

Ofelia's reaction was immediate. She flinched violently, her eyes snapping open as she jolted upright. Without a word, she scrambled away from James, her movements frantic, pressing herself against the far corner of the bed. Her hands clutched the thin fabric of her shirt, her head lowered submissively.

"S-Sorry, Master," she stammered, her voice filled with panic. "I didn't mean to—I'm sorry, please don't be mad."

James's heart sank at the sight. He hadn't expected her to react like this, to look so terrified over something so small. He reached out instinctively, but the gesture only made her flinch back further, her shoulders trembling as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Hey, no—Ofelia, it's okay," he said, his voice softening as he realized the depth of her fear. "I'm not mad. It was my mistake. I was testing my skill, and I made an error. I didn't mean to drop it on you."

Ofelia peeked up at him, her expression one of disbelief and confusion, as if she couldn't understand why he wasn't yelling at her. She swallowed hard, lowering her gaze again. "I… I shouldn't have been so close. I'm sorry," she whispered.

James's chest tightened, a wave of anger rising—not at her, but at whoever had made her feel this way. He hated seeing her shrink into herself like this, as though she expected punishment for the smallest mistake. "Ofelia," he said gently, "you don't have to apologize. You did nothing wrong. This is on me. I was just messing around, and I messed up."

She looked up again, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. It was as though she was trying to process his words, to believe them. "You're… really not upset?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

James gave her the kindest smile he could muster, shaking his head. "No, I'm not upset. I'm just sorry I scared you. I promise I won't do that again."

Ofelia hesitated, her fingers loosening slightly from their tight grip on her shirt. She still looked wary, but the immediate panic seemed to subside. "I… I understand," she managed, though she kept her head lowered. "Thank you, Master."

James flinched at the title. He knew she wasn't ready to drop it yet, but it still made him uncomfortable. He reached out slowly, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. This time, she didn't flinch away, though she stayed tense.

"Call me James," he said softly. "I want you to feel safe with me. You're not in trouble, and you never have to be afraid of me."

She nodded, almost mechanically, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—perhaps the smallest hint of hope. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

He gave her shoulder a light squeeze before letting go, leaning back against the headboard with a sigh. "Alright, let's try and start the day again. I think we've had enough excitement for the morning."

Ofelia nodded slowly, her posture still tense but her breathing beginning to steady. "Yes, Master," she whispered, her voice softer now, almost fragile.

He decided to give her a bit of space, letting the moment settle. He hadn't realized just how deep her scars ran, but now he was starting to understand. And as he glanced at her, sitting there with her head bowed, he silently promised himself that he would do everything in his power to help her heal—no matter how long it took.