When I woke up, the harsh morning light was already filtering through the gaps in the wooden shutters. My head throbbed with a dull, rhythmic ache—the unmistakable price of the previous night’s indulgence in the local liquor. For several moments, I simply lay there on the itchy straw mattress, staring at the ceiling. The events of the prior night felt like a fever dream, hazy and ethereal; because I had been so drunk, I was still not entirely sure if what I remembered was real. I reached out toward the space beside me, but my hand met only cold, empty straw. She was already gone.

  Did Grandpa notice something? The thought hit me like a splash of cold water. If she had left the room while Grandpa was already awake and moving about the small hut, there was no way he wouldn't know exactly what had transpired during the night. The situation had progressed so quickly, and because I had not been in my right mind, I hadn't been able to think about the consequences at all. Not that thinking would have changed much once the instinct took over, but the reality of the aftermath was now staring me in the face.

  I forced myself out of bed, dressed quickly, and left the room. In the main area of the hut, I saw Grandpa Tariq quietly preparing breakfast as he did every morning. He didn't look up immediately, and I stood there for a moment, shifting my weight and feeling incredibly reluctant to speak. I still didn't know how he would react or if I had overstayed the hospitality of the man who had given me a home when I had nothing.

  “G-good morning, Grandpa,” I said, my voice sounding thin even to my own ears.

  “Good morning,” he replied evenly. He turned his head and looked at me with an indifferent, neutral glance before turning back to the stove. “She had already left, and she mentioned that she would come to say goodbye while you were leaving. Also, you don’t have to be this tense; it is none of my business.”

  A wave of relief washed over me. The incident hadn't escalated into a confrontation, though the confirmation that she had encountered him made my ears burn. We ate breakfast together in a silence that felt different than before—less like the quiet of a shared home and more like the heavy stillness of a final meal. After we finished and I gathered my few belongings, I walked with Grandpa to Copez’s shop in the village center.

  A small crowd had already gathered near the merchant's storefront. The members of the hunting party were there, leaning against the adobe walls, and among them, I spotted Fadeline. Our eyes met for a fleeting second before both of us, overwhelmed by a sudden surge of embarrassment, jerked our gazes away. I noticed a deep flush creeping up her neck and suspected that my own face was likely mirroring her heat.

  You cute thing, I thought, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth as I recalled the contrast between the shy girl standing there now and the aggressive, bold woman from the night before.

  “You are here at last, Han. We were about to leave without you if you didn't show up soon,” Copez called out, his voice sharp with the impatience of a man who lived by the clock. He looked uneasy about my timing, his hands busily checking the lashings on the large carriage.

  “Sorry, it was a hectic night. It naturally affected my morning as well,” I replied, trying to sound genuinely apologetic.

  “Whatever, it is time. We should leave already,” Copez grunted, dismissing my excuse. “Everyone, please pay ten Targonia silver coins per person. I don’t mind Obscura either, but I doubt that any of you have any.”

  He began rushing the travelers, urging them to settle their fees so the caravan could get underway. Since they had been waiting specifically for me, I realized it was already past our scheduled departure. I paid my ten silver coins and climbed into the wooden carriage.

  It was an awkward, bittersweet moment. I was parting ways with people I had only known for a week, yet in that short time, we had bonded through hunts and shared meals. There was a high possibility that I would never see any of them again, and an indescribable, slight sadness began to fill me. Of course, Copez didn't care about my emotions; he continued to urge me into the carriage, his mind focused entirely on the road and his profits. I couldn't expect him, or anyone else, to understand the sentimental weight I was carrying.

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  I sat on the wooden bench and looked out at the villagers one last time. I had imagined many different ways this moment might play out—perhaps they would look at me with tearful eyes, or Fadeline would ask me to take responsibility for my actions and stay. But none of that happened. They simply looked at me with bitter, knowing smiles and a touch of longing.

  Ah, this is it! I am the one who is the most sentimental, I realized.

  I had only been in Hajzenfels for approximately one week, but the connection felt deeper. It was a good thing that I was leaving now; if I had stayed much longer, I might have found it impossible to leave at all. I had already begun to wonder if I should just stay and live with them in peace. They were all good people, after all, and it had been a stroke of incredible fortune for me to start my journey in such a supportive village.

  Goodbye, my friends from the hunting party, I thought as the carriage began to lurch forward. Goodbye, Grandpa, who gave me a warm home when I didn't even have my memories. Goodbye, Fadeline—the cute lady who was my first in this world. Goodbye, my experience points from the forest.

  Other travelers were also exchanging final words with their acquaintances. Some were even crying, but most of them seemed used to the transient nature of such departures.

  “Alright, let’s move. Hiyaaa!” Copez commanded. With the crack of his whip and the snorting of the horses, the carriage started to move. The village grew smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared from sight.

  It was nice to meet you all. Thank you for everything, I muttered to the passing trees.

  Days passed as we traveled toward the city of Targashar. While we were on the road, I spent my time organizing my thoughts and trying to learn as much as possible about the world from Copez. As a merchant, he possessed a much broader perspective on the kingdom and its neighbors than the average villager.

  I learned that the Targonia Kingdom is a medium-sized nation. It does not possess an overwhelming military or a financial foundation strong enough to threaten its neighbors, but it has enough power to defend its borders and maintain its stability. While the kingdom lacks unique strategic resources, it possesses vast stretches of fertile land that allow it to feed its citizens and export a significant surplus. In this world, agriculture remains a pillar of power, even with the existence of magic.

  The population is diverse, including races other than humans. Copez mentioned that there are even elven and dragonkin nobles within the hierarchy, though I had yet to see any.

  Geopolitically, Targonia sits in a complex region. To the northwest lies the Ottovard Empire, the most problematic nation in the area. They possess a strong military and an aggressive attitude, but they are currently separated from Targonia by the same vast wilderness where I had gone to hunt. It is a place where much stronger monsters are said to lurk in the depths, serving as a natural barrier.

  To the northeast is the Hazaroth Union, a unification of independent city-states that control massive trade networks and sea routes. They are governed by a central council but maintain internal independence and have various trade treaties with Targonia.

  On the southwest border lies the Almiranth Kingdom. While their military numbers and knighthood are weaker than Targonia’s, they are far more proficient in magic and magic engineering. They have a strong reputation for their magical industries and often trade their products with Targonia to maintain economic parity.

  The southeastern part of the kingdom consists of the Fermand Plains. It is not a fertile place, primarily home to small cities and the nomadic Fermanic tribes. Finally, on the eastern side, the kingdom is separated from the inner sea by high mountains that prevent easy access to maritime resources.

  I also asked Copez about the current date. He explained that most nations in the region use the ‘Eonmark Reckoning’ calendar. In this system, there are 360 days divided into 12 months, which felt remarkably familiar to the 365-day year of Earth. We are currently in the year 1450, on the 10th day of the 10th month. Copez estimated that we should arrive in Targashar by the 14th of the month.

  The most interesting piece of information regarded lifespan. While Copez suggested that a person's base lifespan doesn't change significantly between races, he noted that powerful magicians and fighters often live much longer than ordinary people. It is common knowledge that as one grows stronger, they can effectively increase their lifespan.

  This served as another powerful motivation for me. Beyond my inherent advantages—the system window and my points—I needed to utilize the dungeons to gain experience and wealth. I planned to use that money to acquire high-quality equipment and challenge even stronger opponents. I would have to consider how to maximize my gains once I finally arrived in the city.

  [Edited]

  Map of the Continent