The gentle sound of the river faded behind him as Kaito stretched his arms toward the morning sky. The cool air filled his lungs, and he felt more alive than ever before.

  “Another beautiful day,” he murmured.

  After eating a simple breakfast, he dismantled the shelter he had built the night before. He didn’t want to leave traces behind. Once everything was cleared, he slung his spear over his shoulder and began walking deeper into the forest.

  Today, I’m going to find a town.

  Hours passed. The trees slowly thinned, and the ground became smoother, hinting that people might travel this route. Just as he began to wonder if he was heading in the right direction—

  “Hello!”

  Kaito froze.

  The voice came from behind him.

  He turned quickly and saw a horse-drawn carriage approaching along a narrow dirt path. Sitting at the front was a boy who looked about sixteen years old, holding the reins with confidence.

  The carriage stopped beside him.

  “Where are you going?” the boy asked with a friendly smile.

  “I’m trying to find a town,” Kaito replied honestly.

  The boy’s eyes lit up.

  “Oh! I’m heading to the next town in this area. Why don’t you join me?”

  Kaito blinked in surprise. “Really?”

  “Of course! Hop in.”

  Without hesitation, Kaito climbed into the carriage. As the wheels began rolling again, he felt a small wave of relief wash over him. After days alone in the forest, he was finally meeting another person.

  After a while, the boy glanced back at him.

  “Where are you from?”

  Kaito had prepared for this question.

  “I’m from a village far away from here,” he said calmly. “I’ve just started traveling.”

  The boy nodded with interest. “Sounds exciting! My name is Suka.”

  “Kaito. Kaito Ishikawa.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  The two chatted casually as the carriage moved along the road. The conversation was light and comfortable, and before long, the forest began to open up.

  Then Kaito saw it.

  In the distance stood a small town, surrounded by wooden fences and fields stretching toward the horizon. Thin trails of smoke rose from chimneys, and the warm glow of afternoon sunlight bathed the buildings.

  Kaito smiled and whispered to himself,

  “Finally… my first town since being reincarnated.”

  He turned toward Suka. “What’s the name of this town?”

  “The town is called Losthill.”

  The carriage passed through the gates, and Kaito felt a strange excitement bubbling in his chest. People walked through the streets, merchants shouted from stalls, and the scent of cooked food drifted through the air.

  After stopping near the town center, Kaito stepped down from the carriage.

  “Thank you for the ride, Suka.”

  “No problem! Maybe we’ll meet again!”

  With a grateful nod, Kaito turned and began wandering the streets of Losthill, ready to begin the next chapter of his journey.

  Losthill was small, but lively. Wooden stalls lined the streets, and merchants loudly advertised their goods. The smell of grilled meat drifted through the air, making Kaito’s stomach growl.

  As he wandered, his eyes landed on a butcher stall displaying fresh cuts of meat hanging from iron hooks.

  Maybe I can sell my fish here…

  He approached the stall and greeted the large man behind the counter.

  “Excuse me… do you buy fish? I have some.”

  The butcher crossed his arms and looked him up and down.

  “How many do you have?”

  Kaito hesitated for a brief second before reaching into his Item Box and pulling out eight fresh fish, placing them neatly on the counter.

  The butcher’s eyes widened.

  “An Item Box…? Only otherworlders usually have that skill. Are you from another world?”

  Kaito froze.

  His heart skipped a beat. He quickly leaned closer and whispered,

  “Please… keep it a secret.”

  The butcher stared for a moment… then burst into a quiet chuckle.

  “Relax, kid. Your secret’s safe with me.”

  He examined the fish carefully before nodding in approval.

  “These are fresh. I’ll give you two silver coins for all of them.”

  Kaito’s eyes widened slightly. Money… my first money in this world.

  “I’ll take it.”

  The heavy coins clinked softly in his palm, sending a strange thrill through him.

  After leaving the butcher stall, Kaito asked around and learned something important: in this world, people could appraise their abilities at the church.

  Naturally, his curiosity took over.

  The church stood quietly at the edge of town, peaceful and welcoming. Inside, the air smelled faintly of incense. A gentle-looking nun greeted him with a warm smile.

  “Would you like to use the appraisal statue?”

  Kaito nodded nervously.

  He placed his hand on the stone statue.

  A soft glow appeared.

  Then words began to form.

  Kaito’s eyes widened in shock.

  Attributes:

  ? Fire Magic

  ? Water Magic

  ? Earth Magic

  Special Skill:

  ? Item Box

  Three attributes…?

  Even the nun looked surprised.

  Kaito quickly stepped back, heart racing, but a smile slowly spread across his face. His abilities were far better than he had expected.

  Trying to stay calm, he thanked the nun and left the church.

  Standing in the busy street once more, he took a deep breath.

  Magic, money, and now a town…

  His next destination was clear.

  “The Adventurer’s Guild should be around here somewhere…”

  With renewed excitement, Kaito walked forward, ready to take his first true step into this world.