“Phew! That was tiring,” Othrik said, wiping sweat from his brow as we approached the village gates. “This hunt was worth at least three days' work for a normal party. Look, everyone has to carry something because of the sheer volume of materials we collected. We should definitely go together again, Han”.

  The other villagers in the party nodded in agreement, their faces tired but glowing with the satisfaction of a successful haul. I was feeling just as pleased; not only had I earned some coin, but I had gained invaluable experience and even unlocked a new job.

  “Yes, I enjoyed today as well,” I replied, shifting the weight of the supply sack on my shoulder. “I’d be glad if you’d take me along on the next one”.

  “Okay, it’s a deal. Now, let’s head to see Copez,” Othrik directed, leading us toward the center of the village.

  As we neared the village center, I saw a paunchy, middle-aged man watching us with sharp, calculating eyes. He was seated on a sturdy wooden chair in front of a small storefront, but he stood up and waddled toward us as we got closer. He wore a loose, striped hat that covered most of his thinning brown hair, and his red jacket and black pants looked uncomfortably tight against his overweight frame. Despite his stout appearance, he carried a gentle, practiced smile—the unmistakable mark of a professional businessman.

  ***

  Copez

  Race: Human

  Sex: Male

  Status: Normal

  Equipment:

  Leather Breastplate

  Leather Gloves

  Leather Footwear

  Silver Ring?

  Silver Amulet?

  Job: Merchant Level 22

  ***

  “Welcome back, Othrik. But you are late,” Copez said, his voice carrying a hint of genuine worry. “Did you lose your way, or did the forest try to keep you? You look absolutely exhausted”.

  “Hey, Uncle Copez,” Othrik greeted him with a tired grin. “No, we weren't lost. It was just that this friend over here brought us incredible luck. We encountered more beasts than we knew what to do with. He’s even a natural at fighting, too. We have a massive haul to sell today”.

  Othrik gestured to the various sacks and bundles we were carrying, and I saw Copez’s eyes light up with interest.

  “Hoho, good to know,” the merchant chuckled. “I saw him among you and was about to ask, but he seems to be doing quite well for someone who lost his memories”.

  I frowned slightly, surprised by how much information he had. “It looks like there is no one in this village who doesn’t know my business,” I muttered, feeling the weight of the local gossip.

  “Of course,” Copez replied, sounding amused. “How many visitors do you think a place like Hajzenfels gets? The last time we saw anyone from the outside was nearly a month ago—just some knights and civil servants here to collect the taxes. You are currently the most popular topic in the village”.

  “Yes, I’ve heard plenty of people talking about you, too,” Othrik interjected, trying to ease my discomfort. “But don’t be nervous; they’re just curious. Now, Uncle Copez, please take a look at what we’ve brought. It’s already getting late, and we’d like to settle up”.

  “Okay, okay. Let’s be quick about it,” Copez said, his business persona taking over.

  We unloaded our materials onto a large wooden trestle for assessment. Copez moved with surprising agility for his size, poking and prodding the furs and herbs with an expert hand.

  “Wow! What a bulk,” he whispered, impressed. “You’ve even collected the rare mushrooms and herbs I ordered. And these brown bear furs... they’re worth a fair amount. Especially this one—it has fewer cuts than I’ve seen in years. Fine. It totals about thirty-three Targonia silver coins, but I’ll give you thirty-five for Mr. Han’s first deal”.

  When Copez made the offer, the party members stepped aside to whisper among themselves. I stood by, wondering what they were debating. I knew I had gained much more than they realized—experience points and a new job—but I also felt it was only fair that I receive a share of the profit. I had joined the fight late, so I was prepared to accept a smaller portion.

  After a few minutes, they reached a consensus and Othrik turned back to me.

  “Han, we’ve talked it over,” Othrik began, while the others nodded in support. “Since Uncle Copez offered thirty-five silvers, we’ve decided to share it evenly. That’s five silver coins each for the seven of us. What do you say?”

  Oh? Look at them. They are far more generous than I expected, I thought, genuinely touched by their fairness.

  “Are you sure?” I asked, wanting to be certain. “I only took part in the fighting halfway through the day”.

  “It’s okay,” Othrik insisted confidently. “We don’t usually earn this much. We believe your luck was the catalyst. More importantly, if you hadn't intervened in that brown bear fight, some of us would be severely injured or even dead. You earned your keep”.

  I had no choice but to accept their kindness. “Hmm. Okay then. If that’s what you all think, I accept”.

  Copez produced the coins and handed five silver pieces to each of us.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Thank you, Mr. Copez,” I said, looking at the silver in my palm. “Grandpa Tariq mentioned that a laborer earns about one silver coin for a full day’s work. Earning this much for a single hunt feels like a luxury”.

  “No, Han,” Othrik corrected me. “We don’t normally see this kind of profit. This was worth three days of our average work. We usually gain two silver coins at most while risking our lives. Plus, I have my duties as a watchman, so I can’t go hunting every day”.

  So even a veteran like Othrik can't hunt full-time, I noted, realizing he was relatively low-level for someone with his experience.

  “I understand,” I said. “Still, this is a very effective way to spend a day—earning money while gaining combat experience”.

  “If you really want to earn money like that,” Copez added, leaning in, “you’d be better off becoming an explorer, a dungeon raider, or an adventurer. You can gain constant experience fighting monsters in a dungeon, and those jobs even provide skills to help you store everything you collect”.

  “Skills for storing?” I asked, my ears perking up. I immediately thought of an inventory or subspace ability—the kind of "cheat" that made life infinitely easier in the stories I’d read.

  “It’s related to what you were asking about in the forest, Han,” Othrik said, trying to help. “The level thing”.

  Copez suddenly turned red and shouted, “You idiot! How many times do I have to explain it to you? The skill itself is not what the level is!”

  He turned back to me, ignoring Othrik’s sheepish expression. “Mr. Copez, would you mind explaining it to me as well? If it’s not too much trouble?” I asked, acting as if their little spat hadn't happened.

  “Of course,” Copez sighed, clearly frustrated with Othrik. “Merchants possess a skill to store coins. As they become more proficient, their 'coin bag' skill expands, allowing them to hold more currency. In our world, we refer to that expansion as 'leveling up.' It’s the same for dungeon raiders—if their inventory capacity increases, we say they’ve leveled up. It’s a very practical way to measure success”.

  So they don't see numerical levels at all, I realized. They only measure growth by the tangible capacity of their skills.

  “I understand now. Thank you for the explanation,” I said.

  “Really? I wish this idiot were as clever as you,” Copez said, shooting one last glare at Othrik before turning a curious eye toward me. “That aside, you seem quite interested in dungeons”.

  “I am,” I admitted. “Is there one nearby?”

  “I’m afraid not,” Copez said. “But I’ll be leaving for the city of Targashar in a week. There is a dungeon there. If you’re interested, you’re welcome to come along when I depart”.

  The offer was a massive opportunity. I knew I couldn't stay in Hajzenfels forever; I had begged for this new life to experience adventure, not to become a permanent village laborer. Yet, the thought of leaving made me feel a pang of sadness for Grandpa Tariq. He clearly enjoyed the company, and I hadn't even begun to pay back his kindness.

  Phew. It can't be helped. I still have one week left, I told myself, trying to stay focused.

  “Is it okay for me to join you? What would the fee be?” I asked.

  “Of course you can come,” Copez replied. “The more travelers we have, the safer the caravan is from bandits. The fee is ten Targashar silver coins per person”.

  Ten silvers was a steep price—equivalent to ten days of hard labor. I quickly asked about the travel time to judge the value.

  “It takes fifteen to twenty days on foot,” Copez explained, “but only nine or ten days by carriage”.

  The carriage would save me over a week of travel and provide significantly more safety. “Okay. Please wait for me, too. I’m coming”.

  “As you wish. We depart in the morning, seven days from now,” Copez said before we left his shop.

  The party and I parted ways after promising to meet in three days for another hunt. I walked back toward Grandpa Tariq’s hut and knocked softly. A few seconds later, I heard quick, familiar footsteps.

  “Welcome back,” Grandpa greeted me with a warm, genuine smile.

  “Thank you,” I replied, stepping inside the small, dim room.

  “Come, dinner is ready,” he said, gesturing to the table. I expected the same bland soup as before, but I didn't care.

  “You didn't have to wait for me, Grandpa. You should have eaten your own meal,” I said.

  “Don’t worry, I just finished preparing everything. Let’s eat while it’s still hot,” he insisted. We sat and ate, and just like before, the meal was basic but filling. Having someone to talk to during dinner made it feel like a feast.

  “Thanks for the meal, Grandpa,” I said once we were finished.

  “You’re welcome,” he replied.

  “Hey, Grandpa... I have something to tell you,” I began, my voice hesitant. Even though we’d only known each other for two days, it felt difficult to say the words.

  “It’s okay. You don't have to be so tense,” Tariq said gently. “I can already guess what it is anyway”.

  “I see... Well, we had a very good hunt today. My share was five silver coins,” I said, trying to delay the main point.

  “Really? It must have been a fruitful day. I’m glad you’re working well with the others,” he said with genuine pride.

  “Yes, and I think it would be good for me to continue earning my keep through hunting,” I said finally. “Specifically, in a dungeon”.

  Grandpa’s expression didn't change, but his mood clearly took a turn for the worse. “I see... So, are you leaving us?” he asked after a long silence.

  “Yes,” I replied. “But not immediately. Mr. Copez is traveling to Targashar in a week, and I plan to join his caravan. There’s a dungeon there that I want to see”.

  “I understand,” Tariq said, offering a small, sad smile. “It’s good for a young man to know his own path. You can stay here for your remaining seven days. If you need anything before you go, just ask”.

  “I will. Thank you very much, Grandpa,” I said softly.

  “Then, goodnight. See you in the morning,” he said, his voice a bit gloomier than usual.

  Over the next two days, I headed into the forest alone. I kept the Hunter job in my first slot to boost my agility and used my points to invest in the 'Increase Exp Drop' skill. I needed to raise my levels as quickly and safely as possible so I wouldn't be a liability on the road or in the dungeon.

  I also discovered something very useful: while I had to keep the 'Player Window' skill, I didn't need to keep 'Identify' active at all times. I could use it to scout an area or a person, then remove it and use those 25 points for other skills until I needed it again. Combined with the points I got back by returning my starting silver coins, I was able to raise my experience-gaining skills to Level 4, multiplying my growth by twenty-five times.

  However, a new problem arose on the horizon.

  While I was on my way back to the village, I spotted a group of armed people approaching from the distance. Unsure of their intentions, I retreated to a nearby hill to observe them from the shadows. There were six of them, led by a red-headed woman who carried herself with unmistakable authority.

  Who are they? They look incredibly strong, I thought. My Identify skill confirmed they were high-level knights and adventurers. I felt a surge of cowardice as I watched them, knowing that if they meant us harm, I would be powerless to stop them.

  I watched as Grandpa Tariq and the villagers rushed to meet them at the gate. To my relief, the group was courteous, and the tension in the village slowly began to fade as the newcomers settled in to rest.

  Just as I was about to head down, I heard a commotion. Some of the village children had wandered off and gotten lost in the deep woods. Without hesitation, the armored party offered to help. They rescued the children and returned them safely, refusing even a single coin as a reward. They really were good people, and I felt a twinge of shame for having doubted them.

  [Edited]