The days passed, and bit by bit, the moment to embark on my journey toward a new future drew near. I helped André with the final preparations, learning new things in the process. That included sacrificing some animals for the upcoming sale in the city. I had to participate in that grotesque activity, and I have to say it wasn't to my liking at all.

  Anyway, after all that ordeal, we started organizing the products. Wrapping them in cloth and storing them in boxes. I had my doubts about how they would preserve, especially the meat. But I learned that such foods stayed good if covered with enough salt, and techniques like smoking or drying helped too.

  Well, after several days of preparations, the moment had finally arrived. Before the sun rose, the horses and the vehicle we'd travel in were ready, along with a group of villagers witnessing our departure, and of course, the host who'd housed me in his humble home.

  "Everything's ready, boys. Safe travels." With a slight smile on his face, André bid us farewell.

  I don't know how to explain these feelings. But if I had to pick a word to express this sentiment, it would be sadness. I don't know what the future holds for me, but if everything goes well, I hope to see them again.

  Limara and her brother exchanged words. Even though I was a bit away from those two, I could barely hear their short conversation.

  "Be careful and don't get distracted on the road. There have been more bandits on the paths lately."

  "I know, I know. Don't worry about that stuff."

  As always, Darel downplayed things. I really don't know how his mind works. Anyway, I hope nothing bad happens on the way. Limara's warning really makes me nervous.

  I could hear the howl of the cold morning wind, while the sun's silhouette rose between the massive rock mountains, bathing the landscape in an intense orange.

  I climbed into the cart, resting my foot on the iron rail and jumping in with a push.

  Darel positioned himself in front, in charge of guiding our way, grabbing the horses' reins.

  Before leaving, André stopped us for a moment.

  "Ethan, I want to give you something before you go."

  Surprised, I stuck half my body out of the cart to respond.

  "What is it?"

  "Here." Extending his hand toward me, André handed me some objects. "I hope it helps when you arrive."

  I could see a total of five silver coins. It's the first time I've seen what money looks like in this world. I immediately remembered that now I had to learn how to manage it. I don't want to repeat the same mistake as in my past life.

  But another doubt arose in me. Will this amount help me survive a few days until I find work? I don't know what prices are like in that city.

  Well, that's something I'll discover soon. I just hope I can at least afford food in the coming days.

  "Thank you. It really helps."

  With that last said, we set off on our journey. As we moved away from the village, I could hear words of encouragement from some neighbors, but especially from Limara.

  ?──────────────────???──────────────────?

  Hours passed. The sun positioned itself at the highest point in the sky.

  These landscapes are spectacular, dreamlike. Those images I saw on magazine covers or on TV now come to life, with more force than ever. On our way, we also ran into some merchants heading to the same destination as us, or diverging to other places. Sometimes Darel slowed the cart to chat with an acquaintance. Beyond introducing myself to them, I didn't intervene much.

  I'm sitting in the back of the vehicle. My only means of entertainment was observing the vast valleys and large hills surrounding us.

  From my pocket, I took out the money André had given me to inspect it more closely. Its size is similar to the quarter I knew in my previous life. Surprisingly, the coin is very detailed, not as much as those from my world, but enough to notice the profile of an older man; with a long beard and bald head.

  Is he the president? Or rather, the king of this country?

  I also need to find out what continent I'm on. Damn, I have so many things to do that it's discouraging to think about all that.

  "I'm hungry. Let's stop to eat something."

  The kid read my mind.

  We veered the cart and stopped near a stream. Darel took care of feeding and watering the horses, while I unloaded the supplies.

  "Hey, take that bucket and fetch water."

  I wanted the trip not to last longer than necessary. I don't know if I can stand being next to him for much longer.

  I returned from the stream after several minutes and was surprised to see Darel preparing the bonfire and setting up an improvised grill. I thought he'd be standing around with his arms crossed and doing nothing, as often happens, but this time it wasn't so.

  He took care of washing the meat, then seasoned the food with herbs and different spices. It smelled spectacular, even better than some meals Limara prepares. Maybe the kid has a hidden talent?

  We sat on the grass and started eating. As usual, there was no comment from us until, after several minutes of chewing in silence, Darel mentioned something that made me choke for a few seconds.

  "Hey, I know you talked to Limara about what happened to my mom."

  "Did you hear us?"

  "Impossible not to. The only one who couldn't hear you was my old man."

  I didn't know what to say at the moment. I just continued chewing my food, hoping Darel would forget the topic seeing that I wasn't responding, but it wasn't so.

  "She shouldn't tell our stuff to strangers." He continued, frowning.

  "She just wanted comfort. I didn't do anything wrong." I swallowed a piece of meat.

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  "You shouldn't meddle in other people's business."

  "And you should calm down, kid. That's precisely why Limara asked me to listen. She feels alone, you know?"

  His eyebrows curved, and his expression darkened. The boy stopped eating and stayed silent for a worrying time. I didn't want the rest of our trip to feel uncomfortable, so I tried to apologize in some way. I explained how his sister felt about what happened to her mom.

  It seems he had no idea she was still hurt by that situation, or he chose to ignore it.

  Anyway.

  I handled my words as best I could. Darel just sighed distressed and continued eating, this time at an accelerated pace.

  As expected, he finished eating before me due to the speed at which he devoured the food. Darel collected some containers with the intention of heading to the stream to clean them.

  But before leaving, he said something that left me open-mouthed.

  "Sorry for behaving like that." He comments with a lost gaze.

  "It's all good. Just try not to be impulsive always."

  Incredible. Was he apologizing? I never thought he was capable of something like that.

  I guess everything turned out well, within what fits. He seemed thoughtful about what I commented on Limara. I just hope his behavior toward her improves.

  We picked up everything and resumed our journey. The sun didn't take long to descend from the sky, painting everything in a reddish yellow.

  God! How much longer!? I implored in my soul.

  At this point, I was desperate. It was almost nightfall, but I saw no trace of that damned city. My previous life might have been shit, but I miss so many things, like the subway...

  "Hey, when are we arriving?"

  "Tomorrow night, I think."

  Holy Christ, another day doing nothing. Just watching the clouds pass.

  After several hours, we stopped by the side of the road to set up the tent. Around us, there were only forests and silhouettes of huge mountains. The sun had disappeared, and the sky was cloudy, only the moon's faint light illuminated our surroundings behind gray clouds.

  We repeated the previous meal and killed time with absurd chats. I wanted to make this moment more interesting, so I dared to show my phone.

  Darel was amazed when he saw it work and wanted to know more about it. Asking things about who had made it, how much it cost, and so on. Of course, I didn't know how to answer most of his questions, and for others, I had to invent on the fly.

  I showed him some photos of my old city, and he marveled at seeing such images. The cherry on top; I played my favorite music album.

  Among all the songs I had saved on my device, he leaned more toward the rock and roll genre. If he had been born in my world, he'd undoubtedly be a die-hard fan. Without mentioning that it matches his personality.

  I made him promise not to tell anyone about what he saw. Though, I think almost no one would believe him.

  Before sleeping, he advised me that if I didn't find anything in the city, I could sell my phone. He was sure they'd pay me a fortune for it. Maybe it's a good idea to take his advice if everything else fails, but I hope not to reach that extreme.

  ?──────────────────???──────────────────?

  While dreaming, I could hear a voice calling me energetically. After waking up due to Darel's shouts, I could spot, in the distance, a huge white stone wall surrounding the city, along with several small houses circling the outside.

  We approached the main entrance along with other caravans, then were inspected by police wearing dark clothes and metal armor. I felt weird when I saw them dressed that way. I almost didn't take them seriously if not for the typical arrogant attitude of an officer.

  After passing the registry, we crossed a stone arch, finally entering the heart of the city.

  Traffic of people and carts flowing through the paved streets and rows of commercial stores with people chatting among themselves and discussing prices. The strangest of all was, again, seeing people walking with protective equipment and swords hanging from their waists. That scenario seemed straight out of a tale.

  Darel stopped on the side of the street. I got off the vehicle shortly after, with nerves bubbling in my stomach.

  "Well, here we part ways." He comments, twisting his lips.

  "Yeah..."

  I looked at my surroundings with uncertainty. Trying to plan my next move.

  "Hey, if you don't find anything, you can always come back to my house. Don't worry, if you return on your knees, I'll ask my dad to let you live with us." He smiled, showing his teeth.

  "How kind of you."

  We laughed for a few moments and then said goodbye. I stood there, watching as Darel got lost in the sea of carriages and buildings.

  I took a deep breath and sighed heavily. It was time to start taking my first steps toward the future I want to have.

  I set off.

  While walking, I observed around me with enthusiasm. Admiring the urban landscape this city was offering me. I also took the opportunity to glance at some store windows, looking eagerly at those equipment many people wore proudly on the streets.

  I don't know why people use them. But I suppose I'll find out in the future.

  I shook my head. The rumble of my stomach reminded me of my main objective.

  I veered my steps toward the Hunters' Guild. The previous day, I talked with Darel about how I could find work in this city, and he told me the best way is to ask at that guild. I wanted to know more about that place, but the boy couldn't give me more information.

  Anyway, that's not important now.

  Asking for directions, I could finally reach my destination. Near a fountain where a stone-carved figure of a man in a heroic pose rests, is the Hunters' Guild. A large building made of bricks and supported by wooden columns.

  Fortunately, it's still open.

  Inside, it was even more fascinating. The sound of various people's murmurs filled the air, followed by a mix of smells that hit me: aged wood and some burnt food. Not to mention the clinking of armors echoing in the hall. As I crossed the door threshold, I was greeted by curious looks; I decided to ignore them and continue my way.

  As I approached the counter, the eyes of a smiling girl looked at me silently.

  I cleared my throat.

  "Good evening. They told me here I could find work."

  "Pardon?" She tilts her head.

  "Yes... well, a friend told me here I could find information about job vacancies..."

  "Oh, of course! Give me a moment."

  Her figure vanished among some shelves. While waiting for her return, I contemplated the exotic ornaments hanging on the walls and the luminosity provided by a chandelier with fine finishes hanging from the ceiling.

  My eyes then settled on a small group of people analyzing the content of a bulletin board. I wanted to approach too to check it out, but the woman had returned.

  "Sorry for the wait. We only have these announcements."

  "No worries. Thanks."

  I retreated to a nearby stool to review the information in the documents. Another thing that surprised me in the first days I was at André's home was that, besides speaking the language of this world as if it had always been mine, I could also read its writing. Again, bombarding myself with questions I couldn't answer would only suffocate me. So, I just accepted my new reality.

  Reading the text of the sheets, I realized I wasn't qualified for any of these jobs. I even ignored the existence of several of them.

  And what the hell does an alchemist do? I wondered.

  As my eyes went down the words, my spirits and hope did too. I had worries thinking I wouldn't find anything. What I could think of was asking from store to store to see if, that way, someone took pity on me and offered me work.

  But I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. I found an announcement explaining the need to hire a waiter to work in a restaurant. Even though it explicitly asked that the applicant have the necessary experience, I wanted to go and try to get the position. If necessary, I'd beg the owner of that establishment to give me a chance.

  I went back to the receptionist to ask for more information. After sharing the restaurant's address with me, I set off immediately.

  A feeling of strangeness invades me suddenly. While wandering the streets, I was observed by some disapproving glances. Where I come from, my attire is the most common, but here I simply don't fit.

  Looking at several people walking with baggy pants and high leather boots made me reaffirm this idea, compared to me, someone who wore old jeans and industrial boots.

  I sighed.

  I must calm down, why should I care what those idiots think?

  Tied to a habit I thought I'd lost, I took out my phone to check the time. I don't know if the time passing in this world is the same as indicated on my screen, but if that's the case and I compare it with what my eyes see, then it would already be past midnight.

  There are barely people on the streets, instead, more police with armor patrol the area. Fortunately, none pay me too much attention.

  With pain in my feet and burning in my stomach, I finally arrived at the restaurant and, as was obvious, it's closed.

  I managed to read its sign despite the darkness of the area. "The Broken Wheel." Well, I'm not one to judge the name one puts on their business.

  I scratched my head. Now I had to find a place to sleep. But more importantly, I needed to eat something. I turned around, in search of a place to spend my first coins and fill my belly.

  I walked for a good while, but found nothing. Everything was closed. With no more options, I returned to the restaurant. I'd seen a nearby park with stone benches where I could rest.

  I approached and, exhausted, lay down on the cold surface. I no longer remember when was the last time I slept on the street.

  "What cold..."

  With my breath turned into smoke when I sighed, I closed my eyes and crossed my arms behind my head to feel more comfortable.

  I just have to wait for the next day to be better.