Another World Story

Day Fifty-Five:

Time passed and before I knew it, I became accustomed to the new lifestyle that I have.

Going to the academy, taking lessons, observing the second princess, and practicing my control on mana manipulation all became my daily routine. A month has passed, but I have yet to show my face to the princess, not even once have she seen my shadow, as far as I know... Though I sometimes see them whenever I was on break during Sundays, I never did let her see my face, Or rather, she doesn't have any inkling of intention to look at others.

Anyways.

I have quite progressed in how I control my mana during this one month and the mana inside of me became denser than before. Apparently the more my mana became accustomed and merged with the outside mana, it would think that they are part of the same origin, which is the 'Core'. According to what I've heard, the 'Core' is the origin of all-natural mana that exists here in Ashura. I don't know if it's a good thing yet that my mana recognized itself as such.

But based on what I've read in some archives in the Magic library, there were cases the same as me; people who've solo the guidance in their mana to get the mana manipulation skill. And of course, those people were able to guide the raw mana up to their brains and every part of their body, which then lead to the strengthening of it and making their mana much denser than before.

I have also read that the denser the mana, the better the output one could give, even if they only put a small amount of mana into the magic or aura, they could exert better power compared to the average.

Though my mana became quite dense like certain Japanese MCs, I still can't control it. I have yet to progress in guiding the raw natural mana to the other part of me. Though I have guided it to some parts, the ones connected to the nervous system were not touched. I don't know how the other people did it, but it's near-impossible to me right now. I don't have enough stats to support that process.

Which is why...

"Ha! Ha! Ha!"

...I'm currently swinging a sword right now. It's my fourth Sunday here in the Civil Academy, which means my 4th break. I decided to increase my stats, although it would be hard by only doing some daily practice.

"Ha! Ha!"

I swung the wooden sword that I sculpted from a nearby tree. I stabbed, slashed, cut, and did some other moves that the Count taught me before. I was first planning on using -Fate-, but decided to use a sword for now. It's currently early morning, as such, I was planning on going to the Adventurers Guild (that I once saw while on break) after swinging the wooden sword a few more times than before.

-Curse of the Bladeless- a curse that does not let me use any weapons and skills related to blades when in battle. That includes weapons such as, swords, daggers, axes, spears, bows using arrows, and many others that have blades. Though I can't gain any skills from them, I could use them during practice. I don't know when the curse appeared in my status window, but if my theory is right...

"...I could use blade-type weapons, not created through smithing or fire-related aspects, but through other means"

Of course, I have yet to prove it, as I have not yet gone out of the capital and fought monsters. I can't risk the other people knowing the curse when sparring with them, so I decided against it. Plus, monsters can give me something if I won.

"Ha! Ha! Haaa-!

After swinging the sword a few more times, I stopped and surveyed my surrounding. I'm behind the dormitory so I could have woken other people while shouting. But thankfully no one was around.

Haa...

Controlling my breathing, I put the wooden sword inside my 'Dimension Storage'. I then washed myself using 'Everyday Water Magic'.

After doing so, I changed into my newly bought shirt and pants. A shirt and pants that a commoner, such as I, should wear.

'I'm not going to wear those fancy clothes everyday'

I have only a few of them, the Count gave me more, but I left them at his manor. It's so that I could have excuses for later.

After I finished changing, I walked outside the dormitory, then left the Civil Academy. I then went out of the Academy Ground and headed towards the 'Middle-Ring'. I passed by the central plaza, the Noble District, and other well-known parts of the 'Inner-Ring' before arriving at the gate dividing the middle and the inner rings.

I then went west, and after a few minutes of walking, I arrived in front of a very huge building. A sign with a sword and spear crossing each other, and behind them is a shield. Below the sign are the words...

"The Adventurer's Guild..."

Muttering so, I looked at the people entering the building. Adventurers with different races, ages, genders, and classes entered the building.

"There's so few elves and beast-kin..."

Grumbling, I went to a corner and equipped a cheap leather chest armor, elbow and knee guard, and a leather helmet. I then took out my beloved Haki Reindeer Antler Dagger that's inside its newly bought sheath, and strap it around my waist. - The complete newbie set!

Oozing with the aura of a beginner, I straightened my posture and entered the building.

Cling!

With the sound of chimes ringing, the gazes of the adventurers gathered towards me but immediately disappeared as if they were expecting someone else. Looking around, I saw dozens and dozens of adventurers grouped up in a corner.

'It looks like something big is happening'

Take note of this. I once again looked around the spacious insides of the Adventurer's Guild building. People wearing different kinds of armors, garbed, robes. Sheathed and covered weapons of different types. There were also adventurers gathered in front of a metal board. Staff answered queries and gave out the quest.

The typical Adventurers Guild from the novels that I've read before, the only difference is that there's no cliché sh*t happening, no female adventurers or staffs are being hit-on. No "This is no place for kids to play" kind of drama. No thug-looking fellow-No, there are some, but they only looked like one.

'The people here all look hella strong. There's no doubt that this Adventurers Guild is not your typical one'

With admiration in my heart, I moved towards a line of people-

"Boy"

-but before I could do so, a low voice called out to me and a boulder-like arm grasped my shoulder. I turned around and saw a mountain of muscles. No, it was a human.

He has no hair, like the minister and a certain rock. His height was over 2 meters tall, his body tanned, and his muscles bulging. He wore no armor above his waist, and a giant halberd covered in white bandages rest behind his back.

"Agil?"

"Huh?"

"Ah! no, sorry. What can I do for you, mister?"

Confused the man looked at me with one eyebrow raised. He then shook his head and pointed towards the line of people - the place I was supposed to go. Then spoke.

"You're going to register right?"

I nod my head. He exudes such pressure that made me do so.

'This guy is high leveled...'

Although I've massa-hunted countless of those dog bastards, my level has not reached up to the hundreds, and I have stagnated during my stay here in the capital as well, making my level remain the same. That's why my objective for today and other following Sundays is hunting and leveling up!

While thinking those things, the man spoke once again.

"That's not the place where a newbie would register"

He then pointed towards another counter at the far back where no line was up.

"That's where you could register"

He said, then left. He didn't say goodbye or any other thing and just left.

"A man of few words...huh?"

Muttering these words, I slightly bowed where the man left and quickly headed towards the counter he pointed at. And as expected the people here are good, I was able to register quickly and get a brass-like plate, with my name and the logo of the guild as well as the guild master signature on it.

Though there was a small problem that almost made the registration fail, it was quickly resolved when I showed Count Vinceral's sigil, and after they confirmed its legitimacy, I was then handed the bronze plate.

You would need the 'Soul Stone' to be able to register, and as I don't have such things, I was branded as a criminal. I was fortunate to have the Count's sigil with me... I don't know where I'd end up otherwise.

After the registration, the staff that registered me gave me quests that were appropriate for my rank.

The ranking goes like this:

-G-

-F-

-E-

-D-

--C--

---B---

----A----

-----S-----

------SS------

The lower you go by the ranking, the higher the power you could exert in the guild as it showed the achievements that you've acquired. Reaching D and below would require tests, and to reached S and SS needed the majority of the Guild Masters approval. Which says that power can't be the only thing you could have in order to raise your rank. There are only 20 S and 7 SS ranked adventurers throughout the whole ashura.

"Counting the ones alive that is"

The staff told me this, before handing me a G ranked quest, which is gathering of herbs. According to the quest, I needed about 5 bundles of the a specific herb. No matter how much I think about it, 5 bundles are a lot. There were no time limit though, so I could gradually do it, if I lacked time.

But thankfully I got plenty of it. So I headed out immediately after asking the staff for directions on where to look for it, in return the staff only brought out a thick book and made a circle by putting his index and thumb together and the three other fingers raised - he was saying to buy the book. After the haggling that I did, I was able to buy the book that cost 10 Central Silver Coins to 6 Central Silver Coins.

"He chose the wrong opponent to sell something..."

With a smirk on my face, I rode a cheap wagon towards the forest outside the capital. It would be my first-time seeing the 'Outer-Rings' and the outside of the capital. Riding for an hour, I finally arrived outside. On the way, I saw the difference between the rings, the outside ring was a slum, but the people living there are not that sickly compared to my expectations, they are quite thin though. The slums are not that messy and soldiers roam that area as well, it shows how the Kingdom care for its people, but it could not be said to be a good environment either. The sewage system were quite muddy and houses stack upon each other, people eating small portion of food and some homeless roaming the slum roads as a beggar. I didn't turn my eyes away from them, but I didn't helped either.

Their life is theirs alone, and my life is mine alone.

I have no reason to intervene to how they live their life, and intervening by helping them is something I can't do. Unless, I have a reason to.

Thinking this, I went down the wagon and headed to the forest a few distance away from the walls of the capital. My current quest is looking for a herb used for making healing potions, mugu herb. A herb I have plenty of inside my storage, but I will not use any of them in this quest, their higher in quality to begin with.

After a few minutes of walking, I arrived infront of the forest, I recalled the place where the herb grew from the book I bought and went there. I used 'Enhance Discerning Eyes' to confirm the herb and after confirming it, I began my collection.

I put the herb inside my storage, it was segregated because of quality and didn't merged with the ones I previously have.

After almost 3 hours of collecting, I finished my quest. I took the herbs out from the storage and tied them using a rope that the staff gave me. He said that each bundle have 20 to 25 pieces each, so I divided the herbs and tied them using the ropes. After creating 5 bundles. I went back, it's passed noon and I'm quite hungry as well.

I rode back using another wagon, and after another hour, I arrived back in the guild. I then went to the same counter while carrying the 5 bundles behind my back. After seeing the surprised face of the staff and taking my rewards after taking note of my quest. I left the guild and went to look for a restaurant.

"Ahh... I'm hungry"

As my stomach growled in hunger. I hastened my phase.