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The group turned to see a very old man with a wispy grey beard almost as long as he was tall. Mike looked him up and down, asking, “Who are you?”

The system filled me in before he could answer.

Saul Montview

Level

18

Class

Overseer

Affection Level

Dutiful

With a serious expression on his face, he introduced himself. “You may call me Master Montview.”

“Master?” Darrin asked with a hint of laughter in his voice. “Is this supposed to be some sort of joke?”

Master Montview gave us a knowing smile. “You will do well to obey the etiquette of the land during your stay. That is how you will gain renown.”

“Renown?” Primith asked, sounding curious.

“That’s correct, young lady.” Master Montview replied. “Everything you do in this world will have an impact on your experience here. Do righteous deeds and gain renown or commit crimes and gain infamy. That is your job while on this planet. My job is to monitor your activities and try to make sure you don’t get yourselves killed in the process.”

“Didn’t the contract say we can’t commit crimes?” Alan asked.

Master Montview shook his head. “No. Your contract states that we will not offer you housing should you go against the rule of law. Naturally, none of the towns and villages will think too highly of you should you choose the path of a criminal. In those cases, you will be on your own. The company will still compensate you for your time, of course.”

Mike rubbed his hands together. “So, where is my house? Do I get to pick which one I want?”

“Ah yes, I was just getting to that.” Master Montview said with a slight yawn. “Guides have been prepared to travel with you to your villages. They will handle any immediate needs that you have and I shall visit you when you do something worthy of recognition.”

“We aren’t going to live here?” Carlito asked, sounding a little agitated.

Master Montview shook his head. “No. Not quite yet. You will be separated into small villages to start. Prove yourself and you may find your way back here someday. Remember, everything relies on your deeds and what you can accomplish. Now I must be off. Follow the instructions of your guides.”

Before we had a chance to ask any more questions, he vanished in a puff of smoke. That was when I noticed we had an audience. People gathered around us in a circle. Held back by guards, they watched in silence, straining their ears to listen in on our conversations.

Just beyond the crowd stood a series of carriages, each one a different color. That was where the system got involved once again.

Select the blue carriage. Quickly.

“Why?” I could help to blurt the question out loud.

The carriage you choose will determine your initial assignment. I prefer blue.

I rolled my eyes and started toward the blue carriage. Mike hurried behind me and asked, “Where are you going?”

“Got to choose a carriage,” I huffed, already running out of breath.

“What?” He asked.

Once again, I couldn’t answer without incriminating myself, so I lied. “Look, there are seven carriages. They are meant for us. I want to get this show on the road.”

“Oh.” He replied, slowing down and looking back at the others.

The crowd parted when I made it to them. I heard whispering as I passed.

“It’s the new wave.”

“That one in the back is good-looking.”

“Do you think he will win?”

“Don’t bet on blue, he’s out of shape.”

An attendant stood by the open door of the carriage.

Levrac

Level

1

Class

Carriage Driver

Affection Level

Bored

He bowed as I climbed into the carriage. “It’s a pleasure to serve you.”

I was surprised to notice that I wasn’t alone in the carriage. A woman sat with her legs crossed across from me. She had shoulder-length red hair

Cordelia

Level

3

Class

Observer

Affection Level

Watchful

She offered a friendly smile and rapped three times on the carriage wall. In response, it lurched into motion. Then she introduced herself. “Greetings, my name’s Cordelia. I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Gaia.”

“What can you tell me about Gaia?” I asked, not bothering to introduce myself.

The system beat her to a reply.

Gaia is the sole moon of the planet Luna in the Zetron universe. It is one of thirteen habitable planets in this dimension. It is known as the source of many fairy tales from your world. Forty-seven notable awakened exist at present on Gaia, including twenty-three from the notable M bloodline.

Cordelia replied while I was still reading the update. “It’s a nice planet with lots of opportunities for success. Let me tell you about the village you’ll be living in. It’s a nice little…”

I cut her off, directing my question at the system. “What is the M bloodline?”

“What?” Cordelia asked, tilting her head to the side. “Why do you want to know about that?”

The bloodline M is a prestigious and powerful bloodline that currently exists in seven-hundred-forty-three known worlds. Whilst little is known about the full extent of the bloodline, it is considered powerful. Simple possession of this bloodline ensures top status in most worlds.

I filed the information away before answering Cordelia. “No reason.”

The system seemed to understand when I was talking to it but I didn’t want to sound too crazy, so I decided to engage Cordelia in conversation as well. “Where are we going?”

She smiled. “To a town called Hellquist Village. It’s a bit on the small side but it’s run by an influential family and does quite well for itself. Truth be told, it’s a good place for your to start your career here.”

“How long until we get there?” I asked.

Cordelia replied. “The journey typically takes four days by carriage. That is if we don’t run into trouble.”

I managed to last about five hours before I had a problem. “Um, Cordelia?”

She jerked her eyes open. It was night and she had fallen asleep. “What is it? Are we under attack?”

“No,” I admitted, starting to squirm. “Is there a place we can stop to use the bathroom?”

“Do you wish to bathe?” Cordelia asked, looking puzzled. “You smell fine to me.”

I sighed, realizing we had a language barrier of sorts. “I mean I have to take a dump. Do you understand that?”

Cordelia gaped at me for a couple of seconds while the information was processed. Then she burst into laughter. “Oh! I understand. You would like us to stop so you can relieve yourself.”

“Is there someplace we can go nearby?” I asked, saying a silent prayer that she wasn’t about to say what I thought she was.

As usual, the system had thoughts on the matter.

Having a bowel movement in nature is a relatively simple process. The most common method is squatting with your feet angled outward. Since you lack lower body strength, sitting on a log or leaning against a tree can also be an effective method.

Since you do not possess magical means of cleaning yourself, you will want to employ leaves and other foliage to wipe.

Cordelia chose that moment to knock on the carriage, signaling it to stop. “You can choose any place off of the road. Be careful of the red bushes. Those are poisonous.”

She climbed out ahead of me and I asked, “Where are you going?”

Cordelia blushed then winked but said nothing, walking off into the bushes. I made my way over to the other side of the road, beginning to regret my life choices. I was way too out of shape to be doing what I was about to do.

There is a suitable log 30 meters due south.

I trudged through the brush and soon the log came into view. It took me a while to figure out the best way to situate myself. Just when I started to feel relief, I got another message.

Warning!!! A monster attack is imminent. Run!

“Aw, crap!” I screamed, jumping to my feet. The word had more than two meanings in that particular case.

I pulled my pants up as best as I could and ran like my life depended on it. A rustling sound followed close behind and my lungs burned as I pumped my legs faster than I’d ever done before in my life.

Why the hell did I never join a gym?

Cordelia was just coming back when I made it to the road, shouting at the top of my lungs. “Help!”

She drew a knife and the driver pulled a bow, scanning the tree line for the source of my panic. Then Cordelia started to laugh. I turned in time to see a tiny rodent that looked like a squirrel with six legs.

All I could do was look up at the sky and groan. “Damn you!”

I sat across from Cordelia in the carriage as we resumed our journey to Hellquist village. She did her best to ignore the smell that was coming from me. I was fortunate that my backpack held my entire wardrobe. One pair of underwear was left on the side of the road, but I could still smell it.

Fantasy land sucks!

It will get better.

Wait, can you hear me?

Yes.

That made things easier. No more talking to myself.

You need to be more specific when you tell me things. That monster wasn’t dangerous at all.

It still would have attacked you.

What kind of monster was it?

Raquirrel

Level

5

Class

Rank D Monster

Affection Level

Scavenger

What level am I?

The system decided to answer by displaying my menu.

Alexander Krup

Level

1

Class

Peasant

Affection Level

Indifferent

Peasant? What’s up with that?

All employees of SIMP CO receive classes befitting their station when arriving on Gaia.

Can you give me a better one?

For what purpose?

I don’t know. For starters, I don’t want to be a peasant. Maybe you can give me something fun like King. Are you allowed to cheat for me?

The system was silent for the first time. I looked up and found Cordelia watching me intently. “It’s not that bad you know.”

“What?” I asked, wondering if she knew what I was doing.

“The smell.” She continued. “You don’t smell too bad. That could have happened to anyone.”

I laughed. “Thanks. I think.”

The system finally provided an update.

Alexander Krup

Level

1

Class

Self Proclaimed Hero

Affection Level

Indifferent

I gasped at the new class.

What do you mean by ‘Self Proclaimed’?

Classes must have a semblance of truth to them. If you wish to be seen as a hero, you must first prove yourself to those around you.

I groaned. This was going to be more difficult than I initially thought.

“Welcome to Hellquist village,” Cordelia announced as we pulled into a quaint town in the countryside.

The village was built around a small hill with a big house at its peak. Smaller houses circled the mountain. I saw smoke coming from chimneys and people walking about the dirt streets as we drove through town.

I leaned out the window and asked, “Do I get to live in one of these houses?”

It was an honest question. Part of me worried that my house would be located outside of town, causing me to commute every day to get my meals. The smell of freshly baked bread filled the air which made my mouth water.

Cordelia shook her head. “No. Your house is on the other side of town. If you work hard and build your renown, you may qualify for one of these homes in a year or so.”

Small House

Rank

D

Value

100 Gold Standard

Amenities

Insulated. Heated. 2 Bedroom

The house on the hill was another story altogether

Small Mansion

Rank

B

Value

100,000 Gold Standard

Amenities

Insulated. Heated. 12 Bedroom. Indoor Plumbing. Magic Bath. Automated Security. Library.

Cordelia yawned as the carriage made its way around the village. “To start, you will have to spend some time in the smallest dwellings. It’s the same for every new adventurer. If you don’t give up, you will see them all again in one year.”

Then another row of houses came into view. If they could even be called that, that was. Structures that reminded me of sheds one might place in their backyard appeared in rows. Some of them were open, revealing an interior with not much more than a sleeping sack on the floor and a small box for a table.

The thought of people living in such conditions made me sick but there they were, hunched over crudely lit fires in front of the tiny dwellings. I would have thought them homeless by the way they were dressed, wearing little more than rags. Of course, they all huddled in front of their shacks, so I knew exactly where I was. The slums.

Shanty

Rank

F

Value

1 Gold Standard

Amenities

1 Room

I pointed to the feeble buildings. “Is this where I’m expected to live?”

It was a pointless question considering I already knew the answer. Cordelia nodded and said, “It is until you work your way up to something better. Consider it an incentive to be productive. If you gain renown, you will be moved up to a better home.”

“I didn’t sign up for this,” I grumbled.

She gave me a knowing look as if this was something she dealt with often. “If you wish to go home, all you need to do is make the declaration in writing and I will make the arrangements to send you back.”

The carriage came to a stop at the end of the row just as Cordelia finished speaking. She pointed to the last shanty in the row and said, “Well. This is you. You can get three meals a day over there.”

In the distance, a rather large dilapidated building stood on the outskirts of town abutting the nearby forest.

Rundown Monastery

Rank

F

Value

1000 Gold Standard

Amenities

20 Rooms

The building looked like it was about to collapse on itself. Just outside, I could see children playing. Cordelia explained. “That is the local orphanage. Children are taken here when they have no one to look after them. Don’t worry though. Your meals are guaranteed by the company. Just explain who you are to the nun in charge and she will see to it that you are fed. I will come visit you once per week to check on your progress. Remember, you are permitted to do anything you like during your stay here. Until we meet again, may the Goddess Iris light your path.”

This adventure was not going how I planned at all.