Rummaging through the rubbish, I could find some pieces of cloth here and there. The main problem was how I'm going to be sewing it all together.
Pochi, the mass of living meat that I made friends with, was helping me try to find some sort of needle, the thread that I’m going to need I can just get from the worn clothes in the garbage heap.
"No needles here either… I guess making a new friend would have to wait. I'll just carry around these discarded clothing and bits of cloth to Horsey then we'll be on our way, Pochi." I smiled at the featureless, vibrating, bean bag-shaped mass of flesh. I scratched at my throat as I spoke, as my voice was a bit hoarse from all the crying and vomiting I did last night.
"Puchi." Pochi let out a sound that sounded like it agreed to my plans. I had absolutely no idea how I could identify the sound as such, on pure instinct I would guess. But that wouldn’t explain this weird ability of mine to somehow understand its thoughts and emotions. I would never have guessed that living meat would have emotions, but here we are.
With curious eyes I observed as Pochi dissolved itself into a semi-liquid form. The gross slime-like flesh slithered towards me and up my legs. I would have tried to shake it off but it didn’t feel like it was going to do anything bad to me so I let it do its thing. I felt it crawl onto my back and latch itself on there with what felt like tiny finger-like appendages.
I shuddered, not because I was disgusted, but because it was tickling me. Thankfully though, the sensation was mild enough that I could mostly soldier through it with a straight face, but of course I wouldn't be able to help but shiver here and there whenever it moves too much.
"Interesting, it knows when to start hiding. Pochi might be more intelligent than its looks might suggest." I mumbled as I started making my way out of the dark alley and into the streets of this city that I had forgotten the name of. In my hands were various clothing and cloth to be used for making a magical companion. I just needed the necessary tools.
I don't exactly know where Horsey and the soldiers are, so I'll just wander around and let fate decide whatever might happen to me. I don't think anything can top the absolutely bottomless pit of despair that I was in last night, anyway, so I'll be fine.
I mean, if I survived that, I could probably survive anything else life throws at me.
'But isn't it weird though, that my mood is just the same as ever even after falling that hard into the depths of hopelessness?' I thought. It really is weird. I don't have some sort of mood disorder, do I? The system also said something weird about Harmless Sweetie regulating mood…
Is it possible that…Harmless Sweetie…
I shook off whatever weird thoughts started brewing in my head and mentally laughed off the wriggling feeling of dread inside me. ‘No, that can't be.’ I hummed as I kept on walking. It's just a unique skill after all, I don't think it could affect me too much. I am its owner, not the other way around.
'Still… I can't shake off this odd feeling that Harmless Sweetie is doing more than just making me seem innocent and all that.'
Well, I'll just analyse it later. Maybe I'd find out more about it that way. Though, the Analyse option on my status just gives very basic information so I probably shouldn’t get too excited about using it.
As I walked through the city streets, I watched the passing people and carriages pulled by all types of animals. It was really lively here, maybe this city is a tourist spot of sorts? I wasn't listening to Gian's whole explanation of this city and how it worked, I was more entranced by the glowing streetlights. They were probably magic tools, I don't think light bulbs and electricity are around yet.
Somehow though, through all the liveliness, I could feel and see that the people around me were a bit antsy…no that’s not the right word…more like nervous I would say. I wonder why.
As I watched the city pass by me, I watched the people, and inspected them. A lot of them were wearing what I would expect people from fantasy worlds would wear. Though, there was the occasional odd one standing out, wearing clothing that could definitely be classified as otherworlder clothing. Some men could be seen wearing hoodies and printed shirts, and some women were wearing blazers and classy pants, really cool looking victorian-style extra-poofy dresses that do not conform to this world’s fashion.
I mean, I may be a forest bumpkin and all that, but it’s just so obvious when someone’s whole vibe and presence is just so out of place with the others.
I guess otherworlders other than me really are in this world. It was a bit weird, seeing these buildings and people that would fit in a really cool rpg game, then just coming across random people wearing clothing from a totally different time period. It's almost like an actual MMORPG, with the ridiculously shiny and ornate armors that high-level players often have, but instead of really cool wings and skins, the people that stood out were wearing modern (or modernised vintage) fashion.
"I wonder if the people wearing those modern clothing are super important though… there aren't really many of them going around. Maybe they're nobles? Or maybe they're otherworlders…" I muttered to myself as I walked. "Well, I shouldn't really care that much. Them being nobles or otherworlders wouldn't do anything to help me in my current situation. Worrying about it would just give me an extra, unneeded, headache."
Finally, after what seemed like forever but was actually just a little less than eight minutes of walking, I came across a stable where they held Horsey. I could tell Horsey was in here because I could feel his mana in the area. This was around the area where Gian's house was, maybe they put them here so I could get to them much faster.
Before going into the stables, I looked around me to just take in the scenery of this city. It didn't smell that nice, probably because of the faeces that hid in unseen corners, but it was a refreshing sight. I remember the concrete jungles of Manila and the loud bustling business of Angeles. It's amazing to think that this was a city with how small the buildings are, and how quiet it is. Well, it was still a bit loud but compared to the cities that I've been to in my past life, it was really quiet.
Or, well, that's what my faulty memory tells me. But somehow, this time, my memories feel a little less hazy.
Did something happen to my brain? I'm not really sure. I'm just happy that somehow, I'm getting a slightly clearer picture of what my life was back then.
With a deep breath, I turned around once more, and stepped into the stables. I was greeted with the sight of all types of transportation animals and monsters. Oddly enough, Horsey was the only horse here. Everything else was four or two-legged.
"Maybe horses don't exist in this world." I hummed as I made my way towards Horsey. "I wonder why there isn't anyone guarding the stables… well my job's a whole lot easier without them, so I think I shouldn't question why there isn't anyone guarding them right now."
"But should I really go out of this city though? Outside the city is a very dangerous forest…maybe I should try and train in this place first before setting out on my journey back to the Eastern Isles…" Well, the smart thing to do is to stay and train here… I'm way safer here anyway.
But the fact that that woman thought that I had Shul'ka's mark is a problem. If she sees me again and realises I haven't died yet, then she might just convince the people to kick me out themselves.
I really don't want to go out of this city that ungracefully.
"Yeah, I should probably ride on out of here…" I mumbled.
I rode Horsey and told him that we should get out of this city. He started moving his… 1, 2, 3… four pairs of legs.
Has he always had four pairs of legs? Wasn't it three? Or five? I can't remember…
Well that isn't very important, more legs equals more speed, less legs equals more balance. Same amount of legs would be the same as before.
I rode him out of the stable, then swiftly and steadily rode out of the city. It was pretty easy, the stable was conveniently near one of the city's exits. There weren't any guards near the gate either, nor outside the gate.
"Why isn't there a single trace of a guard anywhere?" I had a really bad feeling about stepping out of the city now. Something in me was telling me that I should hurry on out of the place. "Was there a war or something declared while I slept in that alley?" I was way too nervous, so I tried lightening myself up by making a small joke.
Then I realised how plausible that is, given that this was an extremely dangerous world. "So are those people that were wearing modern clothing actually otherworlders with really cool powers to defend the city in case the guards fall?"
I calmed myself down.
"I'm getting way too ahead of myself. Maybe it's National Guard Day and they're all on vacation? But the people in the city did look a bit on edge…"
Well, if there was a war, then I made the right choice leaving. I just hope I don't get caught in the crossfire.
"It's just one life threatening danger after the other. God, please just let me have one good day."
