Chapter - 5.

There were so many things I had never seen before, and they were all so strange and intriguing. Perfume that changed the color of your eyes, scissors that prevented hair growth for years, clothes that adjusted to the wearer's size, and various colorful jewels and trinkets - it was like stepping into a world of wonders.

But amidst all this, I heard a disturbing piece of information. It was said that there were slaves in the procession at the back. Slavery had been abolished in my homeland about 100 years ago, but in Grentia, they still engaged in this practice and planned to sell the slaves there.

Filled with curiosity and a newfound determination, I asked one of the employees if this procession was headed for Grentia, and upon confirmation, I couldn't help but be fixated on the opportunity to go there. However, my request to accompany them was met with a heartless refusal.

Feeling desperate, I rushed back into the house and retrieved the money I had been saving up. I had hoped to fill the small jar with money, but now I couldn't hesitate to use it. I poured the money onto a cloth, tied it up, and carried it in my arms.

As I came outside, Mark was waiting for me. I was unsure of how to explain myself, fearing he might not let me go or that he would ask about my situation, but Mark simply expressed how hard I had worked and affectionately patted my head. His warmth brought tears to my eyes - it had been a long time since I felt such kindness.

I thanked him, lowered my head slightly, and then ran off to join the procession. If I looked back, I knew I might lose my resolve. As I hurriedly made my way, the employee who had previously treated me rudely had a change of heart and offered to take me to Grentia as Mark instructed.

He waved a pocket he was holding, and I heard a familiar sound - the same sound that Aris had made earlier. I realised Mark must have taken Aris with him. Despite my brief thought of questioning his actions, I couldn't deny that he had been truly good to me. He was the only one who had accepted me and taught me about herbs when I had nowhere else to go.

I decided to meet the woman from my dreams, confront her about the demon lord, my situation, and all the injustices, and demand compensation. Once this was done, I would return and repay Mark's favour and care with double the gratitude.

With that resolve in mind, I boarded one of the store's wagons, and we set off on our journey to Grentia.

We continued our journey on the wagon, and I noticed that there were other people on board, all of whom, like me, had paid their way to be here. Among them, one person's gaze caught my attention, and for a moment, I thought I recognized him. My heart raced, wondering if he was someone I knew, but I quickly averted my gaze, hoping to avoid any awkward encounters.

As we traveled, there was a man who seemed overly talkative, sharing stories that no one seemed interested in. He claimed to be a peddler on his way to Glentia to become an adventurer, likely aiming to be a priest or a wizard. Despite the rest of the passengers having serious expressions, he kept talking, oblivious to the uninterested atmosphere.

I tried to signal with my eyes for him to stop talking, hoping he would read the atmosphere, but instead, he mistook my intention as interest in his stories and continued with even more enthusiasm.

"By the way, I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? I'm Dorian! What's your name?" he asked cheerfully.

I felt embarrassed to reveal my real name right now, as 'kael' was a name that had drawn unwanted attention in the past. So, I hesitated for a moment and eventually decided to give him a false name.

"... My name is Aricia," I replied.

Dorian's eyes widened in surprise, and then he burst into laughter.

"Haha! I apologize, it must have been tough for you to say that such a cute girl's name is yours!"

Damn, I had completely forgotten that Aricia was named after Aris. As my face flushed, I lowered my head, feeling a mix of annoyance and embarrassment, and Dorian only laughed even harder.

Dorian, annoying as he was, turned out to be a valuable source of information. He informed us that the 'Black Flame Company', the organisation that operated the wagon we were on, was involved in the collection and distribution of unique items from all over the world. They were a significant merchant group with branches in various countries, but what made them remarkable was that they were all commoners, facing persecution in some regions due to their rise in influence.

As for adventurers, Dorian explained that anyone could become one by registering at the guild. However, simply being registered didn't guarantee protection or recognition. Adventurers were ranked based on their performance and abilities, and their proof of competence was the 'Adventurer Certificate' issued by the guild.

Furthermore, Dorian shared rumours from my birthplace, [Drucan], about the 'living human talisman boy'. Apparently, the boy's power brought luck and prosperity to those around him. I listened intently, wondering if this boy could be me, but it seemed unlikely. The boy's name was 'Kael,' which coincidentally was my name as well.

Dorian continued with the tale, saying that the boy's parents exploited his abilities for illegal gains and were eventually caught and punished by noble authorities. However, the boy's whereabouts remained unknown. Hearing all this, I had the urge to sarcastically point out that the rumors were about me, but I held my tongue.

The conversation shifted to monsters, which were appearing more frequently lately. The rumors about the Demon King's resurrection seemed to be true, and Dorian speculated that the Hero would soon appear to defeat the Demon King, bringing peace to the world for a while. The Hero was usually summoned through a ritual in the divine empire of Grentia. However, the summoning ceremony had failed twice before, adding uncertainty to the situation.

I couldn't help but wonder if there could be another Hero summoned, apart from myself. Dorian mentioned that the summoning ceremony's failures were causing much commotion and doubt about the Demon King's resurrection.

As we continued our journey, my heart was in turmoil. I knew I needed to meet the woman from my dreams as soon as possible. The decision was clear, and I was determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Finally arriving in Grantia after nearly 20 days of travel, Dorian was still enthusiastic about forming a team of adventurers together. The taciturn man who had been distant throughout the journey left without a word as soon as they arrived.

Grantia, being the Holy Empire, was abundant with stone statues of gods. They were scattered everywhere - on the roads, stairs, around fountains, and even on benches. Sculptors' shops lined the streets, all selling various stone statues.

I visited a nearby store to inquire about a stone statue resembling the woman from my dreams. The shopkeeper presented different stone statues that bore some resemblance but had different postures. To be sure, I purchased a few of the most similar ones.

As I turned to look for an inn, a sudden impact knocked my off balance, and my weak body couldn't withstand the force, causing me to collapse. Amidst the commotion, I realised that my money was stolen. The pickpocket managed to escape, but soon after, a kind woman approached and returned my money, thanking her for the good luck. It was evident that my money luck was still intact.

Entering a nearby inn, I calculated the cost for one week's stay and decided to test my money luck with the newly acquired stone statues. Hugging the statues close, I soon drifted off to sleep, hoping for a good night's rest and perhaps a revelation about the mysterious stone statue I sought.