I never thought I'd live in a place like this.
Back in my old tribe, it was all survival. Hunt, hide, hope not to get eaten by sothing bigger. No shelter. No help. Just mud, hunger, and fear. Then I heard about this place—this village where anyone could join.
I thought it was a lie.
But I ca anyway.
That was months ago.
Now, I wake up in a house I helped build, with a roof that doesn't leak when it rains and a real bed—well, straw and cloth, but it's mine. Outside, I hear the sound of hamring. Soone's always building sothing new.
I grab my wooden sword and strap on my guild card. Bronze rank. Still low, but I'm working on it.
I step outside and wave to Yorin, a goblin boy who just started working at the shop. "Morning!"
"Hey! Don't forget training later!"
"I won't."
The main path is full of life. Smoke from the blacksmith's shop rises into the air, and the sll of baking bread drifts from a bakery a few houses down. A bakery. Can you believe that? A goblin woman nad Rilla runs it. She ca with nothing and now she sells bread for coins.
Yeah, we use coins here. Caelen made a currency system. You work, you earn. You earn, you eat. Simple. Fair. Even if soone's weak, they can sweep streets or chop wood and still live good.
I pass the job board. Lirae stands next to it, writing down a new post.
"Morning!" I say.
She looks up. "Morning. You interested in helping fix the south fence? It's paying 8 coins."
"Maybe later. I've got sli hunting today."
She laughs. "Of course you do. Go level up, hero."
I grin and keep walking. Past the guild building, past Dorgrim's ring shop where a few villagers line up to check their status. So stare wide-eyed at their holograms, like they can't believe what's written there.
I get it. When I saw mine for the first ti, I felt real. Like I finally had a path.
The training grounds are busy. Zira's leading sword drills. Garin handles the spears. So elf kids shoot arrows at painted targets while Borin checks the construction of a new archery wall.
I join my usual group near the dummies. We stretch, talk a bit, and then start practicing. It's sweaty. Loud. ssy.
But fun.
After about an hour, I get that little ding in my head. A ssage.
> Skill Gained: Swordsmanship Lv. 3
STR 1
"Yeah!" I shout. "I leveled up again!"
Others cheer. We've started keeping score. Not to beat each other, just... to know we're growing.
Soone asks , "You rember life before this?"
"Yeah," I say. "And I don't miss it."
After training, I take a break and walk toward the farms. Garin's group is harvesting vegetables. So people are raising chickens. Eggs go to the food center, where you can trade coins for als.
My stomach grumbles.
I head over to the shop square. We built it last week—just small wooden stalls for now. One elf sells herbs. A dwarf offers tools. Even a kid has a stall with handmade toys.
I buy a small rice ball for 2 coins. Sit down on a crate. Eat. Watch people pass by.
A goblin woman hums while hanging clothes outside. Kids chase each other around a well. An old elf carves sothing under a tree.
This is our life now.
In the evening, there's a town gathering. We don't do speeches or anything, but everyone sits around fires, shares food, and talks.
Soone brings a flute. Another has a drum. Soon there's music, and people dance—even Zira, which is rare.
Caelen watches from a distance, smiling. He doesn't talk much these days, but we know he's always thinking, always planning.
Soone told he wants to conquer the whole forest.
Honestly? I think he will.
But tonight, we don't talk about conquest. Just family. Food. How soone's kid got their first level-up. How a guy bought his first sword with his savings. Simple things. Good things.
I never thought I'd live in a place like this.
Now, I can't imagine life anywhere else.
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