SWNOVELXO Chapter 15
### Chapter 15
I needed time.
To be exact, I felt like I needed a little time for myself.
This wasn’t a declaration of rebellion due to puberty; it was about preparing for a journey.
Even if this world seemed ordinary, it was ultimately a fantasy novel where mere ordinariness wouldn’t suffice to survive.
Like the heroes or holy girls who set out on their journeys, or the elusive witches, this stage was filled with those who could perform surreal feats.
For someone like me, who hadn’t received a role, simply saying I would embark on a journey didn’t resolve the underlying issues.
My body would eventually grow.
Even if it felt a bit unfair and sad right now, it was a problem that would gradually be resolved over time.
I kept earning money.
If I maintained my current diligence, by the time I turned adult, I could leave with a carriage, a horse, and decent tools.
I had already received my parents’ permission.
Having expressed my desire to travel since I was younger, both of them said it would be fine when the time came.
So, everything I had mentioned would be resolved in due time, but there remained one issue that wouldn’t simply solve itself over time.
To put it simply.
“…”
This wretched body was genuinely weak.
An extra character with no abilities, still too young to even muster any strength.
Having lived an extraordinarily mundane previous life, I had never learned common martial arts like boxing, taekwondo, or self-defense.
The only things I held were the stories of settings and worldviews from the novels I had read about various locations and characters.
In retrospect, I realized how reckless it was to declare my intent to travel from a young age.
This wasn’t like taking a flight from Earth; there were no cars racing at 200 km/h just by pedaling.
The main means of transport were merely horses and carriages, and there were portals used by mages that could be accessed for a hefty price.
The costs were extraordinarily high, making it burdensome even for the wealthy, who rarely utilized such portals.
“Hmm…”
Furthermore, even common beasts could pose a danger, let alone monsters that could be classified as beasts in this world.
After all, in my spiteful five-year-old days, I had wished to see a dragon.
I had been so immersed in the world of the story that I had spoken without a care.
So.
Ultimately, the more this world felt real to me, the more I became aware of how unreal it was.
The facts I had long been forgetting in the comfort of seamless peace began to resurface.
I was an extra because I lacked talent.
I was free because there was no enforced role.
Even if I wanted to pursue something for myself, the freedom granted came from my inability to accomplish anything.
Perhaps this thought had arisen due to the memory of the hero’s gaze I encountered in an alley and the silhouette of the hero departing during the send-off ceremony.
The realization that I had no place among characters with talent and designated roles hit me hard.
“…”
Well.
Sure.
Though I filled my mind with negative thoughts for a while, I eventually arrived at the same conclusion.
Ultimately, it was the goal of traveling.
I firmly believed it would provide meaning to my newly begun life.
If my childhood signified being a witch’s watcher, then my adulthood would mean being a traveler wandering the world.
So, let’s prepare for the journey.
“Uncle, what do I need to do to become an adventurer?”
After all those miscellaneous concerns, I ended up at the adventurer shop where I had stopped to buy a robe.
“… What kind of nonsense is this? You just show up out of nowhere, kid.”
“I want to be an adventurer, but I don’t really know what I need to do.”
Yansen had also been an active adventurer and ran an adventurer shop, meeting many adventurers along the way.
In other words, I wanted to lean on the expertise of a professional.
However, Yansen’s reaction was rather indifferent.
No matter how much I talked about my determination and resolve, it was likely just nonsense in the eyes of an adult like him.
“What do you mean what to do? Earn money, kid. The world is all about money and truth.”
“I’ve been earning money since I was eight. I was here not long ago to buy a robe.”
“What’s with you trembling just to buy a robe? I’m saying you need to earn enough money to not care if you buy a hundred of those robes, kid.”
“…”
At this age, there was no way for me to earn that much money.
As I stared at Yansen with a sulking expression, he seemed to realize and continued sheepishly.
“Ah, could it be you were serious…?”
“I’ve never not been serious.”
No child would come to an adventurer shop just to fool around and say such things.
To be honest, the adventurers around here, including Yansen sitting right in front of me, looked quite intimidating, so no children my age dared to approach.
“Come to think of it, there isn’t going to be a child who wants to fool around in a place like this. Alright, I admit I was wrong, so I’ll apologize.”
“Then while you’re at it, would you consider giving me that dagger as a gift…?”
“Are you kidding? If you want it, buy it like you bought the robe.”
“… Ah. Yes.”
Uncle Rendo.
I miss your warm heart and the love that blooms in the market streets.
“Right, here’s the proper answer. What you really need to do isn’t money or permission, but training, right? A kid without talent or ability?”
“That’s hurtful.”
This man was inflicting a serious wound on a child full of dreams, right now.
“Is that my problem? Treat your wounds, and if that’s an issue, go outside and check out the gym beyond the market street, kid.”
However, Yansen, unaffected by my glare, answered my questioned inquiry.
“Is that sufficient? Or should you be doing something more…?”
“For someone without talent, where would that come from, kid? If you want to be strong, start by exercising. Go there, give it your best, and if you think it won’t work out, come back then.”
That was true.
If I lacked talent, I had to survive somehow, even if it meant crawling like a dog.
I knew that, but I wondered if there might be a special training method in this world that I didn’t know about.
“Right now, it’s also a place that was frequented by Pris, who has become a hero and left… it should be a decent place. No, it looks so monstrous it’s not even noble, yet its name sounds very noble.”
“…”
“Well, if you got it, stop staring and get out, will you?”
I nodded to Yansen, waving his hand, and stepped outside.
To be honest, I also thought it was strange for the hero to have such a name that seemed odd along with the title of the novel, but hearing it directly from a character brought a fresh perspective.
I wasn’t the only one who thought it didn’t suit me.
Sure.
What kind of name is Pris for a muscle-bound giant who lifts three times his weight purely through muscle?
Anyway.
Following Yansen’s recommendation, I left the market street and headed towards the gym he mentioned.
As I approached the vicinity, even from a distance, I was hit with a strong odor of sweat despite the entrance being far away.
“…”
Am I crazy?
While I thought that inwardly, I watched the muscular men emerging from the entrance, even from afar.
Still, if I worked hard there, I felt assured I could survive without talent or ability by the time I became an adult.
I didn’t wish for such excessive muscles, but everyone coming out of the entrance was muscular.
“…I don’t know, damn it.”
With firm steps.
I charged in.
I entered the gym and approached what appeared to be the counter to greet.
“Hello.”
Since it wasn’t a place for children, the counter was rather high, and I had to look up for quite a while. A muscular man seated at the counter turned his gaze toward me upon hearing my greeting.
He looked genuinely terrifying.
“How old are you?”
He immediately asked about my age.
I should have sensed something strange and fled at this point, but sadly, I was overwhelmed by his intimidating presence and ended up speaking the truth.
“… I-I’m ten.”
“You can enter for free until you turn twelve. Children must grow strong.”
“Uh, th-”
I didn’t think those words were meant to be said like that.
Before I could finish that thought, a massive hand suddenly reached toward me.
“Welcome to the club for men. I wish for the boy to truly transform into a man.”
“Ah…”
My instincts urgently whispered to me.
Run away.
This isn’t a choice.
I wasn’t presented with a fork in the road; I should turn back and escape instead of proceeding down this singular path.
So, I unconsciously took a step back with my right foot.
“Boy, do not turn back. You cannot return the way you came.”
The muscular man, having grabbed my hesitant hand, pulled me deeper into the gym.
“I-I can just pay my fee after I turn twelve…”
“Welcome to the club for men, boy!!!!!”
No, damn it.
Help me.