I have been traveling on Albert's ship for a whole day now.

They all seem like genuinely nice people.

But sometimes the difference in our way of thinking makes me pause.

One time, Dave, the other swordsman, requested a sparring duel with me.

Apparently sparring is a fight without the goal to kill one another.

I was very confused by that.

Why would you fight someone if you don't intend to kill or be killed?

Feldo looked a little apologetic and explained, that sparring is a good way to gain experience.

That's when I realized, that other people probably DO have to worry about death, unlike me.

The way I got stronger, was by repeatedly dying.

But they can't do something like that.

Needless to say, our spar ended in just few seconds with my win.

They then requested another duel and asked me to hold back this time.

But even if I tried to hold back, it still ended in a few seconds.

Holding back is hard...

When that was over, their magician Nathan asked me for some tips regarding magic.

He himself was capable of advanced fire and ice magic.

This time it was a mutually favorable act, unlike the earlier sparring.

I watched him as he casted fire spells and tried to tell him what I thought he could improve.

He then in turn taught be a bit about ice magic.

So far, I'm only able to create small crystals of ice.

But now that I know the basics, it will be easier to improve than if I knew nothing.

When it was time to sleep, I was given a bed, which used to belong to the fourth deceased adventurer.

Beds are amazing, they are really soft and easy to fall asleep on.

Just like the food they gave me, it's a world of difference compared to the dungeon.

Is this what they all consider normal?

I feel a little jealous...

Later, Albert has shown me the other things he is transporting on his ship.

He wanted me to try on some of the armors, but I refused.

I'm not really too fond of armors.

Back in the dungeon, if something hit me, it would go straight through the armor most of the time anyway.

All armor did, was slow me down and make me easier to hit.

And even if I did get hit, I could usually heal myself if I could survive long enough.

However, he did give me one more thing I found interesting.

It was a sheath for my sword.

I have always carried my sword in my hand, but this can be quite useful.

Even though I haven't talked much to the others, I feel like I got closer to everyone for the most part.

But they still seem to be slightly afraid of me sometimes.

For example, when they ask me some question and I start thinking about how to answer, they take a step back and hurriedly say they don't need an answer.

I'm not sure why that is...

Do I perhaps look intimidating when I think?

"Feldo"

I catch Feldo, who is cleaning his weapon along with Dave and ask him.

"Hmm? What is it miss Reiza?"

"Do I...look scary when I'm thinking?"

"E-excuse me?"

He makes a confused face.

"When...someone asks...something...

I start thinking...

and then...they quickly change subject."

Feldo stops for a second with his mouth slightly open.

Then his head drops and he covers his eyes with his palm.

"That...is your thinking face?

I always thought you were about to tear me apart for asking such personal questions..."

What?

Was it really that bad?

And why is Dave awkwardly smiling while his eyebrow is twitching?

"I don't...attack those...who aren't hostile..."

Dave seems relived while Feldo smiles at me.

Hmm...

But didn't I wipe out those lizard things back in the pond cave to make space for my experiment?

"...only when necessary..."

Feldo's smile turns upside down and Dave pales.

...

Why did I say that?

Now they think I want to kill them.

|= A few minutes of awkwardness and misunderstanding solving later =|

"So, you would be willing to tell us more about yourself?"

"...sure"

I nod to Feldo.

"...but...I can't tell you...certain things..."

That's right...

The quest said, that I fail if someone else finds out about it.

"Of course, I understand."

It seems more people have gathered during the time I tried to calm them down.

All of them are silently waiting for me to start talking.

Are they all that interested in me...?

They all still look a bit scared though.

"I was...trapped...in a dungeon...

For as long...as I can remember...

I finally...escaped...recently..."

Everyone present has mixed reactions.

Some are surprised, some are frowning, some are...crying?

"I see...it must have been hard.

You did well living through that without dying..."

Feldo looks at me with pity in his eyes.

"I didn't..."

"...huh?"

"I died...a lot there"

Feldo looks at me with a stern look.

"What do you mean died? The fact that you are right here is the proof that you didn't die!"

He seems a little angry...why?

"...when I died...I woke up back at the start...

...and had to fight through all the monsters again."

After looking at me with a bit skeptical eyes, he squats down and smiles at me.

"It's fine now...the nightmare is over..."

Nightmare...

It sure was like a long nightmare.

But it wasn't a dream!

I definitely wasn't just dreaming!

...

I guess he just can't believe me huh?

I pull my sword and press it against my neck.

"Even right now...I'm not afraid of death..."

"W-wait! What are you doing?! Stop that!"

"...tell me something...only you know...

...when I die...I will return here...and prove this..."

"No, please stop! I believe you, I believe you!"

He clearly doesn't.

If he did, he wouldn't be so panicked about me dying.

...

But if I think about it a little more...

If I kill myself and return back, they wouldn't remember me.

All the time we spent together would be like it never happened.

Perhaps I was a bit too rash...

I sheath my sword and look away.

Feldo breathes a sigh of relief.

"...you still...don't believe me..."

"Err...well...something like that would be hard to believe after all.

I'm not saying you are lying...

Perhaps it was all just a bad dream?"

...

A dream huh?

Can you have a dream when you are dreaming?

Can a dream last this long?

Can you die in a dream?

...

"...drowning..."

"Huh...?"

"Burning to death...

Getting my head cut off...

Being eaten alive...

Dying to poison...

Having my heart ripped out..."

Once again I look directly into Feldo's eyes.

"I know how all of these feel.

Was that also a dream?"

Feldo looks astonished for a second.

But then he squints his eyes slightly and stares back into mine.

Not averting our gaze, not even blinking.

As if he was confirming the truth from my eyes.

It continues on for what feels like an eternity.

...

Feldo finally closes his eyes and stands up.

"I get it...

I'm sorry for doubting you and for making light of your situation..."

...

"...it's fine..."

The gathered people started leaving one by one while looking at me with pity.

...

What did I do?

Why does it feel so uncomfortable now?

Should I have kept quiet?

...

Getting along with others is hard...

|= One more day later =|

It seems that everyone except Feldo and Nathan started kind of avoiding me after that incident.

I don't really mind it since I'm used to being alone...

But for some reason, it feels a little vexing...

Like I'm missing out on something...

Well, at least not everyone is avoiding me.

And it seems it won't take much longer till we finally reach the Henduria port.

I stand on the deck looking in the direction we are going, trying to spot the land.

When I intently stare out into the horizon, Feldo comes up to me and starts a conversation.

"By the way...I never asked you, but why are you heading to Henduria port?"

"...can't say..."

I can't tell him.

Otherwise I will be sent back.

"...well that's fine.

I just wanted to know if you have any plans for the future.

You said you were trapped in that dungeon for as long as you can remember.

So I thought you might not have thought about it much."

Plans for the future...?

Well, I'm forced to do these so called 'extra stages', so it's not like I'm free yet.

...but after that?

I don't really know...

All I ever thought about is getting free.

What comes after that...never occurred to me.

What WILL I do after I'm free...?

Seeing me ponder in silence, Feldo continued.

"Well, I'm not one to tell you what to do.

But if you ever found yourself in a situation, where you didn't know what next...

Maybe you could become an adventurer like me?"

An adventurer?

"It's kind of a dangerous job, but for you, it might be a good choice.

I'm pretty sure, that with that level of skill, you would be one of the top rank A or maybe even rank S adventurer."

Hmm...

Adventurers exterminate monsters, protect people from attackers and similar things...

It's mostly killing monsters.

Isn't that what I have been doing all the time?

...

That might really be fitting for me...

"...alright...I can try it...thanks..."

"No need to thank me, I still think you are amazing."

Feldo smiles at me and then looks at the sea like me.

As we stand there, staring at the sea, I finally notice something.

Something far in the distance.

As we get closer and closer, I start seeing tops of some buildings.

Later, the entire buildings come into view and soon I can see the docks and other things.

"Looks like we are here..."

Feldo once again smiles at me and then walks toward his teammates to inform them.

Bonus:

Is all of this chitchat between the author and the evil god in the bonuses canon?

"Hey! Who are you calling an evil god?

Would you call a kid breaking a window when playing with a ball 'evil'?

Of course not!

I'm just having fun!

I ain't evil!"

Except YOU are breaking the windows(people's lives) on purpose.

And in regards to the question...

If it was canon, then that means me as an author is a character in this story?

I'm not cocky enough to do that...or am I?

"I'm sure there is enough cockiness in everyone!

ESPECIALLY you!

After all, you created me, The embodiment of cockiness!

If you weren't cocky, how would you ever make me?"

...that makes no sense.

Why would I not be able to create characters different from me?

"...you know, I just noticed we are talking random nonsense to avoid answering the actual question."

...

I hate you.

"You are doing it again! Just answer it!"

...

Fine fine.

It's not canon.

Period.

"Good little author!"