I rose from the bed without much enthusiasm. I wondered about many things the night before.

One of which, is that I still don't know how to read and write in the local language. I'm always forced to ask my friends to decipher those chicken scratchings for me. I'm a fucking parasite.

It's also an obstacle for my progress.

It's decided. I'll enroll in a school or find a teacher and get lessons.

I asked the innkeeper and he gave me directions to the place I was looking for.

I warned Corgas about my plans and then followed the directions I got earlier. It took a few attempts since I suck at following directions, but I ended up in front of a small house. Well, that doesn't look like a school.

I knocked at the door.

A man with gray hair and medium beard came answering.

「Man: Yes?」

「Allen: Hello, huh... I'm here for learning to read, I've been given this address by my innkeeper.」

I never remember his name.

「Man: Oh, I see. Come in」

I walked inside. It was a homely place. I saw many bookshelves full of scrolls and books.

「Allen: Well, pleased to meet you. My name is Allen.」

「Man: I'm Gregoris, I used to be an adventurer. A healer, specifically.」

He introduced himself and shook my hand.

「Gregoris: Sadly, my magic was never strong. Along the years I shifted my main focus to scholarly topics, for which I had more aptitude. I teach people to read and write during my free time.」

「Allen: Nice, I came from a very distant land, I just learned to speak with some fluency, but the alphabet is alien to me.」

「Gregoris: Hmm, I can't help but notice your particular accent, which language do you speak in your homeland?」

「Allen: English.」

Gregoris scratched his beard, pondering.

「Gregoris: I don't remember ever hearing that one, I might give you a discount if you're willing to teach me about it. Studying foreign languages is one of my favorite hobbies.」

「Allen: Huh, sure.」

I doubt it'll be of any use to him, though. I'm probably the only person in this world who speaks it.

We settled the deal for 50 coppers each lesson.

When I got back, Corgas warned me that Berel had come paying a visit. I walked to the market to greet her and buy some of her food.

「Allen: Hello, Berel!」

She smiled as she saw me approaching.

「Berel: Hi, Allen. I heard your business is going well!」

「Allen: Not as good as I hoped, but I can't complain. How's Erne and the kids?」

I wanted to make them taste some of my dishes.

「Berel: They're doing well, we've been having a bountiful harvest this year.」

「Allen: Glad to hear it. Oh by the way...」

I reached for my pouch. I gave her a dozen silver coins as thanks for all the help they gave me when I first stumbled into this world. At first, she refused, but I insisted. I get antsy if I don't repay my debts.

I told her the tale of my first adventurer experience.

Berel frowned.

「Berel: You should be careful, most adventurers die young and you're not young anymore...」

Pffft, I'm only 30 years old, I'm still in my prime. Right?

「Berel: ...you would do better to settle down and live a peaceful life. Many friends I knew when I was young lost their lives chasing riches and glory.」

Right... settling down, with all the excitement and my corporate mentality I had completely dismissed such a notion. I think I'll keep dismissing it until I get unlucky enough to fall in love.

I never had time for a girlfriend, when I was a kid I was too dense to read the signals. When I went to high school and college there were literally no girls who resembled girls (shit, I really fucked up picking up IT) and finally, when I started working at that big corporation I grew weary of people and stopped going out.

Thinking about it again... I should have just changed job.

Whatever.

I returned to the restaurant to survey the situation. Corgas was doing a fine job of handling everything. I retired myself in the backroom and took out the sheets of paper with Gregoris' notes. I had to study this damn alphabet.

I really was hoping for skill books to exist, it seems that you have to do everything the hard way in here. "I've been gathering ideas from this world" said the Creator when it first appeared in my dream. Maybe I just deluded myself into thinking it would have been more like a game.

This is just reality with extra hidden magic elements.

Very well hidden, so far the only one I saw performing magic was Ellin. I swear, it's like everyone in this world is greedily protecting their magics from public eyes. Such a bunch elitist cunts. I'm so fucking mad now.

I bet the Creator made things like this on purpose to aggravate me, the stick and the carrot. God damn.

I need more money, I need to find another quest.

I really miss browsing the internet looking for tutorials!

I used my anger as fuel for doing some push-ups. I gotta get in shape.

The next day Namrick paid me a visit. I had been chilling at the tables near the inn's entrance.

「Namrick: Hi, Allen, how are you doing?」

He was his usual cheery self.

「Allen: Fine, I'm learning to read and write.」

I put down my notes and turned to face him.

「Namrick: Look, we've got a job for which we could use your assistance.」

「Allen: Oh, what is it? More monster killing?」

Namrick shook his head.

「Namrick: No, we have to escort a merchant to a dwarven settlement for trading, with us and his two bodyguards that front is covered. The thing is... he requested a chef to bring along the journey, so we thought about you.」

Fuck, more work involving food. I don't mind it as a hobby, but having to do it as a job is taking all the fun away.

「Allen: Well, I am confident in my culinary prowess. Can you tell me more about it?」

I'm just average, but these people are easy to please. Maybe all the good chefs are taken by the royal palaces, never to see the light again.

Anyway, I haven't been sitting on my ass doing just pizzas, I can't stand them anymore, I need to detox.

Instead, I have experienced and learned many recipes from the locals, thanks to that I also learned many alternatives to the ingredients from my world. The recipes themselves are mostly rubbish, aside from a few things. Maybe I just don't like those damn spices they stubbornly cram into everything.

No, its other way around... it's the food that's crammed into spices.

「Namrick: We'll be traveling for four days at best, we're leaving tomorrow morning from the inn. Your pay will be 10 golds with an extra if you manage to please him.」

10 gold coins... well that's not bad! Adding the other 5 coins from last time I should have enough to attend that Basic Magery course at the Arcane Academy!

Magic.

I slapped the table.

「Allen: I accept!」

I need that money.

「Namrick: Great! Make sure to prepare all the provisions you need, we'll load them in the caravan.」

「Allen: Very well, leave that to me.」

Namrick waved and left among the crowd.

I've been keeping my recipes secret for future business opportunities. But I guess it won't be bad to show off a little.

This time I'll introduce noodles and maybe ravioli since I haven't seen them around anywhere.

I spent most of the day preparing the food supplies.