A problem emerged. This problem was always the problem that people had. It was something material that you had to give to people in order to acquire goods. That was right. The problem I had was money.

“Well, I’m going back.” Merry, the half-monster slave, said.

“What!? You won’t do that, right? Right? Hey! Don’t start to walk away!” I screamed, attracting the attention of the passersby.

It was about ten minutes when we left the orphanage. We were walking on the streets that I only usually saw when I clean the windows in the orphanage. It was a relatively deserted street as there was no worthy store nearby but that didn't mean there weren't any people.

I had been living in this world for about a week now and I still find it weird that I hadn't seen any big structures yet. The only noteworthy big structures in this place was a three-story building that I assumed a businessman owns because of the store in the first level.

I had heard from the Merry and the other servants that the town of Roq was a small town. Only about 3,000 people lived here and was always on constant threat from the monster in the nearby mountain. That was why the so called ‘Wanderers Guild’ had set up a guild here. I didn't know much about them but I had heard from the others that they are the ones who fight these monsters.

The town of Roq was in the kingdom of Ergaos and was situated far from the north of the kingdom. Right now, it was summer but they said when winter came the place almost become unlivable. Despite the dangerous monsters that live in the mountain, the main income here came from logging and livestock. With the defeat of Shakna, there had been less monsters appearing in the mountain, so the mountain was becoming safe and business was blooming for the town.

Obviously, these were all second hand information that I received from Merry and the other servants. Incidentally, the servants in the orphanage are all illiterate except for Merry which I didn't know how she knew how to read.

After walking the deserted street, we came across a market full of people. This must have been the market that I vaguely saw when I first came into this world. Lines of stall with their products and poultry occupy the market. There were many humans and slaves just like Merry here.

“So, what will we do?” she coldly said. I guess she still hasn’t changed her attitude towards me. Sigh.

“Maybe, you know something? You are from here…”

“No, I don’t. Guess I’ll go back.”

“Wait! Let’s just go to the market first. Maybe there’s something there.” I honestly didn't know where to get a job for the money.

We slowly walked around the market. As I took a closer look at the products they sell, I noticed something that you wouldn’t find in a market in my world. There was an weapons stall where varieties of weapon and armor are on display with their price tags.

“Merry, do you know how money work here?” I said while staring at the weapons and armors.

“Are you seriously asking me that? Haven’t you learned that from living here?” She said with confusion on her face.

“Maybe money works different here. I’m from another country, remember?” This was something that I came up whenever someone would ask me where I was from.

“Well, in that case, the currency here works in a simple way. The currency is mainly about coins and there are three types of them. They are the bronze, silver, and gold. A one gold coins is equivalent to hundred pieces of silver, one silver coin is equivalent to a hundred pieces of bronze coins. You can also barter if the other party allows it. It’s also practiced here to bargain for the best price, so you would see people almost always bargaining around here especially since this place isn’t really for the rich.”

As Merry was explaining, I looked at the other stall and saw a woman came and bought what looks like an apple. The price for the apple was five bronze each and the woman bargained it for the half price. After a while, they reached an agreement and settled for three bronze each.

“You mean the eight gold I gave was really a lot!?” I knew she told it to me before but it really just dawn on me right now. Heck, even I would be grateful to someone if they spend a lot of money to me.

Suddenly, people started to move towards my direction. I thought they were going to rob me because of what I shouted but it turned out that there were some commotion happening from the road we came in. So as a human being and a bystander, I was curious to what was happening and went to follow the crowd.

What I saw was straight from a nightmare.

As the curious crowd gathers in the middle of the road, it was mainly because of a man and a woman who seemed like they are arguing. What caught my eye was the malnourished naked body of a young man and a woman pulling a cart. They were the same as Merry except the woman had a fur and look more like an animal and the other one had horns in his head. They weren’t wearing anything and was buck naked out in the open.

I felt something from my stomach as I watch those two pull the cart. It was rising, I tried to stop it but I couldn’t. I puked out what I ate this morning in the middle of the crowd. I couldn’t handle seeing how malnourished and beaten up they are. The woman and her friends must have felt the same thing and tried to help.

“You okay?” Merry rubbed my back as I puked while the crowd moved away. “If you really think about it, I was lucky with Ms. Arina. At the very least, they didn’t treat me like that, just a few beatings.”

This world is really screwed up.

While looking down, I heard a sound of commotion turned into excitement as the minute goes by. After finishing vomiting, I looked up and turns out that the woman arguing with the slave owner was holding a staff and pointing it at him. The slave owner was visibly shaking at the threat of the young woman.

One of her companion was stopping her from hurting the slave owner but to no avail. She had a determined look on her face as she said something. After speaking, the top of her staff glowed and something was about to happen but then someone shouted.

“Hey! What’s going on here!?” shouted by a man with a spear on his hand.

“It’s those troublesome wanderers again!” announced by a man with a sword on his hip.

After seeing those people, the woman with the staff was forcefully dragged by one of his companion and fled away. The people with weapons started to give chase and disappeared on the busy streets.

As for the slave owner, he was relieved that nothing happened to him and started to shout on his slaves. He kicked and kicked them for whatever reason he had to. Anger started to boil in my heart and I tried to intervene just like the woman but Merry stopped me.

“What do you think you’re doing? You can’t help them.” Merry said with

“I have to try.” I said, determined.

“Arina was right about you. You are naïve. Can’t you see even if you help them, you wouldn’t be able to do a thing for them. We don’t even have money.”

I know. I thought all of that. But still, I just couldn't leave them alone. I guess this is feeling was guilt, huh?

As I was preparing myself to help them, Merry scooped me up and locked me with her right arm just like what she did with Jane and James.

“Hey! What are you doing? Put me down!”

“I don’t follow your orders, remember?” she said as she quickly fled from the market. She also covered my eyes as to cover her tracks. I couldn’t move, even if I wriggle, she was just too strong.

“What the —, are you jumping!?” I could feel her jumping and landing to the rooftop of houses. She was really trying to shake me off so I wouldn’t be able to return.

But I guess I now have an excuse why I couldn’t help those people. I knew all along that I wouldn’t be able to help them. I didn’t even have money to free them just like Merry. And what about the other slave that I would see? Could I also free them? These questions plagued my mind.

After running for a while and to God knows where, Merry stopped by outside a local blacksmith and took cover from the scorching sun. She finally put me down and sat down in a nearby bench. I sat down too, my body numbed from not moving.

Seconds after seating, our stomachs growled.

“Man, I really want to eat something.” I sighed.

With her cold eyes staring at me, she blatantly said “Huh? Why do you think that is?”

“I know, I know but —,” I noticed something on corner of my eye. I stood up and looked at it. It was a poster about the Wanderers Guild. “Merry, let’s go and check this out.”

*

After asking people where the Wanderers Guild is, we finally made it there. The building it housed was a pretty normal building that doesn’t necessarily have any striking features. Outside, they only had a sign that says ‘Wanderers Guild of Roq’ and a bench for sitting.

To summarize what the poster was all about, it was an advertisement about their guild and that if you would join; you would be able to receive five silver coins as an investment for joining the guild. Now, there wasn’t any additional information about what the guild was all about but I do know that they fight monster, so this was an additional bonus for my step to save Shakna. I would be killing two birds with one stone.

I knocked on the door and yelled “Excuse me! We’re here to join the guild!” a few moments later, someone opened the door.

“Oh, new baits, I mean, new soldiers. Come in, come in.” He beckoned us with his business-like attitude though I did worry about what he said first.

I glanced at Merry and it seemed she wasn't still not aboard with this idea. I mean, who could blame her, though? She must have constantly been fighting her entire life.

We entered the building. The inside was really small as there was only one room and that was the room we were in right now. There was a table with stacks of paper, a closet and a bookshelf. Overall, it was pretty empty.

The man sat down on his chair and crossed his legs. “So, If I heard you correctly, you’re saying you want to join the Wanderers Guild, right?” He licked his lips.

“Yes, sir. That is right.”

“No need for formalities, boy. Anyway, is it just you or also her?” she looked at Merry.

I also looked at Merry. This had to be her decision.

“Yes, the both of us.” I smiled at her but she looked irritated.

“Since both of you have come here with the poster in hand, I assume you know what you’re getting yourselves into?”

“Yes, basically, we have to fight and defeat monsters, right?”

“Basically. Since you already know that stuff, let’s talk about other things. First off, you’ll start as a trainee. Does the both of you know how to fight?”

“I don’t know how to but I think Merry does.” I mean she was fast and got absurd strength.

“Yes, I already know how to.” Merry said.

“Wonderful. As for you, boy, you’ll have to pick a class.” he gave me a paper and there was a list of classes to choose from. There were Warrior, Swordsman, Archer, Hunter, Assassin, Mage, Priest, Necromancer and a Monk. “Now, you have to really think about what you would pick because I’ll ask you about it after this discussion, okay? He winked.

I smiled. I didn’t know if I would feel weird or awkward.

“Now, let’s move on the next discussion. We’re going to talk about the ranking system inside the guild. Right now, you are known as a Trainee. The perks of a Trainee includes; free lodging, free training, hunting monsters and creating groups. However, in the next stage, it is necessary to become a wanderer. If you become a wanderer, you are officially part of the guild. You’ll have the previous perks and the ability to join clans. If you don’t become a wanderer, you’ll be kicked out.”

“How do you get to the next stage?”

“Oh, that’s easy.” He giggled. “Just a measly ten silver coin. Oh and you have to pay me half of the five silver coin that I will give you for taxation and maintenance purposes. I also forgot to mention you’ll be buying yourselves your own weapon and armor. Teehee.” He let out his tongue like some idiot.

This feels like a losing situation but I really didn't have the any other options. Besides, the free lodging sounded great to my ears.

“All right, we can live with that. Is there anything else?”

“There sure is.” He grabbed a dagger and leapt at me.

“Woah!”

There was a thud and suddenly, I was on the floor. I shouted but not because I was hurt but because I was surprised.

As confusing as this was, the man pointed the dagger at my throat. “What do you make of dying?” I would be lying if I didn’t say that I wasn’t scared but somehow, I knew he wouldn’t kill me, so I had the courage to keep myself sane enough and not run out of the door.

Merry quickly tried to save me but the man waved her pointing finger back and forth and said “No, no, no, you see, I have to know if you people are trustworthy.” As he was on top of me, I couldn’t move. He was seriously strong.

“Did you know? Assassins often said that you would truly know a man when he’s about to die. Let’s try that out, shall we?”

He raised his dagger up, hold the grip backward and plunged it into my face. I closed my eyes and thought of my earlier remark dead wrong.

I’m going to die.

I heard the sound of the dagger rang out literally right next to my left ear. Simultaneously, my left ear felt hot and painful. I slowly opened my eyes and was surprised to see the smiling face of the man. It seemed he wounded my ear a little bit.

“Welcome, Trainee.” He stood up and also helped me to stand up. “I don’t want any dangerous people coming into this guild, that’s why I have to be suspicious of everyone. Don’t worry, you passed the test.” He winked at me.

I was just glad I got accepted. Now I didn't have to worry about where to find the basic necessities. The day had been very hectic.

“I am Chris, by the way. Lieutenant Chris of the Wanderers Guild of Roq. I’m basically the official officer that run things about wanderers around the town of Roq.” He went back to his desk and opened a drawer below. He took out a pouch and gave it to Merry and me.

“I’m Terrin Tachibana and this is Merry.” Now, come to think of it, what is Merry’s surname? Guess, I’ll ask her later.

He burrowed his eyebrows. “Hmmm…your last name sound awfully a lot the same like the new batch of wanderers that came here…” That was a different response when I usually said my name. What did he mean by that?

“Anyway, as promised, here’s the free money. I reduced the needed miscellaneous fees, so inside there’s only two silver coins and fifty bronze coins. That should be enough to buy a weapon and some armor. Buy a cute one, okay?” he winked at me again. Seriously, I’m being weirded out by the wink.

He looked at Merry from above all the way below. “Before I ask you about your class, is she a maid or something?”

I hesitated. I really hadn't thought how to introduce Merry to other people. But as I was pondering, Merry replied for herself.

“I am but a humble slave and this young man is my master.” Merry formally replied. So she talked properly to people she didn't know, huh?

“A slave, huh? His eyes sharpened.

“Do you have any problem with slaves…?” I asked hesitantly.

“No, you’re its master, anyway. Just keep it away from other people, so no fights would happen.” I hated how he called her like a thing and not a living person.

“So? What will your class be?”

The other classes sounded really cool but there was one that really caught my eye.

“If possible, I’d like to be an Assassin…”

“Very well.” He licked his lips. He took something in the drawer. It was an envelope with intricate design on it. “Here. This is an official document that states that you are an trainee for the guild. Head over to the Assassin Association and tell them that I send you there. They should know what they should do next.”

“All right, I’ll go ahead and take a look later.”

At the moment, all I was thinking was if could handle being in a battle. Seeing those malnourished children was nauseating already, what about when I was actually the one who hurted and killed monsters? Could I take that?

I heard a sound coming from the door. The door was rusty, so it was squeaking a little bit. I intuitively looked at the door and saw four people entering. At first, I didn’t saw their faces but as they came close, I vaguely remembered who they were. Oh yeah, these are the people who made the commotion on the market before.

Little did I know from that time, meeting this people would change my life. Only halfway since I left the orphanage, another crazy thing was happening again.

I just want to eat something at this point…