Slow Life (3)
We arrived near Reshi's house.
Far off, in front of her door, stood a bandit-looking man with his arms crossed.
That burly figure was instantly recognizable.
Reshi's father, Shtai.
"Daddy~ Were you waiting for me?"
"Hmph."
His eyes flicked back and forth between me and Reshi, sizing us up.
Classic father-of-a-daughter glare.
His piercing stare made me want to turn tail and run right then.
If he'd had a shotgun in his hands, it'd be chambered and ready to blow this very instant.
Last time I ran into him alone at night, I legit felt my life was in danger.
Such was Shtai, grabbing my shoulder as he planted himself in front of me.
"One drink?"
Moonlight could make a face look this creepy, who knew.
"No no, I've got training tomorrow, and Agnes's books wore me out. Trying to turn in early..."
My words got all jumbled from nerves, but the rejection came through loud and clear, I hoped.
"I like that."
Why!? Why the hell!!
His grip tightened on my shoulder.
It hurt!
"Y-yeah?"
"I lived wild. You know duty. That's why I like it."
Shtai wasn't big on words, which made him hard to read.
But that intimidating face of his drove the point home clear enough.
'Shut up and follow.'
"Uncle, let's hang out at our place again today."
Caught between Shtai's intimidation and Reshi's glee, I didn't have a chance to think before getting dragged along.
And as always, the moment we stepped inside, reality hit.
No shotgun, but the well-maintained sword, axe, and bow hanging on the wall told me Shtai had been an adventurer once.
The lady of the house, Latia, greeted us with drinks and snacks already laid out, like she'd anticipated this.
Unlike most frontier folk, she had this refined, ladylike vibe.
But her dexterous hands—whipping up little snares for foraging or peeling potatoes and fruit in seconds—were suspiciously skilled.
"Agnes really looks after you, Kirgil."
Latia took the gifts from Agnes I'd been carrying and neatly arranged them aside, like a high-end waiter.
Then she gave me a smooth smile.
"My, hasir roots are rare.
To even bring something like this..."
I wasn't that dense to miss the implication.
"Take it if you need it. I can't eat it all alone.
Don't even know how to cook it right."
"Then I'll roast some up quick."
"Hmph!?"
Shtai looked a tad flustered.
Was it some kind of couple's aid food?
Either way, regardless of my discomfort, the couple didn't mind me.
A glass or two of their homemade fruit wine, and Shtai's edge melted away.
Back home, drinking seemed like an old guys' thing.
Here, Latia and even Reshi joined without hesitation.
No laws or rules on booze.
I liked that. Proper fantasy world.
Latia perfectly decoded Shtai's grunts and hums, making the stories fun.
"Hmph, mazes for seven days are rough. Kh-hm."
"Even close friends or sweet lovers—stick 'em in a maze for seven days, and friends turn to foes, couples break up."
"Even adventurers who team up to cooperate?"
"Hmph, they clash, see too much of each other."
"Leaders call shots and you follow, but friends discuss.
Doesn't go smooth, fights break out.
Arguing over next floor or retreat is minor.
Life-or-death decisions with no agreement? Dead.
Imagine that tension for a week straight."
Shtai nodded at her explanation and poured another.
Reshi downed a few and dozed off on my lap.
Drinking with a giant bear plush on your lap.
Soft, good-smelling bear plush.
"Seven days in—no washing, no primping.
Monsters anywhere, can't split up.
So you handle business in front of your team.
Oh dear, maybe not dinner talk?
Hohoho."
"Everyone sees everything, guys and gals alike.
No bathrooms in dungeons anyway.
If there were, it'd scream trap."
"In there, you're not men or women—just warrior, mage, baggage.
Pretty or handsome? Nah, frontline or backline first.
Then who helps in the next fight—who doesn't. Constant judging."
"She was always a tea leaf. Hm."
"My word.
Can't keep her mouth shut in company.
Same back then. Tsk."
Overcoming that together? They'd last a lifetime.
Seeing them scoot closer, time for me to bow out.
"Still, couples in a dungeon? Best keep distance.
Me? I'd space. It. Out."
Heard plenty back home about office romances wrecking companies.
That meant something, but the emphasis on distance was clear.
Time to give the lovebirds space.
"Gotta tuck Reshi in soon anyway, prep for training tomorrow. I'll head out."
"Hmph. Yeah."
"Thanks."
That hasir root must be magic.
Its vibe plus the booze had Shtai seeing his wife as a woman again.
Just hoped Reshi slept through the night.
--- --- ---
"Paaaaah~"
Wrapped up the long trek from Agnes's and Reshi's in one night.
Hit home, lit a fire under my ass, crashed on the bed, and let out a long sigh.
Alone's boring as hell, but meeting folks wipes me out.
Born loner trait doesn't change easy.
After all that socializing, nothing beats solo bed time.
Just need solo entertainment here.
No such luck, so I cracked open an ancient tome from Agnes.
Supposed to hold magic lore and world secrets.
Most were in Hangul, but to me, they were grammar-mangled scribbles.
Handwriting so chicken-scratched it hurt to read.
Elementary kid's doodle from centuries ago? Instant ancient text.
"This one's no kid diary.
Nah, it's a cosmic masterpiece! This..."
Among dragons, the strongest transparent dragon wailed.
The transparent dragon was super OP, strongest among dragons.
"Ah, fuck..."
Most ancient tomes I'd seen were like that.
And I had to translate and interpret for Agnes.
"Gonna describe this one like:
Epic space saga of the absolute strongest's arrival and endless challengers.
...But it's too grand, futile, epic to pin down, and even saying that feels off.
Viewer-dependent: laughs, curses, tears—no judging lightly.
A great cosmic work at criticism's singularity."
Not long ago:
Baby troll trulut-trulu~
Cute trulut-trulu...
I interpreted that level of lyrics.
Agnes's reaction post-translation was gold.
Thought it was ancient chant, struck the pose from the illustration, sang it herself.
Mature lady doing nursery rhyme with motions? Beyond taboo thrill—hilarious.
Plus centuries-old gripes like "Kids these days have no manners," loan ads, flyers—mostly trivia.
No wonder reading wasn't a hobby here.
Books now just triggered sighs.
Early on, I dove in seriously.
Hoping for clues to my old world.
Conclusion: nada.
Who knows why.
Language matched mine.
But different civilization. History. World.
Confirmed that, rejected Agnes's offer, moved to my new house.
No more books in the village to check.
Bookless world intel meant hitting the road to learn firsthand.
"Status Window"
I uttered the "spell" to check my stats after ages.
Lv 5
HP: 100/120
STR: 20
AGI: 18
INT: 30
LUK: 13
MP: 30/30
Blessing: Happy Moment
"No real changes still. Numbers' meaning, baseline—who knows."
'Close Status Window,' I thought, and it vanished.
Three months, level up just 2.
Socializing and chores bumped stats a bit, but why or how high? No clue.
Couldn't see others'.
Knew I couldn't beat Ferio in swordplay or Shtai in strength, that's it.
Happy Moment, sole skill or blessing? Still a mystery.
"One-man army, harem—pure novel dreams..."
First week here: gauge reality, per Kras's taunt.
No overflowing qi or mana, no cheat skills, no SAS training.
Just average human.
And solo naked human does jack.
Urbanites imagine thirsting with no safe water?
So Reshi spoon-fed me basics daily at first.
Asked Agnes every little thing.
Villagers helped tons too.
This house alone proves it.
Expecting harem or rampage among them? Rude as hell.
"Not that I don't think about it at all."
Everyone's got dreams, like damsels eyeing princes.
For now, dreams.
Swords and magic world—possibility exists.
But current stats? Like buying a 5k lotto ticket hoping big.
"Booze didn't help sleep.
Past bedtime? Sigh..."
Pulled a new book.
Flipped it—a map of Agnes Village area slipped out.
Agnes was her name too.
Map tucked inside.
"Still looks more forward base than village."
Nearby flatlands, but mountains ringed it soon after.
Village in a big basin.
Map center: count's castle, main base—cross small mountains.
Agnes Village at right edge? Deep frontier.
"...Adventure."
Staring at the vast map, recalled my isekai arrival scream.
Post-tutorial, power up, adventure: "Leave village, rampage, harem!"
Not quite, but wanted different life here.
Old world: 35, dreams dead.
No repeat.
New world: try more, adventure.
Not RPG hot-blooded hero charging out.
"Stats unknown, no-skilled teammates—survive outside? Nah.
Lucky not monster chow day one."
No next life guarantee.
Train steady, build adventure-ready skills first.
Need resolve too.
New life guts, fight monsters life-on-line.
And.
Leave here guts.
"Good place. People too..."
Complicated thoughts brought sleepies.
Reshi's face popped up.
Cute, sweet kid.
Made life comfy, no loneliness.
Wanna tease her every time, or bear-hug tight.
That warmed my chest.
Sleep would come easy.
...Or so I thought, drifting off.
Morning: bolted awake.
"Gahhh! Why the hell are you here?!"
Reshi sat up beside me, sleepy-faced.
"Felt warm in my sleep, but no way!
Didn't think you'd actually crawl in, Reshi."
"W-well... House was noisy. Couldn't sleep... y'know..."
"......"
Better not ask why noisy.
She's blushing, hard to say.
Kid seeing that stuff young? Trauma city. Let it slide.
Sigh~
Manga/anime: girl in bed = flirty event with fave girl.
I was straight-up shocked.
Shocked enough morning wood shriveled healthily.
Honest: thought I'd get the silver bracelets for lolicon laws.
Nah, isekai.
Isekai.
No crime. Still.
"Girl, don't just barge into a guy's place."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Well, obviously..."
No lolicon laws here.
No youth protection even.
Ugh... Knew why Reshi came.
No real dating XP, but no idiot.
Internet's full of useless worldly knowledge.
No feelings, she wouldn't slip into my bed casual.
Green light! Convinced.
So...
"You're too young."
Drew the line firm.
Romcom protag like this? Balls-less simp hate.
Reality's different.
Village tiny.
Sit still, know everyone's ties.
Screw up, responsibility hits.
Could kill adventure dreams.
I'm a guy—wanna naughty stuff with girls? Sure.
But not ruin this cute kid for my horniness!
That's normal human!
That morning.
Reshi threw a fit: no kid treatment, jumping, rubbing, biting tantrum.
Pouted fierce.
Still brought meals on time.
Cute kid.
Soft.
Good scent.
Awkward now, but.
Seeing sleeping Reshi in my bed: thought wet dream pre-nocturnal.
Did all the affection I couldn't IRL in sleep.
Hugged that little head under covers.
Hands roamed leg to thigh, fingers savoring softness joint by joint.
Bare skin trembles still echo in my chest.
Cute reactions: petted hair, paused touching to squeeze tight, synced breaths.
Didn't expect her deep sigh to tickle my ear IRL.
That's when I realized—not dream. Freaked.
Me.
Next time? Might not hold back.
My inner sage: torched alive in lust flames!