The Hungry Bear Detour
“This is going to be a long detour… Hungry Bear.” In the middle of this pristine white world, we’d run headfirst into yet another disaster—or rather, a bear. The coachman grandfather recognized the creature instantly. He tightened his grip on the reins and turned the carriage around.
We were already quite a distance from the capital. Monsters that appeared in the nearby fields and forests were naturally on the stronger side. “How much longer will it take if we go around?”
“Hmm, probably a few more hours.”
If we absolutely had to fight it, that would be one thing, but there was no reason to tangle with a bear right now. The Hungry Bear was a beast I’d heard adults mention from time to time. If someone went into the mountains and never came back, nine times out of ten it was because of one of these. They usually stayed deep in the mountains or forests, but with food scarce in the dead of winter, this one had wandered out into the open fields. Their vicious temperament was legendary, so taking the longer route was the smarter choice. Since I couldn’t check growth values with my own eyes, I had no desire to gamble with my life.
While we circled far around the man-eating bear, the soft, gentle snowflakes that had been falling changed their mood. They turned into a biting blizzard that blanketed the world in white. At this rate, reaching Windren before nightfall would be impossible.
“Tch, looks like we’re out of luck.”
Just as I expected, the coachman let out a disappointed sigh and glanced around. Without needing to say much, I could already tell we wouldn’t make it to the city today. After searching for a place to spend the night, we found a spot beneath a suitably eroded rock—a natural snow shelter. We parked the carriage nearby and set up camp.
The snow was coming down hard, so we draped a stiff blanket over the horse. While I filled the dried-out water skin and let the horse drink, the coachman thoroughly prepared our shelter for the night. Our only dinner was the dried fruit we’d brought from the village. After splitting some with the old man, I packed the rest into my bag and sat by the fire, trying to keep warm.
The crackling of the firewood tickled my ears. My eyes grew heavy and my mouth opened on its own, releasing a yawn my body had decided on without asking my permission. “Haaah…”
“Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“What if something shows up… hnnngh.”
I answered the coachman’s question while still half-lost in the tail end of my yawn. Ordinary monsters near the capital might be manageable, but I couldn’t exactly fight a bear or a wolf pack while lying down. Still, my body wanted sleep far more than my mind wanted vigilance. That night, I learned that when a person gets too tired, they can fall asleep in any position.
“Time to get up.”
“Nngh!?”
I jolted awake with a ridiculous grunt and opened my eyes to a sparkling white landscape. Sunlight poured down over the snowfield, making the ice crystals glitter like jewels.
‘Ugh…’
Realizing I’d fallen asleep without meaning to, I immediately pressed a hand to my aching back and waist. Sleeping hunched over like a shrimp had been a terrible idea. Ignoring the pain that made me long for a real bed, I began packing up.
I removed the blanket from the horse, covered the ashes of the fire with dirt, gave the horse another drink, and stuffed the sleeping bag and remaining supplies into my bag. With the wheels crunching through the snow and the sound of hooves sinking into the drifts, the carriage set off toward Windren once more.
The steady turn of the wheels finally stopped when we reached the paved road at the city’s outskirts. We had been supposed to arrive yesterday. “Nngh… haaah.”
The moment my feet touched the ground, I twisted my stiff body in every direction and let out a relieved breath. It was time to part ways with the coachman I’d grown fond of. Before I could even say goodbye, though, he must have been just as exhausted. Without a word, he left the carriage behind and headed straight for the coachmen’s rest area.
Compared to our warm first meeting, the farewell felt almost too light. I supposed this was how coachmen usually treated travelers and mercenaries. Well, first things first—food. My stomach, which had gone hungry on nothing but dried fruit, deserved a reward.
‘Delicious.’
I unwrapped the food I’d bought and took a big bite. It was just an ordinary sandwich you could find in any city. After teasing my appetite with dried fruit all night, even plain bread tasted like heaven. Three copper coins per sandwich. I polished off three of them right there on the bench like they were water.
While I patted my satisfied stomach and lounged on the long bench to digest, a stray thought drifted through my mind. ‘There was still one more item I hadn’t picked up in Windren…’
Now that I had some breathing room, my thoughts wandered. The only item I’d gotten in Windren so far was the boots I was wearing. I folded my left thumb, then hesitated on whether to fold my index finger as I tried to recall the hazy memory.
‘The second item was… ah, right. The entertainment district alley.’
Remembering the location, I glanced between the buildings at the narrow gaps. Even in broad daylight, the alleyways looked dark and shadowed. The item could be obtained through a simple conversation and a small payment. Since the conditions were easy, I remembered the performance hadn’t been anything special… but knowing how to get it and just walking past felt wasteful.
Since I’d already remembered, I decided to collect it tonight. After killing time in a random inn until nightfall, I quietly slipped into Windren’s nighttime streets. Careful not to wander into deserted areas like last time, I stuck to the main roads where people were still around. Thanks to that small effort, I reached the entertainment district without any trouble.
According to the system, this was a place where you could meet special companions or obtain items with mixed effects. In reality, though…
“Hey, big brother, looking for someone?”
“If it’s you, I could give you a discount. How about it?”
From the very entrance of the street, blatant invitations were being thrown around. It was a district that served as an outlet for lust. The city at night seemed to claim everything as its own, pulsing with energy. Beneath the hazy glow of the lights, men and women who had clearly never met before held hands. The snow piled along the roadside, trampled black, felt like it perfectly reflected the state of this street.
No matter where I looked for my destination, all I saw were women in revealing outfits. Whenever our eyes met, they smiled and beckoned me over with practiced ease. Their half-lidded eyes and slightly upturned lips radiated a tangible charm. I buried my burning face in my coat and tried to keep my composure while scanning the gaps between buildings through the dizzying scents.
As expected, an entertainment district was far too stimulating for a fifteen-year-old. Still, I didn’t forget my original goal and kept walking deeper into the street.
‘It should be around here.’
I stopped in the middle of the entertainment district, where voices overlapped like a marketplace. Near the entrance, the women only approached those who came close or showed interest, but now…
“Hey, want to play with big sis for a bit?”
“You’re young. How old are you? Did you get lost?”
They were openly stepping into the center of the street and hitting on even me. Already shorter than most adults nearby, I drew even more attention when several women started talking to me. I tried to brush them off with my age, then stopped and pulled my head back. In this world, the line between minor and adult was blurry. Revealing my age would only give them more reason to push harder.
“I’m sorry. I have somewhere else to be…”
“Tch, so you already have someone?”
After a few words of refusal, the women clicked their tongues in disappointment and drifted away. Letting out a sigh of relief, I finally escaped the heavy perfume and checked each nearby alley one by one. There, almost hidden in the shadows, was a vague figure I might have missed. A person wearing a robe pulled low to hide their face.
‘There!’
I’d never seen this person before, yet their presence felt oddly reassuring. In the middle of this dizzyingly realistic world, they were one of the few things that let me briefly forget reality. An NPC who would hand over their item in exchange for a few silver coins. The moment I confirmed their existence, I swallowed dryly and walked straight toward them without hesitation. Pretending I didn’t know anything, I stepped into the alley. The robed figure slowly turned toward me.