Morning Routine
Before dawn had even cracked, I stirred awake in my modest quarters. A soft rustle of movement caught my attention, and I turned to see Nozue already busy at work in the small kitchen nook, preparing our breakfast. The early morning wake-up call was a testament to Nozue's dedication; it was a grueling routine we had both fully embraced over the last few weeks.
"Good morning, Nozue! You're up early today," I greeted, my voice tinged with sleepiness as I rubbed my eyes.
Nozue glanced up with a bright smile, his hands deftly mixing ingredients in a wooden bowl. "Good morning, Kazu! I'm just getting breakfast ready so we can have something to eat during our break later. It's part of our routine now!"
I stretched and yawned, my eyes still half-closed. "Wow, you can cook? I didn't know that. I wish I had a talent like that. You seem to have so many everyday skills."
Nozue chuckled softly, clearly pleased by the compliment. "I picked this up from Nanay Rosalia. It's not really a big deal. She's been teaching me a lot."
I grinned, feeling a bit envious. "Well, I'll go fetch the water, then. We should be all set for the day."
As I moved to fill the heavy wooden jug, Nozue finished preparing our meal and began to wrap it up in cloth. "By the way, Kazu, what's the plan for today? Are we going to take another construction quest?"
I shook my head, setting the jug down. "Not today. I was thinking we could just go for a perimeter jog. Also, I want to find Kazike. I have a question for him."
Nozue's curiosity was piqued. "Kazike? Oh, the armored guy you went to the dungeon with?"
"Yeah. He's an A-Rank from the Guild, kind of like an older brother to me. I usually go to him when I have questions about how this world works. I need to ask him something specific today, but it shouldn't take too long," I explained.
"No problem. Let's go find him, then," Nozue said, slinging the bag of food over his shoulder. "Everything's packed and ready to go."
My eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. "Oh, wait! I learned a new skill yesterday after we finished hauling those logs. I want to test it out."
Nozue looked intrigued. "A new skill? What is it?"
"It's called Item Space," I said, my enthusiasm barely contained.
Nozue's eyebrows knitted in confusion. "Item Space? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just wait a moment. Let me show you," I said. I gestured for Nozue to hold out the wrapped food.
I focused my mind on the skill.
[Active Skill Activated: Item Space] [You may now store items in the dimensional vault.]
A small, swirling void materialized in the palm of my hand.
Nozue's eyes widened in absolute astonishment. "Is that... magic?!"
I nodded, buzzing with excitement. "Yes, I think so. It's supposed to allow me to store physical items inside this pocket dimension."
Nozue leaned in closer, fascinated by the swirling dark energy. "That's amazing. How does it work?"
I shrugged, a bit unsure myself. "The system instructions said to just push the items inside. I'm still figuring it out."
Nozue studied the void, still in awe. "I can't believe it. But who gave you these instructions? Who tells you about your skills?"
"It's like... a glowing, floating window that appears right in front of me, showing my stats and what I need to do," I said, trying to describe the LitRPG system as best as I could to someone who had never seen a video game.
"A floating window? I don't see anything," Nozue said, waving his hand through the empty air in front of my face.
"Only I can see it. It's hard to explain. It's like a magic square that lists my levels and spells. That's how I know what I'm capable of," I explained.
"Oh, I see. It's a bit confusing, but I think I get it," Nozue said, nodding slowly.
I carefully pushed the wrapped food into the void. It vanished instantly, feeling completely weightless. I smiled, closing my hand and dismissing the portal. "All set. Let's head out, Nozue!"
Nozue grinned and patted me on the back. "Your skills are amazing, Kazu! This will definitely make our jogs easier without having to carry heavy bags. So, you can store anything in there?"
"I haven't tested the limits yet, but we can definitely give it a try later," I said.
"Alright, let's go before the sun gets too high. We need to get our exercise in!"
Two Hours Later
The sun was climbing higher in the sky by the time Nozue and I finished our morning jog. We were sweaty but exhilarated. As we headed toward the Guild to cool down, we ran right into Kazike, who was walking in the same direction.
"Kazu! It's been a few weeks! You're looking taller!" Kazike exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with recognition.
I returned the greeting with a wide grin. "Yeah, I guess so! Thanks for noticing, Kuya Kazike!" All those construction quests and heavy lifting really have been paying off. "I actually wanted to ask you about swordsmanship. Do you know where I can formally learn it?"
Kazike's expression grew thoughtful as he crossed his massive arms. "Swordsmanship, huh? Didn't you say you also wanted to learn more magic affinities? Now you're thinking of adding swordsmanship to your list? You might be stretching yourself too thin, kid."
Nozue, who had been quietly listening, looked shocked. "Wait, Kazu, you want to learn all the magic affinities?"
I nodded firmly. "Yes, I want to try."
Nozue's eyes widened. "But I've heard that learning a new affinity aggressively drains your mana reserves. Most people can only handle one or two. Trying to learn a third could be incredibly dangerous. You're aiming to learn them all?!"
I shrugged casually. "I have infinite mana, remember? It's a challenge, but I'm up for it."
Kazike looked profoundly impressed. "Well, if you're serious about this, you should travel to the central capital of Druzka. You'll find the Zirabia Magic Heights Academy and the Quarzia Swords Academy there. They are the absolute best institutions for learning magic and blade-work in the entire country."
"Thank you for the advice, Kuya. I really appreciate it," I said earnestly.
Kazike nodded. "Just remember, studying there is highly expensive, and you'll need to live on campus. They don't allow students to commute from outside the city walls. Plus…"
I looked up at him curiously. "Plus what?"
Kazike's eyes twinkled mischievously. "There are a lot of beautiful, noble women there who might catch your eye. Keep that in mind, kid!"
Both Nozue and I nearly stumbled over our own feet in surprise at his playful remark.
"Seriously, Kuya Kazike? Did you have to mention that? How is Kazu supposed to stay focused on his training now?!" Nozue laughed.
"Kazu can handle it! I have total confidence in him," Kazike said with a wink.
I shook my head, laughing, my cheeks feeling slightly warm. "You're something else, Kuya!"
"Here we are," Kazike announced as we reached the heavy wooden doors of the Guild. "Are you two taking a quest today?"
"We weren't planning on it, but since we're already here, Nozue and I will probably pick one up," I said.
Kazike looked at Nozue with interest. "Is Nozue also an adventurer now? He seems quite young."
"We're the exact same age," Nozue defended himself with a proud smile.
"Oh, I see. What kind of quest are you boys considering?" Kazike asked.
"A construction quest," I replied.
Kazike's surprise was evident; he nearly dropped the canteen he was drinking from. "A construction quest? Why in the world would an S-Rank do manual labor?"
"We're working on organically building our physical strength stats," I explained.
Kazike nodded, his eyes sweeping over my changing physique. "I've noticed. Your body is really taking shape. You're growing up fast, Kazu!"
I felt a flush of embarrassment. "It's nothing, Kuya. What about you? What quest are you taking today?"
"I'm doing an A-Rank hunting quest. The monster material rewards are better for me," Kazike replied as he pushed the doors open.
Inside the Guild
As we entered the bustling hall, Missy spotted us immediately.
"Good morning, Kazu, Kazike, and Nozue! Are you here to take a quest?" Missy asked cheerfully from behind the reception desk.
"Yes, Missy!" Nozue and I responded in unison.
Missy's eyes sparkled. "You all arrived together this morning. That's nice!"
I smiled brightly at her. "Good morning, Missy! You're looking as beautiful as ever today."
Missy completely froze. Her long elven ears twitched, and her cheeks instantly turned a burning shade of pink. "Oh, Kazu… Th-Thank you. That's very kind of you to say."
Nozue leaned against the counter, glancing at Missy with a highly mischievous glint in his eye. "Missy, I have a question for you. Are you an elf?"
Missy's eyes widened in surprise. "Yes, I am. How did you know?"
"I'm just observant. For instance, I've also noticed that it seems like you might have romantic feelings for Kazu. Is that true?" Nozue asked, his tone perfectly innocent but laced with teasing.
Missy's face turned an even deeper, impossible shade of red. She fumbled with her ink pen, desperately trying to deny it. "I—I don't know what you're talking about!"
"No way? Really?" Nozue pressed, clearly enjoying her complete lack of composure.
Missy stammered, looking down at her boots. "W-Well... um..."
I tilted my head, completely oblivious to the subtext of the conversation. I looked at her with genuine concern. "Are you alright, Missy? You seem really flushed. Do you have a fever?"
Missy quickly composed herself, taking a deep breath and putting on a brave, professional face. "I'm perfectly fine, Kazu! Just... it's a little warm in here today."
Nozue grinned, immensely satisfied with his handiwork. "Alright, Missy. We'll take a quest today. What do you have for us?"
Missy quickly sorted through her papers to hide her face and handed me a rolled-up scroll. "Here's a standard job quest. It's a heavy construction task at the eastern wall. I've already pre-approved it, so you can start anytime."
I took the scroll, my expression turning serious. "Thank you, Missy. We'll get on it right away."
Missy nodded, still a bit flustered but recovering nicely. "Good luck, boys. And remember, Kazu... if you ever need any help, with anything at all, don't hesitate to ask me."
"Will do! Thanks, Missy!" I said as Nozue and I headed toward the Guild exit.
As we pushed the doors open to leave, Nozue leaned in and whispered to me, "You know, Missy definitely has a massive secret crush on you."
I looked at him, completely surprised, but shrugged it off. "Really? I didn't notice at all. Well, I'm just glad she's so supportive of our quests."
Nozue slapped his forehead, smiling knowingly. "She really is. But let's just focus on our quest for now. We've got work to do."
I nodded in agreement, and my best friend and I set off into the city, ready to face the heavy lifting of the day.