It was an astonishingly peaceful night.
The deep purple sky was clear without a single cloud, and the stars scattered across it like grains of salt each shone beautifully. The gentle breeze blowing from afar even carried a sweet fragrance.
Crackle, crackle...
After gazing at the sky for a while, I turned my eyes to the bonfire blazing vigorously.
Come to think of it, "fire-gazing" used to be a trend back then.
Everyone was lighting little fires in fireplaces or braziers, staring blankly at them for hours and calling it "healing."
I thought I should try it sometime, and that feels like just yesterday...
But that was already three months ago.
As if by habit, I naturally recalled the time three months back.
"Back then..."
It had still been chilly, and I was lying on the warm heated floor, propping myself up and surfing the web on my phone.
Catching up on missed streams, reading backlog webtoons, checking the news.
"...Those were the days."
Just thinking about trivial keywords like fire-gazing, camping, healing, and making plans around them—life was truly blessed back then.
I was twenty-eight.
Having landed a decent job, my one sole wish was simple: an apartment in my own name, nothing more, nothing less.
For that dream, I skipped dating, cut back on hanging out with friends, and just focused on earning money.
Right after graduation, I got hired, worked like mad, and made junior manager in two years.
I haunted real estate forums obsessively for my homeownership goal.
I studied books and news until my head felt like it would explode...
Yet somehow, words like real estate, apartments, investments no longer stirred my heart.
Of course not.
Because I'm not on twenty-first-century Earth right now.
"Hoo..."
Letting out a deep sigh out of habit, I lifted the crude wooden cup I'd carved myself to my lips.
Fragrant, sweet grape wine poured down my throat.
Gulp, gulp, gulp...
I drained it all in one go.
'Good thing I grabbed this on the way out. That damn old hag sure knows how to brew booze.'
Thanks to the wine, my breath carried a sweet grape scent.
At least I could enjoy this small indulgence—small mercies.
Otherwise, I would've cracked under this pseudo-medieval world and offed myself ages ago.
"Hey, Theodor."
Theodor.
That's my name now.
Who'd have thought I'd end up with a name like that, me who'd never even been to an English academy, let alone traveled abroad.
I looked up at the man calling me Theodor.
Jamil, the action captain of the mercenary band.
"Shift change."
Already that time?
I glanced back at the sky, and sure enough, the stars had shifted.
Well, technically the stars weren't moving—it was this Earth-like planet rotating.
...Or was it?
This is what they call an "another world," after all.
I might be on a square planet instead of a round one like Earth.
"You got here quick."
"Haha, sorry. Just wiped out tired."
"No need for apologies. Eighty coppers."
He was usually an hour late for shifts.
I quoted the base rate flat.
He jumped back in shock.
"Eighty coppers? For being a little late!"
"An hour late."
"You know how brutal today's fight was!"
"Wasn't I in that brutal fight too?"
He bit his lip at my words.
Yeah, nothing to say to that.
Anyone could see I'd pulled the weight of two mercenaries in that goblin raid.
"Hand it over."
"Urgh..."
"Before I tell your captain."
"Thirty coppers! I'll do thirty!"
"Eighty."
"Forty! Forty!"
"Eighty."
"Fifty... That's my limit!"
I pondered for a moment.
Fifty coppers was about five thousand won.
Enough for two meals.
Comparing Korea's fixed wage to this medieval world's hourly rate might be unfair.
"Sixty."
At my final offer, he muttered curses and poured coins into my palm with a clatter.
Meals ran about twenty coppers each, so sixty covered a day's food.
"So, don't be late next time."
I swept the coins into my worn pouch, patted Jamil's shoulder, and headed for my tent.
"Cramped..."
Just big enough for me to lie down.
This was decent accommodations.
Low-rank mercenaries and caravan slaves slept on the dirt without even this.
'Lucky I chose the right job...'
Even with the blanket down, the hard ground pressed against me as I lay down and closed my eyes.
I'd gotten used to this life, maybe.
Naturally, I reflected on the past three months.
A habit since crashing into this another world.
Kang Tae-oh, average Korean salaryman, now Theodor the Druid in another world...
Life's unpredictable, but this is ridiculous.
'Truck to another world on the way home from work—cliché city...'
Yeah.
Ordinary salaryman me got smashed by a massive truck commuting home—thought I was dead, but woke up in the game I was playing.
Classic "isekai truck" incident.
At least no pain—silver lining?
'Hope that contract wrapped up okay?'
Maybe remnants of my old self as marketing junior manager Kang Tae-oh at the game company.
Sighing over a deal that wasn't my problem anymore.
It was my first big one after promotion...
I'd be lying if I said no regrets.
For now, the urge to return home outweighed relief at mere survival.
'Three months gone— that apartment I had my eye on must be opening for bids soon...'
A phantom brochure flickered in my mind.
I rolled over to shake off the thought.
Right now.
Job, contracts, real estate—not priorities.
'Just surviving without dying is.'
Unlike safe, civilized Korea, this pseudo-medieval land brimmed with dangers.
Surviving three months was luck.
But not pure luck.
I had solid intel on this harsh another world.
[Age of Envy].
Or EoEn for short.
The latest MMORPG my team marketed.
I even played it with the crew.
Memories surfaced.
Everyone picking swordsmen, warriors, mages—me alone choosing "Druid."
"Manager Kang! Druid's a trash pick."
The rookie's worried voice echoed.
"You should go swordsman or warrior..."
"Ukyung, you think I just play games casually?"
"Huh?"
"Twenty-plus years gaming, kid. Twenty."
"Then why..."
"Healing."
"Healing?"
"I've played enough games. This time, healing concept. EoEn's dungeons, monsters, animals—modeling's top-tier. No time for trips, so heal in-game, right?"
Healing.
Casual talk from more leisurely days.
Picking Druid paid off, though.
Swordsman or warrior? Dead by now.
Mage? Broke from mana costs.
Judging purely EoEn-realistically...
Druid's no trash pick.
Highly recommended.
Tame "beasts" for safety from lurking threats.
Druid spells plus "shapeshifting" into beast forms.
But key: "healing."
No real hospitals, doctors, even meds in this world.
Only pricey temple heals, mage potions, absurd folk remedies.
In a world of constant survival struggles, healing's a godsend.
'Kept me alive so far...'
My rare healing drew good treatment.
But I didn't just coast on heals.
World's not that soft.
Scum eyeing me as "healing slave"—too many to count.
Had to kill plenty.
Monsters too—dozens down.
Adapted unwillingly.
Early skills weren't OP, so rough days.
Druid starter: [Affinity].
Saved me from beast attacks.
Most die to monsters/beasts here—[Affinity] was a lifesaver.
Other skills solid.
[Plant Bind] grew plants for traps/immobilizing foes.
[Shaman Arrow] infused handmade bow/arrows with forest essence to strike enemies.
Helped conquer hardships.
[Beast's Might] too.
Temporary beast-strength surge—handy.
Levels boost power/duration.
But top skill: [Nature's Healing].
Survival booster, raised my value.
Unlike temple blessings/potions boosting external recovery, it enhanced target's innate healing—no side effects.
That's why demand rose daily.
Druid starters weren't mediocre—they were versatile.
Now level 12 thanks to them.
Stronger, landed mid-tier caravan guard gigs.
'Three months in—time to start
I sat up, opened the tattered book from my bosom.
Palm-sized, scribbled in unreadable script to others—useless junk.
To me, vital: game info, skills, quests—all in Korean.
Top of quest index...
[Main Quest: Find the Origin God's Temple.]
Quest to find Origin God's temple.
Sounds simple.
Issue: no clues on Origin God or temple.
Still, clearing main quest like in-game might send me home—my sole hope.
Leveled like mad, got mercenary badge for leads.
Three days max back home...
Took three months here.
Absurd—just to here.
How long for the rest?
I huffed a bitter laugh.
'We'll see, Origin God. I'll find you and get back no matter what.'
Like every night these three months, I vowed deeply and slept.