Chapter 10

My conversation with Anne was delightful.

Every step toward the mine felt reluctant, dragging my feet as if leaving behind a trail of lingering sentiment on the floor.

The faint smile of hers, that platinum afterimage, still lingered in my mind.

Now that this feeling had sprouted, a subtle rebellion against my sense of purpose began to creep into the corner of my heart.

The letter’s promise—reach the true ending and return home.

Hmm… It suited my need for healing perfectly. Though I don’t recall all the details clearly, the gist was: I didn’t want to go back. Just as the letter foretold.

Let’s see… Comparing Day One to now, just ten days later—it’s shifted dramatically from 10:0 to about 5:5. What once seemed an absolute desire to return has softened; this world isn’t half bad.

Of course, I should factor in my recent streak of luck and momentum, but even so, it’s clear this place has grown on me.

It’s not too alien. My experiences stack up like levels, sharpening my senses. There’s this strange versatility, as though I could handle anything alone. The civilization here strikes a balance between inconvenience and convenience—just right.

Yeah, maybe the letter was onto something. Maybe I *do* like it here more than expected. But who knows? At any moment, I might face zombies or skeletons in battle and scream myself hoarse, yearning desperately to return home. Or get injured during some grand adventure. Or mess up while learning magic.

Still, there’s much about this world I don’t understand. Game logic doesn’t always match reality. My knowledge isn’t absolute truth yet.

That uncertainty makes me hesitate. Perhaps that’s why I focus so much on growth—if I’m strong enough, I can overcome most threats. Once I reach that point, staying might feel less daunting.

But no matter what, I can’t abandon everything from my old life—the bonds with family, friendships. That “5” in the balance holds firm because those memories remain precious.

Maybe there’s a way to travel freely between worlds somewhere out there. Finding it would make for a pretty good plan. No reason to stick rigidly to the letter’s advice, after all.

Lost in thought, I shuffled toward the abandoned mine, only to be greeted by its musty stench filling my lungs. Snap! Back to reality. Definitely not a pleasant spot.

I quickly descended through familiar paths—first floor, second floor, third floor. As I mined glowing ores with my pickaxe, layer by layer, I ventured deeper.

Clang clang went the pickaxe. Huff huff came my damp breath. Each step grew heavier as stamina drained.

By sheer luck, aside from one slime, I avoided monsters until Floor Seven. Upon reaching Eight, a chilling draft signaled something different. Gripping my shortsword tighter, I noticed the air felt off—a distinct shift in atmosphere.

Tense footsteps echoed along narrow corridors. Then, abruptly, the tension crystallized into stark reality.

“Skeleton…”

There it was—the first monster of comparable strength. Its presence carried weight, not due to size but similarity. Cold sweat trickled down my back, soaking through my clothes uncomfortably.

A quick glance revealed it wielded a bone club—not sharp weapons like swords, which brought slight relief. If it wasn’t armed well, perhaps it wasn’t the strongest skeleton.

Our bones clicked together as it charged. Fast movement indeed.

With steady focus, I gauged my sword. Level 1 combat experience versus equipment rated at Level 20.

From above, downward. My eyes tracked the bone club’s arc flawlessly. Predictable upward swing. In response, I swung low-to-high diagonally, channeling force against impact.

Clang!

Though heavy, the shock was bearable. Next came a contest of strength.

The skeleton’s power paled in comparison. My blade easily pushed aside its weapon.

Cracking sounds filled the air as the club slid away. My sword struck hard against its ribcage—not a cut but a crushing blow.

Snap!

The satisfying crack announced critical damage. Staggering, the skeleton received another hit. Raising my sword high again, I delivered a straight downward strike to its skull.

Huff!

Crash!

Its skull shattered, collapsing in a heap on the ground. Pieces of white bone scattered as the skeleton met its end.

Checking the UI for item information confirmed its demise. Bone fragments made decent fertilizer when ground into powder, so they weren’t useless.

Short fight, yet quite satisfying—no injuries, plenty of guidance from combat experience. Two hits took down a skeleton of equal tier.

Clatter-clatter…

Three more skeletons loomed ahead, their pale forms swaying in the dark. Swinging my sword casually, I estimated the odds. A brilliant strategy formed instantly.

They charged. So did I.

Or rather, I fled in the opposite direction. Retreating is wisdom among warriors. Three was simply too many.

Honestly, I thought I could handle them, but fighting one-on-one versus multiple foes is different. My combat instincts screamed loudly about potential harm. Though winnable, there was no pressing reason to risk it, so I backed off.

Thus ended my mining expedition at Floor Eight. Using the remaining stamina, I mined iron ore near Floors Three and returned home safely. Aside from dispatching a bat mid-journey, nothing dangerous happened. These fights have become routine now.

Every day concludes the same way—cleaning up and flopping onto my bed. With that, Day Ten drew to a close.

—

Day Eleven.

Mining reached Level Seven. Combat leveled up to Two, while other skills stayed put. Daily progress feels rewarding.

Routine sets in. Planted three hundred seeds overnight, massaged my sore back, then watered them. Grabbed my fishing rod and headed to the lake. Afterward, mining. Carefully clearing monsters one by one before heading home. Today, I managed to break through to Floor Ten, finding a large vein of gold that delayed my return.

The kale and garlic planted on Day One matured, though their yield was small, so I decided to harvest tomorrow en masse.

—

Day Twelve.

Mining Novice Level Nine. Skill growth feels smooth, but a twinge of anxiety arises recalling how Fishing advanced to Intermediate. Will Mining prove painful at higher tiers?

Combat Novice Level Three. Fishing Intermediate Level Five.

Stepping outside, vibrant fields of kale and garlic greeted me. About 250 heads of kale, 150 cloves of garlic—400 crops awaited harvesting. Clumsy Level-One farming hands plucked each plant, though mentally, the sound of gold coins jingling drowned out reality.

Each kale worth 32 silver, each garlic 40 silver. Total haul: 140 gold. While seemingly less profitable than fishing, remember—farming’s real payoff comes later when leveling up unlocks better yields and quality.

Intermediate brings increased crop value and new possibilities like wine or jam production. Profits scale exponentially.

Suddenly curious, I wondered how trade works in this world. Why hadn’t I considered it before? Too comfortable relying on system transactions?

What if my goods sell better elsewhere than through the system? Lightbulb moment.

Recalling Maxim generously pricing my fish reminded me—I’d overlooked something obvious.

Carefully packing the harvest into my bag, I walked to the village’s sole shop. Abel opened early, arranging seed and crop displays neatly. He recognized me immediately.

“Hey, isn’t that Minho?”

“Hello.”

“What brings you here so early? Need seeds?”

“No, I’m here to sell.”

“Come in. Let me see what you’ve got.”

Abel led me inside with a warm smile. Rows of organized crates showcased his meticulous nature.

He adjusted his round glasses, silently extending a hand. I produced a single head of kale and garlic.

“Selling these individually?”

“No, I have 400 total. Just checking condition first. How much per unit?”

“Hmm… These look great. Love and care went into growing them, huh? Kale at 45 silver, garlic at 80. Especially the garlic—demand’s rising lately thanks to popular recipes. Good timing!”

Just watering them…

Suppressing the urge to comment, I waited patiently for his assessment.

“Kale at 45, garlic at 80?”

Mentally calculating—kale (250 x 45) nets ~110 gold, garlic (150 x 80) nets ~120 gold. Total: 230 gold. Around 60-70% extra profit compared to selling via the system. Lucky I came here today—or I’d have been losing out big time.

If prices are this good, maybe Maxim also paid more for fish. Decided firmly to sell here unless absolutely necessary.

“Can you take all of them?”

“All? Sure thing. Such quality produce will sell fast in the city. Welcome aboard—we’ve gained another excellent farmer. Thanks.”

Abel grinned brightly. Gratefulness overwhelmed me. Without needing to establish complex trade routes, this price works fine. System beats beatable, very satisfied.

Establishing trade routes seems tedious anyway. Achievements required for each connection…

“Here you go—three 10-gold bills, two 100s, and 250 silver.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Hope to see you often. Our seeds aren’t bad either.”

“Do you carry garlic seeds?”

“Nope, sorry. Kale and garlic seeds rarely come in stock. We mostly get minari, sugar carrots, potatoes, peas. Rare items don’t arrive frequently. I’ll let you know when they do.”

“Thanks. See you next time.”

Disappointing. Had hoped to buy seeds cheaply if store prices were lower than the system’s. Since UI shows discrepancies, testing every crop individually remains the only option. This excites my inner cost-efficiency enthusiast.

Garlic’s expensive, huh?

Pocketing 230 gold, I resolved to invest entirely in marbling coins once dream-growing options became available. Cash should sync with the system fine; since it fits in my bag, it’ll work.

Unfortunately, lacking fish meant postponing Maxim until tomorrow. Reflecting, fish probably won’t fetch astronomical prices, but who knows till checked?

Skipping happily, I marched toward the forest lake. Following the usual routine of fishing, mining, battling, I returned home exhausted but fulfilled. Barely two weeks since arriving in Starwind Valley, yet I feel more alive and dedicated than ever before.

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